.hack//LIMINALITY Fan Fiction / .hack//SIGN Fan Fiction ❯ .hack//CHECK ❯ Disaster ( Chapter 29 )

Chapter 29 // Disaster

. . .

"Ever since, I've been reading some strange anonymous e-mails. They were love letters. At the time, I wasn't sure, but now I know. It was you, wasn't it? Still romantic in a state of unconsciousness. Now that I know it's you, I really wish that I hadn't fired my assistant."

. . .

8 a.m. Jack lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling. So, that's how it works, he thought, I can't believe I didn't notice it at first. So, the sword isn't necessarily an offensive weapon as much as it is a preparatory weapon. As long as he doesn't get hit, all it does is Protect Break targets. Wow. And, what's with that "Genocide" attack. According to the local news, it took out at least ten thousand people, nation-wide. Mastah Pimp thinks he's clever. That pitiful disguise didn't fool me. Who'd have guessed that he was a hardcore RP'er. Well, that, and I guess he's trying to escape prosecution. Jack reached over to the night stand, and pressed a button on the remote. The television screen came to life.

"... And, there's a .001% chance of snow today. That was the weather, now back to the Today Show."

"Good morning, and welcome back to the Today Show. I'm Lacy Hines.

And, I'm John St. John.

At approximately seven o'clock this morning, an estimated one million players of World III died inexplicably. And, the numbers are still coming in. CC Corp closed the World III making it inaccessible to non-employees. Things do not look good for Cyber Connect since they claimed that the deaths that occurred during their special event just days ago was an "unexpected equipment malfunction" in front of a Grand Jury, just yesterday. The head of CC Corp, this morning, claimed that something within the game, outside of the scope of their knowledge, is causing this calamity. With us now, is Jackson Height from Electronic Gaming Weekly..."

What the hell?!

. . .

7:30 a.m. Tiffany lie in bed, sleeping. *RING, RING!* The phone rang. "Huh?", said Tiffany as she rolled over in the bed, and fell off of the edge. She stumbled over to where the phone was, and picked it up. "*Yawn* Hello?"

"Tiffany! Oh my god, It's... It's...", blurted a panicked voice on the phone.

"Mom?"

"It's Orpah! She's slumped in front of the keyboard, and she... She won't respond!"

"WHAT?!"

"I don't know what happened... Her computer is still on. What's going on?!"

Her computer is still on?

"Mom, is she still breathing?!"

"Hold on, I'll check!"

Three seconds passed.

"YES! She's still breathing!", shouted the panicked voice.

Good. She's not dead.

"Good. Everything will be fine. Call an ambulance."

"They're already on the way."

"Call me, and tell me what hospital they're taking her to."

"Okay."

"Bye."

Tiffany hung up the phone.

"*Chime, Chime* You have new mail!"

"Yo.

There isn't much time left. I've got your sister's consciousness. Didn't know that I had preserved the original functions of Data Drain as well, did you? I can crush it at any time, but I'm deciding not to do so... This is small potatoes compared to my much bigger plan. You'll find out what that is soon enough.

Swan."

"Damn!", shouted Tiffany as she pounded her palm onto her desk.

She hurriedly put on a denim skirt, threw on her coat, and rushed out of the door.

. . .

"Hey, Jack, *knock, knock, knock*, this is Danny, open up, willya?", shouted Danny as he knocked on the door to Jack's room. "I just finished renting the car."

Jack swung the door open. He was wearing khakis and a black turtle-neck. He had shaved as well. "Danny, there's trou-!", Jack paused, and looked at the woman standing next to Danny, "Who's this?"

"Hi, I'm Shelly.", said the woman as she extended her hand for Jack to shake.

Jack squinted as he shook her hand. "Wait a second... You're Shelly Freid! International super model, Shelly Freid." Jack looked over at Danny. "What is she doing here?"

Danny rolled his eyes.

Jack leaned towards Danny, and whispered, "I see..."

"Anyhow, you were saying?", said Danny.

Jack grabbed his backpack and jacket, and stepped out of the door. "Trouble. Didn't you see the news?" They all began to walk towards the elevator.

"Er... Nope."

"About one million people, worldwide, dead."

"What?"

"It's Swan. It's definitely Swan."

"Pardon?", said Shelly, "What is this 'Swan'?"

"A digital Hannibal Lechter.", replied Danny.

They all got onto the elevator.

"You play World III?", asked Jack.

"No... Not much...", replied Shelly.

"Her character has never gone beyond level 10.", said Danny.

"I see... Danny, remember what we talked about on IM last night?"

