"Crystal!" Vicky said standing up and looking at Mia. Mia's character was dressed like a cowboy. She had the hat, a tight fitting top, and trousers, all coloured dark blue.
"I levelled up," Mia said.
"She saved me," Blaze said getting up.
"What? I thought you were missing?" Vicky said looking at Mia.
"I was I couldn't log out, and then I disappeared. Turned out I was getting a level up," Mia said with a sassy smile.
"Ok no time for sass, we gotta get back to the safe house, before someone finds us." Vicky said, and got back on the bike.
"Who am I going to go with?" Mia asked.
"Blaze! Blaze will take you home," Vicky said getting on her bike, with Rachel.
"I'm getting you back for this. Both of you," Mia said exaggerating on "both".
"We just saved you," Rachel said.
"I think I just saved you guys," Mia replied, and hopped on the bike with Blaze.
They safely arrived at their apartment, they walked in, and looked around.
"I guess we should log out now. Dia's got school tomorrow, and mom must be worried," Mia said looking at Rachel.
"I guess I'll see you later then," Vicky said nodding her head at Mia.
A head-up display appeared in front of Mia and Rachel's face, and then they turned into pixels that disintegrated.
"What about you?" Vicky asked looking at Blaze.
"I got to go too. I'm sorry, I got work tomorrow," Blaze said.
"It's fine," Vicky said.
"What about you?" Blaze asked.
"I'll stay here for a bit longer," Vicky said.
"Okay. Bye," Blaze said, and disintegrated.
Vicky walked into her and Blaze's room and took a phone call.
"Hello," a male voice on the phone said.
"Did you find what I asked for?" Vicky asked.
"Not yet Icicle. I found a person that could use your help though," the voice said.
"Alex, this is the third time you've said that," Vicky said.
"I know, but you are kind of like a superhero here you help everyone… Meet me at the plaza. I'll tell you what needs to be done, and hurry up, we need to complete this before daylight," Alex said.
"I'll be there," Vicky said, and went down to the garage. One of the cars were covered in a cloth. Vicky pulled the cloth away, to reveal a classic, black, muscle car underneath.
"Looks like we're going on another mission," Vicky said getting into the car. She opened the head-up display, and set the navigation marker on the plaza and drove off.
Vicky went to the plaza, and parked her car at the parking lot, and got off. The plaza was not a usual plaza, but instead a tall building, with beams going out of it. A lot of players and NPCs (non-player characters) were at the plaza. Vicky walked into the plaza. The doors were automatic sliding doors, and the plaza was full of vendors selling all sorts of different items. Vicky walked through the plaza and one vendor caught her eye. The vendor was selling glowing tattoos.
"Welcome to the plaza. Please make yourself at home. We have plenty of vendors for shoppers," the announcer on the speaker said in a very calming voice.
"Tattoos… tattoos… glowing tattoos…," the vendor who caught Vicky's eye kept shouting. Vicky walked towards the vendor, there was one customer who had finished purchasing a tattoo, and walked away.
"How much?" Vicky asked.
"Four Raina Creds for a normal, eight for a customised tattoo," the vendor said. The vendor was a robot NPC and therefore just said what they were programmed to.
"One customised," Vicky said.
"Choose a design," the vendor replied.
Vicky drew a snowflake designed by her, and showed it to the vendor. The vendor took it and looked at Vicky.
"Pick a spot," the vendor said.
"Here," Vicky said, pulling her sleeve up and showing the inside of her right wrist.
"Eight Raina Creds," the vendor said. Vicky reached for her trouser pocket and pulled out exactly eight Raina Creds, with looked like glowing orbs inside a bottle. The tattoo appeared on the exact place Vicky asked for it.
"Thank you," Vicky said and walked off.
Raina Creds was the currency used in the game. Five Raina Creds was worth one real world currency, and could be exchanged between players.
Vicky kept walking towards the end of the plaza, and came to an area where lockers were kept. Each locker required a digit code to be unlocked.
"Hi, what is your locker number?" a NPC asked.
"208," Vicky replied. The NPC took Vicky to the locker 208, and left. Vicky waited until the area was empty, and the entered the digit code, which unlocked the locker. The locker opened to a small passage. Vicky entered the passage, and closed the locker.
The passage was lit with small fire torches. Vicky walked through the passage which led to a small room, where three players were using computers, and a guy was standing at the front of the room.
"Alex," Vicky said. Alex was wearing a white full suit, with a black eyepatch. He had a sniper on his back, and two white desert eagles on his hip holster. His hair was white, and so were his shoes.
"Icicle. I found some leads about the guy who killed your brother, but once they were followed… they all led to a dead-end," Alex said.
"It's fine. What's the job?" Vicky asked.
"I got a lead from one of our lovely hackers here, about the location of Crystal's prison. I thought you might want to know," Alex said.
"What? What do you mean location of Crystal's prison?" Vicky asked baffled by what Alex said.
"Yeah. Another asset said they saw her disappear. I asked our guys to do some digging, and turns out she was captured. She's currently being held in a prison. "Alex said.
"Are you sure that she didn't escape or anything?" Vicky asked.
"Yes. One of my assets caught a glimpse of her a few minutes ago in prison." Alex said.
"Can we trust this asset?" Vicky asked.
"Yes…. What's with all the questions?" Alex asked.
"Oh no!" Vicky said as she was hit with the reality of the issue.