Campus Life in the Psychic Age

This chapter, while it uses the same cast and setting as the first two, downplays the psychic stuff (but not entirely) and focuses more on the technology of the larger world- just thought you should know.

The last exam of the semester was yesterday and Colin still felt wiped. It had almost been enough to make him not care if he passed; that night he was too exhausted even to celebrate with a drink at the Steam Tunnels. Fortunately he and Gavin had planned another way to unwind that Saturday.

He heard a knock on the door. Though he was sure it was Gavin, he mentally 'looked out' to see who just in case; recognizing his friend he withdrew and said out loud, "It's open."

Gavin walked in smiling, holding in his hand a device that evolved from the flash drives of old but capable of holding far more data, "Good news. I contacted the place, they said somebody had cancelled- I didn't ask why. Also, we're allowed to bring our own programs but, like back at home, it's gonna cost a little extra. But not enough to be that big a problem."

Colin nodded, "Well then I don't see any reason to stick around here, let's go."

As the two left the building they came across what might have been a good reason to linger- or have left earlier depending on one's perspective- as Alecia strode toward their dorm building. "Colin," she called out, "Just the guy I was hoping-" She stopped seeing him and Gavin, "You two going somewhere?"

Colin indicated his friend with a hand gesture, "Gavin and I booked some time at an Immersive."

"Immersive- oh right," Alecia nodded, "I've heard of them, they're supposed to work like the holodecks on those old TV shows," Her face took on an accusatory grin, "I bet you get up to some freaky shit in one of those, right?"

Colin blushed at the implications of her question while Gavin chuckled, "We can't, at least as of a year and a half ago."

Alecia looked confused, "What happened a year and a half ago?"

Colin answered this time, "There was a real shitstorm raised when word got out a guy was using them to live out rape fantasies of a woman he knew in real life. She actually took both the guy and the company to court over it.

"So now to cover their asses legally, they don't allow customers to run simulations of a sexual nature."

"Really?" Alecia sounded surprised, "That sucks."

"Every once in while we hear rumours of somebody setting up underground versions where the pervs can indulge themselves," Gavin added, "But so far they've stayed rumours, 'least as far as we know."

Looking from Alecia to Colin and back again Gavin suggested, "You know, if you're not doing anything and really that curious..."

Colin give Gavin a look that could've stopped a bullet in mid-air, "I'm sure Alecia already has plans," he growled.

"Oh that's not a problem," Alecia dialled her cell phone. Putting it to her ear, "Hey Jada? Something's come up, I won't be there to meet you and Sarah," after a pause she continued, "I'll tell him you said hi," then hung up.

Colin raised a brow, "Jada said hi?"

"Actually she said 'I hope you're staying the Hell away from that Colin freak', but why nitpick?"

'I'm the freak?' Colin couldn't help but feel indignant, 'Just how well does she think she knows you?'

That question lingered in Colin's mind as the three made their way, until he broke down and asked out loud, "Those friends of yours, do they- do they know what you can do?"

"What do you- oh that," Alecia realized Colin referred to the incident where she caused him to cream his pants in a crowded classroom without needing to be close enough to physically touch him, "They had to have suspected something when I proved I could drink a beer with no hands, but they've never asked any questions."

Looking back to Gavin she added, "I'm kind of surprised you brought that up in front of your friend- does he know about-"

"Oh please," Gavin interrupted, "I figured out what Colin was back in the third grade." Colin nodded in confirmation.

"You know," Gavin started, "it's actually a funny story-"

"NO it isn't," Colin cut him off.

"Oh come on- if what happened had happened to someone else, you'd have been laughing just as hard as-"

"No I wouldn't have, let's just drop it, shall we?"

By this point they had reached their destination. In front of them rose a square building three stories high. Above the front doors a sign read in gargantuan block letters HENSON'S IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE.

They made their way inside and approached the front desk. Gavin spoke to the clerk, "Riley, room 1E."

The clerk confirmed the reservation; upon looking up and seeing the three of them he seemed confused, "Says here the reservation was for two people."

"Oh right, Alecia joined us at the last minute," Gavin paid the clerk, including the additional cost of a third participant.

Looking them over the clerk said, "You know our policy-"

"No sex programs, we know." Colin answered with more than a little irritation.

"Hey, I gotta ask. Boss's orders."

The three found the suite marked 1E. Gavin plugged the 'flash' drive into an outlet next to the room doors, then touched a small console above the outlet.

