Leveled Up Love

Chapter 3-2

The building stretched above him, tall, sleek, and blinding in the afternoon sun. Solar energy panels covered every bit of the surface that wasn’t a window, and small wind turbines sat on the roof. Supposedly there was even a rooftop garden up there. Wind gusted past, nearly knocking Zack over, and he gritted his teeth. No wonder they had decided to put a green building here. The sun and wind were strong enough to power a tier-two server center, so providing light to the apartment should be a piece of cake.

Zack ducked into a small patch of shade under a nearby tree and dismissed the idle thought. Renewable energy was the least of his concerns right now. He opened the calling app. It showed three missed calls from his teammates, as well as a number of texts, but DaEvo had blocked his ability to do anything other than see that the calls had come in. He couldn’t even read the messages.

Zack dialed Phil again. The call went to voicemail. “Look, you’ve had your laugh. I’m outside in literal hell trying to find a woman while my team probably thinks I’m dead or ditching them. The tournament starts today! You’re ruining my life, man!”

As Zack hung up, a text message from Phil opened.

A little sunshine never hurt anyone.

A little sunshine never hurt anyone.A little sunshine? That was the understatement of the century. The afternoon sun was blinding and giving him a headache. Zack opened the settings for his OptiGlasses and tinted the lenses to reduce the glare. Normally that would happen automatically, but apparently, that feature required an internet connection or had been blocked by DaEvo as non-essential.

Zack took a deep breath and stomped away from the building. He was officially late for warmups. If he hurried, maybe he could still make it in time to discuss the Armada drones he had encountered before they began the tournament. He just had to play along until he satisfied DaEvo or until the freaking heat killed him. He was already sweating and undoing all the good from his shower.

He scrolled through DaEvo’s menu as he paced the sidewalk, which was annoyingly empty of people and offering no options for a conversation. The app cared about his hygiene and public decency. Maybe there were other ways to get points that didn’t require interacting with another human. Some quick poking around showed that there were other rewards available, but they were all locked out at this time.

He had one quest available. Talk to a woman.

Damn dating sim.

Zack swore and walked, staying in the shade whenever possible to minimize exposure to the heat. There was a park nearby. Maybe he would have better luck there. When he finally reached the park, he winced. Whoever thought a park should be made up of flat ground, sparse trees, an unmanned basketball court, and a jogging track really needed to be forced to stand outside in the Oklahoma sun as punishment. At least the lack of trees let the breeze through, though the hot air did little to cool his sweating body.

On the other hand, sure enough, a woman was jogging along the track. She looked a little older than him but based on what he had seen in the gym, she should still be fairly high level. Zack waited for DaEvo to populate her stats, but instead received a different notification.

Social network scan unable to complete. Please provide a complete facial view to activate facial recognition.

Social network scan unable to complete. Please provide a complete facial view to activate facial recognition.She must have her social network privacy features turned to maximum. Damn luddites and privacy enthusiasts. Zack watched her jog and tried to get his overheated brain to form a plan. Providing a complete facial view was easier said than done. The only way to get a good view of her face was to get on the track and jog in the opposite direction. Jogging was the last thing he wanted to do, but she was the only woman around. Zack had no choice.

“Stupid buggy app.”

Your alpha test bug report has been logged.

Your alpha test bug report has been logged.Your alpha test bug report has been logged.Thank you for your help in making DaEvo a success!

Thank you for your help in making DaEvo a success!Zack swore softly and stepped onto the track. He jogged, his feet pounding against the pavement. The wind grew stronger and rushed through his still-damp hair. Ten steps in, the light sweat he’d worked up became a flood. Zack felt sweat beads popping out of his face as he panted for breath.

Detected increased heart rate and low oxygen level.

Detected increased heart rate and low oxygen level.Fitness quests not yet available.

Fitness quests not yet available.Scanning status.

Scanning status.Attempted exercise…

Attempted exercise…Please reduce physical exertion levels to achieve optimal results.

Please reduce physical exertion levels to achieve optimal results.Complete current quest before attempting others.

