CHAPTER 7

At the end of another day of hard work, I went to meet up with Glenn at his place this time around. I knew he was just handed a huge bomb of information exploding in his face so I had to make sure he could still keep his composure. His apartment was no far from the office claiming that it was better for him to be near me, but I secretly knew that it was next to his favorite ramen place as much as he cared about me, food was one of his one and only soulmate.

He was late but he gave me a spare key card I sat on his couch but the longer I waited made me realize that I had not gotten enough sleep or the past few days of my life. I started shutting my eyes slowly lying to myself that I would just take a tiny nap. I realized that I drifted off and I was out like a light after a few seconds.

The next thing I heard after that was the sound of screaming and I could not tell where it was coming from. I was in the darkroom once again and slowly the screaming increased then dropped back and forth as the repeated change in loudness and softness of the scream continued it drove me crazy. I wanted it to either continue forever or to stop completely but the sudden drops and rises made me feel like I was in agony. Time felt like it was moving at the slowest pace and I just wanted it to stop. I started screaming too and suddenly I woke up in a cold sweat on Glenn's couch.

Glenn looked at me surprised holding a bottle of strawberry milk in his hand. He was silent the entire time and handed me water and my medication. I took the medicine and tried to relax. Glenn did not say a word, he could tell all I needed was to gather my thoughts into one. I looked at my watch and three hours had already passed.

"Why didn't you wake me up when you reached?"

" I wanted to surprise you with strawberry milk but then I saw you sleep which was a rare sight to behold so I just let you get some rest."

"Rare sight?"

"You barely sleep, here I took some photos," he said while showing me the photos.

I looked so disorganized when I slept my feet were everywhere and then there was Glenn's face plastered on the photo smiling. It was actually really embarrassing.

"You better delete them."

"But it looks so cute."

"Fine but do not send it to anyone else."

"But you are adorable."

"Glenn..."

"Okay okay." He said disappointed.

I looked at him, he looked like something else was bothering him.

"Glenn are you okay after we told you everything about....."

"Not at all but there is something important that I have to tell you, Cy," he said looking down on his phone.

It was rare for Glenn to look worried unless it involved something as simple as food. It made me feel uneasy for some reason. I started jumping from the other.' What if he was a secret agent who was assigned to me when we were kids.' or was secret the leader of the Executive. Things had been pretty crazy the past few days and anything would be a possibility.

"Cy , Jen is hiding something from you."He said seriously

Glenn was careful with his words, just in case the Executive had bugged his apartment. Nonetheless, that was a statement I never knew I would hear my entire life. He was serious about Miranda hiding something from me and I could tell by his words that he meant it. Glenn would never make up a lie like that. He was goofy sometimes but he knew when to be serious and this was a serious situation.

"But it is not my place to tell you anything, it is Jen's place to tell you. I already told her we meet at your office."He said

We headed out back to Digicliff but I knew he meant X-floor the entire time. I was extremely nervous the whole time and once again I started jumping into conclusions as I way to comfort myself. When we arrived at the X-floor, I still wanted to know what Glenn had to say about Miranda hiding something from me. She was not there which made me curious about her whereabouts.

Glenn quietly sat at his special chair which was just a bean bag similar to the one he put in my office. He was quiet and did not say a word staring into space.

"Miranda I know you're here," Glenn said.

Miranda suddenly appeared next to me that made me shriek a bit.

"Why were you hiding there, "I said holding onto my chest from the shock.

"It was the most comfortable spot." She said nonchalantly looking at Glenn as if they were about to have a fistfight.

"What is going on?"I asked looking at both of them so that they could break their mini staring contest.

I felt the tension in the air. It was as if both of them were debating whether they should tell me or not. I could easily read the room and it felt like it was bad news. For the past few years, I had gone through enough pain. An endless fire of guilt that constantly burnt my entire body. Now that things were finally starting to look up for once I could not imagine how bad the news would be. I did not want to get more nightmares, I never wanted to feel depressed every single day in the morning. I never wanted to feel anxious anymore. I wanted to feel like a normal person. As normal as trying to expose government secrets could get. That was my resolve.

"How bad is the news?" I asked

They both kept quiet and looked down on the floor without saying a word once again and I could feel the creeping of darkness around us. Exactly what I did not ever want in my life.

"If telling me will ruin my performance in the plan....." I said looking down on the floor, "Then do not tell me I don't want to know. "I said looking down.

"Are you sure?"Glenn asked.

"Yeah. Whether or not Miranda is hiding something, I know it is for a good intention." I said trying to convince myself that Miranda was still trustworthy.

