Crossed Over

Crossed Over

Episode 1: The Woman in the Red Dress

The first words of a story need to be your best, you need to hook your reader and keep them hooked. Wait we’ve started already!? Everyone believes that the line between reality and fantasy is a bold line. A thick wall between real and fake… What would happen if that line were blurred? What if there was no wall but an open border… Now we cut to some establishing shots.

The buildings towered up toward the the sky. Palm trees lined the roads. Pedestrians packed the side walkes. Waves of heat baked the asphalt. A red sports car zipped through the traffic.

This is Silvertown City, Florida. Silvertown is home to millions of Americans. Millions of the craziest people God’s beautiful country has to offer. People have their opinions of what is causes Florida people to be so crazy. The egg heads and their studies say that the heat causes people to be aggressive. The more conspiratorial person will tell you that Florida is getting baked by ‘Theta Radiation’ from the Bermuda Triangle or “They are putting goddamn chemicals in the water to make us all crazy.” Personally I think people see the theme parks the beaches, the wildlife preserve on their vacations. And people think that if they lived here every day of their lives can be a vacation. But life isn’t always a vacation. Someone needs to scrub the shit off of in the toilets then they just get trapped here…

The red sports car blew past a rusty plain car at a stop light. The driver of the red sports car laid on the horn and rose the middle finger to the driver of the rust bucket.

“Dude, what the fuck? It’s a red light!” The young driver of the rusted out car said.

That’s me, Oliver “Ace” Spades. And the Ace-Mobile. Spared no expense…

The sun was shining and there were cotton like clouds in the beautiful blue sky. Ace turned the corner of Main Street and Abigale Boulevard.

“Unemployment is at an all time low.” The voice on car’s radio reported as Ace pulled his car into a parking spot.

Ace looked at all the empty lots in the buildings as he walked through the shopping center. Ace approached a business called ‘Barry’s Quick Shop.’ He reached out for the door’s handle. Just before he pulls the door open he paused.

“Ok Ace, you got this job. Just remember charisma. Be a people person.” Ace whispered to himself. He pulled the door open and approached the cashier with his chest puffed out. “Excuse me sir, are you hiring?”

“No.” The cashier didn’t even look up from his phone.

“No as in you’re not hiring?” Ace’s confidence began to deflate.

“No.” The cashier said, still grazing a social media feed.

“Oh well um, ok thank you. Have a nice day.” The cashier didn’t even acknowledge Ace.

Ace tried the business next door. It looked like a mattress store. The windows were full of signs that read “Sale”, “Store Closing” and “Everything Must Go.” Ace approached the store’s manager.

“Hi, are you hiring?” Ace asked the elderly man.

“No in fact, like all the signs on the windows we’re closing down. Would you like to buy a mattress? My stock must go.” The man said.

“Sorry sir, I don’t even have two halves of a penny to rub together.” Ace said.

Ace left the mattress store. He noticed that there was a candy store across the street. The sign read the Sugary Secret Treats. Ace crossed the street. The signal showed a white silhouette of a person as he was halfway across the crosswalk. A car stopped on the line as Ace was crossing. Another car slammed the brakes. The horn rang out.

“Just fucking hit him!” The blonde woman driving the car yelled over the sound of her horn. “I spilt my Frappicapi because of you! You fucking, batch! Kill this fag! Fuck!” The rant only got worse and more offensive from there. The bumper of her car had two bumper stickers. One that was the word “coexist” with letters replaced with religious iconography. The other one read “Fuck White Supremacy.”

Ace made it across the street. He walked into the Sugary Secret Treat. There were candies and chocolates of all kinds. Ace walked up to the proprietor of the business. It was a man in white with a red bow tie. He wore glasses and had his black hair combed over to the side. He looked like someone out of the 1950’s. The man had an unsettling vibe about him. That vibe seemed to infect the rest of the establishment.

“Hi, are you hiring?” Ace said.

