Digital Heretic (11 page)

Chapter 25

  Words and truth follow the basic laws of physics. For every truth there is a contradicting lie. If you search for the truth with an open mind, looking at both sides of the story to form your own opinion, you will soon become so confused that you’ll believe anything.

 
Too much information can be just as dangerous and useless as too little. So what’s the strategy? Do we remain ignorantly blissful, or tirelessly seek out the truth at every opportunity?

 
There is a quote regarding money that goes like this… “I have been poor, and I have been rich. I don’t know that either has made me happy, but I preferred being sad and rich over sad and poor.”

 
Knowledge is a form of wealth.

 
I will chase the truth.

             
George R. Knight - The Game Is Life

 
“
Hello, Father."

  “
Son.”

  “
You sound in good spirits today,” Brandon said.

  “
You sound tired.”

  “It’s
a busy time here.”

  “
Indeed.” There was a pause. “He is risen,” Brandon’s father said.

  “
Praise be to him,” Brandon said.

 
There was a chuckle at the other end of the line. “This is splendid. I’m almost speechless at the miracle that has visited Tygon and allowed Zack to return from oblivion.”

  “
He goes by Trew now, Father. ”

  “
Perfect! Was that your idea?”

 
Brandon smiled. “No, it was his.”

  “I’m
feeling something that I haven’t felt in quite some time, my boy. Help me put my finger on it.”

 
Brandon laughed out loud. “I would not presume to know what that might be. I’m stuck at the thought of you admitting to having any type of feelings.”

  “
Hope,” his father said. “For the first time in quite a while, I feel hope.”

  “
Things remain positive, but that’s nothing new.”

  “
If you’re telling me that this is exactly how you planned for things to progress, I will have to dispute that.”

  “
Enough of this, we don't have hours to chat and theorize,” Brandon said. “What do you have to say?”

 
There was a brief pause; if Brandon didn’t know better, he would swear that his father was hurt. Brandon didn’t care. He’d been hurt too many times to count.

  “
I called to say how well you’re doing. So well, in fact, that it’s time to go ahead with the next phase.”

 
Brandon nodded. “I’m already on it. The meeting happens in just a couple of hours. Everything will go as I outlined in the plan.”

  “
Good luck, son.”

 
Brandon didn’t know what to say to that.

 
So he said nothing, and disconnected the call.

Chapter 26

  As a fan of the Game for decades, as well as a professional commentator, I feel very qualified to make this statement:

 
Most players are a disappointment.

 
There are almost two billion kids playing the Game at any given time, but how many have a channel? A few hundred thousand.

 
Of those who have their own channels, how many have a significant following? A few thousand.

 
Of those who have a significant following, how many are superstars? That’s right, just a few hundred.

 
The sad but accurate truth is that most kids go into the Game and quickly become mediocre. They do nothing of consequence, and the consequence of that is that no one bothers to follow them.

 
But this is a secondary issue.

 
The important thing to understand is that the average player enters the Game and wastes their play. Then they come out, scrape together enough credits to give it another try, and promptly waste their next play.

 
Some will defend them and say it’s not really their fault, because they don’t remember that they’re playing a game; perhaps if they did, they would play better. I don’t disagree, but what happens when they graduate and begin to live in the real world? They should learn how to be aggressive and assertive when they are young so they can bring that experience and attitude to real life, where it really counts.

 
Wasn’t the point of this system to have them learn? Seems to me that most don’t manage to ever get a clue.

 
Honestly, millions of players could exit the Game and no one would notice their absence.

             
Jim King, Game commentator

 
Trew entered th
e
office and sat down.

 
It felt strange for him to come in and see dozens of people on his team scurrying around as the monitors displayed stats and Game feed on the walls. At the moment, everyone was busy on the other side of the glass. It was only Brandon, Angelica, and Trew in the middle office.

 
Brandon pushed a button and the windows darkened, giving them complete privacy from the outside world, then sat down and took a sip from his mug. On the main monitor, Danielle and Gabriel got out of a car and walked towards a large office tower in the downtown district. It was 3 PM in the Game, 4 AM on Tygon.

 
“Gabriel has his directions?” Angelica asked. She was as cool as ever, her hands cupping a coffee mug and watching the monitor as the two entered the building. She looked at Trew, winked, and flashed an encouraging grin.

