Virtual Prophet (7 page)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“She just killed Daniel,” Brandon said as he watched the monitor.

“Indeed,” Thorn agreed.

“How does that work, then? Wesley has no viable body on Tygon, so does he come out of the Sim now?”

Thorn didn’t answer, which caused Brandon to look up from the monitor in concern.

“I want to see them,” Brandon stood up.

“See who?”

“My Hand.” 

Thorn didn’t move from his chair.

“Take me to them,” Brandon said with authority. “Now.”

“Brandon,” Thorn said gently, “I explained the situation to you already. We are running extremely low on power. Every spare ounce is being diverted to the Simulation to give us as much time as possible.”

“You told me you had to unplug the other teams,” Brandon’s voice was icy, “you didn’t mention my Hand.”

“They’re not dead,” Thorn said, “exactly.”

“Exactly? What in the name of all that is digital does that even mean, exactly?”

“Calm yourself. We had to unplug them just like the others,” he raised his hand before Brandon could interrupt him, “but we were able to put them in cold stasis. Their bodies are in suspended animation. The power required for that process was available at the time.”

“But you don’t have the power to bring them out of stasis,” Brandon guessed.

“Correct,” Thorn said.

“So when Wesley just died in the Game, did his consciousness zip back here into the skull of his frozen body?”

Thorn raised his eyebrows and grimaced uncomfortably. “So much of this is happening for the first time, son. We’ve never experimented with this type of thing before.”

“You have no idea,” Brandon shook his head.

“I have no idea,” Thorn admitted.

Brandon returned to his seat, his attention returning to the monitor.

“I want back in, Father, and I think the correct time is now.”

“You’ve been out for only a few hours,” Thorn said. “You’ve done your part, Brandon. Let it play out now. The chances of success look extremely promising right now.”

“I did one part,” Brandon said. “I’m still needed in there. Trew and Cooper are doing well. Danielle is doing better I’d hoped. The rest of the players are doing their part, but Stephanie becoming the Devil is a wild card, and there are other wild cards. I must go back in, and the time is now.”

Thorn looked at Brandon sadly. “Time is running out, my boy. Life support is not an option, and even if it was, your body cannot withstand the stress of full immersion again so soon. I told you already, going back in is very likely a one-way trip for you. Do what you can from out here. Talk to the men on the phone if you must.”

Brandon looked at Thorn and his eyes took on a faraway, serious tone. “I know how it will play out here, Father, but I have no choice. We are in the home stretch, and my plan has been to go back in for some time now, no matter the cost.” The boy put his hand on Thorn’s shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly. “This is my choice. Put me back in.”

Thorn stared at Brandon for a long moment, and then nodded.

“All right,” he said. “Let’s get you back to Tygon.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Carl touched down in the middle of the empty city street. He looked around slowly, searching with his eyes as well as his other senses to determine if anyone was nearby. A few moments passed and he nodded to himself, satisfied that the hooded person standing in front of him was the only individual within at least a one-mile radius.

“You’re lookin’ good, sugar,” Carl drawled.

“I feel like garbage,” the robed figure said in a husky, ragged voice, “unless I’m killing or causing pain to others.”

“I know the feeling,” Carl nodded. “Let’s take a good look at you, then.”

She raised her hands and slowly removed the hood covering her face.

Carl scrutinized Stephanie’s overall appearance. The beautiful young Hispanic girl was still there, but she no longer appeared healthy and vibrant; her features had become narrower and darker. The energetic, glowing girl had been replaced with a sullen, darker version of her old self.

“I know old crack whores who would be glad they didn’t look like you right now, Steph,” Carl said.

“There are days when I look even better than I used to.” She wasn’t pleased that Carl seemed happy to see her looking like this.

“Yes, I’m sure there are,” Carl chuckled. “When you’re elbow deep in blood and misery I bet you look absolutely stunning.”

She looked at him with a cruel smile, the crimson in her eyes flashing brightly as they swirled rapidly.

“The girls say I’m almost out of the initial phase of the change,” she said.

“They are good at what they do,” Carl nodded. “I’m glad they’ve been able to keep you alive. I can’t recall the last time a brand new Infernal became their leader.”

“It’s never happened before. It wouldn’t have happened now if not for the help I received from you and Raphael.”

A thought occurred to Carl and he looked around the open area, again searching for the presence of others.

“To fast track this change you need to kill a powerful Eternal. Is that why you called me here, girl?”

Stephanie looked at Carl with a fierce grin; it was evident that she struggled to control her new urges and impulses. Carl knew he’d guessed correctly, she was looking at him like he was the sheep and she was a hungry tiger. Carl chuckled to himself and took off his trench coat.

Before his coat hit the ground she closed the distance between them, screaming in rage with a cruel looking dagger in her right hand, thrusting powerfully towards his eye.

