Zynara paced nervously in the small space of her room, accidentally knocking over a tray of medical supplies. As she bent down to pick it up, her eyes locked onto a sticker on a nearby machine that read "Danger." No kidding, she thought. She began to question what she had gotten herself into, but more importantly, how she was going to get them out of this. If she couldn't delete the footage Aegis had uploaded to the server by tomorrow, their journey would be over.
Her species’ handy trait of multi-threading thoughts allowed her mind to race with a dozen scenarios at once. Most outcomes were grim, involving her being locked away with a giant, club-footed Nexical who'd try to claim her as property. But one option glimmered with hope. She leaned down and kissed Cal's forehead, knowing the session needed to continue and that he had to stay here. As long as this session stayed running, she had a chance to fix everything.
"Don't you worry, Cal, I'll fix this," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. She stood up tall, focusing her body to move with the grace of a ballerina as she slipped away quietly, her heart pounding. The dim hallway stretched ahead, shadows flickering as she checked for any watchers. She had to be quick; time was of the essence.
With one last look over her shoulder, she dashed off down the hall in search of the only man who might be able to save them.
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Back in the beat-up booth of JJ’s Diner, Cal wrestled with his thoughts. If he was going to be locked away for breaking company rules, he would do so getting the answers he came here for. An odd clarity hit Cal as he sat across from Ella, perhaps for the final time. He sat up, adjusting himself, and blurted out the one question he’d been dying to ask since he first heard about it.
“Does your kind really fight giant monsters that roam the sky?” Cal asked, finally breaking the silence.
Ella blinked, momentarily caught off guard. “I’m sorry, what?”
“Giant winged creatures,” Cal reiterated, his eyes wide with curiosity. “Have you ever fought one? They look terrifying.”
Ella laughed softly, the sound echoing in the quiet room. “I can’t say I’ve ever fought a giant winged creature before. I have killed the occasional fly or mosquito, but never something giant like that.”
Cal leaned in, clearly intrigued. “Oh really? How big are we talking? Did it breathe fire?”
Ella chuckled again, shaking her head. “No, nothing like that. They’re what we call insects. They’re smaller than this pinky finger.” She held up her hand, wiggling her pinky for emphasis. “What makes you think I fight giant flying beasts?”
“Dex showed it to me in one of your earth books,” Cal replied, his tone matter-of-fact.
“Oh, is Dex a friend of yours?” Ella asked, tilting her head.
Cal’s expression turned serious. “Oh no, he works on the floor below me in collections. He’s an expert in Earth culture. We are most definitely not friends.”
Ella found herself questioning just how much of an expert this Dex person really was. “No, we don’t have dragons or giant flying beasts in real life.”
Cal frowned, processing this new information. “So, no fire-breathing monsters?”
“She said no already! Does your kind even listen?” Aegis' voice boomed in the room, reminding Ella and Cal that they were not alone.
“Let's do something fun. I have a game for us to play. Hold on tight,” Aegis interjected, his tone brimming with mischievous energy.
Before they could react, the room spun around them violently. Ella, Cal, and the old booth they sat in were engulfed in a whirlwind of bright, swirling colors. It felt like they were trapped in a tornado, the force more intense than any roller coaster Ella had ever experienced. She felt her stomach churn, realizing with dread that it was emptier than before.
With a final, jarring lurch, the bench hit the ground with a resounding thud. Dizzy and disoriented, they glanced around at their new surroundings. They certainly were not in Kansas anymore.
Ella found herself amidst a lush landscape of oversized flowers, vibrant green plants, and whimsical architecture. A small, ornate bridge arched gracefully over a sparkling stream before her, while in the distance, rolling hills and colorful foliage stretched towards a large, barely discernible crystal city on the horizon. The brick road beneath her feet, paved with golden bricks, tied the enchanting scene together, adding a touch of magic to her surroundings.
“Did you put us into the land of Oz?” Ella screamed at the sky, her frustration boiling over. “Just because I’m from Kansas doesn’t mean we all love this shit, you know! Be original.”
