Multiplayer by John C. Brewer

the clock. “So record it, because you’ve got five minutes to get ready.”
    Helen didn’t have to go, claiming she was working the ball park concession stand today. Hector stuck his tongue out at her laughing face as he climbed into the minivan. Fortunately, it had a TV and he’d grabbed his game console so he wouldn’t waste the entire day. He logged on to a MegaSoft server with his cell phone, stuck in a pair of earbuds, and as soon as the link went green he went to matchmaking. By the time they hit the interstate, he was immersed in a ferocious multiplayer battle.
    “Surprised to see you playing a war game,” said Pappous, squinting at the game rendered in crystal sharpness on the tiny, overhead screen.
    Hector pulled out an earbud to answer. “It’s not a war game, Pappous. It’s called Omega Wars .” He stuffed it back in, hoping it would end there.
    “So what is this Omega ? Other than the last letter of the world’s oldest alphabet.”
    Hector scowled. “ Omega Wars . It’s a massively-multiplayer-online-game set after a war wiped out civilization.”
    “And this is fun?” Pappous asked, his face twisted in confusion. He was getting really annoying.
    Hector pulled both buds out. “It’s an adventure game, Pappous. Like playing cowboys and Indians, or cops and robbers. Didn’t kids in Greece back in your day do things like that?”
    “At the time, it felt like the end of the world.” A shadow passed over the old man’s kindly features.
    “He plays it too much,” Mom said, from the front seat. “But he’s going to study his algebra on the way home.”
    “I didn’t bring my book with me!” Hector answered triumphantly. His mother held it up from the front seat.
    “Whatever,” he grumbled. Algebra, he couldn’t escape it.
    “Algebra,” said Pappous, brightening. “You know, you cannot be a Greek historian and not be a bit of a mathematician, Hector. It was the Greek civilization that –”
    “Excuse me,” said Hector. Luckily, he’d just received a chat request from Deion. He accepted and they were able to speak over the game headsets. At the moment, Deion was headed toward a soccer tournament on the other side of the state and wanted to know if Hector wanted to meet him in Alanya for some more scouting. Hector headed back to the Sulako , re-supplied Izaak, picked up another limpet mine for Darxhan, and slipped into the Alanya basement where they had left the gate replicator the night before. He found Darxhan waiting for him.
    “What happened to you last night?” Darxhan asked, as soon as Izaak emerged. Fortunately Hector was wearing headphones.
    “Uh, later,” Izaak replied. “I’m not in –”
    “What are you doing now?” Pappous asked, when Hector emerged from the basement up the narrow stair.
    “Oh, you’re not alone,” said Darxhan.
    “Affirmative,” Izaak said to Darxhan, and half-turned to Pappous. “I’m trying to get back my sniper rifle, Pappous. It got stolen by this terr – This guy. And I’m going to get this portable slipgate when I’m there, too,” Hector told his grandfather.
    “That would make it much easier to get around, wouldn’t it?”
    Hector glanced at him in curiosity. How did he know about slipgates?
    “What?” said Pappous.
    Hector stared at him for a moment. The old man was completely clueless. “Nothing.”
    Darxhan went on to tell him about coming back down the peninsula the night before and almost being caught by two vanguards. He managed to eliminate them before they knew he was there. Then Izaak went into his tale and Darxhan was every bit as perplexed by the strange battle over the limousine. And every bit as intrigued by the prospect of a portable slipgate.
    “Man, if we could get our hands on that –” Darxhan trailed off.
    Hector had already thought about it. “Yeah. We could become the most powerful clan in Omega Wars .” Izaak turned to pan around the deserted street when the peninsula to the south swung into