2149: Emergence

By Anthony Nanfito

Laura Maverik is an orphaned programmer who lives in a virtual reality completely cutoff from the suffering that plagues the world. But how will she cope when a glitch takes her out of her virtual sanctuary and into the real world?

 

By 2149 the ubiquitous use of virtual reality creates a failed utopia, a system of indentured servitude, and the virtual division of society. In theory, the VR Initiative of 2051 intended to save the planet from overpopulation, promote equality, and help the Earth heal from human-caused environmental destruction. In practice, it allowed The VR Corporation to silently create a planet-wide totalitarian regime and enslave a global workforce all for the sake of keeping humanity "safe" inside a virtual reality.

 

After spending eighteen years in the VR, Laura finds herself back in this damaged and unforgiving world she tried to escape. She's anxious to return to her life in the VR, but forces reveal a different world than the one she remembers. She learns of a resistance movement fighting to free humanity from enslavement and discovers the true legacy of her deceased parents.

 

Can Laura help free humanity from a corrupt corporation and restore her parents' legacy before it's too late?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Anthony Nanfito
• Release date: Mar 12, 2020
• ISBN: 9798201695965

Anthony Nanfito

Anthony Nanfito was born and raised in Northern California. After completing a degree in mathematics, he taught high school mathematics for five years. Now, he lives in Southeast Asia where teaches English as a Second Language and writes books. His debut novel, "2149: Emergence," was first published in April 2020 and explores the ubiquitous use of virtual reality to save an environmentally damaged planet. When he's not writing, you can find him reading a book, listening to a science podcast, enjoying a nature walk in a rainforest, or debating whether he should channel his inner-Picard or inner-Janeway by ordering "Tea Earl Grey Hot" or "Coffee Black" at a cafe. Visit his website http://anthonynanfito.com/ for more info on his latest releases and how to sign-up for his newsletter. Happy reading!

Book preview

Anthony Nanfito

2149: Emergence

Copyright © 2020 by Anthony Nanfito

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

Anthony Nanfito asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

Anthony Nanfito has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-party Internet Websites referred to in this publication and does not guarantee that any content on such Websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.

Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks. All brand names and product names used in this book and on its cover are trade names, service marks, trademarks and registered trademarks of their respective owners. The publishers and the book are not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. None of the companies referenced within the book have endorsed the book.

Cover designed by Anthony Nanfito with images from:

Markus Spiske at https://unsplash.com/@markusspiske

and

Marc-Olivier Jodoin at https://unsplash.com/@marcojodoin

First edition

ISBN: 9798201695965

This book was professionally typeset on Reedsy

Find out more at reedsy.com

To Grandma Kathy, the most voracious reader I ever knew.

Thanks for the smiles, the snuggles, and the stories.

Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.

Benjamin Franklin, 1755

Contents

1. The Glitch

2. Space Battle

3. Emergence

4. The Real World

5. Rehabilitation

6. The Clinic Visit

7. Escape

8. Rendezvous

9. The Resistance

10. The Decision

11. The Attack

12. Moving Forward

13. Captured

14. New Plan

15. Escape and Return

16. Last Hope

17. Aftermath

Acknowledgements

About the Author

1

The Glitch

Laura raced down the hill on her mountain bike. Twisting and turning, she leaned left and right, navigating her way down the ever-changing landscape. Tree branches and bushes jumped out at her, threatening to drag her down as she followed the narrow trail. She loved climbing hills but her favorite part was descending them. The rush exhilarated her senses.

A notification popped-up in her peripheral vision. She had received a new message from Vikki. From the descent status on her HUD, she knew she had two hundred meters left to go.

Tearing down at top speed, she evaded the snatching branches and snaring potholes of the mountainous terrain. Adrenaline filled her veins and a buzz rushed through her body as she skidded to a stop at the bottom.

Catching her breath, the rush dissolved, and she opened the message from her best friend:

vikki_16580: We’re meeting up for a battle game. Join us. Meet at Lobby 15N-80E-A of Battle World in 15.

With a gesture, Laura activated her HUD and checked to make sure she had enough VR credits to pay for a quick transport to the VR-Battle World. She had plenty, and it would be faster than flying. Laura liked flying the various space ships in her collection, but she didn’t want to take up time or waste the fuel.

She selected her destination in her HUD and paid with her credits. A portal opened up in front of her.

Stepping through as though navigating a doorway, but instead of another room she planted her feet on another planet.

The Battle World had a larger surface area but the same gravitational pull as Earth. Living in a virtual environment meant she or anyone didn’t have to play by the same rules outside the VR. Here, the laws of physics could be defined as desired.

