Alpha World Book One: Gamer for Life Read online

  Alpha World

  Book One:

  Gamer

  for

  Life

  Daniel Schinhofen

  This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual people, places or things is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any mean, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the author at [email protected].

  © Copyright 2017 by Daniel Schinhofen

  Contents

  Prologue

  Character Creation

  Game On

  Exploring

  Stormguard

  Goblins

  Goblin Fort

  Rewards

  Grinding Goblins

  Shopping

  Ruined Village

  The Messenger

  Sparring

  Death Tracker Grugh

  Celebration

  Goblin Slaying

  Duel

  Orc Village

  Chieftain

  Prologue

  Seamus lay on his bunk looking at the single light above him before closing his eyes with a deep sigh. The guards would be here soon to get him for the meeting with his attorney. Sitting up, he opened his eyes to glance again at the small concrete room he was confined in. Bad enough he had the one conviction of murder on his record, now he was facing a second one. This charge was bullshit though, he defended himself and they were still pressing forward with the case. Fucking prosecutor must be thinking of running for office soon to not have dropped this bullshit case.

  The guards looked in the small window then opened the cuff flap, “Masterson, come over and give us your hands behind your back.” The voice was calm, level and completely devoid of emotion.

  Seamus stood up, stretching before going to the door and putting his wrists through the flap behind his back. He felt the tug on his arms to give them more room to work with as the cold click of the cuffs snapped into place. He was, after all, on lock-down for assaulting and killing another inmate, so they had to treat him as a threat even if he had never caused the guards any problems. Once his arms were secured the door unlocked and the four guards opened the door.

  Seamus gave them a rueful smile, “Sgt. Jasperson, how are you and the deputies today?”

  The Sergeant shook his head, “Not a good day so far. Your case is creating ripples in the pond, which has everyone on edge. You know the way. Stay inside the lines and we won’t have any issues.”

  “I’m sorry about that sir, but I wasn’t about to let him rape me. You already know my feelings on that subject, after all. Maybe my attorney will tell me the case is being dropped due to self-defense.” Seamus replied as he started to walk towards the meeting room with the four guards beside and behind him. Seamus made sure to stay along the wall inside the yellow lines that were there to guide the inmates. “I do hope it settles down for you all. I know I hated it when the inmates got feisty at my old job.”

  The rest of the walk was in silence which Seamus just let hang there. The guards had been an exemplary example of professionalism when he had been incarcerated. A former county jail guard, Seamus had a rough idea of how tough the job could be for them. He had even been on decent grounds with Jasperson when the Sergeant had done pick-ups from their local jail when inmates were transferred to state jail. His first case, though, had severed all of those ties as surely as a knife. Seamus felt no remorse over that incident at all.

  Upon reaching the lawyer room, Seamus was surprised to see his attorney, Mr. Moorehead, with another elderly man wearing a very expensive suit. The guards brought Seamus in and secured him to the bench before leaving him and the men alone. “Moore,” Seamus greeted the attorney with the unfortunate name of Moore Moorehead, “good to see you. Care to introduce me to the man who doesn’t belong here?”

  Moore chuckled, “Always to the point Seamus, one of the reasons I like you. This is Mr. Ovanhed, he represents an opportunity being offered to you. You are their first pick for this offer. I don’t have news on your appeals or on your new case at this time. This meeting is solely for you to accept or reject the offer that you will hear about if you sign a non-disclosure agreement.”

  Laughing, Seamus smiled, “A non-disclosure agreement for a convicted felon? Oh this should be rich. But first, who do you work for, Mr. Ovanhed?”

  Ovanhed replied coolly, “The Justice Department is my primary employer. The non-disclosure agreement pertains to an offer being made by Mindblown Entertainment. Will you sign?”

  Seamus blinked, completely caught off guard by that statement. Mindblown was the biggest producer of virtual reality games on the market. They were the leader in and still pushing the boundaries of VR. Two years ago, just before his first case, they had released a fully immersive system for VR. Seamus felt his fingers tingle and his mouth start to dry as he considered the implications. Nodding slowly, Seamus took the document from Moorehead and signed it.

  “Excellent,” Ovanhed said, “now we can really talk. Mr. Masterson, you are being offered the chance to field test the first wave of long term fully immersive virtual reality pods. If you accept, you will be placed into the pod permanently to see how well the human body holds up long term. You will serve your sentence while helping advance the boundaries of science. Are you interested?”

  Moorehead rolled his eyes, “Please Ivan, you need to tell him more than that. No one would jump at the blind chance you’re waving. Tell him the full version of what it all means.”

  Seamus chuckled, “Thanks Moore, you took the words out of my mouth.”

  “Fine,” Ivan said, “Mindblown has completed the first iteration of their new FIVR pods, Fully Immersive Virtual Reality. They have been tested for various lengths up to two months and had good results. When Mindblown sought approval for long term pods, we saw a chance for something greater. We asked them to look into longer term storage,” he coughed, “immersion along the lines of years. They think they have the solution and now we need a sub… test case.”

