Patch 17 (Realm of Arkon) Read Online Free

young woman in a conservative black skirt and white blouse walked up from the front desk. Cocking her head slightly and giving me a most welcoming look, she said:
    "Is the monsieur expected?"
    Naturally, having arrived on the last Parisian stagecoach, the monsieur smiled and took a look around. The café was small but cozy, with the customary French wine-colored tones...
    "Yes, my name is Kozhevnikov," I said to the young woman.
    "Please, follow me."
    Ivan was sitting in a far corner, facing the entrance, over a cup of coffee and a lit cigarette. Upon seeing me, he rose to his feet and flashed his signature, picture-perfect American smile. For a moment, his eyes seemed warmer.
    "Hey, buddy, long time no see!" he said. "How have you been?"
    "Hey, Ivan!" I smiled back, answering his firm handshake. "How's Sarah and Sam?"
    The young woman who had escorted me took my order of one espresso and withdrew.
    "We're all right. It's you who's been having adventures," he shook his head.
    We sat down. I produced a pack of Lucky Strike, put a cigarette between my lips and took a drag. As I exhaled, I asked him:
    "As I understand, your phone call wasn't an accident? Or did you find out that I was nearby and decided to have some decency and finally see a friend?"
    "Riddle me this, Roman, was it really necessary to punch out a Board of Directors member? Now, sure, plenty of people wanted to punch out this particular member. My guys were green with envy, watching that footage."
    "Footage?" I asked with surprise.
    "Can you really be so naive?" he winked at me. "The hotel is equipped with cameras all over—everything gets recorded. And a guy of Cheney's stature is nearly always under surveillance."
    "So, that means—" I began to speak.
    "It means nothing," Ivan interrupted me mid-sentence and fell back in his chair. "If that security footage hadn't accidentally," he emphasized the word, "landed on the desk of FBI Special Agent Foster—and I'm sure you've noticed the FBI sniffing around in Arkon's affairs—you, my friend, and the damsel you've rescued from the monster's paws, would be feeding fishes on the bottom of the bay."
    I sat there, quiet and dispirited. This was indeed a jam.
    "Thanks, Ivan. I didn't recognize him until it was too late." I took another drag and put the cigarette out in an ashtray. "So, what do I do now?"
    "Don't thank me yet," said Ivan, completely ignoring my question. "My guys will lose your damsel somewhere along the way." He grinned and shook his head reproachfully. "Some conspirators you are! She'll be fine for the foreseeable future, and it should all blow over after a while."
    "You were watching us the whole time?"
    "What did you think? The FBI has the footage. They're going to want to interview you privately, by the way, so stay tuned. Anyway, on that footage Cheney is seen threatening you, and that's your get-out-of-jail-free card. If anything happens to you, that gives the FBI an upper hand on the company. Everybody gets it, which is why we were ordered to keep an eye on you. And only that."
    I was finally brought my coffee. I took a sip and nearly choked from the thought that popped into my head.
    "Were there also cameras in the hotel room?" I asked. "Cause we were, err..."
    At first, Ivan was giving me a blank stare. Having finally understood my meaning, he burst out laughing.
    "No, not in the room. But even if there were, it's not anything we haven't seen before," he assured me. "Though it wouldn't have killed you to be mindful of your neighbors as far as noise... Anyway, let's get serious. You need to understand that what I'm about to tell you transcends the bounds of even official secrecy."
    I put my hands out in front and did the gesture of locking my mouth with a key and discarding it.
    With a shake of the head and a sigh, Ivan asked me:
    "What do you know about Arkon?"
    "Only what everyone else does. It's a game world with full immersion. The world's most popular game, worth around two hundred