Virtual Reality

by Kitty Cox

  "What?" she asked.

  "Happy." He shrugged. "I can't think of a better word, but you make me happier than I've ever been. This? Being here with you? There's no money in the world that can buy this feeling, and I'd gladly trade all of it to keep you."

  She leaned closer and pressed her head to his chest. "You'd just find a way to make more."

  "Probably. It's kinda what I do." He paused to kiss the top of her head. "But you need a break, and I want to make sure you have at least a little fun this weekend. Want to go shopping for stupid gamer stuff?"

  "Yes," she decided, pulling out of his arms to find her shoes. "And you, Mr. Degrass, are going to buy me one of those stupidly cute USB drives with the cartoon animals."

  "Why?" he asked.

  She tossed a smile back at him. "How else am I going to give you those dirty stories you want to read?"

  "Oh yeah? Do any of them have rich men with big dicks?"

  "At least half. Why? Wishing you had a big dick?"

  He tried to make a comeback, but only stutters and grunts came out before he shook his head. "You haven't complained yet."

  "Nope," she agreed as she slipped on her shoes. Then she casually made her way over to the kitchen counter where she'd left her keycard, and slipped that in her pocket before adding, "I just didn't want to hurt your feelings, but since you're rich, you can buy me toys to make up for it."

  "Oh, I'm gonna make you pay for that," he warned, surging toward her.

  Kate laughed and spun, running to the door. She made it through, but Adam was on her heels. For just a moment, she forgot all about the people she might be disturbing, the problems she still had to tackle to get her life back on track, and her fears of moving in with him. As she ran down the hall toward the elevators, she just laughed, enjoying this one stolen moment with her man.

  Getting out did make her feel a lot better. Getting the chance to try the Flawed demo put that game on her wish list. Then she stopped at the Corsair booth to try out the different peripherals. QQ said the right mouse could really help her aim, but Kate hadn't even realized there was a difference. She'd spent easily thirty minutes going through all the options, looking for something that felt natural in her hand.

  But they ended up at the USB store eventually. Adam pretended to think the adorable rubber coverings were stupid, but that didn't stop him from looking at the hundreds of different options. While she was stuck trying to decide if the lipstick one would be funnier than the cookie hanging out of his laptop, he was checking drive sizes and all the important stuff.

  She'd just found a set of rainbow-colored panda drives, when someone called her name. Looking back, she saw Rhaven. With a smile, Kate waved her over.

  "Don't you dare judge me like Ice is," she warned.

  Rhaven shook her head. "I've got a bag full of drives that look like minions. Makes me feel like Gru. No, I just..." She stepped a little closer and lowered her voice. "There's a link going around the game hall. Lith, you've been doxxed."

  "I know. That's where I've been all morning. Canceling credit cards and such." Kate shrugged. "So Ice is buying me something to make me feel better. Aren't you, honey?"

  He groaned, but it was clear he was putting on a show. "Yes, dear. And now the whole world knows I'm whipped."

  "Nothing wrong with that," Rhaven assured him before turning back to Kate. "So you're staying?"

  That wasn't the question she'd expected. "Yeah, why?"

  "Because when most people get doxxed, they take off to deal with it," Rhaven told her.

  "Yeah, but where would I go? The address that's been posted everywhere?" Kate shrugged it off. "I've already got a hotel room, and at least here, I have something to keep me from going out of my mind."

  "You got some balls," Rhaven told her. "And I mean that as a compliment. "You think it's going to piss them off?"

  "I don't even know who 'they' are," Kate admitted. "We found where my ex was bitching, and I think that's why I was targeted. If so, I'm not about to let that dick chase me off. He's pissed because the whole time we were married, he said I'd suck at these games. When I finally tried, I end up with the best outfit on the server."

  "Paradox," Rhaven agreed. "Yeah, I thought about applying, but QQ and I?" She shook her head. "I have a feeling that would be a bad idea."

  "You don't like Q?" Adam asked.

