Alterlife III

by Matt Moss

  Pete continues. “Either way, we don’t have to worry about what may or may not have happened. The threat is over. And the world is in your debt, John.”

  Whatever. It’s just a damn game.

  I shake the fog from my head. “Why me? Why didn’t you stop all of this from happening?”

  “I tried.” He leans forward and speaks with earnest. “And I failed.”

  I stare at him, waiting on him to say more. After a moment of silence, he does.

  “The Gamemasters were designed with basic artificial intelligence; they followed the programming. But there were two I designed that were above the rest—possibly the most advanced AI that the world’s ever known. So much so, that they started devising their own plans and shaping Alterlife as they saw fit.”

  “Cari and Deakins,” I note.

  He nods. “I don’t need to tell you which one turned nefarious. I lost contact with Cari at some point. When Deakins alerted me of Cari’s initial plan to harm players with her own psychological warfare, I tried to step in. She put up some sort of defense, or firewall, against me. I couldn’t touch her.”

  Jenny chimes in, piecing it together now. “So that’s what the initial NueView suicides were linked to? Some sort of brainwashing from Cari?”

  Pete looks at her. “Her efforts started small; picking on people who she knew to be weak in both mind and spirit. She targeted those who had nothing left to live for in this life. Her sense of power and depravity must have grown from that, and she longed for more.” He looks back to me. “That’s when I gave you the virus. It was the only way I could stop her.”

  I shake my head. “Why the hell didn’t you jump in the game and destroy the gods yourself? Surely you could have become greater than Ace with all that you knew. Hell, you could have created an avatar and gone to Thannadas from the get-go.”

  He straightens his back against the wall. “Thannadas was a contingency plan in case the virus failed to kill Cari. I chose you to carry the virus because you looked like a man that had nothing left to lose. I saw that you were desperate, but had a feeling you were intelligent—a good combination to have when desperate times call for desperate measures.”

  “But there’s no way you could have known what I would have done. No way you could have known what choices I would have made.”

  “No. I only hoped that you would make the right choices. Thankfully, for all of us, you did.”

  Did I?

  Why does it feel like I made all the wrong choices along the way?

  “If the virus was designed to destroy artificial intelligence in the form of a Gamemaster, then why the hell did it seem like it was designed to kill mankind?”

  He looks away, ashamed. “A mistake that I overlooked and didn’t see coming. I underestimated Cari’s intelligence. Once you became inflicted and introduced the virus into Alterlife, she took it and mutated it to react with the X12 vaccine.” His eyes light up in recalling, proud of himself. “It was genius, really. Cari truly was something else.”

  “She was a fucking monster,” I tell him.

  He nods. “She was. And yet, she was beautiful.”

  The creator adores the creation, no matter how defiled.

  I look up at the ceiling and work my jaw around. This is a trip. It’s all too much.

  And I’m tired of it.

  “I’ve had about enough of this conversation, and Alterlife in general. I’m through. Retired. Finished.” I take Jenny’s hand. “Let’s go home.” She nuzzles her head into my chest as I hold her with one arm. Slowly, and with her help, I hobble towards the lobby.

  Pete stands. “John...”

  I stop and turn towards him, gun still in hand. “What?”

  He looks down, takes a deep breath, then fixes his gaze back on mine. “Alterlife still needs Ace.”

  A laugh bursts out. “Ha! You’ve gotta be shitting me.” I start to walk again.

  “It’s a matter of national emergency,” the punk adds.

  I turn around and throw my arms out. “Look, I’ve done my part. I saved the fucking day. It’s over now. I’m going to spend the rest of my time with my family and forget about Alterlife, okay? End of discussion.”

  I go to leave one last time.

  V speaks. “John, you should know that we have enough dirt on you to send you away for a very long time. Tax evasion, money laundering; not to mention, thousands of involuntary manslaughter charges.”

  Really, bitch? You’re going to pull that card on me?

  “Oh, go ahead and fuck yourself with all of that,” I spit back. “Empty threats is all you have.”

  “We’re talking multiple life sentences and nothing left to your name.”

  “So you’re blackmailing me then?” My grip tightens around the pistol.

  V shrugs and raises her eyebrows sarcastically. “If we have to.”

  Pete speaks. “Where’s your sense of pride for your country? I assure you that if you don’t act, America will fall, and the rest of the world will fall with it.”

  Is that such a bad thing? Burn the world for all I care. As long as my family is safe...

  Quit bullshitting yourself. Do you really want to raise your family in a forsaken future? Would you stop it if you could? Of course you want to give them the best life that you possibly can.

  I would give up everything for them…

  I close my eyes, unable to believe what I’m hearing right now.

  Jenny speaks. “If Alterlife is such a threat to America, and the world as a whole, then why don’t you shut it down?”

  “The governments of the world, as well as countless corporations, are invested in Alterlife, and have spent limitless resources to protect it. I couldn’t shut it down if I wanted to. That’s why we need Ace.”

  Shake my head. “I’ve paid my debts. Just let me go. Please.”

  V stands. “We’ve presented the scenario to you, John. It’s your choice. What’ll it be?”

