by Noah Barnett
Elva was already waiting near the elevator with her hand on the call button, and as he approached, the door slid open. He entered and pressed the ground floor icon. As the door of the elevator opened, Charlie had to shield his eyes from a stray sunbeam that penetrated the cloud cover and bounced off the polished floor. Outside the rain fell in a drizzle and the sun cut through the cloud cover wherever it could. A hand curled around his bicep and pulled him into a busty chest. Charlie smiled at the woman, and had to admit, he could get used to waking up to her every morning.
The competition center was a block down, where the two main roads met and circled the enormous structure. Charlie turned south following the road around the bay. He vaguely remembered the shopping mall was in this direction. With Elva still clinging to his arm, Charlie strolled down the sidewalk.
"Is it the same time as in real life?"
"Gun Meister does follow standard time, but the matches take place in random locations. You might find yourself fighting in different time zones. We're on the Pacific Coast Server, so that's the time the city goes by."
They stopped at the intersection and waited for the light to change. A convertible Dodge Viper rolled up beside them. Loud music was thumping from the trunk. A half dozen topless girls were piled inside, and almost every one of them was different. One was Asian, another a thick Serbian girl, while others were various shades of Caucasian. The driver was a tall black man that had been cut straight from a fashion magazine. His short dark haircut was matched by a precisely shaved beard. A holstered pistol was just visible underneath the jacket of his dark suit. The driver glanced at them and pushed his sunglasses down a little. His predatory eyes regarded Charlie standing on the corner in his noob uniform. As the light changed he grinned and gunned the engine. The Viper leapt forward with a screech, squealing down the road, and leaving a trail of smoking tire tracks in his wake.
"You'll get there," a voice purred into his ear. He turned a little startled by Elva's choice of words.
"I…" He started to say. What was there to say to that? He certainly did want a fast car and a harem of beauties. A real woman would have stomped her foot and called the guy a pig. That bloke certainly was one for making those girls ride around half naked.
"Take your time, enjoy the game and don't worry about other players. It is my pleasure to be your weapon." She said squeezing his bicep.
This game was a little hard to get used too. There were more VR games than you could shake a stick at, and Gun Meister was a straightforward shooter. You killed players, you ranked up, then you killed more people. The developers needed some gimmick to keep the customers happy. Happy and eager to pay the subscription each month. So they used a proven marketing technique, sex. As a car salesman he could see the hook the developers were using.
Soon, their trek led them to the entrance of the mall. He joined other players as they entered the shopping mecca. The smell of food assaulted Charlie’s senses as he entered the food court.
"You hungry?" He asked Elva.
"A bit peckish."
Charlie checked his balance on one of the many terminals by placing a hand on the screen. These public computers showed less information than the competition hall. It only displayed his player ID and a 1093 Credit balance. He ordered a bacon burger, fries, and a drink for Elva but nothing for himself. Later after a match or two, he'd log out and order pizza. He brought the food to a table and sat down opposite her.
"Only a little hungry?" He asked watching Elva tear into the food. Her mouth closed over the burger eating half in a single bite.
"We do have hunger bars, but I'm not used to going more than a day without food. One of the guilty pleasures I discovered while waiting for a Meister." She admitted taking a sip from her drink. Elva swirled a fry through the ketchup and popped it into her mouth.
"You don't have to starve yourself on my account."
"We guns can't own anything, so our Meister has to provide all."
“What if someone didn't return for a month? Would a gun starve? Probably not, more than likely they'd lose their Meister and return to the weapon hotel. There they received free food and board.” He thought as Elva finished off her food.
In real life, he’d be jumping for joy to be on a date with such a sexy woman. Charlie felt oddly comfortable around Elva, but maybe it was because she didn’t pretend to be human. Twice now she’d called herself a weapon and him a Meister. Elva dabbed a napkin to her lips then gave a very unladylike belch. She half turned away covering her mouth in embarrassment. Charlie stood smiling, grabbed the food tray, and put it with the others.
The first stop was Zeek's Holsters and Mags. This was where he'd picked up the thigh rig, and he hoped there was something for holding extra magazines. The clerk from yesterday was reclined in a swivel chair with his feet up on the counter, and reading a ‘Guns Digest’ magazine.
Charlie walked through the aisles of gun leather until he found the dump pouches, grenade bandoleers, and magazine holders. Elva helped him pick out a combined dump pouch and mag holder for 65 credits. It was thick brown leather with canvas buckles. One large band went around the waist while two smaller ones clipped around the thighs. The top half was a medium sized pocket for anything he wanted, which was probably why it was called a dump pouch. The lower half had slots for three extra pistol magazines.
He found several magazine choices just a few aisles over. A basic seven round mag was ten credits, and eight round mag was 120 credits, and a ten rounder was 1100. After a some waffling, Charlie splurged by picking up two of the eight round magazines. Next he needed some new pistol ammo since he had lost his leftovers in his first match.
