Bliss came home right around 6pm, as Mark was wrapping up dinner. Mark took a glance at her as she came in and smiled a small smile to himself as he was putting the finishing touches on the potato salad he was making as a side for the burgers he was whipping up. Bliss was wearing something moderately fashionable, and he thought he saw something like makeup on her face. The transformation was a little amusing, but more then anything else, he figured this was a positive change. He had struggled so long to make her safe home and “normal” childhood, it hurt to see their poverty take away her chances to be normal. Now he could afford to give her a modest amount of pocket change it seemed that she was spending that money on herself like a normal kid on things like makeup and fashionable clothing.

“Those new school clothes?” He called to her.

“Mmmm” came her non-committal reply. He glanced at her and saw her sitting at the dinner table one knee raised to her chin as she flipped the pages in a magazine.

“Make any new friends at the mall?”

“Met a teacher from the high school, she was shopping.”

Mark laughed, “Shows me what I know, turns out people still goes to malls. Is it a teacher you’re going to have when school starts?”

“Mmmm, maybe? I don’t know. She said she’s a homeroom teacher, and I think she said something about being the school librarian. Don’t think she teaches a subject.”

“Meet anyone your age?”

“Her younger sister. They were there together. And you weren’t really wrong. No one really was at the mall. The stores didn’t have much on display, they were mostly for package pickup.”

“you still mad I’m forbidding you from your capsule until you turn 18?”

“Not really, just bored. School doesn’t start for another 3 weeks, and you’re in that game all day.”

“Its work. Got to make a name for myself in that game if we don’t want to go back to a trailer.” Mark finished dinner, and carried the plate with a couple of hamburgers, and bowl with potato salad to the dining table, and placed them on the table. Bliss quickly snagged two of the hamburgers and scooped out some potato salad for herself.

“I know” She replied “Its just a little hard to hold a conversation when everyone you meet only wants to talk about some fever thing or other. You know that teacher? She plays Underworld too. She said her parents are as old fashioned as you, and wouldn’t let her play a FBEVR system till she was 18 as well. That’s why she was hanging with her sister. Her sister was bored, and I guess she just died or something in Underworld and wanted a break.”

“I’m old fashioned?”

“Duh”

“Old fashioned huh. Fever hasn’t been out more then a dozen years. How can I have an old-fashioned opinion about it?”

“I bet you haven’t even hooked up with anyone through fever yet.” Mark winced and she continued “I mean that’s what half of everyone spends all their time on fever doing isn’t it?”

“How would I know? And where are you getting that information from?”

“God, you’re so out of touch Dad.” She tossed her magazine to him. It was some teen fashion magazine, yet he was stunned when he noticed half the stories were about the best apps to “hook up” with in FBEVR, the cover story for this issue was how sex in Underworld was better then the real thing. He paged through the magazine growing more and more appalled at the contents; he actually was temped to write an angry letter to the editor of the magazine for teaching little girls about this stuff. Then his anger cooled as he though about it rationally. It did make sense in a way. The FBEVR system probably could simulate sex pretty accurately… In fact, it probably could produce more enjoyable sex no matter what your kink, you probably could have it safely in these systems. Furthermore, for young girls, it’s an attractive alternative to real young men their age, since they could have relations without fear of disease, pregnancy, danger or gossip. Heck since your avatar was completely changeable it was possible to experience sex as different sexes. It was dawning on him what a nightmarish “pandora’s box” had been opened by this technology.

He set the magazine aside then finished the one hamburger he was planning to eat. “Don’t tell me this is why you want to get into FBEVR?”

She turned beet red at the question. He sighed. “Sexual relations are not as ‘innocent and risk free’ as that magazine was portraying. Listen, you’ll be 18 when you can log into that machine. At that point you’ll be legally an adult. Do what you will. But I want you to think this one through for a moment. Since avatars and ID’s can be changed it’s entirely possible the guys your having relationships with in that system could be your mother, or her husband, or even me. You don’t know. Of course, the chances of that are next to non-existent. But I’d like for you to think this one through for a moment. What if it’s some 8-year-old kid? How would you know? How much talking or honesty do you think you’ll run into in there? I don’t mean to rain on your parade here, but I learned this when I was in middle school. Leo was all into this girl he was meeting in Underworld, and ended up wanting to meet her in real life. Of course, I came along with him mostly for the fear that this could go wrong. It almost did. Turned out the young woman he was hooking up with in VR, which I’m sure wasn’t anywhere near as satisfying as FBEEVR, was some old man pedo trying to kidnap some young boy. Never forgot that. Cause I had met his “girl” too in game, and never suspected it.” He paused, then concluded. “I didn’t make you with some machine. Human relationships are something to be treasured. And sexual relations are the peak intimacy you can have with a flesh and blood person. How devalued do you think this peak “intimacy” will be if you have nightly orgies in fever with random people all “feeling” as good or better then what you experience with your real-life partner, what if your partner was doing the same? I don’t think it will be possible to have a real deep and lasting relationship with someone once you or they open that pandora’s box. There, your Dad has said his piece. I’ll leave the rest to you, you’re old enough to make up your own mind.”

