Chapter 15:

The Game is Afoot

11 Kingdoms


Report: The Game is Afoot

Accessing Personal Logs: Princess Fawn Midin

Weeks pass which turns to months. I spend the time not only trying to get to know Gavin a bit more, despite the tension we have between each other but also in rebuilding my skills as a fighter. It’s something I find I get better at with practice. I can’t help but feel frustrated at the actions that before the accident could have been achieved by mainly hitting a set of keys in the right order on the pad before me. While I am confined to the closed from the public end of the castle, I still can get all kinds of practice. Mainly thanks to a request I made of Gavin to build a pocket dimension in the game that could only be accessed through a hidden door in my room of the castle. He outdid himself and it showed in every detail. Looking upon the layout and design, I can’t help but understand his frustration that I would be chosen over him to be the head designer for Onyx tower since I was still just a fresh face out of college at the time.

I even get used to the way he goes about talking funny in the game. It did puzzle me at first how a person who staggered their speech when in person, could pull off such an elaborate character change when in-game. Then I was told by Rick and Moses, that they designed a program for him to help make his sentences complete. But as I trained with Gavin at my side these past few weeks I learned the truth from him. As it turned out I wasn't the only one with a social disorder in our little group. As time passed I found that all of our team had our little issues. Melissa was a former alcoholic before the accident but now she has returned to the bottle with all the worry and sorrow I put her through. Rick has anger issues, I did have to ask him about it but as I saw it the night of my run from the tower and the stories from Riex, about his past I can now clearly see it. Moses grew up shut-in living in fear of the street gangs that controlled the neighborhood of his youth. And now Gavin was OCD, it wasn't the classic way that most television shows or movies show where the person shouts vulgar language randomly. No in the presence of women Gavin would be hyperventilating causing his labored breathing. He has found a way to work around this fact when he hides behind MMORPG’s such as the game provides. In many ways, Gabe is not there in his mind. Instead, Gavin, the hardy dwarven nursemaid of the Princess, who doesn’t have problems with girls takes over. Not only can Gavin speak normally but he can mimic accents. It’s a trick I took up learning from him for a bit, but I never quite told him my plans for the lesson in disguising my voice.

Though the list of suspects hasn’t changed, as I have grown close with Gavin over the past few weeks I can seriously take the weakest listed name off the list. It only makes sense as the dwarf was with me at the time of the attack acting as my servant. Though he did not take action in the battle it was because central cut off his connection during the meeting along with all others. That is except for the 13 grand heroes that made up the meeting. Melissa kept an eye on me when Gavin wasn't working with me on my training. Our conversations, however, we're limited to the actions of more immediate matters. I would gain some reports on the viruses build up in a section of Pangia, the massive unclaimed continent to the far west, across the sea. But as no players were even strong enough to succeed the Kingdoms, few made it further than too small camps along the shores of the land. The actions of central to remove players seemed to work as no real injuries were reported to the investigation team. From what I was getting from messages Riex would send me, along with mixed in with love letters. It looks very much like he is returning to the act from before. Despite the utter silence from the game makers on what to do with my character being seen so many times at the events in April in the lands Strone and Azurphire. I figured I would hear about their decision to cough me up as a mere fluke or program error that people saw, but no. Gavin told me a few days ago that a rumor on the web is that a new person was brought in to play me. While others say I wasn't hurt it was just a ploy to drive up game sales. Either way, I feel that if I do escape it might be best I use the chameleon pin to hide my actions best.

When not training with Gavin, and the brief moments I could get out of the view or when I could tell Melissa was passed out drunk at the controls. I would practice the genesis power to test its limits. What I discovered with the power is that it allowed me to craft items in the game but it had limits. The more powerful the item or thing I wanted to change or call into existence the longer I had to focus on each detail. At no time was I able to return to the slowed world that I got when I fought the pirate captain, and after thinking things through I figured out why it happened. I tried to recreate the world around me while the game and several players were active. Thus I was creating a very straining pull of information that, overloaded the system and caused the game to lag. As I am only partially a fragment of the game it had little effect on my actions.

