by Quinn Dallas
“Shared world?" I shook my head. "What's that mean?"
"The people you encountered in there," the Professor tented his fingers. "They were real- avatars of the victims who are still in comas"
"Wait, that doesn't make sense." I shook my head in disbelief.
"They may not be aware it's a simulation-" he proceeded. "But somehow you managed to maintain self-awareness."
"How do you know all this?"
"We've been able to decipher some of the code," The professor scratched his chin. "It's enabled us to have momentary glimpses into the shared reality."
"You mean you can watch what's happening in there?"
"For brief moments of time," he paused "yes."
"I want to see how this is done," I pleaded. "I got friends there professor and I'm worried about them."
"I'll find out what we can do," he stood. "But for now you need your rest." I knew the professor was right, only if he was correct it changed everything. It meant some of the people I encountered in the game were real! Who were they in real life? Where were their comatose bodies being kept. These are all important questions to answer. Most significantly, it meant my Half-Orc Bashir still lived. Even more importantly, he may be a real soul.
"MS. PRESCOTT!" DOCTOR Lewis beamed.
"I'm so happy to see you looking so well!"
"Dr. Lewis it's good to see you!" Professor Martin stepped forward and held out his hand.
"You both have arrived at an opportune time," Dr. Lewis shook the professor's hand.
"How so?" I asked.
“As you know," he continued. "Your situation is unique. Out of the thousands of people, you are the only one to have escaped the crystal induced coma."
“I've told you everything I know about that!" I shook my head.
"I don't know how I was released."
Doctor Lewis placed a hand on my shoulder," I understand, But even more importantly you seemed to understand that you were in a simulation. As far as we can tell the other do not.
"I don't know why," I bit my lip. "There's nothing special about me."
"Oh but there is!" Doctor Lewis perked up
“What are you getting at?" Professor Martin stepped forward.
“Here come with me," Lewis gestured towards his desk. The professor and I both sat. Then the Doctor turned his monitor to face us. "Do you know what these are?"
I shook my head, "No, I don't".
Professor Martin peered over his glasses. "Those appear to be brain scans."
"Correct," the doctor interrupted. "To be precise they are Amy's"
"What's so special about them?" I squinted at the wavy lines on the graph.
"These are samples from your time under the crystals influence," the doctor sat on the edge of his desk. "What's interesting is they are similar to what we see in lucid dreamers."
"Lucid dreamers?” I narrowed my eyes. "I don't understand."
"I did a brief stint as an assistant in a sleep lab many years ago," Professor Martin interrupted. "Lucid dreamers are people who are aware they are dreaming while asleep. Some can even influence and shape their dreams."
"Correct," Doctor Lewis said. "Amy's patterns are similar but different. The alpha pattern is much more varied in range. She may in fact be the only person on earth with such unique brain wave activity."
"Are you saying, " I interrupted. "That's what allowed me to stay self-aware while connected to the crystal?"
"Yes!" Doctor Lewis nodded. "It may also be why the alien AI was so interested in you. It was studying you and your rather unique mind. It may also be what allowed you to break the neural connection and escape."
“Fascinating!" Professor Martin stroked his chin.
"What about the others?" my voiced raised. "Do you think you can study my brain to help them?"
"At this point in time ,we are trying to prevent a global panic!" Doctor Lewis crossed his legs. "The world has just learned aliens are real. Not only that, but that they've hidden some type of mind control technology on the earth for over a thousand years."
I fought back my exasperation. "But you have to understand, the people I met while under those thing's influence. They are real to me! I want to help them."
"I think you can do just that." Doctor Lewis adjusted his glasses. "But I have to know that I can trust you."
"You can trust us!" Professor Martin chimed in. "I know I can be of help as well."
Your knowledge and research into ancient alien theory will come in handy”. The doctor replied. "I was actually hoping you'd be interested".
"What's next?” I asked.
"There's something you need to see," the doctor turned off the monitor. "But I want you know that what happens next may be quite- disturbing."
"I can handle it!" I stood up. "Where do we go?"
"It's called the Black Facility," Doctor Lewis stood up. "So if you want to know more come with me."
I wasn't sure what was going to happen next, But I knew I needed to find out. I rose and followed the doctor. Professor Martin walked behind me. I desperately needed answers and Doctor Lewis had them.
Chapter 13
We rode with Dr. lewis in a small jeep through the air force base. Not stopping until we reached what to be an abandoned hangar. Two military policemen guarded the entrance.
“Gentlemen,” The doctor produced his badge. “I have two guests with me today.”
“Of course sir,” the tallest guard nodded. Then he held up a small tablet. “Please look directly at me”. The guard said before facing the tablet at the Professor and myself. There was a brief flash of light as he used the device to photograph us.
The guard pressed the tablet’s screen and then spoke, “Security check passed you may enter.”
Doctor Lewis motioned for us to follow him. We soon entered what appeared to be an empty airplane hangar.
“Is this it?” I asked, puzzled.
