The Life- Illusion

by Lincoln Greene

  Kurt sighed at the cost, knowing it was going to happen a handful more times before he was finished. As he sat in the driver’s seat, he scowled and pulled up his reputation with the lace. Disappointingly, it had actually degraded by a quarter of a level since he had last checked it. “Hey Drake. How can I get some rep up with the crew? Is it just by pulling jobs?”

  After exhaling another blast of smoke through his nostrils, Drake shook his head. “Naw, there’s all kinds of ways. Selling goods for us when we have them, even bringing me cars to scrap would get you a little bump. You can always help the war effort too. We’re currently at war with GoonStorm and the Ursa, so any of their forces you take out will get you some respect around here.”

  He drove out with an appreciative nod, his eyes narrowed in thought. Sitting in front of the warehouse for a few moments, Kurt pulled up his phone and did a little shopping online. He found a website called “The Mad Bomber” and purchased a case of grenades, having them delivered to the Hub. His attaché text him back, giving him a time when she would return with his order and his repaired armor, and he instructed her to just take it to the hub.

  Those chores seen to, Kurt set his driving skills to the border of his map, and then threw it up onto the windshield, before swiping it off to the side. He drove towards the border of the Pirates turf, noticing a buildup of dots on both sides as he approached. The sounds of the war reached him before the visuals, the city echoing with the deep rumbles of an explosive onslaught. Peeking the Testarossa around a corner Kurt was witness to the front line of the Pirates defensive tactics. They had set up a mortar line, and were bombarding anyone who came too close, including Kurt. As he sped away from the explosions in his rear view mirror, he scowled at the puny five percent upgrade to his explosives resistance, his car already pouring white smoke.

  Kurt spent the next half hour looking for trouble, and then running away from it. He actively sought out GoonStorm patrols and teased them with his far more speedy and maneuverable vehicle, drawing their fire and then fleeing throughout the city. His game of cat and mouse eventually brought too much attention down on him, and an Abrams was waiting for him around a corner. He had just enough time to blink at the tank barrel swiveling in his direction before everything went black in a roar of flame and smoke. He opened his eyes on the Hub and blinked off the tank blast that had finished his foray.

  Tigg walked past, gracing him with a raised eyebrow. “That seems to have gone well…” She lightly mocked him, a hint of scorn in her voice. Kurt stood up, tilting his head at the lack of weight he felt. His gear was off somehow, and he stopped to pat his pockets and holsters. The holsters themselves had respawned with him, but all of his special gear holders were gone. The patch of grenades at his back was gone, along with his Ratshot ammunition holder and even his flares and smoke sticks. It appeared he had overlooked the respawn capabilities of his clothing, and he sighed in mild frustration. He pulled up his phone and ordered replacements for each of them, making a mental note of what could and couldn’t be taken into a losing fight without threat of loss.

  Swiping up his skills, Kurt was pleased to see a significant raise in their levels. Driving had gone up two further levels, and Combat Driving had risen a rank as well. “Getting the job done. Set up the assault course please, I’m running it with the magnum this time.”

  She nodded and walked away, leaving Kurt to go check on the garage. As he peeked through the doorway, Drake was pulling in with the tow truck again, the charred husk of his Testarossa attached to the back end. The roof had been caved in from the tanks shell strike, and the entire back end of the car was just blown out, twisted strips of metal dangling along the ground.

  “That looks rough. How long for a complete repair?” Kurt pushed against the door as it tried to close in his face.

  Drake turned to look at him as he climbed down from the cab, a fresh hand rolled cigarette in his lips. He took a long slow drag, savoring the smoke before speaking. “Eh. Twenty minutes. More if you stay to watch.”

  Kurt smiled and backed up, letting the door close. He went to the assault course and found Tigg finishing her setup. She swiped at the tablet in her hand and turned to face him. “Ready? Good, get to work. Remember what I told you about recoil management.” He drew The Messenger and grinned, stepping up to the start line and giving Tigg a nod.

