CHAPTER ELEVEN
MONDAY, AUGUST 16, 2027 8:08am
(03:07:19:38)
The soft breeze that accompanied Jackson into town became heavy, stale air that held the stench of death. The alley was the epicenter of decay, the dumping ground for this unseen, murderous presence. But the odor followed him even as he moved further and further from that scene.
His current session had run all night, hours since he last ate. For all the reality The World Within provided, it didn’t include nourishment. He owned an expensive rig that included hydration, but he only pushed saline and kept that feed at a minimum. Water in kept you playing longer. Water out always ended campaigns too soon. Fatigue created bigger challenges, and it crept up on him even as the game worked to fool his brain.
Pinkish blue light came o
