Player is Waiting... (Ultimate Clan Wars)

by Wells, JB

  Games: Real Life, Pathway Pets, Diamond Dogz.

  Skills level: Easy.

  Taken: 11:20 GMT

  “What’s all that?” One of the new cadets asked.

  “That,” Alpha One had started to walk down the stairs, “is another victim that has been taken.”

  “Taken?” Someone whispered. The rest of the group whispered amongst themselves, speculating.

  Kieran turned to Dexter and Thomas.

  “Zombies,” Isabelle whispered with a knowing nod.

  Alpha One walked over to the first row of cadets at computers, “Someone track where she’s been taken to, then monitor her activities as of now. I want her file on my desk in twenty minutes.”

  “This way, cadets.” They walked to the other side of the control room where computers lined every wall. “This is Account Control. All the screens monitor every gamer account, internet account and bank account. Any suspicious activities are kept track of. When Adam created himself as the Pied-Piper he started to create an army. That’s when we knew we needed our own army, the best elite gamers in the world. We needed an army of players that showed talent of outrunning and outsmarting him.”

  Ex walked out of the room through a sliding door, they followed and were led to a balcony that overlooked a massive laboratory space. Beneath them were hundreds of Invirtuwear chairs, all lined up with monitors and screens next to them.

  “This is The Arena, it’s where you will train every day and should your squadron be called up, this is where you will go in to fight. There are one thousand and fifty chairs, each one has a designated scientist, they keep watch over you as you enter Plantranet and your body whilst you are in. You each have a chair somewhere down there, and your cadet number is on that chair.”

  The information was beyond comprehension, Kieran felt the cold sweats forming on his brow. He ran his hands through his white blonde hair and sighed heavily. It was too much to take in, way too much.

  The balcony stretched the whole length of the room, and it seemed impossible for something this big to survive underground.

  “Sergeant Ex?” Thomas called, “How long is it safe for the gamers to be in the chair?”

  “We try to not leave them on for more than six hours. Though sometimes it’s impossible to get them to a portal, so timing isn’t really important.”

  Thomas nodded, as if that made sense to him but Kieran still felt very much clueless.

  Ex stopped just outside another room, the sliding door behind him was opening and closing waiting for him to enter. “This next room is going to be a shock, you must remember that this is something that is real, yet it’s not. This is the control centre for the Guiders, they are specialists in resourcing information and they know more about things than most of you will ever know.”

  They slowly stepped into the room and lined up against the back wall. The room on the inside was huge and went down a whole flight of stairs. Each level could hold roughly twenty guiders. They sat in little pods that had screens all around them, keyboards, and a chair.

  “Chloe?” Ex called.

  A girl stepped out of her pod and saluted Sergeant Ex. She wasn’t old but looked older than Kieran and his friends. Chloe was tall and slender with very long brown hair that had streaks of natural blonde running through at the front. She was bubbly and very friendly as she smiled back at everyone. On her greys was the number G442 and a two rings sat under her number as her symbol.

  “Chloe here is one of the guiders, she’s fourteen and has been guiding for about two years here at WIPI. I believe you are only a few points away from being a guider of the third order, is that correct.”

  Chloe smiled at the line of students, “It is, sir.”

  “Can you show them what it is you do?”

  “Sure,” she smiled and whipped her long brown hair behind her. “This is a pod, inside there are screens that go all around, really the pod is one big screen. Once inside here we put on these gloves,” Chloe pulled a pair of black leather looking gloves out. “Once they’re on I can control what is on my main screen, I can pull files and search maps. I have a keyboard if I need to search for other information while I’m trying to track you guys down. When you are in Plantranet I will appear on your visor if you need my help, other than that I watch your progress, direct you to shipments, air drops, enemies and portals.” She turned around and picked up a ball, “This is Rewdy.” She held the metallic ball up and rotated it so everyone could see it. “He is a Robotic Elevated Watching Device. His initials are R.E.W.D so that’s how he got his name. Every Guider of the second circle or higher has one. Rewdy here is uploaded into Plantranet and he is how I watch over you…Think of me as your guardian angel.” Chloe smiled and placed Rewdy back on the ground.

