A Virtual World Turned Real (An Unofficial Minecraft Adventure)

Chapter Ten: All According To Plan...

David Reilly, the male helper for the Virtual Reality test, stood watching a monitor, overlooking the test bed in which the first volunteer named "Jace" lay. He was fascinated with Jace. So far, David had observed that Jace was strong, Swift and brave. Something of a natural leader. But what interested him more was how kind Jace was. True, he was the guy you wanted at your side when it all hit the fan, but he was also someone you could have a heart-to-heart with. That last part was quickly confirmed moments ago when David watched, in Minecraft's spectator mode, as Jace and the girl London had a heartwarming conversation, ending in the two sharing a kiss.

"How are subjects 3, 7 and 11?" Came a voice that broke David's train of thought. Veronica, the other VR test helper, was busy checking on all the testees vitals and situations. She was always the more serious of the two, in David's opinion.

With an almost silent sigh, David peeled away from Jace's monitor to go study the other testees. Most of them were asleep in-game, so their vitals were slow and steady. Nothing out of the ordinary. "They're fine." He finally said, after examining their monitors. The only two testees of noteworthy concern were Jace and London, whose dopamine and norepinephrine levels were very high. But that made sense, given their circumstances. David went back to Jace's monitor, and found one of his class' teachers scrutinizing the vitals on the screen.

"What I don't understand," The teacher asked, "Is why Jace's pulse level is elevated?" David could easily explain that. "Think of it like a dream. If you have a dream, you body still reacts to it, you just don't really know it. If you have a good dream, you feel happy and content, and your pulse elevates." David gestured to the screen to show an on-hand example. "This is similar for nightmares too: your body reacts to it. You sweat, you toss and turn; your pulse spikes. This game basically works the same way as if you were asleep. Your mind still sends signals to your body, you're just not as aware to it."

"Ah, that makes sense." The teacher said, nodding his head in understanding. David settled into a rolling desk chair and pulled himself up to the desk holding the monitor next to Jace. David took control of his user in-game and floated around the testees camp, invisible to all those below seeing as he was in spectator mode. The camp wasn't too bad, given that is was only their second night in Minecraft.

All was right and the test was moving along smoothly. Slowly, but surely. David smiled. Not a darn thing was going to ruin this glorious day.

Suddenly, and much to David's displeasure, a door was swung viciously open and hit the wall behind it with a Bang! David, Veronica and the two teachers all jumped at this, seeing as there was normally little wild commotion in the testing room. In from the unexpectedly opened door waltzed a man. No, not a man, a teenager in the latter end of his adolescence. The teen wore a black leather jacket and black jeans with holes in the knees as well as a pair of biker boots. But most noticeable to David was the teen's gaze. It had a trace of something that told David that this kid had been in trouble with the law before. His suspicions were comfirmed when he caught a whiff of cigarette smoke on the air.

Whoever this kid was, he was trouble.

Behind this kid walked in four others wearing similar attire, had less bleary-eyed looks but you could tell it was still there. David figured that these four were likely his "friends", or maybe some lackeys. The first to enter jerked his hand up and pointed a finger at David. "You," He said nonchalantly, "Where's the loot?"

"Loot?" David asked, dumbfounded.
"Yeah. The loot. I heard that this place has a big stash of cash or sometin'. Where. Is. It?"

Oh, boy. David thought. Now he understood. These fivr punks must've heard about the reward for completing the VR test. "Oh, you must be mistaken with another place," David said, trying to persuade the punks that there was nothing of importance here. "We are just simple scientists testing new Virtual Reality equipment. Nothing truly special here."

"Oh, but there is." The lead kid said, not buying David's spiel. "I heard that those who participate in the test get a big reward of somethin' if they complete it."

Well, there was no hiding the truth now. David was about to speak, but Veronica beat him to the punch. "That's right. There is a reward. But you, my punky friends, are not members of the testees. So that reward is not for you." She said all of that in a snarky sort of tone.

The punks all looked mad at this, but after a moment the lead punk adopted a devilish smile. "Well, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em." And they commenced to walk into the room and the wards a door that led to a room where you could play Minecraft normally, without using VR equipment. "What are you doing?" David asked, full of suspicion. "We are going to participate in your test, and win so we get the prize. And we are going to win OUR way." He replied and then made a this way motion towards the door. "Come on boys, we are going to play some games." He continued and smiled greedily.

The four others chuckled snidely as they walked into the gaming room. Once the last punk-teen was in, the lead teen turned to face David. "Don't try to stop us." He said menacingly and then closed the door.

Everyone - that was supposed to be there - in the room was shocked into silence. Veronica walked up to the door, looking as if she'll walk in their and rip those boys a new one, but stopped when she tried to open the door. No, she didn't stop; she WAS stopped, David realized. "It's locked. They wouldn't be that stupid." David said with finality.

"So what do we do?" one teacher asked. David thought about that for a moment. What could they do? They had locked themselves in the room, so they couldn't intervene directly. That sparked an idea. "Well, if we can't intervene directly, then why don't we intervene indirectly."

"What do you propose?" Veronica asked.

David walked up to a computer set away from all the others in the room. First, they would need help once those kids decided to exit the room. He keyed and intercom and said, "Security to test room alpha." He then turned to the others and explained, "For when those punks decide to leave their temporary haven." David turned back to the computer and elaborated on his plan. "What those boys don't know is that this computer is the host computer. Meaning that the game host is logged into this computer: me. And because I'm the host, I am capable of modifying any and all regular users in my world." Veronica caught on. "I see where you're going. You're gonna change those boys' settings so they have a harder time, right?"

"Exactly." David said, and, in spectator mode, found the boys in-game. He cursed under his breath. They were in creative mode and equipping themselves with iron and diamond armour, weapons and tools. They were even enchanting the stuff too, to make it even more powerful. They would have a serious advantage over Jace and the other actual testees.

He had to be quick, before they got too much powerful gear.

As fast as he could, David went to the interface that controlled all the local user's settings. He accessed the boys' settings. With a sudden flare of anger, he altered their game modes. If they wanted to mess with David's test, they would pay.

He made them all be on Hardcore difficulty.

David decided that wouldn't be enough. He blocked the boys' ability to access that same interface, so that could couldn't change it back. Now all David could do is hope that Jace and the others can beat them to the End.

The text: U THINK YOUVE WON, OLD MAN? UR WRONG. WE CAN STILL RECK YOUR LITTLE TEST appeared on David's screen. It must have come from the boys' through the game chat. He was a bit confused as to how they could "wreck" their test anymore. But, to much horror, he quickly found out how they would do it. The boys' users began to move in the direction of the testees' camp.

They were going to kill Jace and the others.