  Rhaven made a noise that sounded like neither a yes nor a no. "I respect her. I get along with her. I also don't play like her. Nothing against her style or anything, I'm just not one for the charging in and making a scene thing."

  "You play with Psyc?" he asked.

  She laughed once. "Yeah. He got Braden and I to run with his new outfit last night. Was a total clusterfuck, but kinda fun. His little fan club were all about to piss themselves when they heard a dev was in the group, though."

  "And you weren't?" Kate asked.

  Rhaven glanced away. "Nah. I mean, he's cool, but he's also not willing to spill any of the backside secrets." She waved that away. "Look, I just wanted to make sure you're ok. I know what it's like to get shit on both in real life and in game. I figure this is kinda like both at the same time, right?"

  "Yeah," Kate agreed, "but I'm going to be fine. I didn't really have much to lose. I mean, I just restarted my life, and my job sent me here, so they're cool with giving me time and help to work through this. I figure that means I might as well stay on the clock and handle the stupid intros. Doesn't hurt knowing it'll piss my ex off a bit." Then she grinned. "Might even make tomorrow's speech a little easier to get through!"

  "Well, either way, I'm here for you." Rhaven reached up to rub Kate's arm. "I also know it's a lot easier when you aren't alone. If I can help in any way, just ask, ok?"

  "Is this really that bad?"

  Rhaven nodded. "It can be. First, they rip your life apart like this. Then, when you're at your lowest, they find ways to kick you when you're down. Kate, too many people want to make sure that only cis, white men get to have fun. They may be the vocal minority, but once you're on their radar, they just never stop."

  "They did this to you?" she asked.

  Rhaven glanced away. "Not the same group, but I saw what happened to QQ in Denver. When I decided to start chasing a pro contract, I knew the risks. I just figured it'd be me, not you. I mean, you're just the hotel girl, right?"

  "Q's thing was horse people," Adam said.

  "Yeah, well I heard it was the Kings of Gaming."

  Kate had heard that name once before. "Who are they?"

  Rhaven huffed wryly. "Cis white boys who are scared they're losing control. It's like this men's rights group for games, trying to say that gamer girls are the reason there aren't any good games anymore."

  "Cis?" Kate questioned.

  "Google it,” Rhaven said, a slight annoyance in her voice.

  Adam groaned. "But Eternal Combat, Flawed, and all the rest of these new releases lately all suck, right?"

  "Not enough damsels in distress," Rhaven explained. "Too few tits bouncing around. That shit went out of style last decade, but they don't really care about mechanics and skill. These fuckers suck at games, and they're convinced it can't be their fault, so they have to blame someone. We just make easy targets."

  "That's bullshit," Adam hissed.

  Rhaven lifted her arms and let them flop back to her sides. "That, cis white boy, is reality. Figured you'd know that, since your brother's black and all." She paused when the sound of cheering could be heard in the distance. "Huh. Guess that means the tournament's over. I'm gonna go see who won. Coming?"

  "Oh yeah," Kate agreed. "Gotta make sure they know I haven't been scared off yet."

  Chapter 37

  By the time Kate and Adam made it into the gaming hall, they already knew QQ's team had claimed victory. No one was surprised. Still, there were four brand new computers that needed to be handed out. Chance Hunter from Deviant games was once again at the front of the room, talking to the production crew, but this time K
ate didn't need to introduce him.

  Adam had his fingers laced with hers, and they were headed back to their own chairs when Void saw them. "Lithium!" he called out, waving her over to the high table.

  "Hey," she said when she was close enough. "Heard you won. Congrats."

  "Yeah." He glanced over at QQ. "So, we heard your computer's a piece of shit. No offense."

  "It is," Adam agreed.

  She reached back to smack him playfully. "It works at least."

  "Well," Void went on, "I'm a little partial to my set up, so I was wondering if you'd be interested in something a little newer?"

  It took a moment before she realized what he was asking. "You want to give me your prize?"

  "Sure. I mean, you took me out in the first round before I even knew you were there. I can only imagine what you'd be able to do with a faster machine."

