At this comment, Alex discretely tapped the Core on his wrist. If she wouldn’t tell him her name, then he would find out himself. A digital interface soon overlaid his vision as the tech installed inside the mask came online. His father hated these sorts of events since it was so difficult to identify the other guests. He had one of his engineers design a mask that could provide a facial recognition match based on a number of available data points, including the person’s speech pattern, height, weight, etc. It would only take the software a few moments to place the young woman’s name and provide a summary of her background in his peripheral vision.
“Yet you seem perfectly content to chat with random men at the bar,” Alex observed, keeping up the repartee as he waited on the mask to do its job.
The woman raised a delicate eyebrow. “Now what makes you think this encounter was random,” she replied, grabbing her drink. She leaned forward until her hair tickled his face and he could feel her warm breath on his ear. “I know exactly who you are, Alex Lane.”
With this last comment, the woman turned and began weaving her way into the crowd. As his eyes followed her retreating form, the tracking software completed its search and the overlay updated.
“I’ll be damned,” Alex murmured. “Evelyn St. Clair.” He couldn’t decide whether to be irritated or impressed. For once, even the insidious voice in the back of his mind was completely silent on the matter.
* * *
George Lane had only been partially telling the truth when he and Alex had entered the event. George did have a specific goal in mind for the evening and it wasn’t to bid on overpriced art. Alex’s presence also served a purpose, disarming the other guests and explaining George’s lack of a date for the evening. He certainly could have found any number of eligible women to accompany him to the auction, but he didn’t need someone interrupting him from his objective. In short, Alex was an excuse for him to wander off on his own without raising any eyebrows.
He felt a small twinge of guilt at using his son like this, but he quickly rationalized away his concern. His son could use the practice. Alex would need to get accustomed to these sorts of events when he ultimately inherited his father’s companies. Networking and socializing were often as important, if not more so, than general business acumen or technical knowledge. George had lost track of how many times knowing the right person or being able to call in a favor at the last minute had gotten him out of a tight spot.
Shaking his head, George tried to clear his mind. He needed to focus. He tapped at the Core on his wrist, the digital overlay built into his mask filled his vision as he scanned the crowd. He had one specific target in mind for the evening, Senator James Lipton. It only took the software a few minutes to generate a dossier on everyone around him, and within moment it had located the senator. He would need to remember to give Robert another healthy bonus for inventing this device. There seemed to be no end to his usefulness of late.
The senator was dressed in a brilliant emerald green tuxedo and matching mask and was currently surrounded by a small crowd of politicians and aides who seemed to be jockeying for favor. George couldn’t hear what they were saying at this distance, but he was certain it was insipid nonsense. With a long blink of his eye, he tagged the senator on the mask’s UI, generating a small red tag that would make it easy to track the man through the crowded room.
Now it was time for the fun part. George couldn’t simply barrel toward the senator. That would be much too obvious, and this evening required tact – especially with what was at stake. The purpose of this night was to make his encounter with the senator appear random – a happy coincidence amid a room full of the masked elite.
And so, he began to hunt his prey.
George deftly spun through the room, joining and leaving conversations effortlessly – but not without introducing himself and dropping a memorable joke or compliment (made easy by his helpful accessory). With each step, he moved steadily closer to the senator, keeping a watchful eye on the man. At one point, he saw Lipton stumble – certainly understandable in a crowded room and with the way the masks limited the guests’ vision. He couldn’t help but smile as he realized how he should introduce himself.
After a few more minutes of polite conversation, George saw the moment he had been waiting for; the group around the senator had begun to dissipate, and the man was now eyeing the nearby bar. George chose this moment to strike. He politely excused himself from his current group and stepped in the senator’s direction, stumbling at the last moment.
George managed to right himself just in time, placing a steadying hand on the senator’s shoulder. “My apologies. Between the masks and the dimly-lit interior, this place is a lawsuit waiting to happen.”
The senator laughed good-naturedly. “Don’t worry yourself. I nearly ran into someone earlier.” He squinted slightly through his mask and offered a hand. “I’m not sure we’ve had the pleasure. James Lipton.”
George accepted his grip. “George Lane.”
The senator’s eyebrows raised slightly. “Hmm, I certainly wasn’t expecting to run into you here. I heard you weren’t a fan of these sorts of events.”
George smiled. “I’m actually here with my son.” He hesitated for a moment, just enough to give the impression of regret or remorse. “Since his mother passed, it’s important to find excuses to spend time together, especially on holidays.”
“Ahh, I’m sorry for your loss. I can certainly sympathize. Unfortunately, my wife passed away nearly a year ago, and it’s been… difficult – both on myself and on the children,” the senator commented, patting George on the back. “Would you like to grab a drink?”
“Certainly. I was actually on the way over there myself,” George replied. As the senator turned, he couldn’t help the pleased smile that curled his lips as he eyed the information that scrolled in his peripheral vision. That tip about the senator’s dead wife had been useful. Robert most definitely deserved a raise for this beauty. They might even be able to repackage a streamlined version of this product into contact lenses or a pair of glasses.
