Gamers' Challenge (11 page)

‘Huh?’

‘Most entities are unable to perceive you,’ he explained. ‘You do not partake in the game, so the perception of you has been clouded. But my ability to perceive is beyond most others.’ He paused. ‘Now, keeping your friend in mind, it is time for you to answer my questions. What are you doing here?’

For a moment, Zyra was tempted to answer ‘sittingin a chair’, but the officer’s cold stare dispelled that thought.

‘Nothing, really,’ said Zyra, trying to think of away to explain herself ‘We’re sort of just passing through. Travelling.’

‘Really? In a war zone?’ The officer’s face betrayed no emotion. ‘For what purpose do you
travel?’

Zyra glanced at Hope.

‘Yes.’ The officer gave a single, slight nod. ‘Her life depends upon your answers.’

Zyra closed her eyes for a moment, deciding that she had better tell the truth. ‘We’re looking for someone.’

‘Outstanding! And who might that be?’

‘Well, not that it will mean anything to you, but we’re looking for the Ultimate Gamer.’

‘Ah. Now we reach the heart of the matter.’ Again,the single, slight nod. ‘How do you propose to find this Ultimate Gamer?’

‘I don’t know,’ Zyra admitted. ‘We got a note from him saying that he would find us.’

‘But he has not.’

‘No.’ Zyra lowered her head and her voice.

‘And yet you still ... hope.’

Zyra looked towards Hope, slumped in her chair.

‘Yes.’

‘Excellent. Hope makes for more determined garners. Thus, a more interesting game.’

‘Huh?’ Zyra looked back up at the officer.

‘What is it that you wish of him? This Ultimate

Gamer.’

‘Urn ... help?’

‘He will not give it.’ The officer shook his head. Zyra’s eyes lit up. ‘You know about the Ultimate

Gamer?’

‘Oh yes.’

‘Do you know where he is?’

‘Oh yes.’ The officer smiled for the first time, albeit a strained, difficult smile that looked as if it might crack the dry, papery skin of his face. ‘He is here.’ He turned to Hope. ‘You may wake.’

Hope’s eyes snapped open and her head jerked up. ‘Zyra.’

‘Hope.’

‘We’ve found him,’ she gasped.

‘You are much mistaken,’ said the officer. ‘It is Iwho have found you.’

‘You mean you’re -’ began Zyra.

‘Indeed.’ He clicked his heels together and inclined his head. ‘He who you have been seeking.’

‘But -’ Zyra looked from the officer to Hope. ‘Are you sure?’

‘It’s got to be him,’ said Hope.

Zyra stared at the officer, eyes wide. Could this really be the Ultimate Gamer? And if so, why did he have them tied up in a wartime trench? Bemusement turned to annoyance.

‘So, what’s all this about then?’ demanded Zyra,struggling to loosen the ropes.

‘It is all but a game.’ The officer spread his arms and smiled as if he really meant it. ‘Have you not worked that out yet?’

‘We’re sick of games,’ spat Zyra, getting one hand free. ‘We want out.’ She pointed to the officer. ‘And you can help us.’

‘What makes you think that I would help you?’

‘Look out!’ called Hope.

Zyra twisted in her chair, looking one way and then the other. And then she followed Hope’s upturned, panicked gaze. Above the trench, the sky was filled with VIs, all converging on the trench. So many that they blocked out the clouds, making the sky look like a giant television screen tuned to a dead channel.

‘The game is not over yet!’ The officer laughed, high and staccato, sounding as if it was a painful thing to do. ‘Not by a long shot.’

He slowly raised a hand, snapped his fingers and their surroundings were gone.

17: Testing
 

‘Ready?’ asked Tee.

‘Yep,’ answered Tark. Gal simply grunted.

They were each leaning up against tree trunks,

Tark and Gal holding loaded double crossbows, Tee cradling the IDD in his arms.

Tee straightened up. ‘Let’s go, then.’

