A Most Dangerous Game

Towards the back of the foyer laid a stairway which led to the second floor of the house. That staircase had a small platform which overlooked the first floor of the foyer. The first floor of the foyer had been modified to act as the main area in which guests congregated for the occasion. It was unusual, but it was large and beautiful enough that most guests didn’t question it. On that platform, a microphone had been set up by the servants. It was there that Sam Gallagher walked up and began to speak. When he spoke, the sounds of merriment died down, for all had gathered to spend time with him and valued his words as much as they did his company.

“My friends, I’m glad to see that you all have arrived here safely. Normally, with an event like this, at least one or two people cancel or fail to appear, but everyone I invited managed to keep true to their word to attend this party of mine. For that, I thank you.” This earned Scott a small round of applause from his audience, which John wrote down in his notepad. “I mean, normally they come up with some excuse, like how their cousin’s friend’s dog died, which must be so much more important than something big like this, right?” A few of the partygoers laughed. John wrote down both the joke and how the audience responded to it, just in case.

“Truly, I am elated at the presence of such honored guests. Many of you have helped me become the man I am today. Today marks a special occasion. Not just the launch of a new product, but the fifth anniversary of the founding of my company, and with that anniversary, the most profitable year I’ve had in my life.” A much larger round of applause this time. “Gallagher Technologies has become one of the largest tech companies the world has ever seen and I could not be happier.” Scott grabbed a drink from one of the nearby servants, briefly took a sip of it, and then set the drink back onto its tray. “Though I’m sure that comes to the chagrin of quite a few of you.” More laugher.

“But to make up for it, I thought I’d show a gesture of goodwill and give you all a little something special.” He delicately raised his left hand and snapped his fingers. Like machines responding to a command from their user, the servants in the room immediately walked around the room and began handing out small boxes to the guests. John inspected the one he’d received. It had a small logo on it which featured the letters G and T arranged like a snake. The logo of Gallagher Technologies. “The Gallagher Technologies Advanced Robust Timepiece, or ART. The guys in marketing had a fun time coming up with that one.” John smiled as the rest of the audience laughed. He looked around him as everyone began examining their respective watches. He opened the box and was surprised to find what appeared to be an old-style silver analog watch. It looked like a high-quality piece of tech, but also like something that was way too expensive to be a reasonable purchase. He hesitated to take it out of the box until a later time. He’d want to take notes on the device for his article.

“Not only will it tell the time, it’ll connect to the user’s cellular device, act as a GPS, collect DNA for interaction with computers and banking systems alike, and, best of all, collect personal data that we can use to better tailor our services to our consumers.” The audience erupted in applause at this news. CEOs loved nothing more than being able to collect data on the users of their products, especially if they could keep their data collection a secret from the user. John had to shake his head at the knowledge that the people around him were only applauding at that feature and nothing else. As he examined the watch further, he still noticed that there was nothing that looked digital or electronic, which was perhaps the most impressive facet of the device, but none of the features sounded more advanced than any other smartwatch on the market. Something seemed fishy.

“However, that’s not the greatest feature that this device will have, nor will that be its greatest use. You see, I’ve only manufactured the ARTs that you see in this room, no more, no less, and they are the only units I ever intend on making.” The audience began to whisper and mumble as Scott took a small remote out of the pocket of his slacks. He pressed a button on the device. It was at that moment that the watches began to latch themselves onto their respective users. John’s ART jumped out of its box and onto his left arm like a parasite out of an old sci-fi movie. He felt a needle-like prick at his wrist moments after it attached itself. No matter how hard he tugged or tried to unlatch the watch, it wouldn’t come off. The same could be said for the other people around him. John turned as he heard the sound of Abel rushing towards him. Abel’s face was filled with panic and his wrist was adorned with an ACT.

“What’s going on?” he asked.

“I,” John began, not wanting to admit the truth, “don’t know.”

The crowd began to cry out in frustration as Gallagher continued his speech: “You’ll find that your watches are now stuck to your wrists. Don’t bother trying to remove them, they won’t come off until a time of my choosing.” In that instant, a large screen appeared behind him. “Behind me,” he said as he gestured at the screen, “are various snippets from news broadcasts all around the globe. You see, the moment those watches attached themselves to your wrists, they each took your DNA and released various files related to your deepest, darkest secrets, thus removing any and all credibility you had as far as the public is concerned.” The crowd went silent, with only a gasp here or a whisper there as Gallagher continued. “Additionally, the data collection of the watches also included asset allocation. They have seized control of all of your holdings, making you all effectively penniless.”

Gallagher clapped his hands together. “But worry not, for I am a gracious host and have left you ownership of each of your primary houses, though the location and addresses of these have also been leaked to the public. I need not add that the personal information which has been leaked, of course, will make the public want to do everything in their power to bring you to justice, though their desire will be shared by the authorities. Anything you’d done to bribe them and keep them in line is now completely fruitless.” The people in the foyer once again became restless, though their noise levels remained low.

“However, that doesn’t mean that I simply aim to bring you all to justice, criminals that you are. See, I’ve despised the actions that you’ve kept hidden in the dark. I have held on to the illegal activities which you have told me in confidence at one point or another. But I desire justice, desire that someday, someone with as strong a sense of justice as mine could have the resources that you so easily waste. And thus, we finally reach the way the ARTs will be used.”

Gallagher pressed another button on the apparatus in his hand and the analog display on the watch warped and changed into a digital one which read, “48:00:00.” “You’ll have 48 hours to survive both the public and the authorities, at which point all of your assets will be returned to you and, well, you’re quite free to do to me whatever you’d like. However, if someone brings you to justice, be it citizen or cop, then they become the new legal owner of all of your holdings.” The crowd’s murmuring began to become a low roar.

“Oh, and one more thing. In this game, “justice” can include murder. Have fun!” Gallagher pressed another button on his remote.

At first, nothing happened. The people looked around them, confused, wondering if some new mechanical monstrosity would jump out at them. Then, someone screamed.

“Where’s my husband?” someone else cried. Other people began joining in as they noticed that others had gone missing.

Yet another person cried out, “My brother just disappeared right in front of me!” Then one more person disappeared. Then another. And then another.

The entire crowd began to panic, screaming, shoving, crying out for their lives, not knowing what their destinations were. Some tried to run up the stairs to Gallagher, hoping to get a good swing at him before disappearing, but it seemed as though they disappeared more quickly than the rest.

John and Abel attempted to reach out to each other through the crowd, but John could only watch in horror as his friend’s body disappeared in front of him, as though it was being dissolved in acid. He felt even worse as his own body began to disappear, first beginning with his right hand, which disappeared completely. There was no pain as it left. It tingled, if anything, though once it was gone, there was simply no feeling, no touch, where there had been some mere moments prior. The lack of pain did nothing to assuage his fear as his arm disappeared. He looked down and noticed that his legs had begun to disappear as well. The dissolution moved up his body until he remained only a head. The fear that overtook him reached a boiling point when he had no mouth to pray for safety or forgiveness with. He thought only of his wife and son, hoping against hope that they would be safe without him. He couldn’t imagine his son growing up without a father. As his eyes disappeared, he lived for a moment with consciousness, but no senses or sensation.

Then, he disappeared completely.