Chapter 1

As time goes by, the sun is slowly descending itself on the horizon and the cold air night lingers the surroundings, as well as the darkening of the horizon, slowly invaded the beautiful blue of the sky.

yawning and stretching his body while sitting on his chair "ahh... what time is it?" looks up in the wall clock in his front, ticking until it points 5 P.M. Staring at it while daydreaming until the thought of being late for the reservation just struck at him "what the!? It's already 5 in the afternoon!" cleaning the desk before going out. rushing to the Toilet to comb his hair and fixes his messy attire. "Mon!? It is already at 5 o'clock! we still have our reservation in the restaurant! it would be waste if we didn't go."

"what the hell was that shouting?" half-asleep and annoyed by the sudden shout. Wiped his droll on his cheeks, mustering the strength to focus his eyes to look at the time on the wall clock but fail because of sleepiness that he goes back on his sleeping position second ago. and just realize that it was that late in the evening. "Oh, my gandhi!..: Ber, wake up! we have to go now or we'll get stuck in traffic.

"Ber!? you awake bro!?" Simone keeps looking for him but he didn't find him. while walking, he stumbles something. a big cloth that should be used for covering appliances. He saw feet below it and it resembles his bro's feet. "Ber? where are you!?" tries not to notice as he walks by stepping on Jhon balls as he sleeping soundly on the floor. "Ooff!... my future children..." enduring the pain of his balls that got stepped on. writhing on pain, determined to avenge his fallen children and punches the balls of Simone. "Ahh!... My beautiful balls?... so long my beautiful future." writhing in pain as he squirming in the floor. "A soul for a soul, a tooth for a tooth." looking triumphant as he achieved justice to his fallen children and future.

Jester that just got out from the toilet, wiping his hand with his handkerchief. He was intrigued that two of them that are squirming on the floor. "why are you two doing that kind of act? it's childish and yet dumb to look at. You should saw your faces when you do that." John is struggling to get his phone and when he got it he then looks at the time and he was shocked " It's this late already!" mustering the strength in his legs and tormented from the pain, struggles to arrange the cloth that he uses as a blanket. "God damn it!... " trying to compress it and put on the lower drawer. it was messy that it shows some cloth that may be stuck when you close it.

Simone laying down the floor while covering his balls " Don't we have to go now!? besides, we can always go there anytime because we're just going to drunk ourselves." John listened to Simone while he still fastly cleaning the desk as fast as he can and then slowing down his work. "Yeah, we have a restaurant for ourselves tonight cause we're gonna party tonight!"

"That's why we're gonna go there early so that we could have a lot more time to party" Acting suspiciously weird. They notice the behavior that jester showed and began doubting him. Simone gave a sign to John to interrogate Jester with both of them. They walk towards Jester slowly "Aren't you sure that is only your thought with no hidden agenda? by the looks of it, you're too neat and clean as if you are going to meet someone." staring at Jester strongly. Jhon imitating a detective tone " Did you tell anybody about our secret to go out and to have a party." touching Jester at his shoulder and grab strongly that he screams. Jester just gulps down his saliva as he thinks a way to run from the situation. Slowly walking backward and hit the desk of Recca.

"Hey, Rec didn't see you there? what're you doing?" Trying to avert the attention and change the topic but he is already sweating and nervous. "Hey!... you listening" Jester tried to talk to Recca but he was focusing at his work on his laptop. John thought that this is the chance that the topic would change if this would go on. "hey don't you dare change the topic." Jester couldn't think a way to divert their attention so he uses the tactic to talk with another person to ignore them. " Hey Recca, what are you doing? why are you so into it. What's with this code? are you making a program." Recca didn't still notice that people are calling him. When jester reaches the shoulder of Recca, he suddenly closes the laptop and grabs the flash drive that what inserted a sec ago in the USB port. "ah... it's nothing. just fixing my flash drive..." looks at the back of Jester and he got a hint. " and by the way, I heard you talk the other day on the phone." when jester heard the phone, he became panicky. Jester was giving a sign to Recca that he won't tell a single thing about what he heard the other day on the phone. Recca just gives a devilish smile.

" The truth is that I heard him talking on the phone about the party that we reserve at the restaurant with his girlfriend and that girlfriend of his spread word to our little party. " Jester was giving a lot of signals to stop on what Recca was doing but when he turned his head at the back he saw his life flashing to his eyes. "Is this my end? Arghh!..."

"So you've told the girls about our getaway party? and you never told us?" Simond pinch while John headlock jester. "To be honest, they didn't inform you that because they want to hold a surprise party when we get there. They want to congratulate us on completing our project." wheezing from the headlock of John. tapping on the shoulder of John, asking to stop headlock.

