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Chapter 3

When Piotr stopped near the Game - World head office , I was in complete prostration. On the one hand, a violent fire of anger flared up inside me, on the other hand, I was bound by the icy embrace of uncertainty and fear.

“Go, Alex,” Ignat slapped me on the shoulder. - We made it on time. In six minutes you have an appointment with Albert Gennadyevich Kuchko, Max and... Marina's boss. Remember, your goal is compensation in the form of a six-month subscription. And not a word about Marina!

I silently nodded and got out of the car.

I reached the reception desk as if in a fog.

- Alexander Krestovsky, at the reception to ...

“Albert Gennadievich is already waiting for you,” the secretary nodded. — Kira, see the young man.

I went on autopilot for a pretty girl, no, no, and looking askance at her pleasant roundness. Have I thought about the upcoming conversation? I highly doubt it.

I came to my senses already in a luxurious office.

- Alexander! A charismatic man in a perfectly fitting suit cordially extended his hand to me. — Welcome to Game - World ! In our, I'm not afraid of this word, family!

The boss of my brother and ... Marina had a number of undoubted advantages: tall, broad-shouldered, tanned and damn rich. He also had a snow-white smile, perfectly styled hair and a sharp mind. I wonder if he had a hand in the disappearance of the guys?

“Hello, Albert Gennadievich,” I shook the outstretched hand. - I came to...

“Find my brother,” the corporate executive finished for me. - Sit down, Sasha.

He nodded to a comfortable leather chair for visitors, and he himself went to the bar, where he poured Jamaican rum into pot-bellied glasses.

Hmm, this used to be my favorite drink, especially with ice.

— Ice?

“Yes, please,” I answered unexpectedly timidly, and immediately got angry at myself for embarrassing me. “I mean, no thanks.

“Here,” the owner of the office put a glass of rum and a saucer with ice on a mahogany table. — Don't be afraid, I perfectly understand the reasons for your excitement.

“From where? I thought, automatically picking up a glass. “Not your brother went missing three weeks ago!”

I bet he had a detailed dossier on me on his comlink a couple of minutes before our conversation. What I love, how I study, where I work. Fines, loans, debts, data about the second category in chess, a list of won tournaments and my long-term passion for aikido ... Even the author's page on AutoToday with my ridiculous attempts to write a masterpiece. In general, my entire social rating of a master's laboratory assistant and ... a former cybersportsman who was once among the top ten gamers on the planet.

And it was no coincidence that he began the conversation by offering me Roma - does he want to win me over?

“Most likely, you think that your brother found out some secret secret,” Albert Gennadievich smiled mirthlessly and took a neat sip. - And that Max is now in the game capsule and cannot leave the game.

The executive director of Game - World did not ask, but stated a fact.

“So, Sasha,” the owner of the office walked around the table and wearily sank into a chic leather chair. - I'll tell you the same thing that I answered to the comrades from the authorities three weeks ago. I don't know where your brother is or what happened to him.

- It can not be! I couldn't resist. “He was supposed to have a working capsule, and he was never separated from the comlink! Even slept without disconnecting from the network.

“Do you think you knew your brother best of all?” Albert Gennadievich screwed up his eyes.

- Of course! We are…

“Then tell me, did you know what project he has been working on for the last year?”

“Well, yes,” I involuntarily agreed, remembering Max's message. - Second chance. Digital immortality, all things...

“Alexander,” steel clanged in the voice of Game - World 's executive director. “If you scatter VeSh corporate secrets with the same careless casualness in your daily life, then you will soon be in trouble.

My first thought was to get indignant and say something like: “Will I disappear the same way as my brother and Marina?”, But, after a bit of thinking, I forcedly nodded.

- I'm sorry, I was wrong. I didn't think it was a secret. Especially for you.

“There are things that should not be said aloud,” Albert Gennadievich carefully looked into my eyes and suddenly smiled, returning to the previous topic. “You are mistaken, Alexander.

- In terms of? I feigned surprise. “That wasn't a Second Chance?”

