Dream Light City Chapter 3: City planning

Read chapter 3 of Dream Light City by jensrichard on NovelPedia.

The Mayor's office. Let's get this over with. I suddenly feel lesser than I am. The Mayor looks down at me. "You are late, John." I try to find my inner Alpha and come up with an answer. "You probably already know why." "The entire city knows why. Your little stunt has been recorded and is trending everywhere. There is a limit to how much I can alter reality. YOU ARE THE HERO. YOU DO NOT DECAPITATE PEOPLE IN A SIMPLE FISTFIGHT." My heart starts to pump. I try to justify my actions, but I can't. I can't even speak. He is the Alpha now, and he feels it. I want to blame him, blame his way of ruling this city. My head hurts. "Answer me, John!" I try to find the words" I was…he had a knife, and the game was out of control. I protected a poor young boy getting killed for 10 credits… They jumped me." He seems not to care about that. "You had no right stopping a legal dream, they had agreed on. You only interfere if the game is illegal." This is fucked up. The game was out of balance. But I still killed two men for it. What a fucked up situation. "I fucked up. Is that what you want me to say?" He seems pleased now. "We knew this would happen at some point. We need to straighten your mind so we have a gift for you." A gift? Nothing from him is a gift. "What about the mess I made?" He walks to his big window and overviews his city. "We'll spin it. It may even empower your reputation and inspire fear in the gangs. After all, they did attack you first." He turns and looks at me. "You are getting older, John. You are not at your peak anymore, and they should not have been able to land that hit on you. That fuck-up could have been avoided if you were connected to the grid." He wants me to be hooked up to the Alternative Reality server. He opens his drawer to give me something. "I talked to Mr. Bix, and we made you something special." "Mr. Bix? The gangster? Why the hell are you still working with him?" "Watch your tone, John. You damn know why we are working with Bix." I don't like where this is going. Does he want me to be implanted with biotech? He takes out a box from his drawer. "I'm the Mayor of this city, and I want my Sheriff to see the AR without scanning with his pad first. Make faster decisions, and see if people are locked in a dream or not, directly." The law of dreams, where everyone is free to do everything if everyone agrees. A law only for this city, and it is out of control and corrupt. We don't use that biotech on ourselves. We use it to control others. Now he wants me to be a puppet. "No fucking way!" "I know what you think, John. This tech will not alter your thoughts. Bix promised me that." "Then what will it do?" "Enhance your reflexes, bring you back to your peak." "And let me see digital fashion ads and flying dragons everywhere." "You need to see the world as everyone else sees it." I pick up the box. It is a well-crafted black wooden box. Fancy stuff from Mr. Bix's high-end. I find what's left of courage in me. "And if I refuse?" He turns to the window and waves me over. I should not have asked that question. He takes a firm grip on my neck and pushes my face against the glass. "See this city, John? See the city of dreams I build? I can NOT have you fucking up my dream." He bashes my head against the window. Hurting me. "My city needs order and a hero for the rich. Not a vigilant for the poor. You play your role no matter what happens, okay? Next time a legal game is glitching, you report it to the company and move on." He let me go. I could kill him with ease, but I let him have me. I'm too deeply involved, and I will play my part. I walk away with the box in my hand without looking at him or saying anything. I feel his smocking smile behind me. I only wish to head home and see my family. The part of the family that doesn't involve him. I exit his office with his final words behind me. "Say hi to the family from me, John." Fuck you. Brother.