“I’m sorry sir or ma’am. It’s hard to tell these days. I mean no offense. But this is a one hundred percent family owned business.” The man said, he spoke in a polite, almost overly polite, manner. As if there was a secret that he was hiding.

“Okay…” Ace turned to walk away, he wanted to get out as soon as possible. Ace began to walk back to his car. “Great… My rent is due on the first. Gotta’ do more jobs between now and then…”

Ace talked to himself. He made it to the spot where he parked the car. But there was no car. There was a small oil slick where the car once was. Evidence that this was the spot where he parked his rusty junker. Ace looked around and found a sign. ‘No parking after four pm.’

“Fuck!” Ace yelled at the sky. “It’s not my fault this economy sucks! This system sucks because it’s too hard to find honest work. No one will hire because they can’t afford to. People can’t spend money at these businesses because they don’t have any income! No one has money. If only I could break this cycle. God this is it, help me out here! How can I break free of this system? Give me a sign! Drop a red pill here man.”

A loud crack of thunder rocked the sky. The beautiful cotton like clouds in the sky seemed to turn dark and sour. He felt a soft trickle on his forehead. Then there was another drop. Followed by a sudden downpour of water. Ace was soaked by the rain. Lightning flashed, and moments later thunder boomed.

“Great thanks!” Ace said as he broke into a sprint in a futile attempt to stay dry.

Ace had miles to go. He was soaked to the core. He noticed something, a blonde woman in a slimming blood red dress. Her hips swayed as she walked. She walked without any care for the rain. She didn’t even appear to be wet in any way. Her hair looked like it was dry, She turned the corner to go down a shady looking alley. She looked at Ace purposely. She moved her finger in a ‘come here’ motion. Ace could feel that she was motioning to him. And not someone who was behind him. He checked anyway. But he was alone.

Ace turned into the alley. The alley looked like it was miles long too long to be physically possible. His perception of it felt skewed like he was looking at the alley at an angle. The blonde woman in the red dress appeared as a speck on the horizon. In the blink of an eye she was right in front of him. She grabbed him by the neck and slammed him into the brick wall behind him. She lifted him off of his feet as if he was weightless.

“All you know is a lie. I will give you the eyes to see, the ears to hear, and the mouth to speak. With these you can lift the veil.” She spoke, her voice was beautiful and yet Ace could swear he heard something behind it. A second voice that was deep and guttural.

Suddenly the woman’s other hand was on his face. Bees began to crawl out from her hands. The bees crawled into his ears, mouth and into his eyes. Ace tried to scream. But the sound was muffled by the horde of bees crawling into his mouth. The bees disappeared into the same nether that they had manifested from in the first place.

“Now go.” The woman spoke again this time there was only her erotic voice.

Ace looked down the alley. At the end he saw a glowing symbol. The symbol looked like an upside down t in a circle and the circle was inside a triangle. The wall was closing in. The brick wall was coming at him fast, really fast.Before he could brace himself a sharp pain struck the front of his body. He fell backward and hit his head on the sidewalk. He had apparently walked right into a brick wall. The symbol was spray painted on the wall.

After a long walk Ace arrived at his apartment. He was exhausted and soaking wet. Ace walked up to his apartment. One of his neighbors was leaning against the wall next to his door. He was holding a thick vanilla envelope.

“You got a second?” He asked.

Ace was too exhausted to think properly. He simply nodded.

“I’m in apartment G69. One of the screws in my apartment number was loose…” He looked at Ace who was clearly bearly with it. “ The male man screwed up… Anyway, I got some of your mail. I opened it, sorry I sent some manuscripts to the same publishing house.”

Ace pulled the manuscript out of the vanilla envelope. The first page had the word rejected stamped in bright red and across the first page. He dropped the manuscript on the floor. It was a giant mess.

“Are you going to use it for anything? I read it. The story was quite good. Those morons wouldn’t know entertainment if it bit them on the ass.” G69 said.

“No. Too tired, wet and tired.” Ace mumbled. He opened the door to his apartment leaving the man from apartment G69 to pick up the pieces of paper and put the story back together.

