Interlude-Brandon (The Game is Life) Page 6

  “I understand,” Thorn said. “I won’t bring it up again.”

  “Thank you,” the General said. “Now tell me how things are progressing with our primary project.”

  “The new rooms are complete,” Thorn said. “There are enough tables and medical equipment in place to insert one hundred children.”

  “And the adult facility?”

  “Another hundred can be accommodated,” Thorn confirmed.

  “I’m ready to put my best people into VR now, Mr. Thorn.” The General said. “I know the kids are going to take to this like insects to honey. Please begin to work with my soldiers to get them comfortable with the technology as well.”

  “Absolutely, General,” Thorn said. “Who would you like me to start with?”

  The General answered immediately, “Start with my best and see how their skills translate to the simulation. Start with Cooper. I’ll have him report to you right away.”

  ===

  Cooper lie on the table and breathed calmly. He looked around and cracked the odd joke as technicians and doctors got him prepared for his first trip into virtual reality.

  The room was white and well lit. Banks of complex machines and medical equipment surrounded him. An intravenous line was inserted into his arm, and sensor pads were glued to various parts of his body to deliver feedback. They had explained the process to him thoroughly, laughing when he’d nodded and said, “It sounds like a regular old coma to me, kids. I’ve been on that ride a couple of times. I’m happy you’re all confident that you can bring me out of this one.”

  He’d met Samson Thorn and been instructed on the objectives for his first experience.

  It was go time, and Cooper was excited.

  “All right, Cooper, please count backwards from ten. Have fun in there.”

  Cooper grinned behind the mask that covered his face and began to count backwards.

  Chapter 16

  Brandon and his group entered the mess hall. They were laughing and joking with one another as they approached their table, and didn’t notice that it was already occupied until they were standing right at it.

  Normally, anyone sitting at this table would get up and move for them. In the Game Facility there was one thing that earned respect more than anything else: rank in the games. Highly ranked players were lords of the facility, and Brandon’s Hand had earned a tremendous amount of respect in the short time since they’d been playing. As a team they were a dominating force in the 10 to 12-year-old division. In the individual games, the four of them (they hadn’t filled their last spot yet) all floated at the top of the rankings. Each would hold top ranking for a while and then allow one of the others in their group to claim it. This had been Brandon’s idea, and they accomplished it by playing as a team even in the individual games. For example, Brandon would be in the lead of a race and suddenly slow down to let Tony pass him for the win. Brandon knew it wasn’t exactly in the spirit of the games, but they all enjoyed top status, which was what friends should do for each other.

  “Sorry guys and gal, I think we’re at your table. We can get up and leave if you’d like?”

  Brandon’s group stood and gaped. Brandon smiled and addressed the man reclining in his seat. “Thanks, Cooper, but I’m pretty sure you can sit anywhere you want in this mess hall.”

  Cooper flashed a smile and spread his arm to indicate the free seats around the table. The A’s had positioned themselves so that there was an empty seat between each of them. Brandon and the others exchanged excited looks as they sat down.

  The kids smiled and shook hands with the A’s as Cooper made the introductions. They wouldn’t have guessed a few weeks ago that they’d be sitting with the most popular celebrities in the free world.

  “Your turn,” Cooper said to Brandon. “Introduce us to your Hand.”

  Brandon smiled and pointed to his group, one by one. “The one with the wide shoulders that looks — and is — strong as a bull is Tony. The shortest and the fastest of our group is Alan. I’m Brandon, and this pretty girl is Kay. She’s as fast as any of us, and definitely the most clever when it comes to solving the puzzle games.”

  “Ahh, yes,” Cooper said. “Kay is the number one ranked player in your age group. Congratulations, young lady. That is no small accomplishment.”

  “She’s number one at the moment,” Brandon said. “Tomorrow or the next day it will be someone else in our Hand.”

  Cooper’s mouth twitched at the corners and his eyebrows rose in confusion. “I don’t understand,” Cooper looked around the table. “Kay is the leader of the group, and therefore the best of your group when it comes to Gaming. She should have the number one spot at all times.”

  “We're all equally important in the group,” Brandon explained. “We take turns being number one so each of us can enjoy the perks that come with that spot.”

  “Really?” Cooper asked with wide eyes. His team mates smiled and shook their heads. “Tell me, who came up with this idea? All of you at the same time?”

  “Well… no.”

  “Who, then? Who had this idea to share the number one spot?”

  Brandon looked at his group uncertainly. Then he looked at each member of the A’s in turn. They looked at him with both interest and amusement. “It was my idea,” he admitted.

  Cooper nodded. He chuckled and folded his arms as he leaned back in his chair. “We’ve been watching you all since day one. Very impressive, for the most part.” The members of Brandon’s Hand grinned with pride. “There’s one flaw that I see, however, and it will soon destroy you if you don’t take care of it.”

  “What’s that?” Brandon asked.

  “This,” Cooper motioned to the group spread out around the table. “No one knows their place. Sharing all the spots will confuse everyone, and ruin the group.”