  The Messenger produced an interesting sound when fired. The rounds made a slight whine as they exited the guns special bone made compensator. Kurt discovered as he ran the course that this gave the faintest impression of a barking guttural scream, combined with the heavy thud of the powder packed rounds. It was a highly distressing sound, but he found himself getting used to it as he ran the course a handful of times, working on his Magnum Force skill. The magazine also fell to black smoke as it was released instead of the standard silver dust, and soon the course had a thin layer of black smoke resting on the floor, swirling continuously with his footsteps. His Magnum Force skill rose by a level, and his Small Arms went up another two in the time his car was getting repaired. The chime of money being removed from his clean cash account was his notification to stop the firearms practice and get back to work on his driving skill set.

  Stepping outside in his minimalist gear, Kurt hopped back in the Ferrari with a box of MK II fragmentation grenades under his arm. He set the box down on the passenger seat beside him, and went looking for more Goons to harass. This time around, he focused on trying to blow up the Hummers he could get chasing him by dropping grenades as he went around corners. They, being GoonStorm, would invariably follow him, and Kurt quickly got the hang of the timing required. He could occasionally sneak up on them as well, so long as they were already engaged. The near constant Heat in the area helped in that aspect, as the war had everyone distracted. Successfully running from the police NPCs also greatly aided in his skill grind, as anytime he would lose the Heat, he would get a bump in his driving skills.

  Kurt would drive up beside a GoonStorm vehicle and toss a grenade into their open window before pressing the gas pedal and fleeing. If their window was not open, he would blast it open with a spray from his Glock. Using these methods, he was able to destroy a surprising fourteen Hummers before the Abrams managed to pin him down and blow him up again. He respawned on the couch in the Hub, to a snicker from Tigg. Pulling up his reputation, Kurt was happy to see the rank up he had been working on.

  The Lace.

  The Lace is a secretive group of high end heisters. Your discretion, ability, and lethality have raised your standing to a notable level. Continue to help grow The Lace, and they will continue to help you grow apace.

  Current Rank: 3

  “Laugh all you like Tigg, it’s working.” Kurt gave her a half smile before heading to the garage. Drake was in there hauling his wreck of a Ferrari back into the repair area and puffing at another of his hand rolled cigarettes, smoke curling up around his head and lounging near the lights in the ceiling. “Twenty minutes?”

  Drake raised a mildly rude gesture at him from the cab of the tow truck and spoke with heavy snark. “Longer if you stay to watch.” His personality seemed to be growing the more Kurt interacted with him.

  He returned to the assault course and continued working on his shooting, focusing on his magnum pistol and full auto Glock. After the Ferrari was repaired and ready to go again, Kurt returned to the lounge to gather his reordered crate of MK II grenades and leave for another run. This time the Goons were waiting for his noticeable vehicle, and he was hard pressed to get many kills while keeping ahead of them. The Downtown Cluster was still somewhat new to him, and eventually they managed to corner him in an alley. In a moment of panic and frustration, Kurt spun the back end of his car around and floored the accelerator, charging straight at the Hummer blocking the end of the alleyway he had gotten trapped in.

  Flames erupted from his hood from the continual .50 cal strikes, but as he slammed into the Hummer, something unexpected happened. He slid underneath it, the h
ood of his car jamming itself under the wheels and forcefully lifting the Hummer into the air. It landed on top of him, and crushed down on the roof, trapping him inside the burning vehicle. As the flames began draining his health, Kurt was subjected to intense and continuous pain. He managed to fumble at a grenade and pull the pin, dropping it back into the box with a gasp. After an eternity that spanned only a few seconds, the grenade put an end to his suffering, and the Goon above him.

  Kurt respawned in the Hub again, leaping off the couch and slapping at his body, trying to put out the phantom flames his mind screamed at him were still there. After a second, he took a deep breath and got himself under control. No wonder Jimmy had left Kitty’s crew. Shaking his head clear, Kurt was pleased to discover a new specialist skill.

  Specialist

  Pain Tolerance Rank 1. (Combat)

  “I aint got time to bleed.” -Predator, 1987

  A criminal has to be tough to survive. Ignoring incoming damage in order to complete your objectives can turn the tables in your favor. Health damage taken reduced by 1%.

  Additional armor and armor modifications unlocked.

