Cypher Theorem Series Box Set: Books 1-3, The Zero Class, Shadow Moon, Dragon Fire: A Science Fiction Fantasy

by Mark Brandon Powell

  Reaching the end of the track, her image begins to pick up the pace. Taking a few steps ahead of him. He decided it would be better if there wasn’t something like this hanging around, showing that she was on board. Passing up the image, and beating her to the finish line was easy. He turns around to watch her cross the finish line. With a smile on her face. A message pops up, asking if he would like to save his run. He accepts, which launches a video Miku made for the winner.

  “Hi. Thanks for using Rival, the new competitive recording system, and congratulations on beating my run.”

  Vargas stands there stunned for a second. The video was taken in her room, and she was wearing the same clothes she was murdered in. He feels his stomach turn as images of her body flash in his mind. Swallowing hard, he was glad he hadn’t ate anything yet today. There was a knock on her door, and she turns her head toward it.

  She lets out a sigh, then yells toward the door. “Just a minute.” Then whispers under her breath. “I’ll have to record this whole thing over again.” Shaking her head.

  She begins to gesture open her overlay commands to stop the video, something Vargas had done and seen a hundred times before – but she isn’t able to finish it, and the door flings open.

  She snarls, “Get the hell out of my room, or you’re going to be sorry for busting in here.”

  There is nothing on the display, but her readying herself for a fight, by slowing shifting herself into a fighting stance. Vargas could tell that she was ready to defend herself, or go on the offensive. She was a highly skilled fighter, and she wasn’t able to react fast enough. He got to watch the moment of her death, in all its horror. She was thrown to the bed by some unseen force, something she wasn’t expecting. He watched her gather up her power for an attack. Then it was over. She just exploded, falling back onto the bed. Blood covering everything.

  That’s when he noticed it, a spot of blood was moving around the camera, which corrected it’s focus. There stood a figure, covered in a black hood. Covered head to toe in clothing of some sort, and wearing a white mask. The figure did not have any specific male or female qualities. It was taller than she was, almost by a whole head – going by the relative height of Miku, who was almost six feet tall.

  Then it was gone.

  The video must have only been for a short message to the person who was able to beat her run. It may have been for a prize, or bragging rights. The video saved to his HaLO, as proof of his win. He walked back over to the start line, and again was prompted by Rival. This time it was different, his image popped up beside him. There was some relief, in seeing his image. He knew it was the best thing to do, but also knew that he was leaving the passengers unaware of someone potentially dangerous. It was something he had to do, and might be asked to do again in the future, lie.

  He walked away from his image, turning down the request. And headed for the buffet hall to get some breakfast, and try to get his head in a better place.

  11

  Vernon and Marie each hit accept and their virtual projections float out of their bodies and fly through the ship’s hull to where the drones are begin housed. They are each loaded into a drone like a fighter pilot getting loaded into a jet.

  Marie’s vision goes dark, and anxiety takes over as she looks for Vernon. He is nowhere to be seen, but there is a small pin point of light above her that she begins to focus on. A small yet audible click behind her head, is followed by a short fall, as if jumping down a few stairs. The point of light is directly above her now, and then without warning she is shot out of the darkness, toward the light. Pressure from the quick acceleration is heavy against her chest, as she launches high up into the air. The sudden change of perception would have been enough to rattle her, but now her heart is pounding, and she can feel her ears pulsing. Panicking she tries to find Vernon, but is unable to turn her head. Her panic turns to fear, being unable to move, feeling trapped. The idea seeping into her mind of what has she gotten herself into, and how crazy she must be for trying this. She sees no one else, only other drones flying through the air next to her. Her breathing gets labored before she comes to a stop in the air.

  Her eyes dart around trying to see where she is other than up, when text comes across her vision saying; You can now move around freely. Enjoy your virtual excursion on Viviana.

  With her sight free of restriction, she feels less claustrophobic, and looks around for Vernon. The cruise ship is below her, waves cresting at its side, and the shore is in front of her. The sky is a clear blue, and cloudless. The breeze catches her face, feeling it ruffle her hair, with the scent of the ocean coming through, and the warm inviting sun on her skin. A drone flies up next to her, and she tilts her head to the side hoping, it’s Vernon.

  Hopes fade to relief as a shimmer of light envelopes the drone, shifting its form into Vernon’s. Marie’s face has a genuine look of amazement come across it, and Vernon smiles in response.

  She asks with a twinge of anxiety in her voice, “How did all of that just happen?”

  “Well, it takes a minute for the drones to do their initial load up I guess. The booth we’re in scans our body to make a digital copy. Since we got on the first round of launches, maybe the drones weren’t fully initialized yet. It was like a roller coaster ride getting shot out like that, wasn’t it?”

  Frowning she says, “I could have done without that, I couldn’t move my head, I couldn’t see you, and I didn’t know what was going on.” Ending her sentence with a humph. “And I meant, how did I just feel the sun and wind. I know I am not really here, so how can I feel and smell these things?”

