The room was mostly dark, except for a soft glow from a lamp in the corner. The two figures seated in the chairs near the window were quiet now. Each contemplating the pending outcome of their actions. It had been a bold move to say the least. Definitely something that had never been tried before. And it had almost worked. The plan had been executed flawlessly. And the truth be told, they had known there was an element of risk at the end. There were no guarantees that everything would go as planned. As with any operation, a battle plan never survives first contact with the enemy. Once in play, there were always adjustments that had to be made on the fly. Strengths had to be analyzed, weaknesses exploited, and the more you learned about the enemy, the more accurate your plan of attack would become.
There was just enough light in the room to decipher that both figures were men. The one on the right brought up a small tumbler. The glass touched his lips, and he took a sip of the twenty year old single malt scotch. The liquid was cooled by two slowly melting ice cubes, but it still burned as it went down his throat. He liked the way it felt. The other man sat silently, his glass of water on the table beside him.
“We were close.” The scotch drinker said.
“Yes. We were very close.”
“What now?”
“We still have a few opportunities.”
“With her?”
“Oh, no. That play is over.” He took a drink of his water, and sat the glass back down. “We have other...operatives.”
“And three months.”
“Yes. And three months. We are certain that one of these other operations will succeed in time. Mason Alexander will die.”
“He’s going to be hard to get at. I mean after the shooting.”
“True enough. But our programmers have learned much from Mrs. Alexander.”
“So the feedback loop worked after all?”
“Oh, yes. Quite well. I thank you again for your help.”
“Well, it is open source. Pretty much anyone can rewrite the code, once you understand how it works.”
“How do they patent a device like that. If it is, open source, as you say.”
“The code is open source. It’s the device that’s proprietary. Only VirtuaScape can produce and sell the actual interface.”
“Interesting. Tell me...how did you think of this particular plugin for the system?”
“That’s easy. My own daughter loves the Princess Tea Party. I just had to find where we could insert our code. The cat character seemed the best spot. And once we had switched her over to our code, the entire event was compressed.”
“Yes. Seconds you said.”
“Three point two seven seconds, to be precise. It’s just like when you enter REM sleep, and begin to dream. A dream that seems to last for hours, could have happened in literally the blink of an eye.”
“Amazing. And you say that she thought that three months had passed?”
“Yes, sir. But it was only a few seconds in real time. You know, there’s no telling what this technology could mean in the future.”
“You realize, that if we were able to fabricate an environment where Mrs. Alexander felt that there was no other option but to kill the one person that she trusted most, the possibilities are truly endless.”
“I do. With this technology, we can forward your agenda worldwide. Quietly. From within.”
“And what of Agent Sloan?”
“Connor?” He took another sip of his scotch. “After the initial scans were made so that we could insert him into the code, I didn’t need that identity any longer.” He laughed. “You could say that I have retired from my position in the Secret Service. But we’ll save the code, you never know when you might need to use it again.”
“Good point.” The room suddenly brightened as another figure entered. Even in the dark, that this newcomer was a female was apparent.
“My dear.” She said as she bent down to the man with the water glass.
“Yes, beloved?” He asked.
“The Brethren are here. They have news on the progress at the air force bases.”
“Excellent. Tell them I will be with them in a moment.”
“Yes, husband.” She left the room.
“She is a good woman.” He said.
“Yes, sir. You are a lucky man.”
“That I am. Forgive me, but I must go. There is still much work to be done.”
“I’m sure there is. Is everything still on schedule?”
“Oh, yes. The camps will be ready by the election. And training has already begun within the military. The relocations will begin without delay after the election.”
“Bazir?”
“Yes, Mr. Bishop?”
“You never did say. Why eliminate the Christians?”
“That is a tale for another day, Mr. Bishop. They have been a scourge on this Earth for thousands of years. But in the name of Allah, that is about to end.”
A Word From The Author
I hope you have enjoyed the mind twisting journey that is VirtuaScape. Though I am sure there are those that will say that this novel is a political statement, I assure it is not. It is an exploration into how we as humans make decisions, even decisions that are well outside our normal moral basis. In the beginning of this story, Grace would no more have harmed her husband, than she would have hurt her beloved Bradlie. But as she progressed through the virtual world, she changed. And she felt she had no choice but to do so. This novel became an exploration of not just the sense of self, but of how outside influences will always affect our own actions.
Smart Contacts, or something similar, are very close to a reality already. In a time where even refrigerators and coffee pots are connected to the net, always connected information services are already here. But what about the VirtuaScape device? This entire concept centered around my research into brainwave entrainment. If a device could manipulate brainwaves and induce Delta waves for sleep, or Alpha waves for alertness, why couldn’t it also offer direct brainwave manipulation. Forget audio or visual stimulation. Such a technology would provide direct access to a person’s thoughts, and the ability to affect them. Certainly a technology like that would be dangerous in the hands of terrorists. Though I believe the tale of Grace & Mason ends here, I feel sure we will see the VirtuaScape technology again. The idea is just too delicious to let it go.
Now Available
Also by Kelvin Kelley
BackTrek
When Homicide Detective Jack King’s family is brutally murdered by a psychopathic assassin, he travels back in time through an experimental portal in an effort to stop the murders before they can occur. If he fails, their blood will be on his hands.
The newly functioning machine can only open a portal to a specific point in the past. June 7th at 1845 hours, the night his family died. But when Jack emerges in the past, he cannot stop events from occurring as they did the first time. He desperately races against time tracking the man who will kill his family, while trying to avoid his other self and accidentally setting off a sequence of events that could disrupt the future forever. If he can stop the killer in time, they live. If not, they die. Again.
Now Available
Also by Kelvin Kelley
Immortal
After a genetic mutation has left the human species sterile and doomed to extinction, the citizens of New Sebastian live long and luxurious lives, thanks to Rejuvenation. But when Jericho and Gabrielle, two specimens from the Rejuvenation supply farm, escape prior to being harvested, the dark truth threatens the existence of the last society on Earth.
The cure for the Deathshead plague has created a genetic mutation that has left the human species sterile and doomed to extinction. But in the last known civilization on Earth, the citizens experience long and luxurious lives, through a process known as Rejuvenation.
Jericho and Gabrielle spend their simple lives in the Village dreaming of their future together, and barely notice the metallic humanoid Guardians that ensure obedience. But when she scans pos
itive for the plague and is permanently sent away to the mysterious Quarantine, Jericho enters a frantic battle to find and save her.
Jonah and his wife enjoy their carefree lives in New Sebastian, and Rejuvenation every twenty or so years keeps them eternally young and healthy. But when Jonah discovers the dark secret behind their long and privileged lives, he struggles with the bitter choice of continuing to live his long life or facing the horrific discovery head on. As Jonah helps Jericho and Gabrielle attempt to escape, they find that they are on a predefined path which leads to the last hope for the survival of the human species, and the salvation of mankind.
About the Author
A long time avid science fiction fan, Kelvin Kelley loves to ask the question, what if? It is that question that leads him to explore the amazing possibilities and then bring them to life in his novels. He resides with his beloved wife, Charlotte, their dog, Frazi, and two cats, Ittle Bit and Kitterpups, in the nation’s oldest city, St. Augustine, Florida.
VirtuaScape Page 39