He walked to the ammo counter to find the clerk still lounging in his chair. Charlie set his purchases down next to the man's boots. "I need a box of Forty-Five ACP as well," He said. The older man smiled and stood from his chair. He set a white box of ammo on the counter then scanned everything.
___________
Leather Mag Carrier - 65c
2 x 8 Round 1911 Magazines - 240c
100 Rounds .45 ACP Ball - 10c
Total - 315c
___________
Charlie put his hand on the screen to verify his purchase. His ID flashed before his credits dwindled to 768c. Hopefully, after a few matches, he would see that number back over a thousand.
"Where do I pick up some clothes?"
"Depends on what your taste is. Lot of specialty boutiques in the mall, but if you’re just looking for some basic threads, I'd check out Sam's. Walk down the corridor till you get to the T and take a right, the shop is about halfway down." The clerk pointed out the doors and in the direction he needed to travel. "He sells used apparel which is why you'll find a bit of everything in there."
"Appreciate the help," Charlie said picking up his items. He clipped on the mag holster and slid the empties into the slots. The box he stuck into the dump pouch. It was time to get some new threads.
"We’ve all been there," the guy quipped with a smirk as Charlie walked out of the store.
The mall was filling up with people, and several gray-clad individuals walked past Charlie into the shop. Elva was dogging his step as he joined the crowd heading deeper into the mall. At the intersection, he turned right. About halfway down there was a shop sign that read, "Sam's Surplus Threads." Next to this, there was a picture of an old WW2 Army helmet with a bloody bullet hole in the side. "We buy used clothes, inquire within."
Upon entering the store he noticed the faint smell of gunsmoke. The scent permeated the air and probably came from the used items. The female portion was considerably larger than the men's. Underwear dominated the first aisle, and it was here the smell of smoke and oil was strongest. Elva’s eyes glistened as they took in the massive selection. He picked up a pair of white thong panties and matching bra.
"Will this fit?" he asked holding the undergarment out to Elva.
"This is a 30B and a small bottom. I'm a voluptuous girl if you haven't notic
ed." Elva said lifting her breasts up a little and letting them drop. Well, he'd never bought female underwear before. How was he supposed to guess her size?
"How about you pick out what you want," He said and put the thong back. Charlie left her to find clothes. He figured if she'd survived two months by herself she could manage her own outfit. Towards the back of the store he found the male section. These didn't smell as much, so they must have been worn by other players. He found a pair of dark jeans in his size and a plain white t-shirt. By luck he chanced upon an army-green coat for sale. It had a high-necked collar and four large front pockets. Two unadorned shoulder tabs made the jacket appear pseudo-military.
“That was easy,” he said carrying everything to the front counter.
His new outfit would only cost 95c, so he threw in a black gun belt. Elva came running up with a handful of clothes. Her face was positively glowing as she held them out. She had picked out a pair of daisy duke cut-offs a black tank top, and the last item made him speechless, a white lace teddy at a staggering 400c. He balked at the cost. That was more money than everything else combined. Elva batted her eyes as she beamed at him.
"You're not wearing that with the cut-offs," he said.
"Of course not, it's for later." She replied with that sly grin he couldn’t resist.
“Definitely a big hook,” he thought to himself. Charlie considered her choices then asked, "What are you going to wear under your shorts then?"
"Nothing," she said tilting her head. He groaned but put everything on the counter as Elva hugged him from behind.
"Go put them on while I pay," he said shooing her towards the changing rooms.
The clerk was a bland, nondescript fellow. His dull eyes and general apathy at the lingerie he rung up was strange. Was this a regular NPC? One that wasn't a gun? The man finished scanning the items and the display lit up. His total was 573 creds which almost made him put the lingerie back, but the thought of seeing Elva in it stayed his hand. That was even more than the magazines and holster he'd bought. Reluctantly he accepted the charge and Charlie was left with a measly 195 credits, but at least they were both fully equipped.
CHAPTER FOUR
Casual Lessons
Charlie shouldered his way through the packed crowd toward an unused bathroom in the hope of finding a quiet place to sit down. Elva followed him into the restroom and immediately went to admire herself in the mirror. She posed arching her back and pursed her lips at her reflection. Charlie opened a stall door and went inside. He quickly changed out of the gray uniform for his jeans, shirt, and jacket. After buckling his belt on he tossed the slacks into the trash. Charlie unlocked the stall and came out. Elva was slowly turning around in circles admiring herself in the mirror.
"What are you doing?" He asked approaching.
"I'm making sure to record everything about the first outfit my Meister bought me."
"Ahh, geez… Well, please change forms. I need to reload your magazines." He said taking out the box of ammunition. Elva began to glow a bright yellow. There was a flash and a 1911 was laying on the hand-washing counter. Charlie opened the box and loaded one of the eight round magazines. He picked up Elva, pressed the magazine release, and replaced the empty mag with a full one. After racking the slide, he paused in consideration. If the gun had just stripped the first round wasn't there room for another? He experimented by removing the mag and slipping another bullet on top. Then he loaded the gun again so there was 8 + 1 in the chamber. Charlie felt proud of himself for thinking of that. Little did he know this was standard practice.
