Named Sherlock

by Bagatur Zhamkochyan

  All the way, but that's about forty minutes, I had to contemplate the shaved heads of the driver and his mate sitting in the front seat. I would not say that it was a really interesting show, just watch was no longer on that. Window transparency has been unscrewed to zero, or to the outside could not see me or to I do not see where we're going. To tell the truth, hide from me the direction of special sense was not, I did not know the area at all, and certainly would not be able to navigate. Although, one thing I realized - according to the flight time, we were supposed to be getting somewhere outside the city. Well, no, of course not have discounted the theory that I just drove in circles to confuse. But who, and why it might be necessary?

  In a few minutes the machine gently landed, and I quickly opened the door. Oppa! Indeed, we are no longer in the city. The surrounding area was a wasteland. Warm wind lifted clubs fine dust, debris rolls and plastic bags. The only vegetation that seems pretty comfortable here felt was strange grass, blue-gray color, rigid beams sticking out of the ground.

  Air car stopped in front of a massive gate, which, as we approached the small gate opened. Obeying a gesture of one of my escort, I walked.

  Within the perimeter of the area is not very different from the outside - the same yellow clay earth, dust, grass. Only garbage, at first glance, was not. Far enough away from the gate, one hundred and fifty meters, could be seen some poor as if flattened building. We went to him.

  It was a strange place. While walking down the barely visible track, I quietly looked around, trying to figure out where I still got? Guard post at the gate was not, but along the fence, at regular intervals, were quite high columns topped with perfectly round metal sphere, about half a meter in diameter. Man ignorant could not pay attention to it, taking them for a kind of decoration, but I read at one time a certain amount of literature, knew that these metal balls, which, if necessary, immediately collapsed segment, hides, once popular , perimeter protection systems, with intelligent mode capture and management goals. Such pieces were on the borders of the states which are in a state of armed neutrality during the last Cold War, about 30 years ago and have been equipped with unpretentious MI

  The second thing I noticed - drones observers who hovered over the perimeter at a fairly decent height. Bottom, they could be mistaken for birds. One could, if I did not know that there are no birds, equipped with screws, vertical lifting and able for a long time to hang motionless in the same place. Well, maybe hummingbirds. But to assume that here, in the middle lane in the open world, at an altitude of a few hundred meters of the hummingbird is hanging in the sky? Game.

  If you draw conclusions at least for the things that I noticed that the place where we're going, it could be a military base. Or even a secret military laboratory, I have seen many similar in the old movies. It could be, if it took place exactly the same 30 years ago.

  The building turned out to be nothing more than a decoration above the elevator shaft. Empty concrete box, the bare walls and floor. Elevator cab itself is also not impressed by the refinement of decor - metallic matte walls, no buttons, no labels, only the contact panel, released just a lighter shade of gray. Once one of my guards put her palm, elevator shuddered and pulled down for a second giving everyone the opportunity to feel weightless.

  Elevator down about a minute, but without knowing its speed, it was difficult to assume mine length - 100 meters, 200? Glubokovato.

  Flap opened, and I saw a plain corridor, no underlining your affiliation with military installations - light gray walls and floor, white, softly glowing ceiling. The same exactly as in my former training center. And still, not a single person. So far, so curiouser, as Alice would say. I also felt a rapidly falling down the rabbit hole - back will not take-off, is to enjoy the process.

  Having a little more along the corridor, one of my escort stopped in front of a nondescript door. Hand on a contact panel, a light push me between the shoulder blades, in the OPEN opening. Got it, do not fool. Has entered. The door closed with a soft hiss behind my back, escort remained in the corridor.

  The room in which I was, was quite large. Most likely, there used to be a lecture, or training room. One of the empty piers was equipped with a huge infoekranom rather outdated design, were rows of seats in front of him. More no furniture was not in the room.

  Except for the furniture a few people who synchronously turned when I entered the room.

  - ABOUT! Another one. Come on, man, you're the eighth, left two more. What's your name? - I was approached by a guy who looked a little older than me, blond, with a pleasant, condusive to face him.

  - Dmitriy. And what is happening, who are you?

  - We? People. Players.

  This is where it all happened. Why I took that out of the game just yanked me? It turns out that, if pulled all, it's not me. Most likely, the rules of the game have changed and we have gathered to talk about it.

  - A realized. Competitors.

  - Yeah, they're the - the guy chuckled briefly. - Well, do not just stand there, sit down. You, Dimitri, who?

  - In terms of? - I sat in one of the chairs.

  - In direct. We're in the same boat, it makes no sense to hide. I m1zery, won the big-eared, - he pointed at the funny chubby little lop-eared boy age 15 - Kung is missZelda, - raised her head and smiled at the only girl in the company. - And who are you?

  - Oh, I get it. I Sherlock.

  - Sherlock? Never heard. Of veterans? You are what you play?

  - Here, in the project? It is difficult to say there is such a world ...

  - Yes, in some project in my life who are you?

  And I finally understood! They are all champions, professional gamers. And I seem to be mistaken for one of them.

