“Cale,” I heard myself scream, but my perspective had moved a little to the left. The only other time I’d had quite the same out-of-body experience was after getting cold cocked by some douchebag at the bar. Every extremity had gone cold as I looked at the splayed out body of the man I gave a shit about…

The man I loved.

If I got the disconnect message, there hadn’t been enough time.

Hatred, anger, vengeance… All the things a little green man with a sword of glowing light said would lead to the dark side, rushed through me. Warming my tingling limbs and bringing me back into focus. Loss was something new and foreign. But being pissed off sure felt like that comfy pair of sweatpants. They looked like hell, but goddamn did they feel great.

The dogs swarmed the agents as they regained their flickering movements. Their teeth tore out throats of static, claws ripped down open arteries that dripped red on the crystalline steps. While the agents could fight, the sheer number of the vicious predators was overwhelming.

Nate’s dead whispers echoed across the battlefield and the two-headed snake flew towards Leland, only to be sliced clean down the center with a flick of the wrist. The snakes writhed on the ground before vanishing in a puff of black smoke.

While Salvo moved under the cover of shadows to get in position, Maddie called on more ice than I’d ever seen, overpowering the spell, sapping what little moisture there was in the air. She screamed with a wild ferocity; her frosting pink bouffant loosened from its bindings, spilling down her back and blowing in the gusts of magic building around her.

Leland moved to cast. His fingers lit with the same spell that took Cale, but Salvo appeared behind him, his daggers piercing deep in vital organs, scraping against bone. A satisfied smile flickered on both of their faces. But from behind, my friend couldn’t see the trap he’d placed himself inside of.

“Salvo, move, he’s still casting,” I shouted, my paws racing up the translucent stairs, still throbbing with green, despite the lack of psychic attacks. It was ominous and sent a message. Death lies within.

Three flares went off in rapid fire and the built-up energy from Maddie’s spell burst, sending ice and sleet raining down on her crumpled gnomish body. New messages filled my vision.

V4mpyrL0rd has disconnected from the server

ERROR: USER V4mpyrL0rd - DOES NOT EXIST

Blisterpus has disconnected from the server

ERROR: USER Blisterpus - DOES NOT EXIST

Ice9Valentine has disconnected from the server

ERROR: USER Ice9Valentine - DOES NOT EXIST

Blind with rage and hurt I didn’t know was possible, my claws found every vital spot imaginable. My teeth sunk deep into cartilage and flesh alike, splintering bone and whatever else I could latch onto. Blood dripped from his wounds, drenching my fur and dripping in my eyes, but I never relented. Couldn’t if I tried.

Even when he caught me in the ribs with his fists, my jaws only clamped harder. The smug look replaced with desperation, he kicked into my back left leg, shooting pain like a red-hot iron through it as the bone snapped.

But I still had the right leg to brace myself and raked my claws across his face. A geyser of blood erupted from the gashes and he howled. The beast, I preferred to think it was and not myself, purred in delight at the sounds of his pain. And struck at his head again, taking delight in the crimson shower erupting from the head wounds.

Golden holy light poured along my body and the broken leg snapped back into place with a grinding crunch until it settled into place with a pop. I grinned, showing off my full set of flesh-speckled teeth. “Ready for more?”

Leland growled, but his eyes clouded, and his face, already a few shades too light from blood loss, grew pallid. The bit of skin that wasn’t drenched in his own blood, that is. And there wasn’t much. Maybe half an ear and a few trails down his cheeks, washed away by tears of pain.

In a last-ditch effort of will, his palm cracked against the side of his head, restoring some of the awareness to his gaze. He didn’t have a health bar that I could see, but he had to be close to dead. Or unconsciousness, whichever came first.

The veil of seething red abated long enough to regain a measure of reasoning. I needed to get myself under control if there was hope of making it out alive. All those blind attacks, while damaging, hadn’t been smart. There were spots I should have focused on. Like his hands, for instance. Stop him from casting that damn spell over and over. He was a one-trick pony, but that one fucking trick sure got the job done. Unfortunately for him, he wasn’t the only one who lowered themselves to abusing one or two abilities if it did the trick.

My jaws wrapped around his lower arm, snapping the bone as the spell went off, this time in Luke’s direction. I pulled, relieving Leland of his casting hand. Yes, I might have already bitten off a few limbs, but it was becoming my thing. And hot damn did it work.

Any notion of celebration died with the message that meant I stood alone.

