CHAPTER FOUR
Kaz and Tom met at Tom▓s house to talk about what had happened with the mission, and if Tom had actually resigned like Sarah suspected.
⌠Are you crazy? Why would I resign from my life, Kaz? She must▓ve heard the message wrong,■ Tom exclaimed.
⌠I▓m afraid not, Tom. Can you call her from here?■ Kaz asked. Tom pulled out his scanner and tried to call Sarah. The answer was surprising.
⌠It says that she▓s resigned,■ Tom whispered.
⌠Something▓s going on,■ Kaz exclaimed. ⌠Let▓s try to port back to Chaotic.■ Simultaneously, they both tried, but they were blocked, being told by a voice message that they had officially resigned and could not return to Perim. Kaz then had an idea.
⌠What if we sign up as new users?■ Kaz asked.
⌠We▓d have to buy another scanner, make new avatars, and everything. I can▓t afford that right now, Kaz. There has to be another way!■ Tom exclaimed.
⌠There isn▓t,■ a girl whispered from behind them. They turned to see a girl in a spring dress and sandals with long, blond hair held behind her ears with a white headband with flowers on it. She looked beautiful in the summer sun.
⌠How do you know?■ Tom asked.
⌠Because I play Chaotic too, and you can▓t get back in. That▓s why the numbers have been going down for weeks now from the periodic players, because most can▓t get back in,■ she replied. ⌠And you▓re right, Major Tom, you▓d have to start all the way over, but it is worth it if you can save Chaotic.■ ⌠Save Chaotic from what?■ Tom asked.
⌠I have enough money here for three new scanners, and you can have all of it, if you come back to this street corner at five today with everything ready to get back to Chaotic. I have other means, but you have to start over,■ she smiled. ⌠Hurry, now. Take this money, and remember, five o▓clock.■ Kaz and Tom looked to each other, silently agreeing to take this mysterious stranger▓s advice. Together, they walked to the nearest store and found devices for Chaotic on sale. The cashier said nothing strange on their way out, but someone else did, someone who looked much like their enemy, Klay.
⌠Still playing that childish game, aye, kid?■ he asked.
⌠It▓s not childish, for your information,■ Tom replied, continuing to walk away. The boy only followed.
⌠Then why does no one play it?■ he asked.
⌠Why don▓t you join and find out?■ Kaz asked angrily.
⌠I already joined, and resigned, for your information. The writers are finished with the show; it▓s over and done with. So much for your little fantasy battles with fake creatures,■ the boy grinned. Tom and Kaz stopped and turned around, and sure enough the voice was coming from Klay.
⌠You sure enjoyed it, particularly when you lost biweekly. So, how▓s life as just a regular loser?■ Tom asked.
⌠Here, I▓m rich, handsome, and am treated like a king. What are you here, Major Tom? A gawky teenager with geeky friends with the same posters from 1999,■ Klay smirked.
⌠And you▓re still a snob with a chip on your shoulder because you▓ll never be good at anything but pretending. How▓s Bob doing, Klay? Is your little imaginary friend doing fine?■ Kaz asked.
⌠You leave him out of this!■ Klay screamed. ⌠Just take my word for it, Chaotic is history, just like your little boyhood dreams. Good day now, ingrates,■ he hissed, walking past them. Kaz checked his watch.
⌠Let▓s go, Tom,■ Kaz whispered. Kaz began to walk away, but Tom was looking at Klay▓s disappearing figure in the distance. ⌠Tom, listen to me. He only wants to scare us. Do you want to save Chaotic or not?■ ⌠Let▓s go,■ Tom whispered. The two then returned to the street corner from before. The girl was nowhere to be found, but it was only four forty-five, giving the two time to make their preparations. They bought batteries at the store, so that part was easy, then they added the web capabilities like on their other scaners. Then they created their avatars and prepared their characters to be transported to Chaotic. As soon as they were done, the girl walked out of the bushes behind them.
⌠Nice to see you here,■ she smiled. ⌠So, are you ready to get Chaotic?■ ⌠As ready as we▓ll ever be!■ Tom exclaimed.
