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  “If you remember anything, remember this. You are always in character. Kari wouldn’t fight back. She’d be scared, startled, probably scream. And if she fought back, it’d be like a girl who had never fought before.”

  “So, I’m supposed to just take it.”

  “Yes, you are. You can take pain. Distance yourself in the program if you have to, but take it.”

  Ari swallowed, still bound by Niomi’s tight grasp. Angry tears welled in Ari’s eyes as her helpless frustration built. “Then why teach me to fight at all?”

  “Because one day you will need it. You won’t always be Kari.” Niomi leaned close. “Remember you are a warper. You don’t have to fight, you can change this program to be whatever you need it to be. You, better than anyone, know this is only a game. Separate yourself and outsmart them. You always have more than one choice.”

  The next second, Niomi vanished, leaving the program.

  Ari lay panting face down in the grass. Sometimes her life felt like a game, whether it be the government or VisionTech, she’d constantly be playing by other people’s rules in and out of virtual reality programs. One day, she’d love to live her life on her own terms, but that wasn’t her reality for now.

  Chapter Five

  By the time she got back to her room and showered, Ari only wanted to curl up in front of a show and eat all the ice cream she could get her hands on. Heading down to the kitchen, she found Jewels tidying up. She found some ice cream in the freezer from before. Jewels was one of the few people on the island that had access to Ari’s rooms, and she helped clean, launder and do anything that a robot couldn’t. Not a busy job, but Ari appreciated having her around.

  “How are you doing today?” Ari grabbed two different cartons: mint chip and rocky road.

  Jewels motioned to the cartons. “Better than you.”

  “Do you want some?”

  “No, dear. These old bones work better with a light load. Can I get anything for you?” Jewels’ eyes sparkled with kindness. Her old age was seen in the silver that lined her hair, or the age lines etched on her face, but those eyes shone.

  “No.” Looking down, she questioned her choice of food and grabbed a bag of popcorn just in case before heading to her room. “I’ll catch you later, Jewels.”

  “Take care, dear.”

  Not wanting to see Niomi, who was the only other person to live in their annex of the Wave, Ari kept to her own rooms. She’d opened the bag and dug in by the time she got to her bedroom and curled up on her couch. The familiar ache flared up. Missing home, she called Reed.

  He picked up with audio only, “Hey Ari.” People spoke in the background.

  “Hey, you busy?”

  “A bit. I’m meeting with the art club, working on my design project.” He had to submit a portfolio to be accepted as an art intern with VisionTech, and right now they liked him a lot more in security. To move divisions wasn’t impossible, but not many people did it.

  “Okay… I just—”

  “Give me a minute guys,” Reed spoke to the others in the room.

  Instead of quieting down, they got louder. Several cat calls made it through the line to Ari. She felt embarrassed to be bothering Reed when he already had so much on his plate.

  “Sorry, Ari. I’m stepping into the bathroom now.” The background noise muted quite a bit.

  “I know you’re busy. I can let you go. I just wanted to say good night.” Her stomach sunk, already missing him.

  “You sure?” Before she could reply, he continued. “I am swamped over here but can take a break if you need.”

  “Don’t worry about. We can talk tomorrow. Goodnight, Reed.”

  “Goodnight.” The click ending the phone call, echoed through her empty apartment.

  She dug into ice cream, angry at herself for being so disappointed. Reed came to VisionTech because of her and to be with her. Wasn’t that enough confirmation of his feelings? He was busy chasing his dreams and she needed to be supportive. She usually was, but today was a long day and she just wanted to talk. After a while, these quiet rooms started to get to her.

  Halfway through the carton of rocky road, Vinh video called her. Once she answered, he started laughing.

  “Really?” She didn’t find herself amusing. Self-consciously, she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

  “Sorry,” he tried to reign in his jovial expression. “Was my suit that hard on you that you’re eating a whole carton of ice cream?”