Ang3lB4by has disconnected from the server

ERROR: USER Ang3lB4by - DOES NOT EXIST

Leland’s knees gave way from the blood loss, and one by one the static agents flickered from sight. My dogs, only five remaining, turned on him, brushing against my side as they passed. I shifted to my elven form and watched with dead eyes as they tore him to shreds.

Not long after, my own legs gave out. Overcome with the disbelief that it was over and the losses we’d endured to get there.

The bastard was dead. In the game, anyway. With the virus destroyed in Arcadia, they could start dealing with the symptoms. The enormous jigsaw puzzle of information. Which data chunk belonged to whom, and how to put their minds back together again.

A tired smile fell across my face. At least I did my part. My eyes surveyed the underworld, the barren landscape of jutting cliffs and mystical fog to say goodbye. All around the virtual world, there were people adventuring, laughing, singing and doing whatever else they wanted because that’s what the game should have been about for my group all along. And now they were safe to do so.

With whatever force Leland had been using to block it gone, the button to log out returned, and I held my breath, readying myself to tend to Cale the same as I’d taken care of Viv. But could I? The sight of Viv, motionless with the joy sapped out of her, had nearly snapped something inside my brain. Could I handle seeing Cale like that?

“Fuck it. Big girl pants, Liz,” I told myself, and before I could hesitate any further, left Arcadia.

Someone ran into the room as my pod was opening. I was pulled into arms that felt suspiciously like Cale’s but the numb shock of it all wouldn’t allow any information into my head. I only wrapped arms that lacked any feeling around the solid figure.

My face was leaking, hot and wet against a cotton t-shirt that I knew would read LVU. One I’d purchased when the wearer graduated as something to remember me by. Unable to come to terms with how I felt back then, I’d swallowed the emotions into the bottomless pit with all the rest and continued forward without ever telling him.

I’d nearly lost him again, and maybe for good this time.

“You fucking asshole. I thought that… Fuck, Cale, I love you,” I said, pushing my face into the crook of his neck where his smell was strongest. “Don’t you fucking do that to me again. You got it?”

“Love you too,” he said and kissed the top of my head. “But I won’t need to. It’s done.”

I pushed myself away from him, wiping snot and tears from my face. Every line in his face, every out-of-place hair, the amused crooked grin, all etched into memory and in front of me. Somehow. It seemed a little too good to be true. “I’m not complaining or anything, but how are you here? I figured with the messages; Larry didn’t have time to…”

“He pushed the patch through. You kept Leland talking long enough to push it through,” he said, and swiped a wayward drop from my cheek. “He just didn’t have enough time to change the rest.”

“Fuck,” I said, rubbing at the overgrown stubble on the side of my head, choking back a bitter laugh. “Would have been nice for some warning. A little message to say, ‘Hey, guys, it’s done. Charge forward and kick some ass,’ anything.”

“Larry tried but couldn’t get anything through to us. I tried logging back in to tell you, but the patch deleted my avatar instead of my brain. Fair trade, I guess. He promised I’ll get it back, eventually.”

“You actually want to go back in there? After everything that happened?” I asked with a hard edge not at all directed at him. But I couldn’t quite believe what he was telling me. Who was the lunatic in our relationship again?

“Why not?” he asked and shrugged. “The defective code was removed and law enforcement everywhere are looking for Leland. It won’t be long before he’s found, he has one of those faces.” His eyes softened, and he rested a warm palm against my cheek. “It’s just a game again, Liz, and one that means a lot to me since it brought us together.”

I wanted to say no. To scoff at the very idea of setting another foot inside Arcadia ever again. But he eventually won me over, only as long as he was patient about it. Like hell was I going back in anytime soon. I’d have to wade in the baby pool for a bit before then. Maybe stick to games that didn’t require the user to hook their brain up to its servers.

At the lull in our conversation, he cleared his throat. “C’mon, get dressed and let’s meet everyone in the lounge. Richard has some announcement he wants to make before we go our separate ways.”

Oh shit, Richard, I thought as guilt wracked my already spinning head. “Were they able to see everything that happened in there?” I asked, remembering all the times I attacked Leland and how much pleasure I’d taken from it. No matter what his son did, that was still his kid.

“Everything,” Cale said. “They had it playing on the wall in the common area. Looked like a movie, more than anything. Kinda surreal, really. Watching your avatar and knowing it was you in there.”

A long, drawn-out groan left my throat. It was over-dramatic and full of angst; something that would have sounded more natural coming from Salvo than me.