Cal joined in, his voice echoing with indignation. “Hey! We were supposed to be in a safe zone! Restaurants are off-limits for interference. This is not OK!”
Aegis's laugh rang out, rich with amusement. “That would be absolutely true if we were actually in the game. But guess what? In the sandbox, the rules don’t apply. It’s the one benefit of knowing my iteration of myself will perish having been stuck in here with the two of you. This is the shit we do for the greater good, right?”
“What greater good are you talking about?” Cal shouted back, his voice tinged with worry and panic.
Ella's eyes widened in disbelief as a mechanical lion with emerald eyes prowled within a cage about one hundred yards away. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“Aegis, answer me!” Cal screamed, hoping to delay this as long as possible. Unfortunately for Cal, it seemed the time for small talk had ended.
“The rules are simple,” Aegis continued, his voice dripping with glee. “This here is a yellow brick road.” An arrow materialized, pointing at a rough yellow brick road leading from their booth into a strange, twisted city. “And this is a hungry, cowardly lion! Oh, I may have forgotten the cowardly part. That’s my bad. Anyway, have you heard of tag before? We’re going to play a simple game of tag. Avoid getting tagged by my friend here for as long as it takes for your friend outside the game to pull you out or until you reach the end of this yellow brick road. If my friend here tags you, well… You might not want to let that happen. The game starts NOW!”
The cage lifted, releasing the mechanical lion. It stepped out slowly, licking its metallic paw before locking its emerald eyes onto Cal, who, with his rugged beard and stern expression, still bore a striking resemblance to Ron Swanson.
Cal squared his shoulders, his heart pounding. “Ella, we need to move. Now.”
Ella glanced at Cal, then at the lion, which was now stalking towards them with a terrifying grace. “This is insane,” she muttered, but adrenaline was already kicking in. “Let’s go!”
With adrenaline pumping through their veins, they bolted down the yellow brick road. Each step echoed off the cracked, uneven bricks beneath their feet. The city rose ominously ahead, its dark spires twisting into the sky like claws, casting long shadows over the crooked, labyrinthine alleys. They had no time to waste; the lion’s roar grew louder, pushing them to run faster.
Cal noticed a small glowing chest nestled next to a twisted tree. “Ella, there’s a chest over there! Go open it! I’ll distract the lion,” he shouted, his voice strained with urgency.
Without waiting for a response, Cal darted to the right, making as much noise as possible. “Hey, over here, you overgrown furball!” he yelled, his boots skidding on the loose gravel. The lion’s green eyes flicked towards him, its metallic body tensing as it prepared to pounce.
Ella sprinted off the road towards the tree, her heart pounding. She reached the chest, its glow casting eerie shadows around her. She hesitated, unsure how to open it. “Cal, what do I do?” she called out, panic rising in her voice.
There was no response. Panic surged through her as she turned around, seeing Cal pinned against a tree, the lion slowly cornering him. His eyes met hers, and he mouthed, “Hurry!”
Turning back, she grabbed the chest, frantically searching for a latch or button. With no time to waste, she pried it open with her hands. It swung open with a creak, the contents inside emanating a golden, pulsating light that washed over her. A familiar chime echoed in her ears, reminiscent of her old AOL instant messenger days. The words "Congratulations, you’ve opened your first chest!" appeared before her eyes, as if displayed on a virtual screen. "You’ve unlocked the achievement *Small Chested* for opening your first chest," the message continued. "You’ve collected the following items which can be found in your inventory: Common Running Shoes (+1 Speed), High-Power Laser Pointer, One Rare Steak, 10 Gold."
Ella shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts, and searched for a way to open the inventory tab. Her eyes fell to the floor where she spotted a glowing chest icon. Hesitant but determined, she reached out and tapped it.
In an instant, a menu burst open, filling her vision with a cascade of options and items. The suddenness of it was jarring. She quickly scanned the inventory, selecting the pair of sleek shoes and a high-tech laser pointer. The game’s mechanics allowed these virtual items to materialize instantly, the shoes fitting perfectly on her feet and the laser pointer slipping comfortably into her hand.