Similar to Earth, it contained several large continents and oceans and diverse ecosystems. Divided into districts and subdistricts, combatants could participate in battle simulations, reliving past wars or wars of fiction. Entirely new battles could be created or elements of all could be combined. Variety was more than the spice of life in the VR; it was the way of life.

Laura approached a small building with the words Lobby 15N-80E-A printed above the door. On either side of the building, a tall fence spread to the left and right as far as she could see.

She entered the sparsely decorated VR lobby. A single table with chairs was located at the center of the room, with her friends Vikki, Rosa, Nick, and Abraham gathered around it. She approached with a grin.

Vikki, in combat pants and a gray tank top, had her brown hair tied in a ponytail. Her face lit up when she saw Laura. Nick, in his standard black combat pants and shirt, gave a small wave. Abraham nodded. Like Nick, he wore his black combat pants, but he’d paired them with his usual red tee, emphasizing his darker skin tone. Rosa was her normal self. Well, one version of her normal self. She took great pride in changing her avatar’s appearance, often combining different hairstyles, skin colors, body types, clothing, and accessories. She winked at Laura when she saw her looking. Today, she wore combat clothing to match the rest of the group, but her skin color was a deep purple. She had combined it with bright green eyes and short, silver, spiky hair.

Laura! You came! Vikki jumped up and gave her a big virtual hug. It’s good to see you, she said as she pulled back.

Thanks, Laura responded, unable to restrain her big smile. She greeted everyone else with high fives and hugs and grabbed a seat next to Vikki.

How was your ride?

Exhilarating. Her enthusiasm leaked through the grin on her face. How are your projects going?

Ugh. Horrible. My projects for the VR Water World keep giving me errors. Designing underwater cities that don’t get crushed under virtual water pressure is just as tricky as it is in the real world. I told the team let’s just change the laws of physics but they were adamant about making it as real-like as possible. She rolled her eyes. And my personal project, monitoring the efficiency of the equatorial solar panels, keeps reorganizing its database. I’ve run countless diagnostics on the code with the AI, but they’ve revealed nothing. I might have to analyze them the old-fashioned way and review lines of code myself. What about you?

Laura shrugged. I’m still waiting for a new assignment. I finished my portion of the latest upgrades to the Resort World. They should be revealed in the next update. And my ongoing project of monitoring weather patterns near VR facilities is running smoothly. Hell, it practically runs itself.

Nice! I can’t wait to see the upgrades. Vikki gave two thumbs. And, of course, your weather monitoring project is running itself. She rolled her eyes. You’re probably the best programmer in the VR. I’m surprised you haven’t created an AI to do all your programming for you and just relax.

Laura blushed and brushed off the compliment. I’m not that good. Vikki made to respond but Nick interrupted.

Hey! Nick chimed in from the other side of the table. Is this going to be a work meeting or play meeting?

It can be both, but seeing as you never work, I’m not sure it would do you much good, Vikki shot back.

Ouch, Rosa said, contorting her face into a cringe.

Whatever. Some of us prefer leisure to work. It’s a personal preference, Nick smirked. Get focused so we can get started. He turned on the table display and a holographic menu appeared. He deftly accessed the submenus before a game map appeared with options for different game variations.

Anybody else showing up tonight? Laura asked.

Nope. Paul and Melanie are on the Resort World for a vacation. And Sergio, as usual, didn’t give a firm answer about his attendance, Vikki responded.

Ooh! Resort World? What part? Rosa perked up at her statement.

I think he said they were on the island sector. He used his bonus at work to reserve an entire island with a bungalow for a week. An early anniversary present, Vikki responded.

Well, that’s good for them. It’s important to have a couple’s getaway, Rosa said.

Yes it is. And speaking of escape, let’s get to ours. Nick stated.

Yeah! Why should they get to have all the fun? Rosa smiled.

Where are we headed today? Vikki asked.

Nick’s eyes lit up as a gleeful smile spread across his face. The Central American jungle to face off against the Predator. Everyone at the table briefly made eye contact with each other.

You really are obsessed with those ancient action movies, aren’t you? Rosa said.

Yes, Nick said bluntly and puffed up his chest. They are a fascinating look back at society, and they show us how previous forms of entertainment were interpreted.

Careful, I’m not sure your pride can fit in this virtual universe, Rosa said with a quirk of her lips. Nick glared at her. She stared back all innocence.

Which rainforest predator are we fighting? Laura asked, attempting to shift the conversation and diffuse the tension.

