Sylus barely remembered the walk home. The message on his phone kept repeating in his mind.
PLAYER 040404
Could it be Lyra's ID? He wondered. But to find out, he needs to get home first and log in. He increases his pace, almost running.
The streets grew more familiar as he turned down the last block toward his apartment building. The windows in most of the surrounding units were dark. He checked the time again.
12:21 PM.
Too late, his brother hated when dinner was late. Sylus reached the entrance of the small apartment complex and hurried inside, taking the stairs two at a time.
Pippin followed silently. When Sylus reached the door to his apartment, he unlocked it quickly and stepped inside. The first thing he noticed was the light, the living room lamp was still on. The second thing he noticed was the sound, soft tapping, rapid and repetitive.
Sylus froze for half a second before he walked into the living room. His younger brother sat cross-legged on the couch, the bright glow of phone lighting his face. His fingers moved rapidly across the screen, completely unaware of Sylus's presence.
Sylus felt cold.
"Evan."
No response. Sylus stepped closer.
"Evan. Look at me."
His brother flinched slightly but didn't look up and that's when Sylus saw the screen. It was the same as the Installment game interface.
Sylus' heart slammed in his chest. He rushed forward and grabbed the phone.
"Give me that."
Evan jerked back immediately, clutching the phone to his chest with surprising strength.
"No."
Sylus froze because Evan rarely resisted like that.
"Evan," Sylus said carefully, "give me the phone."
"No!" The word came out louder this time.
Sylus' stomach twisted. Pippin drifted closer to the phone, glowing faintly.
"Oh no."
Sylus reached again. "Evan—"
His brother turned away, curling slightly around the phone.
"No no no no." The words came fast now.
Sylus forced himself to breathe, then he moved quickly. He grabbed the phone firmly and pulled it free before Evan could react.
"Hey!" Evan's voice rose immediately.
His hands reached for the device again. "Give it back!"
Sylus stepped back, his eyes locked on the screen. The interface illuminated his face, and at the top of the display were four numbers.
PLAYER ID: 040404
Sylus felt the blood drain from his face. "Fuck."
Sylus silently blamed himself. If he had returned sooner, perhaps Evan wouldn't have downloaded the game, or at least, Sylus could have stopped him.
Beneath the player ID was something even worse. A reward total amount: $3,200.
Sylus' mind raced. "How—"
He hadn't even finished the question before Evan spoke again. "Phone."
His brother was staring at him now, unblinking, both hands stretched forward slowly.
"Phone."
Sylus swallowed. "Wait."
Evan's breathing started getting faster. Sylus recognized the signs immediately.
"Evan," Sylus said quickly, "it's dinner time. I'm sorry I'm a bit late today."
His brother didn't move. "Phone."
"No."
Evan's hands clenched. "Phone!"
Sylus ran a hand through his hair. "Just eat first."
"No."
Sylus stared at him. "You're refusing dinner?"
That had never happened before. Routine was everything for Evan. But now his brother sat there staring at the phone in Sylus' hand like nothing else mattered.
Sylus felt anger rising suddenly. Hot and sharp.
"You're playing some stupid game instead of eating?!"
Evan flinched. Sylus's voice had come out much louder than he intended.
"You think this is funny?" Sylus snapped. "You don't even know what this thing is. People are dying because of it!"
Evan shrank slightly into the couch. Sylus realized what he had just done. The anger drained instantly.
"…shit."
He rubbed his face, then slowly crouched down in front of Evan.
"Hey."
No response.
Sylus softened his voice. "I'm sorry."
Evan didn't look up.
"I shouldn't have yelled."
Still nothing. Sylus sighed quietly, then he did the one thing he knew sometimes worked. He placed the phone gently on the coffee table. Evan's eyes flicked toward it immediately.
Sylus spoke calmly. "Eat dinner first." A pause, then he added carefully, "And you can play again after."
Evan looked up at him. Sylus held his gaze. Finally, after a long moment, Evan nodded once. Sylus felt a small wave of relief.
"Good."
He stood and moved to the kitchen. A few minutes later he returned with the plate of food he had prepped in the morning.
Evan sat at the table quietly, but something was different, Sylus noticed it immediately. Evan was… calmer, usually late meals made him anxious. But now he seemed almost relaxed.
Sylus watched him take a bite, then another.
Sylus spoke quietly.
"Do you like it?"
Evan didn't respond, instead he finished the last bite of food and reached for the phone again. Sylus didn't stop him this time, instead he sat down slowly.
His mind was racing. The system had targeted his brother or maybe his brother had simply downloaded the app like everyone else. Either way, the result was the same.
Player 040404.
Sylus leaned forward. "Let me see something."
Evan held the phone out willingly this time. Sylus opened the account menu. The interface shifted immediately. Below it was a new notification.
FREE REWARD CLAIMED
NEW PLAYER ACTIVATED
Sylus frowned. "What reward?"
He tapped the message, the screen changed again. A black box appeared, inside it was an item icon.
ITEM RECEIVED: INSIGHT TOKEN
Effect: Temporarily increases success rate for tasks.
Sylus read the description twice, then his eyes moved to the small line beneath it.
DEBT ADJUSTMENT APPLIED.
Sylus' chest tightened. There it was, a hidden timer. Exactly like he feared.
"Fuck…"
Evan looked up, a frown spreading across his face a. He really didn't like it when Sylus cursed.
Sylus forced a smile. "Sorry."
He quickly tried something else. He opened the login screen. If he could play the game instead of Evan—
He started typing his own credentials. The system responded instantly, a warning flashed across the screen.
ACCESS DENIED
Sylus froze, then another message appeared.
JUNIOR RANKING DEBTORS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO PLAY GAMES
Sylus tried again. Same result. Another message appeared.
EXTERNAL INTERVENTION PROHIBITED
Sylus' hands clenched around the phone. His mind raced through every possibility.
If the system forced players to complete tasks…If those tasks created debt…and if failure had consequences…then Evan…
Sylus felt a sudden wave of dread. The system could kill his brother, not directly. All it had to do was push him into a situation that looked like an accident or worse, a sucide.
Sylus stared at the screen.
"What will smart Sylus do now?" Pippin asked, tilting his head. "Your brother smells like a player."
Sylus exhaled sharply. "I don't know."
Evan tugged gently at his sleeve. "Phone."
Sylus handed it back. His brother immediately returned to the game.
Sylus leaned back in the chair, thinking. Sylus looked across the table. Evan was smiling faintly at the screen, completely absorbed and unaware. Sylus felt his chest tighten. If the system wouldn't let him play for Evan…then he would have to find another way. Even if it meant breaking the system itself.