NOVEL NEXT Chapter 373: Too British
Haley loved every second of her spa day. It was something she'd done regularly back in the old world, and she definitely hadn't quite felt herself in the grubby, uncivilized new one without it.
But her civilian powers were growing, and she was definitely intending to create her own little 'spa' for herself and Mason's girls, and probably any other woman in Nassau.
This 'system' spa had given her some ideas. Though it was a bit too…mechanical. Her own spa would probably need actual women to do most of the work. Anyway, she'd figure it out. But for now this was incredible.
She half-slept as the system's workers dealt with knots and damaged cuticles, cleaning under every nail and cleaning her pores and doing her hair. She even enjoyed the sexual tension she felt building between Rosa and her friend, but tried not to let it seep into her. She was here to relax, not get all hot and bothered. At least not yet.
Tonight, she decided, would be best for the three of them. Though she definitely intended to have her own time with Mason after. The girls could have him for an evening of fun. Haley would have him for the night.
She noticed herself touching her stomach throughout the day, sometimes unable to fight the smile when she thought of having Mason's baby. Now that she'd worked things out with Naya (at least for now), she no longer feared some kind of building disaster in all their future. It also helped that she'd started to realize her own power.
Mason turned out to be a terrifyingly loyal man. His dedication to his brother probably should have made that obvious, but Haley was truly starting to realize her devotion to him was not a one way street. She knew he loved her, and that to be loved by Mason was a kind of cudgel you could terrify others with, if you needed to. This included misbehaving players, overly bossy ex-civilian mayors, and also elvish princesses.
But Haley didn't want to do that. She could see Blake had done it many times, and though it may work, it wasn't what someone who truly loved him selflessly would do, because beneath all that frightening masculinity there was a man who just wanted to be left alone. To let go of all the troubles of the world, and be at peace.
Using him like a weapon was selfish, violent, and dangerous. And Haley intended to give her man peace. At least as best she could. With a little spice on the side…
Her Right Hand power warned her Mason was arriving fifteen minutes before he did. She'd finished her 'spa day' with the girls, giving them both a kiss as she sent them back to the hotel to relax, suggesting they order up some room service.
Then she'd gone down to the 'lobby' of the hotel. She had a rough map of the neutral zone, so she knew what areas were permitted to civilians and which weren't. At least not without future invitation.
For the moment, the main 'promenade' was only open to players. But such things didn't stop Haley. She used the active portion of her Right Hand power and put her palm against the door pad. It clicked open with a green light.
"Welcome, honored guest," said a servant waiting just outside. "The promenade is not yet in service. How might I assist you?"
Haley had found it most effective to interact with the system politely, and on its own terms. It was clearly proud of its new world and wanted everything to work correctly. It could be downright helpful if you played along, and actually told it what you really wanted.
"I was hoping to reserve the best place on the promenade for the House of Mason. But I'd need to see it first. Would you be able to help me?"
The system servant frowned, then made a kind of beep.
"Ordinarily, no. But as your patron is the sole Founder currently in the Neutral Zone, I have been authorized to allow it. We suggest the upper balcony, next to the tier 1 lounge."
Haley smiled gratefully, then followed the servant out into the promenade. Her robe suddenly felt a little cool, the huge space mostly empty except for eclectic furniture, and dozens of booths you might find in some kind of trade show.
The style of the place was modern bordering sci-fi, the chairs and couches ranging from comfortable-looking fake materials, to more stylish but far less comfortable plastics and metals.
There were all kinds of food and drink bars, some next to pools or table-games like a kind of casino. The only thing that outnumbered the bars were the screens, in different shapes and sizes, visible from every conceivable angle. Haley understood, then, that unlike the apocalypse, the post-apocalypse would be televised.
Mason's thinking truly struck her, then.
All his potential friends and enemies were going to be sitting around watching him and his players fight. They'd see their strengths, their weaknesses, and how they compared.
The sight of the booths made something click in her brain. It was exactly the kind she'd seen in the civilian quarter, where people would soon be hawking their wares or services.
Except players had nothing to sell. They didn't use system points. They used patron points. So what exactly did they need those booths for, when most civilians weren't even allowed inside?
The answer was obvious. Players would be sitting around this place for the next week drinking and talking, betting on fights and getting to know each other. They'd see everyone fight. They'd see how they took victory or defeat. And then, Haley suspected, they were going to get the chance to pick or change their allegiances.
