Chapter 1 - Three Documents

Evan Fong dove for his buzzing phone through the pile of folded clothes and suitcases laying scattered around his room, flipping it into his phone and pressing the answer button.

"Hey Tyler!"

"Hey fuck boy, what's up?" Tyler was his usual preppy self, and his casual insult made Evan laugh.

"Aren't you supposed to be on a plane?"

"I was." Tyler's voice went muted for a moment as he spoke to someone next to him, then a bunch of familiar voices. "Hey Evan!" Craig, Brock, and Lui's screeched.

Evan cringed from the totally not harmonious cacophony of voices that powered through his phone's speakers, before replying with a laugh "can you guys not break my phone? I don't wanna have to delay my flight."

"Shut up Hoodini, use your fucking magic to fix it," came Craig's response before Tyler throwing a "alright, my phone, I talk to the owl," before Tyler's question came.

"How did Sydney take the sudden news?"

Evan's face fell slightly as he remembered. Sydney had not been happy to hear that he had to leave at such short notice, but this meeting was something he couldn't NOT go to. Even though it was their three year anniversary on Saturday, Evan had to go. This was the difference between his career as an entertainer and game developer taking off and making big money or just staying as VanossGaming. He couldn't say no. None of them could. So when they all got the email from Abra inc. asking to meet all of them for a special business meeting to discuss new positions opening up, they all dropped everything to make it.

"Not well, how did Nikki take it?"

"Not well."

Evan nodded. He would find out eventually what happened, so would Tyler. It would just take a couple of beers to get it started.

"Aight, so I've got these clowns in my Uber right now. We heading to the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills. When you landing?"

Evan didn't even need to check his boarding pass. "Lunch. David and Brian should be coming in then too, so we'll all grab a ride to the hotel too."

"Cool. Call us when you land then!"

Evan ended the call and was about to push himself off of his bed to continue packing, but a text came through from someone he hadn't heard from in a while.

DELIRIOUS: Hey bitch you still packing?

Evan smiled. He'd missed this guy.

VANOSSG: Just finished packing all my sex toys :P How r u? You disappeared off the face of the earth for a bit…

DELIRIOUS: Yeah lol XD Fallout 4 and all that… U saw my vids?

VANOSSG: Yh I did, but u haven't even txted

DELIRIOUS: Promise I'll get back to gaming with u guys. Just a lot of personal stuff going on too, so it's been kinda crazy… XP sorry

VANOSSG: Its cool.

Evan knew the answer to the question in his head before he texted it to his best friend. It was the usual question he always had to ask whenever he was going to Los Angeles.

VANOSSG: U in LA rn? How u feel about meeting up?

Jonathan didn't text immediately back like he had before, but his response was quick. Evan chuckled as he read his response, unsure what he had expected from his elusive friend.

DELIRIOUS: U know how I feel Ev. I'm sorry, I just don't know if i'm ready to show my face to u guys yet. sorry… :(

VANOSSG: NP bro. When ur ready to show me, -

Evan deleted the text. No, not like this.

VANOSSG: Np bro. I gtg. Txt u later!

Evan flips phone back onto the bed and goes back to throwing clothes into his suitcase. He and Jonathan had been friends for years now, and he'd never seen Jonathan's face. It was weird to think his best friend was nothing more than a voice and a low res JPG image in his mind. None of his friends had seen Jonathan's real face. There are some leaked images but, as Evan throws another shirt into his case clipping it shut, you can never be sure they were the real thing. Evan put away the stuff he wasn't taking, threw his backpack onto his back, and wrote a quick post it note for Sydney he stuck to their fridge that read: 'Heading to airport for 9. I'll see you in a week babe!'

Evan pulled his phone out as he felt another text come through.

DELIRIOUS: Fly safe

Evan smiled. Yeah, Jonathan was a good friend.

The room Evan was sharing with Brian and David was small, but effective. Since the arrangements were so last minute, the three men had to settle for a room with two double beds and a small cot on the floor, which Brian was thrown on too because he was the last one to fight his way to a bed.

"Okay then well fuck y'all then, Imma just sit here and appreciate having a bed closer to the bathroom!" Brian mumbled.

"Ah shut up ya fuck," David dismissed, flipping his laptop open. The Four Seasons had free wifi, and David had videos he needed to cue for the next few days. "Ay Evan, ya heard from Wildcat?"