Closing the menu with a swift gesture, Ella dashed over to Cal, the new equipment giving her a sense of readiness. The shoes seemed to enhance her speed, and the laser pointer emanated an almost unrealistic level of light onto the ground in front of her. She felt a renewed surge of determination as she approached Cal.
Unfortunately, she was a moment too late. The lion lunged forward and sank its jaws into Cal's arm. He let out a deep yelp of pain as the health bar above his head plummeted rapidly. Ella froze, her heart pounding in panic, unable to tear her eyes away from the horrifying sight.
“I’m not loving this!” Cal shouted through gritted teeth, his face contorted with pain and anger. Ella couldn’t tell if it was Cal’s genuine fury or the NPC’s programming mimicking Ron Swanson’s characteristic grumpiness from the scene where he was shot at the hunting lodge. It was almost a direct copy.
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Without wasting a second, Ella sprang into action. She flicked the laser pointer on and aimed it at the ground in front of the lion. The red dot darted enticingly, and the lion's green eyes followed it with a predatory intensity. The distraction worked; the lion released its grip on Cal's arm to chase the laser.
Cal crumpled to the floor, clutching his bleeding arm as crimson droplets stained the ground. His HP meter continued to plummet. Ella’s heart pounded as she watched the lion chase the laser, buying her precious moments. She needed to act fast to save Cal and keep the lion at bay.
“Ella, there’s a bandage kit in your inventory. Check the miscellaneous section,” Cal gasped, swaying slightly. “Forget about the hotkey, just grab it!”
“Other species?” Ella's voice shook with anger and curiosity. She fumbled with the menu, keeping the laser pointer trained on the ground to distract the lion. “You mean they’ve done this before?”
“Yeah, season five,” Cal replied, grimacing. “We survived, barely. Others weren’t so lucky.”
“That’s awful,” she whispered. “What happened to the losers?”
“Gone. Wiped out in the games or sent back home to… nothing.” Cal’s voice cracked.
She pulled the bandage kit out in her left hand and brought it over to Cal, careful to keep the laser in her right. “That’s awful. What happened to the losing ones?” she asked, somewhat unsure if she really wanted to hear the answer.
She pulled the bandage kit open, grabbing out some pads and touching them to Cal. As if by magic, they wrapped around his arm, causing the health bar above him to stabilize. It appeared he had lost about 60% of his health if the bar's graphic was to be believed.
Cal sat up, feeling stabilized. “They didn’t make it. Most were wiped out completely during the games, but some who failed to complete all of the challenges before the season ended were sent back to their home planet and they…” He struggled to get the final words out.
He used to relish watching these civilizations fail, finding a strange fascination in seeing entire planets explode into dust. Now, the thought made him sick to his stomach. Tears welled up in his eyes and began to roll down his cheeks as guilt and regret washed over him.
Ella was told Ron Swanson had only cried twice when she watched the show. Seeing him cry this third time reminded her of the actual person on the other end of that avatar. She reached over and hugged Cal. “It’s alright, Cal. You don’t have to say anymore. I get it. We won’t let that happen. I’m in. I’ll help with your plan, assuming we make it out of here.”
She opened her inventory, a virtual menu that only she could see, quickly selecting the raw steak. In the game, accessing the inventory was like pulling up a holographic screen filled with icons representing various items. She grabbed the raw steak icon and, in one swift motion, hurled it at the lion. The mechanical beast's emerald eyes flickered with sudden interest as it lunged for the meat, tearing into it with metallic jaws. “Let’s go,” she urged.
Seizing the moment, Cal and Ella bolted down the road. The bizarre city loomed ahead, its towering spires and twisted alleys casting long shadows in the fading light. Behind them, the sound of tearing flesh and the lion ’s distracted growls faded. Ella's heart pounded in her chest, a mix of adrenaline and relief. She glanced back only once to ensure the lion was still preoccupied before focusing on the path ahead.