If anyone had been present to watch, they would have missed the entire charge; the attack was simply too fast for the eye to follow.

With the slightest sideways movement Carl shifted to avoid her attack. As she streaked past him he grabbed the blade from her hand and hit her on the back of the head with the flat of it. Hard.

In the space of a breath, Stephanie was lying on the ground stunned, while Carl looked at her with amusement, examining the blade that he now held in his hand.

Stephanie groaned and moved slightly. Carl streaked downwards and jabbed her with iron fingers in the back of the neck, at her kidneys, a spot on either leg, and between her shoulder blades. Then he flipped her roughly onto her back and stood up.

His strikes had hit pressure points, she couldn’t move at all.

“Over the past few years I really started to take a shine to you, girl,” Carl bounced the dagger lightly on his shoulder as he looked down at her. “For that reason, I haven’t killed you. Everyone who knows me — including you — would say that selecting me for your prey isn’t smart.”

The rage in Stephanie’s eyes melted away, and was replaced with anguish and suffering. Tears began to flow as forceful sobs wracked her body. Carl looked at her blankly.

After a few moments Stephanie calmed down and regained her composure. Carl retrieved a handkerchief from his jacket and bent down to gently wipe her eyes.

“I know it was stupid to challenge you,” she said. “I convinced the sisters that I could beat you like I had Daniel, and they reluctantly agreed to let me try. I knew there was no way that I could beat you, though.”

Carl stood up and nodded with understanding. “You wanted me to kill you,” he said.

“Yes,” she agreed. “I can’t do this, Carl. I know you and Raph told me this would be difficult, but I had no idea just how hard it would be. I’ve killed so many, and it has been so...”

“Pleasurable.” Carl finished her sentence.

She nodded slightly and blinked as tears came to her eyes.

“If I let you go, are you gonna try being stupid again?”

Stephanie continued to cry, shaking her head that no, she wouldn’t.

Carl reached down and restored control to her body. She sat up and brushed dust off the front of her clothes.

Carl sat down beside her.

“You can do this, sugar,” he said. “So you’ve had to do some unpleasant things. We all have to do unpleasant things from time to time. If the Game is about balance, and it is, then I expect you have quite a bit more evil to do before you come close to balancing it out with all the good you’ve accomplished.”

“How can I continue to do this?” she asked.

“See that tower over there?” Carl asked.

Stephanie nodded.

“Before the Day, that tower was a fun place full of children and laughing families. Everyone from miles around came to spend time in that building. There were treats and entertaining events held there that made other entertainment destinations seem dull in comparison. I haven’t had many good days over the centuries, but my absolute best memory is from spending time in that tower.”

“Wow, really?” Stephanie looked at the ruined tower with interest, trying to imagine the good times that Carl was describing.

“No, not really,” Carl said. “I lied. That tower was actually one of the worst places in the world. People who went inside never came out alive. Residents who lived close by would wake up in the middle of the night from the screams of pain and terror emanating from inside. I went into that tower once and experienced the worst pain I’ve ever felt in my life. To this day, I have nightmares about being in there.”

Stephanie looked at Carl with a frown. “Is that true, Carl?” she asked.

“Neither story is true, girl,” Carl said. “I’ve never seen that tower before in my life.”

“Oh.” Stephanie looked confused.

“My point is this. Nothing is inherently good nor bad in this or any other universe. It is the thinking that makes it so.”

“I know that.”

“You thought you knew that,” Carl said. “This new experience has either made you question it, or you realize that your definition was good up to a certain point. I’m here to tell you that taking lives inside this Game is just as important as saving them.”

“You are condoning killing,” she said.

“The Devil does not make butterflies and throw parties for little children,” Carl said. “You must become the worst demon in the world so that you can prevent the other demons from doing what eve
nI
would consider evil.”

“I see.”

“I don’t think you do, but I hope that you start to, and soon, because the other demons have felt the change in power. They know Daniel is gone, and they will come to take his place. You must either fight them all, or make them so scared of you that they won’t bother to challenge you.”

“Which I do by killing.”

“Yes,” Carl agreed. “You do that by killing... both players and NPCs.”

“Players and NPCs...?” Stephanie said. “You’re right, Carl. I forgot.”

“Don’t ever forget, girl. This is a Game. Play it to win.”

The two of them stood up and Stephanie hugged Carl fiercely. Carl laughed in surprise, but after a moment he returned the hug.

“You’ll be close to your normal self when the initial phase has passed,” Carl assured her.

“I want that to be soon,” she said.

“It will be,” he smiled, “but until it is you must do your best to get out there and show the Infernals what the new Devil is made of.”

Stephanie stood straighter and nodded.

Carl winked at her. “Players need to be ejected, sugar. Do your part.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

“How are you finding life in our Colony so far?”

