.hack//LIMINALITY Fan Fiction / .hack//SIGN Fan Fiction ❯ .hack//CHECK ❯ Huh? ( Chapter 17 )

Chapter 17 // Huh?

. . .

"How is the subject?"

"These brainwave patterns are off the charts."

"Really? Blood pressure and pulse?"

"All below average."

"Well, we just sit and wait."

"... God, I hate this project."

. . .

Tiffany stepped out of the VR pod. The lights were so bright to her after being in a small dark area for a long period of time. She glanced at the digital clock above the wing's entrance. 1:05 pm. The man in the suit approached her. "Our winner!!!", he shouted as he grabbed her arm and thrust it into the air. Those that were there began to applaud. He then released her hand as a woman approached him with a small card.

"Oh, ho, ho...", he said, "The MVP has been decided. Since the 'mystery man' logged out, and probably wasn't even legal in the first place, his points and time go to the person who hit him last. Our MVP is Danny "Stan" Carter!!!" More applause was heard. "You can expect an e-mail with details on how to claim your prize.", he whispered to Tiffany.

Suddenly, a woman's scream was heard. It was Andrea. Tiffany ran towards the scream before she even knew what she was doing. What she saw when she found Andrea was so shocking that she dropped to her knees. Andrea was kneeling there, crying, and holding John's lifeless body. His eyes had rolled into the back of his head. John was dead.

"Owned!", shouted a twenty-something in the crowd. Suddenly, all of the eyes in the place were on the young man who made the statement. To him, they all looked angry.

Tiffany, crying, sprang up, and began to open more pods. Some of the pods she opened were empty, and others made her wish that they were empty. "Someone call an ambulance!"

. . .

10 pm. Tiffany sat on her couch, curled in fetal position, staring at the television screen.

. . .

"Hello, I'm Trent Kengo. Today, during the event known as the 'Cyber Connect Grand Prix', five-hundred people nationwide died this morning at various arcades throughout the country. Cyber Connect Corporation has blamed the deaths on an 'unpredictable equipment malfunction'. The heads of CC Corp are scheduled to be questioned in front of the Grand Jury. Amongst those dead, are 50 Illinois natives and six of the World III Game Masters. Due to time constraints we cannot name them all. Now, here's Juliette VanCrescoe..."

. . .

#CHIME, CHIME# "You have new mail!"

Tiffany shuffled over to her computer.

. . .

"Hello,

Thank you for your participation in The Cyber Connect Grand Prix. Please claim your prize at the nearest save-point.

Thank you,

CC Corp."

. . .

"More mail?", she said.

. . .

"Hey, It's me, Fang,

I saw you at the Scramble. Yeah, I'm the guy who shouted "Owned!"

Well, anyhow, I was wondering. Do you think we can get together sometime? Grab some pizza or something? Oh, I added my member address as an attachment.

Later."

. . .

Tiffany stared at the screen in awe. This guy's either a jerk, or just plain nuts..., she thought. Fifty people just kicked off, and he wants to go out on a date...?

. . .

"Hey, Tiff, Dan, it's me Jack a.k.a. Deacon Blue.

Yeah. I missed the Grand Prix. I took a sick day (the boss is somehow under the impression that I have some kinda disease...), and I did some more digging. I don't even believe the stuff I've dug up. I've got a headache now (staring at a screen all day, you know...), so IM me tomorrow."

. . .

"Well, I may as well pick up my prize...", she said.