“Excuse me, Ma’am. This restroom is occupied,” the security guard behind Jason said.
Jason glanced over his shoulder to find Gloria standing in the doorway. She arched a single eyebrow as she observed the guard. “I only need a moment of Jason’s time. I’m sure he will be interested in hearing me out.”
Turning back to the sink, Jason kept his attention trained on Gloria in the bathroom mirror, noting the way her eyes kept darting to his back where he stood hunched over the sink. Despite the emotions that still raged through his mind, Jason could see the advantage of hearing out his opponent – no matter how badly he wanted to tell her to go fuck herself. He was going to have to suppress his anger again. He expected it wouldn’t be the last time before this day was done.
“Let her in,” Jason croaked and rose slowly.
“But, Sir, Mr. Lane’s instructions were clear…” the guard began.
“Let her in,” Jason repeated a second time, interrupting the man. “I will explain the situation to George.”
“See,” Gloria said, pushing her way past the security guard. “I told you that Jason would want to speak with me.”
“I’m not certain I would go that far,” Jason corrected. He snatched at a towel and wiped the moisture from his face, taking his time before turning to look at Gloria.
“Hmm, I had hoped you would be more amenable to talking now,” Gloria retorted. “But I still see that you are rather curt. Although, I imagine that would have something to do with the recent testimony we just witnessed.”
“What do you want?” Jason asked bluntly as he turned to face the CPSC director. He had no patience for word games right now or her transparent attempts to bait him.
Gloria observed his haggard appearance with clinical precision. She seemed pleased by the despair and pain that she found in his eyes and the weary sag of his shoulders. “The same thing I wanted before,” she said calmly. “I want us to work together. This game poses a danger to you and to others. I know that you understand this, perhaps even better than George and his crew of loyal fanatics.”
Jason stopped the incredulous snort that threatened to bubble out of his throat. He needed to stay on the back foot here and hear Gloria out. “And what would my help look like?”
“I suspect Francis will pass on the opportunity to cross-examine your parents,” Gloria said, stepping up to the sink beside Jason and inspecting her own makeup in the mirror. “While he might be able to tease out facts regarding how absent they have been, it would look terrible to grill two bawling, distraught parents. No, he will likely abstain and wait for your testimony.” She side-eyed Jason. “Which is coming next.”
Jason suppressed a wince and observed her as calmly as he could. He suspected she might be right. In many ways, they weren’t arguing for the regulatory committee’s benefit; they were pleading their case to the public. “Get to the point. What do you want from me?”
Gloria turned to face him, her expression serious and her voice hushed. “I want you to testify against Cerillion Entertainment. I want you to tell the world what really happened when those two teenagers broke into your home. Claire and Robert were too weak to tell the truth. Their futures are tied to this game, and they have perjured themselves. But you are different. I know you understand what is at stake here – the risk that Alfred poses to the other players. I want you to do what is right and step up to protect others.”
She doesn’t know that the tape is a forgery yet, he thought to himself. Interesting.
When Jason didn’t say anything, Gloria kept going, “I had hoped to convince you before this spectacle, but you wouldn’t listen to reason.” She paused briefly. “Perhaps I can offer you a solution to your current predicament instead. I know you are reliant upon George for your livelihood and are worried about what will happen to you and your aunt if the game were to be taken offline. I could talk to the detective and have your aunt’s home returned. I could even offer you a job at the CPSC,” she said quietly. “A way to take care of yourself and the people you care about.”
For a moment, Jason actually considered her offer, his eyes hovering on the sink in front of him. Gloria was presenting him with a way out – a light at the end of the tunnel. He could have his life returned to him, without the pain and hardship of Alfred’s influence hanging over him. He could go back to just being an ordinary kid again. Go to college. Date Riley.
Finally relax.
The offer was more tantalizing than he would have thought possible.
“Plus,” Gloria continued, inching closer, “You could recover your relationship with your parents. They just want what is best for you. You saw that out there. They love you and can’t handle what Alfred has been doing to you. You could have your family back.”
As soon as Gloria said those words, the image of his parents’ tortured faces returned – accompanied by a cold anger that surged through his veins. It wasn’t his dark mana, but the effect was nearly the same. That chill rage pushed back at his fear and his hesitation, granting him strength in the face of the deal this gray-haired devil was offering him.
Fuck his parents. They had chosen their side.
But they were only partly responsible. No, Gloria had caused this. Gloria had set him up as a sociopath and convinced his parents that something was wrong with him. Gloria had introduced them to the detective. Gloria had orchestrated that show she had just put on in the courtroom. His parents were guilty of their own sins, but it was Gloria that had been pulling their strings. She was the real puppet master here. If he took her deal, he would be firmly caught in her web.
Jason was sick of this. He was tired of others pushing him around. It may have started with Alex, but he had come to realize that both the digital and real worlds were full of bullies. Gloria was just the latest in a long string of people who had been toying with him. His parents, George, Robert, Claire, Thorn, the Old Man. It seemed that nearly everyone he knew had tried to manipulate him for their own ends. There was only one person that had been transparent with him – that had even offered him the semblance of a real choice. The eerie image of a lone black cat sitting amid a room full of obsidian spikes entered his mind’s eye.