Thirteen looked up from his bowl of soup and met the eyes of his lunch host. He couldn’t believe that she was sixty-three years old; she looked decades younger. The spoon in his hand paused close to his mouth as he answered her.

“Life is good, even in this new world in which we find ourselves.” He quickly put the spoon in his mouth to finish his last taste of soup and then he politely placed it on the table beside the bowl, then he smiled politely and waited for Danielle to ask her next question.

“Did you seek us out, or did the winds of fortune just drop you at our doorstep?”

Thirteen looked around the table as he considered how to answer. He was surrounded by very powerful creatures; Eternals. He’d been in the camp for less than a month but others had been quick to talk about them. Now that he was sitting so closely to them he observed that they looked much like normal people. The stories from others had been anything but normal, though. Thirteen decided that it would be in his best interest to answer each question truthfully if he wanted to stay in the Colony, and he did want to stay here — for the moment, at least.

“No, I never intended to come to live here,” he answered. “At first I just wanted to join a group where I could be safe. I wish I’d had more time living in the world when technology existed. I think I would have done better in that reality.”

“In that reality?” Daniel asked. “You’re in the same reality as before the Day, Thirteen.”

“Not really,” he shrugged. “Reality has changed. Even though the stage appears the same as it once did, the rules and props are not the same as they were.”

“Interesting way to think of it,” Raphael said from beside him.

“I suppose so,” Thirteen shrugged.

“Why do you want to stay?” Miranda asked.

“Safety,” he replied. “I’m not strong, or skilled at combat. This world has become lawless. If you can’t fight back, then the odds are good you’ll be beaten down, a slave to others.” He reached for a piece of bread and tore off a chunk, popping it into his mouth and chewing. “The basics are like treasure. Warmth, food, and safety. I will do whatever I can to prove my usefulness in this community so that I can stay.”

“What do you think of the Gamer philosophy?” Danielle asked as she poured coffee for everyone at the table. Coffee was becoming scarce; it was a treat Thirteen hadn’t had for quite some time.

“It’s an interesting theory,” Thirteen said. “From a quantum point of view, it makes a lot of sense.”

“Before the Day, most quantum scientists said the theory didn’t make sense,” Danielle said.

“That’s because most quantum scientists were still too far behind in their knowledge,” Thirteen explained.

“You’re from the Zoo, right?” Miranda asked.

Thirteen’s mouth became dry and his skin felt as if a warm sweat were forming on his arms and chest. Slowly he looked at Miranda and nodded. “Were you there too?”

It was Miranda’s turn to nod. “Do you recognize me?”

Thirteen shook his head slightly. “No, but the old man told me there was another in the Colony who’d been there. He said Three was in the camp. I don’t remember anyone from there.” He looked at Miranda hopefully. “Do you remember me?”

“No,” Miranda admitted. “The only one I would recognize is the boy called Seven.”

“His pet,” Thirteen said. “I would recognize him too. He was often present when the Man would talk with me.”

“What would the Man talk to you about?” Raphael asked.

“Advanced quantum mechanics and computer theory. It was refreshing to speak with someone who seemed to understand what I was talking about. After I was freed and before the Day, even the best scientists didn’t seem to understand what I was speaking about.”

“He did, though?” Danielle confirmed.

“Absolutely,” Thirteen confirmed. “I think he knew even more than I do. Some of his calculations and hypotheses were beyond my scope of comprehension. The Man was brilliant.”

“Do you think he could have done this?” Danielle asked.

“Done what?”

“This,” Danielle spread her arms to indicate the world as it currently was. Could he have caused the Day?

“Of course he did,” Thirteen confirmed. He looked at Miranda with a puzzled expression. “You must have known this; why haven’t you told them?”

Everyone at the table was shocked. The question had seemed small and insignificant, just part of the conversation with Thirteen. Danielle had just stumbled onto the answer to the most important question everyone had been asking for the past three years. Possibilities and ideas began to tumble through her head.

Miranda recovered first and answered Thirteen. “I wasn’t there when it occurred. He ejected me from the Zoo weeks before the Day.”

“I wasn’t there when this happened either,” Thirteen said. “One day we all woke up from the Haze and found ourselves standing outside of our cells,” he explained. “Somehow the Man had reintegrated our broken halves. He told us we were no longer either a genius or a disconnected regular. He told us that we were whole, and then he gave each of us a bag of money and supplies and told us that we were free.”

“Then how do you know he’s responsible?” Danielle asked.

“He informed us that we could go anywhere and do anything that we wanted, but that we had best get to where we wanted to be within thirteen days.”

“On day thirteen,” Raphael said. “What happened?”

Thirteen spread his arms to mimic Danielle’s earlier symbol for the current state of the world.

“This happened,” he said.