In my practice, with the power, I was able to craft two new magic items for me as well as alter my chameleon pin. The first item I crafted was a robe that was able to store and keep up fresh food and large amounts of drink yet prevented me from feeling any weight. For weeks now I have stored the remainders of my meals in the cloak building up my supplies for the very day I had to leave if it had to be urgent or not. The next thing I crafted was out of the sword I found so useless in my earlier travel. I reformed its magical power into a set of gauntlets that created the illusion of any melee weapon I cared to show. In many ways linked with the Chameleon pin, it would let me mimic almost any class or character I wanted to disguise myself as. I leave the cloak of shadows out of my regular supplies while it has some use. I find quickly with my training that its time is severely limited and with the game set to be launched officially worldwide in a few hours I find the pin a great deal better use as it remains active as long as I wear it. I am to make it even greater use when I add the improvement of hiding my signature from the computer network, allowing me to appear as a strange blur of my surroundings in the code. While I had to seek Nev and Gavin's help in adding the feature to it, I told them a convincing lie about how I felt it may be useful to hide my location from the hacker. Which in many ways is not much of a lie, it is true with the pin active the likelihood of the hacker finding me is down significantly but so are the computers of central and both the investigation team and team of floor forty-seven. I will be able to move about the game with no one figuring out who I am. A second benefit was the fact I was able to drop and hide from the programmed feed that is set to record my actions. I just need to test the pin fully out and see if it works as I planned.

And I already know the perfect time to test it. Tonight just before the launch of the game. In my downtime, I was able to build a plan and mainly eliminate some people from the list. But I still needed to seek Min and Masaru and investigate both of them. I plan to hop a boat bound for Arguo and try to get in to see Emi and Amayo, with hopes that they can get Masaru to speak with me. Then I would make my way to my most likely candidate, Min. But unlike the investigation team, I haven't ruled out that the hacker is an outsider of the games, and thus I have stocked up on scrolls of messaging for when I need to send for help from the others if Min comes up clean. Then I will do my dumbest action but one I stand is my only remaining choice and that is to return to the scene of the accident, to the central grove where Dark Mistress attacked us all. I will go to confront her hoping that she will still hesitate to kill me as her plans have yet to be completed. It's a long shot however and I have the threat of facing even more challenging encounters than the pirate captain. I made sure to ask Gavin for more supplies of the medicine he created and sent Nev several times to gather healing potions and other magical healing items to use in emergencies. I try to blame it on minor injuries I incur during training. With luck and hope, I will get away with my plan. But I fear that they may be playing along in the game all the while knowing full well my plans to flee the castle alone in the search for my attacker.

Today, however, is a quick recap, as Gavin goes over the training I have received. I work hard to perform each action we have worked through perfectly taking the time in between the exercises to bring up questions of the night's events. "Well, Melissa will be a bit busy with the live concert performed at the stadium, by Angela Mastique. There will be fireworks to go off when the launch starts. Many people are taking a day off all around the world tomorrow, to play the game and even more sit by watching the events play out in each kingdom. The remaining twelve heroes are all in charge of putting on events in their kingdoms territories." It doesn't take difficult math to figure out that the reason for the super star's concert. Is due to my accident, in an effort for players to forget my dilemma, as my body remains fighting for its remaining life in a hospital bed. "Tit's a shame you cannot go and see tit Fawn, we set up an illusion that will change with her songs showing areas of the Kingdom. Inviting the audience into our world, for just a mere taste." Though I was never in the In-crowd, it was hard not to know who Angela Mastique was. Often the headlines in my efforts to promote the game would only be foreshadowed by the actions of this mega singing star. Known for her incredible range of vocals, along with a more incredible habit of landing into some kind of major scandal. Part of me wonders if she does it on purpose to gain more attention, and even greater on if she tried to work a major publicity stunt to draw attention away from my accident. Still, while her life is a set train wreck it doesn't stop her from building an audience and bringing down the house with her songs. The tower staff must be working hard to calm the minds of the players to keep the game sales strong on the eastern coast of the US. So the Coliseum will mark the best place to head for the events of the night. That is my target when I sneak out. Even better, as Gavin pointed out to me Melissa will be distracted from keeping an eye on me. I just hope so will everyone else.

