Continue Online (Book 1, Memories) Read Online Free

came from a tiny wrist-based camera and projected
outward, providing a second look at what I already felt. Her machine
was fine. Each part replaced along the bottom end had been
successfully installed.
    “ Thank
goodness. So, soon then? I’ll be able to log back on soon? I
have a game to play.” She said. Miss Yonks was today’s
fourth client and acted like a junkie.
    "A
few more minutes to run our final tests and we'll be good," I
said.
    The
Internet was an addictive world where dreams could come true. Never
mind the children playing in the streets with light projection
armbands. The Internet had too many possibilities. There had been at
least twenty cases of people who played games into near-comas and
tried to sue.
    Trillium
International was the company presiding over most online hardware.
Every year they issued health warnings. So far they hadn't paid out a
dime as a part of any lawsuit. Besides, overall, people loved them.
    Last
week I fixed a man’s system. His software load out focused on
interactive ladies of the clothing optional variety. That trend
wasn't limited to men either. I did my darnedest to ignore all
questionable programs.
    People
also used the virtual reality machines for work. Others used them for
training. Years ago the first few devices went to hospitals. They
assisted in coma patient recovery with a thirty percent success rate.
That alone had endeared the ARC and its parent company Trillium to
the masses.
    “ Checks
complete. All systems verified and functioning. All network links
established.” Hal Pal stated the information as if it were a
printed report.
    “ Were
there any errors found during the visual review?” The robot was
running a polite personality right now. It switched depending on our
clientele.
    “ Nothing
out of place. Everything in.” I said for the AI. If all Hal
Pal’s system checks came back positive then asking me was only
useful for our client. “Locked, smooth as can be.”
    A
computer telling the clients that everything was fine was often met
with doubt and questioning disdain. Having a human face interpreting
for the machine helped all parties involved. In the end, Trillium
paid me to act a part.
    I
pulled myself out from under the giant machine. It was bigger than a
twin bed and it even switched positions automatically to reduce
stress. There was a series of digital projections that would cast
about the room for anyone to interface with. If the user placed their
head in the right spot it would capture them and start a virtual dive
into the digital world. Which, ultimately, was the point of having
one.
    All
these clever inventions combined together into the greatest piece of
entertainment technology. Trillium had provided me an ARC as well
that even came with a robot. Both barely fit into my tiny house, I
left the Hal Pal shell out in the garage. Miss Yonks had a nice
eggshell colored ARC, mine was a wooden brown.
    “ Sounds
like we’re nearly done.” I stood up and tried not to
think about dust and crumbs. “Go ahead and do an external log
in. If it connects, we’re good.” One hand motioned to the
side panel display.
    Miss
Yonks walked over and quivered while speaking. Her voice print woke
the machine up. A friendly smiley face stood on the upper left. She
looked at me then at the screen again before finally speaking her
pass-phrase. One of her frail arms was inside the visual range of the
ARC. Both were security measures to identify her on the local device.
Retinal scans and brain wave mapping would get her a full immersion
dive onto the network.
    “ Looking
good,” I said.
    "Yes.
Now I can get back in time. I think." She nodded while waving
through the ARC digital menus. Every ARC came with the ability to
project a three dimension image or flattened one within its confines.
Miss Yonks had a flat display which showed a room looking similar to
the real one here in reality. Normal computers had a desktop, ARCs
had an Atrium. Anyone who mentally dived into