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Chapter One: Press Start

"It's called the universal backend. But you already know that."

Martin Barr stood at the podium outside of a large and gorgeous building, addressing a crowd of enthused onlookers. Behind him, a group of some of the most talented engineers and designers on the planet were gathered.

"What you don't know is what we're doing with the technology. What we're making. Experiences that'll blow your mind. Experiences that'll change the way you look at this ever-changing world. And most importantly, experiences that'll make you realize what it truly means to be human. To be in charge of your own story here on this planet."

Excited whispers came from the crowd.

"XP: Existential Points is launching tomorrow. The first game in history where you are the hero, where your adventure takes place not on a TV screen, but here on planet Earth, and where you won't have to daydream to escape reality anymore, because reality itself will become the greatest video game you've ever played."

A slow roll of cheers from the audience as Martin's proclamation dawned on them.

One of the engineers in the back, the youngest on the team in fact, with short red hair, stylish glasses, and usually a very sunny disposition, tried her best to hide the concern on her face. She was unsuccessful.

Her name was Rosalind Grey, and she was an optimist. An engineer. Someone who knew that studying, trial and error, finding every point of failure, and iterating a million times over were necessary parts of the process to ensure that whatever she was doing would function. To her, "luck" wasn't a thing. Everything was a variable in an equation.

And Martin was an equation that she couldn't fully understand.

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"I'm concerned."

"You're concerned?!"

Rosalind and her co-worker, Willow, made their way down a sleek hallway.

"I'm concerned," Rosalind continued, "because governments are letting us unleash this tech on the world without any sort of testing, safeguards... Like, this is gonna sound crazy, but I actually think they trust us too much."

Willow stopped in the middle of the hallway. Rosalind kept her brisk pace; it took her a few seconds to notice that she was walking alone. She awkwardly retraced her steps back to Willow.

"You... you don't think they trust us too much?"

"Listen, Rose, I love you to pieces sweetheart but you need to understand something. I think you're projecting your trust issues onto the rest of the world."

"I don't have trust issues! I'm usually the first to -"

"You do! You do have trust issues! You act all cheery, but deep down you can't accept that maybe Martin is a guarded genius who won't show his cards because geniuses are just weird like that."

Rosalind took in Willow's words. She nodded for a few seconds, and then responded.

"Agree to disagree?"

"Lady, I cannot for the life of me handle your stubbornness."

Willow, trying to maintain a serious face, eventually buckled into a laugh. Rosalind joined her in laughing.

Willow then relented. "Agree to disagree."

As they made their way down the hallway, Rosalind found herself lost in her thoughts. The launch was tomorrow. This was it. The big day.

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Not too far from the high-tech building where Rosalind and the XPeriential group were changing the world was a lecture hall that was three-fourths full.