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Part 4: Welcome To The Desert

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“YOU KNOW, ALEX, I THINK that I owe you an explanation.”

Calvin was looking at me. We were speeding down the highway in yet another stolen vehicle. Only moments earlier we had leaped from the moving train, carrying only the small copper key that Cal had been so fixated on.

“You think so?” I retorted. “I've been dragged under fences, rammed through walls, and pushed out of helicopters tonight, all without an explanation!”

“Fair enough,” Cal said. “I'll start from the beginning. There is a secret Roblox server known as the Oasis. It's a place with limitless possibilities and endless wealth. But it's entrance is closely guarded and only a very small people even know of its existence. In order to get in, you need a special object. The object requires a set of keys to access. The keys are what I seek now. I was on this quest once before when I was thrown in prison, and I've been waiting for a chance to escape ever since.”

“You know where all the keys are already?” I asked.

“Yes, but don't ask me to explain that. It would take all night.”

“I see. Are all the keys as complicated as this one was?” I said.

“Worse, I'm afraid,” Cal said, looking at me solemnly. “Which is why I'm offering you the chance to leave now. I won't make you follow me on my next step.”

I sighed and looked out the window at the world flying by us. I loved this server and had many friends here. But the intrigue of chasing this secret server was just too tempting.

“No, I'll go with you, if you'll have me,” I said.

Cal smiled. “I most certainly will. I could use an extra set of hands!”

We drove along in silence for several more minutes before we finally reached a portal to other Roblox servers. Cal pulled the car to a stop and stepped outside.

“We're leaving I guess?” I asked, climbing out of the passenger seat.

“That's correct,” Cal replied.

“Where to?”

“You'll just have to trust me on this, Alex.”

Great, I thought. If he isn't willing to tell me where we're headed it's most likely because we're going somewhere terrible!

Despite my better judgment, I followed Calvin into the portal. There was a brief fluttering in front of my eyes, and then moments later I was standing on a dusty desert plane, on a new server. All around me for miles in each direction I saw nothing but sand, and dunes. The only sign of life here was the portal we had just exited behind us and a handful of rusted-out buildings in front of us. It looked like the remnants of an old factory complex of some kind. I walked forward slowly, squinting into the sunlight for a better look.

CRACK!

The sound of a bullet whizzing overhead sent both Calvin and myself diving behind a boulder for cover!

“Calvin! Where are we?” I asked angrily.

“Phantom Forces server,” he replied simply. “Try not to get shot okay?”