  The front door opened again and in walked another man turned his attention to themselves. He was a tall man, about thirty years old in appearance. At the sight of his youth there and then forgot about me, starting to fill logged issues, interspersing it is absolutely clear to me gaming slang.

  - And you do not even know who it is, is not it? - me hooked missZelda, nodding toward the newcomer, who, as it seemed to me, had already begun to autograph.

  - And do you know?

  - Of course. This is a true legend virtigr. Everyone knows it under the name Tango, which he took after his grandfather, once the most famous pvp RLA Ruoff game "World of War craft." He leads raids twenty years.

  - Clear.

  - Clear? - the girl laughed. Unremarkable face suddenly lit up as if the laughter ringing a bell echoed through the room. - And your face tells a different story. You do not know what I'm talking about, am I right?

  That is because some attentive, my face ... she says I must, of course, pay attention to this point. I hide emotions, unfortunately, I have not yet learned.

  - Let us suppose. I'm pretty far from all this, I confess.

  - So how did you get here, because only the very best were selected?

  - Well ... - suddenly including infoekran not let me finish. I sighed with relief. I do not like this questioning, even kill. And missZelda this, too curious, though quite nice, that really hide.

  On the screen appeared a strict-looking young man. Cleared his throat, as I thought, to attract our attention, he began:

  - Lord and Lady - an easy nod to a girl - I am sure you wondered why all of you gathered here. And now, when finally all arrived, I can start.

  - Wait a minute, we are also only nine, and where the tenth? - his voice full of a dark-haired boy, whom I had not even noticed he was sitting in silence, hunched over the tablet.

  - That's what I tell you now, if I have more, no one will interrupt. So, much to my regret, even in our society, where crime is practically eliminated, there are still people who do not want to live under the law. One of these people (we know - who is he, though, as yet, not been able to catch it, but it's a matter of time) has committed a terrible crime.

  - Failing to pass qualifying competition, and without sufficient merit game, to get
a personal invitation from the corporation, embittered, he preferred to take revenge on those who have their merits and talent won the invitation. Three of our favorite projects in the centers connect different alliances on different continents, have been killed in the past day.

  - What? Killed? - Raise the surrounding murmur and hum of questions and exclamations for a moment drowned out the speaker.

  - I beg your silence! - raising his voice, the young man frowned. - Yes. That's why you were quickly taken out of the dive and collected here on an urgent basis to reopen the military alliance, where we can guarantee you one hundred percent security.

  - I'm sorry - raised his hand man, who arrived last, Tango. - So you think that we should continue to participate in the project on the same terms? Do not you think that you have to somehow compensate for the increased risk?

  - Of course! Glad to hear that question a smart, practical man. Guide "VirtArt" Corporation revised the amount of the prize pool, and in addition, provides for the payment risk for participants who are not lucky enough to be a winner. At the end of our conversation with you, you will be given a supplement to the contract, with changes in the amount of remuneration - amount for prizes doubled, pay at creating virtmirov rest of the expenses, the corporation assumes.

  Very interesting. On the one hand - this is more than a great amount doubled, the risk to get to perfect no more. But on the other ... It's too suspicious to some killer. I'm certainly not an expert on psychopaths, but it seems to me, a man who out of envy can kill three, must, in any case, once released by his behavior. And any responsible post a man prone to emotional instability simply does not take such deviations are detected and corrected in childhood, if they are amenable to correction. And then, three favorites killed. That is the person who did it know which of the virtual characters corresponding to any real person, moreover, where exactly it is located. I'm sure it's classified information. That is, it can be concluded that the murderer of about competitive environment, it is possible,

  - Compensation - a good thing, but you better tell us about the murder. Who killed, they realized that this is it? Similarly, there is no risk for us? - this time, the voice has filed missZelda. I'll have to ask her real name, but the nickname that stupid she does not go.

  - No, there is not the slightest risk, for this you have here and placed. As for the details of the murder, I'm afraid to report that something I was not authorized until the end of the investigation.

  - When we were back to back? I then tired - again the most complete brat.

  - With this just do not have any problems as soon as you sign a supplement to the contract, you will be taken in the immersion room. I do not blame me, it will be total - it is necessary for your safety. All equipment is already installed and configured. There are still some questions?

  - Yes, I have a question. How much time passed between the murder and in which cities were centers of connection, in which they occurred? - not sure I will answer, but do not ask the question could not.

  - Young man, why do you need this information? Believe me, these murders are engaged in very competent people and soon they sort everything out. Your job now - to think about the competition and how to win it. No more questions? Great, I say goodbye to you, I wish you all good luck.

  Once infoekran went out, the door opened and entered another inconspicuous young man with a stack of contracts in hand. Smartly distributing their presence within a few seconds, he began to collect them again, already signed. Glancing to increase the amount, I also, like everyone else, without delay, put his thumb on the contact plate and returned the contract back.

  - Follow me, - obeying laconic team, people enthusiastically marched behind.

  I'm walking behind everyone watched silently marveled. It seemed that the days had passed since the death of three of our colleagues in the competition, everything is forgotten. Heard the laughter, the joy felt about the increased fees, impatience and a desire to get back to your virtmir. Even missZelda, first showed me the careful and judicious, discussed enthusiastically to Tango some old virtual battle. I did not expect from people of special grief, but it seemed to me, even curiosity, no one had.

