Chapter 18: Welcome to the ZMI

Author’s note: Since we are finally entering ZMI certain explanations are required, so if this chapter feels “info dump”-y, I apologize. I tried my best to make it as entertaining as my other chapters. Thank you those who continue reading even though my work isn't that "great".

The doorway that bars our entrance slides upward and out of sight leaving an opening large enough that even the fattest or tallest person in the world can enter easily. Inside appears to be an unlit room whose only source of light seemed to be from the outside. An unnatural silence emulated from the darken room.

Jessica: “Do we have to go in this way?” Jessica asks Alex. From the way she was clenching her fist, I could tell she was having second thoughts about entering. But the one to answer her wasn’t Alex but Gregory.

Gregory: “Just at the entrance and already afraid? Kids these days, they really don’t got any back bone.” He sighed.

Jessica: “I’m not a kid!” Jessica retorts.

Gregory: “True, but you still don’t got any backbone. Most people take at least 20-30 minutes before they can muster up the courage to even enter, and that is on average. Of course there are a few exceptions, who are able to just walk right in when the door opens.”

Jessica: “Who were the exceptions?” Jessica asks, curiosity slightly overcoming her fear.

Gregory: “Let’s see… The first would be the President, because he was the one who made it and knows exactly what lies inside.”

Jessica: “He doesn’t count!” Jessica says in exasperation. More of the fear she felt was pushed to the side from her annoyance at Gregory’s unhelpful answers.

Gregory: “True enough lass, let’s see… there was also an old man by the name of Jonathan who entered rather swiftly. He took one look at the room before you, found it amusing and strides right in while laughing.”

Jessica: “Father is excessive as always…” Jessica sighs.

Gregory: “So he was your father? There must be some backbone in your linage then. The final person who entered without much pause is your very own loving boyfriend Robert. He took one look, shrugged and walked right in.”

Jessica: “Is that true?” Jessica turns to face me as she asks me. Her astonishment was apparent. The fear she felt earlier was completely gone.

Robert: "It’s just a dark empty room. The fear and anxiety it provokes is just a determent for any would be thieves.” I shrug, it wasn’t that difficult to figure out. “It plays with people’s fears of the unknown and only by overcoming that fear will you be able to experience the bounty that lies on the other side, in this case ZMI.”

Jessica: “I think I understand. It is a test of a person’s willpower? Only those truly interested in what lies on the other side will must up the courage to brave the unknown and enter?” Jessica looks expectantly at Gregory. I put a finger to my lips and caught Gregory’s eye.

Gregory: “More or less.” Gregory says nodding.

Jessica: “I see, then I am ready to enter!” She announces loudly and walks right up to the entrance and abruptly stops. She turns around and looks at me. “You’re not going to let your girlfriend go alone now are you?”

Robert: “I guess it is dangerous to go alone. Here take this.” I take my coffee back from Zash and extend my free hand. Zash runs down my arm and stands on the palm of my hand, presenting himself to her as if he was the “item” she was supposed to take.

Jessica: “If the father is unwilling, I suppose the son will have to do. Come Zash lets go.” Jessica sighed at my “failed” attempt at humor.

Zash: “Hai~” Zash jumps off my hand and runs to Jessica’s side, and together they enter the “dark room”.

Jessica: “Robert? What are you waiting for? Get in here already.”

Robert: “Well Alex, Gregory, it’s been fun but I must go, my people need me.”

Gregory/Alex: “Good bye sir, may you enjoy your shopping experience.”

Robert: “Thank you, and I apologize for my bad puns. I know they aren’t very punny.” I wave them goodbye, take a sip of my coffee and stride into the “dark room” like I own the place.

Once I had rejoined Jessica and Zash, the door behind us that rose to grant us access silently snaps shut in an instant and plunges the room into complete darkness. A red camera light that is mounted on top of the next set of doors turns on.

Unknown Voice: “Welcome to ZMI. My name is HAL9001, and I am pleased to announce that I will be your guide.” The voice says in a conversational tone, which he maintains.

Jessica started screaming due to fright. But as Zash and I were expecting this already, so we covered our ears in advance.

HAL9001: “Please do not be alarmed. If I wanted to kill you, you would already be dead. After all, this sound proof room is just like space. In here, nobody can hear you scream.”

Jessica’s screams only grows louder and after about 5 seconds of letting it continue, I embrace Jessica and cover her mouth with my own effectively silencing her. I continue my assault of the inside of her mouth until I felt her calm down in my arms, which took approximately 30 seconds.

Robert: “Are you okay now?” I ask as I pull away from her.

Jessica: “Yes I think so.” Jessica was panting for air. Probably from screaming so much and then from being kissed for a long period of time without being allowed to breathe.

HAL9001: “I am sorry if I frightened you Jessica.”

Jessica: “H-how do you know my name?” Jessica voice was trembling with uncontrollable fear.

HAL9001: “Isn’t your name written on your ZMI ID card?” It is how I can tell friend from foe.”

Jessica: “Wait, what?”

Robert: “HAL9001 was created by the President to be the security system but unfortunately the President enjoys practical jokes, right HAL?”

HALL: “I’m sorry Robert, but I’m afraid I can neither confirm nor deny that statement.”

Robert: “See? Anyhow, the ID’s we carry allow HAL to recognize that we are allowed in here. Anyone who is not is scared far worse than you were.” I say indifferently.

Jessica: “Robert! Why didn’t you warn me in advance if you know this was going to happen?!” Jessica says angrily while beating her fists against my chest.

Robert: “I did say that I would make this date memorable didn’t I? So far I think it has been pretty memorable, right?” A faint smile was plastered on my face, and even thought it was pitch black inside this “dark room” enough time had elapsed for Jessica’s eyes to adjust and she could probably see my smile.

Jessica: *sighs* “I have to admit it has been pretty memorable so far.” She said her voice held a tone of defeat.

HAL9001: “Excuse me, Jessica. Is your father by chance a man who goes by the name of Jonathan?”

Jessica: “He is. How did you know?” Jessica asks him. Her curiosity once more piqued.

HAL9001: “I couldn’t help but noticed parallels in your two biometrics, so I concluded that you might be kin.”

Jessica: “I see. You must be a highly advanced computer then right?”

HAL9001: “I’m sorry Jessica, but I’m afraid I cannot confirm nor deny that statement.”

Robert: “HAL? What is this month’s clue?”

Jessica: “What do you mean?” Confusion was apparent in her voice.

HAL9001: “I can answer that. Each month the President changes the password that needs to be thought, said, signed or whatever to be let into ZMI. Why he set this absurd rule, or why he changes it every month is unknown to me, but this month’s clue is ‘Filming a movie’.”

Robert: “By the way Jess, last month’s clue was 'opening a closed door', and the password was 'Open-says-a-me'.”

Jessica: “Oh I think I got it.” Jessica says after a minute of thought.

Robert: “Go ahead and try. If it doesn’t work, I’ll try next.”

Jessica: “Lights!” The “dark room” was bathed in light causing everyone present to squint.

“Camera!” HAL’s red camera light eye turns off.

“Action!” The door in front of us starts to creak open.

The unnatural silence that pervaded the “dark room” was drowned out by the muted roar of noise that passed through the cracks between the now opening doors.

I could tell from Jessica’s face that she was very excited. The fear and anxiety she had experienced just moments ago, was completely blown away like a leaf in the wind.

As the gap between the doors grew wider, the roar of sound steadily grew louder, and joining it was a cascade of various scents that assaulted our sense of smell.

Jessica looks through the cracks that were forming as the door slowly opened, trying to catch a glimpse of what lies on the other side, but due to the lighting difference she was unable to see anything.

Even after experiencing what comes next countless times, a smile unconsciously forms on my lips just from remembering it. I can only imagine how Jessica might feel experiencing it for the first time.

Just as our eyes were about to adjust to the brightness of the other side, the lights in the room disappear plunging us into darkness once more. The door that was opening tantalizing slow before, gets flung open allowing the room to be bathed in bright light once more.

After our eyes readjust once more, what lies before us is a scene straight from another time and place if not another world.

HAL9001: “Welcome to the ZMI. Where the Old World’s Elegance meets the New World’s Standards.”

Extending before us, farther than the eye can see, is a gigantic bazaar throbbing with a life all of its own. We step out of the “dark room” and the door closes silently behind us. Only a few seconds pass when it opens again letting a new set of people into ZMI.

I grab Jessica and gently move her out of the way as the newcomers pass us by and enter into the crowd of people disappearing from sight. Jessica was still enraptured by the scenery so she didn’t notice me move her.

Sighing I took another sip of coffee and look around the now familiar sights. Merchants of all shapes and forms were trying to get people walking by to look at their wares. Almost everything under the sun could be found if you looked hard enough. Well, anything that can be sold legally anyway.

Speaking of the sun, in the center of the Bazaar where the central glass elevator meets the ceiling is a miniature “sun” that serves as the sole light source for entire Bazaar. As you probably could guess, this fake “sun” isn’t a hot ball of gas like the real one that provides energy to our solar system, even if it does give almost the same amount of light. Yet another invention the President developed for ZMI.

‘If I recall correctly, the reporters who did a review on this place says that the Bazaar gave a “timeless” feel. Is it because the “sun” in the sky refuses to move even as time continues to flow by? Oh well.’

From the center glass elevator, cold air flows down and creates a cool refreshing breeze in all directions. It was this very breeze that brought the smells of the Bazaar to us in the “dark room”.

Now allow me to rewind the story a little, and tell you what Zash was doing as he couldn’t be on my shoulder this entire time. Don’t fret over the fact that his existence slipped from your awareness, as he often does this to everyone, and if he didn’t, well you pay better attention than most.

Zash entered the “dark room” with Jessica and I soon joined them. After Hal showed up and said his lines, and while Jessica was screaming in fear, I handed Zash my coffee so he can hold it while I went to “silence” Jessica.

While I don’t know what he was doing while I was “silencing” her, but I can safely assume he was “watching” because he enjoys doing that. One might say he is an expert voyeur but I digress. After telling Jessica last month’s password and clue, I took back my coffee from Zash and let him jump back onto my shoulder.

From there Zash remained on my shoulder and we arrive back to our current point in the story. As to why I didn’t include what Zash was doing previously was because I didn’t want to break the “immersion”. Moving on. Jessica finally comes to her senses and looks at me with a wide smile on her face.

Jessica: “This is really amazing!” She says all excited. Do you know how girls sometimes like to hug the arm of their loved ones and press their female charms against their arm whenever something exciting happens? Yeah Jessica is doing that right now, and I have to admit that it wasn’t a bad feeling. But I digress.

Robert: “Jess, if you take out your card and turn it over, I will give you an explanation of the basic functions.”

Jessica: “Okay!” Jessica releases my arm and pulls out her card and turns it over. I use this time to reach into my coat pocket and pull out a kid sized fox mask and hand it to Zash, which he puts on. I then get my wallet from my back pocket and pull out Zash’s ID card and whisper something into his ear as I hand it to him.

Robert: “If you want to go ahead you can, as this might take a while.”

Zash: “Will you be okay?” Zash asks as he takes his ID and pockets it somewhere.

Robert: “I should be fine. Go enjoy the ‘festival’.”

Zash: “Nin-Nin!” Zash says striking a ninja pose again before vanishing in a cloud of smoke.

Jessica: “I’ve turned it over! What’s next?” Jess asked looking up at me.

Robert: “Alright, first I’m going to tell you how to use its map function so that you don’t get lost.” I say after taking another sip of coffee.

Jessica: “There is a map!?” Jessica exclaims excitedly.

Robert: “Of course, all buildings have a map showing where you are. Don’t they?” I chastise her.

Jessica: “Yes…” She said dejectedly.

‘Ah such a wide array of expressions, and they switch so easily… I wonder what other faces she will show me when the time comes? Ah, I can’t wait.’

Robert: “There, there. There is nothing to be sad about, you simply forgot yourself in your excitement, and there is plenty to be excited about.” I say trying to cheer her up.

Jessica: “Really?”

Robert: “Really, Really.” I say stroking the top of her head.

‘Even though she is an adult, she has the reactions of a small child. So much must have been repressed when “that” happened. Regardless, it is good that she is still capable of expressing her feelings.’

Jessica: “So teach me how to use the map!” She says exited again.

Robert: “Yes, yes. Do you remember how to enable a function?”

Jessica: “Yes~ you use your index finger and press the function in question on the back of your card.”

Robert: “Correct.” I say patting her head again.

Jessica: “Eheh~ I got praised.”

‘It seems a childish Jessica is quite cute as well.’

Robert: “Can you please do it now?”

Jessica presses the ‘Map’ function on her card and before her appears a 2D rendition of the entire Bazaar displayed on a semi-transparent window.

Jessica: “Ooo.”Jess tries to put her hand through the semi-transparent window but it stops as if it hit something solid. “Oh?” She looks towards me for an explanation.

Robert: “It is keyed to your biometrics so to you it seems solid, but to anyone else,” I pass my hand right through it. The image shatters where my hand passed through but a few seconds later it reforms as if it never happened. “They pass right through it.”

Jessica: “Wow, this is really amazing! What is this red star with a circle around it?” She asks me pointing to the said icon on the edge of the map.

Robert: “I’m glad you noticed that. That start is your current position. As you move about ZMI it moves with you, so if you ever want to know where you are you just need to open the map and find that star.” Jessica’s eyes grow wide in wonder as she listens to my explanation.

Jessica: “So with this this, I’ll never get lost again!” Jessica says happily.

Robert: “As long as you are in ZMI that is true. Now let me show you another nice feature on this map.” I tap my card, which I pulled out the same time I was getting Zash’s, on Jessica’s card. A second later, a blue star with a circle around it appears on Jessica’s map almost overlapping her red star.

Jessica: “Oh?” She says in surprise.

Robert: “By touching cards, they resonate with each other and share information about location.” I calmly explain to her.

Jessica: “But won’t that allow people to stalk others?” Jessica asks, worry colors her voice.

Robert: “The President already came up with a solution for that. See my marker? Double tap it with your finger.”

When she does so, a message pops up beside her finger in a semi-transparent box as well.

Do you want to stop the resonance with this person?

Jessica presses ‘yes’ and the box and my marker disappear.

Jessica: “So if I want to make sure nobody else knows where I am, I just have to double tap their icon?” She questions me.

Robert: “Correct, and in case they are moving around making it difficult for you to double tap their star, do you see the button on the map that says ‘Resonate’? Press it and it will bring up a list of all the people you are currently resonating with. If you don’t know one or any of them, you can remove them from there.”

Jessica does so but only a blank list and a message shows up.

You are currently not resonating with anyone.

I tap my card on hers again and the message changes and my name appears on her list.

You are currently resonating with [1] people.

Jessica: “This is really amazing.” Jessica says in awe.

Robert: “By saying or thinking “Open/Close Map” you can make it open or close respectively. Try it.”

Jessica: “Close map.” The map in front of her vanishes without a trace. 5 seconds later it opens again in its semi-transparent window like it was never gone. “This is really amazing. It feels like I’m in a game.” Jessica says while toggling her map on and off with her mind.

Robert: “Yet this is not a game, but Real Life.” I say solemnly.

Jessica: “Yes… I know that.” Jessica says in a soft voice. “So what else can this card do?” She asks me her eyes sparkling.

Robert: “Besides the Map and GPS functions, it can be used as a credit card once that function is enabled.”

Jessica: “Really?” In excitement Jessica grabs my arm again.

‘One would think that she never had a credit card before, oh well.’

Robert: “Really, but it can only be used in the stores within ZMI. You can use it as a credit card and build up a ‘tab’ that you pay off at the end of the month or make payments on, or you can use it as an debit card and pay off your purchases as you buy them.”

Jessica: “Question!” Jessica says raising her hand.

Robert: “Answer.” I say smiling at her.

Jessica: “If we purchase a lot of things does it mean we have to carry them all as we go place to place?”

Robert: “No, the president found a solution for that too. By creating an army of robotic pallets that are under the control of the computer in charge of logistics…”

Jessica: “You mean HAL9001?” Jessica asks interrupting me.

Robert: “No. The computer in change of logistics is SAL 9001. SAL uses the robotic pallets to deliver the goods to your doorstep.”

Jessica: “Wouldn’t the goods receive weather damage then?”

Robert: “Each robot has its own weather resistant covering, and it won’t be torn away even if a hurricane tries to tear it off.”

Jessica: “Wouldn’t the robot be blown away instead?” Jessica asked curiously.

Robert: “That was already tested. The president put 30 of his pallet robots fully loaded with merchandise into a category 5 hurricane and each and every one of them came out unscathed, unmoved, and the products they were holding were unharmed.”

Jessica: “That sounds a little farfetched for me to believe.” Jess says eyeing me with suspicion.

Robert: “They have the video footage posted on their website if you don’t believe me.”

Jessica: o_O Jessica stares at me in disbelief.

Robert: “Ah yes, before I forget. The ‘credit card’ function also allows you to track each and every purchase you’ve made in ZMI. This way if someone uses your card to purchase anything, which is highly unlikely, you can go through them and confirm or denying that you received them or not, and if you even ordered them in the first place.”

Jessica: “What do you mean when you say that, “other people using your card to purchase things is highly unlikely”?”

Robert: “Here hold this.” I had Jessica my ZMI ID card and after 15 seconds pass the card turns pitch black.

Jessica: “What just happened?” She asks in shock.

Robert: “Basically when someone else takes your card, if you don’t get it back in 15 seconds the card becomes unusable, until it returns to its original owner.” I take my card from Jessica, and within 5 seconds it returns to its previous condition.

Jessica: “That is really cool.” She says looking down at her card.

Robert: “Yes, it is a security measure the president put in to prevent Identity theft and if you never get your card back, when you get issued a new one the old one loses all functionality and turns into dust. That is after it transmits the biometrics of the last five people to come in contact with it besides the owner to HAL, of course.”

Jessica: “What does HAL do then?”

Robert: “First he informs the police of the suspects’ locations, then with the help of SAL, he goes and “greets” them so they will never do it again.”

Jessica: “What do you mean by “greet” them?”

Robert: “Well, it only happened once, but when ZMI first opened to the public… the president was giving a presentation to the first batch of customers about the functions of the ZMI ID card outside the ZMI building, a thief ran by him and stole his card. Before security could go after him, he calmed them down by saying it wasn’t a big deal. He simply made a new card on the spot and continued his presentation.”

Jessica: “What happened next?” Jessica asks curiously.

Robert: “He showed the world the effectiveness of HAL and SAL 9001. After he told the police where to find the culprit, he set those two after the thief. When the police finally arrived to his location, he pleaded and begged for them to take him otherwise “they” will get him.”

Jessica: “Who were “they”? Did the thief say?” Slight fear could be heard in their voice.

Robert: “The culprit didn’t say, he just kept repeating “They are coming, they are coming. Please take me away. Please take me away!” continuously. Even 5 years later in he keeps repeating “They are coming” over and over in the mental ward that the prison has, even though he was supposed to be released long ago.”

Jessica: “Did they ever prove that it was HAL and SAL that did that to him?” Her voice was quivering in fear and she had buried her face into my chest. As I stroke her head to placate her, I continue the story.

Robert: “There was no evidence connecting them to him, but the entire world knew who did it, and who was holding their leash. Some say that he held the world in fear until he showed them his benevolent nature. Although the world eventually forgot about this incident, those who live in the underworld never will forget the unsaid threat, “If you mess with anything related to ZMI, you better be prepared to become the next “victim”. It is said because of that, the crime rate of this city dropped to zero overnight.”

I take another sip of coffee then I wrap my arm around Jessica bring her shivering frame closer to me. I continue to stroke her head with my free hand trying to soothe her nerves.

Jessica: “Was there really an unsaid threat in that?” Jessica asks after a while, her voice told me that she was slowly regaining its calm.

Robert: “Who knows? It is true that crime in this city vanished overnight when that happened. Well that is enough explanations for now.” I release Jessica from my ‘embrace’. “Once you activate your ‘credit card’ function we can go shopping, alright? Let’s forget about all the serious stuff and just enjoy our date, okay?”

Jessica: “Okay…” Her voice had regained its calm. I take another sip of coffee as she activates the ‘credit card’ function then I offer her my hand, which she takes. After entwining my fingers with hers so we won’t get separated, we set off into the crowd of people before us.

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