  Brandon opened his mouth to defend his idea, but Cooper held up his hand to stop him. “Look, I know that you’re trying to make everyone happy, but let me tell you from experience, kid, it won’t work.” He stood up and walked to the head of the table where there was an empty seat. “Who is leader of the A Hand?” he asked.

  Everyone at the table replied instantly. “You are!”

  Cooper nodded and sat down at the head seat. “You kids are forming a Hand. What happens if you wear a ring on the third finger of your hand and the next day you try to wear it on your pinkie finger? It doesn’t work. Everyone has a place and there's nothing wrong with that. There are members of my hand that are better at me than some things. Hell, when you add it all up, they’re better at me than most things.” Cooper’s teammates laughed and nodded in agreement. “I’m the leader, though, and all of us agree on that. When things get bad, there is never any confusion about where to look for directions.” He tapped his chest. “I make the call, and when I do, the rest are looking at me and ready for orders. Each and every one of us plays a specific role which makes us the best at what we do.”

  Cooper stopped talking to let his point sink in. After a few moments, he stood up and placed his hand on his chair. “Now,” he said, “who is the leader of your group?”

  In unison everyone at the table, the A’s included, said, “Brandon!”

  Cooper nodded and motioned for Brandon to come forward and take his seat. “Your leader is your number one, and should always be ranked number one among you. Enough of this sharing nonsense. When you’re in single competition games, all of you work together to have Brandon finish on top. It’s very obvious that you can do it. If you have a problem with that, then you have a problem with his leadership, which must be dealt with if it happens. And do it outside of the games. If you can’t solve the problem, then either you or Brandon must leave the group. Do we all understand each other?”

  The children nodded seriously.

  “Let me assure you, kids, if you run your Hand the way I am advising you to, then you will be the best of the best. If you don’t, then you’ll fail — like so many others have done in the past.”


  “Thanks for the advice, Cooper,” Brandon said.

  Cooper nodded. “No problem. One more piece of advice, then we can all eat.”

  “Sure.”

  “Get your final member, and do it soon.”

  Chapter 17

  “I can’t believe how many applications we got,” Brandon said.

  “I can,” Alan said. “Like Cooper said, we’re the team to beat right now. It also helps that the A’s come sit with us once in a while. Now everyone wants to be part of our group.”

  “Not everyone,” Kay said. She nodded towards another table but no one bothered to look; they all knew who she was referring to.

  Lohkam and his crew sat three tables away. They were ranked number one in the 12-14 group which was just above Brandon’s. The lords of each age group were notorious for harassing the top ranked leaders in the group just below them. It was a nasty hierarchy of torment, and Brandon’s Hand had learned that being number one did come with one or two drawbacks.

  Knowing that Lohkam and his group were mistreated by the kids above them helped deal with the sting to a degree. It wasn’t right, but there was nothing Brandon could do from his position as rank leader of the youngest group. He vowed to treat the leaders below him better when he moved up in the ranks… after he kicked Lohkam out of his position.

  “Ignore them,” Brandon said. “They’re scared. Once we move into their category they’ll lose their place. It must be terrible for them to know their days are numbered.”

  Tony laughed, “One more year and we’ll own them. I can’t wait.”

  Brandon smiled and nodded. “Who’s next, Kay?”

  Kay swiped a finger across her tablet and pulled up the next profile. “His name is Easton, and he looks real good on paper, guys. If he interviews well, he might be the one we want.”

  “Okay, let’s hope so,” Tony said. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m getting bored. We’ve interviewed, what, eleven kids so far?”

  “Yeah,” Brandon said. “Some good kids, but I agree. Hopefully we find the right one soon.”

  “There he is,” Kay said.

  Easton was of average height for a kid their age, with the athletic build that everyone in the game facility developed. His hair was such a dark black that it gave off an almost bluish sheen in the light. His eyes were dark blue, and he walked with an easy, confident grace. Brandon held out his hand as Easton approached, and Kay silently placed her tablet in his palm.

  “Hi, Brandon,” Easton said. “Thanks for seeing me.”

  Brandon stood up and the two boys shook hands. “Hello, Easton. Let me introduce you to everyone.”

  Brandon made the introductions and the others politely nodded to Easton, quietly listening and sizing him up. They would let Brandon do the interview; any member of the Hand could interrupt and ask a question at any time. After the candidate left, they would all discuss the interview and express their opinions, and if Brandon liked the applicant, they would take a vote. The vote would have to be unanimous for the candidate to be accepted.

  “I have to admit,” Easton said. “You seem older than five, Brandon. Not many five-year-olds in my Centre would be leading a group like this in the games.”

  Brandon smiled. “I get that a lot. We’re all wondering why you want to join us. You’re a year older than we are, and none of the other kids applying for this spot are. It makes more sense for you to get into a group your own age or even older. We’ve been watching videos of you in the games, and you’re very good. Your rank in the individual games is high, too; a team should’ve snapped you up. What’s wrong with you?”

  Easton laughed and nodded his head. “You’re right, I have a good rank, and others have asked me to join them. I always thought the best way to succeed was to do it on my own. I’ve spent all my time building a high solo rank.”

  “So what changed?” Alan asked.

