New Eden: Live to Play, Play to Live

Alex somehow doubted that was true, based on the face David was pulling as they drove away. Adding to that Jack's snide grin, Alex could guess it wasn't at David's request that they left him there.

But he was already on his way home, and was not in the mood to suddenly walk, so he did not plead for David.

'I guess being a dick eventually fucks you in the ass, doesn't it?' he thought to himself.

The drive home was not very far, as the airport they took off from was in Dorval, and not Mirabel, so they were still on the island. Night had just fallen and traffic was fluid as they drove into downtown.

As they pulled up in front of the condominium tower Alex lived in, Jack told him to wait a moment.

"I want to confirm something with you before you get out."

"Hmm?" Alex replied.

"In Mr. Magnus' tale, he said regular humans are almost all dead, too weak to survive what comes before the invasion even begins. He insisted everyone should at least reach level thirty, to have a shot at surviving."

"Yes. He's told me that many times already."

Jack looked Alex in the eyes.

"Do you believe him? If you had loved ones you wanted to stay alive, would you do anything in your power to convince them to play?"

Alex thought about the question for a moment. But he remembered he had already asked his trainer to play New Eden, hoping to make sure he would save at least one person if he could.

"Yes. I would convince them by any means I have. If it means I can guarantee their survival to at least then, I wouldn't give up on them."

Jack stared at him for a while before releasing a long sigh.

"Then I will trust you. Guo, order me a pod, top of the line. And order one for my wife, too. I guess I will have to make time in my schedule to play New Eden."

Guo nodded, his hands already blazing across his tablet. Alex smiled at the man's tired expression.

He could guess Jack was a very busy man, and that making time wasn't exactly easy for him. So he offered advice to him.

"What most people are doing is playing at night, instead of sleeping. It might not be the best solution, as it cuts into your rest a bit, since you don't actually sleep, but currently, it's the best solution for people who keep living a life outside the game."

Jack nodded in response, thinking it wasn't such a bad idea. He was used to not having a proper rest from his time in the army, anyway.

Alex opened up the door, looking one last time at the tired old man. He suddenly looked much frailer than he had a few hours earlier, when he toted an automatic rifle, taking out monsters left and right.

"Mr. Boudreau. I don't know if you feel responsible, since you have a hand in releasing the game. But this isn't your fault. I have a feeling even David doesn't know what the real reason for this future is. But I will strive to find out."

Jack flashed a genuine smile at Alex.

"Thank you, son. I hope you do, for all our sakes."

Kary and Alex left the limo, closing the door behind them, and the driver opened up the window separating the two compartments.

"Where to, sir?"

"Home. Margarett will be furious that I didn't come home in two days."

The driver chuckled, familiar with the scene. Even Guo was smiling knowingly.

The limousine pulled away, making its way out of Montreal, entering the well-off suburb of Laval-sur-le-Lac, and pulling into the long driveway of a vast estate. Jack looked at the cherry trees flanking both sides of the road.

He had these planted for his wife when they bought the place, since she loved to see them blossom. The trees were currently in bloom, and the pink and white flowers rained slowly on the pavement.

Jack could smell their aroma through the closed windows of the limousine and smiled warmly. But he was already expecting his wife's fury.

'I'll have to give her a good reason why I was gone for two days. I'll also need to find a way to get her to play the game…'

Jack sighed at the arduous task ahead.

***

Alex exited the elevator, entering his penthouse, which he hadn't seen in what felt like forever.

"Ahh. Home sweet home."

Looking at his clothes, he could see some blood spatters in purple and green hues on his sleeves, and knew these clothes were ruined. He took them off, getting buck naked right there in the middle of his apartment, and tossed them down the incinerator chute.

Kary whistled as she passed near him.

"I know you are tired, and so am I, so let's wash up, eat a bite, and go to sleep. What do you say, handsome?" she asked him, ogling him as she did.

"I was thinking the same. I'll get the shower running."

Alex climbed the stairs, with Kary looking at his ass as he did, biting her lower lip. Although she was extenuated, regardless of having slept so much on the plane, she could already feel hunger as she watched his naked form climb those steps.

'Who'd have thought I could be this horny…' she thought to herself, walking up to the room.

She rapidly got undressed, joining Alex in the already running shower, where she hugged his well-toned body from behind.

One thing leading to another, Alex and Kary forsook eating and consummate each other before falling asleep in each other's arms after their shower.

Alex's dreams that night were much sweeter than those on the plane.