  “Oh! That. They have sensors all over the drones so you can feel what is really going on. It checks temperature, air flow, smell, humidity, and other stuff like that. As if you are really here experiencing everything that you are doing but without the risk of injury. The drones don’t transfer pain, or impact back to us.”

  He goes on to tell her about the games and virtual spaces across the internet. They allow users to dive into them, and experience all kinds of things. He never really understood it all himself, but there are some people that get addicted to the virtual life style.

  She narrows her eyes, focusing on him with laser intensity, “Can you experience sex in those virtual places or in your games?”

  Vernon could almost feel his heart leap from his chest up into his throat. He answers as forthcoming, and as quick as he can muster, “Sure you can, and there are tons of those places out there. There is a whole industry dedicated to it. But I have never been to, or been a part of that in any game that I have ever played.” He finishes firmly, but Marie lets out a huff, all the same. There is a brief silence between the two before he continues, “Is there something wrong?”

  “You told me that I was your first, that you had never had sex before. I want to know if you have had it virtually, because even if it’s virtual that still counts. Now that I can see how real a virtual world can be.”

  Vernon quickly starts shaking his head profusely back and forth. “Like I said just a second ago, I have never done anything like that, and don’t ever plan too… Well, unless it’s with you that is.” He tries to joke.

  He continues with a quick explanation of rules, that you have to be a certain age in the games or online to even have connection to those sites or functions. Since your birthday is hard coded into the HaLO, his access would have been restricted until his first year at the Academy when he turned eighteen. While he was at the Paladin Academy, they didn't allow any access to outside systems, and fraternizing with anyone was grounds for expulsion out of the program.

  “So like I said, never have I ever, till you.”

  The daggers in her eyes lose some of their edge, but are still focused on him. She takes in a deep breath through her nostrils letting her words come out with a slow even tone, “Ok mister, but you had better not ever do that without me, or I will have your nuts on display. You hear me!”

  Vernon breathes a sigh of relief for
averting the bullet he just fired at himself, “Yes dear, I promise.”

  He then turns their focus by pointing out the shore line, and all of the other passengers that are already well on their way to reaching it. Each drone has about seven hours of travel time on it, and the boat will be parked for nine before all the drones will be recalled. He directs her attention to the upper right of her vision, almost out of sight, which is a battery gauge. Once it hits red, the drone gets recalled to the ship and the ride is over.

  Marie nods, and Vernon starts to make his way to the shore. He doesn’t get far before he notices that Marie is not by his side, and looks back to see her not moving.

  He turns toward her, and asks, “What’s wrong?” There is an expression of concern on her face, and Vernon becomes worried. “It isn’t the conversation that we just had is it?”

  She doesn’t reply, her face just wrinkles.

  The change in expression weighs on him. He starts to fly back to her, apologizing on the way, “I swear on my family, my life, and everything that I hold dear. I have never done anything of a sexual nature in any of my games. You were the one that I had been waiting for the whole time, I promise you.”

  She shakes her head, and waves her hands at him. “That isn't what's wrong.” She says with a quietly, “I don't know how to move this stupid thing.”

  Vernon feels stupid himself for even thinking that was still what was weighing on her. He should have been more trusting of her forgiving nature, but growing up with her, he knew she could hold a grudge like a dam holds water.

  “All you have to do is concentrate on where you want to go. From there the drone will do the rest. It will be like walking, but since these drones don’t have legs, we are going to fly. These drones are built with an easy and intuitive control system, because they were designed to be broad consumer based dive units. They wanted to make them as easy as possible to operate.” Vernon says, remembering the brochure that he read about the dive the day before. “There are some out there with overly inventive controls. I was playing a game once where you had to use your arms to control your legs and vice versa.”

  Marie stays quiet, nodding to the explanation he gave her. “Don't think this means I'm not still upset, even if you didn't do anything.”

  “What? Why?”

  “Because I'm a woman, and you have to make it up to me, that’s why.”

  “I'll figure something out then.” He says with a chuckle.

  She turns her focus to the water, and plummets toward the ocean. He tries to follow, but isn’t able to keep up.

  Vernon yells out to her, “Pull up, you’re going too fast. You won't be able to stop yourself from going into the ocean.”

  It's too late.

  The drone splashes into the ocean, followed by a large pillar of water, ripples coming out from the center.

  He calls out to her a few times with no response.

  A moment or two passes before she bursts out of the ocean laughing, and with a smile on her face a mile wide. “This is an amazing feeling, being able to fly like this.”

  “It is, but just wait, there is so much more to do.”

  They reach out and hold each other’s hand, before they start to head for the coastline. Flying over the top of the forest at the cliff’s edge, they stop to admire the view. The trees are very tall, and full enough to obscure the ground below. Gazing out across the land there is an open field about half a mile in, which is where most of the other passengers had made their way to already. On the right of the clearing, off in the distance, was a tall mountain range with snow covered tips.

  Within the clearing was an obvious virtual town. It was set up with fireworks exploding of the top of it, like alternating neon lights. There would have been a quest or adventure board for the passengers holding the activities for the day.