  Laughing, Seamus shook his head, “So you want me to be a guinea pig for a long term FIVR pod? Why me and what will I be experiencing if I do agree?”

  “You were recommended specifically by Mindblown as potentially their first test case. Upon reviewing your case we noted the circumstances around it and agreed that you would be acceptable. Your most recent case also weighs into this discussion. It can be dropped if you agree?”

  “So if I don’t agree the case goes forward? If I do, what then? Also, why the fuck is the DoJ even interested in the idea of long term...” Seamus shut up as he figured it out, “You want to put inmates sentenced to life into a virtual prison.”

  Ovanhed blinked but otherwise didn’t show any reaction. “I can’t discuss with you my department’s interest. Also, if you don’t agree, we will not step in on your behalf and the case is very likely to go forward.”

  Moorehead sighed, shaking his head, “It’s a bad deal, Seamus. They want you to sign away all liability on this test. You’ll be agreeing to never being able to leave the pod and never having a chance to sue anyone if anything goes wrong. I’m certain I can have your latest case dismissed and get your sentence for the conviction reduced. I suggest you don’t take this deal.”

  Looking at Moorehead, Seamus knew the man cared. Moorehead represented him for the bare minimum fee, and believed that Seamus didn’t deserve the harsh sentence he had been facing.
“Thanks Moore, it really does mean a lot, all you’ve done for me. I never expected a good attorney to help, I thought I would get the dregs of the public defender’s office.” Seamus turned to Ovanhed, “Tell me about what I will be experiencing if I agree? Is it a game, a prison, something else?”

  Ovanhed smiled thinly, “I can’t, actually, or not much. Mindblown has told us you will be placed in a prison initially, but will have the opportunity to gain your freedom within the virtual framework. It is described as a fantasy type setting. You will be playing with all settings at maximum in order to fully test the system.”

  “So stay here where people want me dead, or gamble my life on the chance the untested long term immersion works? Is this the deal?” Seamus asked looking at Moorehead, who nodded. “Where do I sign?”

  Moorhead shook his head, “Seamus, don’t do this. There are too many ways for it to go badly.”

  “They want to take all the life sentenced inmates and put them into prisons in virtual space. That’s their end goal, Moore, and I don’t disagree with it at all. As long as this deal specifies that I won’t be sent to one of them, I’ll do it. My last act of helping the system that I spent years serving before ending up on the other side.” Seamus replied, his voice calm. Turning to look at Ovanhed, “If our deal states I will never be sent to one of your virtual hells, I mean prisons, I will agree.”

  Ovanhed nodded as he stood up, “Glad you’re on board. The paperwork will be sent to your attorney in the next few weeks. Once everything is signed off, we’ll put the wheels in motion and have you transported to the test facility.” He went to the door, knocked and a guard let him out.

  Moorehead looked at Seamus with sadness in his eyes, “Why Seamus? Why did you agree to this? You have a very good chance of being freed when I get your sentence reduced. You’ll be helping them set up whole worlds were people are trapped in virtual space to cut down on costs for the government to hold them.”

  “The second part is why, Moore. You know I used to work as a guard, I have no love for convicted inmates. Even as I turned my back on the law when I committed my crime, I knew what would happen. It’s why I pled guilty and tried to get a reduced sentence to begin with. The system is broken in some ways sure, but overall it’s the best we have at the moment. The cost to the citizens to house an inmate for life is stupid if we can just put them into a pod. If this works out, don’t fight for a reduction, let them keep me in a virtual world forever. Maybe there I can find the justice that I struck out for on my own. Please go, I want to be alone now.”

  Moorehead didn’t reply as he left Seamus at the table. A minute later the guards came and took Seamus back to his solitary confinement in silence. Seamus let his mind run at the very idea that he might be free, even if it was going to be digitally. A sad smile crossed his face as he recalled his old friend Alvin Brouch, who had been a coder at Mindblown Entertainment. Maybe it was him that Seamus had to thank for this opportunity, hopefully he would get the chance.

  The next few days went by in isolation, with only his hour out in the yard and meals as the breaks in the day. On the fourth day from his meeting with Ovanhed, Seamus was in the yard for his hour when Sgt. Jasperson came out and sent the guard watching him back inside. Sighing, Seamus set his book down, looking over as Jasperson came over and took a seat on the nearby weight bench.

  “Seamus, maybe you can shed some light on something for me,” Jasperson drawled. “It seems there have been orders coming down that you are to be watched carefully. More so than we have been since the last incident. Practically a suicide watch. Any idea as to what’s going on?”

  Seamus pursed his lips in thought for a second. “I can’t,” he began and Jasperson’s face shut down. “Wait a second, I can’t without breaking an NDA. The man with my attorney was Department of Justice, and I’m not even sure I’m allowed to say that much. I will not be a thorn in your side for much longer, though. If things happen the way they should, I’ll be going to a different facility. Which means I should take this chance to apologize and say thanks.”

