DreamWorld
Tobias watches as Xander and his group cheered and took shots as Lucifer comes over towards Esmeray and Valencia as Xander stands and makes his way towards the front as Tegan eyed Esmeray and smirks as Leon throws the peace sign up at Lucifer.
Leon: Take it easy, Luce.
Xander: We got what we needed. I hope that you got what you came for.
Tobias: We did…
Xander: We'll meet again. Soon I think. Until then. Goodbye, and good luck.
Xander smirks and walks out as Tegan and Leon follow as Artur pulls up on his Speeder, Xander jumping on the back as Leon materializes a Speeder that Tegan pushes him from the drivers side of, Leon laughing as he sits sideways behind her as Tegan starts it up and follows behind Artur as the two speeders drive away from the sea of destroyed D.R.C. agents, tech and vehicles. Tobias sneers as he shuts the door as he looks dismayed.
Tobias: That can't be good…
Esmeray: It doesn't matter. We haven't been brought out yet. Means something went wrong.
Esmeray goes and sits at the bar as Valencia comes over to Tobias as Lucifer pats him and heads to the counter as Valencia faces Tobias.
Tobias: I need to go…
Valencia: I know.
Tobias: You gonna be alright?
Valencia: I will be. Just...watch yourself okay. And come back to me.
Tobias: I will…
Tobias and Valencia touch foreheads and close their eyes as Esmeray looks at them and then turns and raises a finger as Lucifer makes her a glass as Tobias steps back and rubs his palm with his thumb.
Tobias: Ray…
Esmeray turns to him.
Esmeray: Going somewhere?
Tobias: Waking up. I'll get you disconnected and find out what happened.
Esmeray: Make sure Vade is okay…
Tobias: I will.
Tobias begins to dissipate as he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath and soon he glitches and then disappears as Valencia clutches her hands together as Esmeray nods.
Esmeray: Come drink with me, Val. I hate drinking alone.
Valencia comes over and sits in the stool beside her as Lucifer pours himself a shot and then makes another drink as Esmeray sips at her.
Esmeray: Tobias's Echo... any idea who you were? Outside of here.
Valencia: I can't really say. I don't have any implanted memories other than waking up here in the dream share.
Esmeray: Hmm. I wonder.
Valencia: About?
Esmeray: This guy. Xander Halstead. He wants to merge the world's together. The reality of mine and the reality of yours. Would that be so bad?
Lucifer: Of unimaginable proportions.
The two look at Lucifer as he takes the shot and looks between the two.
Lucifer: if he can remake the world, he would lord over it. He would become a god, unstoppable and omnipotent. Organic life would merge digital life, and existence would render itself moot. Paradise for some…
Valencia: Hell for others..
Lucifer: precisely.
Esmeray: Again, not seeing the downside. Lucifer: You will if it comes to pass.
Esmeray: Meh.
She finishes the drink as she taps at it as Lucifer takes it and makes her another.
Elsewhere, Reality
Tobias awakens in the back of the car, checking in Esmeray's vitals as he safely disengages her from off of the dream share as he gets out of the car and finds Vade, still knocked out as Tobias rushes to him.
Tobias: Vade! Vade!
Tobias checks on him as he makes sure there isn't any skull blood as Vade stirs in his arms as he comes to, looking about as he looks confused and discombobulated as Tobias looks about.
Tobias: what happened?
Vade: Untherers I knew found us...took Van... but...i got the data offloaded to back ups...don't know why they didn't kill me…
Tobias: Which ones? Alex?
Vade: No...Ash…
Tobias: And Mario?
Vade: Yes.
Tobias: Winston's top guys. Shit.
Vade: Esmeray…?
Tobias: Should be coming too ..
Vade pushes himself away from you as he fixes his glasses and rubs his head as Tobias stands by.
DreamWorld
Kami overlooks the nearby D.R.C Conclave that Xanders group is preparing to attack as Blayde paces behind her.
Blayde: Kami…
Kami: Not now…
Blayde: No, we're doing this now.
Kami sighs and turns to him.
Kami: I did what I had to do. I'm not losing you again…
Blayde: At what cost? he'll get the second chain code. And we know where the third one is...and how he'll obtain it…
Kami: Then we need to get ready...get the best…
Blayde: I'm not him, Kami…
Kami: You don't think I know that!
Blayde is caught off guard by her sudden outburst as she balls her fists and shakes.
Kami: Everytime I see you...I hear him, smell him...you're a perfect rendering of the man I loved and I'm acutely aware that even those perfect details about him still doesn't fill that void...but it's better than nothing and I just...won't…
Blayde comes over and grabs her into a comforting hug as he nods and doesn't say anything, just letting Kami get herself sorted as she pulls away and wipes her eyes.
Kami: We'll need em all. A Dreamer, an Untetherer, An Echo, A Host and A Paragon.
