by Amy Cross
Swallowing hard, I try to take all of this in, but it's too much.
Jason gets to his feet and steps around the desk, coming over to me.
“I'm so proud of you,” he says. “I've got to admit, I think I was pretty good as well. I never thought I could act, but my death scene was pretty cool, huh? Don't you think?”
Looking up at him, I don't know what to say.
“This might help you understand,” he says, taking his phone from his pocket and bringing up a video. “You were so conflicted, Elizabeth. I was really worried about you, before we decided to take the Hotel Necro package.”
He starts the video, and I immediately see that it seems to be from the same session as the video he showed me the other day.
“Maybe I really am an awful person,” Video Me says on the screen. “Maybe I'm a monster, maybe everything they shouted at me was true.”
“You can't possibly believe that,” Video Jason's voice says. “Elizabeth, please...”
“But how do I know?” Video Me sobs in response, sounding a little tinny thanks to the phone's speakers. “How can I ever be sure?”
“That's why we're doing this,” Video Jason's voice replies. “We've picked the perfect package. The Hotel Necro story-line is going to really test you, but I know you have what it takes to be a heroine. To do the right thing. To fight through it all and come out stronger the other side. Maybe you don't have that faith in yourself, but I do. You're a good person. The ultimate aim of the Hotel Necro game is to make it all the way back here to New York, with the intention of exposing the truth. I know you'll do that.”
“And I was right,” Jason says now, as he stops the video. “The police officer out there was the final test, and you passed with flying colors. Everyone was amazed at how well you did. You needed very little prompting to let the story-line play out as it was intended. They told me that you were one of the best players they've ever had.”
“I still don't know if this can be true,” I reply, and my voice is trembling with shock. “I saw you die, Jason.”
“Here,” he replies, taking something from his pocket and holding it out to me. “You should take this.”
Looking at the palm of his hand, I see a small, oblong blue pill.
“The effect of the red pills will wear off in a day or two,” he says, “but this is what they call the Wake Up pill. It brings you back much more quickly. You'll still remember everything that happened at Hotel Necro, Elizabeth. You'll remember how you proved yourself. You'll understand that all those cruel comments were untrue.”
I reach out and take the pill, and then Jason hands me a glass of water.
“It was all a set-up?” I say cautiously. “It was just a game?”
“It was a game with a purpose,” he replies, “and you scored 97%. You only dropped points for not trying to help the Michelle character, but she was just a side quest in the whole thing. You don't need to worry about that. When you were talking to her as we were leaving, you were technically supposed to offer to help her, but 97% is still amazing. It's higher than anyone else has ever scored in that particular game. Don't be too hard on yourself, honey. You did great.”
“Michelle was an actress?”
He nods.
“But the people who died,” I continue, “they were...”
“Don't think about that.”
“But they really died!”
“The threat had to be real,” he says firmly, “and they would have died anyway. Hotel Necro's pretty popular, someone plays it almost every weekend. If those people hadn't died in your game, they'd die in the next. We paid ten million dollars for the full Hotel Necro experience, Elizabeth, and I'd say we really got value for that money. Actually, to give it the proper name, the experience is called Escape From Hotel Necro. Now you can forget all those horrible things that people said to you. You can go back to being the strong, powerful, confident woman who built Dupatron up from nothing. And let me tell you, the board will be very pleased to have you back at the helm. They've been getting nervy, especially since the press started asking questions.”
I stare at the pill.
“It's time, Elizabeth,” Jason says calmly, as he places a hand on my shoulder.
I hesitate, and then I put the pill in my mouth and chase it down with some water.
“Just give it a few seconds,” Jason continues, squeezing my shoulder. “You're about to remember your real life. You're about to come back.”
He kisses me on the cheek.
“Game over.”
Epilogue
Two weeks later...
“Elizabeth! Elizabeth, over here! How does it feel to be back at work? Do you think the board of Dupatron did a good job while you were away?”
“I think they did fabulously,” I reply, flashing a smile as the cameras click and flash. I didn't expect to find so many reporters here in the lobby of the building, despite this being my first official day back at work. I guess my brief time out of the limelight must have attracted quite a lot of attention. “I've always said, I could never ask for a better team.”