They got interrupted when Simone's phone rings. " I'm gonna get this... After this, we're going to the reserved restaurant." John still is head locking Jester. He got tired eventually and his grip loses and Jester grabs the chance. It was like a Wrestling match.

"Hello, who's calling?"

"It's your fricking girlfriend you dumbass! Didn't you read the number that called you!? look at the time, you're gonna be late. It's rush hour now, so where the hell are you!?" Simone's ear got ripped by the sudden shout from the call. "We're still in our office but we're about to go. Could you just wait a minute?" calming his girlfriend wrath. "By the way can you tell Dave that his fiancee is also here." Simone was shocked that even his friend fiancee is also there.

"Where did you met with Mrs. Leanne? I didn't even introduce you to her."

"Enough with the talk you should give this phone to Dave. They should have important to talk with."

"But..."

"No buts, just give the phone to Dave, We couldn't contact him."

Simone goes back to their workspace and saw Jester and John getting heated on the battle. They are already sweating heavily and their breath is getting heavier but he ignores them. "Do you know where is Dave? I didn't see him. hey Recca, did you see Dave?" Recca didn't know where dave is but he is busy again with his laptop. "I can't get a read on that guy, he's just so weird but he still my best friend. needless to say, all my best friend is all weird." Simone thought Dave would be on his desk. He was amazed when he saw a mountain of books that were piled on top of the desk of Dave but there's no sign of him.

Simone thought a brilliant idea. "Dave, your fiancee is calling you!..." after a sec of shouting. The mountain pile of the books began to shake and they topple over. "what the heck is going on? is this some kind of volcanic eruption?" The mountain began to split and surprise, Dave was inside all along. Sleeping soundly and comfortably. " I've begun to amaze how he can sleep with that pile of book." Dave suddenly stands and hands over his hand to ask Simone to give his phone to him and Simone with no qualms just give it to him with no problem.

half-asleep tone "What's up my Leanne? Why did you call? and where did you get the number of Simone? Don't tell me you are cheating on me?"

Leanne got pissed off and blows up " Why didn't you tell me that you are going to have a party? Won't you just have some fun time with some random girl there? Hmph!..."

Dave suddenly became wide awake because of the sudden outburst of Leanne "Okay... Okay... I'm just teasing you. by the way, how was your day?..."

Dave and Leanne just enter their world. Making wonderful smiles and small but cute laughter. Simone interrupted them if they leave them be, It would take forever, only God knows when they will stop.

"Stop!... you need to stop. We should be on our way because we may be stuck on the traffic"

"Okay..." Dave gave up the phone. Simone just notices that Dave is still messy. "It's Impressive that Leanne fell in love with you? yet you look like you just come back from dead." Simone licks both of his palms and uses it as a gel for the hair of Dave." What the hell did you use to style my hair? Don't tell me?" Dave was interrupted by making his mouth shut by putting Simone finger on the lips. "Sshh... You don't need to know." Dave got shivers from the action that Simone put up with Dave. " Bro... You're gay all of the sudden." Dave left him and tries to fix his mess in the toilet.

They cleaned and arrange the office before they leave. They check everything from sheets of paper to the computer itself. When they're about to leave the building. Recca left something behind and retrieve it back before the ride comes. "hey guys, I forgot something on my desk. I have to get that." Recca just went back into the building. Dave went "He's the leader and brain of the team and yet he is a scatterbrain." Jester speaks first." I've already known you when we were still a kid. I know that you don't remember the thing that you supposed to take care of." John and Simone didn't get the hint that Jester was just spoken of. " Really? none of you remembers his weird personality? we're a team that has been going for more than 4 years and you didn't know that personality of our leader has shown to us?" Simone already got the hint " ah... that's why."

Confused " what the heck are you talking about?" Simone and Jester still can't believe that John is still clueless.

"Okay, I will say it. He'd forgotten to turn off the main computer." John was shocked and his words keep stuttering " I-impossible!? I couldn't believe it? Our leader is an idiot!? HAHAHA!..." John couldn't hold his laughter and keep on mocking. Dave got pissed off and karate chop on the back of the neck of John and catches the falling body and looks at Jester and Simone "You want me to karate chop you?"

Both of them got scared and shouted at the same time with a straight posture. " No Sir!..."

"I still need to check back the office if I did miss something?"

"Didn't you just forgot to turn off the main computer?" Jester talking in a straight forward voice. Dave speaks in a domineering voice " Did I hear something?" Stares intensely at Jester's eyes. "No, sir..." sweating heavily.