Cale took my hand and held it to his lips, attempting to conceal the slightest trace of a wince. “Not gonna sugar coat it, it was pretty gruesome and there might have been a few concerned looks for my safety and overall mental health for being with you. With that said, it was the general understanding that you were only harming his avatar. He was the one hurting innocent people. This morning’s attack on Lighthall, when he hurt Vern, that was the final straw for Richard.”

“All right,” I said, again channeling a little too much of my old friend’s outer torment. “I’ll meet everyone in a few. I need a shower and some time to clear my head.”

“Build up the nerve, you mean?” he asked before landing a kiss on my forehead. “Take your time.”

The giant screen in the lounge returned to the constant news updates when the playback of the fight ended. Mental images of my cat form, fur matted and damp with blood, raking claws deep into Leland’s flesh burned into memory. The crazed look in my feline eyes, hysteric with rage and the torment of loss.

Let’s just say, it’s not every day you get a reminder like that to keep your anger in check. If I ever felt like blowing my lid again, at least I’d have something to look back on.

Despite the large gathering of my travel companions and Eternia employees, the room was silent, and I pressed my lips into a tight line, sucking in the thick air through my nose. Finally, in a voice so small it was barely my own, I said, “So, I might have lost my shit a little in there.”

“Nah, Riot, you were just channeling your inner Wolverine,” Luke said. “And everyone knows he was the baddest X-Man on the team. Hell, as a kid, I wore his Underoos.”

I forced a grin that turned genuine, picturing a full-grown Luke acting out his favorite comic panels in adult underpants. The smile turned to giggles that broke whatever apprehension lingered in the air. Soon, we were all releasing the built-up stress of the past events with laughter.

All of us but Richard, who raised a hand, and the room fell silent again as we waited for what he had to say. “Eternia is Safe,” he said, his emerald eyes flashing with relief. “We’ve removed any defective code Leland inserted into the game and created a new department, with Larry at the helm to prevent this sort of thing from happening in the future.”

The pudgy man raised a powdered jelly donut in cheers before stuffing half of it in his face. Fine granules of sugar fell like snow down the front of his navy blue Eternia Entertainment polo.

Richard pointed at his own shirt for a moment and sighed before continuing. “He has a lot of work left ahead of him, but we’re moving in the right direction. He and I will be working with law enforcement and some of the best educational institutes on the planet to start putting the pieces back together so we can move forward.”

There were a few whistles and cheers from the group. Those members of staff looking to get a higher raise during their next evaluation, no doubt.

“A little much, but thank you, anyway. Before our guests leave, I want to extend my gratitude in every way possible. Those of you old enough are welcome to join the team. I’ve found, or created, spots within the company that would suit each.”

Suddenly dizzy, I glanced over at Cale. He put his arm around my shoulders to steady himself just as much as me it seemed. Dumbfounded, I watched the room buzz through narrowed lenses, letting the knowledge really get a firm grip. No Vegas Land. No casinos.

Maddie gasped; her eyes welled with tears. I couldn’t help but notice Larry attempting to put a greasy arm around her for comfort that she casually leaned out of, as if she were simply checking on her son.

Richard smiled and nodded at her. “We have a lot of lore built around the game and it would be helpful to have someone who can organize it, read through it, fill the holes that some of our more vocal fans have pointed out. I’ve read your writing and I’m impressed. Talk to HR if you’re interested. They’ll start the paperwork for you and get Nate enrolled in our work-study program.”

He stopped her before she could protest. “It’s free of cost for employees. He’ll get his high school equivalency along with the experience he needs to join us when he’s old enough.”

Overcome, she could only nod emphatically and hug Richard before taking Nate’s hand and departing. Her other kept wiping at the steady streams flowing down her face.

Luke stood, grinning at Richard as he strode over to him. They shook hands, nodded a few times in silent agreement. They’d already been working on an arrangement and seemed to seal it there.

Before Luke left to pack his room, he hugged me so hard the air rushed out of my lungs. Excitement highlighted every word whispered in my ear as he said, “We’re gonna party so fucking hard later on. I’ll get the bud. You and Cale bring the booze. Have Salvo order some food.”

“You got it,” I said and watched him leave.

Once sure Richard had everyone’s attention again, he continued. “One way I want to bring more members to Arcadia, both returning and new, is by holding events where people from all around the world can join in. And the best man for the job is Salvo. Think you’re up to it?”

Already squirming the second Richard started talking about the plan, Salvo jumped with enthusiasm. The breath caught in my throat, watching my friend shake off the fears he’d been building inside himself. The ones he’d only mentioned in passing, but I knew still festered; having grown talons that lodged themselves deep inside his psyche.

He planted two kisses on either side of Richard’s face and readied himself for a grand speech that would drag things on to eternity, making things uncomfortable for everyone present.