Complete current quest before attempting others.Current Quest!

Current Quest!Current Quest!Hold a conversation with a woman face-to-face!

Hold a conversation with a woman face-to-face!Restrictions: In-person. Non-VR generated. Unpaid interaction.

Restrictions: In-person. Non-VR generated. Unpaid interaction.Difficulty: Variable

Difficulty: VariableReward: Access to electronics and internet

Reward: Access to electronics and internetZack swiped away the notifications as fast as they came. He could barely read them anyway since sweat was pouring into his eyes.

Maybe he should walk instead. Walking would give the app a better view of the woman’s face. That was why he was slowing down. He just needed the program to work if he was going to complete this quest and get back to his team.

Zack walked at a brisk pace so he could pass the woman on the track sooner and get this whole nonsense quest over with. He was hyper-aware of every second that passed. How long would his team wait for him before they decided he had bailed?

The track seemed a lot longer once you were actually on it. Heat radiated off the concrete and burned his feet. He might as well exercise in an oven.

Halfway around the track, Zack stopped and leaned against a lamppost to catch his breath. He looked at the woman, who had rounded the corner and was jogging toward him. How did she keep moving so quickly? A light sheen of sweat covered her tanned skin, but she didn’t seem to be putting out much effort. Her long black hair was pulled into a ponytail that swished behind her as she ran, and her dark eyes showed no signs of exhaustion or even heavy exertion.

She noticed Zack and nodded a greeting as she passed him. DaEvo chimed.

Facial view acquired. Beginning facial recognition and importing stats.

Facial view acquired. Beginning facial recognition and importing stats.Target does not meet current difficulty requirements (Hard, over level 75)

Target does not meet current difficulty requirements (Hard, over level 75)Would you like to downgrade difficulty to medium?

Would you like to downgrade difficulty to medium?Zack selected yes, and a stream of data filled his vision as DaEvo calculated the woman’s level. In short order, Zack had a glimpse of her life as she had shown it to the world. Admittedly, that wasn’t much. Her social media profiles showed her job as a pediatrician, links to her blog, and a blog in which she posted about her latest meal recipe for a chicken salad. DaEvo seemed to be pulling more information, maybe bypassing her privacy settings, but most of it flashed by too quickly for Zack to read. A moment later, the data consolidated.

Cassie Jones (Social Level 65)

Cassie Jones (Social Level 65)Cassie Jones (Social Level 65)Physique: 81

Physique: 81Style: 59

Style: 59Reputation: 34

Reputation: 34Occupation: 87

Occupation: 87Zack glanced through the stats. She wasn’t anywhere near Kayla’s level, but maybe it would work better to start off easier. He just had to talk to her. Bonus points for the sexy growl, laughter, and physical contact.

By the time Zack had read the stats, Cassie was nearly around the track again. Honestly, how did she move so quickly? He pushed away from the lamppost and continued walking along the track.

Target acquired. Moving in for the kill. This was easy, just a milk run like the first missions in Star Fury, where you had to do a delivery quest to prove you had what it took to be a Corsair.

Talk to Cassie for one minute and get his life back. Simple.

Zack cleared his throat and wondered if he should have brushed his teeth. Just in case this went well and he moved in for the physical contact bonus. Maybe he should have picked up after himself in his apartment too.

He shook his head. He couldn’t let this stupid app distract him. He just needed to complete the quest and get back to his real mission: playing Star Fury. Every second he spent out here was a second away from preparing for the tournament. The first round would be easy. A simple outpost destruction timed event to w**d out noobs before the real fun began. But if he didn’t compete, the team would be down one ship with the corresponding lower damage per second.

How was Cassie still jogging? She was coming in fast. He would only get one shot at this.

Zack leaned against another lamppost. Partly for support and partly because he had once read that leaning against things made you look like a bad boy. It definitely had nothing to do with the fact that walking halfway around the track had left him winded and shaking.

Definitely not.

“Hey, babe.”

