Chapter Three

Kouvr

I sighed into my mom’s arms, enjoying the warmth of her embrace. Though the whole breakfast had been about my career situations, I loved seeing her when she wasn’t busy.

“Let’s do this again,” my mom said, pulling back from the warm hug.

Nodding, I smiled at her and watched her get into her car before getting into mine near hers. Then I watched her quantum energy kick in and then her flying off.

My car roared to life, picking me up in the air. I took off, driving towards my apartment. Colorful skyscrapers melted into the lights of the cars, traffic pouring in from all around. The city was busy with the glow of quantum cars everywhere.

I let out a sigh. I loved my mom, but sometimes she could be a little much. I knew she worried about me a lot, making it hard to just tell her anything.

Coming to a floating red light at an intersection, I stopped with the traffic across from me. Traffic the other way began, drawing my attention to flashing lights on a billboard. Looking up, I saw the words, “Most anticipated virtual reality game.”

My heart pounded in my ears. I knew this game before they even showed it.

The familiar purple palm logo flashed on the screen, with the words “ParaDise.”

Gamers all over the internet were non stop talking about it. A cross platform virtual reality game with multiple games inside of it, no matter what type of games people liked. There were games like first-person shooters, zombies, horror, and even light-hearted, cozy games to play. People couldn’t shut up about it.

The release date flashed on the screen, June 1st, 2132.

Almost a month away.

Then the name “Rusty Games” appeared on the screen—the people who created the virtual reality game that was like an actual Paradise escape.

I planned on getting it, though I hadn’t really indulged in games in a while. This was the longest I went without playing games, despite it being a daily escape for me since I was a kid.

Beep!

Jolting, I blinked and looked around. The light was green, though I didn’t know for how long. I started to drive off, glancing back in the mirror.

A really nice car with tinted windows was behind me. I was sure it pissed them off to sit at the light for one second longer.

With a sigh, I left the huge screen behind.

I wanted to play the game, even post it or stream it. But lately when I joined games, too many people overwhelmed me. Someone from the game chat party—no matter how many times I changed accounts—knew who I was and revealed it to the others. Then I had a fan asking me what was taking so long on my next video.

I let out a shaky breath, feeling my heart beat faster. I hated how much anxiety it gave me to play games now or to think about posting another video.

Passing large, colorful skyscrapers, I noticed where I was and I slowed down the car to peeked off to my left side. A huge hole was in the Earth, larger than the Grand Canyon. It was deep, needing a flying car to even get up and out of it.

The Pits, also known as the Slums.

Compared to the rest of the city, the Pits lacked all the colorful lights and movement of flying cars. It was just stacks upon stacks of run-down buildings that held too many people.

I grew up there, having all my memories there. The time I got beaten up by a gang of little boys when I was younger. The time I got caught stealing food from a store and got in trouble. My mom was pissed as if she hadn’t gone days without food. She was only feeding us. Every single struggle I faced was there.

And this year was the year I faced all of those traumas head-on, taking time off for my mental stability. Being a streamer who rose to the top very quickly also brought in the financial freedom I needed to even think about healing from my trauma.

I wasn’t happy before, no matter how much I did what I loved or how much money rolled in. My nervous system was always on alert, making it feel like the thousands rolling in were mere pennies. It never felt like enough, until I fixed my mental stability.

I had pushed myself until I burned out, just to get more. Posting video after video. The rapid consistency really paid off, but the passion and fire for gaming inside of me dwindled.

Just like my mother—before she decided to be a teacher and before I was a streamer—I worked two jobs, busting my ass just to keep myself afloat. I wasn’t sure how my mom survived doing it alone with two kids.

I admired her for it.

And even now, I could see how she hadn’t gotten the chance I got to heal mentally.

I wanted my mother to heal from the traumas she faced. It might be the reason why I defended my channel so much. It might not generate the money I want to eat out or buy new things, but it was paying the bills and had been since I last posted a video a year ago.

Glancing in the rearview mirror with a sigh, I recognized the car. I saw it when I got honked at the light, like ten minutes ago. I paused.

Were… they following me? No, I’m just imagining it.

But when I turned down a street that took me to my apartment, they did the same.

I shifted in the driver seat, constantly looking back at the car.

Was I just being paranoid? A man finding your address and showing up at your door will do that to you though.

Shuddering at the memory, tears pricked in my eyes. Flashes of what he said, his bangs against the door as I dialed nine-one-one filled my head. He was gone before the cops came, and they never found him, despite going to his home and knowing where he worked. This was the first time the cops took all those online threats seriously, no matter how many times I reported it before.

There were countless emails and direct messages of what people wanted to do to me because I hadn’t posted in a while or because that was just what they wanted.

The closer I got to my house, the more nervous I became. I could go around the block once or twice.

But then, when I looked back, the car took a turn, floating upwards towards a highway.

Finally, I let out a breath.

Okay. It was just all in my head.

And I was grateful for that.

“A bath,” I declared to myself. “I am going to need a long bath… and a drink.”