Dave went back into the building and the office. Dave saw Recca and his about to greet him. " Best of luck to you my friend." Dave was interrupted when he hears Recca whispers to his ears and he just looks at him as he goes along the hallway. "what the heck was that? There are surely weirdos in this team." Jester and Simone carried the body of John towards the taxi. Then three of them got sneeze at the same time and Simone got to slip off from carrying the body and couldn't bear the weight. He began accelerating on backward walking and until Simone got stumbled and was brought down butt faced first while the head of John heading towards the balls of Simone. "Oh... Ma ma mia!.." The head of John bounced off from the groin of Simone slamming towards the floor. While jester was flown and dived inside the taxi. "Maybe someone is talking about us." Jester scratches his head.

Recca then arrives at the scene. "What happened here?" It was like a riot just happen a sec ago. Recca helps them ride the vehicle. It was weird when Recca decided to tell the uber to go. " Dave isn't here? Uber, can you return to the building my friend is still there." Simone worried voice

"It's okay Simone, Dave tells me that we should go there first and he would try to catch up to us." Simone thought it was weird and suspicious but at the same time, the team is weird. he didn't pry deeper. "Dave!... " John wakes up while shouting. The uber was shocked and almost crash to some other car. Simone smacks the head of John and apologizes to uber.

"let's see what did I miss before I leave" Dave patrolled around the room and check everything. It was fine and there were no mistakes that could be seen. He then heads towards the main computer.

This is where the data that had been saved and where the main program installed. The Neuro-helm. It was a revolutionizing idea that up by Dave Donaire himself. It could not only receives the brain waves but receives it as a message just like the muscles and other parts of the body receives. This means that a person can now control every part of the limbs on the virtual reality. Not only just that but also discovered a new way of code in which is on par with the brain of the human.

"Computer, check all the files."

"System has begun a high-speed analysis of the files" female robotic voice

After a minute, the computer already completed on checking the file. " Analysis Complete... there's no malfunction of the system, 100% Safe and secure."

Dave was about to turn off the computer when his cellphone rings. " Hello? "

"Dave where the heck are you? we've already arrived at the restaurant. and you are the only are not present in here!" calling in a small and whispering tone. Trying to hide the fact that they left behind Dave at the workplace. "If my girlfriend knows about this, who knows what she'll do to me? Please, Dave, I need your presence here." A loud voice was heard over the background of the call, someone called the name of Simone " Oh, shit... She's here. Gotta go now. Remember this get your ass already here."

The phone call stopped. " I should get going now." Looks at the Neuro-Helm trying to seduce Dave to use the device. "No don't be tempt Dave. Leanne is waiting for me." Looks again at the device " Oh my goodness, it's tempting me."

"The Neuro-Helm is ready to be used" female robotic voice. " Why the hell you have to say it to me right now." In the end, Dave got tempted to try the Neuro-helm.

"System prepares to full dive." wears the Neuro-Helm and lay down on a chair specified for using the device.

"Yes, sir. Diving in 3... 2... 1..." Dave's consciousness was dragged along to the wires and enters the virtual reality space inside the computer. "Diving is successful, welcome to Virtual Oriented Reality World."

Excited and full of spirits " Yeah... Baby... I'm inside now... but everything here is still white. It's understandable that there still no development inside VORM (Virtual Oriented Reality World). It still in the beta stage.

Dave's Smartphone is ringing but he didn't notice.

back in the restaurant, Leanne's worried voice " where is Dave? I'm worried about him. " Simone was beaten into pulp while tied up and put masking tape on his mouth. "Hmmm... hmm... hmm!..." John and the rest were shaking while sitting on their sit, Didn't even try to help Simone. Simone gives off some stares that need some help. but they ignore them.

*talking on using their head only*

(Guys help me!... Are we a team?) Simone signaling them.

Jester signaling back to Simone (I can't do jack shit over here!... If I help you out, I will have the same fate as you)

John who didn't even bother to look at Simone (Help me Ber!... Hmm!..)

John in his thought " I'm sorry Simone but you'll be facing that alone today" Gives off stare of pity and mercy.

Simone signaling back to John (Screw that shit... *interrupted*)

Simone's girlfriend senses something "What are you looking at?... who the hell was the one that left behind Dave" Simone girlfriend clenching her fist and walks toward slowly to Him Simone tries to escape by squirming around on the floor " Hmm!... (Help!)"

