Virtual Reality: Dark Days

Escalation

There were a very small number of game stores in Algiers since mobile gaming was more popular in the city. Unlike other parts of the world where Virtual Reality had taken control of the gaming community, countries within Africa had grown attached to playing games on their phones. Finding a console, let alone one from the Virtual Reality company, was a taxing venture to take on. Adding on the fact that a Real Life Engine needed to be included left Alex and Raafi with little to no options left. Both of them had little to no idea of where to find one and no matter how much research they did, every store they entered turned out to be a let down. All hope was starting to seem lost for the pair as their journey led them to one last game store. From the looks of their research, this store held the highest number of current generation consoles. While the prices were a bit higher than they should be, almost every gamer in the city came here for their personal needs. Raafi and Alex made this their last destination if they found another store that held the console for a cheaper price. One last store. This was it. No one else in the city possessed the technology they needed.

Alex found himself surprised by how awesome the place looked once he stepped inside. The research he did on the place was not an exaggeration. Every game for every known console was placed on high and low shelves. Posters for popular games from each and every generation hung on the walls. Demos for games that were soon to hit the shelves were playable for everyone. Character figurines had their own separate shelves for sale. Gaming controllers of many different colors and designs. Gaming headphones for an experience of reality away from the real world. Chairs that support players for any length of time. Then there were the consoles. From the first to the latest one. That's what really caught Alex's attention. He rushed over, hoping to find the Virtual Reality console. To his disappointment, they were all sold out.

Raafi went to see if Alex had found any, but saw the disappointment on his face. There were none here for them today. This was their last place. Raafi knew what would happen if he didn't get Alex into the game fast. As down as they seemed in their luck, Raafi wasn't ready to give in yet. He knew that there were some people in the city that owned the game and console. He even thought of whether the store clerk had one of his own. Raafi turned his attention to the store clerk and desperately made his way over to the desk.

"Excuse me," Raafi said to the clerk. "I was hoping to purchase one of your Virtual Reality headsets and console."

"Sorry," The clerk said. "We've been sold out for a month now. A new shipment should be here in like four days."

"Four days?" Alex walked over to the clerk. "Is there any place you know that has one on hand now?"

"No." The clerk said. "This is the best and only place you'll find one. I'm sorry."

"Please!" Raafi begged. "My family is in danger. They were taken by men."

"Stop." Alex tried stopping Raafi from revealing too much. He was starting to sense how much Raafi was willing to give up for what he wanted.

"They want him." Raafi pointed to Alex. "You see? If I don't get my hands on that console, my daughters are as good as dead!"

"Okay." The clerk now understood what was going on. He had recognized Alex's face. The whole gaming community had learned about the events in New York. It was the biggest story to break out at that time. That was one thing Alex feared coming into this shop. He was right to fear this. The store clerk could easily make money off of Alex and turn him over to the authorities. The clerk did think of it at one point but he didn't trust where it would get him. Something didn't feel right about it all. "I have one. The VR game and console. It's at my place. I can't lend you the game, but I can let you play. Just wait until my shift is over. I close at 8."

"Thank you!" Raafi nearly cried. "Thank you so much!"

"What about the engine?" Alex asked. "Do you have one?"

"What engine?" Raafi asked.

"The Real Life Engine." The clerk revealed. "Yeah, I got one."

"Then 8 o'clock it is." Alex agreed on this as they finalized the deal.

Alex and Raafi exited the game shop for the time being. They had three hours until the store closed, giving them the time to sit in Raafi's car for now. Alex had become very displeased with the way Raafi took things. He knew times were hard for the both of them, but he never suspected the elder man to act like that. He believed that everyone and anyone would want to turn him in when they got the chance. The fact that Raafi was willing to give up precious information could have jeopardized everything Alex had done to escape his past. A past that was still haunting him at this very moment. Raafi was in a delicate place right now, that much Alex could tell. He wanted to do everything possible to get his family back. Raafi was not going to be taking cautious steps with this. Every chance he saw at getting his family back, he would take it. He would even turn Alex in just to save his family. Nothing else mattered but them. This was something Alex knew and very well feared. Desperation often leads to dangerous situations and Alex hoped this wasn't one of them.

"You know," Alex spoke. "That was pretty ballsy of you."

"What do you mean?" Raafi asked.