⌠Are you crazy? Why would I resign from my life, Kaz? She must▓ve heard the message wrong,■ Tom exclaimed.
⌠I▓m afraid not, Tom. Can you call her from here?■ Kaz asked. Tom pulled out his scanner and tried to call Sarah. The answer was surprising.
⌠It says that she▓s resigned,■ Tom whispered.
⌠Something▓s going on,■ Kaz exclaimed. ⌠Let▓s try to port back to Chaotic.■ Simultaneously, they both tried, but they were blocked, being told by a voice message that they had officially resigned and could not return to Perim. Kaz then had an idea.
⌠What if we sign up as new users?■ Kaz asked.
⌠We▓d have to buy another scanner, make new avatars, and everything. I can▓t afford that right now, Kaz. There has to be another way!■ Tom exclaimed.
⌠There isn▓t,■ a girl whispered from behind them. They turned to see a girl in a spring dress and sandals with long, blond hair held behind her ears with a white headband with flowers on it. She looked beautiful in the summer sun.
⌠How do you know?■ Tom asked.
⌠Because I play Chaotic too, and you can▓t get back in. That▓s why the numbers have been going down for weeks now from the periodic players, because most can▓t get back in,■ she replied. ⌠And you▓re right, Major Tom, you▓d have to start all the way over, but it is worth it if you can save Chaotic.■ ⌠Save Chaotic from what?■ Tom asked.
⌠I have enough money here for three new scanners, and you can have all of it, if you come back to this street corner at five today with everything ready to get back to Chaotic. I have other means, but you have to start over,■ she smiled. ⌠Hurry, now. Take this money, and remember, five o▓clock.■ Kaz and Tom looked to each other, silently agreeing to take this mysterious stranger▓s advice. Together, they walked to the nearest store and found devices for Chaotic on sale. The cashier said nothing strange on their way out, but someone else did, someone who looked much like their enemy, Klay.
⌠Still playing that childish game, aye, kid?■ he asked.
⌠It▓s not childish, for your information,■ Tom replied, continuing to walk away. The boy only followed.
⌠Then why does no one play it?■ he asked.
⌠Why don▓t you join and find out?■ Kaz asked angrily.
⌠I already joined, and resigned, for your information. The writers are finished with the show; it▓s over and done with. So much for your little fantasy battles with fake creatures,■ the boy grinned. Tom and Kaz stopped and turned around, and sure enough the voice was coming from Klay.
⌠You sure enjoyed it, particularly when you lost biweekly. So, how▓s life as just a regular loser?■ Tom asked.
⌠Here, I▓m rich, handsome, and am treated like a king. What are you here, Major Tom? A gawky teenager with geeky friends with the same posters from 1999,■ Klay smirked.
⌠And you▓re still a snob with a chip on your shoulder because you▓ll never be good at anything but pretending. How▓s Bob doing, Klay? Is your little imaginary friend doing fine?■ Kaz asked.
⌠You leave him out of this!■ Klay screamed. ⌠Just take my word for it, Chaotic is history, just like your little boyhood dreams. Good day now, ingrates,■ he hissed, walking past them. Kaz checked his watch.
⌠Let▓s go, Tom,■ Kaz whispered. Kaz began to walk away, but Tom was looking at Klay▓s disappearing figure in the distance. ⌠Tom, listen to me. He only wants to scare us. Do you want to save Chaotic or not?■ ⌠Let▓s go,■ Tom whispered. The two then returned to the street corner from before. The girl was nowhere to be found, but it was only four forty-five, giving the two time to make their preparations. They bought batteries at the store, so that part was easy, then they added the web capabilities like on their other scaners. Then they created their avatars and prepared their characters to be transported to Chaotic. As soon as they were done, the girl walked out of the bushes behind them.
⌠Nice to see you here,■ she smiled. ⌠So, are you ready to get Chaotic?■ ⌠As ready as we▓ll ever be!■ Tom exclaimed.