Opening Moves

Начало книги

When the aliens invaded they brought two things of importance. The Game, and paperwork. Lots of paperwork.

-Anonymous

Prologue

"Remember, it's just a game," Icewolf said.

"But it's not," Alan replied. "You told me that the Game affects real life. That if you conquer a planet in the Game, you control it in reality."

"Sure, it's a virtual reality massively multiplayer online role playing simulation that was designed to replace all war, but it's still a game. And you need to treat it like one." Icewolf sat back in his chair. He was leaner than Alan remembered; the light grey jumpsuit he wore fit him like a glove. It was emblazoned with the Omnitech Industries logo, a giant steel pylon being struck by lightning.

Alan shook his head, then stared out the window. The view of San Francisco was gorgeous. If anyone had told him a year ago that he would be sitting in a penthouse suite decked out like a Bond villain's lair six months after aliens invaded, about to enter the virtual reality game that was central to their society, he would have dismissed them as a troll. Yet, here he was. A college student with unkempt black hair. Anonymous, or so he liked to think.

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