  “Someone suggested that I should consider trying out for your group.”

  “Really?” Kay asked.

  “Yeah,” Easton nodded. “So I thought about it, and asked around, and watched you guys play. I think you’re going to do something big, and I want to be part of it. I can bring a lot to your team if you let me.”

  A half hour stretched into an hour. The average interview had taken only a few minutes, but the members of the Hand all seemed to hit it off with Easton. Finally, time was up because they had to go to class. Brandon ended the meeting by thanking Easton for his time and telling him they would be in touch by the end of the day to let him know what they’d decided.

  After Easton left, Brandon looked around to gauge their reactions, and he saw that they were all smiling.

  “Well,” he said, “he is definitely worth a vote. Who wants him to join us?”

  Everyone’s hand shot up and they all laughed and nodded.

  “There it is, then,” Brandon nodded. “It looks like we have a full Hand. Now we can really get down to playing some games. ”

  Chapter 18

  “How did Cooper do in the simulation?” the General asked.

  “He did extremely well, General,” Thorn said. An assortment of graphs and charts were displayed on the main viewer. The General scrutinized the data for the next few minutes while Thorn waited patiently.

  “Yes, I see what you mean,” the General said. “Although it doesn’t look like he actually did anything productive.”

  “Entering the virtual reality matrix is similar to being born. The purpose of the first few sessions is to calibrate the system to his brain functions. Once the preliminary work is complete, you can expect more significant data. His results are above the normal scale.”

  The General nodded curtly. “It’s your show, Mr. Thorn; I defer to your expertise in these matters. When does he go in again?”

  “He’s scheduled for another session tomorrow,” Thorn said.

  “Where do we stand with the Gamers?”

  “I’m building a baseline with Cooper, and then the rest of his Hand. Once I have that all set up, we will begin to set benchmark readings for the students. I expect to start introducing them to the VR environment within the next few weeks. We are still working with the winners of your contest, is that correct?”

  “Yes,” the General confirmed. “The top ranked Gamers from each age group will enter the program first.”

  “Only the top ranked? I was hopeful that the five-year-old would be part of the first group.”

  “Oh, he will be.”

  “Really?” Thorn asked.

  “The lad is skilled,” the General said. “Against the ten and eleven year olds he leads in the individual rankings, and the group he formed is at the top of the team rankings.”

  “Interesting.”

  “Very,” the General said. “The kid’s a natural competitor and leader. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, considering who his parents are… or were.”

  “Who were they?”

  The General paused, then shrugged his shoulders and told him.

  Thorn’s eyes widened in surprise and he sat forward in his seat. “Are you serious? Does the boy know? Isn’t there an uncle who should be raising him?”

  The General chuckled. “It was the uncle who gave him to us, and the boy doesn’t know, nor will he ever.”

  Thorn nodded, “Of course, General, I understand. It was a terrible accident that claimed his parents. Some rumours claim that they were killed deliberately… I forget who ended up buying their company and acquiring the assets and technologies?”

  The General’s cold gaze matched the tone that crept into his voice. “Sensational rumours and lies are all that surround their untimely deaths, Mr. Thorn. Life isn’t fair and sometimes terrible tragedies occur, which was what happened in their case. ”

  Thorn returned the General’s gaze with a good natured smile. Both men knew the truth. Strayne Industries had been acquired quickly and cheaply by Infinite Solutions Division not long after the premature deaths of the young husban
d and wife. It was a surprising development, yet no news stations had reported on the story.

  “Sometimes we have plans for life, but life has different plans for us,” Thorn said.

  “I don’t understand,” the General said.

  “I mean life’s not fair, General, although no one ever claimed that it was. Most of us think life owes us something, but the truth is that it’s fragile and can end any time, which I understand better than most. I appreciate your confidence, and you can rest assured that no one will hear a breath of the boy’s true identity from me.”

  The General smiled and nodded. “I knew that would be the case, Mr. Thorn.”

  As the two men continued their conversation regarding the timetables and logistics of the project, Thorn made a mental note to himself. He would be taking a very keen interest in young Brandon Strayne.

  Chapter 19

  Brandon opened his eyes and realized he was inside the dream again. Black rats erupted from the stone floor and he wasted no time catching them in his invisible grip. He held them securely in the air until he sensed the familiar golden tingling to his right. The bathroom wall faded to reveal the gold-tinged forest with the giant sloth hanging from a branch of his tree.

  “Good work,” the sloth said. “Crush them and come to my tree.”

  Brandon crushed the squeaking rats and let them drop to the ground. He walked towards the sloth, lifting his foot slightly to step over the lip of the bathroom floor.

  “I’m pleased to see that your skills are improving,” the sloth said. “Did you capture the feeling and practice summoning it when you left last time?”

  “Yes, I did,” Brandon said. “A couple of times I think stuff actually moved. I made a pencil shake, and I’m pretty sure I knocked a book off of Tony’s desk.”

  “Is that so?” the sloth asked. “You are ready for the next step, then.”

  A dark brown owl flew towards the sloth’s tree and landed on the ground beside them. It stood a few inches taller than Brandon and its eyes were a deep gold colour.