“Not quite,” the white coated doctor walked towards a locked door. He then rapidly typed a number into the keyboard.There was slight click and then the door swung open. We followed the doctor into what appeared to be a small elevator. The door closed behind us and he pressed a button on the control panel. The elevator began what felt like a rapid descent.
“Just where are going?” Professor Martin asked.
“Below the airbase.” the doctor smiled. “The Black Facility is located under ground!”
The elevator soon stopped and the door slid open. We stepped out into what seemed like another world. The elevator opened up onto a metal balcony. As I peered over the edge my eyes widened in shock. Below were endless rows of hospital beds. On which were lying a number of people.
“This is where we've been keeping the north American victims.” Dr. Lewis spoke.
“Was I here?” I replied.
“Yes,” he responded. “But we moved you once you began to show signs of consciousness we moved you.”
“How many people are here?” The Professor asked.
“Over two-hundred patients,” the doctor motioned for us to follow him. “Lets go below shall we?
We walked down a narrow access stairway to the ground floor. Harried looking staff members brushed past us. Most of them wearing white coats.I scanned the faces of the crystals victims. Looking for anything familiar. Could any of these be Bashir, Musir, or Nadine?
“Fascinating,” Professor Martin adjusted his glasses. “It looks like each patient is hooked up to full life-support.”
“Exactly,” the doctor replied. “Without these support systems these patients would have died.”
“Do you recognize anyone?” Professor Martin asked.
I scanned the room in a vain attempt to see if I noticed anyone who seemed familiar. In the end it was only a sea of strange faces that greeted me. How could I explain it to anyone else. In the world that had become my home people had fantastic skin colors and even fangs. The sleeping patients here just seemed so normal. If id met met any of them in VR-Space how in the world would I kno
w it.
I shook my head, “No, I’m sorry”.
“Well that's to be expected,” Dr. Lewis spoke in a low reassuring tone. “Let's take a look at the rest of the facility.”
Suddenly aloud piercing alarm rang out. The doctor lifted his head and turned around.
A shrill female voice spoke, “Code Blue! Subject seventeen!”
A cadre of people in white coats sped past us. Doctor Lewis sped off behind them. Realizing something important had occurred, the professor and i followed. The medical staff surrounded a lone hospital bed.
“His heart rate has increased!” An apple faced nurse cried out.
“Ready the injection,” Dr. Lewis responded. Then he produced a long needled syringe. i shuddered s he jabbed the needle into the man's chest. The comatose man's body jerked.
“We’re losing him!” the nurse cried out.
Dr. Lewis began to furiously administer CPR. Lights and alarms around the patient flickered and noised. Suddenly the unmistakable sound of a flatline echoed through the room. Refusing to give up Dr. Lewis continued his efforts to revive the man. The nurse assisting him placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Doctor,” she whispered. “He’s gone!”
“That's the second one this week,” Dr. Lewis frowned. “Notify the family and make arrangements for a full autopsy.”
As the doctor approached us I blurted out, “What's happening?”
“This phenomena started after your emergence,” he took out a handkerchief and wiped his face.
“Amy was the stabilizing element in network!” Professor Martin spoke.
“Yes,” the doctor continued. “And without her it's crashing and taking helpless victims with it.”
My mind raced. I immediately thought about Bashir. If he was real could his body be lying here? Was he one of the many comatose patients waiting for the crystalline network to end his life?
“What can I do to help?” I asked the doctor.
“We think we can send you back into VR-Space.” Dr. Lewis replied “But there's so much we don't know”.
“There are scrolls back at my office” Professor Martin interrupted. “Well old microfilms I took of some Greek scrolls decades ago!”
“Do they contain useful information?” Dr. Lewis asked.
“I recall a legend,” the Professor scratched his beard. “I didn't think much of it at the time. But perhaps that knowledge is now relevant.”
“We have an extensive research database.” The doctor continued. “I can request assistants to help move your files here and set up an office for you.”
“Agreed!” Professor Martin nodded. “If we combine resources perhaps we can more speedily arrive at a solution to this crisis.”
"What can I do to help?" I pleaded.
"Well would like to test your reaction to crystal exposure," Dr. Lewis tented his fingers.
A sharp shock of fear ran through me. What if something went wrong? Could I be trapped within the crystalline network again? Then my thoughts went back to Bashir and the others. They were still inside and the network was crashing. I had to do rescue them no matter the cost.
"We think there's something unique about your brainwave pattern that activated the network," the doctor continued. "But I need time to complete the setup for testing. I'm trusting you'll return tomorrow?"
"Of course!" I replied.
"Good!" Dr. Lewis nodded. "It looks like we all have perpetrations to attend to. See you both bright and early!"
Dr. Martin extended his hand and I took it with a firm shake. As the Professor and I made our way towards the elevator a gnawing feeling of uncertainty overshadowed me. I prayed I made the right decision.
IN THE WEEKS SINCE my emergence from the crystal I'd avoided all public contact. despite my having become a minor celebrity. News crews remained parked outside my parents home. Which made visiting my family difficult. The government had kept me under watchful protection. While the safe house provided for me had been luxurious it still felt like a prison. The only visitors allowed were my overjoyed parents and Professor Martin.