  “Thank you, Chloe,” Ex saluted her.

  Chloe saluted again and returned to her Pod. Once she sat inside the pod door closed and she became encased in the egg like shell. An alarm rang throughout the room, it was similar to the one in the command control centre. All the pods closed on every level and there was silence in the room.

  “It’s like being in Jurassic Park in here,” Kieran shuddered.

  Every level now housed twenty sleek black eggs, each one sat perfectly on the glass tiered flooring and it looked like they’d walked into the dinosaurs nest. All the tiers lowered down and sat neatly at the bottom of the room which left them in near darkness. A screen appeared on the wall of the room.

  “Welcome to Plantranet!” Ex called.

  9

  The silence in the room was destroyed by sudden rumbling and crashes. The cadets jumped out of their skin. Isabelle grasped Kieran’s arm and Dexter jumped onto Owen like a scared child.

  On the screen appeared a hallway that went on and on and on. There were people in the room, all of them were wearing armour of different colours. Some of the soldiers were running with weapons, some were guarding doors and others were stepping onto platforms that whizzed them off to other destinations.

  “Imagine the internet is a grand waiting room. In the room there are doors upon doors as far as the eye can see. Each door leads you to another room, that room then leads you to more rooms and doors. Every time you go through a door, you are taken closer to your destination.” Ex was calling loudly above the noise. “Chloe, can you take us to Google?”

  “Confirmed, Sir.”

  “The cadets and soldiers you see are from all over the world. We have Institutes in many countries. The soldiers’ duty is to protect ‘The Wall’. In short, and not to confuse you too much, Adam has been trying for months to get in to the military databases. Each country has its army in Plantranet, and they all create a protective shield, stopping him from getting in and controlling their weapons. That Shield is called ‘The Wall’.”

  The screen started to move as the camera flew along the room at lightning speed, flying past people running in armour.

  “When you sit on your computer at home and you want information from Google, you key it in on your keyboard. The information is in one door, through another and through a few more.”

  The camera zoomed through doors, into more grand rooms and through more doors. Ex stood with his hands behind his back and continued to bombard them all with information. “The information is then sent back from this room to your computer screen. As I said we had to manipulate the internet into an actual place, in the fight against Pied-Piper. Usually you can’t see all the data packets flying around, it just happens over the wireless internet. But for this war everything has been created for you to see in real form, so you can see the envelopes that are the data packets.”

  “War?” Isabelle yelled.

  “Yes, war.” Ex called back. “Chloe, can you take us to Sector Z please.” As the camera panned around, Ex leant over the railings talking over the noise. “Adam created a world within the internet and we had to do the same to claim back what he was trying to take.”

  The camera reversed out of the rooms it had flown through and e
nded back at the starting room. It then flew right to the end and through a door, two more rooms and three more doors. The room the camera entered into took all their breaths away, they gasped in shock and every new recruit in there looked scared.

  “This is Sector Z; Pied-Piper has control of this and twenty percent more of the internet. He is growing his army and gaining more than we can protect. This is home to Tulsars Castle. This is Devils Core.”

  Devils Core had a sky that was as red as fire, with clouds as black as night. The clouds circled the peak of a volcano like an evil shield protecting its creation. Rewdy sat at the bottom of a mountainous range. All around rocks were continuously breaking up through the ground pushing the peak higher and higher. Cracks and rumbles echoed around the room as more jagged rocks shot up on the screen. Rewdy dodged to the left and then to the right so as not to be impaled. Far in the distance at the very top of the volcano sat a castle, Tulsars Castle. It was dangerously perched on the edge of a ledge while a molten lava river flowed around it creating an impassable blockade. The lava streamed and spewed down the rock face turning everything it touched into pixels.