  “I can turn you off,” she threatened.

  “Come on. Tell me how it went.”

  Digging into one more big bite just to prove to him that she could, she told him how it went. Vinh was one of the few people she could talk over some of her missions with. He had a high security clearance with the company so that he could improve and work on the gear for virtual reality programs. Despite his sarcasm, or maybe because of it, she relaxed as she vented about how Niomi trashed her in the program.

  Their conversation turned to home, a common topic between the two of them. “I’m tired of machine food. I wouldn’t think fish would be that hard to cook,” Vinh complained. “But I tried it again, and I couldn’t make it through the plate.”

  “Home cooked can’t be beat.” Ari’s stomach tightened at the thought of her mother’s food.

  “I just have to convince them to let me in the kitchen. Show them a thing or two about the value of fat.”

  Thinking of home, Ari thought of her family’s situation. “Hey, Vinh, could you possibly help me check up on my family? There was some trouble with my last visit.”

  His lips pressed into a tight line. He shook his head slightly as he lifted a finger. The screen blinked out and then reappeared a moment later. “Ari, you know better than to talk about certain things on an unsecured line.”

  “I thought everything was a safe line here on the island.” They were completely shut off from the outside world in this little speck of paradise in the middle of the ocean.

  “Don’t be naive.”

  She swallowed, realizing what she was asking of him, and felt guilty. They were friends, but they hadn’t known each other for long. “I’m sorry, you don’t—”

  “I’m not saying I won’t help.” His smile lifted on one side.

  “So, you’ll help?”

  “I can’t contact your family without losing my job. It would put both them and you in danger.”

  Disappointment pulled at her shoulders, then an idea came to her. “What about a friend at a different company?” Her ex-roommate and best friend Tessa should be easy enough to contact through her father. Maybe she could check in on Marco and Ari’s mom.

  Vinh bit the inside of his lip. “Maybe. I can’t promise anything, but I’ll get the information later. You’ll owe me, you know.”

  “Agreed. I’ll work on wrestling a fish for you on my next run,” she joked. She didn’t mind owing Vinh.

  The next morning, Ari stood outside the wave, waiting for Reed. She took a few steps towards the shore. Did we say we’d meet at the beach and I forget? Double checking her HUB, she didn’t see a message. She called him, but it went straight to voice mail.

  Before worry set in, she reminded herself he was at one of the safest places in the world. He probably just had a late night and slept in. After sending him a message, she set off on her usual path.

  Surprisingly, the run went by quickly. Thoughts of not only Reed but of her family occupied her mind. By the time she returned, Niomi was at the gym warming up.

  “I thought maybe we could skip sparring and weights today, since I still have so much to work on.” With a pile of twenty or so profiles to learn, Ari needed all the extra time she could get. Not being bruised or sore for a day would also be a side benefit.

  Niomi shook her head. “No. We never skip your training. Trust me on this. The healthier you are out here, the better you’ll do in there. And soon you’ll be in VLEX more than you want. I can quiz you as we fight.”

&nbs
p; “Oh joy.” Ari picked up a staff. She wasn’t too disappointed though. The less time inside the better in her book.

  They went through their usual physical training session. Then Ari had time for a quick shower and snack before joining Niomi back in the VR. Once in a program, she spent her entire session as Kari in a room full of mirrors.

  The odd feeling of being displaced slowly vanished as they worked for hours. Not that she’d ever get used to looking like another person, but it didn’t surprise her anymore to look down and see a petite pale arm with perfectly painted rose colored nails. By the time evening rolled around, the voice sounded almost natural.

  Once out of the VR, they studied videos of Kari’s life. Not that Ari would ever be this person outside of VLEX, but she needed to know every personal detail possible. After watching her eat dinner with her parents, take in a stray cat, and even cry when that cat died, Kari morphed into a real person, someone Ari would probably enjoy meeting.