“There have been rumors that you were at a secret rehab facility in Europe, and that you were addicted to pain-killers. Can you comment on those rumors?”
I turn, just as the reporter thrusts a microphone toward me.
“I'm not going to comment on individual stories that have been circulating,” I tell him, sticking to the line that Jason and I worked out earlier. “All I'm prepared to say is that I was fully supported during a period of personal difficulty, and that I'm now back and raring to go.”
“Elizabeth, over here!”
I turn and see another reporter trying to get my attention.
“My name's Katie Lewis, from the tech journal Instawarble. Do you have anything to say about plans to close any more divisions? There are rumors that you might be about to lay off some more employees.”
“All our plans have been laid out in the open,” I tell her, having expected some version of this question, “and I'm very happy with our current alignments. A small number of employees will be leaving us today, and then we anticipate continuing with our new arrangement until at least the third quarter next year.” I turn to walk away, before hesitating for a moment as I stare at the woman. “That's a nice name, by the way,” I add finally. “Katie. It's very sweet.”
“This way,” Jason says, nudging my arm. “I'm sorry, everyone, but my wife really does have a lot to get done today. As I'm sure you're all aware, she's giving evidence in Washington on Monday before a congressional panel that's investigating synthetic drugs, so she needs to get up to speed on everything that's been happening during her absence. But thank you for your interest, and I'm sure we'll see you all soon.”
More questions are shouted out, but Jason ushers me into the foyer and I must admit that I feel slightly relieved. I can handle the media, but I'm at my best when I'm hard at work.
“Oh, this came,” Jason says quietly, handing me a card. “I thought you'd like to see it.”
Looking down at the card, I see that it's an invitation from the company behind Hotel Necro:
We hope you enjoyed playing Escape From Hotel Necro. We have other unique experiences available at over 150 locations worldwide. Book before the end of the month and get 5% off.
“Interested?” Jason asks.
“I definitely could be,” I reply, handing the card back to him. “Why don't you investigate and see if there's anything that looks good? If you find something, go ahead and book it. But not for any time before next May, because I'll just have too much on.”
“Got it,” he says, before giving me a kiss on the cheek. “Welcome back, by the way. To work, I mean. It's good to see you in your natural habitat, Elizabeth.”
“It's good to be back in my natural habitat,” I reply, before hesitating for a moment. “I know this might sound strange, but... Could you try calling me Lizzy?”
“Lizzy?” He seems a little startled. “You've neve
r wanted to be called Lizzy. It's always been Elizabeth.”
“I know,” I say, “but I just thought maybe it'd be good to have a little change.”
“Okay... Lizzy,” he says, as if he's not quite convinced. “That's gonna take some getting used to. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some research to -”
“There she is!” a voice shouts angrily. “There's the bitch who fired us!”
Turning, I see several people carrying boxes to the front door. These are obviously the I.T. people I decided to terminate last night, as part of our restructuring and streamlining process. We've offered them a good severance package and some long-term benefits, so I honestly don't understand how they can be so upset. I'm sure they'll all get other jobs very easily.
“You don't give a damn that we've got families to feed, do you?” one of the other men sneers as they all walk past. “How do you sleep at night?”
“Get them out of here!” Jason calls over to the security guards.
“No, wait,” I say, stepping past him and looking at the I.T. man. “What did you just say to me?”
The man turns, and I can see the contempt in his eyes.
“You fire people with basically no warning,” he says firmly. “You offer to extend our benefits, while taking them away from our families. You turf us out like we're rats. That's pretty cold. Hell, that's bordering on being a monster. I just don't get it. How do people like you sleep at night?”
I stare at him, and his words momentarily hurt before I take a deep breath and realize that this man is completely wrong. All the hurt quickly fades away.
“I sleep very well at night, actually,” I say calmly, with a faint smile. “Thanks for asking.”