I do kind of wonder what I would do for my district had the accident not occurred. Surely a feat of strength like I did during the Beta launch would be looked at as a boring repeat. Maybe by now, the P.R. team would have trained me to sing a song much like Angela is doing in my stead. Riex would likely date every woman who played the game. As his, or perhaps just the version that works so hard to gain my attention would. The twins are likely to do a comedy act, I once sat in on their bit. Amayo would stand there telling straight-faced silly responses to odd questions that Emi would come up with. It’s not bad when you can understand the language and my translation program seemed to do well with it. But the difference in humor between the US and Japan made some of the jokes fall flat in their translated form. I would like to see them along with what others may come up with. Yet I know full well that my best chance to see anything will be soon, and my best hope is to slip out the castle and to the Coliseum. I so desperately want, however, to hear about the world outside the game.

It’s the one issue that with all I face seems to be avoided. The best I know is that my body is barely holding on, and more heartbreaking so is my mother. She hasn't returned since the first day. Melissa says mom just finds it too weird carrying a conversation with me, but not me at the same time. Given Melissa's increased drinking as of late, tell’s me things aren’t good. That what they may be hiding from me is news of the worse kind. So I hold out that my being banned from attending the events may turn out some info I don't yet know about. As Gavin decides to call it a day, I can tell their plan is to return me to my room and lock me in. My escort is a computer-controlled NPC servant, that has been programmed to serve me in every way needed. I know the woman isn’t real but her kind and warm face and smile were designed to grant me comfort. I would be lying if I wasn’t feeling at ease with her at my side. Gavin walks with us to my room.

“Now Fawn, I know tonight will be hard for you, but tits for your safety. Please understand.”

I know they aren’t doing this to harm me, so I cannot feel any pain in having to leave them. I simply nod at Gavin and I reply to him with a simple thank you. He shuts the door with my servant and me, in the room. Soon I hear a metal clack to assure me that the door has been locked from the outside. The servant gathered a spread of food cooked chicken and veggies, which sits with steam pouring off them. But for now, my focus on the food is not important. Instead, I grab the fork on the table and begin to focus my power on it to craft one last item for me. Since I have prepared for this test I have my stuff ready for my escape. I plan to very much do just that tonight, only with one slight difference. While my plan to escape calls for leaving the shadow cloak behind. Tonight it will be a vital item to help me escape my encasements hidden without raising suspicion of my plans. I decide to wrap and pack the storage cloak in my bag as I am unable to wear them both, but do feel it would be useful to have access should something go wrong. Originally when I was planning my escape I was planning on using the magic mirror to bring me to a boat. However tonight that is not an option. As to prevent my sneaking out to the streets they removed it from the room. So my only hope out of the castle is to use the shadow cloak to hide me from the guards.

As I hold the cloak I can’t help but think back to my last escape attempt that failed. Only that time I didn’t have the magic and powers I do in the game. I tear at a piece of the chicken while I place the chameleon pin, I have placed an image of a younger woman with whitish blond pigtail hair which makes it hard not to worry about if it does show through the cloak. The skin and eyes mimic my old one but my clothes and gauntlets take on the form of bright blue and red robes with a simple gnarled staff. Since my ebony staff is too recognizable I make sure it. Along with a small collection of the food is added to the holding cloaks items. I make sure my room looks very much like I will return at any moment. However, there is no mistaking the look on my servant. She is puzzled and wants to warn the guards of the strange woman stealing the food from the princess's room. I think deep in my head and cast a sleeping spell knocking out the servant. While I will be invisible if she were to raise the alarm before my escape I would surely fail before the cloak's magic was used up, I watch as her body collapses to the ground. Then I act quickly, I through my bag across my shoulder and follow it with the shadow cloak leaving its hood down till the last task in the room is done.

I pull out the fork from earlier and approach the door. I close my eyes and place my concentration to focus on the image in my mind. As I open my eyes I see the key to my room in my hand. I move quickly to place it in the lock and turn. As I push the door open I throw the hood over my head and vanish from view.

I make it near the town square when the cloak's magic fades and becomes useless, I take a stop at a fountain to switch the cloaks out and try to gather my surroundings. The town square is swimming with activity as new players are running about admiring the details of my work earlier and I look up as a series of crackles and bangs of fireworks show the start of the evening's events to celebrate the game's launch.