It came out as more of a gasp than a growl. Cassie looked at him, as if unsure that he was speaking to her. Zack nodded to show that he was.

“Um, hi?”

The heart-shaped timer flashed and counted down. Zack watched the seconds tick by. Only sixty of them. He just needed to keep Cassie talking for sixty seconds.

“Do you need help?” Cassie said. “I’m a doctor. I can check your vitals if you think you’re having a heart attack.”

As if a pediatrician could do anything for a heart attack. Zack smiled. Cassie was already making excuses to move closer. He definitely should have brushed his teeth.

“No, I’m fine,” Zack wheezed. “How you doing?”

He punctuated this with a nod and single eyebrow raise. Classic move. It had worked like a charm in college.

Cassie’s eyebrows knit together in confusion. “I’m sorry, do I know you?”

“I’m Zack.” Zack extended a very sweaty hand.

Cassie eyed it but didn’t take it. So much for physical contact. “If you don’t need help, I need to go. I’ll be late for work.”

She turned to jog away. No! She couldn’t leave yet! They had only been talking for thirty seconds, and he hadn’t earned bonus points for the sexy growl, laugh, or physical contact.

“Do you want to hear a joke?”

It was far from his best line, but Cassie turned back around. “What?”

“A joke! I heard a good one the other day.”

Only twenty seconds left. He could do this.

Cassie rolled her eyes but gestured for him to continue. Zack opened his mouth to tell the joke, but his mind had gone completely blank. A joke. What was a good joke?

“Um, knock, knock?”

“I don’t have time for this.”

She turned to jog away. Zack gritted his teeth. Fifteen seconds remaining. He was so close!

“Cassie, wait!”

She turned around, her posture defensive. “How do you know my name?”

Zack’s mind raced for an explanation. “It showed up through my social app. You know how these wearables like to share information.” He tapped his OptiGlasses.

Cassie’s eyes narrowed. “I’m not wearing any tech.”

“And we went to school together! You really don’t remember?”

Zack expected this to make her relax, but her scowl only deepened. “What was the name of the school?”

“Oh. It was—you know what, I must be thinking of someone else.”

“Because I seriously doubt you went to the Chickasaw Nation School for Girls.”

“Um, nope. Definitely thinking of someone else.”

Zack hoped that would be the end of it, but Cassie stayed put.

“So how do you know my name? Are you stalking me?”

“What? No. Definitely not. I—um, I saw you last time I was at the hospital. I—”

“Leave me alone, you creep. If I see you again, I’m calling the cops.”

Cassie sprinted away. She really did have some kind of superhuman strength, sprinting after all that jogging. Zack was still huffing from his brisk walk. DaEvo definitely should have given her stronger physique stats.

DaEvo’s cheerful theme music sounded through the conduction headphones, and a notification flashed across his screen.

Quest Complete! You spoke with a woman for 1:15!

Quest Complete! You spoke with a woman for 1:15!Quest Complete! You spoke with a woman for 1:15!Rewards: Electronics and internet privileges!

Rewards: Electronics and internet privileges!Rewards: Electronics and internet privileges!Bonus: None

Bonus: NoneScore! Zack pumped a fist in the air and opened his settings menu. Most of the pink hearts blocking out the apps had disappeared. Hopefully that meant the ban on his gaming system had been lifted as well. The app said it had restored his electronics privileges. Surely that included Star Fury.

It was over. He had won.

Reputation update: -0.5

Reputation update: -0.5Reputation update: -0.5What? How had he lost reputation points even though he completed the quest? His conversation with Cassie hadn’t gone that badly!

Whatever. He didn’t care about this stupid app and its stupid stats. His team was waiting. If he hurried, he would make it back just in time for the start of the qualifier round. He sent a quick text saying he was on his way and sprinted toward his building as fast as he could, ignoring the app’s warnings that he should slow down and rest. Sweat poured down his body, and the increased pace left him wheezing. DaEvo played somber music and flashed another stat.

Physique update: -0.1

Physique update: -0.1Physique update: -0.1