"Not since we landed," Evan was in the bathroom brushing his teeth. He was going to claim the bathroom before any of the others decided to get ready for the dinner meeting. Now he was thinking about it, Evan pulled his phone out of the front pocket of his jeans. No new texts from any of them. "Check your phones?" Evan called over his shoulder.

David and Brian pulled out their phones and scrolled through notifications.

"Nothing," called David.

"Not a word from Brook."

"Weird. I got a call from Tyler before I went to the airport," Evan sauntered towards the door frame, which he leaned against, toothbrush in one hand and phone in the other. "He was already landed and told me to tell him when we got to the hotel…" Evan's voice trailed off as he refreshed the texts.

The most recent from Evan had delivered, but had not been read. Evan frowned and pressed the call button. He glanced down at Brian sitting cross legged on his own pull out cot with his phone up to his ear calling Brock, probably. Tyler's voicemail soon picked up Evan's call, "Hey you have reach Tyler's phone, but I'm probably recording so I'm not picking up. Leave a message at the tone!"

Evan ended the call as Brian started to leave a message.

"Hey Brock it's Brian. I'm at the hotel with David and Evan, and you guys aren't picking up your phones. What room are you in? We're in -" Brian glanced up at Evan who mouthed the room number to him, before swiveling back towards the bathroom mirror, "- we're in room 456 if you wanna come up and find us. Gimme a text when you can!"

"That's weird." David observed from his double bed as Brian ended the call. "Usually Brock is the one trying to contact you." David's wink was a clear indicator to what he meant and Brian's face grew hot.

"Okay, I get it alright? Sucks we're best friends and live in different time zones. Yeah, yeah, yeah." Brian rolled his eyes before tossing a "I can say the same thing about you and Lui," before joining Evan at the mirror. David huffed and, grabbing a button down and some dress pants, joined the others.

"I'm calling shower!" David shouted, prompting the others to leave by taking off his shirt and making a move to undo his jeans.

It was only after all three of them were showered, clean shaven, and dressed that Evan got a call from Tyler.

Evan saw the buzzing from where he was charging his phone, read the name easily from across the room, and motioned to the others as he went to grab it.

"There you are! What happened? You got taken to animal shelter?"

"Haha 'cuz I'm a pig your so fucking hilarious Evan," the sarcasm in Tyler's voice oozed through the phone's speaker, and Evan giggled.

"No but serious, where are you guys? Aren't we all gonna meet up then head to the restaurant?" Evan asked.

There was no immediate response. Finally -

"Yeah…about that…"

Evan's stomach dropped

"Tyler," Evan started, catching the attention of David and Brian.

"None of us are feeling too well…the food they served us down at the bar was…fucking terrible honestly…"

Evan could hear something in Tyler's voice. It wasn't exactly fear, but it certainly wasn't far off from it either.

"Tyler what's going on?"

"I told you!" he snapped, a little too heatedly. "We got fucking food poisoning."

Evan didn't respond. Something wasn't right. Brian and David were standing close to his phone, trying to hear what Tyler was saying

"'Aight listen, 'kay Hoodini?" Tyler's tone changed, trying to sound more preppy and at ease now. "You go take care of this business deal, so we're sorry we couldn't make it, and work your YouTuber magic."

"Tyler-"

"Will you just please?" the man on the other end asked, exasperated. "For me, Evan?"

Evan thought about it. He hated the possibility of not having all of his friends present for the biggest deal of their lives. What could make Tyler, Craig, Brock, and Lui miss this out?

"Go make us proud, Vanoss!" before hanging up.

Evan glanced up at David and Brian, both as equally shocked as he.

"What the fuck was that?" David asked, voicing all of their thoughts.

Evan glanced back down at his phone, and voiced the fear they all knew was fact.

"I don't know."

Not a single call, text message, or social media presence was felt by the three men after that last call from Tyler. And now, sitting in the loud Japanese Barbecue restaurant, waiting on the representatives from Abra inc. to arrive, they were starting to really worry. Evan watched as both David and Lui sent text after text after worried phone call while he scrolled through all of their twitter feeds, hoping for a sign.

Nothing.

Brian threw his phone onto the table in defeat. "They've officially fucked off!"

"How can that be?" Evan leaned past David who was seated in the middle of their small group. "Why would they ditch the most important business meeting of our lives?"

"I don't fucking know ask them yourself maybe!" Brian waved to one of the waitresses for another beer. This was his third.

