Naked Minds

Revelations

11.

            Johnny was lead to a chair. The blindfold finally came off. Johnny found himself in a dimly lit room. Flashes and trails of colours were still dancing in front of his eyes. Everything in his head was spinning. He heard the footsteps of the two policemen exiting the living room

            “I am glad you decided to come with us,” Natas said.

            “I can’t see that well,” Johnny said. “What’s happening?”

            “Calm down. We have covered all the windows and the lights are not on. Your eyes will get used to it. Give it a moment.”

            Natas’ voice sounded like it was coming from a great distance. Johnny almost fainted. He closed his eyes and each passing second felt like a millennium.

            “Do you know why I choose to speak with you as opposed to anybody else in your group,” Natas broke the deathly silence.

            “They have accepted me as their leader,” Johnny mumbled out. “You want to convince me to break the group up just like Rick did. He was following your orders.”

            “No. Rick acted on his own…or I guess he did what he was programmed to…I’m not fully clear on all the details of this story.”

            “What?”

            “I choose you because you are the only real person in this story. The others are just programs.”

            “You mean they are cyborgs and I’m not?”

            “No. What Rick told you is only true within this artificial reality. Its part of the story you’re playing. I guess you prefer science-fiction as opposed to the usual action shooters.”

            Everything suddenly looked like a dream. Johnny felt he was on that edge where the dream suddenly turns into a nightmare. His eyes got used to the light and picked up certain shapes but TNDM was making it impossible for the shapes to stay solid. The sun had almost fully set. They were sitting in near darkness.

            “I’m inside a video game,” Johnny finally said.

        “Virtual reality actually. Video games are a thing of the past. VR is a much more advanced technology then a simple video game.”

            “It’s impossible to make it this realistic. I would know what’s real and what’s not.”

            “You have been under the influence of a psychedelic compound for days now. Do you really think you have a solid grasp on reality? You think you’re fit to judge what’s real and what’s fabricated?”

            “What about you? What if you’re a program too and you don’t even know it?”

            “I guess anything is possible but…You and I are the only two real people in this virtual world. We are plugged in while the others are programmed into it. I entered this simulation several days after you and I also have the very latest virus protection. I’m immune to the TNDM virus which affords me to have the mental clarity which you are lacking.”

            “The drug is a virus?”

            “Yes, a software virus. The New Dawn Movement is a group of hackers who attack virtual realities.”