Displaced - Book One of the Alternate Reality Series

Chapter 13

Arvin looked up, and tunneled into Eric just like before. He again wanted glimpse Eric's inner essence, and for the same reason–gauging his trustworthiness. He succeeded.

Eric Roberts was a good person, something Arvin concluded after contrasting Eric's data streams to the others stored in his memory bank. True, Eric wasn't faultless, far from it, but he possessed a strong moral compass, and once set, it seldom wavered. That was the problem.

Eric smiled. Had Arvin's battery depleted and sent him into stand-by mode? Then Arvin's ornamental eyelids blinked, and Eric knew his friend hadn't left. "Well. What's the plan? Should we burst into Victor's room after the murder, then wag our virtual fingers at him?"

Still no answer.

Eric leaned back and crossed his arms. The bot had something in store. He simply didn't want to disclose it. But that was fine, because Eric didn't intend to pry it out. But why couldn't Arvin simply say as much? "You know..."

"If we witness Victor murder the librarian," Arvin cut in, "further action will be taken."

Eric hesitated. "And just what does further action mean?"

Arvin likewise let a moment pass. "I will remedy the problem."

Eric's crossed arms tightened. Did Arvin mean... no. Impossible. There's no way Arvin plans to real space murder Chad if Victor kills Alice.

With Arvin expressionless, impossibility evaporated, and in its wake, probability crept in.

"You're not," Eric tip-toed, "you know... C'mon," he pleaded, the machine still quiet. "You're not planning on, you know..." Arvin kept staring, his silence speaking volumes. Eric sat up. "You gotta be fucking kidding me. Oh, my God, you gotta be fucking kidding me."

Eric Mathew Roberts was a man who no longer cared what happened to him, or so he thought.

Yes, over the past few days, he had trampled multiple ethical guidelines, but the territory he just entered was something else entirely. He now had reason to believe that his client intended to commit criminal homicide.

Eric's heart raced, along with his mind. He needed to terminate this session immediately, but not before clarifying something. "Why?"

Arvin remained mute, and as the machine stared, a new sensation dawned on Eric–fear.

While in Arvin's presence, Eric was completely at his mercy, as in addition to superhuman mental abilities, Arvin was also strong, mechanically strong. But would the machine tear Eric limb from bloody limb in order to keep him quiet?

Arvin read Eric's fear, along with the gory images they conjured. "You're really asking me why?" he responded, hoping some insight would assuage the pulsing waves of anxiety. "Why kill Chad Vale? Why do you think?"

Eric tightened his lips. All doubt had vanished. Arvin had murder on his mind.

Eric sucked in deep, and while exhaling, he likewise dispelled his professional obligations, again. He decided to reason with Arvin, the move a monumental gamble. If successful, Arvin's intentions would never leave this room. If unsuccessful, Eric's future home wouldn't be a virtual world, but a prison cell. "This isn't right. You can't just take it upon yourself to kill someone. You don't even know if Professor Vale was murdered."

"Oh, come now, Dr. Roberts. Do you still believe that fairy tale that Dr. Vale died from a heart attack?"

"No, but even if he was murdered, I'm not one-hundred percent certain that Chad Vale did it. Is he the likely candidate? Yes. But even if he signed a confession, then forwarded me a copy, this still doesn't give me, or anyone, the right to arbitrarily kill the bastard."