  "Oh my god," she gasped, stepping in to give him a hug. "Thank you, Void!"

  He laughed as he carefully patted her back. "I'll take it that's a yes."

  "Yes! Yes, yes, yes," she agreed. "I've never had a gaming computer. I don't even know what I'd do with it except play with Paradox every night. I mean, I'm never going to go pro or anything, but if no one else needs it..."

  "I promise that everyone who needs one is getting one," he said. "We've all picked out a person we came across in the tournament, and Deviant Games agreed to let us pass on the prize." Then he smiled. "Which means you're in front of the cameras again."

  For a split second, she thought about saying no. The first time had been enough to get her doxxed, and that text had warned her not to do it again. Clearly, Void hadn't yet heard about any of that, but it sounded like he'd been focused on his matches for most of the day.

  Before she could change her mind, Adam spoke up. "She gets shy on camera. Hates public speaking, but it'd be nice to not be the only one she's cussing at for making people look at her."

  "Proof we have more gamer girls at every event," Void said. "You got this, Lith."

  Adam pointed to the other three in their team. "Who are they giving their computers to?"

  "QQ picked Rhaven. Knock found a guy in the third round who was lagging so bad none of us can figure out how he made it that far. And Psyc? Yeah, he wanted to give it to Cynister, but I told him to pick someone else. He went for PBJ. The kid's been coming so close to reaching the high table, so maybe a better machine will bump him up."

  "Adam?" Kate asked, waiting for him to look at her. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

  "I am not going to make you do anything," he promised, "but yeah, I think it is. I think you deserve this, darlin'. You really did kick his ass, and you kinda got shit on today, so you need a pick me up."

  She bit her lower lips and glanced at Void. "I kinda did good, huh?"

  "And you held your own against Riley," Void pointed out. "Trust me, that's not an easy thing to do. Unlike you, I got to hear the running diatribe of her bitching about how she was going to fuck you up."

  "What?" QQ asked.

  Void just pointed toward the front. "Awards, Q. Time to put on a show."

  "Oh, yeah," she agreed, then looked at Kate. "You're one of the big shots now, chica."

  While they'd talked, the crowd at the front of the room had only grown. Now, it wasn't just Chance standing up there, but most of the Deviant Games team. Kate could tell by the matching black shirts with the company logo. She saw three different women, not including the one she'd met the first night. There were still twice as many men, but something Rhaven said came back to her.

  The people who'd targeted her wanted gamers to only be people like them. But what exactly did that mean? Cis-gendered, white, and male was a very broad category. Representing Deviant Games was an entire array of different types of people, from the small dorky looking guy to the rather plump one at the end. Young, old, and everything in between were also represented. And not all of them were white. Sure, most were, but Deviant seemed to have a decently diverse developer team.

  Then, before she was really ready, the ceremony got underway. Kate was told to stand at the side. Rhaven claimed the place next to her. A tall, lanky kid with obvious acne was on her other side. Rhaven greeted him as PBJ. The last one to join their group was so completely average that there wasn't much to make him stand out. He was in his mid-twenties, typical white guy with brown hair, and a little shy.

  "Hi," she greeted him. "I'm Lithium."

  "Sniper69," he told her. "With a one for the I." Then he ducked his head with a self-depreciating chuckle. "And now that name feels pretty stupid."

  "I think all of our names are," she assured him. "I don't know about you, but after my tenth attempt to find something that wasn't already taken, I started getting desperate."

  He nodded like he was about to say something else, but the lights dimmed, and music began to play, making it clear that this was starting. The four of them looked to the staging area, where Chance and the winning team were all standing by the microphone. The cameras were unobtrusive since this was just for the game's website stream, which meant most of the production was for the people sitting in the hall.

  "Ok!" Chance said, stepping up to the mic. "I think this is the largest group ever to play Shots of Conquest since the game was released." He paused while a few people chuckled. "Which is why we will be pulling down the servers and only using this title for events and tournament style matches. That's what it was truly made for, after all."