David ran a hand through his hair and turned to look at Evan with defeat in his eyes. "Face it man, they ain't coming."

Evan threw is phone down too, and when the waitress came with Brian's beer, Evan motioned for two more as well. David smiled a thanks, but the three sat for a minute staring down at the table in disbelief.

Eventually, Evan did the only thing he knew he could do; he picked up his phone and texted Delirious.

VANOSSG: Dude Tyler, Craig, Brock and Lui just fuckin ditched our business dinner!

The response was almost immediate.

DELIRIOIUS: No way! Wut happened?

VANOSSG: T said food poisoning, but idk

DELIRIOUS: ? Weird af

DELIRIOUS: Realized they didn't wanna offer u guys a job without consulting me first XD

VANOSSG: Haha yeah

He was right. Jonathan had not been invited to the meeting, or even contacted for a Skype conference. Asking all of their friends to dinner except for their most iconic friend was a little strange.

David elbowed him then and Evan slipped his phone into his front pocket, glaring at David about to make some kind of retort to the smug grin he was sure was spread across David's face. But David wasn't looking at him; he was getting up with Brian to meet and shake the hands of four men dressed in black suites, white button downs, and dark glasses. Two larger men - probably body guards - stood with their arms folded behind the chairs the men would sit in. The business suit guys were smiling and chatty, shaking each hand with an individual smile and greeting.

Finally, when they were all settled, one man, a shorter man with blond hair closely shaven on the sides with an award winning smile and even more prize worthy teeth, spoke directly to David.

"I saw you most recent upload. Dead Realm. That is an impressive beautiful game, and you and your friends are very entertaining."

"Uh- thanks!" David was caught unprepared.

"Actually, Evan here headed most of the production of that game," patting Evan's shoulder, and turning the gaze of all five individuals - plus David and Brian's attention - all on the Canadian.

Evan felt his phone buzz again, and the momentary distraction and surprise at being the center of attention had him unprepared. Stuttering, he managed a sentence.

"It was really no big deal…great fun. And the game as a result is one of the highest liked games on my channel." Evan rolls his shoulders.

"If your a mastermind behind Dead Realm," began the man sat in the middle, lifting a small brief case on to the table in front of them, "then you will absolutely enjoy what we have planned at Abra."

The YouTubers couldn't contain their excitement. Brian's leg was bouncing and Evan took a gulp of his beer trying to calm his nerves. Was this really happening?

Photos were produced, a set for each of them exactly, and the men quickly looked through them, having to lean over and nudge one another when they found a really good image or description. Evan's eyes glossed over the beautiful, computer-rendered landscapes, weapons, and game play depicted in the pictures. It worked like Fallout, felt like GTA, and used tactics from their own game: Dead Realm.

"Renegade is a virtual reality universe where you become the hero or the villain," began the middle business man, folding his arms on the brief case and leaning forward. "You decide your fate."

The last image in the set was where Evan had stopped. A computer rendering of the three of them, Brian and David and himself, sporting tank tops and decorated with machine guns and rocket launchers, walking through smoke and fire towards screen. Evan had two matching pistols grasped in his hands, David a machete, and Brian had grenades - two - clasped tightly in a fist beside him. The three looked determined, ready to fight, grimy yet sexy. Glancing at the others, he could see they were stopped on that same image too.

"It's virtual reality. So we are working with Oculus Rift and some of our brands to create the greatest way to experience Renegade."

"Why Renegade?" David asks, finally looking up. "Seems a little hot-button for a game."

"You're absolutely right," the man congratulates David.

"We chose Renegade because, in this game, you are. You're rebelling against the boring sameness of modern day culture and choosing to take a different path, even if it's for just an hour. Violence is instinctive, and releasing that violence in a controlled manner is only one of the thousands of features Renegade offers."

The boss man leans back slightly, and the dressed man on his right slides the case in front of him and pulls out three more papers. The case is now empty.

"Believe that life can be more exciting than just sitting in a cubicle. Believe that a world awaiting a leader, a rebel, a Renegade like you exists. With an unlimited amount of game play and constant updates, Renegade does not end."

The papers are now distributed to each YouTuber. It's a release form. Evan's heart leaps into his throat as he sees Abra's official logo at the top.

"We are offering you boys the chance to become part of the team that updates Renegade all the time. You will be adding new content, new challenges, and new opponents to the game, as well as any new dynamics and tactics you can think of an are approved. You will also be testing the system before and after our release date."