  But when we finally got to the room with gelkapsulami enthusiasm was read clearly on their faces. Some even began to undress on the move, slowly immerse yourself in your virtual element. He smiled all at last, our only lady disappeared behind a plastic screen, which was enclosed with its capsule. Sighing, I undressed, and, last of all, lay in waiting for me, blood-red jelly.

  Click the lock neyroshunta, darkness.

  - Well, hello, Dmitry.

  This time against not cause surprise his rumpled view, though, he looked worse than it was when we first met. Exhausted and sick.

  - Hello, Proteus - I demand without sat in a chair, waiting.

  - I Look, you're not surprised by what came first to me?

  - Not surprised. I had a feeling that you will be able to tell me more about what happened.

  - That's where you're wrong, my friend. I can tell you less, much less than what you have already told.

  - but the truth?

  Proteus smiled and leaned back in his chair:

  - I am glad that I do not mistake. Yes, the tale that you told, in no way does not correspond to reality. No no killer. Rather, there is a real person and a phantom invented to calm the crowd. Because the truth is much worse than some crazy killer.

  - scared?

  - Yes. The most annoying thing is that I do not know what's going on. Such a feeling that the system is killing them, the network itself is simply destroying their brain is a high-frequency pulse. But this could not have happened without my knowledge as GlobalNET - it's part of me. Everything that happens in it, I'm in control and I can keep track of, but it is not.

  - That is to say, on this basis, we are not safe?

  - Of course not. And it seems to me that now nobody is safe and it comes not only to this project.

  - So, what to do? - to be honest, knowing that at any moment I can fry the brain, it does not add enthusiasm. Unfortunately, the signed contract did not give me a chance to win back the situation before.

  - Nothing. You - you just need to move on, you have a lot of unsolved problems, I will seek a solution to the problem - he paused for a moment. - You know, if I were a man, I would say that the emotion that I feel at the thought that some part of me can rebel and begin to act on their own, it is fear.

  - What do you feel is really, given that you are not human?

  - The horror.

  I peered into his face. What other emotions and feelings may be in artificial, but long ago overcame the limitation of his nature, the intellect? Compassion? Pain? Love?

  - You've got to, I held my dive a couple of minutes, ostensibly to further verification, but can not pull longer. Good luck, Sherlock. - And you, Proteus.

  And again, darkness.

  Chapter 2.

  Another couple of seconds with the world again appeared from nowhere, as if there were these two or three hours of my absence. Interestingly, there is there a point of stasis local residents? Although, as I, of course not ...

  - Sherlock?

  - A? - I suddenly realized it is necessary to include poultry. - Yes, yes, Mr. Jobson. Excuse me, I thought.

  - This is a laudable habit, young man, thinking, - smiled the old lawyer.

  I tried to focus on the present moment, though it was not so easy - mentally, I kept coming back to today's shocking news. Know that three of the thirty participants of the marathon were killed, and absolutely do not know what is the probability that the die someone else, it is even possible that it's me ... It's scary. Not to say that I'm paralyzed with horror, not at all, I believe that Proteus will cause. I only hope that this will happen sooner than die someone else.

  Without waiting for Mr. Jobson again starts to bother me, I turned resolutely crown on the back of the bird a few turns and inserted in the beak horn amplifies the sound. A couple of seconds of mu
ffled rustling, then came a rather pleasant, melodic female voice:

  - Arthur, how lovely!

  - Do you like Emma? I bought this bird as a present for the birthday of his wife.

  - She's just amazing! Oh, I would so like to have something like that. I just love beautiful things, but alas, I can not afford them ...

  - Oh, Emma, do not worry. I'll give you a bird, which will be much better than this, I have seen this - of pure gold! For such beauties do not mind! And this is not worthy of you, especially my wife ordered it and it was waiting with impatience.

  - It's so nice of you, Arthur. You are so wonderful. What a pity that I later met a wonderful man, I'm sure, if I were your wife, I was able to make you truly happy!

  - I, too, sure. But, unfortunately, all our family fortune - it is a legacy of my wife in case of divorce, I will only have my law practice. But I am confident that I, with my experience, and you, Emma, with her beauty and talent, all make up quickly, do not you?

  - catch? Fu, Arthur, I do not want to catch anything. And, if so to speak frankly, my talents could help with the problem of your wife.

  - Do you offer ... The same method as for the heir to Jeremy? This is a fairly risky, though fell swoop would take away all obstacles.

  - Of course, but not necessarily all must pass this way. Let's say your wife died of the Spanish flu, or pneumonia. This will not cause any problems, and will be free. Is not it wonderful?

  - Definitely. You just sorceress, Emma. But I'm still a little afraid that we can reveal. On your poison exactly leave no trace?

  - Absolutely. The man from whom I bought it - the supreme master of alchemy, it is precisely the poison on request, and that works exactly as it should. Little bastard nephew Jeremy, just fell asleep somewhere and never woke up, though, I would have wanted him to suffer a little longer.