Ace dragged himself to the bedroom a trail of wet cloths marked his trail through the apartment. Sleep enveloped him quickly. He jolted awake screaming. He had a nightmare. The same one that he had every night since… Ace cleared that thought from his mind. He didn’t want to live in the past. The present was more important than the past. Ace turned to the clock. He had been asleep for about fifteen minutes.

Ace got dressed and began to clean up the apartment. He made his way to the pile of bills under the mail slot. Ace thought it was strange, who was delivering the mail at this time of night? He picked up the mail, bills and spam mostly. But among the crap there was something strange. A paper with the next day’s date on it and a whole days worth current events. Ace opened the paper to read the headlines only.

Study shows men spend more time cooking feminists outraged demand women “Get back into the kitchens.”

Fossilized human remains uncovered at Smithsonian dig site. Scientists confused.

There was a knock on the door. Ace jumped at the sudden burst of sound paper flew everywhere. Ace glanced through the peephole. He saw his friends on the other side of the door.

Ace had been friends with Robert “Blaze” Hinez since middle school. They first met as hall guards. They quickly became best friends, sharing a love of video games. Blaze was Ace’s first true friend. Blaze’s hair was dyed red, he stood at five foot three inches, and is twenty seven year of age. He wore a greasy uniform, a small patch read Hal’s Auto Repair.

Ace first met Mike “Ultra” Kline at their mutual employer the super store Power*Mart. For the short time that Ace had that job. But that is a story for another time.They bonded over comic books, and tabletop games. He had black hair, he was 6 foot even, and wore a T-shirt with the

“What is up guys?” Ace said when he opened the door.

“This is a wellness check, we’ve been texting you all day.” Blaze said.

“Sorry guys, I’ve been asleep all day I guess.” Ace checked his phone, he had a large number of missed notifications. “Well you guys want to smoke a bit?” Ace plopped down on his couch.

Ace packed his glass pipe with marijuana. He lit it and inhaled then passed it to Blaze while he coughed.

Don’t do drugs kids.

“So how is the job hunting going?” Ultra asked as the pipe was passed to him.

“It’s going horrible.” He recounted the events of the previous day as the pipe made laps. “Then, I saw a witch.” He finished.

“So, your car has been impounded?” Blaze said.

“What was that about a witch?” Ultra said.

“Yeah man, there was a sign that said no parking. They towed it… Freaking thieves.” Ace spoke with an obvious anger.

“What about the witch?” Ultra said with a little more volume.

“Yeah, she spit some bees in to my eyes and face and shit.” Ace spoke in a non-emotion monotone.

“How much do they want to get the car back?” Blaze asked.

“Your pills… did you take your pills today?” Ultra asked.

“Haven’t called them. They’ll probably want way more than I can afford.” Ace said in a hopeless tone.

“Did you take those pills? You’re supposed to take them every day… After last time…” Ultra was getting worried.

“Yeah I take those pills every day.” Ace said.

I hadn’t taken any pills. Screw those things. I’m sane, it's the world around me that is crazy. And those things mess with your dick.

“Are we still going to play Neo and his team of gay bois tonight? Remember he challenged us to RingWorld last week.” Blaze said.

“Hell yeah, that faggot is going to pay for what he did to us.” Ace said.

“Can we get some snacks and cocktails first? I’ve been studying all day I’m burnt.” Ultra asked.

The trio agreed with the that idea and loaded into Blaze’s car, a blue Japanese import coupe. They speed off into the night, they arrived at the K Circle gas station. Ace and his friends got out of the car and walked into the station’s shop. The group began to browse the shop and loaded up on snacks and energy drinks. Suddenly the doors flung open, booming gunshots rang out. Ace, Blaze, and Ultra hit the ground.

“Give me the money!” the robber yelled.

“Man, this is the third time this week.” the teller murmured as he began to load the money from the register

Ace popped his head over the shelf. Then quickly hid before being spotted by the robber.