A space at the bar cleared immediately as the other patrons saw who was standing behind them, and the two men ordered their drinks. It seemed that word of George’s presence had already made its way around the room. It was good to see that more conventional forms of information gathering were still alive and well.
The senator eyed him out of the corner of his eye as they took a seat at the bar. “I have to say that you don’t live up to your reputation. Apologies for my bluntness, but others make you sound a bit sinister.”
George smiled, glancing at the senator. “I’ve found that gossip can be a little off the mark. Those that complain the loudest are often those with an axe to grind.”
“Well, I’m glad to see that you’re a reasonable man. I was assuming you would hold a grudge after how our regulatory committee held up the review of your VR technology,” the senator replied with a smile of his own.
“No, no. I can certainly understand the need for caution,” George replied smoothly, putting up a hand. “We are on the cusp of a technological revolution. It benefits everyone to be cautious; our internal measures were more strenuous than you could imagine. We don’t want to see this product harm anyone.”
The senator nodded, but George could detect tension in the man’s eyes, and he noticed the way his forehead creased ever-so-slightly. “That’s why we were ultimately able to approve the product. Several years of testing certainly seemed sufficient.” He hesitated before continuing, “I’m not sure we should be talking shop at an event like this, but I feel like this meeting is serendipitous.”
George raised his eyebrows, feigning surprise. “Ahh, really? In what way?”
The senator met his gaze. “I’ve been hearing some disconcerting rumors from the director of the CSPC, Gloria Bastion. I’m sure you’re acquainted. It seems she is calling for a regulatory hearing to discuss re-opening the review of the VR technology and your game sy
stem.”
“Hmm, that’s the first I’ve heard of this,” George replied, placing his drink down on the bar and giving the senator his full attention. “We certainly don’t wish for any harm to befall our customers. If there is anything we can do to help, please let us know.”
The senator’s frown deepened, and he seemed to be searching George’s eyes for something – perhaps some trace of deception. Yet, as his son had said earlier, this wasn’t his first party. He maintained his sincere expression. “It’s kind of you to say that,” the senator continued. “It helps put some of my fears to rest. A few of Gloria’s allegations are… troubling.”
George sighed. “She has been on a witch hunt ever since that public debacle with her staff, so that isn’t exactly surprising to hear. Gloria seems to feel that I have a personal suite reserved in hell right next to the big man himself – and she hasn’t been shy about her desire to send me on an early and extended vacation.”
The senator barked out a laugh. “I assumed something similar,” he replied, his finger tracing the stem of his glass and belying his anxiety. “Still, she seems certain that your AI controller has somehow been manipulating the minds of the players.”
The senator shook his head in confusion and George held his tongue. “At any other time, I would simply bury it and demote her to a position where she couldn’t cause any more trouble. I don’t have time to deal with an overzealous director trying to save face.” He sighed once again. “Unfortunately, I’m up for reelection soon, and I can’t have my opponents holding these rumors over my head. Several public interest groups have already caught wind of the issue, and they have been beating down my door all week. I’m honestly considering calling a hearing on the matter just to put this to bed once and for all.”
George’s eyes widened, and he felt his pulse race. He no longer needed to feign surprise. “Wow. Well, this is news to me!” he exclaimed, before leaning forward. “If you can spare a few minutes, why don’t we find a quieter place to speak tomorrow. I’m sure we can get to the bottom of this immediately.”
He placed a hand on the senator’s shoulder. “We certainly have nothing to hide at Cerillion Entertainment.”
Chapter 2 - Accused
Jason sat on the coarse wooden shingles above Jerry’s inn. His cloak flapped out behind him idly in the faint breeze that drifted among the dilapidated wooden buildings of the Twilight Throne. From this height, it felt like he could practically reach out and touch the boiling black clouds that blotted out the sky. At first, he had been concerned about the flashes of lightning that occasionally streaked through the air – the sizzling energy sometimes passing a bit too close for comfort. Then he had just stopped caring. What was the worst that could happen? He got blasted by lightning and ended up back at the keep?
If anything, dying might help settle his thoughts.
The memory of his encounter with Gloria and his parents was still fresh in his mind, and each time his thoughts strayed back to that conversation, he could feel his anger rise once again. Even now, he could feel his blood simmering in his veins. He pushed at the cowl of his hood, the cloth catching slightly on the horns that now jutted from his forehead after his transformation into a Keeper. He rubbed at his eyes with his free hand as though that might help massage away the mental image of the incident.
He heard a faint rustle behind him, accompanied by the creak of the roof’s ancient tiles. Without turning, Jason could already guess who had just landed behind him. His minions on the ground level would have already alerted him if he were being attacked.
“Hey, Frank,” Jason muttered.
“Hey,” his burly friend grunted, stepping up beside him. His wings were already shuddering and beginning to retract back into the flesh of his shoulders, a few errant feathers drifting down to the roof’s tiles.
“How did you know I was up here?” Jason asked, his eyes still on the clouds.
“Jerry, actually,” Frank said as he took a seat beside Jason. He noted that his burly friend eyed the three-story drop nervously. Even though he could fly now, the barbarian hadn’t seemed to have entirely lost his fear of heights. “He said that our ‘Mopey Mastermind of Mayhem’ was hanging out on his roof and depressing everyone, and that I needed to go talk him down since his patrons were complaining about the rain. The ‘rain’ is supposed to be your tears, by the way.”