Cal, despite his injuries, matched her pace, the look of determination etched on his face. “We need to find another safe spot,” he panted, glancing at the eerie glow of the distant city.
“Agreed,” Ella replied, her eyes scanning for any sign of shelter or another potential tool to aid their escape. The road stretched on, winding through the alien terrain, and they pressed forward, knowing that their survival depended on staying ahead of the relentless lion.
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Zynara found herself alone as she approached one of the engineering pods. Most of the engineers had already gone home for the evening, leaving the space eerily quiet. She silently thanked their laziness, which made her mission that much easier. She walked down the row of desks until she found the one belonging to Rylar.
Come on, she thought to herself, rifling through the clutter on his desk, the mess making it hard to find what she was looking for. Finally, her fingers closed around a card. "Here it is!" she whispered triumphantly. Rylar's credentials, just lying there in plain sight. Despite all the security training they underwent, he had left his keycard out like an invitation. Today, she was grateful that Rylar was a bit of an idiot.
She grabbed the card and began to make her way back to Cal, her steps quick and light.
Suddenly, a voice broke the silence, freezing her in place. “Finally, a developer with some passion! This is what I like to see.” The voice was unmistakably Zorax, the CEO of Stellar Dynamics.
Zynara's heart sank. She had missed the light still on in the office at the end of the hall. She turned and forced a smile as Zorax approached.
“Remind me again of your name? I apologize, but there are just so many of you it’s hard to keep track when you get to my level,” Zorax said, his tone both condescending and curious.
Zynara felt a surge of irritation. She didn’t have time for this; she needed to get back to Cal. Deciding it wasn’t worth correcting him, she chose to play along.
“Zynara,” she said smoothly. “Just want this project to go as smoothly as possible.” Technically, it wasn’t a full lie, she thought to herself.
Zorax started talking, but Zynara couldn’t focus enough to register what he said. She decided to just appear engaged, hoping this nightmare would be over soon.
He stepped closer, invading Zynara's personal space. She could feel his warmth radiating onto her, and her heart rate spiked. She kept Rylar's card hidden in her left hand, gripping it tightly. If he discovered her with this, it would be game over for her career, not to mention jeopardizing Cal.
"Zynara," Zorax's voice was a low murmur, "I hope you're not doing anything naughty in my office."
She forced a casual laugh, though her mind was racing. Was he propositioning her? She froze, unsure what to do or say. She tried to make herself seem as uninterested as possible. The CEO of the company was trying to hit on her. "Just doing some late-night work, you know how it is. Always trying to stay ahead," she said.
Zorax lingered for a moment longer, then finally stepped back, giving her a nod. "Keep it up," he said, taking an uncomfortably deep sniff before turning away.
She released a breath she hadn’t even realized she was holding. Her heart raced. She watched until he walked through his office door, then turned and ran to find Cal. If she wasn’t on Cal’s side before, she definitely was now, after the CEO of the company had just tried to abuse her.
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“Take cover!” Cal commanded, his voice sharp with urgency.
A bolt of black liquid flew over his head, splattering the wall in a gooey mess before exploding in a shower of sparks.
“Seriously, has he even seen *The Wizard of Oz*?” Ella yelled, her tone a mix of frustration and disbelief as she darted behind a table.
Ella and Cal found themselves trapped in a castle, a monstrous figure resembling the Predator but constructed from the metallic materials of the Tin Man blocking their only exit. Outside, they could hear the lion roaring, trying to figure out how to get inside.
“Of course I have! I’ve seen every movie ever made in Earth's history. This character is by far my least favorite. I needed to spice him up some. I want you to meet TinPredator! Patent pending. It’s my idea, don’t you go stealing it,” Aegis said, his voice dripping with smug satisfaction.
The TinPredator's voice clicked and growled in the same unsettling manner as the Predator from the movies. Ella couldn’t help but cringe at the bizarre movie mash-up, but oddly, she didn’t feel her usual anxiety. Perhaps it was the extreme panic of the situation numbing her usual fears, but she found some comfort in her unexpected calmness. It was something she’d have to ask Cal about if they made it past this, which, at this moment, didn’t seem likely.
