Suddenly other shadowy figures still in their chairs flickered into view.
“You can now see each other in your virtual world,” Souris said.
The avatars shifted form until Valika could recognize each. Cesar was to her right. The other members of the Ring appeared. Their faces were expressionless but identifiable.
“This is the safe mode of Aura,” Souris continued. “With a little bit of experience we can get to the point where your body receives external feedback, so that your senses other than sight function as if you are really there. Which would make this”-the chamber flickered for a second, then a dozen naked women appeared, some lounging about next to the pool, others strolling provocatively-“more than just a show. It would be real to you.”
There was a slight click, then Souris ’s voice came back. “I am sorry, Valika, about this display. Señor Cesar said I must do something his comrades would appreciate.”
“Can I speak to you?” Valika felt herself say the words, but couldn’t hear them.
“Yes. We are on a private link. This show is designed to go for another ten minutes. Quite disgusting.”
Valika could see that two of the women next to the pool were now kissing. The men’s shadows were watching. “Can I leave here?”
“Where would you like to go?” Souris asked.
“What are my options?”
“This Aura field covers a little over a mile in width. You can travel anywhere on Saba inside the field. I can also generate various scenarios from the database-much like this room-for you.”
The courtyard flickered, then was gone. Valika stood in a room she immediately recognized. Her mother and father’s apartment in Moscow. A dingy, two-room affair overlooking the square, across from the university where he was a guest lecturer.
“I designed it from photos Cesar gave me,” Souris said.
Something came into being to Valika’s left and she turned. Souris was there.
“Why this?” Valika asked.
“Cesar said it was the last time you were happy,” Souris said simply.
Valika remembered talking to Cesar late one night, after she had foiled an attempt on his life by a rival gang. They’d both drunk too much and she’d said too much.
“The others are only able to see the display I put on,” Souris said. “They would need the leads on their head, like you have, in order to have an avatar. I did not think them ready for that. The forms you saw in there were just two-dimensional projections.”
The door started to swing open. Valika felt a surge of excitement, anticipating her mother, immediately feeling foolish for such a thought.
“Who are you?” There was surprise and shock in Souris ’s voice as a strange man walked in. “How did you get here?”
The man was tall and thin, his form not quite solid. He looked at both of them and settled into the chair that had been her father’s. “My name is Jonathan Raisor.”
Valika was surprised to see his mouth move as he spoke. She turned to Souris. “What is this?”
The man looked about. “Not bad, but couldn’t you have come up with something a little fancier? Your comrades viewing the women by the pool are enjoying themselves. I did not think it wise to interfere in that presentation. Still, I can’t complain. This is the first chance I’ve had to sit down in quite a while.” He laughed, a manic edge to it. “As a matter of fact, this is the first time I’ve had a body in quite a while.”
“Who are you?” Valika asked, seeing that Souris was at a loss for words.
“I told you my name.”
“That means nothing to me,” Valika said.
“I am-was-part of an American experiment like this.” Raisor waved an arm about. “A bit different though.” He looked at Souris. “I think you know what I am speaking about. What you’re doing here is very interesting. You’re opening a window between the virtual and the real worlds. Straddling it, so to speak.”
“You’re from Bright Gate,” Souris whispered.
“Very good. You get the prize.”
“They have progressed far in the last two years since I left HAARP. I knew Jenkins, who ran Bright Gate while I was running HAARP. He knew so much.”
“He knew much but he was just a pawn,” Raisor said. “He is no longer with us.”
“What happened to him?” Souris asked.
“I killed him.”
Souris did not seem surprised. “Why?”
“He betrayed me.”
“What should we do?” Valika’s voice echoed inside Souris ’s mind on the private link.
The man smiled. “I can hear you. I am far more in the virtual plane than you. And you are far more in the real than I am. I saw what you did to that man in the courtyard. And I know who Cesar is. And I’ve heard of the Ring.”
“How?” Valika demanded.
“I worked for the CIA.”
“Who do you work for now?” Valika asked, noting the tense. She felt naked, with no weapons, no body even to fight with. This was completely unexpected.
“Me. As I said, I was betrayed. I believe we have common enemies now.” Raisor got up and went over to the bureau. He picked up the wedding picture of Valika’s parents. “Interesting. You’ve done a good job. Re-creating-” He paused and closed his eyes.
Valika felt pain in her head and she involuntarily gasped. The man’s right hand was at her head, unnaturally extended. The fingers were in her skull. She jerked back.
The man opened his eyes and was looking at Valika. “Your parents. This was their apartment. They are both dead now.”
“How do you know that?” Valika demanded.
“As I said, I have more power here than you do. I can reach”-he put a hand out toward her once more and she took another step back-“places you know nothing of.”
“How did you do that?” Souris asked, indicating the picture in his hand and then Valika. “We’re not on a level to interact with the projection or each other on that level. I’ve been working on getting to that point, but it’s eluded me.”
“You may not be at that level, but I am.”
“Tell me how?” Souris was excited. “How are you being projected? What did Jenkins change in the program?”
“ ‘Projected’?” Raisor mused. “Interesting choice of words.” He tapped his chest. “This is me.”
The room faded for a second. “It’s too soon for the power to be this low,” Souris said.
“I’m drawing quite a bit,” Raisor said. “I assume you don’t mind. What is HAARP?”
“We have to return,” Valika told Souris. She considered what he had just said and realized the only control they had over this man was turning off the Aura transmitter. He may have talents on the virtual plane, but he needed their power to exercise them, it appeared.
Raisor put his hand up, indicating they should wait a moment. “What is HAARP?” he repeated. His arm extended, as if it was made of rubber, toward Souris, reaching for her head.
“A projector like this,” Souris said quickly, stepping back. “Developed by the Americans. I’m surprised you never heard of it. Or saw it, if you were with Bright Gate and operated on the virtual plane.”
Raisor was nodding as if something finally made sense to him. “Now I know what she saw that she wasn’t supposed to.”
“Who are you talking about?” Valika demanded.
Raisor ignored her. “I think we can help each other.” He looked at Valika. “Talk to Cesar. Tell him I can take Aura to another level that you have not considered.”
“In exchange for what?” Valika demanded.
“I will tell you next time we meet. But I assure you that we can be very useful to each other. You’ve seen some of my powers. I have others you haven’t even thought of.” He looked at Souris. “Or perhaps you have thought of but haven’t been able to accomplish yet. I have some things to check on. I will be back here in thirty minutes.”