  “Dammit Jimmy…” Kurt whispered it under his breath, mentally admonishing his friend for not sharing any tips on getting this skill. The reward was absurdly helpful, and Kurt made a mental note to try and ignore pain when getting hit. He thought back over all the times he had been shot so far and realized he had always taken a moment to recover and allow the pain to subside before getting back into the action. Remembering how Jimmy fought, he suddenly had a lot more insight into his friends build than he had before.

  Shaking his head, Kurt went back to his grind. He ordered more grenades, made sure the Ferrari was getting repaired, and then returned to the couch. Instead of getting to work on the assault course, Kurt flopped onto the couch and began working on a special design for the Ferrari. Once the car was repaired and ready to go again, he saved his work and got back to the grind. While he was out in the Downtown Cluster tormenting and blowing up the Goons, he finally got a response from Jimmy.

  “Hey, sorry man. Was on a date. About to log in, why?” Kurt was in the middle of a chase with a half dozen Hummers and at least two Abrams, so he didn’t bother responding. Once they finally pinned him and took him apart again, Kurt respawned in the Hub, to the sight of Jimmy in front of him in a new suit of armor.

  It was a full body suit, covered in swatches of obvious metal plates beneath thick grey cloth. The legs were covered by external plating, in thick bundles around his thighs and shins, coupling with heavy kneepads. His arms were likewise covered by extra plating, and a thick neck guard wrapped up into a giant collar. As Jimmy turned to face him, Kurt saw the cracked marble face of his friend’s preferred mask. The back of his head was partially exposed, but every other critical hit point was covered in heavy plating. While Kurt watched, Jimmy lifted an arm and flexed it experimentally, and a small shower of granite colored dust rained from the joints of the armor.

  “Woah…” Kurt took a moment to appreciate what he assumed was his friend’s new Unique quality item. “That’s what I was talking about, by the way.”

  Jimmy nodded, a fresh shower of dust falling from the joints of the armor. It never fell on anything; just dissipating as it landed, but it seemed to emit fresh dust anytime he moved. “Yeah I figured. Check this out.” He took a few steps towards the door, and his footfalls resounded heavily in the room as the floor beneath Kurt shook very slightly.

  “What the hell!?” Kurt steadied himself on the couch, looking at Jimmy as he hopped up and down in place, causing booming thuds and raining dust from all of his joints.

  “It’s called Stone Skin.” He twisted an arm, gripping the heavy backed glove and adjusting it slightly. “Easily the best suit of armor I’ve ever seen or heard of. This thing totally ignores every fifth strike, no matter what it is.” He stared in awe at the heavy suit of armor, turning his arm to watch the little puffs of dust it emitted. “I got this cool little HUD addition to track the hits too.”

  “That’s pretty amazing dude. You won’t be sneaking up on anybody though, not shaking the ground like that.” Kurt looked at him sideways, sliding his suit jacket open discreetly to display his new gun.

  “We must have gotten these for helping cause the war.” Jimmy suddenly looked up in realization. “What’d you get?!”

  Kurt was happy to show off his new pistol and explain its benefits and oddities. He was struggling to figure out the smoke aspect, but Jimmy explained it was likely a balance mechanic. He explained that because the gun helped him be much more difficult to find or track, the smoke was likely a method of balancing that to help other players find him, or at least even the playing field in a gunfight. He explained that if the floor was covered in smoke, it would act as a trail when walked through, and allow opponents to find one another easier by marking any locations he reloaded in. Kurt nodded his understanding, and they moved to exit the Hub and find out what Gadot had gotten, bantering as they moved through the hallways.

  “Yeah, she spawned in and the AI rep told her to go outside with her. I bet it’s a car.” Jimmy was unusually excited, and Kurt was reminded of what he had said in the text earlier.

  “Woah, hang on a sec. You guys went on a date?!” Kurt grabbed at Jimmy’s sleeve, causing another small shower of dust.

  Jimmy smiled and nodded at him. “Yeah man. Summer and I are dating now, I guess.” He leaned in the doorway, a wistful expression on his face. “She asked me to go to lunch with her, and we ended up doing touristy crap downtown all afternoon. We’ve just really hit it off the last few days.”

