Riley jolted awake, his heart racing as if he'd just escaped a nightmare. For a few disoriented moments, the dim light filtering through his apartment blurred the line between memory and reality. Shadows danced across the walls, twisting ordinary shapes into surreal forms. He pressed a hand to his chest, willing his pulse to settle.

  The open door of the InfiNet pod loomed above him; the neural headgear still snug on his head. With a groan, he lifted it off, rubbing his temples to clear the fog clinging to his thoughts.

  "Did I... faint?" he muttered, piecing together fragments of memory. He recalled the vault planet and his near-miss with obliteration. Every raw detail flooded back. Yet here he was, in his apartment, the pod having auto-logged him out after the six-hour limit.

  Riley staggered to the window, catching his faint reflection. The sight of his worn t-shirt and jeans already felt unusual after wearing the soft starter greys as Auron. He ran a hand over his stubbled chin, tracing the tired face staring back at him.

  Riley reached out toward his reflection. The glass was cool under his fingertips as he gazed at the awakening city below. Morning stretched across the skyline as shadows carved deep grooves between the buildings. Traffic clamored faintly in the distance, and the ever-present neon signs continued their unblinking watch. Despite it all, the ordinary sounds and sights barely registered. His mind lingered on the chaos of last night.

  The InfiNet had felt so real, from the pain of being thrown in his ship to the strange relief of elevator music. And the unbridled joy of flight... it left a deeper mark than he'd anticipated. Even now, his fingers tingled, recalling the feel of the controls.

  The Watcher's Cover… It had done something to him, amplified instincts he didn't know he had. The rush of power and clarity it gave him had been exhilarating and terrifying.

  Riley's gaze flicked back to the pod. In the soft morning light, it seemed unassuming, almost benign. Yet only hours ago, it dumped him into an intergalactic armageddon.

  A tutorial, they'd called it—a tutorial that resulted in a solar system's destruction and himself nearly being vaporized. Did everyone's InfiNet experience start like that? A laugh bubbled up at the absurdity, though it died quickly, smothered by unease.

  The blinking light of his apartment monitor yanked him back to the present. Riley crossed the room, curiosity nudging him toward the notification. A tap on the screen brought up a mission summary.

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  Tutorial Mission Report

  Status: Complete

  Rating: Satisfactory

  Remark 1: Cooperating with S.A.M. saved you great trouble.

  Remark 2: Befriending S.A.M. may have saved your life. Please give S.A.M. a performance review.

  Riley didn't even hesitate and selected the highest star rating available.

  Earnings: 1300 Luxa

  "Holy crap," he breathed, staring at the sum. It was more than two weeks of slogging it out as a Mod Jockey.

  The idea of leaving his job manifested. Tempting, sure, but also unsettling. Could he really ditch HyperCon and risk everything for a life in the InfiNet? The idea sounded too grandiose. He was still new, after all.

  Yet, part of Riley itched to dive back in. Something about the chaos and the tantalizing question of how high he could climb stirred a deep curiosity. For now, Riley decided curiosity wasn't wise. Instead, he would take a measured approach. Build his skills, minimize the risk, and maybe one day…

  A second notification caught his eye.

  New Skill Unlocked

  Congratulations on discovering AC3 the Unpredictable. Giving him a grand joyride through the action has caused him to befriend you. You can now call on him in the future.

  Note: the level of his cooperation is determined by the status of your relationship.

  Relationship: Friendly

  Unpredictable AC3: Channel the fast reflexes and expert piloting skills of the Unpredictable. Perfect for daring escapes and high-speed chases.

  Riley heard a familiar voice from the speakers.

  "If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much space."

  —AC3, The Unpredictable

  Riley squinted at the screen. "How did I...?" He trailed off, piecing together the connection. Whatever the Unpredictable, or AC3, had done in the mission, it must have transferred to him somehow.

  A clang of the mailbox flap broke his train of thought. Riley frowned, glancing toward the door. He wasn't expecting anything. He'd only just moved in.

  Crossing the room, he opened the mailbox to find a small parcel. No sender information, no markings. Just plain brown paper. His frown deepened as he carried it to the desk, sat down heavily, and considered it for a moment.

  The wrapping crinkled under his fingers as he tore it open. Inside was something that made him freeze.

  The Watcher's Cover.

  Not an imitation, not a cheap knockoff—it was the blindfold he'd chosen in the InfiNet. The worn fabric, the familiar stains. It was unmistakable. Riley's hands trembled as he turned it over, his mind racing.

  "How?" he whispered. His chest tightened as the implications began to hit. Could items from the InfiNet manifest here? Was this some bizarre glitch, or… something else entirely?

  He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to rationalize it. A replica, maybe. A souvenir sent to players after completing a mission. But the weight of it, the feel of the fabric. It felt real, too real.

  His thoughts spiraled until the clock on his monitor caught his attention.

  "Shit!" Riley sprang into action, shoving the blindfold into his pocket. Whatever this was, it would have to wait. HyperCon didn't care about mysterious artifacts or blurring realities—they cared about employees showing up on time. And he wasn't about to piss off Tamitha.