There’s a large commotion in the lobby, footsteps, rowdy shouts and laughs. We exit our little lounge area to see Kevin, Ashley and no less than ten people and two robots. They’re all snooping around, checking under desks. It’s video game logic, check behind the rock for the hidden pokeball. Check that fallen log for a hidden treasure chest. I can’t blame them for that. I’m just curious who they are and why they all came.

“Kevin, I see you brought friends,” I shake his hand.

“No, I brought a gang. It was Ashley’s idea,” he points to her.

“If you guys failed, we were going to take a run at beating the game,” Ashley pauses, “We had faith in you, but just in case. We figured numbers and options might be good. A few of our original members even came back when they heard what we were doing. Right now, there’s just me, Kevin and he fifteen you see here behind us. When we got the call, we figured twenty is better than three. Why not push up our plan and take a run for it now?”

“What are you calling yourselves,” Kai asks.

“We didn’t have a name at first. We didn’t want to be stuck on the past. It’s a funny story how we got our name,” Ashley laughs.

“Hilarious,” Kevin joins in.

“You aren’t saying the name,” Kai points out.

Kevin smiles big, “after we saw your wanted posters, we knew what to call ourselves.”

“Please don’t say it,” Kai backs away.

The entire gang in addition to Daamin shouts in unison, “We’re the Virtual Vagabonds.”

“They said it,” I face palm. “I can’t believe they said it.”

“Dre, shoot me. Right here,” Kai points to his forehead.

“If I kill you, who will kill me?”

“I’ll rig a bomb on a dead man switch,” Kai gets excited.

Our suicide pact is interrupted by simultaneous invites to join the Virtual Vagabonds gang. Looking at the player list, Daamin has already accepted his invite and taken a role of Vice Captain alongside Kevin and Ashley. I quickly hit decline, only for another invite to pop up. I hit ignore this time, only for another to pop up.

“I can do this all day,” Kevin says with a smile.

“Just accept it,” Kai says who is suddenly a vice captain as well.

“They give you a little power and you turn on me,” I ask him.

“I’m not turning on you, I’m welcoming you to the gang,” Kai sends his own invite.

“It’s like a parasite.”

“Friend of the crew, part of the gang,” Daamin smiles. “That, or whatever they said in Pirates of The Carribean.”

“I can fix this,” Kai has an evil grin on his face. He produces the debug remote and points at me.

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“Stop,” I try to move but it’s too late. A series of chimes let me know I’ve been added to the gang, then promoted to captain and finally added to a party. I’m a... Virtual Vagabond.

“We need matching gear,” Kai says.

“Yeah, this is a raid level and we’re about to go against the final boss,” Daamin agrees.

“I’ve been playing with some ideas,” Ashley adds. One of the gang members approaches her with a data pad.

I watch as Kai, Daamin, Ashley and a few members of the gang offer input and design cues on matching gear. This is why I stopped joining groups a long time ago. I don’t want to do team activities, wear matching clothes or any of that. I just like to play games with my friends.

“Done,” Kai says. My clothes change in an instant along with everyone else’s. “We came up with a combat suit based on the Jonin vest from Naruto and some game called Ghost in The Shell.”

“It’s a manga, and anime, but there are games,” Daamin chimes in.

“Now the colors, blue and white, were all Ashley. We made sure that while everyone had a uniform look, we all had unique characteristics to show we’re individuals. A whole is made up of individuals.”

I’ve got no idea what they’re talking about. I spot some players wearing tactical vests, some in just bulletproof vests. Most of the clothing is dark blue with various white highlights that pulse like small lights. I’m disgusted, this whole team idea goes against my every impulse. I don’t play well with others; they even wrote it on my report cards as a kid. Everyone else seems to love their uniforms. This is ridiculous.

“Alright folks, we’re up against a lot,” Kevin calms the crowd.

Kai presents a hologram, “outside in the courtyard we’ll be fighting to clear way for the space needle. It’s not really a needle, but a rocket into space. Someone will need to activate the control panel to launch it, and when the ground opens, move and don’t fall in the pit. Once on the space station, we’ll take it from there. Beat the security drones, upload the code and beat the final boss. Any questions?”

“Whose ass do we kick first,” a voice from the group asks which gets some cheers.

“Settle down,” Ashley commands them. “We’ll kick plenty of ass after words from our captain.”

After some time, Kai punches me in the should, “Oh, you mean me?”

“Yeah,” Kevin acts as if it’s obvious.

“Listen up, some of us might die. I hope none of us die,” that’s all I’ve got but they don’t seem inspired. “Alright, let me try to this again. Look at me, I am the captain now,” I get a few laughs. “We’re all going to die one day. The question is how and how soon. If we stay in the game and live our best cyberpunk lives our bodies on the outside will probably wither away and die. If we take on this challenge in front of us, some of us might die, but everyone else will live. Not just the folks here but the million or so people trapped in the game right now. It’s a big choice to make. Risk your life for everyone else, or just wait to die,” I’m terrible at this. “I’m not going to ask you to make that sacrifice. I’m doing it because I don’t have shit to lose and if my life is going to suck, I’d rather it not be in a confined are of virtual reality where my life depends on the whims of an insane woman. I know you want some exciting words about how tonight we dine amongst the kings but I ain’t got it. All I know is I’m really pissed off, and somebody is getting shot for it. I’m sure you’re all pissed about being trapped in the game too. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have come here today. So use that and take your anger out on any CPU that gets in our way,” nobody claps when I’m finished.

“I’ve had enough of being someone’s play thing,” Kevin jumps in. “Each of us needs to be willing to die, or we’re already dead.”

Kai takes over, “I think what they mean to say is that we’ve been through some shit with this game. Pain, suffering and loss. Kay has some crazy weapons waiting for us but it’s important to remember we’ve got something she doesn’t. It doesn’t matter if we’re friends, allies, or just members of the same gang, we’ve been brought here by the bond that ties us together. She’ll never understand that.”

Daamin tags in, “The next hour or so will determine our fate. Everyone out there is trusting us, counting on us and depending on us to give them their future back even if they don’t know it.”

“Let’s go show that psycho emo bitch she shouldn’t have fucked with us,” Ashley shouts and suddenly everyone in the room is ready for battle.

“It’s so sexy when she does,” Kevin whispers and bites his lip.

I look around wondering if anyone else heard that; only Daamin has a surprised look. I make eye contact with him and slyly point to Kevin only for Daamin to nod before we both laugh. A laugh that may be our last.