“We thought so too,” the brother's boss nodded, taking an impressive sip. - But there was some kind of parallel project that he undertook to finalize for ... ahem, another of our employees. I must say right away that I do not know what it is called - Albert Gennadievich did not work in vain as the director of the largest corporation. This person read the interlocutor like a book. “And no one knows. You are aware that today there are thousands of virtual worlds, and the rate of the internal currency of all game projects included in the top 100 of the planet is tied to the current rate of world currencies?

— Yes, I saw that issue in the globonet. Well, what about your cameras and AIs?

“Empty,” Albert Gennadievich shook his head. - Our specialists have been rummaging through the internal grid for the third week and still cannot figure out what happened.

But he went to work!

“And you are wrong again,” the executive director looked at the glass of rum, but did not take a sip. - Maxim did not appear at work for two whole weeks. The work was done remotely via comlink, and the guy who checked in every morning and evening in the lobby turned out to be a freelancer. By the way, surprisingly similar to your brother. A certain Oleg Ivanovich Gerasimov only meticulously fulfilled the terms of the agreement concluded through an anonymous exchange.

“So my brother went missing not three, but five weeks ago?” My knees trembled with excitement, and I was glad that I was sitting in an armchair at the moment. “But how…

“The police are aware,” Max’s former boss consoled me. - However, like the FSB.

“But you…

“I knew you wouldn’t believe it,” Albert Gennadievich sighed deliberately and handed me a stack of some papers. - Read each page carefully.

What is this, an employment contract? I asked in disbelief, glancing at the first sheet. Do you want to buy my silence?

- Read the contract, everything is written there, - Marinin's chief smiled. - With exactly the same contract , your brother began work at Game - World . Internship, three months long. The range of duties includes: courier delivery, work on the hotline, work with clients, testing game locations...

While Albert Gennadyevich was speaking, I silently flipped through the contract, trying with all my might to delve into the jumble of official terms and abbreviations. Do I need it at all? After all, my goal is to get into the capsule.

— Usually, after this internship, we offer employment based on the points scored. And you will have exactly the same conditions with a small exception. Each day you will have two additional hours at your disposal, which you can spend at your own discretion.

Hmm, the ability to search for breadcrumbs before choosing a world? Tempting…

The owner of the office looked at the gold Rolex hanging on his left wrist, frowned at something and continued.

- If you want, check the underground floors of the building where the capsules that we rent are located. If you want, study his workplace and capsule. If you want - review all the records of surveillance cameras in the end! This is the most I can do for missing Max Mad's brother.

“Uh, thanks,” I muttered, hovering over the insurance terms page. - Albert Gennadievich, what does it mean: "insurance covers digitalization at the Higher School"?

“This is, as you say, digital immortality,” Albert Gennadievich stopped rushing somewhere and looked at me carefully. What do you want to refuse?

— No, I want to leave the choice to myself. The second chance is, of course, an interesting world, but access to the top 100 of the planet is better.

- It's funny, - drawled the executive director of Game - World . “You and your brother are living up to your reputation. You are the only one who paid attention to this point. - Neither for the amount of remuneration, nor for the bonuses provided by the company, nor for the Social rating ...

A trickle of icy sweat ran down my back, but I did not look away from the attentive eyes of Chief Max.

“I love freedom,” I licked my suddenly dry lips. - From the bag and prison ...

“Two months ago, Maxim answered exactly the same,” Albert Gennadievich chuckled, relaxing. - You look like him.

I sullenly remained silent, not knowing what to answer. Of course, I had no intention of staying with the company.

“I really feel sorry for your brother,” the owner of the office leaned forward confidentially, “and if by some miracle you manage to unearth something, I will only be glad… But,” his eyes darkened. — This does not relieve you from fulfilling your obligations. Study the contract. For violations, we have serious penalties, up to a decrease in the Social rating.

He glanced at the glass of rum, which I hadn't even sipped, and at the melted ice.

Everything, Alexander. The secretary will replace the page with the terms of insurance, after studying and signing the contract, take it to the personnel department. The man glanced at his Rolex. - Today is a short day ... But you have fifteen minutes. If you have time, you will go to work tomorrow. Welcome to our friendly, I'm not afraid of this word, family!

***

Three days later. Cafe Para Coffee, located opposite the skyscraper Game - World

I did a titanic job in three days.