  An animal screech echoed throughout the room making all of the cadets’ jump. Out of the black clouds emerged a creature. “We have an incoming Psyphon.” Chloe called. A set of red crosshairs appeared on the screen and moved with the creature as it grew nearer.

  “Pied-Piper has created animals, soldiers and much more. They can harm you when you’re hooked up to the Invirtuwear and in Plantranet. Worst case scenario is one of the infected catch you and infect you with the Virus Adam has been using. You then become part of his army, and another casualty added to the list of Taken that has to be rescued. Okay Chloe, take us to Freezers Feud in Sector T point 3 please.” He paced again with his hands linked behind his back.

  The camera backed out of the room as the flying creature sent out a fireball, setting the ground in front of them ablaze. The cadets held their hands over their faces to protect their eyes from the harsh light. They were then zoomed to another room, a complete contrast to the last. This was a winter world; snow fell in the form of a blizzard which they could hardly see through.

  “This is Freezers Feud, Adam’s creation territory. It takes up all of Sector T which used to be reserved internet space. But, he is forever expanding and it is taking up Sector S, which is and was free game sites. That’s another reason his army has grown so rapidly. Pied-Piper has hidden his army underground in this world. We don’t know exactly where, but we know it’s around here somewhere. We can’t go too far in, the chances of being infected in here, are ninety percent. We send in the specialist team called TakeDown, it is their job to scout out certain targets and people who have been taken and infected. The problem is, Adam’s castle is hard to get to, Devils Core is protected Psyphons. Each of you may be faced with these maps, and a lot of them are unknown to us. You have to go in prepared for the unknown.” He turned to the screen and spoke as if she were still standing there. “Thank you Chloe, we’ll leave you to track. Okay cadets, follow me back to the class room.” Ex stopped in the doorway, “Guider Curel, your journey with us stops here. Go up those stairs to the office. Please make your way there now as they are expecting you.”

  “Yes Sir,” Thomas said scratching his head. He looked at his friends and each of them gave him a nod to say good luck. With a deep breath he turned, his symbol on his back glowing, G919 Curel above it.

  “Good luck, Curly,” Dexter shouted to the annoyance of their commanding officer.

  “This way please, we have lots to do.”

  Full of nerves, the cadets followed in single formation back to the class room. Once inside they sat and tried to digest everything they’ve been told and shown.

  “This is a war?” Kieran asked his friends. “We’re actually being recruited to fight a war?”

  “Yeah, a gaming war, a cyber-war.” Isabelle muttered completely baffled.

  “A war all the same,” Ex interrupted, “one that will affect us all. Like I said earlier, money, personal information, banks and businesses will all suffer. Information like that could give someone a lot of power, and that is what we have to avoid. He could control everyone”

  “But what can he do from in there?” Someone at the back asked.

  “He could cause disasters and even deaths. Adam’s ultimate goal, we think, is to control the world and all its assets and eventually return to his body. If he succeeds he will be the worst dictator the world has ever seen”

  “So what is his army, I mean what sort of things are they?” Kieran asked.

  Ex had perched on the edge of the desk and ran his hand over his shaved dark hair. “Pied-Piper has developed a virus that can be transmitted to the people playing games that brainwashes them. Mostly its people that play for long periods of time. As you know most adults don’t have the time to play for too long, but kids well, you play and learn so fast that you are the perfect target. Adam’s virus called Trojan or TV for short, works in the same way as the Invirtuwear. Our technology lets you into Plantranet, whereas Adam’s drags you into his world and keeps you there. In the real world you are left in a zombie-like state, we call these people Taken.”

  Sirens screamed for a few seconds and a few coloured boxes in the corners started to flash. Ex ignored it but Kieran was scanning around.

  “The Taken,” Ex continued as if nothing was happening, “Plantranet Avatar we call Infected. Everyone he takes has a skill that he needs and he has been so clever. Once the Taken has been transitioned to an Infected they destroy all technology around them, so it’s harder for us to return them to their body. The higher their ranking, the smarter they are and the more dangerous opponent they become. Adam’s been clever, very clever.”