"That’ll be a surprise, but it’s not a rainforest predator but the Predator. It’s an alien who hunts species for trophies. Nick said stiffly. Be ready because we’re going into a heavy combat situation. Take any munitions you might need or want. And expect the unexpected."

Expect the unexpected? That should be easy enough, Laura said as she restrained herself from rolling her eyes.

What’s our objective? Abraham asked, breaking his silence and moving the conversation away from the banter and back toward the game.

Glad you asked! It’s pretty simple. We need to rescue the trapped politicians and kill the Predator, Nick answered with infectious enthusiasm.

Alright, seems easy enough, Abraham said casually as he examined the map displayed in front of him. This is the drop point? He tapped a red target marked on the map.

Yep.

Cool. Are we going in by plane or chopper?

By plane. Pack your parachutes in your inventory, Nick said with a child-like grin.

Silence fell as the rest of the group examined the map.

After a bit, Nick rapped the table with his knuckles. If no one else has questions, let’s gear up and get ready.

Laura shook her head at his eagerness.

Nick stood and activated something on his HUD, and his avatar’s appearance changed. A more muscular version of himself appeared in front of the group. He wore protective combat gear, a semi-automatic rifle, and a compact backpack.

The others followed his lead and changed their avatars. Each of them had their own variation of a weapon and a compact backpack with extra ammo and supplies.

Everyone ready? Nick asked.

Ready, they responded in unison.

Alright, let’s go. Nick gestured and activated his HUD. A door appeared on the opposite wall of the entrance. He led the way through.

Outside the door was a large airfield with a small aircraft waiting, engines running. Nick entered the craft first, followed by Rosa, Abraham, and Vikki. Laura brought up the rear. Once the door had sealed, the pilot, nothing more than an AI automaton, engaged the engines, and the plane moved forward.

We’ll take this plane to the drop zone, Nick said over their intercom channel, talking over the hum of the plane engines. From there, we’ll jump directly into the jungle. HQ estimates the politicos are within five clicks of the drop location. We need to stay sharp when we’re out there, people. There’s more than just the Predator we have to worry about.

Laura made a face at Vikki; it amused them how into character Nick got in these virtual games. His entire demeanor, voice, and presence changed. But a small part of him remained, showing up in a mannerism, or a word, or a phrase to reveal he was still Nick. Sometimes she wasn’t sure if this was him slipping up or if he did it intentionally to let them know he hadn’t gone completely insane.

The plane reached its jump altitude within a few minutes, and the group prepared to go. They all activated their HUDs with gestures, and their compact backpacks transformed into parachute packs. Nick moved to the back of the plane and slid the door open. A cacophony from the roar of the engines and the rushing of the wind filled the cabin.

Alright, wait ten seconds after the person in front of you jumps, he yelled before turning and jumping out of the door. Laura went last and dived toward the mountainous jungle below, entering a freefall before opening her chute. Unlike the flat, open airfield they had left when the plane took off, the jungle stretched as far as she could see, without any large break in the tree canopy.

As she plummeted closer to the ground, Laura could make out more details. Instead of a massive green structure, she could distinguish tree leaves and branches. As land approached, she maneuvered herself for her landing, working her way toward the top of the tree canopy, gliding her way to one of the small and rare openings.

Navigating through the foliage was not easy. Branches scratched at her skin and snagged her clothing and chute line, but she reached the ground without any damage points. She tugged off her parachute, accessed her inventory through a gesture on her HUD, and replaced it with her combat backpack. She pulled a P90 sub-machine gun out of her inventory, checked the magazine was loaded, and made her way to the others.

The jungle was hot and humid. The sounds of distant animals, mostly birds, echoed through the forest. Laura made her way to the others; all had landed within one hundred meters of Nick. They gathered at the base of a tree.

Alright. Gang’s all here. Let the hunting begin, Nick said with the enthusiasm of a child.

Laura exchanged a glance with Vikki. This was one of those moments where Nick slipped slightly out of character.

Lead the way. Vikki swooped her arm forward.

Nick gestured for them to follow and led them away from their landing spot. Laura and Vikki took up the rear.

The group trekked through the jungle for a few kilometers before they found the first body. Keeping some distance, Nick stopped and dropped to a crouching position, looking and listening. In unison, the rest of the team did the same. Laura remembered how uncoordinated they had all been when they first started playing these games years ago.

Looks like we found our first victim, Nick said softly, as he signaled the team forward. Laura moved up next Nick. They crept along, watching for signs of the Predator or other dangers lurking in the jungle.