"Come one come all to Noiox's celebration concert, it is set to begin in mere moments at the Midin city coliseum." Shouts a programmed town crier, I watch as some make their way there while others find their interests lay in the tasks of the game. I start to make my way to the performance but halt at a familiar sight of one I have yet to see in months of my journey. There in the royal stables is Carmel. Despite the games, NPC's not remembering me with the pin on. My linked connection to the beautiful creature shows as it leans in to accept my touch. I am stopped though as a guard walks up. "Hey, girl, that horse is, royal property stay away." I quickly remove my hand but not my gaze as I smile. The last time I saw him was when the mound creature attacked as I tried to flee the system cleaning. It is good to see he has returned and still waits for me. Part of me wishes I could alter my plans and take him with me. But surely his signature in the system will get me caught before I even reach the next kingdom. So I turn with the smile still on my face and join the crowd entering the stands of the Coliseum. I arrive fairly early as I find I am not far from the stage setup a mere few steps. I can see all around me as players and the kingdom's staff gather to look on.

Before the lights begin to fade I hear a strange yet all too familiar sound hit my ears, as wheezing starts to build within me. The actions I have recently taken have placed a toll on me and now I start to gain a sense of dread as the first person I see walk on the stage is one that I know all too well, Melissa.

"I will ask you all to please keep order here tonight. We are all excited about the events and you're welcoming to our kingdom. But keep in mind we wish all of you to have a fun and safe game be it tonight or each night on. In a moment we will begin our event for the evening but before that, we want to introduce a few of the members of the kingdom to you."

While the audience is on their feet screaming the character's names, names of people they have never met yet have watched for the last five months play out before them. I find myself looking away trying to calm my nerves as Melissa calls out Gavin, Nev, and even the king himself. They are not aware of my escape a thrill that should put me at ease, but still, my nerves do not calm down. I take a deep breath just as a sudden deep tone of a bass guitar hits my ears and I know the performance is underway. I watch as Angela is lowered on the stage in an outfit that mimics a star fitting for the kingdom for which it represents. All around us the stands and even the people fade as the illusion builds and I see just myself and Angela as if we are the only two in the whole of the world. If it weren't for the constant banging from the man next to me I would guess this was, in fact, some working of the virus. But no, it's the illusion that Gavin spoke about. I watch as an all too familiar forest builds around us. The forest outside the city where I first met the virus and the monster boar. The trees fly by as Angela's singing begins to follow and she opens with one of her classic tunes about a dark yet hidden love she claimed to be real. The scene bursts thru the ending as they approach a massive lake I know to be to the north of the forest and magical monsters and creatures move in and act as backup dancers as she moves into the next song. The imagery dives into the lake. the fades to blue and erupts into the coast and harbor just outside the city. The image moves in quickly and then I see something I didn't work on before. Adorning the top of the castle is a statue, of me. Massive in its size I have to wonder if it is truly there now or if it's planned to be added. But then I am answered as the statue crumbles and bursts open. Revealing Angela ready to do her next song, but the image causes my heart to fall. I tune out the song and begin to make my way past the invisible crowd to my eyes as I try to head out of the stadium. I make it to an aisle by the time the song ends and the scene fades to black. Surely the next song will come in and a new scene that will only hurt me more will come. I can’t bear any more. I take a step up the stairs of the aisle when the words Angela states hit me with dread.

“We are all regretful that the princess was hurt as she was. But I have been told she lives on. Yet magic has twisted her and now I am told by the game makers to announce a unique quest of the world.” I hear shouting hit the mic and recognize it as Gavin’s shouting to ask what is going on. Almost as if they also are taken back by this news. I turn to look back at the stage and there is my image larger than life behind Angela. Yet it's twisted and evil-looking in some way. “The dark princess quest, Find her and destroy her to claim her legendary staff and title of Grand hero of Noiox.” Suddenly I see the king appear as he grabs Angela.

“What is the meaning of this?” The King states in shock.

“Don’t pretend you don’t know your highness. You were the one after all to give the order." The entertainer laughs off the statement.

