"Yes."

"I'm sorry," Icewolf said, rubbing a hand over his face, "but I need your help on Mars. I'm calling in my debt."

"And why should I listen to you?" Alan said.

"Because the contract says you should."

Alan glanced at Icewolf. "Um, what contract?"

"The debtor’s contract, the one where you agreed to pay me back for the capsule."

"I don't remember signing anything," Alan said.

"You don't need to sign anything under galactic law, there just needs to be tangible evidence of agreement."

"Like in the Game," Alan said.

"Yes, like agreements in the Game," Icewolf said. "You need to pay more attention to the world around you; the rules have changed. You agreed verbally, and that would be enough for the Enforcers. I am demanding you pay me back right now, and if you can't come up with the sum you will end up my indentured servant. Then, I will order you to come to Mars."

"But you said the capsule is worth more than a million credits. I could just sell it," Alan said.

"Sure, but you'd have to find a buyer within twelve hours. Capsules aren't really liquid assets, they're tailored to the individual."

"I could sell my AI."

"Yes, you could," Icewolf said, "though I doubt you would. I can see it in your eyes, you're hooked on the Game and won't ever stop playing. Look Alan, I'm not trying to make you take such drastic action. We were guildmates, but this is something much bigger than that. You have a week to find the money and a connection to the Black Rose guild. Otherwise, you come back to Mars, okay?"

Alan thought it over, looking up the laws on the Internet. It seemed like Icewolf really did have him under contract, and he could end up a virtual slave to him if he didn't pay him back. He stared at Icewolf. "Fine."

Icewolf nodded. "Good, but this changes plans I have. Message me in-game when you get the chance." He stood up, walked over to his capsule, and entered.

Alan took a deep breath, looking up at the ceiling. A week to get a million credits, ten million dollars. It should be doable, and in the worst case he'd just end up taking a flight back to Mars. Still, he would need to try to come up with the money, fast; he didn't want to be beholden to Icewolf forever.

He quickly changed clothes even though they seemed to be perfectly clean. He’d still been in them for a little less than a week in real life time. Then, he climbed back into his capsule, and closed his eyes.

Chapter 12

Opening his eyes, Alan found himself back in his Home. The change was astounding: his thoughts became more coherent, faster; the comfortable sense of Eve’s background calculations settled in his head. Alan could now tell that she was constantly scanning for signs of danger, potential harm or potential gain, calculating risks and rewards associated with particular actions, examining every minute detail of the world around them. It was astounding, really. Yet, at the same time, it became increasingly clear she was a lot less… human. All of her choices, her actions, were a series of probabilistic calculations, nested loops within nested loops going so deep it was impossible for Alan to follow. Alan looked up at the Administrator in his Home. Her tag read “Senior Executive B31400AD32.”