Chapter 30: Mission #2

The morning came quicker than I expected. I was woken up by the continuous rapping on my door. The caretaker was outside, eyeing me. She was a short, old woman with amber eyes and tuft of auburn hair that was greying eventually. She wore an emerald dress with a clean pink apron.

"WAKE UP YOU! I DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE! I AM DESIGNED TO DO MY JOB WHICH I WILL. ITS NINE IN THE MORNING!" She said.

"Mmmm...morning's here already?" I said, rubbing my eyes.

"Morning comes when it has to. NOW GO GET

DRESSED AND EAT UP." she barked.

"Fine. Fine." I told her. I closed the door behind her. I changed into a comfy yet classy outfit and headed for the hall. The curtains were all drawn open in the corridors. Sunlight invaded the crimson and royal red place. I could spot the city at some distance.

I made it to the hall. The same proceedings. Everyone stood up when I came in...blah blah blah. Took my same old chair between my fellows. For today's breakfast was toast and orange juice. Just that.

After that we headed off for the city. Today's mission was a race-inside the city. No gem to be won today. The prize was unknown. We had to race on our bikes. The map would be provided on the spot. The dimension changers would be there.

We arrived. The neon-lit city did not look that charming in the daylight. I did not want to do this. I was scared of losing. And it might not be my first time but it felt like it.

Several of the other players popped out of typically nowhere. Some had that signature cyberpunk outfits, complete with a helmet. One oddball had chosen a sickly cute avatar. Pink hair, pink lips, pink outfit, all splashed with shades of pink one could imagine. Her name was "CutiegamerUWU>_<". Girl. Definitely. And cringe too.

A car stopped by. Someone emerged out of it. A girl. The car transformed into a bike. The girl stepped towards me and gave a little nod as a greeting. I nodded back

She had waist-long sheet of shiny silver hair. She wore black shades whose rims were in the shape of lightening bolts. Her lipstick was the same color as her hair. Her skin was pale white. Her jacket was a disturbingly bright pink. Her shirt was glittered silver. Her jet black leather skinny pants shone brightly in the sun and wore flatform heels.

"I am Player 287. Call me Catherine. I'll be representing THE MASKED." Her voice was monotonous.

I nodded to indicate that I understood. Our badges beeped and the map appeared. The routes were all highlighted for convenience but not really required. All of us had been denoted by small dots of various colours on the map with the initials for our names on them.

Ivy was taking in the appearance of Catherine rather than taking a look at the map. The again, she didn't need it. There was disgust in her gaze. But Catherine seemed immune to all that. In fact, she looked robotic. Like she was drained out of all feelings and emotions. I was conquered by the sickly feeling that she had been a player once, and had lost to him.

I tried not to think of how many people were 'actually' trapped here. The same female voice echoed everywhere.

"PLAYERS TAKE YOUR POSITIONS. THIS WILL NOT BE TIME-FOCUSED MISSION. HEAD ON TO ABANDONED BUILDING OF STANFORD AND FIND THE UNDERGROUND PASSAGEWAYS.

NUMBER OF CREATURES: 1

ON YOUR MARKS, GET SET, GO!"