Shock is all over the face of the king, this is not the work of my team, and a quest like this can only be made by someone high up. Then it hits me the one that doesn’t play the game that wants revenge for his humiliation. Bart Howser has just played his hand by turning me into a walking target for the entire world to hunt. I watch as the image of me catches fire and starts to burn slowly, yet making sure the evil-looking face is the last to burn. Tears begin to form in my eyes and I go to wipe my face but knock the pin loose. I try to grab it quickly and do but it is too little too late as the illusion suddenly drops and I stand on the stairs with guards running towards me and the eyes of my friends in shock.

“Run Fawn, you must get away!" Melissa screams.

"We will try to correct this!" Nev assures me. Both Gavin and the king also shout words but the crowd is trying to reach me before I can hear them and if it weren't for the city guard still to be programmed on my side I would have surely been slaughtered instantly. As soon as I make it to the hallway I begin to run at a faster pace but work my best with my shaking hands to secure the pin again. Which I do by the time I make it to the doorway out but it’s not good enough I know. The plan must be enacted now. As I run I see posters with horrid faces forming on every cornerstone and every post. I make a mad dash to the harbor as best I can. But I trip along the way as tears have blinded me. My heart is racing I don’t know how many saw me or how many can find my new form as the same as the one I was hiding in.

But I can’t let this happen I must get up and flee. I bring myself about my feet and work hard moving by memory to the docks and the sudden change of stone under my feet till wood assures me I have done as I hoped. I wipe my eyes and look about and find my plan is now lost. My hunters surely on me but my means of escape the boat to Arguo is not at the dock, nor will it be today. No, it is not to arrive for three days I know as I kept track of the best days of my escape. Using the royal ship would only help them track me more. All hope is lost and I drop to my knees and begin to sob as the threat of everything is hitting me. How I am about to suffer death, is this the plan of the dark mistress, is Bart the dark mistress. It matters not what is at hand, as it is my end. My journey will continue no further with no ship to flee by.

I raise my head to scream and take in what air I can. When I go to shout I hear the voice of a character hit my ears. “Last call for riders to Perould!” Perould, the ally to our neighboring Kingdom Strone, a ship is docked here. I look at the small vessel it’s a trade ship offering places to ride along in exchange for helping assure its safe travel. A place of winter’s cold. I don’t have myself truly ready for the journey and it will take me further from my target kingdom Arguo, but if I plan to make it thru the night then it is my best option. I stumble to my feet and make my way to the ship when the man stops me. "Halt girl, you look a bit inexperienced what good will you be in a fight?" I take a moment to rattle a decent answer as I somehow seem too weak in my current form despite being label the strongest warrior of the kingdom.

"I lack much fighting experience but I am skilled in other ways!" I say shoving a pile of gold in his hands which gets the character to be quiet and lets me pass.

I watch as the plank is moved not too long after I step on board as the city starts to glow and more and more of the posters form. Tears hit my eyes as the boat starts to move and the city passes by. As the sails are raised I see the dark-furred wolf stop at the end of the docks and know Melissa is sharing my sorrow. She lets out a sad howl of farewell and I stand on the deck watching the city fade and my hope of ever feeling safe fades away with her into the night sky filled with fireworks.

File Source End

Accessing Linked Material

Security Cameras on Floors 47, 48, and 49 of Onyx tower

“That is it!” Shouts an enraged Rick Mathers that nearly rips the helmet of his chair off as he gets up from it. He starts to make his way through the door only to meet a wall of muscle and height known as Moses in his way.

“Calm down Rick, we don’t know who made this order and until we.” Rick Shoves his co-worker and forces his way past.

"I have a way to find out. That damn woman is up on floor forty-nine now and I will get answers from her. Either you are with me or you can stay the hell away Moses." Rick may be smaller but is strong enough to shove past Moses.

“She is not an employee of this tower, and her bodyguards will have you in seconds before you can do a damn thing and you know it." Moses reaches across to Ricks' shoulder and turns Rick around.

Suddenly Rick slams his fist in the glass wall of the hall smashing it and causing his hand to bleed. "They are hunting her like a dog. They don't believe us. First, they nearly kill her, and now this!"

"At least let us all get together and civilly approach this." Moses tries to calm Rick down all while looking at the hand dripping red on the cracked white glass and sheetrock wall.

