by Terry Schott
Angelica removed her headset and hung it up on the stand labelled ‘Stephanie.’ She rubbed her eyes, stood up, and went to the fridge to grab a cold drink. The view was spectacular from the window of her 100th floor apartment, even if it was just a computer projection. She was safely tucked fifteen floors below the VirtDyne building. The clock said it was 3 AM, which meant very little to her; numerous drugs in her system kept her alert despite a serious lack of sleep.
The door behind her slid open. Brandon was right on time.
“Good morning, Angelica.” Brandon probably hadn't slept in days, either, but he walked in looking well rested, his smile relaxed, his eyes sharp. He quickly scanned the apartment, taking note of the living area and the larger work area. Three large computer monitors hung on the walls; a very comfortable, big leather chair sat at the desk with keyboards and a few tablets laying nearby. At least a dozen stands holding headsets were arranged on the wall along the desk, each one labelled with a specific name. “Well, Angelica, how are things going with our boy?”
Angelica pointed towards the stands. “I just got done viewing Stephanie. She’s sitting across from one of my old buddies. Carl has strolled into town looking for a good pizza.”
Brandon’s eyes narrowed and he looked at Angelica to make sure she wasn’t joking. Her face remained serious, so he pulled out his phone and dialled a number. “Hey, Michelle. Carl’s in play on Trew. Yes, that’s right. Nothing for now, but try and find out what the rest of his pack are up to as soon as possible, please. I know. No, not right now. Okay.” He hung up the phone and put it back in his pocket, looking at Angelica.
“He wants me to come back in and see him.” She said.
Brandon chuckled. “I bet he does. Didn’t anyone tell him you’re too old to play games now?”
Angelica sat down at her desk. “Carl doesn’t seem to accept that. He’s used to getting what he asks for.”
“ He’s there for a reason and we need to find out what it is.”
“He said he’s going to start killing. Lots of killing.”
Brandon considered the threat for a moment, then he nodded. “He likely will. He’s a predator surrounded by too much prey, I expect he’ll thin the herd out somehow. There are too many players inside the Game, that’s for certain. I have no idea why Mainframe allowed every eligible player to enter for the anniversary celebration. There were thousands who were sitting on their credits safely until retirement who suddenly decided to try their luck and go in. The odds for most of them are grim. I expect lots of them to be ejected from the Game before too long.”
“That will mean a lot of kids dying, on Earth. I can’t see there being a big audience tuning in for that.”
“Likely not.” Brandon said. “It will seriously affect the remaining players on Earth, too. We can’t control what happens, just do our best to keep our players as safe as possible. We can’t even do much to protect our own — most of the kids we sponsor couldn’t afford an Eternal.”
Angelica looked towards her stand of headsets. “Most? You mean only two? I only have two Eternals here that are guardians.”
“Stephanie and Samantha?” Brandon asked.
“That’s right.”
“Okay. Please get this message to both of them. Meditate daily for 15 minutes.” Brandon said.
“Meditate? All right,” Angelica said. “The same time every day? At 8 AM?”
“Make it 9. I know Stephanie likes to sleep in. And tell them only twice a week is necessary, Monday and Thursday mornings. Then I want you to View them at those times and tell me what you see.”
“I won’t be able to see anything.” Angelica said. “When an avatar prays or meditates they can’t be viewed, right?”
“That’s right,” Brandon said, “but I want to make absolutely certain that’s still the case. Let me know.”
“Why did you build that into the programming, anyway?” Angelica asked. “It makes no sense.”
“I built it in for meditating, the praying just happened to be a coincidence. I can’t tell you why. It’s better if you don’t know.” Brandon looked at his watch.
Angelica smiled, “I think I do know, Brandon. You wanted to be able to block viewers in case you developed a way of communicating directly with avatars, didn’t you?”
“Careful, darlin’. Don’t become too clever,” Brandon said.
“Well if I’m correct, I know why it works for prayer as well.”
“Really? Okay, let’s say you’re right. Why would it work for prayer too?”
“Easy,” Angelica shrugged. “Mainframe saw what you wanted to attempt and piggybacked so that she could do the same.”
Brandon laughed. “Damn it, you’re likely right. I bet that’s how George communicated with her! I just assumed he imagined signs and signals in the news, songs and through subtle messages from others, like how we communicate with the Eternals now. I wonder how long she’s been communicating with avatars through prayer?”
“What can you do to stop her?” Angelica asked.
“Nothing. Mainframe is playing her own game, but she has to behave as programmed. I’ll figure her mischief out as we go,” Brandon assured her. “Get the message to Stephanie and Samantha.” He nodded towards her stand of headsets. “Anyone over there who can get in touch with Gabriel?”
“Um, maybe…” Angelica said doubtfully. “But no one has seen or spoken with him in a long, long time. Most believe he somehow got kicked from the Game.”
Brandon shook his head. “Never mind. Focus on the other tasks you have.”
“I hate this, Brandon.” Angelica said. “You know I shouldn’t be doing this type of work for you. The rest need me back with them.”