"Giving me up like that," Alex said. "He could have easily turned me in."

"Sounds like you're worried," Raafi said.

"For my safety?" Alex asked. "Of course. You should have stopped to think before telling him all that."

"My people are not snitches," Raafi said. "Maybe you Americans would give each other over for money, but my people will not. No matter how close to the wall our backs are up against, we will not turn you in."

"You're sure about that?" Alex asked.

"Yes," Raafi said confidently. The two got in the car and quietly waited for the three hours to pass. The time was unbearably long. Neither one of them said a word to each other. They hadn't really grown a relationship to allow for a conversation to fill the time. All they could do was just look out the window and think about what would happen after 8 o'clock.

The clock reached the time of 8 o'clock. The store clerk had to close for the night. In the lot, Raafi and Alex remained in the car waiting for him as he assumed they would. Their conviction to get to the console worried him. He wasn't sure where this would all take him, but he believed in Raafi. To the store clerk, Raafi was the only trustworthy part of this deal. The feelings he got from Alex were nefarious and dark. He wasn't sure what would become of him after all of this was said and done, but he took a chance on them both.

The store clerk made his way over to their car and told them to follow him back to his apartment. While Raafi seemed to trust this plan, Alex was very skeptical. He found himself not trusting where the clerk would lead them. Although everything seemed fine for now, there was still the possibility the clerk would use the information he had at his will. What Alex didn't know was where the clerk was actually taking them. The location was a part of the city that he hadn't ventured to since it was so heavily populated. This all seemed to be one big trap to lure Alex into a place where he'd be captured. Alex kept his mouth shut. Causing stress for an already stressed out individual such as Raafi was questionable for Alex. As much as he wanted to, he wasn't sure how much he trusted Raafi's emotions. Alerting him of such an accusation could likely end with the man doing something rash. They continued to follow the clerk off into the city.

Nothing suspicious caught Alex's eye during the ride. He started to believe that the clerk was actually trying to help them. They arrived at a large white building. The clerk parked his car on the side of the road with enough space for Raafi to do the same right behind him.

The clerk's apartment was filled with so much fictional decoration that Alex almost gushed about it. A large book shelf with some of the most famous stories ever written. Below the mounted flat screen television was a smaller shelf that supported the Virtual Reality console. Alex approached the console and couldn't believe that it was actually there. He was wrong to distrust the store clerk and wanted to apologize for it. At the moment, there was no time for anything other than getting into the game. But still, it was almost too good to be true. He was finally standing before the very console he helped to create. Something he never thought he'd ever see again.

"That's it." The clerk said. "That's the crown jewel right there."

"I know," Alex said with a smile. "I haven't seen one in a while."

"Let's get started." Raafi said to the two gentlemen in front of him. He had no interest in the beauty of the console. In his eyes, it was merely a tool to help him get what he wanted. The clerk understood Raafi's persistence and began to set things up. He sat Alex on the couch in front of the console and began placing the headset on his head. The headset had a Bluetooth connection to the console, as long as they were both on at the same time, they were in sync with one another. As Raafi watched everything being put forth in motion, he feared what Alex would have to go through. He remembered how easy it was for the two assassins to trick them. If they were able to do all of this in such a short amount of time, Raafi wondered what they'd be able to do to Alex alone. The thought of never seeing his family again got to him. He wanted to make sure this was their only chance. Raafi wanted to know if there was still a way around the violence Alex would have to go through. He took out his cell phone and made a last-ditch effort to end this madness. He called Jack.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Jack answered the phone.

"I just want to talk." Raafi said. "Give me two minutes."

"Make it fast." Jack said.

"My family means the world to me," Raafi said. "I know you were sent to kill the kid. But please, let them go. You don't have to do this. There is another way that doesn't involve them. Please."

"I'm touched," Jack said. "But sorry mate, the plan has been made. If I wanted to do this another way, you'd all be dead. So, thank my mate when you get the chance that he wanted to do this his way. Don't ever call this number again, do you understand?"

"Yes." Raafi felt hopeless at this point. The very men that held the lives of his family in their hands were far more ruthless than any terrorist he'd dealt with. "Thank you for your time."

