Digital Evolution (The Game is Life Book 5)

  Digital Evolution

  Terry Schott

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Copyright ©2015 by Terry Schott

  All rights reserved.

  This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Karen, It is no secret that you are one of my biggest fans, and for that I am humbly thankful. Your encouragement and support have been crucial to me. Words can never express my thanks, but here they are. Thank you.

  Thank you, Carl, for your encouragement and feedback. I know it is difficult to share your opinion with me at times. You do it, though, and it means the world to me.

  Tiffany edited this book and made it an incredibly enjoyable experience. Thank you so much, Tiffany. I can't wait to send more bad grammar your way.

  Thank you to everyone who takes time out of your busy day to interact with me and, most importantly, click that 'Buy button' underneath my stories.

  I dedicate this book to those of you who have followed me to Tygon and into the Game.

  Life is a Game.Congratulations to those of you who are playing!

  For Exclusive content and free stories, click HERE

  1

  Trew rolled over and reached out, touching her smooth skin, his fingers playing along her arm until he reached her neck. He opened his eyes.

  Danielle was looking at him with a smile on her lips. "Good morning, husband.”

  “Good morning, wife. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

  “I was ready to be awake.” She yawned.

  “I’m so thankful for this, for you, each and every day.”

  “As you should be.”

  He leaned in and kissed her, one hand reaching down to grasp the hollow of her back and draw her closer.

  “No time for that, sailor.” Danni giggled and swung her legs onto the floor.

  “Aww, come on.”

  “No time. It’s an important day in the Strayne household.”

  “Yeah, it is.” Trew got up and walked towards the bathroom. “I’m gonna grab a shower.” He stopped at the doorway and grinned. “I will be very lonely in there.” He arched one eyebrow.

  “Perhaps I should keep you company?”

  “Bring an extra towel. I’ll start the water.”

  ***

  Trew entered the kitchen and snuck up behind the young girl sitting at the table, eating cereal. He buried his face in her neck, blowing a raspberry as she giggled.

  “Ha ha, stop it, Daddy!” Addisyn laughed. Her spoon fell out of the bowl, causing cereal and milk to spray across the table and onto the floor.

  Trew laughed and hugged his daughter tight, kissing her head before going to the counter to pour a glass of juice and grab a bowl from the cupboard. “Morning, Kilobyte. Are you excited for today?”

  “I guess so.”

  “You guess so?” Danni entered the kitchen and bent over to give her daughter a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “This is a big day for you, Addisyn. Your first day of school. Daddy and I are both excited about it.”

  “Yeah.” Addisyn shrugged and Trew couldn’t stop himself from laughing. “What’s so funny?”

  “You just look so much like your mother when she was a little girl.”

  Danni looked at Trew and winked. It was true, Addisyn was the spitting image of her mother at that age. The strange part was that she was a carbon copy not of Alexandra Montoyas, but of young Danni’s avatar from inside the Game.

  “School is gonna be boooring.” Addisyn looked into her cereal bowl.

  “No, it’s not,” Trew said. “I bet that tonight you’ll be so excited to go back that you won’t even be able to sleep.”

  Addisyn took another bite of cereal and looked blankly at her father, making it clear from her expression that she did not agree.

  “The car will be here in ten minutes.” Danielle sat down beside Addisyn and poured cereal into a bowl. “Let’s see if we can arrive before the crowd of reporters do.”

  “That’s not gonna happen.” Trew jutted his chin towards the small vid screen on the far wall. “Every network has had crews camped outside of the centre for the past three days. There’s no way we’ll be able to avoid the press.”

  “Makes sense. We are sort of famous.”

  “Yeah, sort of.” Trew was the most powerful businessman in the world and, in her new role, Danielle’s status eclipsed his. “They’ve been very kind to us. I’m sure the coverage will be modest.”

  “You sound confident of that.”

  Trew winked. “There are advantages to owning every major news outlet in the country.”

  Addisyn spoke up. “I hope other kids don’t get mad at me.”

  “Why would they get mad at you, Kilobyte?”

  “All the attention.” Addisyn shrugged.

  “It will only be a big deal for the first couple of days, sweetie. A week from now, there will be no TV cameras or reporters at school.”

  “I hope so.” Addisyn took her bowl to the sink and slung her backpack over her shoulder. “Okay, ready when you are.”

  Trew looked at his watch and nodded.

  Danielle took another bite of cereal then stood. “First day of school, here we come.”

  2

  A child is required to attend school upon reaching the age of five.

  One week after his/her birthday, the new student will report to the Game Centre closest to the family residence. He or she will be acclimated to the process and prepared for an initial first session, which will commence three days after reporting in.

  Parents are encouraged to prepare their children beforehand by showing them examples of beginner students on an appropriate Game channel (see provided list of channels in the preparation file that we have sent you).

  The first two weeks of his/her Gaming experience will involve short sessions inside the simulation. Parents can expect introductory sessions to last between two and eight hours and must arrange for transportation between the centre and home as required.

