Virtual Reality
By Atonia
It was a darkened cavernous building that Chris Smith led Kath Kendall into; he purposely waited a moment before flipping the light switch. Kath looked up watching the lights come on one by one leading up to the area where it all took place.
“Would you like a closer look?” he asked. She nodded her head and followed him to the arena as he called it.
“I thought it had all been dismantled, according to the information I have it was put out of service.”
“Well, not exactly as you can see it’s all here.”
Kath stepped up on the platform and turned looking at the huge screen on the wall.
“That’s the big picture where you could watch all the action.”
“Were you here then when it was in operation?” she asked stepping back and looking at the row of consoles.
“Yes I was; millions and I mean millions of dollars went into this project, it was to be the vanguard of police training. They were to come from all over the country, special units, to be trained here. It was a project before its time.”
Kath looked at him, “but there were no safeguards, many people were killed, many officers disabled for life.”
“That’s true, something like this could not be built today, human guinea pigs would not be allowed,” he smiled slightly.
Kath looked briefly at the spiral notebook she carried, “you’re the caretaker, let me ask you something why hasn’t it been dismantled?”
“Too much money invested, the original designer has asked that it be left as it is. It’s not really functional as it sits now, but it could be made functional…I could do it.”
Kath flicked her eyes toward him, “how?”
“The headsets, I know where they are. You see here they were removed but they were never destroyed. Perhaps someday someone will start it up again.”
“I would hope not until some drastic changes were made. What are you doing?”
The large screen came to life as Chris worked the consoles, “thought you might like to see the virtual world.” He turned waiting for the screens to light up.
“Should you be doing this?” she turned to the screen.
“There’s no harm in it, like I said unless you’re over there plugged in with a headset nothing is going to happen to you. Here’s the man now,” he turned smiling up at the screen, “Sid 6.7”
Kath watched as the man walked onto the screen, “I don’t know you, who are you and where have you been?” Sid 6.7 asked.
“My name is Chris Smith and this is Kath Kendall, a reporter for The Times.”
“Oh a reporter, have you come to interview me?” Sid asked
Kath hadn’t expected this, she’d done her homework and knew who Sid 6.7 was, knew he’d somehow gotten out of the virtual world and caused death and chaos in the real world. She turned to Chris, “He can’t get out again can he?”
“No he’s there for good, his crystal was destroyed.”
“I’m bored; nobody comes to play anymore, why is that Chris?” Sid asked.
“It’s all your fault Sid, you were too violent.” Chris answered.
“It’s not my fault, you think I like being this way, I am what you’ve made me. Is that your girl?” Sid said
“I’m not his girl, I’m a reporter like he said and I’m doing a piece on virtual training. You say you don’t like being a killer, why don’t you change yourself or can’t you do that?”
Sid looked at her for the first time studying her from top to bottom; he tilted his head and smiled at her. “It’s not my fault, he knows that. I was in your world you know, “he looked at his hands and back at her,” I know what skin feels like, how soap smells, how warm you body is you are pretty, yes you are.”
He made her skin crawl it was too weird, “turn him off,” she said looking away.
Chris laughed, “I think he likes you.”
“Send her in,” Sid purred, “I’ll make it worth your while.” He snapped his fingers and a woman appeared beckoning him.
Chris stood open mouthed as the woman writhed on the bed.
“I’ve seen enough,” Kath said in no uncertain terms, “Chris, Chris?”
“Oh, sorry,” he said coming to himself. “You say you’ve seen enough are you sure?” he grinned.
Kath crammed the notebook in her shoulder bag, “I’d like to be taken back to Mr. Turner’s office.”
“Of course, right this way,” he stepped off the platform, “Oh almost forgot to turn off the console.”
Kath shot him a look and figured the pervert would be back after she left.
“How much does it cost to keep this thing running year after year, I mean this is from the late 90’s.”
“I have no idea, that’s never been my concern I just keep it running.”
Kath watched as the screen faded to black, she heard him, Sid, say, “don’t, please don’t”
Walking to the door Kath asked, “You said you know where the head sets are, have you ever used them?”
“No honestly I have not, though I have thought about it, fear keeps me from hooking one up. I’ve seen what can happen.”
“I imagine Sid 6.7 can be very persuasive?” she continued.
Chris turned out the lights and opened the door, “that’s why I don’t listen to him; he likes to taunt and tease.”
Kath had her answer; he did turn the thing on and play.
After taking the reporter back to Mr. Turner’s office Chris went back to the building and only turning on the lights to the arena he walked back up and flipped the console back on.
“Oh no, no, no its more like a museum now, nothing is fully functional even the headsets have been altered so if somebody tried to go into the virtual world they couldn’t, there’s no danger now,” Mr. Turner assured Kath.
“Does Mr. Smith know this?” she asked
“Of course he does, he was the one that altered them for us, no there is nothing to worry about. All the crystals have been destroyed, I supervised that myself. And as to who pays for this, it’s not the taxpayers so there’s nothing for you to alarm your readers about.”
“Who does pay for it?” Kath asked
“I’m um not at liberty to say, it’s now owned by a private party.”
“Really I didn’t know that, somebody must have had a lot of bucks to spend.”
“Well yes, now any more questions?”
“No, thanks for your time Mr. Turner and for allowing me access to the training center,” Kath got up and extended her hand.
“Of course Miss Kendall anytime.” He smiled broadly and walked her to the door.
Kath took the stairs down the outside of the office building and glanced once more over at the huge building before walking to her car. It would be interesting to know, she thought, just who had that much money to spend on a police training center.
Inside the cavernous building, “look at this Chris you know you want to, this could be you Chris doing what I’m doing, just one time Chris, I promise you won’t be hurt, I’ll watch the time for you, come on Chris you’ll be out of my world by 4:30. I would be so easy Chris,” Sid purred and grunted as he entered the woman on the bed. “She’s hot for you Chris; I’m just warming her up.”
Chris closed his mouth feeling the sweat trickle down his forehead. He’d never seen Sid go this far before. “Oh god,” he groaned feeling his pants fill with his need.
“You’re not going to whack off are you when she’s waiting for you?” Sid purred again.
Blindly Chris fumbled for the keys in his pocket and hurried over to a locked cabinet bringing out a headset, he worked it in his hand for a moment and placed it on his head taking another look at Sid’s progress on the screen he strapped himself into position. Sid’s voice was in his head now teasing and taunting him. Chris reached up and pushed the button sending him into the virtual world of Sid 6.7. The woman was still on the bed and he joined her immediately, tearing off his clothes.
“Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha,” came the voice from the arena.
Sid unstrapped himself and tossed the headset on the floor.