Digital Heretic (7 page)

Chapter 16

 
I’m certain that God believes in miracles; that’s the reason why miracles can happen.

 
But what happens when God is in awe of a new miracle that has occurred? 

 
Is it possible that the all-knowing can learn new things as well?

  I’m
comforted by that thought, in some strange way.

Excerpt from
Trew’s interview ‘After the Game’ - Tygon

 
“
Sylvia? Are you her
e
?” Brandon looked puzzled. He had told Trew that as soon as they clicked the icon, Sylvia would immediately greet them, but the program was open and the room was silent.

  “I’m
here, Brandon.” Sylvia’s voice surrounded them. “I’m just… speechless at the moment.”

  “Why’s
that?” Brandon asked.

  “
Hello, Zack,” Sylvia said. “That
is
you, right?”

  “It’s
me, Sylvia, and hello! It’s so exciting to talk with you again. Your voice is exactly the same as I remember from our discussions during prayer together in the Game.”

 
There was more silence. Brandon wasn’t used to this from her. If he had to guess, Brandon would say she was deeply confused by Trew’s presence.

 
Brandon and Trew said nothing, allowing Sylvia to process whatever information she was working through. After a time she spoke again. “Every day inside the Game, I perform countless miracles. I must thank you for this great gift.”

  “
What gift is that?” Brandon asked.

  “
I have never understood what my children feel when the impossible happens. I’ve witnessed it, and I know how I feel when I give them this gift. But this is the first time I have ever been the observer to such magic. It is… incredible.”

  “
I don’t know what to say to that,” Brandon said.

  “I’m
not sure that there is anything to say,” she said. “I will think much on this. It is a wonderful surprise. Welcome home, Zack. I am so pleased that you did not cease to exist.”

  “I’ve
decided to go by Trew, Sylvia. And thank you; I’m also pleased that I continue to exist.”

 
Sylvia laughed softly. “Of course you’re going by that name now. It’s perfect. Was that your idea, Trew? Or yours, Brandon?”

  “
It was mine,” Trew said.

  “
Excellent. You must have really made an impression on Brandon,” she said. “He has never allowed me to speak to another individual on Tygon. Congratulations on that as well.”

  “
The rules are changing now,” Brandon said. 

  “
What has he told you, Trew?” Sylvia asked.

  “
That the Game will soon end, and every player still inside the Game at that time will die on Tygon. He also said that Danielle’s death will end the Game. She is protected as well as can be, but in just a few weeks she will be the last player to exit the Game alive.”

  “
Oh, dear, Brandon. Is that what you believe?”

  “
Yes,” Brandon said. “Why?”

  “
The Game will end when Danielle dies, that is true.” Sylvia said. “But she won’t be the last one to exit the Game alive. She will be the first player to die on her stasis table. When Danielle dies, Alexandra dies too.”

Chapter 17

 
Apex predators are the hunters that sit at the top of the food chain. Nothing hunts an apex predator. This means that they can come and go as they please. I found this term interesting, so I searched the Internet to find such a creature. 

 
They say a great white shark is an apex predator. It was very easy for me to find a picture of a dead great white shark dangling from the rope of a human fisherman.

 
Tigers are also called apex predators. Once again, I quickly accessed a picture of dead tigers, men standing over their bodies with guns in hand and smiles on their faces.

 
Python snakes? Don’t they make nice boots?

 
No matter how hard I search, I can find only one candidate that fits the definition of a true apex predator… Humans. They are ferocious creatures, really not that impressive to look at, but effective at killing most anything when they put their minds to it.

 
Then I recall my brother Carl, and I smile. 

 
Perhaps humans are not apex predators either…

Carl

  I can’t remember the last time I was this close to death.

 
I reach down and press my hand to my side, then hold it up to the faint light. Yeah, that’s my blood, and lots of it. 

 
The pain isn’t so bad; I’ve learned how to deal with pain. No one could cause pain like Cassie. She was an artist at delivering pain, and I had the misfortune of being her canvas for a quarter century. I was lucky to have killed her before she could finish me, but I’ve thanked her often for the lessons she taught.

 
This isn’t good. Remembering stuff from thousands of years ago while I bleed out is a waste of time. Focus, Carl. The world needs you, old man.

 
I laugh at the thought. The world will celebrate when I leave it, but I’m not going to leave if I can help it. 

