‘Stop!’ yelled Hope. ‘Leave her alone.’
Hope grappled with the Fat Man, trying desperately to get him into a headlock. He knocked her aside as if he were swatting a fly.
‘Bobby, no,’ gasped Zyra, as she thrashed about, trying to escape his grip.
‘It would be so easy to snap your pretty little neck,’ wheezed the Fat Man, lifting her off the ground.
‘Bobby, please.’ Zyra’s voice was now little more than a hoarse whisper. ‘You’re not him. You’re Bobby. You’re the Ultimate Gamer.’
‘Talk about cheating,’ screamed Hope, as shestumbled to her feet. ‘You’re not even playing now. You’re just killing her.’
The Fat Man froze. His grip loosened a little and he looked into Zyra’s green eyes, the whites spiked through with bloodshot rivulets.
‘I’ve used so many different avatars that I sometimes forget who I really am.’ He let go and Zyra dropped to the floor.
‘I’m sorry.’ Bobby stared down at Zyra, no trace of the Fat Man persona remaining. ‘Each avatar has its own personality traits. Some are stronger than others, and the Fat Man is very strong.’ His voice became almost a whisper. ‘He doesn’t like to lose, either.’
‘Doesn’t that bother you?’ said Hope, helping
Zyra to her feet.
‘Nah,’ said Bobby, all smiles again. ‘Makes it more exciting.’
‘You little snot-rag,’ said Zyra, glaring at him and rubbing at her bruised throat. ‘You’re sick if you think this is exciting. We’re not playing now and you could have killed me.’
‘Everything’s a game,’ said Bobby. ‘You guys trying to find me. Me tracking you down. You trying to get out of the environments and into the real world. Games. They’re all games within games.Just without the Designers in control.’
‘You think that trying to get out is a game?’ asked
Hope.
‘Yeah. You want to get out, but you can’t. I can get out, but I don’t want to. I could let you out ...’ Bobby paused, looking at the eager expressions on their faces. ‘But where’s the fun in that? The only way I’ll ever let you out, is if you play against me and win.’ His eyes widened and he yelled, ‘Without cheating!’ His voice calmed instantly. ‘Others have played against me, trying to win their way out. None of them succeeded.’
Bobby saw the look of surprise in Hope’s eyes.
‘No, you’re not the first. It’s not as if you’re special or anything. There are non-garners in other environments, you know. Hundreds of them. And they all want out. Sometimes a bunch of them will find a cheat code that mentions me. They come looking for me. I challenge them. We play. I win. They die.’
‘Why, you little-’ began Zyra.
‘Don’t.’ Hope put a hand on her shoulder. ‘He’s trying to get you riled up. He wants you to do something stupid, like attack him or something. That would be a game to him.’
Bobby clasped his hands behind his back andfeigned an innocent expression.
‘You wouldn’t be so smug if it was you in danger,’ said Zyra.
‘I’m always in danger,’ said Bobby, suddenlyserious. ‘Being the Ultimate Gamer isn’t about safety. I’m not part of the Designers’ plan. I’m not wanted.’
‘So, what have you got to be worried about?’ asked
Hope. ‘What could possibly be a danger to you?’
As if on cue, two balls of static appeared over the top level of the pinball game.