  As the weeks pass, session times will increase inside the Game, depending on the skill of the new student.

  We wish your child every success in their learning experience.

  Excerpt - Game Guide for Parents

  The limousine pulled up to the front of the school and slowed to allow the crowd—news reporters and photographers, mostly—time to get out of the way.

  “See?” Trew said. “The crowd is half the size of what I expected.”

  Danni shook her head. “It’s still twice the size of the press coverage from the last official event.”

  “As it should be.” Trew leaned forward and pinched his daughter’s cheek. “It’s not every day that a princess attends her first session of school.”

  “Daddy.” Addisyn rolled her eyes. “I’m not a princess.”

  “Of course you are, Kilobyte. How can Daddy be King if you aren’t a princess?”

  The car came to a stop and Addisyn looked out the window. She let out a cheer and clapped her hands. “Look! He came to see me!”

  Danni reached for the door handle. “Of course he did, sweetness. Nothing could keep him from being here today.” She placed a hand on Addisyn's shoulder. “When we get out of the car, you wait until he nods, okay? Then you can run over to him.”

  “Okay, Mommy.”

  “Let’s get this g
ame started.” Danni opened the car door.

  Lights flashed and voices called out from all directions. Addisyn squinted at the barrage but her eyes adjusted to the lights quickly and she found the man standing a short distance away. He smiled as their eyes met, looking first left and then right before nodding, his short-cropped white hair unmoving.

  “Cooper!” Addisyn ran through the crowd and threw herself into his widespread arms.

  He lifted her into the air. “You look beautiful as ever, Kay-bee. Look at all the people who showed up to celebrate today. Are you nervous?”

  “No, I’m not nervous. Why would I be?”

  Cooper laughed and set her down. “No reason.” He nodded at Danni and Trew as they approached. “Hi, Danni. Good morning, Boss. The entire perimeter is clear.”

  “Hi, Cooper.” Danni leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Addisyn was thrilled to hear that you would be her personal security guard today.”

  Cooper looked at Addisyn and winked. “Nothing but the best for our tiny string of computer code on her first day of school.”

  Trew laughed but Danni frowned. She accepted the fact that Tygon was a computer simulation, but she didn’t encourage referring to her child as computer code. “Stop it. Let’s do the interview and get Addy inside.”

  A familiar face approached, a tall, blonde, tanned woman with beautiful features wearing a designer dress. A small microphone rested in her hand and her straight, white teeth flashed as she stopped in front of them. “Good morning, Trew and Danni. Who is this grown-up young lady standing in front of me? Can it be Addisyn Strayne, ready for her first day of school?”

  “Hi, Lisa.” Addisyn waited for Lisa Rohansen to bend down — a serious accomplishment in her tight-fitting skirt — and gave the reporter a hug. “When are you coming over for dinner again?”

  Lisa leaned down and whispered into Addisyn’s ear. “People aren’t supposed to know that we eat dinner together while we’re on camera, dear.”

  “Oh, sorry.”

  Lisa winked and turned to face the television camera. “I hope you are all excited as I am to see Addisyn Strayne getting ready to begin her schooling. Addisyn, are you feeling nervous about today?”

  The little girl shrugged and shook her head. “Not really.”

  Lisa laughed. “I’m sure you will have lots of fun. Do you have time for me to ask you a few more questions?”

  Addisyn nodded and the two began their interview.

  Cooper leaned close to Trew. “You sure about this?”

  “Absolutely.”

  Cooper started to say more but Trew nudged him and moved away, making it clear that the discussion was over.

  Lisa finished her interview. Cameras clicked and flashed as the Strayne family walked up the steps of the school and into the building. A short time later, Trew and Danielle emerged and stopped on the top steps to address the crowd. Reporters pressed closer and began to shout questions. Trew raised his hands for silence.

  “I would like to thank everyone for extending politeness and courtesy to my daughter. You made her feel very special today.” He clasped Danni’s hand and she squeezed it. “I have promised to make a large announcement today, and now is the time to do so.”

  A reporter from one of the more popular channels raised his hand. “Does it have something to do with you sending your daughter to a traditional school instead of the Game?”

  “It does.”

  “Why didn’t you have her report to a Game Centre like the rest of the children her age?”

  “My daughter will not be playing the Game.”

  An uncomfortable silence settled over the crowd.

  After a long pause, a reporter finally spoke. “It’s against the law for children not to play the Game. Are you saying that you are willingly breaking the law?”

  Trew looked at the camera closest to him and smiled. It was not a pleasant smile. “I’m saying that my daughter will not be a player in the Game.”

  As one, people in the crowd started shouting. Cooper placed two fingers between his teeth and let out a shrill whistle.

  Trew waited until silence had returned. “From this point forward, no five-year-olds begin to play the Game.”

  The crowd was silent.

  “Furthermore, as players of all ages exit the Game, they will not be re-entering.”

