VR Hack

Three

If in doubt play possum. It's how I've survived the beatings from Dad. It isn't much fun hitting someone that's passed out and doesn't react. Trust me on that. (Harper Dexter)

It was hard. Really hard lying there still pretending to be asleep. Playing possum. Especially when certain death was about to cross the threshold with psychotic green luminescent eyes. But in a strange way I think I preferred that to my Dad. At least it would be a clean kill not personal you know. Both of which I wouldn't get if it was the old man coming into the room. Her sneakers squeaked as she entered.

I felt her professional gaze sweep over me. I tried to breath deeper to give the impression that I was in buried sleep. Then I felt her breath against my ear. There was a faint trace of something oily in it. She said: "I know you're just pretending to sleep. Catch you later pretty boy and your girl friend. I'm going to send you both to D.A.R.K." With that she left.

I opened my eyes and let out a breath like I'd been under water.

"What's your God damn name!" I hissed at the wardrobe.

The girl got out. She came over and I could see her shaking. Her handbag was hooked over the crock of her arm. She pulled out the packet of cigarettes I'd seen earlier and said: "I don't care what you say I'm lighting up."

I switched off my bedside lamp. The flame from the lighter she retrieved from her bag sent up a red glow. She sat down at the end of the bed and snapped the lighter off. Then she sucked heavily on the cigarette sending hazy blue smoke into the air. Was she going to cry? She looked so tiny and isolated. Her shoulders trembled.

"If you hadn't been such a mean pig earlier I'd have told you my name." She paused and savoured the smoke. Puffing out a ring. It was obvious she wasn't going to be rushed. The conversation would be on her terms.  She answered: "It's Scarlet."

****

"Scarlet could you tell me why killers are after you?"

"There aren't technically killers."

"What's that suppose to mean? One tried to cut your throat in an alley. Another was trying to off you with a gun just now. What gives?"

"They're cleaners. They're trying to delete me."

"Cleaners? What's that suppose to mean?"

"Cleaners are AI. They were sent by D.A.R.K."

"What the heck are you talking about those things were killers and human."

She shook her head. "You're wrong. They're cyborgs."

"No way. There's nothing developed to that level yet and what the heck is D.A.R.K.?"

She sucked on the cigarette again. This time making the tip glow brighter. Then she looked at me. It was clear she was carefully considering  what to say next:"How old are you?"

"Twenty one." I lied.

"I'm twenty two." She pushed out her hand. I shook it.

"Since you're young it's going to be easier to accept what I'm going to say. But it'll take a little time for you to adjust to this new wider world view."

"Which is?"

She stubbed out the cigarette on an old sauce which was on a small table by the door. Then she tipped the stub into the bin. Next she went to the window and opened it to the night air. The sour smell of the smoke began to clear and the sounds of the city drifted in: a car was honking, a dog barked  and a couple fought in the street below.

"Which is that the world as you know it is only half the story. In fact you could say that you're only living half your life here in RL."

She sat back on the bed smoothed out the creases in her uniform down to the hem line above the knee. Then took off her paper hat. She fiddled with it as she continued to speak.

"They're coming after me from VR world because I know their dirty secret. I thought I could hide. Sever all connections online use an isolated system if I wanted to use software. But it wasn't enough. To be honest I'm so tired. Tired of hiding. Tired of this existence. I've lost so much."

It was my turn to talk: " Scarlet are you some sort of Hacker?"

"Of a sort but I'm more than that and have gone further than any hacker could. Penetration and infiltration that's my game." She opened her handbag and stuffed her hat inside. "I must go. I've spent too long here. The cleaners may get a fix on me again and come back." Then she stood up turned to go, but paused and said: "Can I see it?"

"What?"

"Where you were stabbed the wound?"

I lifted my top up for the second time that day. She sat further up beside me. Her hand reached out and momentarily rested on my bandages where the wound was healing.

"Does it hurt?"

"Not as much as it did this morning or when they brought me in."

Her eyes were filled with concern. "You must stay away from me. I can't have another person on my conscience. They never caught the cyborg who did this to you. There may be more and they may clean you too."

Suddenly I realised she was holding my hand. This was getting heavy. So I changed topic. She was clearly mad. Beautiful but mad as a bag of frogs. "What movie or tv series were you they filming upstairs. Did you get any lines?"

She smiled at me with sad cobalt eyes. "You're not really twenty one are you?"

I smiled: "You got me I'm eighteen."

She kissed me on the lips. It was nice. Soft wet and warm.

****

I woke up. Where was I? Then I felt her lying next to me. She had a faint vanilla scent. I looked down onto the crown of her head as it nestles on my chest. She was on top of the sheets. I felt happy at peace. My eyes went heavy again and shut.

****

When I woke again I notice absence. The room was filled with cold morning light. Shafts of sun cut through the blind and pepper the floor and wall with a million tiny discs of gold light. Where was she? I needed her! It was more than just wanting. I looked at the spot where her head had been. There was a card. It was black with white joined up writing on it which said simply: Light. It matched the Tattoo I'd seen on the back of her wrist earlier. What did it mean?

****
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