The three of them stepped around the trees and out into the clearing, weapons at the ready. Two VIs hovered by the entrance to the cave, just outside the force-field. Tark and Tee both fired.

Tark’s bolt temporarily immobilised one of the

VIs.

A bright crackle of electricity arced from the tip of the IDD like a lightning strike to the other VI. It expanded as it absorbed the discharge, a balloon ready to burst. Tee was about to up the intensity and try again, when the expanded VI vanished in a blaze of light.

Tee fired again as the second VI regained its mobility. The process repeated itself - lightning, expansion, and disappearance.

‘Works,’ said Tark.

‘Seems to,’ agreed Tee.

‘Shoulds we tries it on that thing?’ Tark pointed to the cave.

Inside the cave, the static moved and bubbled, indistinct images whirling and eddying within it.

‘I’d like to try it out on a few more VIs first,’ said

Tee. ‘See what happens if I up the intensity a little.’

‘Here’s your chance,’ said Gal, looking up to the sky.

Five VIs were speeding in their direction. Tarkand Gal aimed their crossbows.

‘Leave them to me,’ instructed Tee, as he turned the dial on the IDD up one notch and fired. As the lightning struck the middle VI, the other four changed direction, splitting into two groups. The middle VI swelled, more so than the first two victims of the IDD, and vanished in a burst of light.

Tark and Gal watched anxiously as the remaining VIs combined themselves into two larger spheres and resumed their attack. Tee increased the intensity again, and fired at one and then the other.

‘That thing in there is getting bigger,’ warned Gal, gazing into the cave.

‘Time ta shoots it?’ said Tark, eagerly.

Malevolent eyes stared out from the depths of the fluctuating mass.

‘Not yet.’ Tee was staring up at the sky, a sheen of sweat across his brow.

Dozens of VIs were bearing down on them, flying in arrow formation, ready to strike.

‘Crap!’ said Gal, raising his crossbow. ‘We can’t handle so many of them.’

‘Damn the Designers,’ Tark swore. ‘Wots we gonna do now?’

‘There’s only one thing I can think of.’ Tee spun the dial on the IDD up to ten, aimed at the foremost VI and pulled the trigger.

Lightning arced through the sky, striking the leading VI. The formation froze in the air as the electricity crackled between them, creating linking tendrils of power and spreading the substance of the Interface. The VIs expanded simultaneously, merging as they grew.

The thing in the cave roiled and screeched, as ifcrying out in rage and pain.

And then the VIs were gone in one blinding crescendo of brightness. Tee squinted and held up a hand to shield his eyes, but watched every second of the destruction, while Tark and Gal turned away.

Dozens of dark, piercing eyes stared out from the cave at the three of them.

‘Now?’ asked Tark.

‘Now!’ Tee yelled.

Tark took out the remote control device that operated the force-field and pressed a button. The barrier shimmered as it switched off

Teeth gnashed and claws extended. The mass of static launched itself at them. Tee fired.

The creature howled as the electrical charge carried the pure substance of the Interface into it, slamming it back into the cave. It writhed and burbled as if trying to take on a definite shape. And it grew. A face formed within its depths. A face with evil eyes and a sharp-toothed grin.

‘Weak.’ The word emerged from the cave as a deeprumble, like the sound of a devastating earthquake.

Without hesitation, Tee slid back the panel, hit the override and fired again. He fought to hold onto the IDD as the power blazed forth.

‘Not enough!’ The words rumbled over the crackling sound of the discharge.

The energy finally dissipated, the IDD spent and useless. The face in the static solidified. It was huge and ugly and misshapen, its hate-filled eyes fixed on Tark.

‘Reactivate the force-field,’ ordered Tee.

Tark didn’t move. He stood, transfixed by the swirling static eyes.

‘Force-field!’ yelled Gal.