"When do you plan on releasing?" Brian asks.

"Soon," big boss man promises. He sits forward in his chair again, producing three pens from his jacket front pocket, offering them to the men across from him. "All you have to do is sign, and you're a Renegade."

Of course they signed. As the three documents were passed back to the briefcase along with the photos, Evan caught a glimpse of the brief case's interior. There was nothing else in there, save no the papers and photos the man was putting in.

This dinner was supposed to have seven people at it. They only brought photos, pens, documents for three.

A cold sweat started to drip down Evan's back and, pulling out his phone, he looked through his messages. A new message from Jonathan was all there was.

DELIRIOUS: Let me know what happens!

Evan could feel a panic starting to rise up in him as his mind replayed everything. Tyler's worry, the sudden end to phone call, all four of them dropping off the face of the earth, Jonathan not being invited to join a project he would do so well on, enough documents for three. This wasn't making sense. Finally, Evan came to a conclusion on what to write.

VANOSSG: Renegade.

It was read immediately, but the response came after a silent few moments of nothing.

DELIRIOUS: Where did you hear that word?

His stomach twisted. This wasn't making any sense. Evan's fingers went to his keyboard, ignoring the pokes from David signaling him to get off his phone.

VANOSSG: Abra Inc. They signed us to work on a game called Renegade. It was a business meeting meant for all of us, that's why the others came out here too!

DELIRIOUS: WTF?!

DELIRIOIUS: Why didn't you tell me any of this!

Then Evan's blood ran cold.

DELIRIOUS: Get out now.

Evan screencaped the conversation and sent it to both Brian and David before he slipped his phone away and made an excuse to run to the bathroom.

"Girlfriend emergency, you know?" Evan chuckled, then bolted as inconspicuously as he could to the bathroom. Once inside, he called.

"Jonathan! What's going on?"

"Why didn't you guys tell me any of this!?" Jonathan screamed down the phone.

"Jonathan we just signed those papers. What's going to happen?"

"FUCK!"

Something crashed on the other end of the phone. Jonathan's heavy breathing and angry swearing under his breath were barely audible.

"Okay, listen. Those guys aren't from Abra. Abra doesn't exist. They are trying to scam you, and they can't do it if you all leave now!" Jonathan's voice was firm and scared and angry all at the same time.

"What do you mean?" Evan panicked. Brain and David joined him all ask what was happening. "We have to leave, now." Evan mouthed.

"Renegade is a program like gladiators. You bet on who dies and who wins. It's fucked up, and you don't wanna be part of that."

"Did Tyler know about this? What about them?"

"They didn't."

Evan heaved a sigh of relief.

"But they already got drafted."

Fuck.

"Jonathan…" Evan managed. His throat was closing up and he couldn't think.

"Evan please get out of there," Jonathan was starting to panic too, sounding desperate. "I don't want this to happen to you, especially you. Please get out of there, now!"

Just as Jonathan finished saying this, both of the body guards walked in. Brian, Evan, and David spun around, Evan's phone still up to his ear. The three stood wide eyed looking up at the impossibly large men.

"Sorry," one of them said, taking his phone, hitting the end call button, and handing it back to Evan. "But you can't call a friend in this game."

"We don't want this. We changed out minds," Brian spoke up, trying so hard to sound defiant, but the cracking knuckles of the one body guard and the taunting smiles across both their faces was too much.

"You don't get much of a choice," said the second one, who made a sudden lunge towards Brian. He grabbed Brain by his arm and spun him around, slamming his body up against the bathroom wall and sticking a needle into the upper part of his left arm, where you usually would get a shot. He cried out, then went still.

Evan and David made a move to help him, but the first body guard caught them by the arms and threw them into separate toilet cells, Evan hitting his entire body against the back wall hard and slumping to the floor. From next to him, he heard a crack and David's voice cry out, and continue to whine in pain. Slowly, the first body guard made his way towards Evan, who was dazed leaning up against the toilet from his sitting position. The second one went into David's cell.

The body guard lifted Evan up by one arm as though he was holding a rag doll and, taking a similar syringe, pulled up the sleeve of his left arm.

"Welcome to Renegade," he said sinisterly, and jabbed the needle deep into Evan's skin.

Everything was pain, and then, just as suddenly and intensely, everything was silent and black.