His mother choked back a sob at his comment, and his father clutched her hand. Jason had struck a chord, and he hoped a few cameras had captured that moment.
He shook his head, his eyes distant. “I don’t say this to hurt them. I don’t want that. Perhaps my mistake was not trying to communicate better and for not standing up for myself sooner.” Jason’s gaze refocused on Gloria. “But this a personal matter. This conversation should have taken place in private and shouldn’t have been aired in this hearing. For that, I guess we have you to thank,” Jason said, unable to keep the sarcasm entirely out of his voice.
“Either way, that brings me back to your first question. You asked whether this game has changed me. And the answer is yes. I’ve learned to stand up for myself. To take steps to improve my life and to go after the things that I want. This might just be a game, but it has shown me that I don’t have to be restrained by my fears. It has made me a better person.”
At this statement, a few of the spectator let out shouts of approval.
Senator Lipton smacked his palm against the bench. “Please restrain yourselves, or you will be escorted from the courtroom.”
Amid the brief turmoil, Jason noticed Gloria grimace. However, she used the commotion to marshal her composure. Her eyes skimmed back to her notes, her brow pinched in thought. Jason saw the same hesitation cross her face again.
Do it, he thought. Load that last bullet and fire. I’m ready.
This was the moment that he had been anticipating for weeks.
“Let us move on to the night of the break-in,” Gloria began, raising her eyes to meet his. Jason recognized that look in her gaze; he saw resolve there. This was her last shot, and she was going to make it count. “What happened when the two teens broke into your home?”
“I-I’m not certain,” Jason replied, his eyes shifting to the ground. “As I told the detective, I blacked out most of the event. When I came to, I was standing over two bodies.” He shuddered as he recalled the memory, no longer needing to pretend. “It was terrible…”
“I’m sorry, that must have been a traumatic experience,” Gloria commented before pausing, running her fingers across her lips in thought. “Although, it does seem strange that you don’t remember anything – anything at all. Don’t you think that’s unusual?”
Jason shrugged slightly. “I guess. I can only assume that I repressed those memories.”
“Were you inspected by a psychologist after the break-in? Did you have an MRI performed?” Gloria asked. “Is there any way that you can confirm whether this sort of memory loss is normal?”
He shook his head. “No, I can’t.”
“Do you at least remember the time of the break-in?”
There was no sense in lying. “I believe it was between 10:14 and 10:30 PM,” he answered simply. “At least that’s what the police report says.”
“Thank you. This might seem like an odd question, but were you still wearing your headset when you came to?” Gloria asked, playing her part. She already knew the answer. It was included in the police record. He had still been wearing the device when the police arrived.
“Yes,” Jason said.
“And what type of headset was it?” Gloria asked. “One of the regular models available on the market or one of the prototypes that Mr. Graham mentioned?”
“It was a prototype. I signed an NDA and was granted access to the prototype equipment as part of my streaming contract with Cerillion Entertainment,” Jason explained. He could feel his palms getting sweaty. They were almost there.
Gloria turned to Senator Lipton. “I would like to enter Exhibit #178A into evidence. This is a log from Jason’s headset relating to the night of the break-in,” she explained, tapping at the Core on her wrist.
“Ms. Bastion, we have been through this before,” the Senator retorted, waving a hand at Francis who had immediately risen to object. “You are already on thin ice here, especially after you just dragged this boy and his family through hell. I have half a mind to just end this whole farce right now. This is a regulatory hearing, not some sort of reality TV show.”
“I assure you, this evidence is worth reviewing,” Gloria said calmly. “If you don’t believe me, then I will happily resign my position as director of the CPSC,” she declared.
This statement was met with a hushed silence, and the Senator’s eyes widened. Gloria was putting everything she had on the line now. She had gone all in. The silence began to lengthen and stretch as the senator turned to his fellow committee members, the group talking in whispers. Then he finally turned back to Gloria.
Come on, turn her down, Jason thought.
“We will allow it,” Senator Lipton finally declared, Jason’s prayers going unanswered. “But if this evidence doesn’t prove to be exceptional, then we hold you to your promise Ms. Bastion.”
“I doubt it will come to that,” the gray-haired woman answered. As she finished speaking, a screen appeared in the air beside Jason, strings of code streaming down the display before condensing into a time log. Two entries were highlighted among the data set.
“This log was taken from Mr. Rhodes’ headset and relates to the night of the break-in,” Gloria explained. “As you can see from the first mark, the log is digitally imprinted with a serial number that is unique to Jason’s headset – proving the authenticity of the log. I’m sure that Cerillion Entertainment can confirm this,” she added, sparing a glance at George. His smile had vanished.
“However, it’s the second entry that is critical here. Note that the log shows that Jason was logged into AO during the entire period from 10:14 to 10:30 PM. The reason that Jason doesn’t remember the altercation with the two teens is that he never confronted them.”
Gloria paused briefly, all eyes now trained on the screen hovering at the front of the room. “In short, I believe that the game AI director – Alfred – took control of Jason’s body and killed those two teens. And this log proves it.”