Twenty-four hours armed guards were stationed around the safe house. While a secured car drove me to meetings. Mostly at the air force base. The situation had grown both isolating and lonely. Occasionally I thought about Brock. But according to my mother he had moved on to dating another girl shortly after the incident. Not that I was particularly jealous. He simply paled in comparison to my Half-Orc lover. I guess I had moved on as well. Still spending night after night alone in my secured room was far from comforting. So when I found my mother waiting for me when I returned, I was more than thrilled.
"I hope you're hungry for Chinese!" She grinned as she pulled the white cardboard containers from the bag.
"Oh thank you!" I hugged her. "I'm starved!"
"I had to send the security men out for it," she frowned. "It's unfair that you just can't come home!"
"I know, but the news would eat me alive. Not to mention the conspiracy kooks."
"They caught that neighbor boy again!" Mom wrinkled her nose as she scooped some rice onto my plate.
"The one who's been trying to take pictures?"
"He was hiding in a treehouse this time," she shook her head. "With a telephoto lens and binoculars. Peering into our bedroom windows."
"Probably looking for something to sell to the tabloids," I stabbed my fork at my plate. "I wish things would return to normal!"
"Me too," Mom brushed a stray hair from my face. "I always knew you'd make it back."
The look of joy on her face was unmistakeable. How could I tell her that I was going back into VR-Space? She'd already lost me once. Could I bear to put her through that torture again?
"I have something to tell you". I put my fork down.
Mom stopped chewing in mid bite, "I know that look."
"I'm going back in!” I blurted out.
"You can't!" She bit her lower lip.
"The other abductees are dying." I took her hand in mine. "I have to help"
"Can't someone else do it?" She pleaded.
"I'm the only one who can!" I said.
"Damn it!" Mom slammed her hand on the table.
"When I was in VR-Space I found someone." I met my mother's eyes.
She didn't say anything for a long time. Instead she got up from the table and went to the window.
"I always knew you were special Amy." She wiped away a tear. "And as much as I want to stop you. I know I can't."
"I'm coming back out mom!" I replied.
"Of course you are!" She took my hand. "Save those people Amy. And bring back your friend. I'd like to meet him!"
THE NEXT MORNING I arrived at the Black Facility. The underground base was humming with activity. Lab technicians hurried about. While men in blue coveralls moved heavy equipment. Dr. Lewis met me at the elevator exit.
"Ready for our little experiment?" He asked.
"As ready as I'll ever be" I responded.
me along." He motioned for me to follow him.
"Wheres Professor Martin?" I hurried to keep pace with fast stepping Doctor.
"He arrived much earlier," dr. Lewis stopped at a closed metal door. Then he typed a code on the keypad. There was an audible click and the door opened. The older man held the door open for me and I stepped inside.
Professor Martin and two people I didn't know sat huddled over a laptop. When the Professor noticed my arrival he waved me over.
"So good to see you!" He sat back in his chair. "We found something."
"What exactly?" Dr. Lewis rushed to the professor's side.
"An ancient Sumerian text," Martin continued. "That speaks of Guardians."
"What does that mean exactly?" I peered over his shoulder.
"It seems certain priestesses were charged with protecting special stones that fell from the skuy." He pointed at his laptop display. "It's a rather obscure reference but see here."
I squinted to get a better look at the small ph
oto on his screen. However since I couldn't read cuneiform the effort was wasted.
"Look at this inscription," Professor Martin pointed to a pictograph. I squinted and noticed something very familiar about the image.
"That looks like the Crystal we found in the burial caves!"
"Exactly," the professor nodded.
"What does it all mean?" I asked.
"I think we know how to activate the crystal network." He continued.
"You do?" I didn't understand what he was getting at.
"It looks like the network is activated by a person possessing a unique brain wave pattern." Dr. Lewis chimed in.
"Like me?" I asked.
"Exactly!" Dr. Lewis responded. "But there's another factor something we're missing."
"Like what?" I didn't get what was going on.
"Let me explain," Professor Martin chimed in. "Special individuals can activate these crystals when under extreme emotion."
"So you're saying I triggered it?"
"Yes," Professor Martin tented his fingers. "Remember the day the incident happened? You were really upset and in a state of high emotion when we found that burial cave."
I thought about what both the professor and the doctor told me. It all seemed so long ago. The day when I entered the cave containing the crystal. At the time I was experiencing lots of emotions. I was angry at my boyfriend. And also frightened by what we found in the cave. Could it be true that my emotions somehow awakened the crystal network?
"So if what you're saying is true," I responded. "How do we use that information?"
"You must again enter a state of high emotion in close proximity to the main crystal." Professor Martin leaned back in his chair.
"Well', how do I do that?" I asked.
"Perhaps I can help," Dr. Lewis replied."All emotions supply a rush of endorphins into the brain. Including stress, anxiety, and even sexual arousal."
Sexual arousal? That was certainly one way to get the job done. I looked at the doctor and then my professor. Each one of them easily over fifty and definitely not my type. Certainly they didn't expect me to do anything sexual with them? My concern must have been obvious because both men stifled a smile.