“Ok it’s just one guy. We can take him.” Ace said.

“Take him? Are you insane!?” Ultra exclaimed.

“Who's there? Come out!” The robber yelled.

“Smooth.” Blaze said.

Ultra and Blaze came out from behind the shelves with their hands up.

“Wallets and cell phones, now!” the robber said.

Ace placed his finger to his lips as he moved to sneak through the shop and make his way to the pots of coffee. He fiddled with the pot’s warmers. The coffee began to boil. Ace picked two pots up and made his way to the robber.

“Hey there!” Ace called out.

“Who’s there? Come out or I start shooting!” The robber demanded.

Ace slowly stepped out of hiding. He quickly splashed the boiling coffee into the robbers face. The robber pulled the trigger. Ace and Blaze jumped the robber and brought him to the ground.

“I got shot!” Ultra yelled.

Ace examined his friend. There was no sign of a wound.

“Ultra, you’re not shot.” Ace held out a hand.

“Oh.” Ultra said as he looked himself over then he took Ace’s hand.

“I’m going to get the drinks and snacks, then we’ll get out of here.” Ace said.

Ace scooped up their snacks and drinks then approached the counter. He laid their purchases on the counter. The cashier was uncertain about what to do. He calmly began to scan the merchandise. Ace looked at the cashier in the eyes and said:

“Dude… look I’m like really stoned. Can you like wait five minutes then call the police?”

“Bruh, I really want to help out out. But Imma keep it real with ya’ chief I hit the silent alarm when the guy walked in.” The teller said. “Your total is fifteen thirty seven.”

Ace pulled out his credit card and paid the tab. “Thanks, have a nice night. Guys, we need to go now!” Ace said looking at his friends as he walked to the door.

The doors burst open smacking Ace knocking him off balance. Red and blue flashing lights could be seen through the shop’s windows.

“Show me your hands!” The police officer yelled as Ace tried to steady himself.

She pulled the trigger on her taser. Ace fell to the ground and flailed.

“Bro, they tased him!” Ultra said. “They fucking tased him! Don’t tase him bro! Don’t tase him!”

Officer Jena Leno is a beautiful angel. Her motto: “If you don’t try and save everyone life. You lose all of them.” I dated her… I’m getting ahead of myself. That hasn’t happened yet. She joined the force right after highschool. She attends Silvertown Community College, she majors in criminal justice. Her stated motive for joining the force was to make a difference in the community. She never had a use of force complaint against her. And she is an angle. As I flailed in agony as electricity pulsed through my body I knew I was in love. That agonizing pain I felt was love.

Ace had been tased sober. He examined his surroundings. He looked at his two best friends, still very high. Ace motioned for them to hide. Officer Leno was too concerned about Ace and the accidental discharge of her taser to notice the two boys. Ace jumped up as his friends moved behind the shelves.

“I’m ok, this was my fault. I was the one who was heading for the door with a full bag of stuff. Don’t worry, I’m white so I doubt anyone will care about what happens to me.” Ace joked.

Ace looked over to his friends hiding behind the shelf and then over to the door. Then he began to communicate the message that now is the time to sneak out using only his eyebrows.

I’ll leave the description of that up to your imagination…

Blaze and Ultra made a stealthful escape toward the door. When they got to the car and waited for their friend Ace. They waited for quite a while. Just as relief gave way to worry about their friend’s well being, Ace emerged from the gas station shop. Ace had a wide grin on his face. He got into the car’s back seat. Blaze and Ultra looked at Ace for a moment.

“Well?” Blaze finally spoke up.

“Oh, why thank you for asking my good dude. I got…” Ace began, he pulled out a small piece of paper. “...her number. As well as a date with her at the Orange Grove County Courthouse.”

“You gotta testify or something?” Ultra asked as he pulled the summons out of Ace’s hands.

“No, Mr. Remirez is suing me.” Ace said.

“Who?” Ultra asked.

“The guy I splashed with the coffee.” Ace said.

