Page 20 (1/2)

"Hey" Yuebin nudges me "Look, up there" He nods toward the private box I follow his gaze, ready to see Hideo

But Hideo is gone now Only the rest of his co theuards have left, too

"It’s like he came here just to see where you would land," Yuebinabsently as another draft pick happens

Just to seeheart sinks a little, and I feel a strange sense of disappointment without his presence in the arena I’ shifts in the corner of

I freeze

There, crouched high in the ceiling’s ure

I can’t see anything else about him except static The silhouette of his head is turned doatching the draft take place No na about his posture looks tense, alert

Like he’s not supposed to be here

A chill runs downmy hands ice-cold At the same time, my bounty hunter instincts kick in--screenshot, record a screenshot I blink, right as the figure vanishes froy, who is cheering on a wild card drafted by the Stor at me

"Did you see that?"

"See what?"

But it’s too late now The figure is gone I scan the ceiling again and again--perhaps the lights have blinded er see him--but he’s nowhere to be seen now The lattices of hts are empty

He wasn’t actually here He was a part of the virtual reality, a simulation And only I could see him because of my hack Either that, or I just experienced an insane hallucination

Ziggy frowns, squinting skyward "See what?" she repeats with a shrug

"I--" I stopcrazy I force a laugh "Ah, never y’s attention has already strayed back to the draft But I keepenough Did I catch hi up a sh, there he is I didn’t hallucinate it

• • • • •