Untraceable

Rise: Episode 2

There’s nothing worse than a gum-chewer with a loud mouth. A petite red-headed waitress dawdled about at the counter, with Keith before her. He was annoyed, his eyebrow twitched. The gum twisted around her tongue, as if it were alive, mocking him with it’s chime. Click. She slammed a bottle on the table, and eyed him. ‘Player’s like you are supposed to be on the field,' she puffed her chest. There goes that tongue again. ‘I am-I’m playing the field,'his male gaze scanned her body. She turned around and changed the channel, of the half broken dangling screen behind her. When she turned he smelt her perfume, sour like nectar. That tangy smell got mixed with the dust choking the shelves. Behind him sat more pubs, players and professionals. The only 'P' left to add, was the fact that he was pissed. The story-line for the game wasn’t very straight forward, the menu bar didn’t have any default settings and worse he couldn’t exit until he finished his mission. He growled. He had finished only one part of his mission, and with it gained a new outfit and weapon.

He looked like a real gangster, the type that wore business suits. The cracking signals from the television prickled at the little clarity of his mind. Gurgles and laughter erupted from a group swarming the top balcony, he rolled an eye. The TV crackled, popped news.

The games sponsor, was a women with an animated smile. Blonde, a melon-chest and arched eyebrows. ‘Today we announce the top twenty Kingpins in the city,'she winked. The clamor from behind erupted in a wave of excitement. While she read out the names, conspicuous profiles appeared on the screen. Nameless icons with high ratings. One in particular had a face, if you could call it that. An avatar with a devil mask on, his name, Reaper. The name sparked an interest in Keith, his frown turned into a smirk and he got an idea. ‘I never got your name,'he tried to turn his anger into action. She twisted her torso, held a glass in her hand. ‘The names Daisy,’ she slid the glass down the table. A male who’d been glued to the television since he arrived, grabbed it with quick reflexes. Keith nodded in admiration,'Ay, you new?’. The male didn’t answer, she did. ‘ Good luck tryna get a peep outta him,'she twisted the gum with her finger. Keith ignored it,' Say Daisy, 'he seemed more cordial, ‘ How does one get on that list?’. She turned around, the snake of a sweet on her index finger. ‘You need to make your mark,'hand on her hip she smiled,'You have to get people to find interest in you.' He nodded and stared at that same male with dark eyes, he had a chain in his hand and a scruffy beard hanging from his chin. He looked like an ex-con, but his silence was interesting.

Keith scooted next to him, dragging his drink along the charred counter. ‘ You interested in the rankings?,'he cocked an eyebrow. The male loomed at him from his peripheral view ,' If you’re there, you’re only a target’, he got up. Slammed his hand on the table and a menu bar appeared, with the pubs icon, he paid and started down the two steps.’ If you’re on the list, you’re an amateur’, he dusted his jacket. Gang signs decorated his arms,'It’s the guys who aren’t on the list that you need to worry about,' his voice grew in authority. Keith watched as he exited the hologram of a building.

Daisy had her arms resting on the counter and he head in the clouds, ‘Isn’t he sexy?’. Keith couldn’t agree, his words left him with more questions than answers. Daisy’s dreamy eyes turned from crystal to ice, ‘By the way, you’re a newbie right?’. Keith nodded. ‘That means you were able to dodge the boss,'she chewed. She then shuffled her way towards him and leaned forward, ‘That’s kinda sexy’. She fluttered her eyes, ‘So how’d you do it?’. Keith took a long sip of his drink, ‘Why is it so surprising?’. She looked him up and down, ‘Not many player’s make it through first try’. Her chewing stopped, ‘So how’d you do it?’.

Let’s replay. Thank god this games got that function.

Mission 1:Hide.

A deafening roar punctuated the alarm building up in his body. A spray of bullets tore through sound waves of electric positioning marks across the balcony. In a swift move, he maneuvered his body, twisting into a back flip and lunged at the door. It was locked, chained with a pregnant lock. He turned around and hunched down, head in line with the lock and waited for the mechanical lion. Bang. Revise three-round bursts, their fire guided by the infrared dots, one aimed at his forehead. In an agile move, he ducked. The bullet flew passed his ear, it spat fumes and busted the lock from it’s grip. He ran through the door, slid down the stairs but bullets were gouging the walls. He was now in an empty industrial building, running in the open wind with huge windows on his side. Each splintered as he passed, glass shards were spewing everywhere. In a mild second, one grazed his cheek the other fluttered passed him. He saw the exit. The bullets were catching up to him. He could smell oil, burning wood and dust bunnies. One hopped beside him as he zoomed through the building. Ticktock, the bullets were on his tail now. He ran through doors and jumped debris, one was in his way. And before the window busted , he slid underneath the broken roofing and dodged the bullet. When he got up, he got shot. He couldn’t feel the bullet embedded in his tissue, because his adrenaline kept him going.

He absorbed the trauma and used it , swallowed the pain and sprinted towards the door. The light behind it cast a shadow of a men seeping underneath. In a chilling move, it opened. The light engulfed the room, dust particles danced in it’s presence. His survival instinct kicked in when he saw the weapon starring at him with piercing eyes. Before it could open it’s mouth, he slid underneath the assailant and got behind him. There was a scuffle, but he managed to get hold of the weapon. Kicked the man in the groin and stared death right back at him. Now he felt like the Reaper in a suit.

‘Wow, really?,'Daisy was now sitting next to him. She then touched his forearm, ‘So what’s next Mr- ,’she got cut short by the television screen. The perky blonde ended her episode, ‘Well done to all the players, tune in next time to know your place’. Something seemed off. A crew member handed her a paper and she looked to the screen with a trembling pupil. She then shook her fear,' A message from Anonymous’. Keith stood, so did the rest of the players in the bar. The tension was so thick you could put a slice of it on bread and call it a burger. ‘ Humans are greedy. And with that imperfection comes profit, 'she paused. Hesitant to continue, ‘ I made this game to test the desires of the flesh. It’s in our nature to want more, better.’

The camera angle zoomed in, ‘ We can never be satisfied , we can never quince our thirst, although all other life forms fall to their knees in our presence. What more do we want? What more can we have? What more until nothing’s left?’, the line began to stutter. Her voice changed by a puppet master behind a keypad,' Does this world, satisfy your desire? ', the crowd cheered. ‘ If some of you succeed in becoming anonymous, then my desire will be satisfied’. Then the screen switched off, Daisy and Keith were left with hanging words. Daisy spoke first, ‘ What does that mean? Becoming anonymous?’. Keith remembered the silent man beside him, who’d advised him that the one’s he were to look out for were the one’s out of view. In other words, the Anonymous.

Mission 1:Hide, from me.

-Keith