He finished filling the other two magazines and stored them into his thigh holster. It would give him a total of 23 rounds in the mags plus one in the chamber. The rest of the ammo he tucked into the pouch. At least he'd be able to play several matches without having to fetch more. He clipped Elva into the thigh holster then pushed from the restroom. There was slightly under two hundred credits left in his account, but he was fully outfitted. While he'd been shopping the morning clouds had burned off. Warm sunlight filled the heavens, and the summer rain had mostly evaporated. Charlie joined the crowd heading toward the city center.
Outside the competition entrance several sound stages were set up. On one side women in thong bikinis were posing with machine guns. A girl with a short rainbow bob slid a box into an M60. She charged the heavy weapon and hefted it to her shoulder. At the end of the stage a target and backstop had been set up. The girl squeezed the trigger and sent a burst of fifty rounds into the silhouette. The gun’s bucking made her enormous breasts dance in the tight swimwear, so most of the ogling men failed to notice the rounds hitting the target's center mass. Another woman walked around the stage perimeter with a banner reading, "Girls Inc, Recruiting." Charlie spent a few minutes admiring the hardware on display, both metal and flesh.
A live band was playing new age music, which meant it was loud and disjointed. Charlie preferred his music when it wasn’t just synthetic noise, so he quickly followed the crowd between the stages. Surrounding the desk were hundreds of wooden ammo containers, and a ‘Free Ammo for Memorial Day,’ sign hung above it.
“Shit,” Charlie thought wishing he'd known about the free ammo beforehand, and saved himself ten credits.
A golden eyed giant was manning the counter, and a line of people wrapped around the help desk and into the lounge. Charlie moved past the free ammo into the competition lobby. Maybe later he would return to collect some. For now he wanted to run a few casual matches. He located an unused console and activated it by pressing his palm to the face. The menu options appeared and he navigated the listing until Charlie found Custom Casual Matches. There he selected a pistol deathmatch and a warning prompt came up. "Casual games may include players of different division ranks," it warned in yellow text.
"That was fine," he thought and hit accept. He didn’t want to play another competitive match and have his stats get any worse. The casual games wouldn't count against him. Besides, the higher skilled players would still be limited to a handgun.
"Please enter lobby 245," it said. He closed the screen and made for the elevators. Several people got into one with him. Most simply swiped their hand over the control screen, which was enough to get the tube moving.
"Lobby 199," a robotic voice announced. A bearded man carrying a sniper rifle walked into the small lounge. The doors closed and continued down.
"Lobby 210," it said, and another man strode out of the elevator before it descended.
"Lobby 245."
The doors slid open, and Charlie followed a woman wearing skin-tight black leather into the private lounge. She had snow white hair and was smoking a cigarette. Several high ranking players were impatiently waiting in the small room, and Charlie gulped feeling like he'd just jumped into a shark tank. There was enough tactical clothing worn by the assembled group to outfit an entire navy seal team. He tried to play it cool by casually lounging in a nearby couch. The woman continued to smoke while they waited. Finally, after almost ten minutes the elevator door opened and the last person walked into the lounge. The world went dark as the final player joined them.
[Match Starting]
Charlie found himself sitting on a transit bus. He had a perfect view of the street below as the metro hung precariously over the edge of the freeway. It was sunny outside, but still early morning, which meant he was on the west coast somewhere. A gust of sea wind blew past making the bus rock. The vehicle swayed slowly, edging towards the precipice. He was sitting halfway down the aisle, so any wrong move might send the bus and himself to the highway below.
Charlie lifted himself partially out of the seat. As he did the bus tipped forward rocking on the lip of the overpass. He swung his foot out and grabbed a nearby metal rail. Metal shrieked as the bottom carriage slid across the guard rail and the bus tilted upward. He made his way up the incline towards the emergency exit. Every time the wind picked up the metro inched a little further, and any second it would tip over the rail. Wit
h effort Charlie reached the rear by climbing up the seats. Hanging from the handrail, Charlie grasped the door handle and yanked down. As he pushed open the exit the bus went over the edge. He cleared the torn guard rail and rolled to a skin scraping stop. The transit bus slammed face first into the highway below, crumpling like a broken accordion.
As he was looking at the wreckage below a figure appeared from under the bridge. A male was hunched low to the ground and was scanning the bus wreckage. Charlie dropped to a knee next to the ruined guard rail. Unholstering Elva, he remembered to remove the safety, then he stood aiming down the sights at the man. The target was still peeking through a shattered window into the bus. The gun fired and the bullet struck the man in the neck and traveled down into his chest cavity. Blood squirted over the pavement as he crumpled.
"You should check your surroundings more carefully," a female said huskily from behind him. He spun with the gun to see the white haired woman. A bullet slammed into his chest followed by a second and third. The sky filled his vision as he went over the edge to the street below, and he hit the ground just as the darkness closed in.