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Another problem arose just as the previous person left, and she could finally access the end of the corridor instead of walking endlessly. Two real people guarding the entrance. At least, they seemed real. For all she knew, they could have also been bots, but there were few ways to know...
“Loir? Those two...”
“Real people, Kitty. Sorry, hope you practiced your liar game!”
Eden broke out in a cold sweat. This was easily her most nerve-wracking Dive ever, or at least one of the worst she’d ever experienced. She tried not to slow down and walked confidently toward the man and woman at the entrance. The woman had red hair and was wearing a very over-the-top outfit, with lots of colored feathers, beads, and everything that could possibly shine on the fabric. There was so much that Eden’s eyes could barely focus on her face. Next to her, the man was wearing a very simple tuxedo, his eyes hidden behind dark glasses.
“Welcome, my dear!” exclaimed the woman loudly. “Welcome to Pleasure Island! We have thirty-three of our fifty entertainment stations currently open for your entertainment, for as long as you want! All currencies are accepted and you can check the exchange rate on your personal assistant! As usual, we will ask you to respect the rules of security and privacy toward the other guests of the Island! Children are forbidden, but as I can see, you are not underage! Do you want to set a limit to your spending on the Island today?”
“N-no,” Eden muttered, a bit lost.
“Amazing! Then, as soon as you have linked your money account with us, you will be free to go through!”
Eden panicked. She didn’t have any money account they wouldn’t pry into and find odd things! She waited for a second, hoping Loir would find a solution for that...
“There we go, perfect!” smiled the woman. “We will put you into the high bidders’ category. Please remember to wear a privacy filter if you want to get into the adult pleasure stations, and you can also remove all the ads for the modest sum of five thousand credits for today’s visit, or for all your next visits for only...”
Eden got a bit bored as she delivered this speech. She wanted to tell that woman to hurry up, but she was worried she’d do or say something that would give her away, so she remained quiet until the woman finished her speech, asking Eden if she had any questions.
“...Can I bring guests through my account?” Eden asked.
“Of course! Big spenders can have up to five guests allowed after they’ve spent a minimum of seventy-five thousand credits, and it’s an additional five credits per guest after the second! You can go to the bar and ask for the company order, darling. Any other questions?”
“...No, thanks.”
“Great, now we will finish the quick security check by analyzing your SIN. ...It seems to be your first connection on Pleasure Island, welcome!”
Eden nodded. This was the moment of truth. This was where they’d know if her SIN and all of her father’s hard work to keep her safe would make this whole fight worth it. She glanced back at the corridor behind her. If things went wrong, there would be no use in running back. Everything would be over.
She turned her eyes back to the woman who was standing still, probably waiting for the check on Eden’s information.
“...Oh,” she said after a while, making Eden jump. “You really are a first-timer! How rare for your age! Most people come here for the first time around their teens!”
“...I don’t go out often,” Eden muttered.
“Indeed!” laughed the woman. “Let’s see. Eden Newman, twenty-three years old, Chicago Core native... Oh, it seems you have extra privacy. Are you military?”
“My family works for the government.”
“Oh, they can be so stiff on that, can’t they? Well, better for your privacy! ...In any case, I don’t see anything off here. Oh, you have a message that’s been unread for... uh, almost twenty years, darling. You might want to check on that. You also have a private locker, it’s going to be on the second floor, on your right. Anyway, everything is in order for me, Miss Eden. Welcome to Pleasure Island!”
Eden nodded and walked past them. She couldn’t believe it had worked so easily. Her SIN was still completely working in the Core’s System... Not only that, but she had some stuff left for her?
“Like a kitty in a dog park!” exclaimed Loir. “We’re in! Oh, my pretty Marilyn, you did a good job, my pretty!”
“I still can’t believe it,” muttered Eden.
Now that she had walked past the security, some blurring filter came off, and she realized the room she had been seeing from afar was in fact a very, very large casino. Eden blinked twice, completely overwhelmed by the size of the place. There were money games as far as her eyes could see, and a sea of people playing around. As she looked up, she realized there were many, many floors above. At least a dozen, and a lot of doors with neon signs above. The floor above seemed to be restaurants, or at least she hoped, from the name.
“Wait, people eat in the Dark Reality?” exclaimed Loir.
“Rich people entertainment,” scoffed Nebty. “They can trick their senses to believe they are eating, while their body won’t take on a pound... Trust me, food isn’t the only thing they cheat their brain into thinking they are experiencing for real, and you don’t want to know what’s behind the other doors.”
Eden could easily believe that. Some words above the doors made her want to vomit. People probably came to this virtual paradise to experience what was illegal in the real world... She tried to ignore all of it and hurried to find the closest bar.
“Loir, do I really have that much money? They probably took an entrance fee too. How did you find an account so quickly? Did we hack one?”
“Excuse me!” squealed her partner. “You want to give me extra work? My Kitty married rich, may I remind you! Your hubby’s healthy, thick wallet came in handy! There’s still a few zeros left too, don’t worry! Oh, shall we win it back? I’m very confident in Baccarat!”