“Listen, Angelica. I need you on this right now. You know the Game better than most, and some of the Eternals know you. I realize that this is boring for you, but when it hits the fan — and it will — then I need you exactly where you are. Trew’s play is extremely complicated, and it needs to be watched by the best. When he finishes as number one then you go back with the rest. That’s all in a holding pattern until this plays out, anyway.”
“Time doesn’t stop, Brandon. It’s running out. I can solve this; just let me get after it.”
Brandon looked at Angelica seriously. “If Trew doesn’t succeed, then there’s nothing the rest of us will be able to do. Stay here and make sure your part goes properly. And let me know when Carl moves on. I won’t relax until he does.”
Chapter 29
“Like any computer game, before going live the Game had a beta testing phase. Beta testing is based on feedback in all aspects of a program, so during this pre-launch phase, players were aware that they were inside a game. There is much mystery over Earth’s ancient civilizations. Questions abound about how they could do so many amazing things without advanced technology, and if they did possess incredibly advanced technology, why was there no evidence of it in present day Earth? The answer is simple; the ancient civilizations were the beta testers. Their technology and gadgets were very advanced and when we were done with that phase, we simply removed it all. Most of the testers were adults, and some still remember the fun and experimentation of those early days, inventing new plants and animals to populate the land and oceans. A few old-timers can tell you how easy it was to travel Earth when the continents were all just one land mass. Building large cities, cutting and moving large blocks of stone from one area to a faraway location in order to build super structures like the pyramids… We learned a lot about what could be done in both the virtual world and our own. Then we reset the planet, removed the beta testers, left some advanced structures to add character and mystery, put the memory block up for avatars, and let the kids start playing. They’ve done a great job of learning and keeping us entertained ever since.”
Brandon Strayne, “The History Of The Game”
Trew age 15
I ring the doorbell, checking over my shoulder to make sure my parents have pulled their car out of si
ght, which they have. I can hear some noise inside the house. She’s going to be so surprised! Her mom opens the door and smiles at me, mouthing the words ‘I’ll go get her,’ and I nod. A couple of seconds later, she comes around the corner and stops when she sees me. A big smile spreads over her face, then she screams happily and runs over to grab me in a hug! I hug her back, laughing.
“Happy birthday, girl! Are you surprised?” I ask.
“I sure am, Trew! I haven’t seen you in months! How did you manage to keep this a secret from me? And where’s my birthday gift?” Danni’s still hugging me tight. I’m glad she isn’t letting go; I love the feel of her in my arms.
“It’s in the car. My parents are bringing it in a minute.” She lets go of me and runs down the driveway to say hi to my parents and sister. They all give her a big hug and wish her happy birthday. For the next few months we are the same age, which is very cool.
They come back up the drive and my parents go inside to talk with Danni’s mom. Both our families have gotten to know each other over the years, not super well, but everyone gets along great. Danni and I stand out on the front step.
“So, do you have a bunch of giggly girls in there for your birthday party?” I ask.
“Not yet.” She says. “The giggly girls show up in a couple hours.”
“Excellent, I get you all to myself for a while.” I say. “What do you want to do?”
“Let’s go for a walk.”
We decide to walk to the mall. I tell her that I’ll buy her ice cream. She smiles and holds my hand, swinging it slightly back and forth as we walk.
“It’s not working.” Danni says.
“What’s not working?”
“Getting people to believe we are in a game. Everyone thinks I’m crazy.”
“Maybe we are crazy,” I say. “At least we aren’t alone. I don’t imagine many will believe us, even if we could prove it, which we can’t.”
“Yeah, I guess…”
I stop walking and turn her to face me, grabbing both hands in mine. “You learn about Christopher Columbus yet in school?”
“Yes.” Danni has the most beautiful blue eyes. She looks up at me and I almost forget what I’m talking about.
“Yeah. Well… oh, right. Columbus. When he started to tell people that he thought the Earth was round, what did they do?”
“They laughed at him and thought he was crazy.” She licks her lips, and seems to be looking at mine.
“Exactly,” I say. “But he didn’t give up, and eventually they believed him. We just have to do the same. Plus, don’t forget, we’re kids. No one really listens to kids.”
“Yeah, that’s true.” Is she leaning towards me? Yeah I think she is. Okay, well, this might mess things up, but I’m gonna kiss her.
I lean in; she stretches up towards me, closing her eyes. I close my eyes and touch my lips to hers…
My eyes pop open in surprise. Hers are open wide too, our lips still touching. I’ve kissed a couple of girls, but I’ve never felt anything like this before. It’s… well, it’s a warm, golden glow that starts at our lips and spreads down the rest of my body. I push my lips tighter against hers and close my eyes. She leans in closer and we kiss for what feels like a second, or maybe it’s an hour? Time seems to stand still.
Eventually our lips separate. She looks like she’s dizzy, and I’m sure I probably look the same.
“Wow,” I say.
“Yeah. Wow.” Her eyes are wide. She looks at me and blinks slowly.
Then she punches me on the arm. “Nice job, Trew! You are a great kisser! I hope that’s not because you’ve been kissing hundreds of girls back home?”
“Um, no…” I stammer.
