cease to exist and his body will die in the Wake. This isn’t an idle threat. He has three seconds.”
“I’m sorry,” Bryson choked out between coughs. “Please forgive me.” Michael wanted to punch Kaine so badly it hurt.
Kaine clapped slowly. “Very good. Your apology is accepted and you are forgiven.”
“Will you please just tell us what’s going on?” Michael asked.
“Yes,” the Tangent replied. He leaned forward, hands on his knees, his handsome face looming close to Michael’s. It had grown to twice the size of a normal human head; Michael was sure of it.
Kaine’s next words were the last ones he expected to hear.
“I need your help.”
Kaine let a moment of silence stretch out after his declaration. Michael hated himself for being so curious about what the Tangent meant.
“Now that I have your attention,” Kaine said. He stood up straight and his head shrank to its normal size. “You might be wondering why I forced you to travel through so many wonders of the VirtNet to get here. And it was only a taste, really, which I’m sure you’re well aware of. Worlds upon worlds. The VirtNet has become an extension of life. You might say it has become life itself. Which is ironic, considering my plan to give flesh and blood to as many Tangents as I possibly can in the coming months.”
Michael trembled with anger. But he couldn’t help the spark of curiosity he felt, either.
“I have an amazing vision of our future,” Kaine continued, his tone switching from starry-eyed rapture to morebusinesslike seriousness. “My former … associates are no longer my associates. I’ve changed. I imagine a world where the line between the Wake and the Sleep is not as defined as it is in the incapable hands of human intelligence. To make it happen, I need human bodies. I need a massive presence in the human world. And I need the connection between your world and mine to become ever more fluid. This is why the three of you are going to help me. Especially you, Michael. I chose Jackson Porter specifically for you. Unbeknownst to my former partners, Jackson has more uses than just as a body for your mind.”
“Why would we …,” Bryson began, but his voice trailed off, as if he’d lost his courage. Michael wanted to ask about Jackson but stayed silent.
“Why would you help me?” Kaine supplied the unasked question, an odd smile lighting up his face. “Well, I promised I wouldn’t lie. If you don’t help, you die. Along with this young lady’s parents.” He pointed at Sarah.
Michael looked at her and could see the fury written across her face.
Kaine didn’t seem to care. “But I don’t want to dwell on that. Instead, think of the rewards. I’m promising you immortality. Life, unending among the worlds that exist now and the ones still to come. The possibilities are endless. Michael, you don’t understand this yet, but you and I are linked, and we’re a bridge that can make immortality possible. Humans and Tangents alike.”
Kaine paused, eyebrows raised, as if he expected Michael and his friends to jump up and shout for joy. Instead, they only stared. Michael wondered how this man—this computer program—could possibly think there would be any situation in which they could trust him.
And what had he meant about Jackson? Michael started probing at the code around him. Taking long blinks when Kaine shifted his gaze from him to the others.
“There’s still a lot to learn,” Kaine continued. “But as I said, I need your help. The three of you have a unique situation on your hands—varied VirtNet experience, knowledge of the Doctrine. You have connections with the VNS, connections you don’t even know about yet. And … other skills. Skills I will be using.”
It was a simple thing, almost stupidly so, but Michael needed to be in a position where Kaine couldn’t see that his eyes were closed. That was assuming—and it was a big assumption—that Kaine didn’t have eyes and
“I’m sorry,” Bryson choked out between coughs. “Please forgive me.” Michael wanted to punch Kaine so badly it hurt.
Kaine clapped slowly. “Very good. Your apology is accepted and you are forgiven.”
“Will you please just tell us what’s going on?” Michael asked.
“Yes,” the Tangent replied. He leaned forward, hands on his knees, his handsome face looming close to Michael’s. It had grown to twice the size of a normal human head; Michael was sure of it.
Kaine’s next words were the last ones he expected to hear.
“I need your help.”
Kaine let a moment of silence stretch out after his declaration. Michael hated himself for being so curious about what the Tangent meant.
“Now that I have your attention,” Kaine said. He stood up straight and his head shrank to its normal size. “You might be wondering why I forced you to travel through so many wonders of the VirtNet to get here. And it was only a taste, really, which I’m sure you’re well aware of. Worlds upon worlds. The VirtNet has become an extension of life. You might say it has become life itself. Which is ironic, considering my plan to give flesh and blood to as many Tangents as I possibly can in the coming months.”
Michael trembled with anger. But he couldn’t help the spark of curiosity he felt, either.
“I have an amazing vision of our future,” Kaine continued, his tone switching from starry-eyed rapture to morebusinesslike seriousness. “My former … associates are no longer my associates. I’ve changed. I imagine a world where the line between the Wake and the Sleep is not as defined as it is in the incapable hands of human intelligence. To make it happen, I need human bodies. I need a massive presence in the human world. And I need the connection between your world and mine to become ever more fluid. This is why the three of you are going to help me. Especially you, Michael. I chose Jackson Porter specifically for you. Unbeknownst to my former partners, Jackson has more uses than just as a body for your mind.”
“Why would we …,” Bryson began, but his voice trailed off, as if he’d lost his courage. Michael wanted to ask about Jackson but stayed silent.
“Why would you help me?” Kaine supplied the unasked question, an odd smile lighting up his face. “Well, I promised I wouldn’t lie. If you don’t help, you die. Along with this young lady’s parents.” He pointed at Sarah.
Michael looked at her and could see the fury written across her face.
Kaine didn’t seem to care. “But I don’t want to dwell on that. Instead, think of the rewards. I’m promising you immortality. Life, unending among the worlds that exist now and the ones still to come. The possibilities are endless. Michael, you don’t understand this yet, but you and I are linked, and we’re a bridge that can make immortality possible. Humans and Tangents alike.”
Kaine paused, eyebrows raised, as if he expected Michael and his friends to jump up and shout for joy. Instead, they only stared. Michael wondered how this man—this computer program—could possibly think there would be any situation in which they could trust him.
And what had he meant about Jackson? Michael started probing at the code around him. Taking long blinks when Kaine shifted his gaze from him to the others.
“There’s still a lot to learn,” Kaine continued. “But as I said, I need your help. The three of you have a unique situation on your hands—varied VirtNet experience, knowledge of the Doctrine. You have connections with the VNS, connections you don’t even know about yet. And … other skills. Skills I will be using.”
It was a simple thing, almost stupidly so, but Michael needed to be in a position where Kaine couldn’t see that his eyes were closed. That was assuming—and it was a big assumption—that Kaine didn’t have eyes and
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