  “What happens to Kari when I impersonate her in the VLEX?” Ari leaned back in the chair, her notes in the screen on the desk in front of her. “Is she told to take a vacation or something?”

  “Not sure and it’s not our business to care. We focus on our job and doing it perfectly. The rest is up to others.”

  Ari straighten up. “You’re really okay with not knowing?” Her trainer didn’t seem to be the type to take orders with such blind faith. But Ari had only known her for six months or so. Maybe she was wrong.

  Niomi set down her screen marker. “When you’ve been in this business for ten years or so, you learn that you don’t want to know. We have enough work set out for us. To take on any more isn’t good.” She stared at the screen for a moment as if contemplating saying more but didn’t.

  Words left unsaid floated in the air, leaving an uneasy sensation crawling along Ari’s arms. She wasn’t so easily appeased.

  Niomi changed the subject, and they continued analyzing every minute detail of Kari’s life.

  By the time Niomi called it quits, night had fallen. Soft blue lights illuminated the hallway. The moon hung high outside, shinning down on the night life on the island. Most of the animals slept, but a few nocturnal creatures moved through the trees and if lucky she’d glimpse a bat or long tail.

  Her first week or so in the Wave, she found watching the evening wildlife disconcerting with its never-ending darkness. But now she enjoyed it on clear nights. Inside her room, she even programed her walls so she could continue seeing outside.

  Too exhausted to even eat, she drank a high calorie shake so Niomi wouldn’t harass her. In bed, a call came through. Reed.

  She accepted the video call. “Hey, stranger.”

  His sweet smile and kind eyes filled the video. “I’m so sorry. I met with the art team until late into the night and by the time—”

  “Stop.” Ari interrupted him. “I’m going to pass out any second and don’t want to waste it on apologies. I get it. Tell me how your day was instead.”

  “Okay.” They settled into their usual conversation. Talking much longer than Ari thought she would last. She realized how much she missed him. Even though they weren’t that close physically, it was close enough.

  The next few days passed in the same fashion. Reed’s busy schedule kept him from a lot of morning runs, which Ari hated but supported. Ari spent the day training with Niomi, memorizing more profiles, or skins as Niomi referred to them. Then she spent her evening chatting with Vinh or Reed. The three of them even met for dinner once. Ari cherished her time with both of them. They kept her grounded and reminded her of who she was as she spent the day learning to be someone else.

  Chapter Six

  Dusting on a fine layer of powder, Ari finished getting ready for her date. She never considered herself one of those fancy girls that spent hours in front of the mirror, but tonight promised to be special. After getting permission from Niomi, Reed asked her out to a restaurant. A real restaurant filled with other people.

  Ari would meet other employees or even islanders. Currently she could count on one hand how many people she’d met, most being paid to be there for her. She never considered herself a social creature, but being stuck in isolation, even if a tropical paradise, changed that.

  Niomi wouldn’t tell her why it was now okay for her to eat and see the other workers. Of course, no one could know that she was a warper—she had a fake identity and a position in administration to a higher up—at least she got to keep her first name.

  Her HUB beeped letting her know Reed was waiting outside, and she headed out front. As she walked out the doors, Reed let out a long whistle.

  She smiled, appreciating the compliment. “Guess it’s better than me sweating in a smart suit.”

  “I like you sweaty too. But it’s not every day you wear a dress.”

  “Thanks.” She smoothed down the dark floral material. The sleeveless dress fit the island attire and was more comfortable than even jeans. Her hair remained wavy, like usual, and she had pulled up the top half to keep out of her face.

  Stepping forward, he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “You look beautiful.”

  Nervous energy tingled down her neck from where his touch lingered. “Thank you. You look great yourself.”

  He wore tan pants and a blue button-down shirt. His hair looked recently cut, but it still held a slight wave on top. She clasped her hand tight to keep from reaching out and touching it. If they started that, they might never make it out.

  “Ready for dinner?” He cocked a brow.

