eXistenZ Read Online Free

port-in?”
    Pikul was still trying to assess this newcomer. He seemed no different from the others already present, but exuded a nervous tension that made Pikul wary of him, and Antenna Research, he knew, considered Allegra Geller an irreplaceable asset.
    “Yeah, they’ve started,” he said. “But it’s only the first wave. You can probably be part of the second wave. It’s going to go on all evening.” Pikul again read the name on the card. “Okay, Noel Dichter, let’s see you with your arms up. I have to scan you. Metal and heavy synthetics not allowed.”
    “What is this?” Dichter said, incredulous. “A weapons check?”
    “It’s more for recording devices,” Pikul said through his teeth. He was concentrating on the radio-intensity receptor control on the stem of the wand. “There’s a lot of serious money invested in these games. Industrial espionage happens and, no offense, Mr. Dichter, we got to make sure it isn’t going to happen here. Now, what have you got in this case?”
    “I brought my game-pod,” Dichter said. “It’s got original Marway tissue architecture. Kind of obsolete now, I guess, but I was still hoping . . . Even though I can’t afford one of your Antenna MetaFlesh 15 upgrades, I’ve figured out a method of virtual porting that I thought might—”
    “Yeah, yeah,” Pikul said, because for him not much of this made sense. “You won’t need it tonight, whatever it is. Everything’s provided for here by Antenna. Call it corporate hospitality.”
    Dichter suddenly stiffened. “My God!” he cried. “Is that who I think it is?”
    “Is who who you think it is?”
    “That young woman, up on the platform! Is that Allegra Geller?”
    “Yeah,” Pikul said, with almost paternal pride. “That’s her. She’s really something, isn’t she?”
    “What’s a star like her doing here? A product launch in the back of beyond?”
    “Out here in the boonies is where the real people live, you know. Real fans. Just like you, Noel.”
    “Yeah, well, you said it. Just like me.”
    Dichter had scanned clear, so with no further reason to delay him, Pikul handed his vinyl case back and waved the young man in.
    Dichter went across and joined the press of people close to the platform.
    Not wanting any more late arrivals to get in without his say-so, Pikul turned the lock on the door and pocketed the key. Then he wandered back to the crowd, stopping not far from Noel Dichter.
    On the platform, in the center of the semicircle of linked game players, Wittold Levi finished a number of checks on the UmbyCord connectors then nodded toward Allegra Geller.
    “Okay, everything seems to be in order. Are you ready, Allegra?”
    She was looking pumped up, her face tense and elated, her fingers playing restlessly over the soft mound of her game-pod.
    “Sure thing,” she said, her voice almost singing. “This is always my favorite moment.”
    A wave of excited laughter passed through the crowd. Levi stepped down from the platform and went to stand amongst the audience. Allegra looked around at the other players.
    “I’m about ready to start eXistenZ by Antenna Research,” she said, her words faltering a little. She bit her lip. She went on in a much softer voice, making everyone strain forward to hear. “This will be downloaded into all of you. Let me warn you that you’re in for a wild ride, but I’ll be right there with you. Our assistants will be here in reality, just in case there are problems. But nothing will go wrong, because nothing can go wrong. Remember always it’s just a game, a simulation. Don’t panic, no matter what happens. When it’s through, I’ll see you all safely back here. It might seem like a long time while we’re playing, but that’s subjective time dilation. In reality, we will be playing for only a few minutes.”
    Again there was laughter, but this time it was confined to the twenty-one players on the stage. Also, it was now the nervous laughter of people