Laura and Nick reached the body before the others. He rested a hand on her shoulder and drew her back a pace. All that remained was a bloody, mangled mess. The face was no longer recognizable as such, and the clothes had been ripped to shreds.

I don’t think this was the Predator.

Rosa came from behind them. How can you be sure? She kept her head averted from the bodily remains.

Look at the throat. Nick pointed with his gun.

I’d rather not, Rosa said, not turning. Laura loved how she was great at playing these simulated combat games but always got squeamish when it came to dead bodies.

"Well, if you did, you’d see it’s been ripped out. It seems more likely a big cat attacked this person. Perhaps a cougar or jaguar."

Does this help us with anything? Vikki asked, an edge to her voice. She too loved these simulations, particularly the action part, and wasn’t fond of standing around.

We know it wasn’t the Predator.

Then let’s keep moving, Vikki said, taking the lead as Nick fell in behind her.

Less than twenty meters later, a deep growl tore through the air, and a flash of black exploded from the branches above. Before Laura could even raise her gun, Vikki was swept from the path in front of her.

Nick and Laura dove into action. As they followed the sound of Vikki’s struggle, Laura heard her scream, while the mass made a low growling noise. They finally caught up to where Vikki lay on her back, not far from the path, wrestling with a large jaguar. She had her arms raised above her face and neck in the shape of an X. The jaguar struck viciously with its claws and teeth, making deep gauges on Vikki’s arms.

Nick and Laura split apart, circling the fighting duo, and took aim with their weapons. Nick fired a few warning shots but the jaguar did not respond. Rosa and Abraham came running over, weapons drawn. Their warning shots had no effect either.

Are you just going to stand there or get this thing off me?! Vikki screamed over the jaguar’s growls.

Nick crouched down and aimed his weapon at the beast. He fired when he had a clear shot, but it wasn’t until he fired two more times, hitting the animal in the back, that it perceived him as a threat. Stopping its attack on Vikki, it leapt toward Nick. Laura saw an opening and fired several shots. Her aim was fair and true. The jaguar fell in a lump near Vikki.

What the hell was that? Vikki exhaled, breathing heavily.

A jaguar, Nick answered,Nice shot, Laura.

Thanks, Laura said simply before turning to crouch next to Vikki. Are you alright?

I think so, Vikki said as Laura helped her to sit up. Vikki made a gesture to access her HUD. I received some damage points but I’ll survive. She made another gesture and her wounds disappeared.

You’ll be fine to continue? Nick asked.

Yeah. Vikki climbed to her feet, brushing off the virtual dust and debris You don’t like to play with kitties?

Nick laughed, shaking his head, and walked back toward the path. Vikki and Laura exchanged smiles before following and joining the rest of the group.

They had been walking for a short time when Nick came to a halt. He raised his left hand in a fist, signaling the group to stop, and crouched low to the ground. The rest of the group reacted quickly to his signal.

What is it? Vikki asked.

There’s something up ahead just off the path. I think it’s another body.

Another dead one? Laura asked.

Yeah. Considering what happened the last time we were near a dead body, I think we need to be more cautious.

You’ll get no argument from me, Vikki agreed.

Alright, let’s spread out and surround it. It could be a trap, or another jaguar could be nearby. Vikki, Laura, you to go to the left. Rosa, Abraham, go to the right. I’m going to follow the path and head straight for it. Remember to check above you as well as around you.

The group split up and made their way to the body in a circular pattern. Nick waited for the rest of the group to be in position. Once he received the all clear signal from both pairs, he moved closer to the body, cautious with each step. He reached the remains and studied them.

Yep. This is it. The Predator’s victim.

You’re sure this time? Vikki asked, eyeing the trees.

Very. It’s got burn marks from an energy weapon.

That’s good, Abraham said, It means we’re on the right track.

Yeah, Nick said, staring at the body.

What is it? Laura asked, noticing a puzzled look on Nick’s face.

Well, these are definitely burn marks from its energy weapon but it’s strange that we found a body.

How so?

The Predator hunts to collect trophies. Hunting is the ultimate sport for its species and collecting trophies is how they display their conquests. He stood from his stooped position near the body and surveyed the surrounding area.

Maybe this guy was just unlucky. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time, between the Predator and its prey, Vikki openly conjectured.

Possibly but— Nick was interrupted by an explosion that shook the ground. Nick got up from the ground, in apparent shock, his face seeming to process what had happened. Everyone else threw themselves down in the undergrowth of the jungle. Laura turned