"What are you doing here?" Vicky asked looking at the captain, who was dressed in casual attire.
"I'm guessing you don't want to worry Mia and her family. Why don't we talk downstairs?" Captain Daze said.
"Why would I trust you?" Vicky asked.
"Because you don't have a choice," Captain Daze said, looking at a few other visitors seated. They showed their guns subtly, by lifting their shirts a bit. Vicky sighed and followed Captain Daze to the elevator. The visitors got up, and walked into the elevator with them. There were about four other soldiers, disguised as visitors in the elevator.
"Why so many soldiers? Didn't know you were that scared of me," Vicky said.
"I'm not scared of you," Captain Daze said. Vicky smirked. They got off the elevator, and walked to the car park. Captain Daze and his soldiers led Vicky to a much secluded area in the car park. There were a few tinted, black SUVs parked.
"What's this?" Vicky asked.
"An offer," Commander Claire said getting out of one of the SUVs, she was dressed in pink office attire. Vicky raised her eyebrow. "We need you to help us take down Manic. He's not who you think he is," the Commander said.
"Just like you're not who everyone thinks you are?" Vicky asked. She casually walked to the front of the SUV that Commander Claire got out of, and sat on the bonnet. The captain rolled his eyes, followed Vicky, and stood in front of her.
"Are you going to help us, or not?" the Commander asked.
"What happens if I don't?" Vicky asked.
"We'll kill you," Commander Claire said. Vicky raised her eyebrows looking at her. "How about we kill your best friend, and her sister?" the Commander asked, unamused by Vicky's response. Vicky stared at the Commander.
"Last time I checked. It was illegal to murder or arrest people for crimes that happen in the game," Vicky said getting off the bonnet.
"Since when did any rule stop us from killing anyone," Commander Claire said. Vicky looked at the commander. "Just like the fire," the Commander added.
"You… GRRR!" Vicky shouted, trying to charge at the commander. The soldiers grabbed Vicky and pulled her back.
"This is not the game," Commander Claire said, and continued "You're not as powerful as Icicle."
"But you're still scared of a twenty-year-old girl," Vicky said. "Pathetic," she taunted.
"I'm not taking my chances with you. You seem to have a 'I don't care if I die' attitude," Commander Claire said. Vicky smirked.
"I don't know if you're genuinely scared for your life, or you just want me alive for your mission," Vicky scoffed.
"Listen kid! We don't want to work with you either. But seeing your in-game deeds, you don't seem like someone who'd want a lot of people dying," the Captain said.
"Ironic coming from Raina Corps, since you guys caused a lot of players to end up in comas," Vicky said, and struggled to free herself from the soldiers.
"Let her go," the captain said. Commander Claire looked stunned, at what the captain said.
"No!" Commander Claire said, before the soldiers could unhand Vicky.
"Claire. Are you genuinely scared of a kid, that has no fighting experience?" Captain Daze replied.
"Hey!" Vicky exclaimed.
"She's not just any kid," Claire said, ignoring Vicky.
"Just let her go," Captain Daze said looking at Vicky, and nodded his head to the soldiers. They unhanded Vicky, who made her jacket, and stared at the captain.
"This is a bad idea," Claire said. The captain looked at Claire, and walked a little closer to Vicky, standing face to face with her.
"I didn't kill your brother," Captain Daze said. Vicky wasn't surprised, and just stared at him. "I wasn't even logged in at the time. You know how easy it is to clone someone. You saw it first hand, with Crystal, Alex. I can assure you that your brother dying, had something to do with Manic. He has this mission planned that no one knows about. You don't have to accept this. I hear there's evidence in his safe house. If you're interested, call me," Captain Daze said holding out his business card to Vicky.
"You have a business card?" Vicky asked, looking at the card. Captain Daze smiled at her and walked away, with the other soldiers and Claire. They got into the vehicles and drove off. Vicky put the business card in her wallet. She walked back inside the hospital, to Mia's room. She looked deep in thought while walking. She walked along the corridor to Mia's room, when Mrs. Wilson stopped her.
"Vicky. Everything alright?" Mrs. Wilson asked, putting her phone in her hand bag.
"Yeah," Vicky said smiling.
"Ok. Why don't you go check on Mia? Rachel went to get some food," Mrs. Wilson said.
"Oh! Ok," Vicky said, and smiled. She entered Mia's room. Mia was using her phone when Vicky walked in full serious, contemplating about her encounter.
"Wow! You look like that time you got that idea to stuff papers inside the mattress covers at your parents' house," Mia said, putting her phone away.
"They couldn't find where the crunchy noise was coming for over a week," Vicky said laughing. She sat on the chair beside Mia's bed.
"So what's up?" Mia asked.
"Nothing much," Vicky said.
"You don't look like there's 'nothing much' going in your head," Mia said making air quotes.
"Was that you waiting for your boyfriend to text?" Vicky asked changing the topic.
"I don't have a boyfriend," Mia replied.
"You don't have one. You have many," Vicky said jokingly.
"That's a boy-friend. Not boyfriend. There's a difference," Mia said.
"MmmHmm," Vicky said. "By the way, I think your sister hates me," she said.
"Why?" Mia asked.
"Cause I put you in a coma," Vicky replied.
"Well now I'm back, so she's not mad at you," Mia said, and continued "Trust me she can never be mad at you for too long."
"I hope so," Vicky said. Vicky waited with Mia and her family until the next morning.
Everyone was awake the next morning, and Mia was to be discharged, sometime during the day, after her reports arrive.
"Are you going?" Mia asked, looking at Vicky.
"Yes," Vicky said yawning and stretching, "I need to get some stuff done at home."
"Can't it wait?" Mia asked.
"Unfortunately, no," Vicky replied.
"Well then I'll see you later," Mia said. Vicky nodded her head.
"Thanks for coming Vicky," Mrs. Wilson said.
"Thank you," Rachel said looking at Vicky and smiled.
"It's nothing," Vicky said and left out the door.
Vicky arrived at her house, and ate breakfast. She completed her daily routine, and walked into the pod.
Meanwhile, at a laboratory in the game, Captain Daze and Commander Claire stood talking to a scientist.
"The time freeze jammer is missing. I searched everywhere, but couldn't find it," a scientist said to the captain and the commander.
"Any signs of breaking in?" Captain Daze asked.
"No. One of my colleagues said their key card was missing a few days back. We didn't think much of it at the time," the scientist replied.
"Didn't you remove it from the system?" Commander Claire asked.
"We did," the scientist replied. The captain looked around the room, and spotted a camera.
"Did the cameras get anything?" the captain asked.
"Nothing," the scientist replied.
"We'll look into it," Commander Claire replied, and walked away with the captain.