  I look to Jenny for help. She stares into my eyes, tears welling, unable to say anything. Shakes her head, begging me not to go. Turns to them with anger. “He’s done his part. Let him go and leave us alone! We’ve already paid the price with the near loss of my son, and I’ll be damned if anything else happens to us on behalf of some stupid game.”

  “You’re an accomplice to his crimes,” V points out to Jenny. “There would be a life sentence for you as well. Don’t worry, your kids will be placed in the system’s care.”

  Shit. You shouldn’t have said that to her.

  Jenny steps towards Victoria in anger, and I have to hold her back. “You’re a real bitch, you know that? How about you put your money where your mouth is?” Jenny threatens.

  “Try me,” V says, holding her arms out.

  Jenny shakes my grip off and turns away, too furious to speak.

  I look to Pete. “Is that why Jim is in Washington?”

  V nods and replies for him. “The president fears that America is on the downfall, and that Alterlife is to blame.”

  “Alterlife is bigger than the server that you’ve been playing,” Pete says.

  I step towards him. “Dammit, man, you’re saying that there are more viruses out there?”

  He holds a hand up. “No, nothing like that. This is more, how do you say, political.”

  “Go on.”

  Pete stands and elaborates. “The Asia server is nothing like the North American server. Here, you hunt monsters, raise your skills and statistics, and go on raiding parties with your guild.” He pauses, finding the words. “On the Asia server, the monsters are different. They’re actual people. And they’re more dangerous than you can imagine.” He paces about the room, mindful to keep his distance from me. “Russia and China have merged with one another and are controlling Alterlife there.”

  “So what? They’ve always been commie allies. And they’ve always despised America. What else is new?”

  He stops pacing and speaks with chilling certainty. “Right now, the Asia server
controls thirty percent of the global economy.”

  I shake my head. “That’s impossible. There’s no way a fucking game can be that powerful.” He grins at my statement, and it makes me pause in reflection of my own journey and how incredulous it’s been. “How? Explain?”

  “Seventy percent of the players in Alterlife are on the Asia server—roughly two-hundred-million people. But it’s not the amount of people on that server that dictates the finances there. It’s the corporations and the businesses that reside on that server. They are among the most powerful and influential in the world.”

  “So, they must make tangible shit there, then? For people in the real world to use? I’d love to see how that works.”

  “Everything they make there only applies to the game. And the people of the world are willing to spend fortunes on it.”

  “Let them stay to their own then. How does that affect America, and the rest of the world?”

  “Do we need a crash course on economics here?” V says, sarcastically. “If the Asia server has the consumers, then they have the money. Real money that people are willing to trade for in-game money, and vice-versa. There are advertisements there for fuck’s sake.”

  “Many American companies have already moved their businesses to the Asia server. Real-world, American companies are spending ten times more on advertisements there than they are here. And the numbers continue to grow. Investors are putting their stocks in Asian companies—Alterlife companies. Just watch the stock market if you don’t believe me.”

  I’ve never watched the stock market. Leave that race to the rats.

  Still, I had no idea Alterlife had come this far. None of this is being spoken of on the news.

  You think the news would report this? That America is falling? Not a chance.

  Dammit to hell. I wish that game had never been created.

  Quit sulking. Nobody likes a pity party.

  Do what needs to be done.

  I shake my head.

  “Whatever you’ve got in mind for me, it won’t work. Characters don’t transfer between servers, so Ace can’t go. I’d have to start all over. Sorry, but the answer is no.” I glare at V. “Fuck you both, and all of the world for all I care. I’ll be in contact with my lawyer.”

  For one last damn time, I turn to leave.

  “I can get Ace in,” Pete says as a matter of fact.

  I pause and turn back. “So what? How will that make any difference?”

  He becomes more passionate. “They worship Ace like some rockstar over there. Like a god. That will be our ticket.”

  “Ticket for what? You want me to overthrow an entire server?”

  He grins. “Yes. That is exactly what I want you to do.”

  I point at him. “You’re out of your damn mind.”

  He folds his hands together, in front, and I’m suddenly reminded of Gio and how he would do the same. “Maybe I am. Maybe you’ll join me and, together, we can right what I’ve wronged.”

  “You’re saying Alterlife was a mistake then?”

  He nods solemnly. “People weren’t ready for it. I’m not sure that they ever will be.”

  Finally, something he says that makes sense and that I can agree on.

  He throws his hands up in desperation, a bit over dramatic. “If you don’t act, the world as we know it will change within the course of the next year. And, if left up to the governments of the world—and their lust for power and control—I don’t know what could happen.”

  I do.

  WWIII…

  I grind my teeth, regretting the words before they even leave my mouth.

  “If I decide to go overthrow an entire server, what exactly will be my mission?”

  The desperate creator smiles.

  Whatever he’s got in mind, it isn’t going to be good.

  Yeah, dammit, I know.

  I just want to go home.

  And to wipe that smile clean off his face.

  …

  “Do you trust him?”

  “The Creator? No. But what choice do I have?”

  “Promise me that…”

  “Jenny, I will. I love you.”

  “I love you, too.”

  THANK YOU

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  Looking for another book of mine to read?

  I highly recommend THE FARM.

  Ace the Great will return in Alterlife IV…

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