"What the heck is this thing" Sam asked. He held the tiny silver ball in between his thumb and index finger.
"Looks like Junk to me," Cole Shrugged.
"No one would place junk so safely in this tiny little box."
"It's almost like it was in a safe," Sam said.
"Put it back in the box, "I demanded.
Sam looked at me confused. "Why?"
"I want to see how it opened."
"Nerd," Cole mumbles.
I ignore him.
He grins in obvious irritation.
"We need to see if it opened because Sam was holding it, or if it was because of the way Cole rotated it before he gave it to you."
"I just want to know what the heck it is?" Cole yelled snatching it from my hand. "Bang! Open up". He kept hitting it on the table in front of us.
"Stop it you idiot it's going to brake" Sam yelled.
We heard a loud thump.
Someone was knocking on the door.
Sam shoved the silver marble sized ball back into its box.
"Who it is,"Cole shouted at the door!
"It's Cade!" Open up.
Cole Ran to the door shoved it open an attacked the person standing on the other side.
Sam rolled his eyes.
"Seriously, we've been waiting for you for like four hours." What happened!
"Calm down brother, Cade says marching in." "It takes time to get things done."
Cade, eventually noticed me sitting on the couch next to Sam. "Who is this, he motions with his pointy finger"
"We've replaced you. Sam says. We can't have lolligagors in our group.
Lolligager, Cade yelled!I go out there and risk my life for you two idiots, and that's how you repay me. By replacing me with a noob!
"No offense noob".
None taken ,I shrug.
I take the time to notice that Cade has a series of weapons glued to his back. His stance is stronger than that of myself and Cole. I wonder how much money this dude has left. With all he's spent on weaponry and muscle. He has to be flat broke.
What's going on out there, Sam ask Cade.
Same old. Cole says releasing the backpack that holds his weaponry.
Update came through. He answers.
, there are only sixty kids who haven't logged on to the server they have one hour to log on before systems going to be locked.
What do you mean locked. I yelled.
Cade looks at me like he's just remembered I'm here.
Yeah locked he say nonchalantly.
What did you think they were going to just let you log on when ever you wanted there's to much money at stake.
Money? I question. What do you mean money.
Cole looks at me like I've just grown antlers and a beard and just started dancing around the room naked.
Where'd you pick this kid up from he ask Sam.
Cade found him on the street
What did I tell you about picking up stragglers Cole says to cade.
Not to do it, Cade whines like a toddler. But we need him.
Why would we need him Cole says.
Because he's loaded.
Liar Cade says looking at me.
No jackpot Cole says. We need money home boys got it.
just what the heck were these guys talking about?
He know the whole story, Cole asks.
Know ones explained it to him.
The three of them look at each other.
He'll want a cut Sam says.
Then we give it to him Cole snaps. We need to be enough if we're going to win.
You guys want to explain what's going on, I ask annoyed.
There's a way out, Sam smiles.
What, I whisper. I'm angry, but mostly I'm shocked.
Bus fare. Sam continues. Ten robux.
I have that I say.
Most people do, Cole laughs. Even if you don't you can easily get a job in any of the shops, make that in one night.. go to the bus stop wait for the bus, and boom there's your exit. Once you log out though, there's no way in again.
Then why are so many people still on. Game won't stay on without five hundred players. Cade answers. Hit four ninty nine and bam we all return to our bed rooms. The least amount of people who exit the better. So we started lying telling noobs there was no way out.
Is that not what we want? I didn't sign up to be stuck in a game. This isn't sword art. This is real life. I want to go home.
I realize I sound like a baby when I say this. Also, I don't care.
Cole grins and i feel like he's mock
ng me.
You here that, Sam says. He wants to go home.
Cole looks at me. Yeah well we did too, but there's money on the line. The team that finds the crystal leopard wins money. We can split it four ways.
How much money , I ask.
Five hundred million Cade says.
I almost choke.
What the heck "five hundred million". All the lights have to be lit on the the tower when you find him, Cole says.
Five hundred million I whisper out loud. Its enough for my dad to quit his dead end job. My mom to buy a new house and the three of us to move to a knew neghborhood.
Its enough for my parents to stop fightimg.
I'm in, I say.
You sure, Cade says.
We don't take wimps. A second ago you wanted to log off. Who's to say you won't change your mind.
I won't I say.
The guys all locked eyes with me.
Swear it, Cade says.
I swear it I say.
Sam still looked skeptical. I say we take a vote.
I vote him in Cole says. Me too Cade follows.
I don't really trust him Sam says, but I guess I'm outnumbered.