She took a deep breath and tried to think. She suspected it wouldn't just be about tournament teams. They might literally get to choose new loyalties out in the real world. They had teleporters, after all. Communication beacons. What was to stop players from warping around the world, joining different settlements, forming new settlements in more remote places?
Haley needed to start thinking contracts, rewards, incentives. She needed a sales pitch, and she needed it quickly.
She followed the system servant up to the balcony, which soon became the most obvious perch to see the whole promenade, with central access to everything.
"We have now reserved this balcony for House Mason and guests," said the servant. "It will be off limits for other players without invitation, though we will give you specific access permissions and rules. Is that acceptable?"
"Yes, thank you so much. That's absolutely wonderful."
The servant grinned as if truly satisfied, and Haley reminded herself to always let the system do what it intended if possible. She was beginning to see a clear...personality trait, that may or may not have had anything to do with 'the game'—it liked to be useful.
She intended to do more testing before she really explained the theory to Mason. And knowing him he may be too stubborn to exploit it. At least for awhile.
The players were also under the assumption that the 'system' was some kind of all-powerful being that knew everything, even constantly reading their minds. But Haley didn't think so. She thought there was more than one 'entity', and that they weren't paying as much attention to civilians. And they often miscommunicated.
"You've been extremely helpful," Haley went on, even touching the servant's arm. "Could you possibly escort me back to my room? I'm afraid I might have gotten a little lost. And I'd really like to be waiting when my patron arrives."
"Of course, honored guest," said the servant. "I understand completely. Right this way."
Maybe it was just politeness. But Haley didn't think so. She didn't think this servant knew she had a map of the hotel, even if some other entity did. She locked that knowledge away, following the servant with a grateful smile.
* * *
Lexi was pretty sure she was going to die.
"I think I'm having a panic attack," she said. Rosa said nothing and obviously did her best not to laugh. "Oh right. Here I am dying and you think it's funny. I take it back. You're the worst friend in the world. You're Judas. You're Brutus, you are."
"OK, stop being dramatic." Rosa put her particularly racy clothing selection back on the rack. "We don't have to put on the lingerie. Why don't we just relax on the bed and have a drink?"
They were in the walk-in closet trying on sexy clothes, which Lexi immediately described as ‘whore uniforms’. They ranged from tasteful negligees to crotchless porn costumes, and Lexi had never worn anything like them in her life.
"I'm too...British," she said, sort of running on the spot, not sure what to do with all her anxious energy. "My parents were posh and cold and didn't even hug me. I cannot wear these. And I cannot have a threesome."
"Lexi." Rosa took hold of her arms. "I was a good Catholic virgin who loved her grandmother. Now look at me. We'll make a happy slut of you. Just trust me."
"Uh huh." Lexi held up another outfit, this one at least with some fabric covering the bits. "Just a happy, satisfied slut. I can do this."
Then she imagined herself actually wearing said outfit, striking a sexy pose as that glowing-eyed, muscle-covered yankee walked in and looked her up and down…
She put the outfit over her face and collapsed to the floor like Charlie Chaplin.
"Nope. I can't do this."
Rosa dropped to the floor with her, and burst out laughing, making kissing faces and grabbing at her ass. It helped. A little.
But they still eventually gave up and got into the big bed, ordering room service like Haley suggested.
"Should we get you drunk?" Rosa scanned the menu now floating across both their eyes. "Oh my God, look at this list. I can get pozole! And ‘Mexican street corn’, what!?"
"Darling, I'm two feet tall and four pounds. After two drinks I’ll forget I even banged superman and then what was the point."
"OK, OK." Rosa giggled and obviously started selecting a variety of things. "I feel naughty, but it said we could get whatever we wanted, right? And Mason will be hungry." She jabbed Lexi in the ribs. "Mason is always hungry. Maybe for a little English pudding. And...OK I have no idea what English people eat."
"Mostly curry these days." Lexi swiped herself some kind of chicken salad but gave up. "I'm too nervous to eat. Are we really doing this? We could just watch movies all night."
"We're really doing this. And then we'll probably keep doing it back home. And..." Rosa sat up and tossed her hands. "Then I don't have to worry about you, or when you'll leave, because you'll be in the big bed with me. And I'll have someone to talk to about… everything. And it'll be amazing. So you just have to suck it up and hop on superman's dick."
Lexi fought the giggle, because though her friend sounded ridiculous, she was serious. And she was really trying to help keep them together and things just like they were. Which was great.
"OK," she said, taking a deep breath, trying to think of it like a test to pass. She’d always been good with tests. "Let's go pick out some whore uniforms."