“Wait, that asshole is suing you?” Blaze was aghast.

“Yeah that guy sure knew his rights. He’s like a criminal lawyer. Using his knowledge of the law to commit crime. Well, let’s get going uh; I wanna’ play some RingWorld.” Ace said.

There is an elevator pitch for a story: Criminal Lawyer uses the law to his favor and commits infinite crimes.

The trio arrived at Ace’s apartment. Ace turned on the TV and his Xstation 3 gaming console. Blaze packed some marijuana for Ace. They began to play their game.

Tin foil hats one people, we’re going into Conspiracy Land. Elsewhere far across the country. There was a top secret location used by the Shadow Government. And well this was going on:

“Interesting… Very interesting…” Dr. Angel spoke to himself as he watched needles dance up and down on a roll of paper.

“Dr. I am detecting a potential Class Eight Occurrence. But it’s…” A synthesized voice spoke through a speaker equipped with a camera and a little red light.

“Interesting.” Dr. Angel finished the voice’s sentence. “Something is coming through the Meta.”

Pause here for a second. Let’s unpack this because it's like the whole crux of this story. What the heck is this Meta thing? I got you fam. Hypothetically let’s say your thumb is our reality. You live on your thumb. Your house is on your thumb. Your thumb has its own rules, logic, and physics and shit. Now let’s say your pointer finger which exists a few inches away from your thumb is also a reality. A reality with its own rules, logic, and physics that is completely different than yours. The space in between those fingers is called the Meta. Now let's say things from your pointer finger rain down on your thumb and things from your thumb get sucked onto your pointer finger. Enough I’ve violated the show don’t tell rule of storytelling enough. Let’s get back to it.

“Send me the relevant data for this event. I want the originals, not copies.” Dr. Angel said.

“That is irregular. That action is not in standard operational procedure.” The voice said.

“I know. I’m working on a special project.” Dr. Angel said.

“Yes doctor.”

Back in our little slice of heaven... in finger quotes… I did the finger quotes thing you can’t see it because this is like a text thing… Anyway…

Dark clouds that had formed earlier have now turned into a full-fledged downpour. Ace and friends were in the middle of a Ringworld online team killing spree match.

“Shut your ugly face hole!” Ace screamed into the mic.

“I guess me fucking your mom triggered you. Lol.” Neo Gopam said.

“Did you just say ‘lol’?” Blaze asked.

“Shut it faggot!” Neo said.

“Well, that's not advertiser friendly.” Ultra mocked “You ditched us last season for a ‘better team.’ Looks like the score is saying that was a bad move.” Ultra referenced the fact that the three of them were beating the four pros.

“I didn't ditch you losers because you sucked. I mean you do…” Neo said

“We're beating you bad that the police are investigating this as a hate crime… because you're gay.” Ace said.

“Go ahead and have a laugh. We landed a new sponsor… Aleista Corp. So yeah I ditched your broke asses.” Neo boasted.

“Holy shit they just dropped a thousand bucks on loot boxes!” Ultra exclaimed.

“Just a drop in our bucket. We got so many legendary weapons.” Neo said playing up his excitement.

Someone should really investigate those things. The game's balancing was way off. Crappy design but I was too blinded by franchise loyalty to really see it...

“Ok guys empty your pockets. I got…” Ace search his pockets. “Seventy five cents.” Ace said throwing three quarters on the table.

“I got a fiver.” Ultra said putting the bill on the table.

The two boys looked at their friend Blaze.

“You gotta job buddy.” Ace said expectantly.

“That doesn't mean I have currency.” Blaze spoke in a defensive tone.

“Look there's no way we're going to out spend these ass hats.” Ultra said. “What we need is a plan.”

“We set a bunch of traps and let the environment finish them.” Ace said.

“Good idea. We'll need to gather crafting materials.” Blaze said.

As the team gathered up resources the available play area began to shrink. As did the number of available respawns. Outside in the real world lighting flashed through the window. Thunder quickly followed. The storm was gaining intensity quickly.