"Let's see, where shall we go today?" Gavin turned to Colin and Alecia, "The bridge of the starship Challenger? The dusty streets of Desert Gorge?"

Colin exhaled loudly, "Gavin, I thought we came here to blow off some steam."

"Thought you'd say that. Hall of Rothgar it is." Gavin punched in a code and the suite doors opened to reveal the inside of a Nordic Great Hall lit by torchlight.

Alecia paused, "Shouldn't we be in costumes or something?"

"Won't need them," Colin said, "Step inside, you'll see."

As soon as the three entered the suite ancient Norse armour and weapons imposed themselves over their clothes and 'masks' over their faces, Colin and Gavin suddenly sprouting beards. Behind them the doors slid shut, then were hidden by a projection of a hardwood wall, like the other surfaces of the suite.

While Alecia took a moment to adjust to the sudden changes Colin reached behind him and drew the illusory two-handed sword that had been projected onto his back, swung it through the air and marvelled at how it felt. Even in an age where many could plumb the hidden thoughts of others, the masterminds behind Immersive technology had somehow managed to jealously guard the secret of making projections like this seem real- or at least tangible, as an actual sword would likely have weighed more than Colin himself.

Alecia and Gavin gripped the axes hanging on their belts, Alecia asking, "OK now what?"

Colin turned to answer her, a little surprised at how different she looked here, "This sim is loosely based on the book Eaters of the Dead. Basically the local lord's people are repeatedly under attack by creatures called the wendol, and we're here to do something about it."

"Ah, gotcha." Alecia looked at the helmets Colin and Gavin wore, "No horns?"

"They didn't have horns on their helmets," Colin felt like he had to point this out to others a hundred times before.

"Strictly speaking they didn't train women to be Vikings either," Gavin mentioned.

Colin pointed to Alecia, "Yeah, but do you think she came here to sit on the sidelines?"

Gavin looked her way, "I don't think you go anywhere to sit on the sidelines."

"Damn straight," Alecia looked around, fidgeting with impatience, "OK, when are these wendul or whatever going to show up?"

Colin trained his eye on the barred entranceway, seeing tendrils of black fog seep between the planks in the doors, "Right about... NOW!"

As if on cue the barred doors were blasted from the frame as if hit by a bazooka. From the dark mist rushing in emerged freakish ape-men, clutching vicious blades of their own in their gnarled hands and howling like banshees.

Alecia dropped her jaw as Colin and Gavin bolted towards this horde; but quickly got over her surprise and charged in after them, axe held high.

Just under an hour later the suite doors opened; as the three left their weapons, blood-splattered armour and holographic masks vanished. Feeling as though a giant millstone no longer hung from his neck, Colin relaxed his shoulders and let the air out of his lungs, "Damn, I needed that."

Alecia chuckled "Yeah nothing like slicing and dicing Yeti to relieve stress, huh?"

Colin looked at her, "Hey, I saw the look on your face more than once, you hacked at those things as enthusiastically as either of us did."

She shrugged, "I just think places like this could be put to a lot better use than for a high-tech version of cowboys and Indians."

"Yeah well like I said earlier, blame the fear of litigation."

Over the following week Colin didn't hear much of Alecia; she showed up for classes like everyone else, but didn't seek his company afterwards. When Colin and Gavin went to chill at the Steam Tunnels he saw Alecia's friends Sarah and Jada drinking and hanging out, but minus her.

She also kept her psychokinetic fingers to herself; and while Colin was relieved at not having to hide semen stains on his drawers a part of him also worried she might have found someone else to mess with- another person might have considered that good thing but for some damn fool reason Colin didn't.

Finally on Friday night Colin saw Alecia as he left the dorm building and noticed a satchel hanging from her shoulder.

"Heading for the Steam Tunnels?" she asked.

'Yeah, I was," Colin couldn't help but wonder where she'd been herself.

"Where's your friend?"

"Gavin? He has to do some research for an assignment. Though to be honest, I never really cared much for drinking alone."

"Well we wouldn't be drinking, but if you follow me you wouldn't be alone."

Colin cocked a brow, "What are you talking about?"

"It's a surprise."

"Yeah, I was afraid you'd say that," Colin shook his head.

Alecia started to mope, "You don't trust me."

"Hey, I've been in your head remember?" Hell, ever since Colin saw her gladiatrix fantasy he couldn't even say the word circus with the same innocence it once had. Then it occurred to him- he could just read her mind right now!

Or so he thought- when Alecia was daydreaming he could see what went on inside with no difficulty but as he tried at this moment he encountered resistance, like her thoughts were somehow shielded.