  “Why not?” Lisa Rohansen asked.

  Trew put an arm around his wife. “When the last of the players currently inside the simulation exit, the Game will officially be over.”

  3

  “The purpose for the Game has always been to serve as a learning ground for our children. With that goal in mind, it became apparent early on that the time difference would be a significant issue. Many scientists, physicists, and scholars have spent decades attempting to understand the exact mechanics and details of the time difference between the Game and Tygon. I never worried too much about the specifics as long as it continued to work on a consistent basis, which it did. Early on, I realized that if the Game started and continued in a linear fashion, then the technology and skills of the avatars inside the Game would eventually surpass our own. As that point was reached, there would be no advantage to keep inserting players. In a simulation where fantastic things were the norm, a player would learn nothing that could be brought back and used in real life. Imagine a child spending a lifetime as a person capable of altering his or her own gravity, or growing up using computers that were exponentially advanced compared to Tygon technology. They would exit the Game and return to an unchallenging reality which would negate the benefits that we were trying to achieve from the Game in the first place.

  To address this issue, it was decided that every five thousand years of Game time, the server would be reset to restore conditions similar to our developmental past. At a rate of ten years per week times fifty weeks in a Tygon calendar year…that meant every ten Tygon years we would reset the Game. As a result, our children could live and experience conditions similar to our own reality so that they could develop life experiences which would allow them to return to Tygon prepared for adulthood upon graduation.

  Of course, we were very surprised at both how similar some things turned out and how different other situations seemed to go.

  I think that, overall, it has been an excellent experience for both the players and the fans. As we prepare to reset the Game for the second time, all of us look forward to the next cycle.”

  Interview with Brandon Strayne during the twentieth anniversary celebrations of the Game

  Carl crossed his arms and leaned back in the portable chair. “I built a fire.”

  “So I see.” The shadowy form emerged from the darkness and stopped just inside the ring of light on Carl’s left, letting his backpack slide gently to the ground beside him before sitting down in one of the empty chairs arranged around the small blaze. “Anyone else here yet?”

  “Nope.” Carl reached down and grabbed a brushed steel flask. He took a sip and then held it towards the newcomer. “Nectar of the gods, brother?”

  Raphael accepted the flask. “Thank you, brother. A sip or two would be much appreciated.”

  The two sat and watched the fire in silence. A half hour passed before the next Timeless joined them.

  “You definitely didn’t give your position away by making any noise.” A woman’s playful voice spoke up from behind them. “The fire stands out, though.”

  “We were enjoying the silence, Angelica.” Carl raised the flask in her direction. “Figured once you arrived that continuous sound would pollute the area.”

  “That’s not fair.” Shane appeared with Gabriel at his shoulder. “Angelica can be quiet.”

  “That’s right.” She nodded.

  “When she’s on the hunt.” Shane grinned as he dropped his pack on the ground.

  Angelica opened her mouth to disagree, then raised an eyebrow and nodded. “That is about the only time I shut up, isn’t it?”

  Gabriel winked a
t her. With his bright blonde hair and tanned features, he looked the most angelic of the group, so much so that he almost had a glow about him which seemed to increase the brightness around the fire. “We all have over-talkative moments.” He slapped his brother on the shoulder. “Even Carl.” Gabriel rummaged through his bag and removed a dented copper thermos, which he tossed into the air. Angelica caught it deftly, removing the lid and taking a long drink. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and sighed.

  “We’re all here,” Raphael picked up a small twig and dangled it in the fire. “Do we want to sit and chat or get right down to business?”

  Angelica looked up at the stars. “They aren’t quite aligned yet. What do you think, Shane? Half hour or so?”

  “Yes.”

  “Sit down and chat it is, then.” Gabriel plopped into the chair closest to Carl. “Brought you something, Shane.” He tossed a plastic bag towards the man.

  Shane’s eyes lit up. “Why do I always get excited about marshmallows?” He ripped the bag open and produced a sharpened stick, promptly spearing a plump white treat before thrusting it into the fire.

  “'Cause you never bother to grow up.” Carl feigned disinterest, but grinned as Shane tossed two sugary treats his way.

  “Grow up?” Shane turned the marshmallow in the fire. “Why bother? We deal with enough crap over the millennia without adding extra burden. If we ever get sent back to our bodies in the Dream, I’ll worry about growing up.”

  The group of friends — Brandon’s Hand from another reality — spent the next half hour eating marshmallows and discussing their past five thousand years of the Game.

  Finally, Shane looked up to the heavens. “The stars look right. Let’s get to it.”

  The group stood as one and crouched before launching themselves into the air. They made their way to the top of the ancient pyramid, landing on the top ledge. One by one, each placed a hand against the massive, worn stone in front of them. A white door materialized, opening to reveal smooth-cut steps descending into darkness. Angelica snapped her fingers and willed a small white light into existence. She entered the doorway and began to descend with her brothers following close behind. The doorway closed silently behind Carl as he entered last.