Daemon

told. He resisted the temptation to save the current game and clicked all the way back to the main screen. ‘I’m there.’
    ‘Good. You’ll need your hands for the controls. Can you put me on speakerphone?’
    ‘My son’s got a headset here.’
    ‘Perfect. Hook it up.’
    Sebeck hooked up the phone headset and put it on. ‘Can you hear me?’
    ‘Yes. Click the ‘Logon’ command.’
    ‘Okay.’ Sebeck waited a few moments.
    ‘When it prompts you for the logon and password, enter the following values … ‘ Ross spoke slowly, ‘Logon: CLXSOLL3. Password: 39XDK_88.’
    Sebeck used hunt-and-peck typing to enter the values, then he clicked the CONTINUE button. An unfamiliar screen came up, showing a heavily armored, muscular human form rotating in space. It was like Leonardo da Vinci’s sketchbook with heavy weaponry. At the top of the screen were the words ‘Character Name: Sir Dollus Andreas’ in large type. Dozens of stats and hyperlinks appeared alongside the frame containing the spinning human warrior. ‘What the hell is this?’
    ‘Your new character.’
    ‘This guy looks dangerous.’ Sebeck started clicking around the character sheet. It looked similar in format to his original barbarian – but all the categories were greatly expanded. He clicked through lists of weapons. ‘What’s a
Vorpal Sword
?’
    ‘Something I want back. We need to start out by getting information.’
    ‘Okay, what do I do?’
    ‘Click the SPAWN button. I’ll meet you outside your villa.’
    ‘My villa?’
    ‘You’re a knight. You hold a manse from the local lord.’
    ‘What’s a manse?’
    ‘It’s land that produces income to support you as a knight. Just hit the SPAWN button, please.’
    Sebeck sighed and hit the SPAWN button. In a moment the screen faded out. His hard drive was clicking like mad.
    ‘Did you spawn yet?’
    ‘It’s working on it.’ The screen faded in to reveal a large medieval bedchamber lit by smoky torchlight. Sebeck’s point of view was from the foot of his canopied bed. Three men stood before him. The computer graphics were pretty impressive; so were the movements of the animated characters as they fidgeted and one shoved the other to pay attention.
    The lead man bowed. The others followed suit. ‘Good morning, my lord.’
    Sebeck noticed two armored men standing guard at the bedchamber door. He spoke into his phone headset. ‘Okay, Jon, I’m in. I’ve got some guys talking to me.’
    ‘They’re probably your servants. To find out what you can do with people, point at them and right-click. A menu will come up.’
    Sebeck clicked on the lead servant, then right-clicked. A menu appeared:
    Follow me
    Guard me
    Bring me …
    Leave me
    Stop what you’re doing
    All of you, out of my sight, motherless dogs!
    Sebeck selected the last command, and everyone in sight shrank back and scurried from the room – including the guards at the door. The door slammed behind them. Sebeck chuckled heartily. ‘This is just like the office.’
    Ross’s voice came over the phone. ‘You called them motherless dogs, didn’t you?’
    ‘How could I resist?’
    ‘Just get to the street, please. I’m waiting.’
    Sebeck hit the Up arrow to get himself moving. He eventually discovered the keyboard stroke to open doors, and soon he was walking through the halls of his villa. Servants scurried this way and that on apparent errands. They all bowed their heads as he passed. It was pretty impressive, but Sebeck wondered what the point of it all was. It’s not like he could really enjoy the comforts of the place. It was just computer graphics.
    He made it to the main hall, and from there Sebeck could see double doors with four men on guard. As he moved toward the front door, two men in rich-looking robes with fur collars and necklaces approached him from the wings.
    ‘My lord, a word, please. I hope you’ve considered our proposal. The price is fair. What say you, my lord?’
    Sebeck was confused. If this was his house, who the hell were these guys? ‘Jon, I’ve got a couple of shysters accosting me in my own foyer.’
    ‘Might be a deal the previous owner of the character had going.’
    ‘Are you serious? This game remembers what you do?’
    ‘Do they look important?’
    ‘Sort of.’ Sebeck right-clicked on the man. A selection of responses appeared:
    I’ll sell for 500
    Offer more money
    No, I’ll never sell
    I’ll think about it
    Sebeck’s mouse accidentally hovered over the guard in