After that statement, the room melted into chaos. Shouted voices rang through the air and the drones buzzed and whirred. Jason could vaguely see Francis and George rising from their seats and shouting objections. He could see Claire’s pale face on the bench behind them. His parents sat in mute shock as they stared at the screen – evidence that Gloria hadn’t told them the full extent of what she had planned to reveal at the hearing. And at the back of the room, Riley watched Jason – a hand pressed to her mouth in shock.
Then Jason’s attention shifted to Gloria. She wasn’t watching the Senator or the members of the gallery. She was watching Jason. And despite the uproar she had caused, he saw a trace of fear in her eyes. She should fear him. He didn’t know what would result from this hearing, but it was clear that this was just one battle – the war wasn’t over, not by a longshot. This woman had hurt him and the people he cared about. She was his enemy. Correction, she was their enemy.
Because Jason had chosen his side.
Chapter 51 - Furious
Jason stood in the tallest tower in the dark keep, the obsidian obelisk that represented the city’s control interface hovering behind him. His gaze skimmed across the city, sweeping over the dilapidated wooden buildings and taking in the boiling black clouds that were the signature features of his home. From this distance, he couldn’t make out the individual residents that trudged his city’s streets, but he knew they were there.
His troubled thoughts lingered on the hearing. After Gloria’s latest revelation, the senator had immediately called a recess for the remainder of the day and called Francis and Gloria into a private meeting. Jason had no doubt that the war would be waged out of the public eye now – especially after Gloria had revealed her last trump card. He had expected that George and Claire would demand a meeting to go over the day’s event and debrief, but instead, they had waved him off.
Perhaps they were taking pity on him after what had transpired during the hearing.
Jason felt strange. He should be nervous. The outcome of
this hearing would have very real and lasting consequences – not just for the company, but for Jason and his friends. Yet, in some ways, he felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Or, perhaps more accurately, like someone had lit a fire under his ass. He felt like he needed to do something.
The anger he had felt in the real world was only magnified in-game, with his dark mana surging through his veins in a frigid river. His eyes were entirely black as he took in the city below him. The epiphany he had experienced during his encounter with Gloria had also followed him into Awaken Online. He was done being weak. He was done letting others dictate the terms of battle and manipulate him. It was clear to him now that he had just been running away from his problems and coming up with excuses for his indecision.
In short, he had been afraid.
He didn’t want to lose his city, or his friends, or his livelihood. It was easy not to give a shit when you had nothing on the line, but Jason had a lot to lose now. And that thought terrified him. He could admit that now, even knowing that the fear was unproductive. It just kept him from acting; it kept him second-guessing himself.
No. Anger was better. The rage fueled him, and it lowered his inhibitions. It drove him forward and made it easier to focus. He clung to that emotion, wallowing in it and feeding it. Giving it the images of his parents. The destruction of his crafting school. Every hardship he had endured. He fed it until the cold ember in his chest blossomed into a frozen boulder, the chill energy steeling his resolve.
He glanced at the quest prompt in his peripheral vision, watching the counter tick down. They only had two days left until Thorn would strike, but Jason didn’t plan to wait. He was done letting Thorn push him around.
“Pint, come to me. Now,” Jason ordered, his voice echoing through the small room.
A small gray form flashed into existence beside Jason. “What Meanie…” Pint began but stopped. He eyed Jason’s form nervously, dark tendrils of mana peeling away from his body and lashing at the air – hungry and searching.
Jason turned slowly to look at the imp, absently noting the fear in his eyes. “Call a meeting of the Shadow Council. I want them downstairs in fifteen minutes.”
Pint still stared, his mouth hanging open slightly. “Do not make me repeat myself. Go,” Jason ordered. The imp nodded hastily and then vanished, as though relieved to be able to flee the room. The anger quieted any sense of guilt Jason might have felt.
As soon as Pint left, he turned his dark gaze back to the city below him. This was his fucking home, and it was real to him. These were his people, his Kin. He might not be able to strike back at Gloria – at least, not yet. But there was something he could do in the meantime. He could find Thorn.
And when he did, he was going to kill him.
* * *
Only a few minutes later, Jason arrived in the conference room. He stepped inside, having opted to walk instead of calling for Pint. The time had allowed him to calm down slightly and his dark mana no longer peeled away from his body. Yet the icy rage still lingered in his chest, just waiting to be unleashed.
His council looked up as he entered. Everyone was there, apart from Frank and Vera. The group looked haggard and beaten after what they had all endured over the last few weeks in-game, their eyes dark and hollow and their clothing weathered and wrinkled. Their gaze hovered on Jason’s form and the way inky tattoos of energy traced his pale skin, seeming to pick up on his dark mood. A somber air filled the room, and no one leaped to their feet in greeting or joked this time around.
He and Riley shared a look as Jason took his seat at the head of the table. He could see the unspoken question in her eyes, concern and confusion warring for dominance. They hadn’t had an opportunity to speak after the hearing since the reporters and spectators had rushed Jason as soon as the regulatory committee had called for a recess. It had been all George’s security could do to insulate him from the crowd as they made their way to a car outside.
I’ll have to explain eventually, he thought to himself. But this wasn’t the right time.