  Jasperson eyed him for a second, shaking his head, “Don’t. I didn’t agree with what you did to end up here. Frankly, it shocked and disgusted me to no end. I had never even thought you would do something so heinous. I’m not saying he didn’t deserve it, just it wasn’t right for you to do what you did, Seamus. As for the last incident here, it’s still being investigated. That man should never have been anywhere near you, let alone in the yard or unsupervised.”

  “Well, be that as it may. I still thank you for being civil to me and I am sorry about the heat that is down on you all right now. I’ll ask my attorney to pass along what he can if you are really interested?”

  Standing up, Jasperson shook his head, “Don’t. I’m glad you didn’t get the chair, but you still shouldn’t have killed him. Wherever you go I hope they treat you fairly, though. I talked to your old Sergeant yesterday. He’s retiring, he was strung out after the FBI investigation into the murder. He wanted me to tell you to keep your chin up. It seems he still cares enough to wish you happiness.”

  “Yeah, Sgt. Grey always had a soft spot for his deputies. Next time you see him, tell him to knock back a Guinness in my name, please.” Seamus picked his book up and went back to the best fantasy trilogy ever created. He’d just been getting to meeting Treebeard in the forest, which was one of his favorite spots in the books.

  Giving the murderous ex-deputy one more glance, Jasperson walked over to the door and knocked. The guard came back out to take over his station as Jasperson left. The guard glanced at Seamus questioningly but didn’t say anything, so Seamus ignored the look.

  The following day Moorehead came back to visit Seamus with paperwork to sign. After being cuffed and taken to the lawyer room Seamus found Moore quite agitated. “What’s the matter, Moore?”

  Sighing, Moore replied quickly, “This paperwork was a nightmare. All the clauses and sub-clauses in it, would drive a senator mad. It boils down to you’ll pulled out of the pod once a year for a week so they can do a full work up on your physical condition. Otherwise you’ll stay in the pod even if a medical emergency arises, in such case they will provide aid while you stay in-game.”

  Chuckling, Seamus shrugged, “Yeah, but it won’t seem like I’m behind bars as I’ll be in a full virtual world. I’ve already made my peace with the thought of death, so I don't really care if I die. I doubt they’ll let anything like that happen, though. They need a good healthy test case to really get good data. What about me being transferred, is it soon?”

  “It will take place in three weeks if you sign off today. I implore you again not to do this, Seamus. Think about what you are going to help them do to others.” Moore had a real pleading tone to his voice.

  Seamus met his lawyer’s eyes, “Moore, you’re thinking of the negative. Think for a second of the positive, if this works it will give life to so many others who really deserve it. The paralyzed, the broken and the twisted of body will have a chance at a full life again in a digital world. That is what I look to, my name then might not be reviled for what I did to get here, but what I did to help others after the tests are done.”

  Blinking, Moore considered Seamus’s words carefully, thinking though the implications he had not considered. “That’s what you see? Not the hellish idea of people being stuck in virtual prisons to cut down on costs of housing long term inmates?”

  “Well, to be frank, I like the idea of the second one too, but the first one is what really tugs at me. Think of why I’m here, why I committed my crime and think of what I said. I can help her have a life again if this goes well. She’ll be able to walk, run, dance and more. That’s what really motivates me to agree.”

  Moore’s lips twisted into a sad smile, “Alright Seamus, I’ll stop asking you to desist. Just sign in the highlighted areas and this will move forward.”

  Taking the stack of papers and the pen Seamus didn’t even glance at the print, he just signed all the right sp
ots, handing the signed forms back when he was done. “Moore, one last thing as who knows what happens from here. Thank you, you didn’t have to take my case for next to nothing. You didn’t have to fight as much as you did after I pled guilty. I thank you for that and will say it again once I go into the pod, stop fighting for my freedom. I will live out the rest of my life in a digital world in one form or another.”

  Taking the pen and forms, Moore stood up as Seamus spoke, shaking his head. “I can’t. I promised your father I would do my very best. I will honor his wishes even though he’s gone, I will do what he asked of me.”

  “So be it. In my father’s name then, fight as you will. Goodness knows it broke his heart when I did what I did, but he understood and forgave me which meant the world to me. Say hi to my mother for me if you see her.” Seamus said softly before Moore left and Seamus was returned to his cell.

  The next two weeks went by without incident or break from routine until the third Monday came. Seamus heard the cuff flap open as Sgt. Jasperson ordered Seamus up and over to be cuffed. Smiling, Seamus did so thinking it was finally time. Seamus was escorted down to the medical wing of the prison, which he hadn’t seen since he’d killed the other inmate. Smiling and nodding to the staff, he was sat on a gurney. The doctor came over and did a check up on him, noting all the vitals before Seamus was shackled to the gurney.