  “Definitely.”

  He moved to the side and motioned to the vehicle behind him.

  “Where did you get a car?”

  “I requisitioned one… I may have mentioned to Niomi that it would be safer to transport you.”

  “Amazing.” She hurried towards it, checking out the built-in electric panels and polarized plates underneath. Yes, she might be nerding out, but she’d only seen this once before when she first came to the island and she was too much in shock to appreciate it.

  “All the guys in my dorm checked it out too. The acceleration is pretty nice as well.” He clicked the doors open.

  She climbed inside, eying the panels. They spent their trip talking about the car’s AI and flipping every switch and option the car had to offer. Her favorite was the massage chairs so far, but they still had the ride back to explore more options.

  He pulled up near the beach, a lit canopy in the distance. Hurrying around, he helped her out of the car. Since the restaurant was outside in the sand, they kicked off their shoes in the car and strolled in the sand up to the hostess. He had made reservations. With the restaurant full, there had to be about fifty or so people, but no one bothered Ari.

  They sat across from each other with the waves crashing in the distance as their backdrop. Tiki torches lit the night. They devoured grilled meats with tropical fruits and veggies stuck on bamboo sticks.

  “Can you believe this is all real?”

  “This is as real as it gets.” He reached forward and lightly touched her hand. “But I know what you mean. If you would have asked me last year when we started school where I’d be, never in a million years would I say an island in the middle of nowhere with my best friend’s sister.”

  “Ditto.” She placed a hand on the side of her face. “My face hurts from smiling.”

  “Good. Maybe some dessert will help with that.”

  After scrolling through their choices, they selected their desserts from the tabletop screen. She picked pineapple sorbet, and he went with a coconut and date cake. He reached for her hands clasped on the tabletop while they waited. She couldn’t help but get lost in his hazel eyes.

  “I get to see my mom again next week.” Reed said.

  Ari snapped out of her reverie. “That’s great. I hope everything is alright since my mom left.”

  “Me too. I’ve been asking about having her come work here, as a receptionist or even a maid.”

 
“Is that an option?”

  “They will consider it when there is an opening.” He released her hands and reached for a drink. “There are so many islanders here for the basic jobs though, so we’ll see.”

  Guilt pricked on her conscious. She was the reason he was here and his mom wasn’t. Maybe she should talk to Niomi about getting both of their families here. Before she could offer, his HUB rang with a message.

  His brow tightened as he scrolled through it. “They have to be kidding me.”

  “What?”

  “My art team. We’re putting a presentation together for a new game on Monday, but there was a problem with the storyboard and they need some new designs right away.”

  Ari’s stomach sank. “They can’t do—”

  “They can, and they did. Kimmy, the director of my team, tried to work around it, but couldn’t. I have to go in right away.” Lifting his gaze, regret colored those beautiful eyes.

  “You have to go. I understand.” She bit down on her lip to prevent her from saying anything else. She’d supported him in finding a place here, because she brought him here.

  Sighing, his shoulders dropped. “This sucks.”

  “We had a great night.”

  “I hoped for more. I don’t get to see you as much as I’d like.”

  “I know.”

  Standing, he leaned forward, brushing a light kiss on her lips. One that had her cursing Kimmy. Warmth rushed to her face and he stepped away.

  “You better leave before I tell Kimmy where to go,” she warned.

  He smiled. “Take the car back. I’ll call for a ride, and I will be there for our run Tuesday morning after my presentation.”

  “Okay.”

  He left just as the two desserts arrived at the table. The hurt of being alone burned as she stared at the food. Logically she understood that he was busy and supported him, but emotionally… well… good thing she had two desserts to work through.

  She grabbed her fork and dug in. After all the work it took to get here, she wasn’t in a hurry to leave. Given enough time, she finished both desserts while watching the moon over the dark waves. Maybe life wasn’t how she envisioned it, but it could be a hell of a lot worse.