Blayde: Esmeray, Vade and Tobias?
Kami: Vade is our Untetherer. Tobias's Echo or yourself can fill out the Echo role.
Blayde: Ray?
Kami: She's just Ray.
Blayde: She's more than just…
Kami: If all else fails...then maybe.
Blayde nods.
Kami: Myself and Tobias can fill the Dreamer roles. Leaves us a Host and a Paragon.
Blayde: Any ideas where to start?
Kami: Knowing Tobias, he'll bring Ray and Vade to him. Just leaves us to find our Paragon. And I think there's only one person who'll have that information.
Kami and Blayde look towards the opposite horizon and towards the Inferno Bar.
Elsewhere
Esmeray sees herself beginning to glitch as she finishes her drink.
Esmeray: Guess my time is up for now.
Valencia: Ray...please...watch over Tobias for me.
Esmeray: He's good hands. Believe me.
Lucifer: Safe travels. And do be careful. I sense more fun is to be had.
Esmeray: Yeah...me too.
Esmeray grins before she blinks and then is gone, Valencia looking about as Lucifer looks at the damage.
Lucifer: Good thing I have a comprehensive clean up package.
Lucifer snaps his fingers as everything suddenly glitches and then resets to look like it had before, Valencia looking outside to see all of the Carnage left behind by Xander and Tobias are also gone.
Valencia: How did you…
Lucifer: Power beyond your understanding.
Valencia: What happens now?
Lucifer: That is a question and an answer you must ask yourself.
Valencia: I want to help... but I can't. Not the way I am...is there...a way...to make me strong? Confident. To be his shield and sword.
Lucifer:, He wouldn't want that…
Valencia: No. He wouldn't. But it's what I want…
Lucifer grins.
Lucifer: There might be a way.
Lucifer kids at the doors as Kami and Blayde waltz inside, Valencia looking at them as she seemed to recognize them both.
Reality
Esmeray gasps and comes too inside of the car as she quickly takes the Neural link off and gets out as she rubs her temples and looks at Vade who was leaning near the hood of the car rubbing his temples as Tobias was smoking a cigarette.
Esmeray: Vade…
Vade: I have the info backed up... we're good.
Esmeray: Are you okay...was what I was going to ask.
Vade: My pride is rather wounded but I'll live. Tobias here has filled me in on what happened. Xander Halstead has reappeared.
Esmeray: Seems so.
Vade: We...we are in serious shit.
Esmeray: So I've also been told.
Vade: Luckily for you, I've been preparing for such an unfortunate event.
Tobias: You have?
Vade takes his glasses and wipes them as Esmeray and Tobias come over to him both with quizzical looks on their faces.
Vade: I was responsible for an Untetherering that went horribly wrong. An event caused by a Hooded Figure I was fairly certain was Xander. But Orion was so despondent and willing to not believe me that I quit, because I needed to work outside of the construct. Xander is a zealot and madman. But he's beyond smart and cunning. He's dangerous not because of how powerful he and his Echo are. It's because he believes in this ideal that a combined world is the only way forward. Perhaps he's right but we mustn't let it come to pass.
Tobias: Why?
Esmeray: Exactly what I've been asking.
Vade: A human should never be able to play god.
Esmeray: But we do that everyday. Everyone of us. A Dreamer, an A.N.N user. What more proof do we need that we play god then literally manipulating the fabric of our own dreams?
Vade: You control yourself, and can manipulate within the dream share sure, but can I control you?
Esmeray: No…
Vade: Exactly. Because in the end we are the lords only of what we can conceive and achieve within the confides of our own existence. Dreamers scare Orion Industrial because they show a form of evolution. An image ability to astral project into any subconscious, even render complete and full concious life. What Xander seeks is the control. If he gets what he wants not only could he create life at will, surplus an army of loyal zealots and slaves who'll see him as their god, he can manipulate and control our own lives. He would become the source of all life, organic and digital. Because we will all be merged into one state of consciousness under his dominion.
Tobias and Esmeray look at one another.
Esmeray: Okay... admittedly that sounds bad.
Vade: Very.
Tobias: He's got whatever he needs to get that second chain code, that means he'll only need one more?
Vade: Luckily that won't be so easy. But the main issue is Orion will mobilize harder. We've gotta get a jump on them if we're going to stop this asshole.
Tobias: What do we need?
Vade rubs his chin and thinks.
Vade: We need a Host.
Tobias perks up as Esmeray folds her arms.
Esmeray: Couldn't you just be the host or me?
Vade: No. It's gotta be someone whose entire purpose in the dream share is to boost and strengthen our connection and therefore our…
Tobias: I know a guy.
The two look at Tobias.
Tobias: He's a... but of a character but he's the best goddamn Host around. Come on, it's time I introduce you two to Charles…
Tobias heads to the driver side of the car as Vade and Esmeray follow in close behind.
End of chapter.