Miranda looked down again and I could feel her new persona energy radiating. It was still empty and dark. She might have changed. No, of course, she had changed , it was not my place to force her to tell me everything. I also changed and this time around I knew I could not fail.

"If that is your choice then I support you," Glenn said relaxing a bit.

I could tell that Glenn was more so happy that he did not have to tell me what was happening. I knew it was of good intentions Glenn was honest when it mattered. He always made it his obligation to tell me what was happening whether good or bad rather than letting me find out on my own.

"Now, since we are all here, we have to figure out how we will find XR in the fastest most efficient way," Miranda said trying to get us out of that thick heavy air of tension.

The tension in the air slowly started to fade as we bounced off ideas from one another. Until we finally came up with a strategy game exclusive to students that involved intense hacking, deception, speed, and accuracy. With that using the power of Digicliff I knew we could afford promotion and place lucrative prizes to get the participants more excited to play the game. It would be a game that would instantly change someone's life and gain much traction. Glenn assumed that XR would just play it just to beat the game and nothing else, the prizes were to hype it up to the point even he would not be able to try and beat the game.

Miranda was also in the complete agreement since this was the fastest way to analyze the people playing the game. It also assured a great volume of people would be covered. Considering the power of AI and more so DC together they would easily auto-generate a difficult game that even the smartest person would want to throw their computer by level one in frustration. The greatest advantage was the social climate of the current year. With trends dying fast as soon as they became popular, even the most passive person would not miss out on that chance.

The next morning we were still up making the final touches to the elaborate plan which would take place as soon as possible. I had to schedule several meetings to make the game a huge success. It had to involve sponsors and partnerships of the game event. I had to make sure I organize a team of talented engineers from the company. Get the financial team onto the plan. Finally, make up a good reason other than getting XR to actually put effort into the idea. I knew it was all a rushed plan but I had to make sure everything would work out.

At the same time , at the back of my mind with this plan ,it was all heavilt dependant on my company. There were still lives at the office any mistake with the game could cost abunch of people's finacial stabilty. I also put way too much effort in buidling it to what it was to let it fall so easy. It was all a matter of balance between the company and executing the plan. I did start preparing myself in the back of mind that if anything was to happen Digicliff could easily survive without me. I did not to carry on more burdens of guilt on my back.

"Well, I am extremely tired, and I have a class in a couple of hours." Glenn said checking his watch and stood, walking to the door."If you need me you have my phone."

He walked away and I looked at Miranda and she still looked like she could spend more hours working and survailling.

"Aren't going to sleep?"

"I have to constantly make sure things are going well. In Gendwall sleep was a privilege in itself. "She said looking at the computer screen.

"Well I guess I will keep you company." I said smiling at her.

She looked at me and smiled but it felt disingenuous it felt like she smiled just for the sake of not breaking my feelings. But I had to support her. Since she was already putting a lot of weight on herself I had to help anyway I could.I looked at her wondering what was running through her mind, was she really okay or did she put up a front for me.

"Cy your staring." She said making me embarrassed. I never even realised that I was staring at her.

I looked back at my computer and proceeded to make the plans for the game , I decided to let DC work on it even before approval so that there will be no lag when it was actually approved .It was a good thing I placed X-floor in Digicliff's building. It would make things easier for me to constantly check with DC and late nights people would just assume that I was working all night with less suspicions.

"I have to meet up with someone for a bit to get the documents for Jen Blue. "Miranda said preparing to leave.

I had almost forgotten about her disguise all together. It seemed she was meticulous in her plan to keep up with the Jen Blue disguise. I was just a bit curious on who was helping her out with her documents in Paradise together with the intel she constantly spoke about. I wanted to trust her but I could not trust her 'intel' that she spoke about so fondly.

"Can you really trust them?"

"Yeah don't worry we had contact with them ever since I was in Gendwall for years now ."

"You aren't the only one undercover in Paradise ?"I asked shocked that other members of the rebellion had been hiding in Paradise.

"Of course I am not the only one, coming back here needed subtly and accuracy. They assured that to me. It was the same team that was able so much information on XR."She said in a tone of admiration.

I never even cared to ask how she got back to Paradise City with all the security and travel regulations and restrictions. If they were able to get her in without detection it was extremely impressive.

"Who are they?"

"Well if I told you it really won't help you since they all conceal their identities from one another."

"What?"

"Well it's all a matter of security there is no risk when no one knows who you are that's how they operate."

Now I definitely felt uneasy about Miranda's intel.

"I can see it in your eyes Cy but don't worry I can handle myself.It is not a matter of trusting them but more of trusting me."She said now heading out.

Well I still did have to trust in her for the most part but also keeping my guard up.