“Civil! Our co-worker, no our friend is fighting for her life in two worlds. One where her body is laying in a hospital hooked to machines to breathe. While the other where they hunt her for a prize for the sport of it. And you want to be civil? A person’s life is at stake here Moses." Moses looks away from Rick. "Oh my god, you still doubt it don't you."

"I never said that Rick!" Moses replies shaking his hands in a sign of disagreement.

"No, then tell me while Melissa and Gavin have been aiding her these last few months what have you done. Hell, even Alex has done his share helping out. Yet you sit there and keep doing your job as if nothing has happened." Moses grits his teeth and punches Rick.

“That’s not true. I have done your job. A job I didn’t ask for but the game has to move on and running the kingdom without help from two of its members is hard enough. I have been making sure we all still have a job so we can help her. You think I don’t care about Jamie, I am the only one that still calls her that. You know her real name. You, Melissa, Gavin hell the whole damn world refer only to the character and not the player. In your minds, Jamie is already dead and only Fawn has a chance at living.”

Gavin walks in as Moses looks down at Rick who is staggering to his feet.

“Where do we go now?” Gavin repeats as he breathes heavily.

“We go up to see this damn singer and find out where she got the order for the quest.” Rick wipes his jaw and stares hard at Moses. “Then we move on. What about Melissa, Gavin?”

“She will join later. She wanted to see Fawn got away safely.” Gavin nearly breaks into his labored speech as he thinks of Melissa and Fawn.

“So then after all this. You will still go?” Moses looks at Rick’s blood streaming both down his hand and jaw.

“Yeah, but thanks for the punch. Your right we need to be a bit more civil with this girl. Are you coming?” Rick looks at Moses with a calmer attitude.

“If nothing else, because I am the only cool head here. So yeah." Moses moves to walk onto the elevator.

The three men make their way to the elevator and push the button for it to go up. When it arrives they enter but Gavin quickly steps out. “Sorry, guys it's just. She is a major star and kind of you know."

"Understand, work in the game and make sure no surprises are on the way. Also, try to find out how Fawn got out of her room. Because I believe I instructed her to be locked in her room for her safety." Rick, looks at the round face of Gavin, with a stern look, despite the blood leaking out his lip which he seems to not be bothered by. “Come on Moses, let's go have a chat with Ms. Superstar.” The elevator door closes and Gavin is left to shamble on back to his room.

Moments later the elevator door opens on the forty-ninth floor and the two get out. A small area is roped off for the investigation crew that at the moment only consists of Agent Estaban and the Hacker Rutashi. Estaban takes note of Rick and his wounds but if he plans to stop him it doesn't show as he gives a simple nod in the two men's direction.

The two walks over to a larger area were two very large men one of which almost matches Rick’s build with the height of Moses.

“Sorry gentlemen but Ms. Mastique is not seeing fans right now.” The big one sees Rick’s wounds and looks at the other. “Nor do we want any trouble.”

Rick is unraveled by the guard's size and potential experience in fighting beyond his fist brawls. "Listen we have questions for your boss. She started a quest that was not approved by our team. As Fawn's team, we have a right to know who gave her the right to announce that quest live at the concert." A slick-haired man walks over his weasel-like face set in an almost frozen grin from obvious large amounts of plastic surgery.

“Gentlemen, I am sorry to hear that, but my client cannot be disturbed as her concert is still going on. A concert I believe you all are supposed to be hosting. Now I would hate to call your superiors and let them know of your failure to do your job but." The weasel-like man stops speaking as Agent Estaban walks up to join Moses and Rick. Then reaches in his pocket and pulls out his FBI badge.

"Excuse me, sir. But I will have to ask you as this is a vital matter of international issue and falls into my lap with your client placing the potential life of a person at risk. I ask you to cooperate. Or if you like I can call my friends downtown and we will be taking you and your client in someplace far less comfortable to answer the man’s question.”

“Angela has been in trouble with cops before even arrested. It will be just good P.R. I assure you.” The weasel man replies and starts to walk away.