"Yeah. Scary as all hell. What the **** was up with that 'Genocide' attack?"

"I dunno."

"That rat-bastard got Mastah Pimp, too..."

"No he didn't."

"Huh?"

"Vino."

"You mean...?"

"I received an e-mail from him last night, and this morning. I blew his cover last night, and he admitted it this morning. I also got -."

The elevator doors opened. In front of them stood Tiffany, hands on her knees, and winded.

"What happened to you?", asked Jack.

"We've gotta shut that rat-bastard down!", shot Tiffany. She looked up to see a woman standing beside Danny. "Who's that?"

The woman stepped forwards, and extended her hand for Tiffany to shake, "Hi, I'm Shelly Freid."

"Tiffany Izen.", Tiffany shook the woman's hand. She looked at Danny. "Danny, did you rent the car?"

"Uh, yes."

"Good. Let's go."

"What happened, Tiffany?", asked Jack.

"I'll explain in the car." They all began to walk to the hotel entrance.

"Where are we going?", asked Shelly.

"We're going to the Scramble Arcade."

"Isn't that place a crime scene?", inquired Danny.

"Now, only the new wing. Everything else will open tomorrow."

"You're planning to sneak into the new wing, aren't you?", asked Jack.

Tiffany stopped, turned around, and stared at Jack. "Yes."

"Well, you're going to have a heck of a time logging in, Tiff.", replied Jack, "They've restricted access. Mastah Pimp couldn't even hack his way in."

"Mastah Pimp? Isn't he dead?"

"Vino."

"Oh yeah...", said Tiffany, "Danny, go get the car."

"Aye, aye." Danny ran to the parking garage.

"Er...", began Jack, "Why are we still going if access is restricted?"

Tiffany looked at Jack. "You know something, don't you?", she said, "Spit it out!" She walked over to Jack, and grabbed the collar of his jacket.

"I won't tell you anything until you've calmed down.", said Jack, calmly, "I've seen you like this before... Or, rather, I've seen your character like this before. The Goggle event. So, let's say I do know something, eh. If I tell you, then what?" Tiffany still holding Jack by the collar looked away. Jack continued, "You'd go in without a plan, and get yourself killed. You saw what he did last night on the IM, didn't you?" She let go of his collar.

"Yes."

Danny pulled up in a dark-green, American made sedan. "Hop in.", shouted Danny.

The three piled into the car.

. . .

"So that's it.", said Jack, "I can see why you're upset. I'd be upset as well."

"Yeah.", replied Tiffany, "What are we gonna do?"

"Remember Nash?", inquired Jack.

"That weirdo who helped you bust me out of bannination all of those times?", asked Danny.

"Did I ever tell you guys what he does for a living?", Jack continued, "He's a graphic designer for World III. He currently works in the Cyber Connect Offices of Chicago. I got an e-mail from him last night. He can get us in. We won't even have to break the law by sneaking into a crime scene."

"That's great, but we'll still have to go to Scramble.", replied Tiffany.

"Why?", asked Danny, "This gas is costing me!"

"To pick up a reinforcement.", said Tiffany. She looked slightly disturbed.

"Um, excuse me?", began Shelly, "Why am I here?"

Danny stopped the car at a red light. They all looked at each other.

. . .

Danny pulled into the Scramble Arcade's empty parking lot. Sitting against the wall, holding a skateboard, and eating a nutrition bar was a thin figure in black pants, and a heavy black jacket. He had spiky black hair, and deep, dark eyes. He was the twenty-something who shouted "owned" when Tiffany's coworker died. He sprang from the ground, and jogged to the car. When he tried to open the passenger side rear door (where Tiffany was sitting), the door was locked. He went to the other side, and got into the car. He squinted at Shelly, who was sitting between him and Tiffany.

Jack asked, "Er, Tiff, who is this guy?"

"This is Ian VanLeigh. He's the player of the character Fang.", answered Tiffany.

"Oh. Your stalker.", said Danny.

Ian was still squinting at Shelly. "Who is this?"

Danny replied as he began to drive off, "That's Shelly Freid." Shelly extended her hand for Ian to shake.

"The international super model?", Ian said as he shook her hand, "Nice to meet you."

"Thank you.", replied Freid.

"Now, move aside. I want to sit next to Tiffany."

I think I might really hate this guy., thought Jack.

What an *******., thought Danny.

Shelly began to comply when Tiffany's hand grabbed her thigh, and sat her back down. She angrily stared at Shelly, and said through bared teeth, "If you move, I will kill you."