  Kurt managed to control the expression of shock that wanted to come to his face, instead giving his friend a crooked smile. “That’s…dude that’s really great. Congrats.”

  “Don’t worry man, we’ll find you a girl someday.” Jimmy turned snidely, his customary smile in place. “Looks aint everything.”

  Following his friend with a scowl, Kurt couldn’t help but snort a laugh. “Yeah yeah, shut up. I’ve…you know, I’ve HAD girlfriends.”

  “Sure buddy. I believe you.” Jimmy was infuriatingly pleasant, speaking in his dismissive teasing tone.

  Their banter was interrupted as they exited the building. Gadot was standing in front of a silver 1967 Fastback Mustang. Kurt scowled, sure he had seen the car before someplace, but was unable to place it. Gadot was merely standing in front of it, reading the air above her wrist as she gaped at the vehicle.

  “It’s…Eleanor.” She whispered almost reverently, clearly pleased with her new Unique vehicle. She stopped staring at her wrist and glanced over to see Jimmy thudding towards her with heavy ground shimmying foosteps. Her eyes rolled and she smiled at him, before turning back to her new car. “I have to take this thing for a drive. You guys want to just meet up in the competitive side in like half an hour?”

  Jimmy leaned over and hugged her with one arm quickly, as she shrugged out of his embrace and gave him a quick glare. “Sure thing. I’ll set us up a lobby.” He beamed at her, evoking another shake of her head as she moved to get into the car with a smile.

  Its engine fired up with a throaty roar, and she ran her hand along the steering wheel lovingly. Gadot slipped the car in gear and boiled the tires, causing it to turn in place as she lowered her gaze and grinned. The car shot off around the corner, little burps of fire erupting from its tailpipes as Gadot drove it off for a joyride.

  Jimmy slapped Kurt on the shoulder when she was gone, and the men turned to go back inside the Hub. “I’ll set up the lobby, just take the invite in a minute.”

  Kurt nodded in reply, sitting down on the long comfortable couch and putting his arms behind his head. Jimmy swiped at the air above his wrist and vanished, leaving Kurt to wait for the invite. It came a few seconds later and he swiped to accept it, causing the world around him to fade out to black.

  When his sense of sight began to load back in, he looked around to find himself sitting on another
long comfortable couch, but this one was a faded color and looked far more worn in than the one he had just left. He glanced around the room, taking in the red brick walls and single rounded light in the ceiling. They seemed to be in a small room with no doors or windows. Only the couch and an empty coffee table adorned the area. “This…is not a very nice lobby.”

  Jimmy was sitting on the other end of the couch. “Oh pardon me, your majesty. I don’t exactly spend a lot of time on this side of things, so you should probably curb your expectations. Tonight is very likely going to suck.” He swiped at his phone, ignoring his friend for a moment. “You wanna do a quick match before she gets back?”

  Kurt shrugged, leaning back. “Sure man, whatever makes money. I’ve just been wasting it all day so far.”

  His friend grumbled something unintelligible from his side of the couch and continued swiping at his wrist for a moment. “Ok…here’s something. Two VS two deathmatch, rifles and shotguns. No immersive side gear or skills, just pickups.” He punched at the air above his wrist with a thumb, and Kurt received an invite again. When he swiped to accept it, the room faded to black once more.

  When it faded back in, he and Jimmy were standing in front of a cheap looking folding table loaded with military style rifles and shotguns of various sizes and designs. He and Jimmy were wearing their basic clothing, Kurt in a black sweatshirt and pants, and Jimmy in his orange swimming trunks and white undershirt. They were surrounded on all sides by twelve foot high blank concrete walls, only leaving them about a twenty square foot area. Jimmy smacked him on the chest and moved forward. “Get geared up, we only have thirty seconds. Match is five minutes.” He quickly grabbed a thin black rifle and checked its magazine before slinging it over a shoulder and reaching for the various shotguns. His hand wavered over two of them, but he chose a short barreled shotgun with a pistol grip and cradled it in his hands.

  Kurt hurriedly grabbed a wood stock AK 47 rifle and slung it, turning to look at the shotguns. “Which one?” He looked to Jimmy for guidance.