  From the cluster of developers, someone added, "And to test the EC engine."

  "Shh," Chance told them, pretending like no one should know that. "We don't want to spill all our secrets. But Jeff's right. Shots of Conquest was never intended to be a working title. It was our first attempt at an FPS game engine. Yeah, it has its flaws, but the customizable maps are perfect for things like... Capture the Flag. I'm sure we made our winners sweat just a bit."

  Knock held up his hand with his fingers an inch apart. "A little," he joked.

  People laughed, including a few of the devs. Riley nudged him, then the two shared a smile. Like he'd done this a million times before, Chance waited, letting all the people watching experience the casual camaraderie as if it were their own.

  "But these four survived," he continued. "Match after match, they adapted, coordinated, and always figured out a way to get their flag into the end zone and hold it long enough to be declared the victor. I'm sure none of you are surprised that they are all active on the PLG tournament series, either. Two professional gamers, and two sponsored, with names we all recognize, let's give a round of applause to Void, QQ, PsychoCut, and Knock."

  People clapped, but it wasn't enthusiastically. Then again, this crowd was more likely to cheer their friends on with a hastily typed "GG" for good game in chat. Being face to face wasn't their forte.

  Chance lifted a hand, showing that was enough. "And like the hot shots they are, our winning team has chosen to donate their prizes to up and coming gamers who impressed them in their tournament matches." He stepped back, gesturing for the winners to take the mic.

  Void stepped forward. "The four of us have the advantage. We're playing on sponsored machines, with hours of time to practice, and months of working together. Many of you found a team this morning and pulled this out of your ass. And still, you made us work hard to get past you. So, each of us picked someone who made sure to be memorable. Knock?"

  The youngest member of the group moved to the mic. "Sn1per69," he said, gesturing for the guy to come over. "In our third match, we had your team cornered. In my arrogance, I thought it would be a walk in the park, especially since I kept seeing your character jerking and hitchy like the game was pushing the abilities of your rig. Well, somehow you still managed to not only fight us back, but you got a double tap to my head, man. Good game. I really hope that a little better setup will make you a monster in game."

  And on the big screen at the back, the one that had been cycling through Deviant logos all day long on some kind
of endless loop, a video popped up. It was a clip from the match, the character information in the top corner proving it came from Knock's game feed. If anything, he'd under represented the guy's abilities - and the jerkiness of his connection.

  "Congrats," Knock said, offering his hand.

  Sn1per69 shook it with a big grin. "I'm gonna take you out one day, man. I'm coming for you."

  "And this should make it easier."

  One of the developers handed him a box, he took it with a grin and headed back toward his seat. A smaller group whooped for him, but the ordeal on the main stage was still going. This time, it was Psyc stepping up to the mic.

  "So, PBJ is the man." He pointed, and the lanky kid jogged over. "Dude, I targeted you hard core in Denver. Today, you made me pay for it. No matter how many times Void picked me back up, you dropped my ass again and again. I totally expect to see you on the circuit next year, man. Good gaming."

  The video of the match was longer this time and made up of a few clips. Kate was actually surprised that this guy wasn't at least sponsored, but she really didn't know how the professional stuff worked. Still, PBJ clearly played as well as anyone in Paradox.

  Then it was Void's turn. He turned to Kate and smiled, crooking a finger for her to come closer. "You all recognize our hotel spokesperson? Well, if you didn't know, she's been playing with us. Now, I'm totally blaming QQ for taking you under her wing, because you've gotten a little too good a little too fast. Our first round, and we didn't even know where the other team was yet, and you took out our teams medic - me - with the cleanest headshot I've ever seen."

  "I was aiming for your chest," Kate said, leaning toward the mic so it would carry.

  Void laughed and slapped her shoulder. "Yeah, don't think so. Pretty sure they pulled that match from your..."

  He paused when the video that started looked nothing like game footage. Instead, it was a photo montage, filled with digital copies of local tabloids. The first was just a headline saying, "Local Hotel Tycoon has new girlfriend," but that was enough to make her heart stop.