The trip was uneventful and eventually, I turn the key to unlock the familiar apartment I call home. It's by no means big but this 500 square feet box is what I call home. Upon entering, the Kaleidoscope rings with multiple alerts and highlights multiple spaces in my home.
+
[Multiple Life Forms Detected]
[A nest of rats is detected in the vicinity]
[Evidence of cockroaches detected]
[Evidence of microscopic parasites detected]
[Too much information available. Immediate extermination highly advised]
[Initiate call to Fords Exterminations Unit?]
+
"N-no, I don't have the money to pay an exterminator to come to my room," I say in a hurry.
+
[Understood. Muting notifications of pests]
+
I limp towards my bed while being wary of the roommates I am now aware of.
"Damn, Devon Miller. You live like this?" Sheriv, now exploring the room, says while pinching her nose.
"Well, I'm always alone here and I don't get guests. When did you even eat the phone number of a pest control company?"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk you ignorant man. Isn't it a saying that 'a man's room is the reflection of his soul'? Also, it was what the hospital uses. I think it was in one of the pancakes I ate."
I sigh. "Maybe in Central they say that Sher, but here, we have things to worry about other than impressing guests."
Knowing the stink my used clothes will leave to my only suitcase, I unpack the laundry and throw them on the laundry basket that I never use. Despite what I just said, I do realize that I'm technically living with someone so I have to at least be considerate. Also, I don't want any more of my hidden friends to multiply. I guess it's true that ignorance is bliss.
Upon hearing my reply, she raises an eyebrow. "Sher?"
I pause and turn to her. "You're name's too hard to say so I shortened it. What? Are you gonna say that your name is 'ToO mAgEsTic' and shortening it is a 'TrAveSty'?"
Her lips curl, try as she might not to show it. "First of all, I don't speak like that. And second ... I actually appreciate it."
I cup my ear with my hand. "What? Can you say that again? Because it sounded like ACTUAL sincerity."
She rolls her eyes. "Ugh, whatever," she says and continues to explore.
As I finish unpacking everything and begin my daily routine, sharp knocks echo from the door.
"Devon Miller, this is the Metropolis Police Department," a spry high pitched, male voice announces itself through the door. "We contacted the hospital and they say you've been discharged. May we speak with you?"
Sher looks at me and I shrug at her. I approach the peep hole as the knocks continue. Outside, I see two men in police uniform: the same ones the guards at the gates of central use. One of them seems to be a thick older gentleman of African descent while the other is a young thin Hispanic man. I gingerly open the door and greet my two visitors.
"What can I do for you officers?" I say while wearing the best smile I could muster.
Immediately, the Kaleidoscope highlights multiple points of interest.
+
[Tension is high. A calm demeanor is advised]
[Armed with Fractal weapons]
[Physical Threat Level: High]
[Mental Threat Level: High]
[Companion Threat Level: Very High]
+
I glance at Sher who's silently observing the police officers and the weapons strapped on their hips.
The two officers flash a smile but the way they press their bodies forward ever so slightly seems to indicate that they are ready to lunge at me if I ever so twitch the wrong way.
"Would you mind comin' down to th' station? We just need to ask ya a couple a' questions," says the senior of the two in his deep, nasally voice.
"For sure," I reply. "May I ask what this is about?"
The older gentleman sighs. "We have reason t' believe that you're involved with an embezzlement scheme perpetuated at Neo Constructions."
My eyes go wide and upon noticing my surprise, the shift closer to the door.
+
[A calm demeanor is recommended]
[Scans detected from two sources]
[Concealment cancels the scans]
[A poker face is recommended]
+
Damn it. My reaction gave them a reason to scan me. This is just great.
I look at the two confused police officers in front of me. It seems that whatever scan they tried to use alerted them of some anomaly. Shit, if it's some sort of lie detection scan, I'll be even more suspicious.
In a desperate attempt to shift the situation, I lock the door behind me and gestured to the police officers with my cane. "Please lead the way."
Their alarmed state immediately turns to wariness as they escort me towards their vehicle. It's the usual black and white cop car that I see everyday but this one has a teddy bear mascot in full tactical gear sitting at the back.
They open the door for me and in classic police fashion, they young officer protects my head with his hand.
"Devon Miller, what's happening?" Sher speaks in my head as I settle down behind the car.
I stay silent. My headspace has turned into a cacophony of different pieces of information colliding against one another. It literally has been a month since we uncovered Ed's embezzlement scheme. I left it to Nancy and Nick to fix it but before I could hear back from them, I was hospitalized. What the hell happened in between then and now?
Before I realize it, I am now walking in the hallowed halls of the police station. We pass by the humble front desk where a female police officer nods at us through the thick glass barrier. Then, the hall of heroes where medals and pictures of brave officers are displayed to act as inspiration to those who see it. A little ways more and we pass by the open workspace area where tens of holograms appear and disappear in an almost rhythmic fashion as officers work with them. Eventually, we arrive at a reinforced glass sliding door guarding a cold room with a singular desk and two chairs facing each other.
"Just wait here for a bit," the young officer awkwardly smiles. "The detective will come to ask you some questions later."
I nod and watch them leave me to my lonesome. Well, not entirely.
"Pssst, Devon Miller," a harsh whisper emanates from my mind. "Is it safe now?"
I look at the obviously one-way mirror in front of me and stay silent. At this moment, Sher appears on the table.
"Didn't your mother teach you that ignoring people is rude?" she starts. But as I stay silent, she tracks my gaze and realize why I can't say anything. "Ah. Well whatever, you don't have to say anything but there is something I've realized."
My eyebrow twitches. Can't she realize that this is a serious matter to me? If only I could speak, I'll give her a piece of my mind.
"You remember what we saw on the street earlier right?" she continues without even attempting to check if I want to hear what she has to say. "Monica has made the Kaleidoscope into a gaming piece."
I sigh in surrender and lean back on the chair. "Mhm."
"I was thinking why? It's not the type to do anything without reason so why make something seemingly useless?" then, she throws her arms in the air and suddenly, the room changes to a digital void.
I jump from my seat and lean closer to her. She snaps her finger and a model of the officer's gun appears in front of me, floating and spinning slowly in the air.
"This!" she announces.
I narrow my eyes and scrunch my face trying to think of what she could mean. Then, I shrug.
"Ugh, use your brain you dolt," she yells in exasperation. "What is the one thing that humans have been spending money on for thousands of years?"
Suddenly, a bulb of enlightenment dings in my head.
She notices this and rides the momentum and transforms the space into images of war-torn countries. "That's right! Weapons, killing, wars! What happens if all of that is transformed into a game?"
My eyes go wide.
"That's right! All that funding goes to Kaleidoscope upgrades, DLC's, virtual weapons and ammunition which are all developed by Medacorp," she excitedly says in one breath and one by one the images transform into flourishing societies. "Think of the lives saved, and the land spared, and most importantly, the money flowing into its pockets."
"You sound almost proud," I whisper.
"I am," she admits. "I am even though I don't want to. But there is one thing that concerns me."
"Hm?"
"You said that this update allows the users to interact with data right?"
I nod.
"Well, what am I now?"
I finally realize what she's trying to say. But before I could say anything, I realized another thing. What Nancy and Nick told me that day we went to the Administrator.
+
[The Roleplayers' DLC allows us to interact with data]
[We just had to do a couple of simple games]
+
I grit my teeth and as I am about to call on the person behind that mirror, the door bursts open revealing a scraggly gentleman wearing a dark scarf over his long black coat and grey dress shirt.
"Name's Barry Davenport, just here to ask a couple of questions."