Jack ended the call without giving him a bit more of his breath. He had told Raafi everything he needed to know. These two assassins were completely cold-blooded. Alex and the clerk had heard a bit of the interaction. Raafi couldn't hide the pain he was feeling at the moment and Alex could see it all. He felt Raafi's pain and wanted to make sure the people that caused it would be dealt with. He couldn't let them win this time. This had to end with the Mallarme's on top.

"I'm ready." Alex said to the clerk. The console was turned on by the clerk and Alex pressed the power button on the headset to start the syncing. In seconds, Alex's mind was transported into the virtual world of the game.

Alex's avatar had similar features to his own. He had to create a brand new character since his previous one was erased from the system by the company. It felt weird being back in the game again. He could see how different things had become since his last entry. Being able to feel and smell everything around him in this world felt great. A smile even cracked on his face while he felt his avatar's skin. He even took things a step further by walking. Rain covered the city that night. Alex had almost forgotten the feeling of it. The drops of water that landed on him were cold and wet. Alex closed his eyes and stood in one place. He wanted to take in this moment of realism. When he opened his eyes, he found himself nearly being blinded by the headlights of a flying car passing in front of him. He watched it take off above him like a rocket and then glanced at the city around him. The neon billboards of avatars that became famous in this world were advertised on the buildings in front of them. Some of them had created things that were made for the game to give them the financial success they craved, while others inspired people to date within the game. Players could do anything they wanted more than ever.

Alex had to reign himself back onto his mission. He pulled up the map of the game world. This map gave him access to every avatar's known location. Some players were allowed to keep their location private, but the assassin kept his open for the public to see. He remembered the image that Jack had sent to them and found Ban's avatar profile picture icon about 2 miles from where he stood. Unfortunately, this was a brand new starting point for Alex. During the time he worked for Virtual Reality, Alex had played the game for hours on end. He could make money in the game and use it on whatever he wanted. Now, he couldn't summon any vehicle or weapon. He simply would have to walk through the cold-weathered rain to get there. The thought of stealing some other players had come to mind, but he then remembered how equipped players in the game were. Getting into an altercation with any one of them would likely end with his demise in both worlds. Luckily, his avatar came with clothing that acclimated to the current weather. He buttoned his jacket up and began his journey to Ban.

Ban kept himself in a narrow apartment building that was about 20 floors high. He pulled up the map again to get a good look at what floor Ban kept himself hidden on. On the second floor, Alex would come face to face with the assassin. The only thing stopping him from any form of victory was that he had nothing to defend himself with. There was also no telling what was waiting for him on the floor. It was possible that Ban laid a trap for him. The assassin proved to be very smart the last time the two interacted with each other. Alex had to be prepared mentally and physically for what he was now doing. Along the way, he grabbed a sharp piece of wood on the floor. The piece of wood would likely help him during a close encounter. Unfortunately, his opponent was not a close combat type.

Alex stepped into an elevator at the end of the hall and made his way to the second floor. Alex made sure to keep the wooden weapon concealed while the elevator moved him upward. Every possibility of how to attack came to mind. Each of them were simple maneuvers to end this little game the assassins created for him.

The elevator doors opened for Alex. Ahead of him was an empty room with very poor lighting. The only light source in the room hung over Ban, standing in front of Sanvi and Jabirah. Both of them tied up with rope and tape covering their mouths. Alex found himself intimidated by the situation. He had never seen Ban before this very moment and understood what sort of an assassin he was just by looking at him. Unlike Tobias, Ban was not a physically fit man. Defeating him in close combat would be easy for Alex. Ban knew this as well and kept himself at the far side of the room. This was the same tactic he used on Alex during his attack on them from the hilltop.

"Welcome." Ban said to Alex. "I'm so glad you could make it."

No words were exchanged between the two as Alex immediately threw the sharp wooden weapon at Ban. The assassin grabbed the wound he received from the piece of wood and fell to the floor. Alex had made a direct hit and found himself feeling proud of what he'd done. He believed he had gotten the upper hand on the assassin. With this victory, he ran over to Sanvi and Jabirah. Alex freed them from their bondage and checked to make sure that none of them had been hurt too badly. Both of them were okay.

"Are you two okay?" Alex asked.

"We're alright." Sanvi said. "What about my dad? Is he hurt?"

"No," Alex said. "We weren't targeted. It was all a lure to drag us out and kidnap you two."

