There is a certain mechanical quality to the errands of the day. Things going well is starting to feel normal, so long as he repressed that which doesn't matter at this point.

  Being a leader is being a pilot, controlling the vessel people look up to. Soon enough, he's smashing the role. The computer cell is fully set up now on the opposite side of the hangar to the sleeping area.

  Lou had claimed a huge truck as his new office, the thing broken and unmoving. It stood there like a watch tower overlooking the other watch towers called computers.

  Better yet, the virtual devices are almost set up.

  Ahead of schedule! Yippee!

  Amy and Lou coordinate to set the rest up as John and Gilbert orbit the test one.“So, you think these will be good for defense?” Gilbert inquiries, both skeptical and open minded. John cracks a smile and puts his arm over Gilbert’s shoulder. He held the headset in his hand, the two looking down on it. “This thing will do us wonders. Good for defense. Offense. It's a training tool, Gilbert.”

  “I see.” Gilbert replies. “So do I get the honors or?”

  John’s vision snaps to Crosby, but he is nowhere in sight.

  “HEY, CROSBY?!” John yells into the hangar, his voice echoing throughout.

  “YEAH?! WHAT IS IT?!” Crosby replies from somewhere out of sight.

  “HAS DOUGLAS BEEN ABLE TO PURCHASE THE PROGRAMS FOR US?!” John asks to where the voice came from.

  “YEAH! I SENT THEM TO AMY SINCE SHE KNOWS HOW TO SET THINGS!”

  John looks to Amy, giving her the same outwardly persona he has to everyone else. “All set up?” He asks her. “Yep it should be good.” She answers, their gaze lingering a tiny bit longer than either would've liked by this point.

  John looks back to Gilbert who stands patiently. “I'll have a go first just in case there is some degenerate crap still in here. Sounds good?”

  “The choice is all yours, boss.” Gilbert replies, standing back as John takes a step on one of the omnidirectional treadmills. He straps in, turns the thing on and puts the headset over his eyes. Its headphones adjust to his head— such a machine paper light given its complexity and tech.

  The screen boots up, smoothing from a black to a gray.

  He grabs the controllers out of his pockets. The screen transitions into an idealized cityscape.

  Minimal rain, deep gold and purple neon lights with an intimate maroon sky. The view was from the top of a medium-height skyscraper amongst the downtown of this non-existent city.

  It is shockingly immersive. As John walks around, he can barely tell it isn't real. The only giveaway is how his right leg stops itching. The sensation had become so ingrained in his head that he only now notices it in absence.

  An ethereal menu appears in front of him, promoting him to select an experience. A big flashy warning also signals across half the sky above.

  “WARNING: SERAMACS INTEGRATION INCOMPLETE. EXPERIENCES MAY BE AFFECTED.” It reads.

  What John sees is streamed to a monitor on the outside. Gilbert goes to watch it as do a few others. The experiences, courtesy of Douglas, load on the menu after a minute. John selects the one called. “The Deus Array.”

  “This is the one that simulates shooting combat right?” John asks to whoever will answer. “Hang on.” Lou says as he checks the monitor; the world loading in as a claustrophobic, moody hallway reminiscent of the Hastings museum in construction.

  “Yep. Have a play around and figure out the controls.” Lou tells him, heading back to help Amy set up with a few other techies.

  John presses to begin, met with a menu to select difficult. He chooses easy, leading to the next menu for audio setting. He passes that to one about epilepsy. Then another menu about sensitivity… then level selection… then weapon loadout… then spawn location.

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  “Why are there so many menus? Where's the shooting?” John asks.

  His question comes off as rhetorical and so no one answers. Gilbert keeps his eyes on the display, looking at the environment. He speaks.

  “Well I haven't seen fucking yet. Give me a go I want to try.”

  “Hang on, I want to see what this is like.” John replies, seeming to have spawned in on another map. The environment is incredibly realistic. A street between some suburban apartment buildings, quite run down and about seven stories tall if he had to guess.

  It even rained with simulated fluid physics hitting his skin. Of course, he could feel it… except in his leg. For some reason, his leg feels like it's getting slightly damp from rainfall.

  He feels his inner thigh… nope. He hasn't pissed himself. It was a weird sensation.“Stop looking around, dick. You need to select a scenario.” Gilbert tells him. John walks forward a little, the illusion being incredibly realistic. He looks around. No new menus.

  “I don't see shit.” John replies, referring to a scenario.

  His leg feels as if it grows damper. The sound of rain and thunder echoes as if a mimic of the outside. He sees narrow concrete sidewalks, unsafe balconies, and shilling signage.

  “John! Quit meandering around!” Gilbert asks, growing frustrated.

  He isn't the only one as John takes off the headset with annoyance. Not that he lets anyone else know as he steps down from the treadmill. He walks to Gilbert and hands him the headset.

  “Apologies for the wait. I'll leave this up to you and your boys aye?” Gilbert looks at the headset and takes it, looking up to John whose face has a warm smile on it. John gives Gilbert a tap on the shoulder as he walks away to go find Crosby.

  “CROSBY!” He yells.

  “YEAH?” Crosby replies somewhere to John's left. John navigates through some crates, vehicles and other assorted items to find Crosby and his mates sitting together at the impromptu cafeteria. Nutrient blocks and bottled water are the meals of the day as they always have been.

  John sits by Crosby and takes a bite out of his nutrient block. His eyes drift to the others who seem in good spirits and having their own meals.

  Crosby looked John up and down. “You're welcome.” He jokes.

  “Thank you.” John replied flatly as he looked at Chad.

  “You feeling alright?”

  “Yeah it… it is what it is.” Chad replies.

  “Ain't that the truth.” John comments. As he stands, he realizes that he shows too much emotion. And so he changes course to an under stimulated part of his mind.

  “So, boys. Excuse me if this comes off as brash, but are any of you familiar with something or someone called the Archliege?”

  They look amongst each other to gauge each other's reaction.

  They all notice they have no clue. They all shake their heads and make it known vocally, to John's disappointment. One he, of course, internalizes. It's not like it matters that much. Well, it does to him, but what difference does that make? “Alright. I don't know either, so if any of you learn something, just let me know?”

  “You got it boss.” One of them tells him amongst the others. John leaves the table unsure of why he even bothered going there. He guesses that it's because he couldn't figure out the virtual device. People grew impatient, and so he yielded the floor for them.

  How weird that he can just walk up to people and talk to them for no good reason. We walked towards the hangar door vacantly because, well, what the Hell else is he going to do? Look pretty?

  The leader of what may as well be the only resistance movement on the planet and, despite the perception he is held in by his peers, is completely powerless to be dependent or order others.

  Staring into the hangar door like a mirror, he takes a step back in his mind. People listen to him. People love him where he hates himself.

  “Why the fuck am I like this?” He asked the hangar door, receiving no answer. He takes another mental step back. There's too much noise— too many things happening. They need to focus both on training and on the next mission.

  Yeah, missions. They might suck afterwards, but he loves those at the time. “John, what are you looking at?” A somewhat estranged voice asks him from behind. Oh, look, it's Amy. She definitely looks like Amy.

  “Not much. Just contemplating.” John says, walking past her for some privacy. Amy speaks to him as he passes her.

  “Gary's arrived back in case you wanted to meet him.”

  John stops on the spot and turns around. The news finally rips him out of his own head, and he feels something.

  “He is?! Shit, please take me to him!” He asks of her.

  Amy gives a surprisingly warm smile and extends her hand. John doesn't much notice. He just takes it so he can meet with the former master.