Erin was retrieving her bolts, still humming the song she had finished. She had upgraded after the last player group. This one had a dual trigger and could fire two bolts at once, faster and further. She could infuse both with her lightning if she fired them both at the same time. Jonah swam up, not using his greatsword propeller for now.

"This XP is kinda garbage compared to hunting players," he said. "They're easier to kill, but all we get is edibles."

"Already addicted to upgrades huh?"

"I'm beginning to feel more confident about surviving, now. Who knows, maybe the tagging quest has gone now that we're level 15?"

"Maybe..." Erin said.

Before she could think of a further reply, she got a text with a video link. She was in do-not-disturb mode, so who could get through? "Hold on a sec." She opened the video. It looked like the camera attached to someone's head somehow. There was a door in front of the view.

The view shifted, and focused on hands putting something in the lock. The hands were wearing leather gloves. The view tilted up and she got a shiver up her spine. "Uhh, that's my apartment number." The hands did something with the lock and the door clicked open. It was her darkened apartment, no doubt. "Shit! I've gotta log. Something weird is happening."

She went to log out, but the option was greyed out.

You have been locked out of primary menu functions.

"What the hell?" The video played on the side of her view. It showed the person coming into her room. Her flesh crawled. The person went up to her prone body and inserted something into her headset. Then their hand went into their jacket and pulled out a syringe. "Shit! Shit! Shit!"

"What's happening?" Jonah asked.

She shared the video with him with the current time, surprised it allowed her to. They watched together. The person went out of the bedroom and into the bathroom. They looked in the mirror.

"I suppose you're wondering what happens next," he said in a soft, breathy voice. He looked ordinary. Widow's peak, brown eyes, thinning hair, average build. He would have blended in anywhere. The recording device appeared to be his glasses.

"Your family will find you overdosed on this designer drug that's been making the rounds." He said, taking a baggie out of his jacket. He purposefully spilled some on the counter, then left the open bag there. "You've looked too far behind the curtain, and we can't have that. For now, our activities must remain somewhat clandestine."

The man took his time straightening his jacket. "Farewell Miss Elandir." He tapped his glasses and the video winked out.

Erin's heart pounded in her chest. She felt faint. Was that the drugs kicking in? Her vision doubled, then faded to black.