  “So that’s why they become the perfect student, opting to learn rather than play?” Owen called out.

  Ex nodded a slow grave indication that things were indeed bad. Every face that looked back at him was one of horrified shock and disbelief.

  “I told you, I knew it and I told you.” Isabelle looked smug, “You didn’t listen!” She pointed her finger at Kieran, Dexter and Owen.

  “So he was after us… he was going to drag us into his army, and use us to fight against the Institute?”

  Ex nodded, “Yes, but as I said, you have all been monitored for a long time by us as well as him. Your gaming ability shone, for all of you, and we knew we needed to recruit you to help fight him. It has taken a long time to find some of you, in some cases years to find the gamers we need.” He slid off the desk. “You may have witnessed people being taken by Adam; some of you may have seen friends change before your very eyes. Should Adam get into every sector we are trying to protect, then your friends, family and everyone will be lost inside Plantranet forever. The world would become one of well….” he scratched his head, “zombies.”

  Kieran’s skin felt cold, he realised how close he had come to being taken by the Pied-Piper. His stomach was curdling with fear and his leg bounced uncontrollably. He looked at Owen and he had started biting his nails, Isabelle was twirling her hair in her fingers and Dexter looked like he was going to cry. This was not what they were expecting.

  Kieran and his friends dashed out of the room, eager to get their lunch and sit somewhere private to talk. The food was placed on their tray and they looked for an empty table to sit at, but they were all busy.

  “Look, the door to the garden is open, let’s eat out there,” Isabelle said pulling them along.

  They followed her, winding through the tables when someone barged into Kieran.

  “Whoops!” Richard laughed, his consort of goons laughing behind him. “Sorry freak didn’t see you there, though it would appear it takes a freak to spot a freak.” Richard turned to his audience, “This is one of them that that super freaks been after.” He turned back to Kieran and hissed, “Why else would this nutter be after someone like you? It’s not like you’ve got any skill.” Richard grasped Kieran’s uniform and
held him in place.

  “More skill than you, Mr Cry Baby!” Isabelle snapped. Kieran brushed his hand away, he wasn’t scared of him. Isabelle continued her onslaught, “That’s right, we all heard you crying…sorry wailing when the coach was on the lift. I wouldn’t want to be on your team when the infected start raining down; you’d just sit there crying.”

  Kieran laughed and then held his mouth tightly shut, Richard could take a swing at him and as much as getting Richard kicked out would be the best thing, Kieran didn’t fancy experiencing his first black eye.

  “Shut it you, Newb.” Richard smirked to himself then looked to his friends for an applause.

  She rolled her eyes. “Wow. Did you think of that all by yourself or did your mummy teach you that when she rocked you to sleep at night?” Isabelle grabbed Kieran’s arm and pulled him along with her. “He’s the freak,” she huffed and flicked her hair behind her as she marched through the crowds.

  The sniggers from the other tables could be heard around the room; Richard’s face was red with anger as he thought for a comeback. Even his friends were trying not to laugh at him. The last Kieran saw was Richard pushing at his friends, this made him smile.

  “There’s a nice patch over there by the pond,” Isabelle called out jogging on ahead.

  “How did you guys find the induction with Ex then?” Dexter asked.

  “Weird,” Owen replied.

  “Unbelievable,” Kieran muttered sitting down. “I can’t believe this is real, someone is turning people into gaming zombies.”

  “I told you so,” Isabelle sung, her smile spread broadly across her face.

  Kieran gave in, “I know.”

  “I wonder how Curly is getting on.” Owen said looking around.

  “He’s perfect for Guiders.” They agreed with Kieran, Thomas was perfect for the job. “It means we will only see him in the evenings, but so far this place is awesome. I can’t believe we will be playing a game but really playing it, we are the avatars. So weird!”