"Thank goodness." Sanvi sighed with relief. She had been under the impression that the assassin had killed her father before attacking them. "Where are we?"

"You're the game world," Alex revealed. "He brought you here in hopes of killing me."

"I can't believe you actually killed him." Jabirah said. "He seemed so skilled, I thought you were dead meat!"

"Thanks." Alex said in a confused manner. The way Jabirah had said the statement caused the young fugitive to question whether it was a compliment or an insult.

"s**t!" Sanvi cursed as she watched Ban rise to his feet and rush at Alex. Alex hadn't expected this move. Ban had known about Alex trying to make a quick attempt on his life. He left himself open for this sort of attack just to catch Alex off guard. With a gun leveled at his head, Alex quickly grabbed Ban's arm and moved it away just before he could be shot. He tossed Ban at a nearby wall. Alex quickly picked Ban up once more and tossed him head first at a glass window. Alex continued his assault on Ban by grabbing his shoulder. The assassin managed to take Alex's hand and twist it in an unbelievably uncomfortable position. Alex shouted as the assassin brought the young fugitive to his knee. Ban smiled. He was ready to deliver a blow to the head when Alex made a quick move. He wrapped his arm around the assassin's leg and sent him to his back. Alex pinned him down and tried sending his fist at Ban's head. Ban dodged the attack and darted his fingers at Alex's throat. Ban got to his feet and rammed Alex's body into the wall. The young fugitive only worried about getting oxygen at this point. He tried defending himself from Ban, but with the attack on his throat, he could do very little. Ban proceeded his attacks on Alex by choking him. No attack made by Alex was strong enough to move the assassin. But there was still some strength left in him. Alex gathered that strength into one fist and punched Ban in the eye.

The assassin backed away as he could barely keep his eye open. He watched Alex make his way over to him and grabbed the knife he kept concealed near his leg. He swung the knife, attempting to stab Alex multiple times, with no success. Eventually, Alex was able to grab Ban's arm and redirect the blade in the opposite direction. The blade impaled Ban's throat, catching the assassin off guard. He slowly fell to the floor. He applied as much pressure to the wound as he could, but he had already lost too much blood. He laid on the floor, watching Alex step away from him as the victor.

Due to the stress of the battle, Alex collapsed to the floor. He had survived the first phase of the assassin's game. Now he'd have to experience the plan Jack had waiting for him in the real world. He looked at Sanvi and Jabirah with the best smile he could muster right now. There would be no celebrating yet.

Behind, Ban slowly began to stand up. There was still life within him and he wasn't going to let Alex get the best of him. He grabbed his knife and charged at Alex. Once again, Alex hadn't anticipated this move. With the assassin inches away from him, Sanvi took this chance of freedom and rushed to aid Alex.

Before Ban could even complete the kill on Alex, he had been shot multiple times by Sanvi with his own gun. The assassin died right there. His lifeless body fell backwards behind Alex. Alex turned to Sanvi, who stood proudly before her first kill, and went to see if she was alright. He could tell that she was in a state of shock and couldn't move. He took the gun from her hands and tried to bring her back to a normal state of mind. Sanvi was only focused on Ban. She wanted to make sure he didn't get back up and hurt her or anyone else.

Nothing Alex did helped to calm Sanvi down. It took the sound of her daughter's voice to get her back. Sanvi looked into Jabirah's eyes and hugged her tightly. Jabirah had nearly passed out from her mother's strong hug. Even though she wanted to be free from her currently, she knew her mother needed her now more than ever.

"It's okay," Jabirah said. "We're safe now."

Alex didn't have the stomach to tell them that they still weren't safe yet. He managed to defeat one assassin, but there was still one more in the real world waiting for him. An assassin that he knew nothing of. He had to make preparations for that battle. Alex feared that Jack may have been the more dangerous one out of the pair. He turned to leave the game world when Sanvi stopped him.

"Thank you." Sanvi said with tears building up in her eyes. "Even though you caused this, thank you for not leaving us."

"Of course not," Alex said with a smile. "I would never."

The young fugitive exited the game world without saving the data. He planned to never return to this world ever again. His venture back into this world was once again covered in blood. His past had once again found a way to come back. It seemed as though he'd never be able to forget the things he'd done. All of those that came into his life would suffer.