Unet

Before she could speak another word I went for the gun. It was lying beside me, and even if she was fast there was no way she could reach me.

As soon as my fingers wrapped around its grip, I lifted it and pointed it at Tara. "I think it's time I took control of the situation."

If I expected her to cower in fear, I would have been disappointed.

Instead, she smiled from the corner of her mouth. "What control? We have a murdered man right in front of us, and you don't know what the hell is going on."

"I know one thing. You are Tara Alison. And you are from my high school."

At this fear reached her eyes, but she hid it quickly.

"I should have known when your face seemed familiar. So, what was your name?"

"Alex," I said, the gun still pointed at her. "And I would kindly like to request my 500 dollars back."

"This?" she pulled the crumpled notes from her pocket. I shivered when the blood started to soak into them. "Look Alex, I'm sorry for not recognizing your sweet face sooner, but think a little. You just watched a man die in front of you, don't you think the police will be here sooner?"

"And I will be the victim."

"Not when you just held the gun. Even your clothes have blood."

"There's a security camera," I pulled out my last card. "It has everything."

Tara looked at the device on the top. "And you think it's working? Do you think I just pointed a gun at you without planning a single thing? Listen Alex, I'm about to introduce you to something that can change your world," she pulled out her phone and showed me the screen. There was an app with a white and blue interface with the big words "UNET" written on top. "What you just saw was a minor incident of something bigger. And one way or the other you are now a part of it. So now you can either throw away that gun and help me, or go home and wait for this guy's friend to come kill you."

She gave a cunning smile. For a moment I started to wonder if the girl I saw in high school was just a facade.

But fuck that. All I needed was a break from my regular life. If this is the way fate hands it to me, I might as well take it.

"What should I do?" I asked.

"Give me your phone. I need to contact someone, and my phone isn't in the best condition."

"Very funny, giving my phone to you is a good way to strip myself from any communication device I have."

She gave a sigh, and her shoulders slumped. "How about you give me the phone, unlock it, and keep your gun, and my gun that's over there? I just want to take a call."

I could keep arguing, but at least I get to keep the gun. I picked my phone and unlocked it, all the while moving around her and picking her own gun. Then I threw my phone at her.

She caught it and immediately started dialing. "If you are kind enough, you can also go shut off that light in the bike. Or do you believe I'll come and stab you in the back?"

That was a possibility, but the bike's headlight was falling upon us like a spotlight. For anyone walking in the street the murder would be open like a theater play.

"Okay," I said, and walked out.

I had half a mind to run, but it was Tara for god's sake! Back in high school I would have killed a few people to talk with her. I wasn't about to let this chance pass.

When I switched off the headlights I took the time to walk to the street and look around. Thankfully it was empty. When looked back inside Tara had finished her call and she was browsing my phone.

I moved quickly, and when I opened my door she was grinning at me. "Well, what do we have here?"

At first I thought she had another trick up my sleeve. But then she turned my phone at me. She had opened my gallery and the last few pictures were the ones I was busy nutting off to.

I bit my lip, and thought quickly. "Those were images saved from the group chat. Don't you know? Images of you topless is going around our school groups."

She frowned. "That's not new. That's the whole reason why I'm in this bloody situation in the first place. But Alex, why are there so much photos of me?"

She scrolled up, showing several other photos of her I had downloaded from her social media. "Are you some stalker?" she gave a malicious grin. "Or do you have a crush on me?"

Yes, yes I do.

But I couldn't say that. Couldn't let her boss me around. And how dare she look into my phone when I was helping her?

"Give me my phone, and I'll be on my way," I said, trying to hold back any embarrassment.

But she didn't hand it over to me. "Where do you live?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Because I plan to come with you."

I opened my mouth, then closed it again, not knowing what to say.

"As you see Alex, I badly need some cash, and a shower."

"You can go to your own house."

"I don't think something like that exists anymore. Especially after I pissed off these people. And like I said, you are already involved in this."

"Involved in what? What is all this about?"

Tara twirled her hair with her bloodstained fingers. "Two years ago a mysterious app called Unet got popular among the people. Once you register your life becomes a game. You can kill people, rob, steal, start your own business, all within this virtual space of Unet. But you can only harm another registered user of Unet. Then the authorities will pay no attention, and you'll go unharmed."

I tried to process what she was saying, but gave up after hearing the last two sentences.

"So you can't harm me, and they can't harm me," I said, giving a dark smile. "And I can safely go back home."

"Too bad," her malicious grin spread back again. "I just registered you for the game."

She tapped something on my phone and showed me the screen. I stared at what was written wondering whether to choke the woman.

Name

Alex Stalker

Registration Date

25th July XXXX

ID

23456

Level

3

Cash

700TC

XP

300

Latest Updates:

Alex Stalker killed user Frow Heller at location pin 45381213

Alex Stalker earned 300XP

Alex Stalker bounty increased to 400TC

Congratulations!

Tara smiled sheepishly. "Want to walk me to your house Alex?"