Cyrus

“She’s home,” Kyree told me when he entered the home.

I already knew that, but getting confirmation made it feel like I could breathe again.

“Thank you, Kyree,” I said, grabbing a beer from the fridge and moving through the kitchen to the back of the house.

“Where are you going?” he asked, and I could hear his smile as if he knew what I was going to do.

“Just working on the invite. It goes out today.” I lifted my drink as to say, “cheers”, moved to the last door on the right, and went inside.

My office.

At a quick glance, I saw the mountain of papers on the second desk in the room, next to my main desk. On my main desk sat a clear PC tower with a water coolant system running through it. I set my beer down on a coaster, sitting in my chair. With a click of the button, my PC lit up blue, water instantly rushing into the system.

My pride and joy. Truly.

The rest of the office didn’t matter. Just a few cabinets and a couch in the room. I mainly sat here, working on whatever project I had next.

Todo today: send out a beta invitation.

As the leading game developer and CEO of Rusty Games, I am getting paid tens of thousands just to send an email today. Then, I could go do whatever I wanted. I thought to myself.

My monitor blinded me with a bright screen that began to load up. It took me a few blinks before I turned in my chair and pulled out a page with scribbles.

Today was a big day, and my nerves were high.

With a sigh, I pulled up my work email and typed the words from a scrap piece of paper. It took me so long to perfect this email, and it still didn’t feel right. Though, everyone on my team agreed that it was perfect.

After the email was typed up, I set it up on a scheduled time to be sent and quickly closed out my website tabs.

Hand on my chest, I let out a sigh. My heart was pounding hard. This was the moment I had been waiting for all of my life and probably by the end of the day, I would have my answer on what would happen.

I needed to get my mind off this, or I would be obsessed about this all day.

I took a swig of my drink before grabbing my virtual reality goggles on its stand near my monitor. Sliding them over my head, white hair fell in front of my eyes. I lifted them, adjusting and pushing my hair back.

“Fuck,” I muttered, lifting them back up just to put on my virtual suit. The suit would let me feel everything that happened in this game. Virtual reality wasn’t like this anymore: no more goggles or reactive suits. It was more now, because of our Simu system.

Leaning back in the chair, I scrolled the endless games I had. Some games were official and made by others, but a few were my personal files. I clicked on my favorite one labeled “Kouvr at the office(1).”

The world around me changed behind my goggles and suddenly I was in the game. The room I was in was my office at my company’s building. My eyes glanced at the time on the huge monitor on my huge desk. 11:26 pm.

“Another late night, boss?” a familiar voice sent a shiver down my spine.

Leaning back in my rolling chair, I met eyes with the most beautiful woman in the world. Right at the open office door. Perfectly placed, split dyed white and black curls—back when her hair was dyed like that—and a beautiful tight pencil dress on.

Words got caught in my throat. Behind her, the rest of the office was dark, telling me I was indeed working late and no one else was in the office.

Besides us.

“Just, uh, catching up on some things,” I finally answered.

Her eyes dropped to the controller in my hand. “By playing games?”

I looked at the space game on the screen. No Way Out. It was in its early stages at this point, now a fully fleshed game in the real world. “I’m testing a game.”

“Oh sure,” she teased, moving inside of my office. When the door closed, I realized I was unable to breathe. My office was huge, yet it felt so small and confined with a gorgeous woman in front of me. “Would you like some company, boss?”

I swallowed. “If you have time.”

She scoffed. “You know I always have time for you.”

In this game… she did.

Her heels clicked on the hardwood floor as she moved closer and closer to me.

My eyes moved to the space game, and nerves rose in my chest. I wanted to play this game to take the edge off things, yet here I was, more nervous.

“Something wrong, Cyrus?” she asked, sitting on the corner of my desk.

My name running from her tongue sounded like heaven. Her freshly manicured hands reached and touched my skin.

The suit I wore in the real world warmed up under her touch. It felt almost real. Real enough for someone whom she had never touched.

“Cyrus?” she questioned, hand running my chest. “Has work been that overwhelming?”

I nodded. “If only you truly knew.”

Her hand dropped to my lap, the top of her breast flashing in my face. My eyes dropped, and a sigh escaped me. “Maybe I can help you relax, boss.”

I cocked a brow, looking up.

She giggled, standing and pushing my rolling chair back from the desk. “I am very good at relieving your stress, aren’t I, Boss?” she straddled me, dress pushing all the way up her thighs.

My hands grabbed her thighs, pulling her closer to me. The virtual reality gloves warmed, making me sigh. The reactive suit made her touch feel real against me.

“Baby?” she questioned, not liking my silence. “Should I get the chains and ropes? I’m sure it will help with whatever is on your mind.”

I looked up at the beautiful woman before me. Her big brown eyes were filled with concern and desire to help me. I ached to take all her worries away. My hand reached up and cupped her cheek. She leaned into my touch. “You’re on my mind, Kouvr.”

A smile crossed her full pink lips. “Perfect. Then the chains and ropes will be perfect to help.”