The Holo Earth

Chapter 26

The old LED lights flickered ominously as Liam trudged up the stairs to the office. Each step felt heavier than the last. Aurelio's theory about the world being a simulation kept resurfacing, gnawing at the edges of his sanity.
Liam paused on the landing, his hand resting on the cold metal railing. "If Aurelio's right, what does that make me?" he wondered. Just a string of code in some vast cosmic computer? The thought sent a shiver down his spine. His grandfather's theory about Zolok being an AI from the future suddenly seemed quaint in comparison."And Zolok..." Liam's brow furrowed as he resumed his climb. "If this is all a simulation, how do I get out from Zolok's control, keep the money, the job, and the house? Maybe if I could contact a benevolent Xenumia, they could get Zolok off the platform."A new thought struck him, stopping him mid-step. "Maybe the simulation has limits, administrative privileges, cheat codes. If Zolok is so powerful, why manifest in such a ghostly, intangible way? Why not take physical form? Maybe Zolok doesn't even have a full avatar. The questions swirled in his mind, each one spawning a dozen more.As he pushed open the door, the familiar scent of fresh coffee mingled with an undercurrent of tension. The rhythmic clacking of keyboards and muffled conversations created an unsettling backdrop, suddenly feeling artificial, like sound effects in a video game. Liam's eyes scanned the room, settling on Calvin's empty desk. After a couple of days, he'd thought of where the pendant might be. Then again, since the pendant was a sign of being owned by a Xenumia, he didn't want it even if it was an heirloom."Hey," Liam called out to a nearby coworker. "Have you seen Calvin?"The woman shrugged, barely looking up from her monitor. "Down the street, I think. Showing off his new ride."Liam's brow furrowed. New ride? Since when could Calvin afford to own a car? He made his way to the window, peering down at the street below. Sure enough, there was Calvin, practically prancing around a gleaming sports car that looked wildly out of place among the sea of practical sedans and SUVs.A chill ran down Liam's spine. He patted his pocket instinctively, searching for the familiar weight of the pendant. It wasn't there. It hadn't been there for days.Liam hurried down. As he approached, Calvin's animated gestures and cocky grin only heightened his suspicion."Nice car," Liam said, trying to keep his voice casual. "Where'd you get the money?"Calvin's smile faltered for a split second before widening into something almost predatory. "What can I say? Lady Luck's been smiling on me. I won a sweepstakes. Can you believe I was one of only three entrants?"Liam studied Calvin's face, searching for any sign of deception. "Listen, Calvin, I've been meaning to ask... you haven't seen my pendant, have you? The one from my grandfather?"Calvin's eyes narrowed, a flicker of something—recognition? fear?—passing across his features. "Nope, can't say that I have. Maybe you should keep better track of your stuff, O'Connell."As Calvin brushed past him, Liam caught a glimpse of something glinting beneath Calvin's collar. His blood ran cold. It couldn't be...Back in the office, Liam found himself unable to focus on his work. Sometimes he went downstairs to the coffee maker to keep in touch with some of the old team members. Throughout the morning, he overheard snippets of conversation, coworkers whispering about Calvin's strange new habit of talking to himself, claiming to hear whispers no one else could perceive."Just like me," Liam thought, a knot forming in his stomach.Then back in the quiet of his office, Zolok's voice slithered into Liam's mind. "Your old friend seems to be enjoying my gifts," the entity purred. "Perhaps it's time you proved your own worth, my dear Liam."Liam's hands trembled as he tried to type, his fingers slipping on the keys. "What do you mean?" he whispered, as if someone would hear him.Zolok's voice took on an edge of steel. "I require a demonstration of your loyalty. A sacrifice, if you will. Ray has outlived his usefulness. It's time for him to... retire."Liam felt the blood drain from his face. "You can't mean kill him," he hissed. "Last time, you said he would take a vacation and he ended up being gone for weeks, his health still hasn't recovered.""Yes, Liam, I need to help me get Ray out of the way, permanently this time. Need I remind you of the way Ray has treated you in the past?" Zolok's tone was deceptively light. "He dismissed your idea about improving efficiency by using automation. He criticized your writing of a bug report without even bothering to read two paragraphs. He took credit for your work. He didn't pay you overtime. He clearly showed favoritism to Imad just because they both spoke Arabic.""But you're talking about murder. What about Ray's family? I don't know what happened in his personal life that made him like that, but I can't just murder someone.""First of all, it's not murder, it's an accident, just a little push at the right time." Zolok's continued. "More importantly do you really want to face the consequences of defying me? I know you're thinking about it. How unfortunate it would be if a good person were to suffer an accident instead of Ray. That good person could be you. Who knows? Such bad luck seems to follow those who oppose me."Liam's chest tightened, his breath coming in short gasps."It's simple," Zolok continued. "Ray will be heading to the break room soon. All you need to do is wait by the stairwell and give him a little... nudge. I'll tell you exactly when."Liam's legs felt like lead as he made his way to the stairwell. He leaned against the wall, his heart pounding so loudly he was sure everyone could hear it. The minutes ticked by. Could he pretend he didn't understand Zolok's instructions? Could he go and hide in the closet and hope for lenience?"I know you're trying to come up