Guess your in sport. Cole says slapping me on the back.
Rule one, Cade says. Your money is our money. We're all linked as roomates. Which means we share everything. Me Cass your casa.
Rule two Tell noone about the money. Its a secret between us four.
Rule three. We don't meet in real life.
Rule four. While where in the game. We don't keep secrets from each other. If we know all there is to know about each other it will be impossible for other teams to split us up.
There are other teams I ask.
Sam nod. There are lots of other teams. All with the same goal. Some are going to be stronger. Some smarter. But we got something they don't have.
What's that. I ask.
Sam opens his screen in front of me. Its a hologram floating in the air. pages and pages of words. That's all I see.
What is it I ask.
There's a players map in your settings. But my map has something that yours doesnt.
What's that, I say curiously.
Cheat sheet. Cole smiles.
He swipes left and types in a code. A bright blue face fills the screen.
Greetings Samuel.
I have another team mate Sam says.
No, I said two boys tops. That's it.
We need him. Sam answers. He still has money.
Username the screen says.
Sam looks at me.
Mammals boy3000.
The giggles full the room.
Ho figure, Cole laughs.
What my mom picked out the username when I was complaining that I couldn't find one. Besides their weren't many names left.
So you went with that one Cole laughs.
I groan.
Sam repeats the name to the giant blue face.
Ahhhhhh Rocky Daigle.
Log in time one hour and thirty minutes.
A miniature figure of me is seen in the lower screen of blue screens face.
Are you sure Samuel.
Sam looks at me. Then at the rest of the guys. Cole and Cade nod in unision.
I'm sure Sam say.
The first mission is to light up the tower. Without that finding the crystal leopard doesn't matter.
There's a loud ringing in my ears. What the heck I yell. It sounds like an alarm. I cover my ears trying to make it stop.
Open your settings Cole yells. I try to gain focus but the noise is peircing.
Call him open. I can hear Sam say. His name is Blue. Sam's voice is commanding. It helps pull me through.
Blue, I yell. Blue ! Its a while before the ringing stops. When it does, Blue screen is in front of me. The square hologram fills the space between me and the other guys.
Welcome Mamma's boy 3000. You have been officially hacked.
The ringing stops I see a request for roomate in the corner bar. Why so much pain for a stupid hack.
Because Sam says as if reading my mind. It links all of us together. I see two other request under Cades. It makes us a team.
You've already agreed to be apart of it. There's no backing out.
I remove my hands from my head, lift my finger and except the friend request.
Welcome to the team, Sam says.
CHARTER 5
I don't know how many days it's been. Can you believe in this place there is no need for sleep. Something about our brains already being in a slumber.
It doesn't stop us from doing it though every time the sky turns dark we climb into bed and we close our eyes. A habit we can't break. A habit Cade decides somewhere around day three is rediculously Stupid.
What the heck are we doing, he yells one night. I See him throw the table that lies in the middle of our dining room flipping it over so that all its contents scatter.
I told you were laying low. Sam answers.
Even though Sam is the apparent leader in the group. I still feel like this is a stupid move even though Sam is the apparent leader of the group. I don't feel like I've been with them long enough to disagree.
There making arrest people what part of that don't you umdertsand.
Only for people who are tryin to exit.
Its been on the new screen at the same time everyday. Whatever time that is. Those waiting at the bus stop are arrested by green clad men for trying to leave the game. We've started calling them wardogs. They roam the streets like police. Ever since the game was officially closed. There are currently 501 players in the game. I'm assuming the extra one is a safety percaution. But there have been exactly 60 players arrested for trying to exit the game.
That's what they say. How many times do I have to tell you not to believe everything you hear Cade.
You think we're the only group who knows about the money.
The war frogz are hunting for more than just escapers.
We have to pretend like we're not interested.
Most of the players have seen this outcome. as one big party. Unlike the fictional world of sword art. There are no monsters out to get us. They don't come after you unless you go after them. Or like Cade Sam Cole and I. Your system has been hacked. Your system works just like DNA here. The hack draws out the monsters like ants on melted icecream. It must have been after Cole that first day.
Ever since we got the silver ball from a blue bandit Sam has forbidden any of from leaving the house.
I don't know if hes afraid one of us is going to get attack or just spill the secret. Some team we are.
We can't hide forever. I say. Its the first time I've spoken my mind to the guys, but I'm going just as crazy as Cade is. And I'm starting to regret not going back home that first day.
What seems like hiding is being smart.
"how much longer do we have to be smart for" Cole snickers.