Digital Heretic by Terry Schott Read Free Book Online Page B

get to the command centre and prepare the team for us. I’ll have Zack there four hours from now. Be ready to bring him up to speed on everything that has happened, is happening, and we think might happen with Danielle. Questions?”
      No one spoke. Brandon nodded. “Okay, then. See you all soon.” The women left immediately.
      Brandon waited until they left, then looked back at Zack. “All right, my boy. You remember the drill?”
      Zack nodded. “Don’t say anything until we’re alone, just you and me.”
      “That’s right. I’ll be back in an hour and a half to collect you myself, then we have a couple of things to go over before we meet with the others.” 
      Brandon walked to the door. With his hand on the doorknob, he looked back at Zack. “I’m so happy to have you back.”
      “ Thanks, Brandon.” Zack looked sad, like he wasn’t happy to be out of the Game, but that was to be expected. His life in the Game
    had ended abruptly . It was common to regret leaving that life, plus he was missing Danielle, his wife.
      “ Tell me one thing?” Brandon said.
      “ I will if I can.” 
      “ Tell me you have some exciting things to share.”
      “ I sure do, Brandon.  See ya soon.”
     
    ***
     
      One hour and forty-five minutes later, Brandon signed the release form and Zack accompanied him to the penthouse suite on the highest floor of the VirtDyne building. Zack was given a clean bill of health; the doctor said it was as if he had a normal exit from stasis. 
      The two men went to the patio and Zack took a seat while Brandon got them each a drink.
      Brandon handed Zack his drink and wasted no time getting down to business. “First off, congratulations are in order, Zack. You finished your play ranked Number One; the world we are looking out on is now your oyster. After a final tally of credits being converted from the Game into your bank account, it’s clear that you are now one of the richest men in the world.”
      Zack smiled politely, although he didn’t seem as excited by the wealth now as he was before he entered his last play. “That’s great, Brandon.  I’m very pleased about that.”
      “ As am I,” Brandon said. “I wonder if you’d mind waiting a few weeks before you start to go out and spend it, though? I really need you on Danielle’s team until she comes out.”
      “ Of course,” Zack said. “How is she doing? The doctor said I’ve been out of the Game for five days. That’s right around seven years inside.”
      Brandon nodded. “She’s having a hard time. She really loves Trew.” 
      “What’s she been up to?” Zack asked with genuine concern.
      “She’s been wasting time looking for your killer.”
      “ Oh, god, I hope she hasn’t actually run into Carl?” Zack asked.
      Brandon chuckled. “Not even close. Carl has been kept busy in other areas of the Game. He’s hard to keep track of, but I do get occasional reports on his status. He is nowhere near her.”
      “ Well, that’s good,” Zack said. “How is her rank?” 
      “ Number One.” 
      “That’s great!”
      “ Yeah, that’s all good. Listen, Zack, we don’t have much time and I need to talk to you about specific things before we go meet with the group.”
      Zack understood. “Okay, Brandon. What do you want to talk about?”
      “ Do you remember what happened after you died in the Game?” Brandon asked. “For the past five days you’ve been brain dead  — your mind and soul wasn’t in your body. The doctors confirmed the mind part; I am certain about the soul portion.”
      “ Really? How can you know about the soul?” Zack asked.
      Brandon made a sour face and Zack smiled, made a motion of zipping his lips shut, locking them with a key and throwing the key away. “Thank you,” Brandon said. “Can you remember anything since you left the Game? The answer to this question is very important. We thought you were dead and gone.