"Robin, what would you do if you had this much money?"

  Charlotte and I were about halfway to the rooftop. The elevator's glass doors gave me a view of a parking lot bigger than our apartment. I couldn't look up at the tower from there without getting vertigo and couldn't look at the ground from here without feeling a fleeting call to the void.

  “How much are we talking?"

  “Enough that paying my salary for the past three years is barely a drop in the ocean."

  I whistled. "That's a pretty penny at least." I stepped back to avoid the view and almost immediately bumped the back wall. "Build a bigger elevator."

  Charlotte scoffed. "That's the first thing you thought of?" She pointed to the ocean beyond the parking lot. "First thing I'm building is a private island where my two favorite people can live in peace."

  "And I'm one of those two right?"

  "Of course, who else is going to cook for me?" She looked me up and down. "I'd even get you a nice uniform. Dignified but cute. And all you want is a little elbow room." Char wrapped her arms around my waist and whispered, "Don't you like being this close to your wife?"

  Her sultry cadence hypnotized me–or maybe the vertigo hadn't quite worn off. Either way, I practically melted into her.

  "I wouldn't mind being a little closer," I said, resting my head on her shoulder. "I'm just saying it might get cramped if a few stragglers join us."

  Charlotte responded with one of her classic "Don't be an idiot" faces. "We're about to hit the thirteenth floor, Robin. Who–"

  The elevator stopped. Charlotte immediately shifted gears to her "Don't say I told you so" frown. Another classic.

  The doors opened, revealing an opulent corridor. The floor and ceiling were painted in a lush landscape and serene sky respectively. Columns painted like trees sprouted from the land to touch the birds etched into the sky.

  I couldn't quite see what lie at the end of the corridor but wouldn't mistake the fragrances of rosemary and lavender. Either a spice garden or a whole greenhouse. Given the choice between the two, I somehow doubted the owner would start sparing expenses here. Then again, they did neglect to build a bigger elevator.

  Speaking of which, Char and I had company.

  A scrawny red-haired girl stood before the elevator. Acne and freckles speckled her face, which changed from dismayed to horrified when she saw us. I hadn't experienced that reaction since my own acne back in seventh-grade.

  "Going up?" I asked.

  She didn't say anything. Her green eyes just stared from behind her glasses.

  “Are you lost?" I flashed the gilded lanyard around my neck. "The Auro-ientation is a few floors up."

  Charlotte shirked away and rubbed her face. "Oh my God, that's so stupid."

  But the kid cracked a smile. She slipped inside, hit one of the buttons and stood in the corner. She faced our direction but didn't look at either of us. Instead, her downcast eyes lingered on the parking lot.

  "You excited for the game?" I asked.

  The girl shrugged.

  "Quite the yapper, this one," I whispered loudly to Charlotte.

  That got another smile. "I'm not supposed to talk to strangers." She practically hissed through her lisp and immediately covered her mouth.

  Don't make fun of the kid, Robin.

  "Then how about we introduce ourselves? That way you won't get in trouble for talking to us,” I said, offering my hand. “I'm Robin. This is my wife Charlotte."

  The kid's eyes darted between my hand and my face. "Eh..."

  The elevator stopped again.

  "This is my floor."

  "But we're not at the–"

  She dashed off the moment the doors opened.

  "Nice meeting you, Eh." I waved.

  She turned around and started to wave back before the doors closed.

  "Hope she finds her way to the Auro–"

  Charlotte covered my mouth. "I will hurt you if I hear that stupid pun again." The glint in her eyes told me she was only half joking. "Besides, I doubt the kid is headed for Auro," she said, removing her hand. "No lanyard."

  I hadn't noticed. These were our literal golden tickets into the Sins of Auro beta. We got ours pretty easy since Char worked on the project. She told me the intake team had been "ruthlessly selective" with the other applicants. Kiddo wasn't getting into the game without one of these.

  The elevator resumed and didn't stop again until we reached the roof.

  An immaculate lawn, with a golden fountain in the center, lay before us. A gaggle of people dressed in Tolkien-inspired attire gathered by the fountain. One of them, I couldn't tell if they were another kid or just short, blathered on about being a "generational vampire". A handful of musicians got together for an impromptu jam session, and I saw one unlucky guy strikeout asking multiple girls to dance.

  Aside from the fancy décor, it wasn't much different from being at a con. These were my kinds of people.