"Sir you seem to be mistaken I meant the police. Last I checked my badge says FBI and being just outside of DC where we have this nice little building where the whole agency operates from, is a bit different. You see police have to worry about things like jurisdiction and whatnot. While me, my jurisdiction is the whole country, and my Partner who is on his Dinner break just about covers the parts of the world I don't. So you better think hard on if there is not so much as a jaywalking charge outstanding on the two of you. Or else you will be facing a very long and not so pretty time in jail.” The weasel man swallows and turns around his grin faded briefly but he takes one step and places the now uncomfortable smile right back on.

"Of course my good sirs, what I meant to say is that we were given this info and continue to get our spoken script for Ms. Mastique by your superiors from the floor downstairs." Before the name is mentioned Rick is already headed to the elevator only to see Agent Estaban is alongside him. "A Mr. Howser is the one to give us the order of the quest." The weasel man finishes but his smile fades as he sees the men leaving as he speaks. Moses jogs to catch up to the two just as the elevator door opens and they begin to step in.

"You don't need to come with us Estaban. It doesn't concern you." Rick says as his eyes turn to a fixed cold stare forward as the door shuts.

“The way I see it if I don’t I will have two attempted murders instead of one." Estaban flashes a reassuring smile at Rick.

"Wait so what you said to that guy is true?" Asks a shocked Moses, Estaban just looks up at Moses.

“Yeah well it’s still an unknown, but if the courts rule that Fawn is Jamie's living consciousness and an active threat like this is a threat to her life. So attempted Homicide charges would be fitting don't you think?" Estaban raises an eyebrow. "Plus while I can guess who punched Mr. Mathers in the face I can tell it won't stop him." The elevator door dings open and Rick is quick-footed to step off the elevator first, but Agent Estaban hastily moves to keep up. His movement isn’t quick enough to keep Rick from kicking out the office chair from under Bart’s rear sending the middle-aged game designer crashing to the floor.

Estaban grabs Rick's arm but not tightly as all three men are taken by surprise as Bart is laughing from the fall.

“I was wondering when you’re sorry little mind would be here Mathers. Your worried your little code pet is going to die at the hands of the players aren’t you." Rick flicks his wrist and breaks free grabbing at Bart and hoisting him up with his good arm. But Moses shocks Rick as he takes over lifting Bart letting Rick's handstand free.

"Why? Why are you doing this to her? She did nothing to you." Rick is spitting at the mouth as he goes to raise his bloody hand. But Estaban raises his hand and grasps the fist and Rick sucks back air in his teeth from the pain.

“No Rick, you only will hurt yourself more. I will handle the punishment from here. You need to act with a cool head and try not to hurt your cause anymore." Estaban says with the cool head and reaches in his pocket again pulling out his badge then quickly following a pair of handcuffs.

"I did this for the humiliation you put me through Rick!" Bart shouts as Estaban shakes his head.

"Okay and that confesses. Bart Howser, you're under arrest for the attempted murder of Jamie Eve." Estaban reaches around to cuff the wrists of Bart.

"Murder I had no part in the hacker's actions!" Bart responds snapping out of the glee he had for his actions. "I did nothing to harm her."

"Well, currently the evidence points to the mind of Miss Eve to be in the form of one Fawn Midin in the game. Yet you just made her the target of your sick game of revenge. And as for your connection to the hacker, you do match the profile. So, for now, I am willing to take my chances that you're our guy and we will let the courts and evidence speak for your actions."

"I didn't do anything wrong! That is just a rogue program and Rick here is the real criminal. Let me go I want a lawyer." Estaban takes over control of Bart and walks him out of the room when Rick's DAS rings and he reaches in with his bad hand wincing at pain to press the box's side to answer it.

“Hey Melissa good news, we have the person behind the quest in.” Rick pauses from his calming nature in his face to one of shock and drops to the floor.

“What is it Rick, what does Melissa have to say? Did Jamie get away?” Moses asked with puzzlement on his face.

“Fawn got away.” Moses looks upset when Rick says this.

“I just told you several minutes ago about that name, Jamie is." Rick holds his hand up to stop Moses from speaking.

“Fawn escaped, but Melissa just got off the line with Jamie’s mom. The hospital is pulling the plug on Jamie’s hospital equipment. Jamie is going to die soon and only Fawn will live on.”

Report end

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