  “So,” Vernon says, “Would you like to follow the schedule, or go off on our own?”

  Marie wrinkles her nose as she thinks on the answer. “I hate crowds. Ever since high school, and the kidnapping, I try to avoid them if at all possible. Plus I want to spend time with you, not them.”

  “Well, that answers that question. Let’s go exploring!”

  Vernon begins to look for a spot to get into the trees, but he sees nothing but leaves in every direction. He thinks they probably should to go back to the cliff side and get in through there.

  Before he gets the chance, Marie grabs his hand, pulling him down. Flying through the tree tops, hitting limbs as they pass.

  Vernon looks over to Marie, smiling, “This is one way to do it.”

  She smiles back, as they break past the overgrowth, and land in the middle of a clearing amidst the trees. She looks around where they have landed. There is a secluded and romantic feel to it. With no one else in sight or earshot, and the light from above lazily coming through the overgrowth. Marie wonders to herself for a moment. That if they were truly alone, they could find a place to be intimate together. To be able to feel the cool dirt and warm sun together on her skin, as he caresses her, virtual or not it would be real to her.

  Vernon asks, “Alright what do you want to do?”

  Her face turns red, and she shakes her head to push the thoughts aside for now. “Let’s just start heading up the coastline, over to the mountains that we saw.”

  “Sounds like as good start. So why’s your face red?”

  “No reason, mind your own business.”

  “Ha ha, you were thinking about something there. Probably us rolling around in the dirt, right?”

  She turns, and starts walking down the path. “I am not that king of girl. So you better hurry up, or I'm going to leave you here.”

  Vernon says under his breath, “I was right, it was about sex.”

  “What was that?”

  “Nothing dear, I'm right behind you.”

  They walk through the trees for a few hours, blindly heading in the direction of the mountains they had seen. The trees begin to thin as they come upon a clear path that had been cut out, and fairly worn down. Looking up overhead, there is still a good amount of overhang from the surrounding trees. Which would make it hard to notice if you had been flying over, that this path was even there.

  The last thing Vernon heard about Viviana, was that no one was there. People had tried to colonize it, but failed miserably. Even if he was working with four year old information, the Order would have said something about a new colony being started. There shouldn't be any settlements or worn paths like this out here, because the last attempt to colonize it was about seventy years ago.

  Vernon rubs his chin, thinking, the cruise company could have made something at the locations they stop at without causing a huge uproar or surge in the news.

  He brings up the indicator of where the ship should be in his overlay, and a yellow outline appears around it. The ship is off to the right of where they are, and the path seems to go off into the distance away from the ship. Away from where they should be focusing their signal.

  Vernon turns to Marie, “Hey do you want to see where this goes?”

  “Yes, I do!”

  Taking the winding path away from the ship, the grass is worn and well-traveled. The hairs on the back of Vernon’s neck begin to stand on end the further in they go. He notices there are too many turns, that are too carefully laid out, maximizing the tree cover. His training tells him to be alert and ready for an attack, but he knows it isn’t necessary. Neither he or Marie will get hurt, since they’re both controlling drones. He does wonder, however, if they should be there at all. Ruining their honeymoon by running off into a restricted area was the last thing on his mind, but the drones should stop them before they reach one. Pushing those thoughts aside they continue on.

  They finally reach the edge of the mountain, with the mouth of a cave opening wide before them. The entrance was well covered by the surrounding canopy of limbs and leaves, only allowing small blades of light to come through with the breeze. There was no grass around the
entrance, only worn dirt. As they move in closer, they see something blocking the entrance of the cave. Something unnatural, yet familiar.

  Two large, antique looking, wooden doors fill the emptiness of the cave. Vernon and Marie exchange a glance at each other, gesturing toward the monstrous doors. The doors themselves look as though they came off an ancient Earth castle, easily standing thirty feet tall, and forty feet across. Metal slabs are laid across the wood, with head sized rivets holding it all in place. Marie and Vernon's gaze flows back to each other. Vernon wonders if they should explore further or turn around.

  He asks, “What do you think we should do?”

  “You said we can’t get hurt, right? Let’s keep going, and see what’s inside if you think we can get in.”

  Vernon smiles, “We should be fine to keep exploring. I just don’t know if the signal for the drones will reach inside the cave. That’s assuming we can get past these doors. They shouldn’t be here, and I’m not sure the drones can open them. They’re like something off a gothic castle from one of my fantasy games.”

  Marie nods, mouth opening to reply, when from behind the doors bellows out a deep voice, so loud and commanding it sends vibrations throughout their bodies. “Who's there!?”

  Both of them jump back in shock of the voice coming through the doors. Vernon takes a deep breath trying to steady himself before he replies. Even though he isn’t there physically, that voice was like nothing he had ever heard. There was such authority behind it, he didn’t want to have any waiver to his words. Marie takes a step behind him, not sure how to react.

  The voice repeats itself, even louder than the first, “Who's there!?”

  Again the power behind the voice sends tremors down through his bones. Shaking it off quickly this time.