  "Look at these dorks," Charlotte said.

  "Didn’t you take up archery after watching Lord of the Rings?”

  Her ensuing glare lost its bite when she started laughing. "Fair, but that stays between us."

  "Of course. Your embarrassing secrets are mine to treasure." I gently squeezed her hand. "Ready to taste the fruit of your labor, Char?"

  "I'm more excited to taste some fresh air. I was cooped up at the office so long I almost forgot how the sun felt." Char basked under a sunbeam. "Is it just me or does this feel amazing?"

  Today's sun felt harsher than usual but was offset by a refreshing breeze. Amazing might be a stretch, but it was lovely. "Will it feel this good in Auro?"

  Char's smile stretched out to her cheeks. Her condescending looks were classics, sure, but these moments of pure joy were my favorites. "From what the engineers tell me, even better." Excitement twinkled in her viridian eyes. "I've been putting off a full dive until I could go under with you." Her countenance soured. "So I better not catch you jaunting off with some elven floozy."

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  "Just the elves? Thought you'd be more worried about an orc mommy sweeping me off my feet."

  Char rolled her eyes. "I almost threw up in my mouth when you said orc mommy–" She grimaced and covered her mouth.

  "Whoa!” I wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her. “Are you sick?"

  "I'm fine, Robin."

  "But you threw up this morning too."

  "I said, ‘I'm fine, Robin!’"

  Several pairs of eyes stared at us. Of course the musicians picked now to have a lull in the impromptu jam session. One of the guitarists, a brown-haired woman about my age, looked especially startled.

  Charlotte's eyes were like a minigun shooting glares at anyone who dared judge her. The guitarist flinched and fiddled with her lanyard–hmm? Why was hers silver? I flashed her a smile, and she returned it.

  Charlotte's eyes darted between us, and she scoffed. "I'll be in the bathroom."

  "Do you need me to–"

  She slapped my hand away. "No, thank you. I..." She grimaced. “I just need a moment to clear my head. Go make some friends. I'll be right back."

  "You sure?"

  "Yes, Robin," she said, exasperated but good natured. "Just make sure your new friends aren't–eugh." She gagged. "Orc mommies."

  I laughed. "Not in my wildest dreams." I pecked her cheek and exchanged I love yous before letting her go.

  The crowd resumed their business, and the musicians started jamming again. The guitarist hesitated and looked at me. Her brown hair was a lighter tone than Charlotte's, while her eyes were almost the exact shade of green. She was pretty. The exact type of friend Char wouldn't want me making. I winked to let her know everything was alright and turned my back.

  "Heh?"

  I bumped into a plump woman wearing a yellow sweater. She staggered, but I caught her hand before she fell. “Careful there. You alright?”

  From the smile on her face, I was the one in immediate danger. "Heh... You touched my hand."

  Unfortunately yes. Touching her hand felt like dipping mine in olive oil. Girl could use some lotion. "Sorry about that." I tried to peel my hand away, but she held tight.

  "Susan."

  Well, Char did say to make friends. "Robin. Nice to meet you, Susan."

  “It’s nice to meet you too, Robin.” Her attempt at fluttering her eyes came across as spastic blinking. “Do you like bread?”

  What? Was that a euphemism I wasn’t familiar with? “Sorry, what do you mean?”

  “Heh. I mean bread. Rye. Wheat.” She ran a disturbingly long tongue across her lips. “Pumpernickel.” Her eyes rolled back, and a little drool dribbled down her mouth. “That one's my favorite. Especially as French toast, 'cause it’s yellow. That's my favorite color.”

  "That's my favorite color too." Char returned with a gilded chalice. She was lying but at least she was trying to be friendly.

  "Heh, have you met Robin?"

  "M-hmm. He's my husband."

  Susan eyed me. "Husband.”

  "My husband," Charlotte repeated.

  "You're lucky to have a husband. I just have Willard."

  "Is he, uh, nice?" I asked.

  Susan nodded slowly, still drooling. "He's a good spider. Sometimes he nibbles on my face." She giggled. "I like it when he nibbles."

  Charlotte rubbed her furrowed brow. "Yeah, I'm not doing this. Come on, Robin." She snatched my hand, ripping me away from Susan.

  "Heh!" She whined. "There went my one chance at happiness..."

  Char didn't spare Susan a passing glance. I wanted to apologize, but my wife walked briskly and I had to keep up.