Jason couldn’t help but chuckle. “That sounds like Jerry…” he began, drifting off into the same sullen silence.
“So,” Frank began, side-eyeing him as the pause lengthened and stretched uncomfortably. “Are you going to tell me what’s wrong, or are you just going to jump over the ledge and end it all? I thought Jerry was joking, but he kind of hit the mark. I’d say there’s a black cloud hanging over your head, but it’s kind of hard to tell around here.”
Jason sighed, not relishing the idea of rehashing the confrontation again, but he couldn’t avoid it forever. “I logged off yesterday to attend a meeting with Francis – that’s my attorney – the one that works for Cerillion Entertainment. The CPSC director, Gloria, called the meeting unexpectedly.”
“Is that the lady that ambushed you after Riley and I left the bubble tea place?”
“The same one.” Jason nodded. He had given his friends the short version of Gloria’s visit – sparing them some of the more sensitive details involving Alfred. “We figured she was just going to harass us. She seems to have a vendetta against me for some reason – or maybe just against the company.”
“I could see that. Especially after how we took down Flowerface,” Frank said with a dark smile. He had been instrumental in that fight, and the video of Frank’s bloodied face hovering above the game master was still quite popular online. “I take it the meeting went badly,” he continued, noting Jason’s hunched posture and the way he rubbed at his neck tiredly.
“That’s one way to put it. How about the detective walked out of the room before we went inside and made some threats about looking more closely at the break in? Oh, and then my parents showed up at the meeting – without even bothering to tell me they were back in town.” Jason practically growled out this last part, his hand clenching around the ebony staff lying beside him and his eyes darkening as he inadvertently summoned his mana.
“Oh… oh, shit,” Frank muttered, his eyes widening.
Jason slammed the staff down onto the roof tiles, the fragile wood cracking and splintering as he hauled himself to his feet. “Did you know that they didn’t even call or contact me after I got out of jail? Not a fucking word. Then they show up to a meeting that Gloria called? They even had the nerve to tell me I should move back home, and that they didn’t trust Cerillion Entertainment after the horror stories that Gloria had fed them.”
He began pacing the roof, trying to work off some of his angry energy. Just retelling the story made him want to break something. “Suddenly they’re concerned? Now? What about when I got expelled? What about when I was flailing on my own trying to find a way to pay rent? They just swoop in and act like they get to make decisions for me now? Really?”
Jason squeezed his eyes shut. That was only the surface layer of his anger. There was still the threat looming beneath Gloria’s words and her superficial smile – the accusation he could see in her eyes, but she didn’t dare say out loud with his parents in the room. The knowledge she had alluded to when she confronted Jason at the bubble tea shop. That she believed Alfred had taken control of his body. That it was the AI that was truly responsible for killing those two teenagers. He still had no idea how she had pieced that together; the only solace was that he didn’t think she had any way to prove it.
Frank cleared his throat, trying to figure out how to respond. “I get how that could be… frustrating. What exactly did Gloria want? Why did she get your parents involved? Or the detective for that matter?”
Jason turned to meet Frank’s gaze, the barbarian flinching slightly as he saw the dark mana clouding his friend’s irises, tendrils of e
nergy peeling away from his eyes. “The CPSC is pushing to re-open the investigation of AO and its AI controller. Gloria thinks that the game is messing with the players’ heads – the way it accesses our memories and caters the quests to our past. I’m sure you’ve noticed some of that.”
The barbarian scratched his head, a thoughtful expression on his face. “Yeah, I guess I can see that, but that doesn’t really explain why she confronted you or why your parents were there.”
Jason hesitated. He would have to be careful here. Unfortunately, Gloria’s allegations were just a little too close to the truth. She might be right about Alfred’s influence – but she hadn’t quite shown her hand during the meeting. Jason needed to play this information close to the vest until Gloria decided to go public. Besides, the reality was that the AI had saved his life. He owed Alfred some discretion – at a minimum.
“She thinks that the game’s AI is interested in me – that he’s somehow turning me into a criminal,” Jason explained, rubbing at his eyes again with his free hand. “There was the expulsion from Richmond. Plus, she has the videos of me acting all evil with the other players and the game master.” The image of two dead teenagers filled Jason mind again, and he shuddered slightly. “And I-I killed those teenagers…”
“In self-defense!” Frank jumped in.
Jason shook his head. “Still. I don’t remember the exchange with the guys that broke in, and the detective said I stabbed one of them fifteen times… They’re trying to paint me as some sort of closeted sociopath. She seems to believe that I’m the perfect piece of evidence for her case against Cerillion Entertainment.
“I guess she was using my parents to try to convince me to help her?” Jason continued, his fist clenching around the staff until his knuckles were a bone white. “Can you believe they took her side? They kept pointing out how much I’d changed since starting this game – like they’ve even been around enough to notice! They said they were going to be in town for a few months now that their case is finished, and they want me to move back in. But they’ve said that a lot over the years – only to leave a week or two later.”
Awaken Online: Dominion Page 2