Children of the Virus

5: Rebirthday Intrigue

After a week of anticipation, the big day had finally arrived. Toshiro was excited to attend the celebration of his Aunt Lilith's rebirthday. When he stepped into the virtual room and saw her surrounded by so many loved ones, he knew this was the ideal opportunity for his secret mission.

"Happy rebirthday to you. Happy rebirthday to you. Happy rebirthday, dear Lilith. Happy rebirthday to you!" The crowd cheered as she blew out the candles. Toshiro scanned the room. Her party guests included a mix of the reborn and those still living.

Aunt Lilith glittered and gleamed in a show-stopping ensemble of pink, as if she had been reborn for the express purpose of captivating observers. A dress encrusted with diamonds, matched by an equally dazzling headband that framed her elaborate hairstyle perfectly, was what it took to transform this diva into something beyond extraordinary.

The people in the room were ecstatic, clinking their champagne glasses and chanting her name as they waited for Lilith to take the center stage. She looked out over her gathered guests, her smile as brilliant as the late-summer sun. Every eye was on her as she spoke.

"Darlings," she said. "It warms my heart to see all of you here celebrating my third rebirthday! I'm overwhelmed by your kindness and gifts." She gestured to the table piled high with presents. "Let's dance, let's revel, and by all means, let's admire the spectacle that is my life!" Her smile widened as applause erupted around her. "Cheers and thank-yous from the bottom of my reborn heart!"

Toshiro watched the crowd explode into enthusiastic clapping and hollering as the bass of the music began to thump and vibrate. Couples began to spin and twirl around the dance floor in sync with the pulsing rhythm, their steps speeding up until they were a blur of movement. He knew that now was his chance.

But before he could make his move, Toshiro felt a light tap on his shoulder. "Never thought I'd see you here." He spun around to find it was his half-sister, Hiroko. She was an integral part of his childhood until they drifted apart two decades ago following the loss of their beloved father, Hiro, to pneumonia.

"I earn VR time now, and I can use it to visit family, but I only have an hour."

Hiroko smiled briefly before glancing away. A palpable silence hung in the air until Toshiro broke it. "Where's my mom?"

"Ena is over there talking with Lilith—you didn't notice her when you arrived?"

"I guess it's hard to see anything past Lilith's pink outfit."

Hiroko laughed half-heartedly before sipping on her drink and staring off to the side.

Toshiro came up with a reason to break away. "I'll see you later—I need to grab something to eat." He eagerly made his way over to the virtual buffet. Despite its lack of physical sustenance, it seemed everyone enjoyed indulging in this digital feast—you could graze as much as your heart desired without filling your stomach or gaining any weight. Despite the invention of sugar pumps, virtual cuisine still held a special place in the hearts of many.

As Toshiro meandered closer to the smorgasbord, he heard snippets of conversation between the other guests. "Did you hear about the attack on Zo's data grid?" someone said. "Frederick Telecom claims Zeal Communications sent masked assailants to destroy their network in Lebanon," remarked the second person. "I heard Zeal has distanced themselves from the drama. They're blaming 'the rebels in Damascus,'" added a third voice. The fourth person Toshiro passed was a man holding a plate piled high with cake. The man bellowed, "Don't fill up on cake."

Toshiro rolled his eyes at the man as he considered the news of an attack on Zo's data grid. He knew it was worth over 1 trillion runtime credit years, so Zo's retribution would be swift and unforgiving.