 
“He knows what to say,” Brandon said. “I’ve been in touch with Daniel, too, and he knows his part as well.”

 
“You speak to them both?” Trew asked.

 
“Of course,” Brandon smiled.

 
“But I thought they were on totally opposite sides,” Trew said.

 
“They are,” Brandon agreed. “But they both answer to the same boss, ultimately. Me.”

 
“Then why are they meeting? If you call the shots for both sides, there should be no need for this meeting.”

 
“It’s complicated,” Brandon said. “Daniel answers to me, but there is one other who can sometimes convince him to override my orders.”

 
“The Devil — you’re calling him Daniel,” Trew paused and waited for Brandon to nod affirmatively, “answers to you, but there are times when someone else can convince him to ignore your orders. Is that what you’re saying?”

 
“Sounds shady when you put it that way, doesn’t it?” Angelica asked. Brandon looked at her out of the corner of his eye and she suppressed a grin. He looked back at Trew and sighed.

 
“Yes, that’s how it goes. This meeting is primarily for both sides to talk with each other, so they know I have spoken to all involved and my directions are clear. The secondary purpose is to allow Gabriel an opportunity to gauge Daniel’s mood and determine if he might decide to disobey me and go speak with the other who sometimes influences his decisions.”

“Who’s
that?” Trew asked.

 
“Angelica…?” Brandon nodded.

 
Angelica laughed. “I have no idea who it is.” Brandon looked at her sourly and she returned his gaze. “You told me there is another inside the Game who has been there since it was framed out in basic code. He’s the one that Daniel will sometimes listen to, when he makes an appearance.” She looked at Trew. “I have no idea who it is or what he’s called. I bug Brandon for answers and this is all he’s ever told me.”

  “That’s
all either of you need to know.” Brandon said. “The real purpose of this meeting is to formally declare intent and direction on the part of both sides. This is a significant project inside the Game; everyone involved has to be clear that the orders are authentic. Now let’s sit quietly and watch. The meeting is about to start.”

  “
Daniel and Danielle…” Angelica muttered. "Could get confusing.”

 
Brandon rolled his eyes but said nothing. Trew smiled and focused on the main viewer.

***

Danielle

  “He will see you now,” The secretary says. Gabriel, Carl, and I stand and follow her into a massive boardroom. Two sides of the room are composed of floor-to-ceiling glass, displaying an awesome view of the city. When Gabriel explained who we were meeting I expected somewhere underground, a dark room with greasy candles burning and blood on the walls. It looks like the Devil is doing well for himself, sitting

in the biggest office at the top of the largest building in the city. I guess
it’s not that surprising, considering how corrupt the corporate world is.

 
A man calls out to us from the corner. “Gabriel, how good to see you again. May I pour you a drink? We’ve stocked your favourite.”

 
There he is, the Devil himself. I know they call him Daniel — the Devil is just his title. I’m not calling him Daniel.

 
He’s standing in the corner holding up a crystal glass of light blue fluorescent liquid. He’s as tall as Gabriel, six foot two inches, dressed in an immaculate black tailored suit. Diamonds flash from his cufflinks and a ring is prominent on his right ring finger. His hair is short and black; his face is tanned and rather handsome. His eyes sparkle with red flecks, like Carl’s. His face displays a carefree smile, while his relaxed manner projects a vast confidence. He’s looking directly at Gabriel, and it appears from his demeanour that he actually likes my companion.

  “
That would be nice, Daniel. Thank you.” Gabriel says.

 
The Devil nods and his eyes move from Gabriel’s face to mine. Suddenly my mind is gripped in a powerful hold; I feel dizzy and

have difficulty concentrating. I squint my eyes and raise an energy barrier with my will, imagining a soft but strong gold light surrounding me in a protective bubble. Suddenly I’m free
. His eyes change from intense and aggressive to mischievous and carefree. “Who’s this, Gabriel?” he asks. “I don’t recall asking you to bring a friend.”

 
My eyes flit briefly to Carl and then back to the Devil. The Devil smiles and turns to look at Carl. “Really, Carl? You invited her?”

  Carl’s
jaw clenches, but he doesn’t say a word. No one says a word. I can feel the tension in the room.

  “
I can leave,” I say. “It’s no big deal.”

 
The Devil looks back at me and his eyes sparkle. “That won’t be necessary, my dear. Now that you’re here, it would be rude to ask you to leave. I think what you will hear in this meeting is more of a burden than you deserve, but it’s obvious that everyone else here disagrees. By all means, stay and be welcome. May I pour you a drink?”

