Within two days, national news played a report on the President’s address. CIA, FBI, and NSA jointly investigated and concluded the broadcast was a sophisticated hoax. Having received the all clear, Josh’ game started, or rather, continued.
Pending Quests:
* Obtain Groceries.
* Obtain Transportation.
* Obtain Self Defense Classes.
Pulling up the details, the current supplies were not in danger of running out and there were no tasks needing transportation. “Why do I need classes?”
The system responded, without the ASL command:
Self Defense Classes are recommended due to projected transportation and supply shortages as the quarantine zone continues to become more restricted on imports and exports. Ammo supplies have not been restocked. “Cold” weapons, those that do not require charging or ammo, are recommended. The most basic Cold Weapon is the human body. Classes may be taken using telepresence.
Following the suggestion, he signed “shop” and selected the [Classes Available] menu. He noted three main categories of [Combat], [Training], and [Profession]. Filtering the training options, he settled on [Basic Arm Blocking]. Arm blocks require little in the way of fitness or dexterity to learn, but to execute these stats would be king. His hope being that the practice, even if it was for the game, would be acceptable in his normal daily routine. Clicking out of the menus, he selected the map of the area. There were four nearby NPCs whose names gave him pause.
“System, why are the NPCs using the same names as my family?
NPCs are live people in the area. If the NPC dies, the real person dies. You are encouraged to have them become players before the system purges all NPCs from your quarantine zone in 12 days. Players inactive for 5 days become NPCs. This is not a game.
Taking a screenshot, he exited the game and went to the candidate site to complain, but it returned him to the game.
All functions of this corporation will route you to the game. You are a player. The next attempt will have consequences.
I finally remembered what Benjamin Franklin and the Founding Fathers touted, the refrain sounding from Aesop and even the Bible:
