Virtually His. Gennita Low
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much preferred action; thinking too much only muddled up one’s life. However, these new games were designed to make her work mentally as well as physically, and she couldn’t help but feel a little pissed off. She hated being manipulated and these days, someone was doing a whole lot of manipulating of her mind and body.
Helen scowled, then quickly schooled her features. The last time she had betrayed herself like that, someone had pushed her through a series of exercises that he knew she would dislike, even though she now knew how everything worked, that nothing was actually real.
She looked around the room. She had learned much about it in the last couple of months. The CAVE Ultimate—Cave Automatic Virtual Environment—was a ten-by-ten-by-ten room that was the newest in virtual reality immersion. Since its invention at the University of Illinois in Chicago, certain government agencies had further developed and enhanced the unique features of this new technology.
One of the unique features of the CAVE was that it allowed multiple participants to experience the illusion that was virtual reality, with one participant controlling the environment. That first experience from two months ago—that had all been done with her alone in this room, with her invisible instructor in charge somewhere in the COMCEN complex. She now knew that he was in a similar CAVE somewhere, wearing the same type of special bodysuit that she was wearing but with the controls all on his side.
That part of it was tough for her. She hadn’t liked what had happened that first time, even though she now knew they were testing her. No, he was testing her. She’d had this feeling all along that that dream-world into which she’d been thrown was entirely his creation.
He’d had her put in darkness so she would feel unbalanced. That had solved the problem about the special glasses, too. If she had been able to see, she would have seen the VR goggles that covered half her face floating a few inches above. He had given her that stupid paralytic drug so that she couldn’t feel the rotating mechanical VR chair on which they’d placed her. All those feelings of being carried, being upside down, and the dizzying rush of movement were created by that equipment.
Even after watching it in action without her on it, she was still amazed at how everything coordinated with those goggles. Wireless tracker-tabs that looked like sticky markers were placed on certain points on a person’s body, and these tabs corresponded to the chair, letting it know exactly how to move the person. That was how she was manipulated physically. It was interactive virtual reality at its finest.
This was probably the most expensive playroom she’d ever had the privilege to romp in. Not bad for a dirty Russian orphan who only wanted a new Barbie doll, eh?
Helen grinned at the thought. Oh well, let him be diabolical. She was tired of controlling her emotions when he was around.
He was silent today. Not a word. It made her want to rile him to get some reaction, but that would only betray her irritation. Today they’d used the wireless trackers and a new pair of gloves. She’d stood on a glorified treadmill that created the illusion of motion while she got used to “spatial control of nonspace,” as her scientist-tutor Dr. Cunningham had explained to her.
She was being prepared for the final frontier, so to speak. TIVRRV, appropriately pronounced TERROR, stood for Total Immersion Virtual Reality Remote Viewing, the top-secret project that required body and brain immersion and stimulation. Anyone who volunteered for this crazy experiment ought to be terrified.
He was so damn quiet—why didn’t he say something? Or was that the new test?
“You know, I’ve never had my brain waves synchronized with a man’s before,” she drawled, touching the lever to the right of the chair. The goggles raised slowly above her head. She peered up into them. Nothing, of course. “What exactly does that do, in your words? These scientists haven’t been able to explain it to me satisfactorily enough. I can’t get excited at terms like Immersive Visualization and Interactive Mind Flow.”
She waited for ten seconds. The remote viewing training had been the toughest of everything she had been through, for her, because it was all about letting go mentally. But this new trainer, with his secretive ways, was taking it even further. He was ruthless with his need to control her and he didn’t care if he made her furious while doing it. In fact, she was sure he was somewhat amused by her rage. She was waiting for the day she’d see him in the flesh; she was going to wallop him.
When she’d told him that, he’d replied, in that odd quiet way that always made her nerves sing, “I look forward to it.” And then he’d kissed her.
Who was he? What was he? She wanted to know everything about him like she was sure he did about her. Not everything, she corrected fiercely. He couldn’t read her mind. If he could, he’d know just what she’d thought of him after what he’d put her through the first time in the CAVE. And all the torture she was going to put him through. It still pissed her off to think that somehow he managed to turn her on with his kisses. She had been celibate way too long.
After two months, he still managed to rattle her when he ordered her to walk into a dark room. Not fear. Anticipation. His body felt so real and hard when she was crushed against him. He’d slowly tip her head back and then bend his down toward hers, taking his time, until every nerve in her body screamed silently for that kiss. He was toying with her. Bastard.
“Hello?” she called out softly. Fine. She didn’t want to be polite anymore. The memory of those first sessions with him still ticked her off. “Just so you know, I didn’t think that last kiss was that fucking great interactively. Next time, don’t freeze my body up and I might show you exactly how to kiss a woman, asshole.”
She turned at the sound of a cough. It was Derek the boy wonder computer wiz. A very embarrassed computer wiz, his face flushed as he looked at everywhere but her.
“Ahem, umm, Miss Roston, can you follow me to the programming room?”
Helen cocked her head. “Cutting short my training today?”
Derek shook his head. “Actually, we’re ready to go to Test Bravo. We’ve finished the program that will enable you to choose an avatar for yourself as well as your monitor. Now we’ll test it after we’ve connected the brain wave simulation program.”
More techie terms to learn. Test Bravo. That meant she’d passed Test Alpha. “Okay, let’s go,” she said, then stopped short. “Wait a minute…did you say for my monitor? Is that the same as my trainer?”
“Yes, ma’am. It’s the same person.”
“And we’re creating an avatar for him?” She understood the term. “I know an avatar is a representation of a user in a shared virtual reality. It’s usually some form of animated entity in web forums or web interactive games, right?”
“Our new program goes beyond that,” Derek said, with a proud smile. “You’ll be amazed at our human simulation software and advanced digital mapping. Everything looks and acts superreal. In any case, you have total control, ma’am.”
Helen smiled widely. “Is that right?” she drawled, and looking up at the goggles, she gleefully rubbed her hands. Test Bravo sounded more fun already.
“You mean I can program the avatar to look like some Greek god if I want to?”
Helen sat back in the chair, crossed her ankles and clasped her hands behind her neck. She laughed, her amusement ringing out in the small room, as she rocked her chair gently. She narrowed her eyes speculatively as she stared at the computer screen, then turned to Derek, who was standing in front of it.
“Yes, ma’am,” he answered, trying to keep his face straight. “Greek god or any deity you have in mind. Your monitor said you choose how you want to see him.”
Helen laughed again. This might be the easiest part of her training. A virtual reality simulator with her own self-designed trainer. After a grueling year of hand-to-hand combat training with handpicked military personnel, she liked the idea of being the one in control again. It wasn’t quite so much fun when a bunch of men were