  "Not that I don't appreciate you saving me, but that was rude."

  "M-hmm," Char said without looking at me.

  "You do know I'm not actually interested in her, right?"

  "M-hmm."

  "Jeez, you're making the kid from the elevator look real loquacious."

  Char didn't bother responding. Speaking of the elevator, we were making a beeline for it.

  "Where are we going?"

  "To our P.O.D.s."

  "But we'll miss the tutorial." It took all my self-control to not say Auro-ientation.

  There was her "Don't be an idiot" look again. "Yes, Robin, because I need an explanation on how to play the game I built."

  "And I don't need it because...."

  She rolled her eyes. "Because, you'll have me teaching you." Her expression softened–no. More like her facade cracked. I saw how tired she was, which wasn’t a classic look at all. "I want as much alone time with you as I can get. I've really missed you."

  I missed her too. The house felt a lot bigger the past few months–the bedroom and kitchen table in particular. The only thing that felt smaller was the fridge. I cooked for two every night, and the leftovers started piling up.

  “Okay. Let’s go.”

  We walked together, an improvement over me being practically dragged, and stopped at the elevator. The doors opened, and a man wearing a black and red Pierrot costume strutted toward us. "Hello, friends. I–" His enthusiasm dissipated upon seeing Charlotte. "McArthur."

  "Isaacs."

  I pointed at myself. "Also, McArthur."

  Now he smiled. "Then you must be Robin. Virgil Isaacs, the pleasure is all yours I'm sure." He pecked each of my cheeks. "Charlotte never stops talking about you. I feel like we've been friends for years." He regarded her. "You're headed for the P.O.D. room, aren't you?"

  "How’d you know?” I asked.

  He laughed. "Because I knew your wife couldn't resist. Just between us, the office had a betting pool on how quickly she'd dive in." He sighed. "Looks like Marcus will be a few hundred dollars richer."

  Charlotte tensed beside me, and her grip on my hand grew uncomfortably tight. "Are you going to stop us?"

  "Heavens no, I kept the door unlocked for you. Just don't have too much fun. Some of us have to wait for orientation first."

  A wicked idea formed in my mind, and I whispered something in his ear.

  Virgil gasped. "My God, that's brilliant." He clasped my shoulder and strutted toward the fountain. "Friends, gather round. It's time for Auro-ientation!"

  I met Charlotte’s glare with a sheepish shrug and followed her into the elevator.

  ***

  It didn’t take long to find our P.O.D. room, courtesy of Char’s familiarity with the complex.

  There were about twenty P.O.D.s in a compact circle. The size and shape varied to accommodate their eventual hosts, but each had the same basic structure. A long black tube with a clear blue face connected by wires to a larger device. I didn’t understand most of the buttons and knobs but knew a heart rate monitor when I saw one.

  A code written in gold or silver lettering decorated the center of each face. All the gold letters started with AR, and the silver letters started with AY.

  I did a bit of reading before signing the waiver. Most of the technical and medical jargon went over my head, but the gist was simple. Sit in machine, machine synchs to brain, brain goes brr, and I’m in a game. Each one was apparently personalized to account for any allergies or dispense medications via IV drip. It sounded safe but looked a lot like a coffin up close.

  “Not to doubt your boss, but this is safe, right?” I asked.

  “About as safe as a car,” Char said.

  I wasn’t sure if that made me feel more or less worried. “Is there any difference between the AY and AR versions?”

  “The silver ones are Project Ayla,” she grumbled.

  “I’m sensing a story here.”

  “And I’m sensing you stalling.” She whistled for the nearby technicians.

  Luckily, they were more bemused than bothered by our early access. The only grumblings came from betters who overestimated Char's patience. We were ushered into our designated P.O.D.s. It was roomier than I expected but still a bit claustrophobic.

  I snuck a peek at Charlotte through the blue glass. There was my favorite look again, full of joy and excitement. I could manage a little claustrophobia for that.

  She caught me looking and blew a kiss. “Thanks for doing this with me, Robin.”

  “Don’t thank me just yet. I reserve the right to nag you for years if I don’t have fun.”

  “Oh, trust me, you will. I won’t disappoint you.”

  That I didn’t doubt for a second.

  Char closed her eyes, and I did the same. The P.O.D. hummed around me. It was loud but relaxing–like a death metal lullaby. I counted head banging sheep and said goodbye to the world I knew.