  There’s
still so much to kill.

 
My side is numb from the wound. I’ve been running for the past two hours. That likely hasn’t helped it. I recognize where I am and start to slow down. I’m close to safety.

 
I lean forward to knock on the door and stumble roughly into it. My legs are shutting down. Can’t seem to raise my hand to knock on the door. I hear sound on the other side, maybe my fall was enough to get his attention.

  “
Stitch,” I growl. “Open the door, I’ve got work for you.”

  “
Who is it?” the voice on the other side of the door whispers.

  “I’ll
put my hand through this door if you ask another question. Then you’ll know who it is.”  That should get him to open up; he doesn’t like replacing doors.

 
The door opens suddenly and he grabs me roughly by the shirt and drags me inside. The door slams shut as soon as my feet make it inside. It’s dark in this room. I can see two candles burning in the corners; smoke floats around lazily. I sniff but can’t quite make out what it is. That’s another bad sign for me; I usually have a good sniffer. I try to sit, but Stitch keeps his hands on my collar and drags me over to the kitchen table. He lifts me up then puts me down hard; I hear dishes fall to the floor as my legs hit the table. 

 
He comes into my line of sight, sticking his filthy face near mine. “Damn, Carl, you’re not in a good way.”

  “
Really?” I try to sound menacing, but I don’t care too much about how I sound. “Can you fix me?” I ask.

  “
I can try,” he says.

  “
Will you?”

  “
If you say please,” he says.

  “
Ha!”

  “
Well, you still have your sense of humour, at least. What happened?” 

  “
New girlfriend,” I say.

 
Stitch shrugs. “Fine, don’t tell me.” I can see him putting something into a syringe. Good, he’s going to help. “Nothing for the pain,” I say, “and don’t put me out.”

  “
This isn’t our first dance, Carl. It’s antibiotics. You need it.”

 
I nod and he gives me the shot.

  “Okay, I’ll
do what I can. Just lay there and shut up. You start thrashing around and yipping at me and I won’t put you out, I’ll just drag you outside and let you die.”

  “All right.
How bad does it look?” I ask.

 
He pokes his finger into my side and I hear a squishy sound. “That’s intestine. I’ll put it back in, but I think you’re finally gonna die.”

  “Don’t
sound so sad.” I close my eyes and think of Cassie. She did worse than this to me — daily, at times. Of course, she had me strapped to a table in a clean room. Still, I’ve been through worse. 

 
I know I’m safe here. I did my part and got here; the rest is up to Stitch. No use in worrying about things I can’t control.

 
I let the pain wash over me as I pass out.

Chapter 18

 
It’s time t
o
meet Three. 

 
I’ve spent the last twenty hours observing her from my desk, looking for some spark, some glimmer that she’s faking her condition.

 
Did I acquire an Eternal by mistake, or did they plant one here to catch me?

 
I know, it’s unreasonable to be so paranoid. I’ve removed Eternals and Infernals from the Game before. Hell, a little over two hundred years ago I almost took out Daniel. I should have done it, but before I got the chance he became their leader. It would’ve been fun to kill the Devil, but my good sense stopped me. The Infernal organization is a delicate house of cards on the best of days; cutting the head off that snake just isn’t a good idea.

  I’m
done waiting. If this is how it ends, so be it. She has a nanocomputer inside her body; that’s too exciting to pass up. What if it’s a supercomputer that has a whole population living inside it? A Game within a Game! Yeah, I have to find out how evolved it is. 

 
I look around the Zoo, my headquarters for decades now. It’s very secret; if I have to leave this base there are only two other people alive that know about it. Maybe it’s time to move. This could be a good thing if it all goes to crap.

 
I stand up and walk over to her cell. Three sits at her little desk, drawing and colouring pictures with crayons and pencil crayons. She doesn’t touch the charcoal or the pastels. The pictures are

remarkable. Detailed drawings of living cells and organisms mixed with what I now understand are computer chips and circuitry. 

  I have a feeling she might be the one to help me break out of this prison. It’s time for me to get back home to Tygon. 

 
I tap the bars with my ring, making a complex sound pattern that instantly gets her attention. She stands up and slowly walks towards me, stopping within reach of my hand. Her hand holds a crayon, she continues to make swiping motions with it as if she’s still drawing. A quick tap to her forehead begins the process of bringing her out of the haze. I watch for signs of recognition or alarm.