It had all come down to this. Blaze and Ultra were eliminated by superior fire power of Neo's team. But they had successfully eliminated the other three players by ring out.

Ace and Neo were having an intense sniper fight. The ring around them closed in drawing the two gamers closer.

“Hey buddy guess what.” Ace said.

“What?” Neo snapped.

Ace shot Neo's character in the knee. The wound crippled his movement speed.

“Got any med kits?” Ace laughed Neo found himself outside of the zone of play.

His victory at hand Ace got up to his feet and began to dance. Lightning struck the apartment building. The light emitted from the flash was unusually bright. The lights and television grew brighter and brighter. Suddenly the television and Xstation 3 exploded, glass, plastic, and metal shrapnel peppered the room. The force of the blast flung Ace back against the sofa, toppling them backwards. The power died and they were in the dark.

This was the moment that changed how I perceived reality.

“I’ve got it in my eye!” Blaze yelled.

“Hang on buddy.” Ace said as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. Ace opened the flashlight application. Ace examined his friend’s wound. It was a tiny piece of plastic in his eye. “It’s ok, this is a tiny piece of plastic, I’ll just wash it out.” Ace said looking for a red solo cup.

“Guys… Someone is in here with us…” Ultra muttered as he pointed into a particularly dark part of the apartment.

“Hang on my dude, I’m working on something here.” Ace replied as he picked up a red cup and dumped it into his friend’s eye.

Blaze let out an even worse scream. He pulled himself up and worked his way toward the bathroom in the pitch black. There was a series of loud clatters. Ace looked into the red plasitc cup. It was not full of water, but it was one of the cups full of a mixture of Super Boost Energy, Blue Cow Energy, and Demon Energy drinks.

“Whoops.” Ace shrugged.

“Ace…” Ultra was now tugging at him. “We are not alone.”

There was definitely a silhouette in that part of the room. Ace slowly shined his light at it. There was a nude woman in the room with them. The power came back on abruptly. Throwing everyone off balance.

She was naked in this strange environment. The room was tiny, even by the spartan standards of the Earth Union’s refugee ships. Judging by the room’s furniture this was a living quarters of some sort. The living quarters were lit by antique lamps and outdated inefficient light bulbs. The cooking area was stocked with a giant and bulky food refrigeration unit, a stove, and microwave oven; not a food ration dispenser in sight. Tools that were practically neolithic compared to what she was used too. She looked at the men she was in this strange room with. They looked like they were in their early to mid twenties.

The boys recognized Centurion Chloe immediately. She was one of the Characters from the story mode of RingWorld. She was a super soldier from the year 4967. The trio was astonished by the occurrence. Ace smiled and waved at her. Blaze approached her causing her to tense up.

“It’s ok we don’t want to hurt you.” Blaze spoke slowly and carefully as he reached out to her.

Chloe grabbed Blaze’s wrist and threw him into the wall with superhuman might. Before anyone could react Chloe had Ultra by the throat, her superhuman strength was matched by her speed. She lifted the overweight gamer off the ground like he weighed an ounce. Ace turned heel and ran.

Ace searched frantically for the pipe. Maybe offering her a bowl would calm her down. If not, he could figure out what type of hallucinogen the marijuana was laced with. Chloe threw Ultra into Blaze just as he pulled himself out of the wall. She turned to her next target. Ace had tears running down his face when he got grabbed.

“Please don’t hurt us. We want to help you!” Ace exclaimed.

“Don’t hurt him!” Ultra cried out.

Chloe did not know who these men were. She did not trust any of them; or anyone for that matter. She punched Ace in the stomach. The contents of Ace’s stomach spilled out of Ace’s mouth, a neon yellow mixture of energy drinks and chunks of junk food. She grabbed Ace before he could fall to his knees. She threw him through the wall into the apartment next door.

“What the fuck are you doing!?” Larry, the resident next door exclaimed.