‘Zyra,’ the creature rumbled, baring its fangs. Tark dropped the control. He lifted his crossbowand fired both bolts. Laughter rumbled from thecave. Gal jumped forward, scooped up the control and activated the force-field.

A shimmer flickered across the mouth of the cave. The mass of sizzling malevolence grew, surging forward and pressing itself against the barrier. Sparks filled the air as claws formed in the static, scrabbling against the invisible screen.

‘You idiot!’ growled Gal.

‘Zyra,’ Tark whispered, dropping his crossbow. ‘It said Zyra.’

‘So what?’ Gal turned to Tee. ‘You see? You can’ttrust him. He’s a risk.’

‘Zyra’s in danger.’ Tark’s voice was louder and higher as he grabbed Gal by his tunic, shaking him.

‘We’ve gotta do somethin’.’

Tee placed a hand on his shoulder. ‘We’re trying.’

‘It ain’t good enough.’ Tark released Gal and shook Tee’s hand off He stared down at the ground where a small animal was burrowing its way up out of the earth.

‘He’s unstable,’ hissed Gal.

Tark glared up at Gal, ready to yell back. His words caught in his throat as his eyes widened. He bent down, yanked the little burrowing creature out of its hole and threw it at Gal.

Gal yelped and ducked. The creature slammed into the VI that had appeared behind Gal. The menacing grey ball halted as it took apart the hapless animal, giving Tee just enough time to drop the IDD, snatch the crossbow from his belt, load and fire it. Meanwhile, Tark scooped up his own crossbow from where he had dropped it, loaded it and quickly fired.

‘Unstable,’ muttered Tark, as the VI dispersed. Gal straightened up and managed to mumble ahalf-hearted, ‘Thanks.’

‘Come on.’ Tee picked up the IDD, gently took

Tark’s arm and led him away, leaving Gal to follow.

As the three of them headed off into the Forest, they could hear the creature laughing and screeching as it tried to break through the barrier that confined it.

18: Pinball
 

Darkness!

‘Hope?’

‘Yeah, I’m here. I’m fine! You?’

‘I’m okay, too,’ said Zyra. ‘I’m not tied up anymore.’

‘Me neither,’ said Hope. ‘What happened?’

‘I think we jumped.’

‘How?’

‘The Ultimate Gamer, I suppose.’

Ding! Ding! Ding!

The sound of a bell echoed through the darkness.

‘Correct!’ A voice boomed around them. ‘Time to play.’ It was not a voice Zyra or Hope had heard before. ‘Our first contestant today is a has-been gamer who used to play as a thief in the game environment known as the World. When not questing she would escape to the environment of Suburbia.’

A bright spotlight shone down on Zyra. She raised a hand to shield her eyes.

‘Zyra is sixteen years old, and has been for quite some time.’ The voice was loud, brash and overly enthusiastic to the point of irritating. ‘Her hobbies include knifing people, flinging her throwing stars and admiring how she looks when she twirls around in her red leather coat.’

‘What’s going on?’ Zyra shouted up into the light.

‘Our second contestant is a born non-gamer,’ said the voice, ignoring Zyra.

A bright spotlight illuminated Hope.

‘Hope is eighteen years old, making her technically older than her kindasorta mother, Zyra. Her hobbies include dissing cheat codes, thinking she knows better than everyone else and making snarky comments.’

‘Who are you?’ shouted Hope.

‘And at the controls ...’

A drum roll echoed around Zyra and Hope before another spotlight broke through the darkness. High above them, a figure floated in a pool of light. Dressed in multi-coloured robes and wearing a ridiculously large conical hat with a propeller on top, he spun around and bowed low.

‘Give it up for ... the Pinball Wizard!’

Applause thundered through the darkness as the Pinball Wizard blew kisses to his adoring, unseen fans.

‘What happened to the Ultimate Gamer?’ asked

Zyra, looking across at Hope.

‘Still playing,’ shouted the Pinball Wizard as he waved at them.