Jason’s gaze shifted across the table, the others silently waiting for him to begin. His attention locked on Cecil. Worn bandages still covered large swathes of skin and Jason idly wondered if the burns would cause permanent scarring. He hadn’t had an opportunity to see how the game’s NPCs recovered from severe wounds, although the occasional scars on his soldiers indicated that even magical healing had its limits.
“I’m glad to see that you’re still with us,” Jason said to Cecil. “How are you feeling?”
“Like shit,” the small engineer grunted. He ran a hand through his beard, glancing aside. “Although, I suppose I wouldn’t be feeling anything if you hadn’t saved me from the flames.”
Jason noticed Eliza nudge the surly little man and give him a meaningful look. He let out a short sigh. “In fact, I-I’ve been meaning to thank you,” he muttered grudgingly. It took a visible effort for him to spit out those words.
Jason’s lips curled in amusement. “I would have done the same for anyone here,” he said firmly. “Thanks are not necessary.”
Then he turned his attention to the remainder of the group. “I wanted to call you all here today to discuss our next steps. We have two days until Thorn’s deadline is up and we need to make a few preparations.”
“H-how are we supposed to prepare when we don’t know how he will attack?” Eliza ventured tentatively, not quite meeting Jason’s gaze.
“By planning for the worst,” he answered shortly. “From this point forward, we are done hiding and reacting. We are going to take the fight to Thorn.”
“Those are pretty words,” Morgan groused. “But how exactly do you propose to do that? Even Jerry hasn’t had any luck finding this group – assuming they are even staying inside the city.”
Jason turned his full attention to Morgan and took in her haggard appearance for the first time. She looked almost as bad as Cecil, minus the bandages. Her skin was pale and clammy, and heavy circles hung under her eyes. He also noticed that she wasn’t carrying a book today, which was unusual for the mage.
“Leave that to me. I have a few ideas for how we can find Thorn. But first, how are the crippled undead we sent to your school?”
Morgan waved a dismissive hand. “The situation was salvageable.”
“Will they be able to fight? We will likely need every available pair of hands we can get,” Jason said.
The dark mage hesitated for a moment, rubbing at her eyes tiredly. “They will be able to help,” she said finally, not quite looking at Jason.
Her behavior seemed off, but he immediately chalked it up to their situation. Between pouring over her tomes in search of any reference to the gates Thorn had mentioned, assisting with the injured undead, the increased security at her school, and her regular duties, he was sure this must have been taxing.
“So, what’s your plan?” Riley asked hesitantly, breaking the silence that had descended over the room. She was still looking at him like he might burn the place down.
Jason rose from his seat and began pacing beside the conference table as he spoke. The movement made him feel more at ease, the burning chill in his veins making it difficult to sit still. “The first matter we need to address is equipping our troops and protecting the civilians.”
His gaze fixed on Eliza. “Our potion business is booming, and we have already made back more than our initial investment. The travelers are beginning to put up competing products, but it isn’t nearly enough to undermine our sales, and we’ve been buying those up to maintain our monopoly. I’d like for Eliza to purchase equipment for our troops; she already has delegate access to my trading account. Buy up anything useful you can find and reserve a stockpile of healing and mana potions for our own use.”
“But I’m not sure what…” Eliza began.
“Jerry can help answer any questions you have regarding the equipment we’ll need,” Jason interjected. The innkeeper gave Eliza a reassuring nod
which did little to ease the worried frown plastered on her face.
“The next step is our civilians.” Jason glanced at Riley. “I’ll need you to round up everyone and move them into the keep. Anyone who is willing to fight, tell them to report to Eliza and Jerry for equipment and then join the leaders of each division. Once that’s done, I have a few other ideas for how to fortify the city.”
“The Kin won’t like that,” Riley replied, biting her lip in thought. “Morale is already low, and this looks like we’re retreating.”
Jason shrugged. “I can’t fix that problem. They will be safe inside the keep if things get hairy over the next few days. Plus, this will help with our true goal.”
“Which is?” Riley asked, raising an eyebrow.
“We’re going to hunt Thorn,” Jason answered with a grim smile.
This declaration was met with incredulous silence, the members of the council merely staring at him as though he had grown a second head. He could understand their skepticism. He would have felt the same way until today. But he was done retreating and hiding. Taking the offensive was risky, but the power and anger that continued to surge through his body made him numb to the consequences.
“That’s a nice sentiment,” Morgan commented dryly, finally saying what everyone else was thinking. “But what makes you think that you can accomplish it?”
“You’ll see soon enough,” Jason replied confidently, before shifting his gaze back to Riley. “We will only allow undead into the keep,” he continued. “We will check them one by one, and this will help weed out the Kin from the travelers and Thorn’s men. If it helps with morale, explain that our goal is to find and eliminate the Order.” This earned him a considering expression from Riley as she weighed his instructions.
“That will only address part of the problem,” Jerry commented, his eyes fixed on the table. Jason noted his sullen expression. No amusement danced in the innkeeper’s eyes and no jokes sprang from his lips. This was out of character for the gregarious thief. “Even after searching for the last few weeks, I was unable to find them,” he added in a defeated voice.
Awaken Online: Dominion Page 52