"Nice try," Alecia waved a naughty finger, "I might not be able to jump into someone's head like you are, but I can put up barriers if I think someone's gonna come creeping. You wanna know what I got planned, you'll have to follow me."

She turned and walked off bumping her hips in a suggestive fashion. Though Colin tried to steel himself, it only took a few seconds for him to break down and rush after her.

Alecia was waiting for Colin in front of the open door of an aerotaxi. When he stepped inside after her, she gave the driver an address. Said driver shot her a quizzical look, but prodded his cab to hover without asking any questions.

Alecia paid the driver as they touched down in what appeared to be the industrial section of the city. The area was well lit, devoid of any loiterers and though Colin didn't sense any hostile presences he was more than confused. But Aleica kept quiet as she approached a structure that bore the rusted façade of an old warehouse- and oddly enough looked the same size as the Immersive Colin, Gavin and Alecia had patronized a few days earlier. It finally hit him.

"I don't believe it," Colin blurted; taking the smile on Alecia's face as a confirmation of what he suspected, "An Immersive- an actual underground Immersive! How the Hell did you ever find out about this place?"

"With great difficulty," Alecia laughed, "Didn't you wonder where I'd been after classes? I remembered what Gavin said and went looking for one of these."

A voice in the back of Colin's head told him he should be even more worried, but having come this far and being in an unfamiliar part of town, he picked up after her. Besides, he had to admit he was curious about what Alecia had planned.

They reached what at first looked like a locked door yet swung inwards on their approach. For a place whose existence in itself was a crime the interior was surprisingly sanitary, one could easily have mistaken it for a legitimate setup.

The guy at the front desk looked up and recognized Alecia, "Hey lady, the room's lit up and ready for you, "He looked at Colin, "This the guy?"

Alecia nodded, Colin met his gaze, "Should I be running for the hills right now?"

The clerk shrugged and pressed a button. At a corridor to the left, the doors to a suite slid open, revealing the simulation being run inside.

Colin looked inside, what he saw seemed rather innocent compared to what he imagined. Past the suite entrance men in expensive tuxedoes waltzed with beautiful ladies wearing elegant dresses on the floor of a glamorous ballroom.

Alecia turned to Colin, "Go on in ahead of me, I have to do something first."

Colin looked at her suspiciously, but she insisted, "Trust me, you'll like it."

She turned and walked off. Colin hesitated, then gave in to curiosity and headed toward the party.

The doors closed behind him. Colin looked around, casually plucking a champagne glass off a platter held by a passing valet. Unfortunately when he tried to 'drink' the champagne he tasted nothing- even Immersive technology had its limits. He turned toward a reflective surface on the wall to admire the tuxedo superimposed over his street clothes, then felt something in the coat's inside pocket. He reached in and withdrew a small semiautomatic pistol.

'A Walther PPK?' Colin inspected the gun up close, 'Seriously?' He hid it back in his pocket with a bemused expression.

'This program must be based on those old spy movies,' he pondered. It made sense seeing as even if there still was a United Kingdom anymore, they likely would have phased out such slugthrowers in favour of particle or energy-based arms like most other nations had. He looked back at the mirrored wall.

"Forbes," He said under his breath, "Colin Forbes," temporarily embarrassed at his own geekdom. He turned to the opening suite doors, as he saw her in the entrance his jaw dropped, "Damn."

Alecia stood behind the suite entrance, having traded in her original garments for a tight red dress with a slit exposing her right leg. She'd always been attractive to Colin's eyes but now she could have passed for Angelina Jolie- the rising star Angelina Jolie, not the batshit psycho she revealed herself to be in her final years. When she walked inside, no costume appeared over her person.

When she held out her arms as if to ask for a dance Colin all but threw himself at her, dropping his champagne glass, which vanished after shattering on the floor.

As the two waltzed around the ballroom floor, Colin's feat of not tripping up both of them made him feel vindicated for ignoring the jeers of other kids when he chose to take up dancing lessons as a boy.

Alecia looked into Colin's eyes, whispering "You like?"

"You have to ask?" Colin whispered back, "I'm guessing this dress was what you brought in that satchel, but why go through the trouble when you could have a costume projected over you?"

Alecia smirked, "Let's just say I planned on this going somewhere neither of us needs a costume. Or anything under it."

"Oh." Colin made a nervous gulp.

I was going to write what happens next, but I think I'll be a bastard and leave you guys hanging 'til the next chapter.