BOOKS BY AMY CROSS
1. Dark Season: The Complete First Series (2011)
2. Werewolves of Soho (Lupine Howl book 1) (2012)
3. Werewolves of the Other London (Lupine Howl book 2) (2012)
4. Ghosts: The Complete Series (2012)
5. Dark Season: The Complete Second Series (2012)
6. The Children of Black Annis (Lupine Howl book 3) (2012)
7. Destiny of the Last Wolf (Lupine Howl book 4) (2012)
8. Asylum (The Asylum Trilogy book 1) (2012)
9. Dark Season: The Complete Third Series (2013)
10. Devil's Briar (2013)
11. Broken Blue (The Broken Trilogy book 1) (2013)
12. The Night Girl (2013)
13. Days 1 to 4 (Mass Extinction Event book 1) (2013)
14. Days 5 to 8 (Mass Extinction Event book 2) (2013)
15. The Library (The Library Chronicles book 1) (2013)
16. American Coven (2013)
17. Werewolves of Sangreth (Lupine Howl book 5) (2013)
18. Broken White (The Broken Trilogy book 2) (2013)
19. Grave Girl (Grave Girl book 1) (2013)
20. Other People's Bodies (2013)
21. The Shades (2013)
22. The Vampire's Grave and Other Stories (2013)
23. Darper Danver: The Complete First Series (2013)
24. The Hollow Church (2013)
25. The Dead and the Dying (2013)
26. Days 9 to 16 (Mass Extinction Event book 3) (2013)
27. The Girl Who Never Came Back (2013)
28. Ward Z (The Ward Z Series book 1) (2013)
29. Journey to the Library (The Library Chronicles book 2) (2014)
30. The Vampires of Tor Cliff Asylum (2014)
31. The Family Man (2014)
32. The Devil's Blade (2014)
33. The Immortal Wolf (Lupine Howl book 6) (2014)
34. The Dying Streets (Detective Laura Foster book 1) (2014)
35. The Stars My Home (2014)
36. The Ghost in the Rain and Other Stories (2014)
37. Ghosts of the River Thames (The Robinson Chronicles book 1) (2014)
38. The Wolves of Cur'eath (2014)
39. Days 46 to 53 (Mass Extinction Event book 4) (2014)
40. The Man Who Saw the Face of the World (2014)
41. The Art of Dying (Detective Laura Foster book 2) (2014)
42. Raven Revivals (Grave Girl book 2) (2014)
43. Arrival on Thaxos (Dead Souls book 1) (2014)
44. Birthright (Dead Souls book 2) (2014)
45. A Man of Ghosts (Dead Souls book 3) (2014)
46. The Haunting of Hardstone Jail (2014)
47. A Very Respectable Woman (2015)
48. Better the Devil (2015)
49. The Haunting of Marshall Heights (2015)
50. Terror at Camp Everbee (The Ward Z Series book 2) (2015)
51. Guided by Evil (Dead Souls book 4) (2015)
52. Child of a Bloodied Hand (Dead Souls book 5) (2015)
53. Promises of the Dead (Dead Souls book 6) (2015)
54. Days 54 to 61 (Mass Extinction Event book 5) (2015)
55. Angels in the Machine (The Robinson Chronicles book 2) (2015)
56. The Curse of Ah-Qal's Tomb (2015)
57. Broken Red (The Broken Trilogy book 3) (2015)
58. The Farm (2015)
59. Fallen Heroes (Detective Laura Foster book 3) (2015)
60. The Haunting of Emily Stone (2015)
61. Cursed Across Time (Dead Souls book 7) (2015)
62. Destiny of the Dead (Dead Souls book 8) (2015)
63. The Death of Jennifer Kazakos (Dead Souls book 9) (2015)
64. Alice Isn't Well (Death Herself book 1) (2015)
65. Annie's Room (2015)
66. The House on Everley Street (Death Herself book 2) (2015)
67. Meds (The Asylum Trilogy book 2) (2015)
68. Take Me to Church (2015)
69. Ascension (Demon's Grail book 1) (2015)
70. The Priest Hole (Nykolas Freeman book 1) (2015)
71. Eli's Town (2015)
72. The Horror of Raven's Briar Orphanage (Dead Souls book 10) (2015)
73. The Witch of Thaxos (Dead Souls book 11) (2015)
74. The Rise of Ashalla (Dead Souls book 12) (2015)
