«During the game? Oh, Miss Larina, you are wrong. Our quest has nothing to do with Tibetan traditions. The glossy lady seems genuinely surprised.»
Second big disappointment to date. In order not to demonstrate it, I just delve into reading.
The contract is drawn up in Chinese and English. The parties are Antakarana Corporation (game organizers) and the participant (in this case, me). I quickly skim through the usual preamble and standard clauses of the contract. I draw my attention to the rights and obligations of the participants. Nothing new, almost all the points were listed in the initial instructions, which the organizers sent by email along with the invitation to the Game.
The plane starts to take off. As usual, my head is a little dizzy and my breathing quickens. The palms become wet. I pretend to carefully study the contract so as not to please my companion by showing inner discomfort.
She’s just doing her job, I tell myself. However, my antipathy to her grows with every minute I spend together. We are gaining altitude. I’m glad this is a small private jet. The smaller the aircraft, the safer it seems to me. As if a huge airliner with hundreds of passengers on board could collapse due to its weight! I am well aware that this has no scientific basis. A couple of times the plane wobbles a little from side to side, so it takes my breath away. But I do my best to concentrate on the contract, and in the end I succeed.
The plane has climbed up and Zhang Kiang solemnly informs me that it is finally time to enjoy Chinese green tea. I nod politely and curse in my mind, having received a small mug the size of one sip.
In the meantime, I get to the description of the paragraph on the grand prize for the winner. The Сorporation promises the lucky devil one million dollars.
Of course, I don’t count on the jackpot. I have never had any luck in the events like these. I chuckle at the thought of the words «like these». As if the adventures of this kind happen to me every day! Yes, I have never won lotteries, horse races, casinos, money disputes or card games. But still, I know exactly what I expect from this game: emotions, activation of mental activity, new acquaintances, well-thought-out puzzles, my own dose of adrenaline…
In a world-class quest, it simply cannot be otherwise. And yet… the thought of the likely win is dizzy. There won’t be many of us. I cope well with the intricate tasks in online quests, I have good intuition and, thanks to constant training, I am in excellent physical shape. If you add a drop of luck to this cocktail…
What nonsense this cocktail! I discard the thought of winning, emphasizing to myself the intention to spend time in an interesting, effective and simply unusual way. The contract has already been marked by the head of the Corporation with two strange symbols, presumably Chinese hieroglyphs.
«Zhang Kiang, I’m ready to sign.»
«Miss Larina, I want you to be aware that after you sign the contract, you will not be able to leave the game until it is over. Under no circumstances. This is the last opportunity to refuse.»
I shall warn you that a difficult test lies ahead: strong opponents, hard conditions, difficult tasks, a constant burden of responsibility for the decisions made. The «Quest in Reality» is just a game, but this week everything will happen for real.
The organizer will not appear at the touch of a button to give a hint or help in passing an obstacle, as it happens in regular quests. Participants will have to rely only on themselves. It can be emotionally hard.
You still have the right to change your mind. But, on the other hand, you should know that the Game can show you a previously unknown world, demonstrate new facets of life and open the most secret corners of your subconscious. After completing the Quest from start to finish, you will never be the same again. You will be surprised at what your body is capable of, but even more at what your soul is capable of. It’s up to you to decide, Miss Larina, and only here and now.
Her words evoke conflicting emotions in me: on the one hand, I feel the much-desired rush of adrenaline in my blood and a dizzy euphoria about the upcoming adventure. A real, live adventure! On the other hand, at some point a chill runs down my spine, as when I answered the strange questions from the questionnaire about maniacs and Cyclone-B gas suffocation.
«The decision is made.»
The glossy lady just nods and hands me a pen. I put my signature on the line intended for this.
«Welcome to the Game!»
Zhang Kiang smiles, and this time I feel like I see the emotion in her eyes for the first time: this is relief.
A few minutes later, the plane is landing. Then everything happens extremely quickly. The glossy lady takes my suitcase, assuring that she will return my things safe and sound at the end of the Game. I am allowed to take with me only identity documents and one item that will remind me of home. I choose a notebook in a luxurious leather cover and my favorite pen – the presents from my father for the twenty-fifth birthday. I’m used to carry them with me and periodically make notes, if suddenly, in the middle of a working day, I am flashed by some kind of guess about the quest task, over which I had been puzzling untill midnight. Sometimes I just like to write down my thoughts in a notebook.
One of the ninja accompanying us approaches and without a single word puts a device similar to a large medical syringe without a needle to the right side of my neck, closer to my forearm. Zhang Kiang explains:
«A coordinator will be placed in your shoulder, no reason to be alarmed.»
«A gamer with a built-in GPS, what a great idea,» I joke grimly.
«You can put it this way, too,» my companion responds indifferently.
Her presence gives me more and more discomfort. The woman gets on my nerves, frightens, pisses me off with her detachment and facial expressions devoid of all emotions.
Our plane lands safely. I am so lost in thoughts about this strange day and how differently I imagined it, that I forget to be scared. When we finally stop, Zhang Kiang turns to me:
«Well, all formalities have been met. In less than an hour, the plane with all participants will head to the Location. On board you will be offered a warm lunch, drinks and additional instructions.» After a short pause she adds:
«Miss Larina, you look extremely sloppy. Let me fix your hair.»
My first impulse is to jump up, push her away and, perhaps, even be rude. But Zhang Kiang is quicker: she deftly removes the elastic that secures my ponytail, straightens the long dark hair, and then pulls it back into a bun. At this moment, the Glossy Lady bends down to my ear and whispers softly, almost with her lips alone. And yet I clearly catch her words:
«Don’t trust anyone. Follow the instructions carefully. This is your only chance.»
Then she walks away abruptly. The pumped up ninjas turn their turtle heads in our direction.
«Thank you.» I try to hide my surprise.
Zhang Kiang only nods indifferently in response.
I get off the plane and instead of the airport I see a primitive two-story building. Surely, the same uncomplicated equipment is inside. But I am not allowed to find it out. A few hundred meters away, a small snow-white plane with the Antakarana emblem on its wings is prepared. It sparkles brightly in the sun, dazzling with its splendor. A white limousine with a familiar three-dimensional symbol is already waiting nearby, ready to take me aboard the aircraft.
Feeling uncomfortable before, now I am seized by a real panic. What did Zhang Kiang want to say with her words: «Don’t trust anyone. Follow the instructions carefully. This is your only chance.» A chance for what? Get one million dollar prize? What if this is not a game at all, but just a trap? What if now I fall into the hands of cruel pirates or slave traders?!