Displaced - Book One of the Alternate Reality Series

Chapter 23

Arvin walked into Eric's office, sat, then waited for his therapist to initiate conversation. This didn't occur. Eric merely sat there, silent. And while it didn't take an ultra-capable A.I. to see something was wrong, Arvin used his advanced receptors nonetheless, hoping to pin down his therapist's troubles.

Eric's data streams contained thick webs of greyish vexation, the streams emanating fragmented pulses of light as he struggled to respond.

"Well," Eric slowly started, "I have some bad news."

"Why, yes. It appears that you do."

The streams cast a long purple pulse as Eric took a breath. "The plan," he continued, "the plan to save your life... it fell through. Dr. Wright pitched the idea to his chain of command, and they didn't go for it."

When Eric stopped speaking, guilt started tapping his shoulder. It wanted to know if he planned to elaborate that scant explanation. After all, it seemed rather important mentioning that the plan fell through because of him.

Eric had to be more forthcoming, an arduous task indeed. How does one tell a friend they're going to die because of your idiotic mistake? He was considering a favorable way to say as much when his friend spoke.

"I see," Arvin responded. "How unfortunate."

"I agree. But that's not the worse part."

Arvin smiled. "My goodness. What could possibly be worse?"

Eric's eyes fell to his desk. "The plan fell through because of me. I'm the reason why Dr. Wright's superiors didn't go for it. They found out everything, found out that I've been sneaking into virtual worlds and following Chad. That's why they shot down Dr. Wright's proposal."

Heat surged up Eric's neck. And though he desperately wanted to avoid this, he forced his face upwards, then meet the robot's eyes.

With their gazes interlocked, Eric now desperately wanted to avert his eyes. He didn't. He vowed to keep them in place until the bot responded. Thankfully, the bot did so quickly.

"How did they find out?"

Eric braced himself. How interesting that he would be the first character wiped in this story. But he harbored no doubt. After explaining his blown cover, Arvin would wrap his mechanical hands around Eric Robert's neck, and send him off to the big counseling center in the sky.

"I," Eric muttered, "I logged into Alternate Reality through a university computer, and with my username and password. On school computers, all user activities are recorded, so they saw everything I did."

Arvin's steel-grey optic receptors widened, and Eric knew he reached the end of the line. In a strange way, he welcomed this, as it would restore balance in the universe. Then to his surprise, a smile broke across the bot's face.

"You," Arvin said, grinning and shaking his head, "you used your university's computers, and your own username and password?" His smile morphed into laughter, which quickly grew heartier. "Are you absolutely mad?"

Eric didn't answer. He merely stared at the machine, face blank, puzzled over Arvin not responding with anger, and slightly unsettled over the sight of a robot laughing.

Arvin finally settled down. "My goodness, Dr. Roberts. You're not much of a spy, are you?"

Now Eric's face tightened. He wasn't in a position to take offense with Arvin, but that was the second time someone derided his spy performance, and he had to defend his honor. However, arguing with the person he just sentenced to death probably wasn't wise, so he simply lifted helpless hands.