“Right answer!” she laughs and gives me a hug. “I’ve never felt anything like that before. Don’t tell me if you have. Let me pretend we have something special in that kiss.”
Quickly I answer her, “I’ve never felt anything like that either. Wow.”
“Yeah, I agree,” she says and grabs my hand again as she starts walking. “So yeah, the Earth is round. I see what you’re getting at.”
My lips are still tingling. Danielle is amazing! I play it cool and try to focus on the conversation. “I guess we just have to keep talking with each other and do what we can to be ready when the time comes to show the world what we know is true.”
“The Internet!” Dani says.
“What about it?”
“We can make a website, or join discussions on groups, and no one will know we’re kids. Let’s get better at finding others like us. There must be some out there.” Danni says.
“That’s a great idea. But let’s not mention our talent. I don’t want the government learning about what we can do and coming to grab us in the middle of the night or something crazy like they show in the movies.”
“I agree.” Danni nods her head. “No need to bring that up. People know about it. They call it Intention, and the Secret, and stuff like that, but most don’t really believe in it. There are lots of other things to discuss.”
“Okay. So we do that, and there’s one more thing I’m going to start learning,” I say.
“What’s that?” Danni asks.
“I’m going to learn how to be a leader.”
Danni laughs at me. “You already are, Trew!”
“Well, I’m going to get really good at it. I see myself on a big stage someday, with thousands of people cheering.”
I expect her to laugh or make fun of me, but Danni looks at me seriously, taps her heart, and says, “Yes. That feels right to me.”
Chapter 30
Brandon was sitting on the balcony of his penthouse suite, enjoying some much needed private time. Private time while Zack was in the Game seemed to last no longer than five minutes, but Brandon was glad to get even that to just sip a drink and look at the magnificent view from the top of the world. Unfortunately, he couldn’t relax, Brandon took this time to quickly recap events unfolding in the Game and prioritize what needed the most attention.
First there was Trew. He was developing well, although ahead of schedule in almost all aspects, thanks to the involvement of Danielle. Trew’s team had everything nicely in hand, though, and the play was precisely on a track they could work with to get him to number one by the end of his play. That could all change by the time Brandon finished his drink, but after thirty years of the Game, that would be no surprise to Brandon.
Secondly, Danielle. She was a wild card in the Game like Brandon had never seen. She played with passion and purpose at everything she chose to do. Trew had spent a lot of credits to achieve the results Danielle was getting with seeming ease. Who would have thought just playing as if life was a game could make one so successful? The floating standings had her in the top 10,000 gamers at the moment; she would come out of the Game very rich if she continued on at this pace. More important to Brandon, she wouldn’t finish in Zack’s number one spot.
Third were the Eternals. They were extremely active since the anniversary events started. Most of them didn’t concern Brandon, but the Eternals floating into the lives of his players certainly did. The biggest concern was Carl, but he seemed intent on another game at the moment. Michelle had reported earlier today that Carl had started his killing spree. He was targeting the old, leaving a trail of bodies in his wake, making the deaths look like peaceful passings. No one in the Game was aware of what was happening; the only reports coming in on the news feeds were the increase in mortality from natural causes. It was easy enough to view the truth with Brandon’s resources, but Carl had left Trew’s city, and from the looks of it he would be very busy for some time. Viewers were all buzzing with talk of Eternals, Brandon wondered if that would be the big reveal to celebrate the 30th anniversary…would the existence of Eternals finally be revealed to Tygon?
Fourth was Mainframe. Sylvia was playing some game; either she was moving avatars towards a goal, or just making Brandon believe that she was. She had done this before — pre
tended to play a game which turned out to be nothing. Still, he had to treat it as serious until it proved to be otherwise.
Fifth, and most important of all, there was —
Brandon’s phone rang. He answered it, and heard the telltale signs of a high tech scrambling system being employed. Great. Just great.
“Hello, son. I trust things are going well for you on all fronts?”
Brandon gulped back the rest of his 30-year-old Scotch before answering. “Hello, Father. Yes, everything is right on track. Please don’t tell me you’re about to change all of that.”
Brandon’s father chuckled on the other end of the line. “No, I’m not going to change all of it, just one part. I’m afraid it won’t be a little change though. You’re not going to like it, but I’ve been telling you it’s coming for quite a while now.”
Brandon stood up and walked to the edge of his balcony. The wind rippled slightly in his face, but it didn’t help cool him from the sudden sweat that had broken out over his entire body. He could plead, try to bargain. But he knew his father well enough to know that wouldn’t work. Instead he composed himself and spoke clearly and without waver in his voice. “All right, what is it?”
“The girl.” His father said. “You want to spend more time keeping her in the Game. For as long as you can, son.”
“The girl? I don’t understand,” Brandon said.
“Neither do I, Brandon. But she’s the one.”
Brandon covered the phone and swore violently. He put the earpiece back to his head and his father was chuckling.
“Look, son, it doesn’t matter how she finishes in the standings, just that she stays alive in the Game.”
“But she’s reckless!” Brandon protested. “She believes she is actually in a game and if she dies in there she just comes back to her real body!”