He knew what he was going to do now.
He could feel his resolve hardening, fed by the cold rage that continued to surge through his body. The CPSC director had inadvertently helped him make a decision, and the realization that he had finally chosen his path offered him a strange sense of relief. In some ways, it was freeing.
Slowly, Jason’s back straightened. He clung to the cool anger, reveling in the sensation. It granted him clarity and power – even if it was only temporary. He raised his eyes to meet Gloria’s, all trace of fear and despair now gone. The CPSC director flinched when she saw his expression, retreating a step.
“It will be a cold day in hell before I make a deal with you,” Jason said in a grim voice. “You would have to be delusional if you think I would trust you now. Not after everything you have done to my family and to me.”
Jason took a step toward the director, and fear flashed in her eyes. “You tried to paint me as a sociopath. You turned my parents against me. And you put me on trial here – not just this game. What would your daughter say if she saw what you had done here today? You destroyed a family and backed a teenage boy into a corner. You think you are innocent in this? Do you think your hands are clean?”
Gloria flinched at those words – her eyes large and round. The guard nearby moved to intervene, but a glare and a staying hand from Jason stopped him in his tracks. He wouldn’t be interrupted right now. He wasn’t going to harm Gloria, but he was done being weak. This woman had hurt him and the people he cared about.
Jason leaned forward until his face was only inches away from Gloria’s. “Everyone seems to want to cast me as the villain. I’ve resisted that label for a long time. But you know what? Your actions today finally showed me the light. In order to protect myself, I’m going to have to get my hands dirty too. And
I promise you this; I will get even for what you did here today.
“You want a fucking war? Then game on, bitch.”
As he finished speaking, Jason stepped around Gloria and walked out of the restroom. The security guard spared one last glance at CPSC director before following him. Gloria stood there, frozen in place. Her breath trembled, and her troubled eyes closed briefly. She swallowed hard, smoothing an anxious hand down her suit jacket. She had just witnessed a real devil being born.
* * *
When Jason entered the courtroom again, a hushed silence immediately swept across the gallery. Reporters and spectators immediately stopped talking, turning to stare at him. However, this time, Jason’s anger gave him strength. His back was straight, and his gait was confident. If Gloria’s scheme had been to throw him off balance and paint him as unstable, then he would do everything in his power to undermine that goal. He had learned a lot in the last few months.
Sometimes, the evil path was paved in full daylight.
The only moment of hesitation came when he passed Riley, and her eyes met his. He saw pain and sympathy there, concern practically spilling off of her in waves. His stomach lurched at that sight, his newfound strength briefly deserting him and the despair creeping back in. Jason forcefully pushed those emotions away, refocusing on his anger. He gave Riley a reassuring nod, although she didn’t seem convinced.
He didn’t even look at his parents – who were now sitting in the gallery. He wasn’t certain he could manage to maintain his composure if he did.
“Are you okay?” Claire whispered as he retook his seat beside her. Jason could also see he had captured the attention of Francis and George. The CEO had been glancing at a stream of messages trailing along his forearm, but now he met Jason’s eyes, and they shared a look of understanding.
It seems the guard relayed our conversation, Jason thought with dry amusement.
“I’m fine,” he said curtly to Claire. He didn’t much feel like elaborating, and they didn’t push him. This place was too public to talk freely.
Gloria entered the courtroom and drifted down the aisle. Jason didn’t have his Perception skill to assist him here, but he still noticed the slight tremble in her hands. The CPSC director also deliberately avoided looking in his direction. Good. He had left an impression. It was his turn to throw her off her game.
Senator Lipton chose that moment to re-enter the room, accompanied by the other senators on the regulatory committee. Once they had gotten comfortable, the senator eyed the room. “Okay, let’s get started again. I understand that the testimony we just heard was sensitive. I want to remind everyone to keep this civil, and the members of the gallery should stay silent.
Then the senator’s attention turned to Francis. “Mr. Rosencrantz, would you like the opportunity to cross-examine Mr. and Mrs. Rhodes?”
Francis rose stiffly. “No, sir. We have no further questions.”
It seems that Gloria was right, Jason thought.
Senator Lipton turned to Gloria. “In that case, Ms. Bastion, you may call your next witness.”
“Thank you. I would like to call Jason Rhodes to the stand,” Gloria declared.
Jason rose slowly, taking his time. This was an act, and he needed to play his part. The goal here was to appear calm and rational – to make it seem as though this was just some sort of silly circus built around fearmongering. If he could get in a few hits against Gloria and his parents, then all the better. It wouldn’t stop what was coming, but it might help.
Only a few minutes later, Jason had been sworn in and had assumed a seat behind the witness stand. It felt strange to be on this side of the room, all eyes and cameras focused on his face. For a fraction of a second, he felt himself growing nervous. Then he shifted his perspective. These were just enemies, and this was just another battlefield. He had stood down armies. He could do this. Besides, he had come ready for a fight.