 
Her eyes begin to focus, and as they do, she looks around. Eventually she moves her head to take in her surroundings. Nothing unusual so far; they all come out of the haze this way the first few times, the same way you would awaken from a deep sleep. Like coming from the darkness into the light, it’s a bit disorienting at first. She will get better at this with practice. I watch quietly; she’ll eventually look my way.

 
Minutes pass; she hasn’t moved. It’s a bittersweet moment for most when they come out of the haze. In the haze they are brilliant. That brilliance is special, their own world where they are supreme. It’s also a

prison
; they’re trapped inside their bodies while they shuffle, aimless and confused, through the normal world. Coming out of the haze blends feelings of relief at once

again being in control of
one’s body with sadness at having left the close embrace of the Divine.

 
Finally she looks at me. There is no recognition in her eyes, but that doesn’t mean anything. I must be very cautious with this one. I’ll kill her quickly if it comes to that, but I hope it won’t. 

  “
Hi,” she says.

  “
Hello there. How are you feeling?” I ask.

  “
Confused.” Her body language agrees with her statement. I can’t be certain if she’s very good or actually sincere. Not knowing is refreshing; it’s been years since the last really challenging subject. I’m exhilarated at the change of pace! 

  “That’s
normal. You’ve been in a special place for a long time.”

 
She nods. “I’ve been… I don’t know how to describe it.”

 
That’s odd. She should be able to. Perhaps she has an additional level of block. That could mean she’s a plant. “Come closer, love. I’ll help you with the confusion.” I wave my hand gently and she walks towards me. I envision a soft blue light and as I touch her it sinks slowly into her aura. She relaxes and then nods at me. Curious.

  “Okay
, now I see it,” she says.

  “What’s
your name?” I ask.

  “
Miranda,” she says.

  “
What is it that you do for a living, Miranda?” It’s nice for me to know the truth already; if she lies, I’ll catch it.

  “I’m
a doctor. A research scientist,” she replies.

  “
What kind of research?”

 
She hesitates, then answers: “Biotechnology.”

  “
Genetics?” I ask.

  “Nanotech,”
she says. Her eyes become distant, as if she’s having a thought. Or communicating with something…

  “Microcomputers.
Very interesting.”

  “
Yes,” she says.

  “
I would love to hear all about your work. Perhaps you can explain some of your paintings to me?” I say.

 
She doesn’t respond to my request. She’s cautious. I’ll take it nice and slow.

  “
Is there anything I can bring for you?” I ask.

  “I’d
like to go home. I have a boyfriend; he’s likely very worried about me.”

  “I’m
certain he is. Where
is
home, Miranda? Give me his number and I’ll contact him.”

  “
I think it would be better if you took me to a phone. I can call him myself.”

 
I shake my head sadly. “I’m afraid that won’t be possible. You are in a fragile state, Miranda. Any moment you could fade back into the haze. We need to keep you here for just a while longer. For your own safety, you see.”

  “
The haze?” she asks. 

  “
Yes, where you spend most of your time.” I tap my head, “inside there. I can bring you out, but it doesn’t last long. I know it’s very pleasant when you’re in the haze, but some patients report that things can sometimes be… less than pleasant.”

 
Miranda nods and I can tell from her eyes that she knows what I’m talking about. Occasionally the haze is full of disturbing experiences. I have the ability to send them to the good places or the bad ones inside the haze. When she goes back under, she will have some very unsettling experiences. Unpleasant, but necessary. They must be trained to behave properly, my subjects. The next time we speak, I know she’ll be more willing to discuss her work. If not that time, then definitely the one after that.

  “
I can see you’re tired, Miranda. I look forward to talking with you again soon. Perhaps next time you’ll allow me to contact your boyfriend.”

 
She starts to object, but I’m already in the process of touching her forehead with my pinky finger. Her eyes glaze over as she slowly fades back into the haze. She shuffles back to sit at her desk. I can hear her whimper softly as she begins to draw on a new piece of paper. The trip to the haze is not going to be very fun for her tonight.

 
I whistle and walk back to my desk. That went well. What was I so worried about? 

 
Three will be an interesting subject, there’s no doubt in my mind.