Logan was ridiculously excited. He hadn't actually expected to find a game disc, but he had. Now he had the game console in front of him. He had run up to his room as soon as he had gotten it. Sitting at his desk, he set up the console. Oddly, there was no place to connect it to a console; there was only a headset. He shrugged and put the game in. Once it was whirring quietly, he put the headset on.<br/><br/>Nothing.<br/><br/>Then a large jolt shocked him, paralysed him. He fell into unconsciousness.<br/><br/>When he awoke again, he was in a helicopter. He blinked and felt his face. Goggles---he could see. He flicked his hair out of his face and looked around. "Hello? Where am I?" he called.<br/><br/>The binary man appeared before him. "Congratulations. Please state your gamer ID and password to gain your first weapon."<br/><br/>Logan blinked. "Online Gamer ID Mr. Cellophane, password *************8FN0," he said. He smiled a little as his password became gibberish as soon as it left his mouth.<br/><br/>"Checking databases....player located. Speciality: firearms. Begin at: level 7." A whir. A box rose out of the floor. It contained a pistol and three clips of ammo. He smiled and picked it up, hefting it in his hand. He checked it for ammo (it was already loaded) and slipped the other three magazines into his pockets. "You will descend to the level. "As a level 7 player, your pistol will automatically upgrade now." It flashed blue. "Ammo capacity upgrade complete. Accuracy increased." The man looked at him. "The Viruses on this level are weak. Be warned that you only have five lives to get through the game. You will need help; look for other players to aid you on your journey."<br/><br/>"How will I---"<br/><br/>"Look for people who are out of place. Good luck." A door opened below him and he fell. A parachute deployed, slowing his descent. He landed and automatically ran for cover as gunfire rang out. A war game. He checked his pistol and turned the safety off, holding it at the ready. Taking a steadying breath, he began sprinting from cover to cover.<br/><br/>~~~~~<br/><br/>Jennifer hid the console she had won in her school bag. She greeted her parents warmly, then went upstairs under the pretence of doing homework. Once there, she quickly got everything set up. The headset was slipped on over her flaming hair. She waited, then let out a strangled noise as a shock went through her system. Her eyesight faded to gray, then to black.<br/><br/>She awoke in a bunker. Sitting up from the bed, she looked down at herself. Wartime apparel? This wasn't what she had been wearing. "Excuse me? Where am I?"<br/><br/>A binary man appeared before her. "Congratulations. Please state your gamer ID and password to continue in the game."<br/><br/>Jennifer smiled. "Online tag Lady O2F2, password ************ET7," she said cheerfully.<br/><br/>"Searching database... Player located. Speciality: demolition and explosives. Start level: 6." A pause. "No weapon found. Would you like to acquire: BASIC PISTOL or BASIC SWORD?"<br/><br/>She bit her lip. "Pistol."<br/><br/>"Pistol acquired." A drawer in the desk beside her slid open. She took the pistol that was there and the ammo that was with it. She shoved the clips into her pockets and clicked the safety off the gun. "Remote ignition power: FULL. Level: 6." She looked at him. "So what do I do?"<br/><br/>"Find the other players. They will help you survive. Be warned: you only have five lives to complete the game." She bit her lip, then nodded. "Okay."<br/><br/>"Good luck." The man disappeared, and Jennifer headed out. She ducked low and began moving, trying to find someone who didn't look like they were moving on autopilot. She spotted a figure crouching behind a rock and aimed towards him. The figure was holding twin swords---not much good in this environment. "Friendly player, don't attack!" she called out as she approached him, crouched low to the ground.