Episode 15
Disturbingly Familiar
Satisfied that I was stylistically prepared for my date with Cherri, Lucy signed off and left me on my own. Alone with my thoughts, the remaining time until my scheduled date, seemed to drag on interminably.
As a digital permutation of my human self, I was still getting used to a new interpretation of time. In troopship land, minutes could stretch into, what seemed like days. Yet in the combat simulator, it was exactly the opposite. Hours appeared to pass in minutes.
I did my best to occupy myself with calculations of my remaining sentence, assuming various travel and deployment scenarios. However, the rudimentary mathematics of this exercise did little to distract me from my anxiety of meeting, as Lucy described her, the “alpha female” of the USMC. Instead of looking forward to a fun ‘date’, I now found myself dreading what seemed more like a test of fortitude. Like some medieval knight facing mortal combat with a mythological dragon, I steeled myself for battle.
When the moment finally arrived for our meeting, I downloaded the code she’d sent me and entered the lobby.
As I began searching for her, I realized I had no idea what she looked like. The space was much more crowded than during my previous visit, and there were enough female characters present that it seemed silly to start introducing myself to everyone.
I had just about decided to wait for her to find me when another important detail occurred to me. Having borrowed one of Lucy’s old avatars for this occasion, there was no way for her to recognize me. My date with Cherri was off to an inauspicious start.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
Just then, I began to get curious looks from an increasing number of people. A few openly stared at me, as if I was some exotic animal in a zoo. Desperate for a way to escape the scrutiny of the crowd, I improvised a plan.
I could see a solitary figure in my peripheral vision, leaning against the far wall. Just to his left, was a door with a green exit sign above it. I decided to turn and walk purposefully across the room towards this individual. Upon arriving, I would introduce myself and engage in some small talk. Regardless of how the discussion progressed, I would shortly excuse myself and leave through the exit door.
Knowing the lobby was a digital construct, there could be anything or nothing on the other side of that door, but I didn’t care. I just wanted a few moments of privacy so I could figure out what to do next.
Fixing my gaze firmly on the floor, I began walking as purposefully as I could manage, towards my target. After covering about half the distance across the lobby, I glanced up briefly to get my bearings. That’s when I noticed he was smiling, or more accurately sneering. There was something disturbingly familiar about this guy, and that sneer.
Now just steps away, I looked up again, only to make a horrifying discovery. I was face to face with the one person whom I wished to avoid at all costs … Merc.
“Hey dumbshit! What are you doing here?” Looking over my borrowed avatar, he grinned obscenely. “And why are you wearing one of Lucy’s old avatars?”
How could he even recognize me in an unfamiliar avatar? As I stood there speechless, struggling to come up with a clever response to Merc’s insults, I felt a hand firmly grip my wrist.
“He’s here to see me.” I glanced to my right to find a diminutive female character standing next to me. This had to be Cherri, I thought. She had an assertive quality about her, despite her small stature. Ignoring any attempt at formal introductions, she began pulling me by the arm, dragging me away from my confrontation with Merc.
As I glanced back, Merc and I briefly made eye contact. Instead of a grin, he was now sporting a decidedly malevolent expression. Despite Lucy’s assurances that he and Cherri were ‘ancient history’, it was clear that Merc was furious to see me being escorted by his ex, to a private room.