“Sorry Larry, I’m just as upset about this as you are. Your wall is also my wall right, Comrade?” Ace said getting up and walking to Larry’s front door.

“No!” Blaze commanded in a stern voice as he was picked up by the head.

“Please!” Ultra begged as he was also picked up by the head.

She banged the two together. Ace tried to open the door to his apartment. The knob did not budge. Ace let out a defeated sigh, as he began to kick the locked door. Finally the door burst open. Chloe turned her attention to him. Chloe began to approach him. Ace packed a bowl and held it out to her.

“Please don’t kill us!” Ace begged.

“Smoking… It will lighten the mood and alter your perspective.” Ace said.

Chloe coughed, smoke escaped with every hack. She felt a sense of peace.

I know this is crazy. But marijuana saved me, it actually saved me.

“Wow this stuff is nice.” She said between laughs.

“I’m Ace.” Ace said.

“My name is Mike, but these jokers call me Ultra.” Ultra said.

“My name is Blaze.” Blaze said.

Chloe was staring off into space apparently lost in thought. She snapped back into reality. “I am…” She began.

“Your name is Chloe, Centurion in the Earth Union.” Ace said.

“How do you know that?” Chloe was visibly confused.

“That’s a long story…” Ultra said.

“You’re a character from a video game.” Ace said.

“What is a video game?” Chloe asked.

“Well, the TV and Xstation are busted. So I can’t show you.. But…” Ace picked up the case to the game RingWorld 5 off of the shelf and handed it to Chloe. “Look you’re on the cover.”

Chloe looked down at at herself. What did this mean? Was her whole life just entertainment for young men? Was it a lie? Was this some kind of illusion? Was She just crazy? Could this be another Earth Union mind control technique? Maybe this was just a bad high, what was in the pipe? What is reality, actually? She began to do something she had not done in a long time; she began to cry. She looked up to the boys to say something, but words failed her. She could only manage sobs.

“Smooth Ace… Really smooth.” Blaze chastised his friend.

“Guys what do we do? I’m starting to cry too.” Ace said his eyes began to water.

“Ultra, grab a blanket and some water.” Blaze said.

“I’m going to get her some clothing.” Ace said.

Ultra returned with a blanket and a glass of water. Ace had a blue T-shirt and a pair of sweatpants.

“I have to go back.” She spoke finally.

“We’ll help you if we can.” Ace said. “But I don’t know how you got here in the first place, let alone how to get you back.”

“But the bright side you can get a job at Bungle and just write the alien Coven out of existence. You can just end the war you guys were were fighting. It would be a shame to never play another RingWorld game ever again though. Ending the conflict would end the franchise.” Ultra said.

“Buddy, you’re not helping. She doesn’t need the her reality is dependent on conflict pill right now.” Blaze said. “Chloe, we’ll figure this out together. This must be a huge shock for you. I can’t imagine what you’re going through. But, you’re in a safe space here.”

Chloe gave the game cover one last glance. The building was rocked by what sounded like an explosion.

“What was that!?” Chloe said.

That is when they noticed the flashing red and blue lights polluting through the windows.

“I think Henry called the police.” Ace said.

“Who?” Ultra asked.

“The guy who lives next door.” Ace explained.

“His name is…” Ultra was about to explain.

“I don’t think this is the police, guys.” Blaze said as he looked out of the window.

There was a fleet of black van military style vehicles filled the immediate area outside of the building. Men in black SWAT style gear and gas masks spilled out of the large vehicles. A black Cadillac pulled up. The car stuck out like a thumb that had been struck by a hammer. The Cadillac looked like it had just driven off of a an assembly line in the 1950’s. Two men in black suits stepped out of the car.

“I’ve seen that symbol before.” Chloe pointed to the large crest on the side of the armored trucks. The emblem looked like a shield with a sun, two towers, a small circle inside of larger circles, and a machine, all divided by a lightning bolt. Large text on the truck read Department of Energy.

A woman coming out of my video game was the least strange thing that happened through the course of this story. Nothing would ever be the same again...