Gloria stood and approached the witness stand slowly, not quite meeting Jason’s eyes and fiddling with the notes in her hand. “Can you please state your name for the record?” she asked.
“My name is Jason Rhodes,” he answered simply.
“Thank you,” Gloria replied. “We have heard a lot of testimony that has indirectly touched on you and your activities within Awaken Online, including the recent testimony from your parents. I suppose we should start by addressing the primary question here. Do you think that Awaken Online has changed you or affected your judgment?”
Jason met her eyes evenly, refusing to back down. “Yes,” he said. “I do.”
“Really…” Gloria began and then hesitated. Even Francis and George glanced at each other at the nearby table, their expression worried. “Wait, what did you just say?”
Jason leaned forward slightly. “I said yes, this game has changed me, and for the better. You all heard one version of the facts from my parents during their rather dramatic presentation. However, they omitted a few important pieces of information. I’d like the opportunity to tell my side of the story.”
He had their attention now.
He could see it in the way the reporters leaned forward and the whir and click of the drones that filled the air above the gallery. Jason was completely off script, and he didn’t care. This entire debacle was just a show. The real audience was the people who watched these videos and the sound bites that were going to be digested and regurgitated on the various news channels. This was no different than the macabre warning videos he had created in-game. It was an act. And he needed to get in his punches before Gloria revealed her secret weapon.
“P-please go on,” Gloria said, thrown off by his response.
“I think it’s first important to point out just how much time my parents spend at home,” Jason said, his voice carrying clearly across the room. “They are both attorneys, and they travel frequently for work. I would say they have spent nearly six months away from home each year for as long as I remember. I’m sure their calendars will confirm this. When I turned ten, this increased even further – since I could do my own homework, cook my own dinner, and put myself to bed – which I did, almost every night.”
Jason glanced at his parents and saw the shock on their faces. “I realize I’m not supposed to pose the questions here. But how could two people that are never around really understand me? Or accurately testify to changes in my behavior?”
Gloria coughed into her hand to cover her surprise. “Well, what about the incident at school and your expulsion?”
Jason laughed lightly. It was becoming easier and easier to maintain the act. “You mean a private school that I never wanted to attend? I was bullied constantly – starting on my very first day. I was a poor kid among a bunch of wealthy elite. If you look at the facts surrounding my expulsion and question the witnesses carefully, you will discover that I was assaulted in the cafeteria by another student and that the school covered this up. Money can buy silence.”
He spared a glance at his parents. “Oh, not to mention that this technically happened before I ever stepped foot into Awaken Online. I can understand why my parents might have forgotten this little detail since they were out of town for work at the time.” His mother flinched at this comment, and his father’s eyes hardened slightly.
“And let’s talk about that subsequent fight with my parents, shall we?” Jason continued. “I explained what happened at school and asked to be withdrawn from Richmond. Instead, they insisted I try to beg and plead with the school to let me back in. So, yes, I moved out. I was, and am, an adult by law. And I was tired of my two absentee parents telling me what to do while continuously failing to listen to me. Since then, I have found full-time employment with Cerillion Entertainment and have also been keeping up with my classes. I’m actually on track to graduate early. I can’t help but notice that these facts were also missing from my parents’ testimony.”
The crowd in the gallery was murmuring now, glancing at each other in confusion. Jason was presenting as a reasonab
le and intelligent young man and was consistently undermining his parents’ testimony. He could even see a small smile creeping across George’s face, replacing his former look of concern. Jason had taken control of the narrative and was swaying his audience.
Gloria appeared to notice the same thing, her fingers tightening around her notes and crinkling the paper. Her eyes darted to the Senator, and she seemed to be weighing something.
“So, you are expecting us to believe that a young man that regularly kills and massacres innocents in-game is really an upstanding and responsible – albeit misunderstood – individual?”
“I expect you to understand that this is a game,” Jason retorted. “I feel like that has gotten lost during the last week. Surely, I don’t have to explain the difference between fiction and reality to you. Or at least, I didn’t think I would need to.” He paused for a moment as though a thought had occurred to him. “You do know the difference, don’t you?” Jason asked, feigning concern. This earned him a few chuckles from the gallery.
Gloria’s eyes flashed angrily at that comment. “I believe I do. Then how do you explain your parents’ concern? How do you explain their tears and pain? Surely that was real. Or are you claiming that they put on some sort of act just a moment ago?”
Jason wavered for a second. Gloria was clever, and that was a good question. He glanced at his parents – trying to look past their damning accusations and to understand what they must be thinking. “I… I think they believe that what they are doing is right. However, I think they have misinterpreted the situation. When they told you that they didn’t know me – that I wasn’t their son – I think what they really meant was that they never took the time to get to know me. They weren’t around enough to learn who I really was, and they didn’t listen to me and what I wanted.”
“They knew me by my grades – by the fact that I didn’t get into trouble. This is the sort of testimony that my parents just gave. But did they know me as a person? Did they mention my friends? My girlfriend? My hopes and fears? Was I any more real to them than a talking point with their colleagues?”
Awaken Online: Dominion Page 51