Water droplets are slowly dropping from the sky. The sky was already ominous, It was ready to bring a sudden downpour, It was waiting for the right timing. Leanne was shocked by loud thunder that could vibrate the building. "Where is Dave already? It's already starting to rain." nervously talking to Simone's girlfriend, got interrupted, puts down from getting beat up. loud thud when Apple drops Simone " Ehh...! Please help me in this situation." shriek from the loud noise and keep praying for his safety. Jester just gives out a pity towards Simone. "I'm so sorry, bro"

"don't worry Leanne, He's on his way... probably. He may be stuck in traffic because of this weather." She sits beside Leanne and puts her arm around the shoulder. "But I can't seem to calm down." Sips on his drink and suddenly a crack was formed. "This doesn't look good. John, try calling Dave..." John stops in his pray and tries to call Dave " I can't reach him." Leanne became more worried and panicky. She then prays for the safety of Dave.

Dave is busy configuring the codes of the program until he saw the time. " what the hell!? It's already this late." He closes the prompt in which he saw the codes. Suddenly a red window pops up.

" Warning, the sys-system is failing. Finding the source of the p-problem. Failed. System malfunctioning." Stuttering female robotic voice. The sudden surge of pain and intense headache had hit Dave. He was brought to his knees by the extreme pain that he felt. then the white room is slowly changing to black with red color on its side.

"Ah...! What is wrong with the system, I've just checked it a while ago. System Prompt open."

"The system opens the program. Failed, The System failed to execute the program. The system executing the backup program failed. System failing" Stuttering Female robotic voice. "God damn it...! Argh...!" More intense pain has brought to him that trying him to make unconscious. "Open notepad..." Dave is typing faster than ever before, creating a new program that allows him to control the system. He couldn't hold anymore longer, he then began executing the program. the system miraculously working fine. the blackening of the screen is turning to white again slowly. Dave is slowly getting up and trying to log out of VORM.

"The system is cooling down and working fine. The system is analyzing the cause of the problem... Found one potential cause... Deleting the program yes or no?"

"Delete the file... haa... where's the logout button" looking for the logout button but can't seem to find.

The system started to delete the program that causes the problem. Then a warning popup again with a little video. " tsk... tsk... Don't you dare to delete that little file? it's my little congratulation to you and to your amazing project. A celebration that you will be leaving early...! to heaven..." the little stops, Dave couldn't believe that there would be a person that he holds dear to him would want him dead.

"System malfunction... System failing..." stuttering. the pain that Dave felt couldn't explain simply by word. as if every cell in his body trembles and he was skinned alive. The security guard who was in duty patrolled near the office. He then heard the sound of a live wire and exploding of the computer. "Sir... are you alright!?" he was shocked in what he saw, he tries to help him but failed due to squirming and rampant live wire. He immediately calls some help and the friends of Dave.

They were busy trying to contact Dave until Jester phone rings. "It's from the security guard..." the look that jester show when he was making the call can't simply describe. It seems that he was lost and loses hope. The room was silent until Recca grabs the collar of Jester. " what is the call all about!?" shouting at Jester. " It's about Dave... Dave is... Dave is..."

Simone stops Recca from grabbing the collar, Jester was dropped and was brought to sit on the floor. "Jester!? what happens...?" When they heard the news, Simone just rushes out of the restaurant looking for a ride back to the office. John follows him while everyone couldn't believe that something terrible happens to Dave. The one left from the restaurant follow also Simone. Leanne couldn't believe what she heard, tears start flowing " Apple...? Is Dave okay...?" Apple couldn't get the word to make Leanne calm down. She just hugged her. Jester couldn't get himself thing straight while Recca keeps on shouting and made a mess inside the restaurant.

"Could you turn it down a little bit...! I know what you're feeling right now but the way I see you act, you keep on adding more problems right now...! why don't you follow Simone?" bawling and couldn't control the emotion. Recca just walks out from the establishment and tries to catch up to Simone. While the three of them waited a while and tries to get back to the establishment.

"I can't handle it anymore longer. I'm losing my consciousness. There's only one thing to do... System, make me a copy of my brain..."

"The system has begun making a copy of your brain. The estimated time of completion is 10 seconds."

"if they try to avenge my death... this is the last thing I could help them..." closes his eyes, and then the darkness consumes him.

When Simone arrives at the scene. there we're already an ambulance, firefighter, and cops. The led light illuminates the place and the water that gushes from the road. When a stretcher was brought out from the building, Simone rushes towards them and tries to confirm the situation. He couldn't believe in the front of his eyes, a dear friend who he just talks an hour ago, turns into brown with darkening of the eyelids and electric contact mark trough out his face. when the others arrive at the scene, their tears keep flowing.

A man enters the main office and grabs the flash drives that were stuck on the main computer. The computer slowly fades away from functioning, can clearly be seen by the led light that tells the user that it's still on slowly fading.

A copy of Dave's brain was hidden inside the computer. "I'm so sleepy..." Dave consciousness floating inside the vast darkness.