  “
Yes, please.” I look at Gabriel and he nods in approval. Ancient customs are still honoured by the Timeless. If one of the Timeless, an Eternal or Infernal, offers you refreshment and you accept it, then you’re temporarily safe from harm.

 
He hands me a glass. I’ve never seen a liquid like this before; light blue, fluorescent and slightly bubbly.

 
“She can’t drink that, Daniel,” Gabriel says. He looks at me and motions for me to put the drink down, which I do. “That is a special brew for Timeless only, Danni. It’s dangerous for a normal human to drink it.”

 
“Why?” I ask. “What’s in it?”

 
“Tsk, tsk.” The Devil wags his finger at me. “Why isn’t a productive question to be asking, youngling.”

 
I stare at him blankly.

 
He chuckles and points towards the glass. “Don’t worry, Darlin’’, you can drink it safely.” He points towards my eyes. “Those

strange peepers of yours indicate that you’re one of us, or at least close enough to have a sip or two of our tasty nectar.”

  I pick up the glass and nod. Without taking a sip, I go and stand beside Gabriel, who also has a glass of the nectar in his hand. The Devil pours a glass for himself and one for Carl, then we follow him to the large table in the middle of the room.

 
“Please, Brothers — and little Sister — sit and be welcome. You are safe at this table, at this time, for this meeting.” The Devil sits down, not at the head of the table, but to the left side of that main seat. Carl sits to his left, and Gabriel sits to the right of the empty main seat, motioning for me to sit at his right, which I do.

 
The Devil raises his glass in a toast and says, “To the Game.” We all clink glasses and everyone takes a sip of the fluid except me. Gabriel catches my eye and nods that it’s okay for me to drink, so I do.

 
It’s hard to describe the flavour. It tastes faintly of crisp, fresh berries, mixed with honey and bubbly champagne. There’s also a faint hint of lemon and something else which I can’t describe properly, except to say it’s not really a taste but more of a sensation. The sensation is… exhilaration. Like standing on the front of a speeding boat, or diving off a cliff into the ocean. No words do it justice; it’s a very tasty beverage.

 
“It’s delightful,” I say. I look at Gabriel and he’s smiling at me like a parent watching a child ride a bike for the first time.

 
“See, I told you she would be fine,” the Devil says. “Little sips and just one glass, she likely won’t even hallucinate or vomit later.”

 
“What?” I ask. I look at Gabriel in alarm, but he just chuckles and shakes his head.

 
“He’s the Prince of Lies, Danni. Don’t believe a word he’s saying. If you haven’t died already, then there won’t be any problems.” Before I can speak, he looks at the Devil. “You took quite a gamble with that, Daniel. If she had died, so would you. Which is why I

wasn’t worried for her
. You love yourself far too much to permit that to happen.”

 
The Devil grins. “It wasn’t a gamble, Gabriel. I’ve met another with her particular shade and colouring of eyes before. I knew she could drink with no danger to her or me.”

 
“Really? Who had her shade and colour of eyes?”

 
The Devil begins to answer, then pauses and stops to look closely into my eyes. After a brief moment, his eyes convey surprise and he looks back to Gabriel. “Oops, my mistake. This one’s eyes are white and silver. I’ve not seen this combination before, come to think of it.”

 
Gabriel shakes his head. “Brother, you are tiring. How
do
they put up with you?”

 
The Devil shrugs. “They don’t put up with me. I slow down most of the time and put up with them. It’s refreshing to speak with a peer who can — mostly — keep up with me, Brother.”

 
Gabriel laughs. “All right, then. On to business, shall we?”

 
The Devil looks at me and shrugs. He waves his hand slowly over the table and a computer appears inside the glass surface. He touches a button and the glass walls of the office turn black, eliminating the outside view. “How many people are currently on this Earth?” he asks.

 
From speakers apparently concealed in the walls, a computerized voice answers his question. “There are eight billion people currently on Earth.”

 
The Devil raises his eyebrows and nods at me slightly, then he raises his hand with his index finger pointing upwards. “How many people are actually real
?
”

 
I frown at his question. What does he mean by that? There must be eight billion people who are real on the planet. The computer answers with a different number, however. “There are one point eight billion real people on the planet.”