with a way out of this assignment." Zolok said. "Don't even think about defying me. I won't show mercy."Finally, he heard footsteps approaching. Ray appeared, a steaming cup of coffee in his hand, his gait still slightly unsteady. Focused on heaving himself up the stairs, he didn't even seem to notice Liam waiting at the top of the staircase."Three..." Zolok's voice echoed in Liam's mind.Liam's palms were slick with sweat."Two..."He could see the steam rising from Ray's cup, could smell the rich aroma of the coffee."One..."Liam's body moved as if controlled by invisible strings. He stepped forward, his shoulder aimed at Ray's arm. For a fraction of a second, time seemed to stand still. Liam saw the shock in Ray's eyes, saw the coffee cup tilt precariously.But something in Liam rebelled at the last moment. His conscience screamed, fighting against Zolok's influence. Liam's hand shot out, grasping at Ray's sleeve. It wasn't enough to stop the fall entirely, but it changed the trajectory.Ray's eyes widened in confusion and fear as he lost his balance. The coffee cup flew from his hand, shattering against the wall and spraying its scalding contents. Ray's arms windmilled frantically, grasping at empty air.Liam watched in horror as Ray tumbled backward, his body twisting unnaturally as he bounced off the edge of each step. The sickening thuds echoed through the stairwell, punctuated by Ray's sharp cries of pain.Finally, Ray came to rest on the landing below, his body crumpled in an unnatural position. His face contorted in agony now slackened. A small pool of blood began to form beneath his head."Call an ambulance!" Liam screamed.Chaos erupted as colleagues rushed to help. Liam stood frozen, horror washing over him in waves. What had he done?"Disappointing," Zolok's voice dripped with disdain. "We'll have to work on your commitment."As paramedics arrived and whisked Ray away, Liam overheard two coworkers talking in hushed tones."Did you hear about the unrest in Algeria?" one asked. "They're about to take Algiers. Ray's family must be worried sick.""Yeah, I heard he's been trying to send money back home," the other replied. "This injury couldn't have come at a worse time.""I know," the first coworker nodded grimly. "Ray mentioned his sister's family had to flee their home last week. They're staying with his parents now, but the economy's collapsed. He's been getting in debt trying to support them all."Liam winced. It wasn't just Ray he had hurt, but an entire family caught in the crossfire of political upheaval. Images flashed through his mind: Ray's sister huddled with her children in a crowded house, Ray's parents stretching meager supplies to feed extra mouths, all of them waiting anxiously for the financial lifeline Ray provided. And now, because of Liam's actions, that lifeline was in jeopardy. The guilt threatened to overwhelm him. And for what? To appease a malevolent entity he should never have trusted in the first place?While Liam returned to his private office, he watched Calvin strutted around the office, his newfound confidence bordering on arrogance. Completely indifferent to Ray's situation.As the day wore on, Liam found himself going through the motions, his mind a tumult of guilt and fear. The office buzzed with worried whispers about Ray's condition. Unable to concentrate, Liam finally approached Lara from HR, hoping for any information about his colleague's status.Lara looked at him with a mix of concern and exhaustion. "I'm sorry, Liam, but I can't disclose any specifics about Ray's medical condition," she said, her voice low. "What I can tell you is that Ray will be out on medical leave for an extended period."Liam felt his stomach drop. "Extended period? How long are we talking about?"Lara shook her head. "I'm not at liberty to give details, but we're making arrangements to cover his workload for the foreseeable future. It's going to be a challenge with our current deadlines and budget constraints.""Extended period" had to be HR code for several months. The weight of this vague but ominous information hit Liam hard.By the time he left work, he felt hollowed out. The sight of Calvin driving away in his flashy new car only twisted the knife further.Liam's phone buzzed with a text from Ethan: "Can you help with my homework tonight? At the community center."A lump formed in Liam's throat. Sweet, innocent Ethan, who looked up to him with such admiration. How could he face the boy, knowing what he had almost done?But the thought of Ethan's smile, of the simple joy the child found in his presence, offered a glimmer of hope.With trembling fingers, Liam typed out a reply: "I'll head straight there."As he walked to the waiting self-drive, the desire to escape came back into his mind. The Veritas Society, for all its stupidity, might be his only hope of breaking free from Zolok's influence.Liam paused, leaning against his car as memories flooded back. He recalled the earnest faces of the Veritas members, their urgent warnings about Zolok that he had dismissed as paranoid ramblings. Later, they had reached out again, imploring him to talk to them before it was too late."And now?" Liam muttered to himself, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. "Now it might actually be too late."He thought of Ray, lying in a hospital bed. Of Calvin, corrupted by the very power Liam had foolishly coveted. Of sweet, innocent Ethan, who deserved a better role model than what Liam had become.Liam's hand hovered over his phone. Contacting the Veritas Society now felt like a desperate last resort. Zolok would know and the punishment would be terrible.The memory of Zolok's threat about "accidents" sent a chill down Liam's spine. Zolok promised an excruciating end to this relationship if it happened on Liam's terms. Sarah, Clara, Ethan, any of them could end up suffering terribly. It really was too late. Serving Zolok was his only choice. He was now a just a puppet.