I pad closer, he notices me, jerks and shouts:
– Who? Who are you, asshole?!
And another 'multistory' phrase follows.
– Gunslinger, – I reply aiming the rifle barrel at the swearer's forehead. I don't like when one curses like this. Either the girl or a kid could be in my body after all.
We have to spend at least five minutes to gather all the trophies. Now I'm equipped excellently: guns, the rifle with an optical sight, the carbine, the rocket launcher, first-aid sets, grenades, the armor vest. My prisoner is equipped no worse, he just doesn't have the rocket launcher.
It's impossible to drag away such a pile of iron in reality, but here we all are Rambos a little.
– Let's go, – I say to the prisoner, getting into the car. He understands without translation.. We drive along the highway, I can't resist and shoot one more trailer using the rocket launcher. Of course I leave the car firstly… Labyrinth"'s creators had a good sense of humor and I don't want to watch my insides on the car's ceiling at all.
The second level ends at the suburbs of the Twilight City. We leave the car together and save our result using the computer which is diligently working on the ruins of a small cottage. Only after this my fellow traveler calms down. I wave my hand to him and go towards the sever cover hatch. The most reliable way through the third level lies through shit. A few people use it, it's too disgusting despite the shower at the end of the level. But I don't care, I'll pass the sewer looking at the screen and moving the mouse.
– Hey! – shouts my fellow traveler behind me – Why did you need me? You are the coolest one I've ever met!
Maybe he expects the reply like 'it's easier together' or even an offer to go together further, but I didn't like that he almost crashed into burning cars, so I tell the truth:
– I don't know how to drive and it's too long to walk on foot.
He just stays by the computer, bewildered and overfilled with impressions. And quite well equipped for the beginning of the third level, by the way…
10
I pass 14 levels. In 7 hours. The legend was born today.
Corpses and ruins were left behind my back. Only on the 6th level I was delayed for a while: it's very-very new and unwonted. Then I was stuck on the 12th, I've encountered similar levels before but the arena is always the arena and crushing a hundred plus monsters is not like pushing three buttons.
Fortunately other players almost never interfere anymore. The rumors are creeping across "Labyrinth" crossing levels with the ease impossible even for divers. The deep is not an obstacle for rumors, nothing could ever stop them.
Rumors are diver's enemy but now they spread fear across and this works to my advantage.
By the end of the 14th level I realize that I can't stand it anymore, I get out of the deep for a moment and see that it's almost 7 am. It's only bad for computers to be shut down, the opposite is true for humans.
The 14th level is the city's sport center. The computer with the game menu was standing on the judges' table by the huge swimming pool where corpses of crocodile-like amphibious monsters were lazily swaying in clear water. It's quite difficult to kill those so I had to use the plasma gun to boil up the water in the pool. When the water cooled down, I dived in the stinky broth and waited for the pursuers for about 10 minutes: two hysterical players, the guy and the gal that followed me for three levels already. They were in hurry being sure that I'll leave the sport center immediately and stormed into the hall recklessly yet beautifully: the guy with the plasma gun by his belt and the gal with the carbine atilt. I launched a rocket at them, right from underwater and they both vanished in the fiery swirl.
I crawled out of the pool leaning upon the boiled monster's body and looked into the crater. Nothing was left there, the guy's plasma gun's energy cells had detonated.
– I'm the Gunslinger, – I say anyway. It had become a ritual already and I like good traditions.
I save my result: "Gunslinger, 14" and click the exit button: we'll do everything right and honestly, I'll have a rest and return, return for sure.
The hatch opens in the floor by the judges' table and after jumping into it I find myself in the changing room.
The exit from "Labyrinth" is as solemn and magnificent as the entrance, though it's a different solemnity, a cheerful one. The room with pink marble walls, bright sunlight in the ceiling window, soft armchair, the table with fruits and food, the huge carved redwood closet. I take off my armor, helmet, masking overalls and stuff it into my 'individual closet' together with the pile of weapons. Only I will be able to use the goodies I've earned when reentering "Labyrinth". I take the shower and change. That's it, time to go. I don't want to break the program, enough headaches for me, after all it takes just 5 minutes to get to the hotel and exit in a regular fashion.
The changing rooms' doors lead to the spacious hall with columns from where Deeptown's streets can be seen. This is the border between the Twilight City and the rest of virtuality, as vague as a sound barrier in the ocean.
The hall is usually empty: players leave their changing rooms without hurry and then, in groups or alone they go to nearby restaurant "BFG-9000" or to "Kakodemon" bar to drink for their victory or defeat…
Today almost 100 people have gathered here and it was my merit. It seemed that everybody killed by me were present. Everyone leaving changing rooms is being closely examined as if they could see and remember my face under the mask-helmet. I'm being examined too but probably I don't fit into the image of merciless Gunslinger which they remembered during last moments of the game.
I approach the nearest group, the talk dies there and the muscular man with a square chin asks sharply:– Gunslinger?
Luckily, I get what he means and nod…
– Yeah… – resentment and rage are on my face, – With a rocket launcher, ass hole… and then says: "I'm the Gunslinger!"
Hm, it's a bit overdone possibly… it's pretty hard to hear just anything after being hit by the rocket, but Gunslinger's figure is already surrounded by mystical aura and my words about the rocket launcher are accounted as usual looser's excuses.
– You're the hundredth, – says the squared-chin guy, – I'm Tolik { Anatoly }
– I'm Lenia.
– Gee, he killed a hundred people on the spot, sucker! – informs Tolik with admiration and hate, – Just where did he come from, I wonder… Meet my friends: Jean, Damir, Katya… He made us all in the 9th level.
To be honest I don't remember, it was too noisy there: the one before the last attempt of the players to get together and crush the impudent Gunslinger in a body.
– And me – on 15th! – I say, – I was moving so well, but he…
– Have you heard this? – shouts Tolik, – The Gunslinger had moved on to the 15th!
The crowd answers with excited buzz.
I wave my hand hopelessly and head for the exit.
– Hey! – shouts Tolik, – Won't you wait for him?
– I don't have a rubber pocket! – I reply, – You'll soap up his mug by yourselves…
– This is true, – nods Tolik, – If we manage to recognize him.
He suspects me anyway but just can't confirm his suspicions.. I nod, make the next step and see Alex.
My first victim stands a little aside, silently listening to the dialogue with interest, it looks like he ain't gonna interfere. It's vendetta, one on one.
Works fine for me. I pass by him… a couple of seconds more and I'll enter Deeptown's street…