So, I did what any good friend would do, and cut him off. “Fuck off and order food for tonight. Kegger at Luke’s place. Wherever that is.”

Salvo frowned, but a glimmer of something hit his eye. “I’ll need to help plan for it, won’t I? Since that’s my job now and all.” With that, he departed, already pulling out his phone to make some calls. One thing about him was for sure, he didn’t need to know people to make business connections. He just had to be him and they’d build themselves. That was Salvo.

Richard just created a monster, I thought as a wave of something good on the horizon took hold.

“I’m takin’ Cale for my team,” Larry said, matter of fact, finally brushing the powdered sugar from his chest now that the donut was gone. “Guy knows his shit and is a wiz with numbers. Any objections?”

“Just like that?” Cale asked.

Larry said, “Yup. Go do your paperwork so I can give you the rundown. Pigs don’t want no one without clearance seeing the shit you need to see. And we can’t give you clearance till you’re official.” He rolled his eyes as Cale moved to kiss me. “Hurry the hell up. I got red tape comin’ outta my ass and I’m countin’ on you to help me with it. You can make kissy faces with your girlfriend later.”

“See ya in a bit,” Cale said, giving my hand a quick squeeze before heading towards HR behind the rest.

“All right,” Richard said and clapped his hands. “Everyone back to work. Lord knows there’s plenty to do. Liz, I need you to follow me.”

My heart sank as I figured he hadn’t intended on giving everyone a spot after all. Why would he offer me anything after I tore his son to ribbons? I’d made a pretty big assumption there, gotten my hopes up, and for what? A comforting anger rose inside me, but along with it, the image of me as a cat. Crazed and feral.

A large bucket of proverbial ice water dumped itself all over the kindling flames of agitation. Fuck me, I can’t even get pissed anymore without feeling… things.

“I’ll pack up and be out of your hair before you realize I’m gone,” I said, avoiding direct eye contact with Richard. At least Cale had something we could get by on.

Richard frowned and crossed his arms before asking, “Why would I want that?”

“I mean…” I said and pointed to the over-sized screen, where moments ago we’d watched the horror come to an end.

“Right,” he said and sighed. “That wasn’t pretty, but you were doing what needed to be done. That was a lot of blood…”

“A lot,” I agreed.

“We might take those effects down a few notches after that. Do me one last favor though, huh? Then you can do whatever you had planned. I promise.”

I narrowed my eyes at the mischief hidden behind his own emerald gaze. “All right,” I said, biting the inside of my cheek.

We walked through hallways, lit with soft pastels and sunlight. Past offices of well-dressed people working their way through a crisis that could make or break the company. If Richard was the easygoing, laid-back boss, they were the busy bees keeping the hive from collapsing under its own weight.

He stopped at a thick door made of solid steel, rivets and oak and pointed across the hall. The placard on the opposite office read, Richard Bouchard, CEO. “I need help and I’m going to need more in about six months. Are you willing?”

As he opened the unmarked office, revealing a floor to ceiling bookcase, leather chairs, oak and zebrawood desk and more than my eyes could take in, it dawned on me what he was asking. “While I appreciate the offer, I’m really not the best person for this. I avoid correspondence like the plague and, not sure if you’ve noticed, but I have a tendency to be somewhat abrasive.”

He snorted. “I’ve noticed. You also care about the people around you. And they see it too. Your group was willing to risk their own wellbeing for you.”

“What about Leland? You never asked him?” I asked, seeing a top-of-the-line pod in the room’s corner, and flinched. If I took this job, there’d be no way I could stay out.

“I love my son. Always will, no matter what happened. But…” Richard ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “You saw how he was.”

“I don’t know what to say,” I said, already imagining myself behind the desk despite my reservations.

Someone would bring me a manilla envelope with something important for me to sign, and by god I’d sign it with extra class and a touch of indulgent laissez-faire. I’d cross my stockinged legs and stare expectantly up and over reading glasses for the assistant to leave. My long, blood red manicured fingernails would tap the desktop with an added level of impatience. He’d gulp and quickly make his escape; leaving me to—

“Liz?” Richard asked, nudging me back to reality. “How about a trial period at least? If you don’t like it, you can find somewhere else in the company to go.”

With the same look you’d get from a puppy at an animal shelter on his face, what other answer could I give if you were in my place? I took the fucking job, had a raging party, and, having paid off Vegas Land for every penny my family owed, settled down in an actual adult life with Cale.

Well… Settled down into something that kinda resembled adult life at least.