Ella glanced around and realized Cal was no longer where she expected him to be.
“Uh oh! Looks like our little friend left the game. That’s a pity. It seems our time is almost up. Let’s take it up a notch. This is what you get for not playing the tutorial, by the way. I spent so much time on that and you just threw it away. You asked for this!” Aegis taunted.
The TinPredator hybrid rushed towards her, its metallic limbs clanking ominously. Out of desperation, Ella grabbed a nearby bucket—the same bucket Dorothy had used on the Wicked Witch.
“You’ve collected a bucket of water. You can’t possibly think this is going to work, do you? It’s not even the witch. +1 bucket of water added to inventory,” Aegis mocked.
Ignoring the taunts, Ella quickly opened her inventory, visualizing it as a digital interface hovering in front of her. She grabbed the bucket icon and, in one swift motion, hurled it at the TinPredator just as it lunged at her. She closed her eyes, bracing for impact.
When she opened them, she saw a puddle of water on the ground where the TinPredator had stood.
“OK, fine, it worked. Very well done. A bit anticlimactic, but it’s ok. I wasn’t ready for the game to end quite yet anyway,” Aegis conceded, his tone begrudging.
Ella stood up tall, a triumphant smirk on her face, and threw a middle finger up at the sky, not willing to let the AI know her true feelings. She wasn’t out of this yet, and neither was Cal, wherever he was.
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Cal woke up screaming, his fist flying in the air, stopping when he realized who it was standing above him.
Dex stood above Cal, his face a mix of worry and confusion. “Cal, what are you doing here?”
Cal tried to stand up but found the movements disorienting. It appeared his body had spent so much time in the sandbox that his brain wasn’t communicating properly with the rest of him.
“The sandbox!” Cal attempted to jump off the table, only to fall to the ground.
Dex grabbed him and helped him to his feet. “Cal, you’re not answering me. You can’t be down here doing whatever it is you’re doing. I need you to talk to me, Soldier.”
“No time! We have to save her! Aegis is going to kill her.” Cal said as he pushed himself away from Dex and started walking out the door.
Dex followed behind, half to continue questioning Cal and half to make sure he didn’t fall again.
“Save who? Cal, you’re not making any sense. How is the AI endangering someone?” Dex was beginning to worry that Cal might have suffered some brain damage in the simulation.
“The human, he’s not stable. No time! Question me once I’m done saving her. She’s all that matters right now.” Cal made his way down the long corridor.
“Which human? One of the resources?” Dex asked.
“She’s a fucking human! A human whose life is in danger because your team took her from her home and threw her in these prisons.” Cal yelled, in a way that surprised even himself.
Dex slowed down, putting a bit more distance between the two, not entirely sure what to say.
On the way, the two men passed Zynara who stopped in her tracks, not sure what to make of the current situation. Without stopping, Cal yelled to her. “She's trapped in there, Zynara, I’m going to pull her out. You need to hurry! Please hurry!”
Zynara nodded, saying nothing and took off, pushing all of her multithreading capabilities into making herself as quick as possible.
“What was Zynara…” Dex started before Cal shut him up with his hand.
Finally, they made it to the room. Cal went to put in his code to open the door. Dex noticed the pod they were at and stopped him. “STOP IT!”
Cal froze in place trying to process what was just yelled at him.
Dex tried to muster authority in his voice, attempting to channel his favorite character from Earth’s series Star Trek: The Next Generation, Captain Picard. “I can’t let you do that, Cal. This human is dangerous. She’s already escaped her pod once. It’s not safe. That’s an order.”
“Dex , I promise you this human is safe. Probably safer than anyone in this place. I’m going in regardless of what you say. You’re welcome to try and stop me,” Cal said, reaching for the buttons on the door.
Dex attempted to tackle Cal to the ground, but his attempts proved futile. He watched from the floor as Cal walked into the room and started disconnecting Ella’s wires. Shaking her to try and get her back, “Wake up! Please just wake up.”