I took a vacation at the university and in hyper. I studied Max's work notes, his comlink and game capsule. I went into observer mode in all his favorite games and in those projects that he oversaw. Viewed dozens of hours of CCTV footage. And found absolutely nothing.

My brother disappeared as if he never existed.

The police and FSB sent out digital orientations, added Max to the priority watch list, and conducted a couple of dozen interrogations. We talked with Tolik, the driver, with whom he went to the bar a couple of times. With Oksana, a pretty beta tester with whom Max once went on a date. On this they calmed down, believing that they had done everything that was in their power.

I still couldn’t come to terms with what had happened and disappeared at work for several days, not daring to get into the game capsule. He handed out the documentation, wondering to himself why papers were needed in the age of mass digitalization. Sitting on the phone, answering endless questions from dissatisfied users. Worked with clients, closing them to connect the annual subscription to the Second Chance, Rating, Battle for the Threshold and other projects.

I realized that most people come to Game - World to be deceived. Lands of sword and magic, Space, Postap? Anything to escape reality.

But those who came out of stupidity, I tried to dissuade. First, it was right. Secondly, it is unlikely that good clients would come out of them.

A ridiculous courier delivery helped me remember the location of key departments and find out the schedule of game managers. The hotline helped to restore hundreds of virtual worlds and features of the operation of the dive capsules.

Well, an internship as a sales manager made me hate scripts.

Analyzing subsequently my conversation with Albert Gennadievich, I admired his arrogance and professionalism. In fact, he conducted a conversation according to the basic script, keeping within the seven minutes allotted for a difficult client. And instead of a lawsuit, he managed to get a motivated employee who would have to work like hell for three whole months.

It was…professional.

Ideally, it was necessary to train for all three months, but we simply did not have time for this. In addition, I terribly did not like the terms of the contract, and if I could go back in time, I would refuse employment and insist on a six-month lease of the capsule.

Alas, according to the terms of the contract, during these three months I did not have the right to use the Game - World corporate capsules, except in very extreme cases. Such as the loss of legal capacity, a stroke in the workplace, the onset of war and other "joys of life."

At first, Ignat and Peter argued for a long time, then they seriously considered beating me half to death and throwing me at the checkpoint of the game corporation. And then Peter came up with a “brilliant idea,” which I had to agree with.

Because I didn't see any other options.

I drank the last of my cherry mocha and glanced regretfully at the display case. I wanted to finally eat a donut, a couple of cookies and wash it all down with hot chocolate in coconut milk, but I courageously suppressed this impulse in myself.

After all, what I was going to do required an empty stomach.

Why the hell did I sign this contract?! And why did you agree with Peter's proposal? In principle, it is not too late to replay everything ...

But who am I kidding?

I looked at my watch, went to the bathroom, and gave a forced smile at the pretty barista. He went out into the street, put on a bicycle helmet on his head, checked how the elbow and knee pads fit, and saddled his trusty bicycle.

15:58

It's time.

With a strong push off the bench, I pedaled and rolled to the right. To get to work, I had to drive one block down and turn left at the crossroads.

There was the sound of a truck passing by. I looked back to see a powerful truck speeding along the empty street at that time. The right side of the cab of the truck was covered in mud.

— R-r-r-r-r-r!

— Wah-wah-wah!

The noise of the truck was artificial - a tribute to the tradition of gasoline engines that had gone into oblivion. But the sounds of the ambulance, rushing a few blocks ahead, were the most that neither is, real.

My stomach went cold.

My heart began to beat faster, and I pedaled at a furious pace, trying not to let the truck overtake me. Having escaped ten meters ahead, I flew to the intersection and threw the bike to the left.

Damn plan!

I'm a moron, a lightning thought flashed through as my hands slammed painfully slowly on the brake. “I hope they don’t…”

— Umb!

A steel ram crashed into the left shoulder and head. Stars flashed before my eyes. There was a wet crack of breaking bones, and my intestines froze. A second of flight, and the rearing asphalt knocked the breath out of me.

— Eeeeeee!

— Wah-wah-wah!

The creak of brakes, the wild pain that flooded the mind, and the distant, as if through cotton wool, sounds of an ambulance flying up.