75. Evolution (Demon's Grail book 2) (2015)
76. The Island (The Island book 1) (2015)
77. The Lighthouse (2015)
78. The Cabin (The Cabin Trilogy book 1) (2015)
79. At the Edge of the Forest (2015)
80. The Devil's Hand (2015)
81. The 13th Demon (Demon's Grail book 3) (2016)
82. After the Cabin (The Cabin Trilogy book 2) (2016)
83. The Border: The Complete Series (2016)
84. The Dead Ones (Death Herself book 3) (2016)
85. A House in London (2016)
86. Persona (The Island book 2) (2016)
87. Battlefield (Nykolas Freeman book 2) (2016)
88. Perfect Little Monsters and Other Stories (2016)
89. The Ghost of Shapley Hall (2016)
90. The Blood House (2016)
91. The Death of Addie Gray (2016)
92. The Girl With Crooked Fangs (2016)
93. Last Wrong Turn (2016)
94. The Body at Auercliff (2016)
95. The Printer From Hell (2016)
96. The Dog (2016)
97. The Nurse (2016)
98. The Haunting of Blackwych Grange (2016)
99. Twisted Little Things and Other Stories (2016)
100. The Horror of Devil's Root Lake (2016)
101. The Disappearance of Katie Wren (2016)
102. B&B (2016)
103. The Bride of Ashbyrn House (2016)
104. The Devil, the Witch and the Whore (The Deal Trilogy book 1) (2016)
105. The Ghosts of Lakeforth Hotel (2016)
106. The Ghost of Longthorn Manor and Other Stories (2016)
107. Laura (2017)
108. The Murder at Skellin Cottage (Jo Mason book 1) (2017)
109. The Curse of Wetherley House (2017)
110. The Ghosts of Hexley Airport (2017)
111. The Return of Rachel Stone (Jo Mason book 2) (2017)
112. Haunte
d (2017)
113. The Vampire of Downing Street and Other Stories (2017)
114. The Ash House (2017)
115. The Ghost of Molly Holt (2017)
116. The Camera Man (2017)
117. The Soul Auction (2017)
118. The Abyss (The Island book 3) (2017)
119. Broken Window (The House of Jack the Ripper book 1) (2017)
120. In Darkness Dwell (The House of Jack the Ripper book 2) (2017)
121. Cradle to Grave (The House of Jack the Ripper book 3) (2017)
122. The Lady Screams (The House of Jack the Ripper book 4) (2017)
123. A Beast Well Tamed (The House of Jack the Ripper book 5) (2017)
124. Doctor Charles Grazier (The House of Jack the Ripper book 6) (2017)
125. The Raven Watcher (The House of Jack the Ripper book 7) (2017)
126. The Final Act (The House of Jack the Ripper book 8) (2017)
127. Stephen (2017)
128. The Spider (2017)
129. The Mermaid's Revenge (2017)
130. The Girl Who Threw Rocks at the Devil (2018)
131. Friend From the Internet (2018)
132. Beautiful Familiar (2018)
133. One Night at a Soul Auction (2018)
134. 16 Frames of the Devil's Face (2018)
135. The Haunting of Caldgrave House (2018)
136. Like Stones on a Crow's Back (The Deal Trilogy book 2) (2018)
137. Room 9 and Other Stories (2018)
138. The Gravest Girl of All (Grave Girl book 3) (2018)
139. Return to Thaxos (Dead Souls book 13) (2018)
140. The Madness of Annie Radford (The Asylum Trilogy book 3) (2018)
141. The Haunting of Briarwych Church (Briarwych book 1) (2018)
142. I Just Want You To Be Happy (2018)
143. Day 100 (Mass Extinction Event book 6) (2018)
144. The Horror of Briarwych Church (Briarwych book 2) (2018)
145. The Ghost of Briarwych Church (Briarwych book 3) (2018)
146. Lights Out (2019)
147. Apocalypse (The Ward Z Series book 3) (2019)
148. Days 101 to 108 (Mass Extinction Event book 7) (2019)
149. The Haunting of Daniel Bayliss (2019)
150. The Purchase (2019)
151. Harper's Hotel Ghost Girl (Death Herself book 4) (2019)
152. The Haunting of Aldburn House (2019)