Silence reigned over the dinner table, while Mark mocked himself in his mind. As a parent he probably was supposed to tell his daughter to not have real sex but have virtual sex. It was much safer physically then the real thing, no fears of disease, rape or unwanted children. However, he just couldn’t get around the things being propagandized to little girls in that teen magazine. It was obvious the type of lifestyle being proposed was one of countless orgies with faceless interchangeable people. What parent could possibly set their child up for a lifestyle like that? The type of damage it could do to your mind must be significant. It seemed like the perfect cocktail to create nymphos, sociopaths or narcissists.

In a virtual bedroom in one of the more popular sex simulation applications on the market for FBEVR, two good looking avatars were just untwining from some serious cardiovascular activity. The man was a bronze skinned Adonis, herculean muscles, gold eyes and hair. The woman was tall with sleek curves, blonde hair and blue eyes, the man was world famous, and the woman wanted to be. Lizzie smiled as she cuddled up next to the huge muscular body next to her. She trailed a finger down his well-defined abs.

“You just know the right avatar to use with me don’t you Leo?” Her enchanting blue eyes were fixed on his yellow ones.

“Why don’t we take this to real life Lizzie? I might not be as tall in real life, but I assure you I’m just as big in all the right places. And you know the real thing is better in a number of ways”

Lizzie sighed and then answered, “I would, but you know my boss wouldn’t pay for a trip to Charlotte just to get a toss in the bed. Besides when would we have time to do it right?” Her excuse of course was bullshit. Leo might be a global star, but he was also just barely over 5’ tall, Elizabeth liked her men taller then her, and the idea an old man old enough to be her father and just tall enough to kiss her stomach putting his hands on her made her skin crawl. Reporters using their bodies to get inside news wasn’t uncommon before FBEVR, so in a way she was thankful for the technology, it made the most distasteful method of information gathering positively rewarding. Leo’s “Lion” persona was attractive in every way Leo himself was not. Of course, her avatar was exactly like herself, she knew what the men wanted when she hopped into bed with her sources.

“Hmmm, I’d make time for you, you know. I’m probably the highest-level player in Underworld by a long shot right now. It’s become a problem to find anyone to run raids with. So, a few hours away from the game probably would help me right now not hurt.”

“Is that right? What about the rest of your “A” team? Can’t they keep up with you?”

“Psh, there is a reason I’m the captain.” Leo boasted

“So, who do I know in your “A” team for underworld?”

“You probably know all of them. Well by reputation for one.”

“Oh? Like who?” Her hand resting on his abs started to move lower…

Leo grinned “Holly of course, Jake, Jim, James, Ricardo, Juan…” he trailed off.

Liz did know all those names, but her count only came up to 7 and she knew there were 8 on the A team. “That’s 7 Leo, don’t tell me you forgot the last one, poor guy. His boss doesn’t even remember his name.” She teased, as her hand stopped its downward path just shy of it’s destination.

Leo laughed awkwardly, “There is a planned reveal for the team. Don’t dig Liz, the last one will be a surprise. This is Holly’s idea.” There was something about Leo’s awkward dodge that struck her as strange, however she wasn’t here about who the “A” team was. While other reporters would kill for the scoop she just secured she was fishing for something bigger.

“Holly’s idea?” She pouted playfully. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to talk so much about another woman when you’re in bed with a different woman?” She rolled away from Leo, as if upset. Of course, it was an act, she couldn’t care less if Leo invited Holly into a threesome with her. To her this was all work with a little pleasure, but like everyone else, Leo fell for her act hook line and sinker.

“Hey, you asked Liz” he rolled over and hugged her to his chest as if to placate her anger.

“Really? You’re not going to ask me to change my avatar to look like Holly will you?”

Leo laughed, “Why would I do that?”

“So then tell me, what’s so special about underworld that Holly wants to play mystery theater with the last member of your team? Will it help you win a pvp tournament or something?”

Leo grumbled in confusion “I thought you didn’t want to talk about Holly?”

“You just dodged my question!” She made herself sound surprised and offended, “Well you made me curious now. What’s so special that Holly wants to make it a surprise?”

“You’ve seen the videos we’re releasing for Underworld? Holly’s doing a lot of special promotional tricks for Underworld.”

“You dodged my question again!” She kept her tone playful, yet her mind was working overdrive now. Her reporter instincts were screaming at her that there was something newsworthy here, and it was wrapped up in this 8th member in some way. “Are you sure you don’t want me to wear a Holly avatar? For some reason I think you’re favoring her more then me.”

Leo scoffed, “Of course I’m favoring her more then you, she’s a valuable teammate.”

“You’re so loyal.” She pouted

“Loyal, Leo, Lion, the alliteration works.”

“Since you won’t stop talking about Holly, how about you tell me about your old friend Mark Ulrich, you made LM_STARS with him. I checked it out, unlike most reporters I can read a Prospectus. Every year since LM_STARS went public a block of 40% of the company has been held by one investor, who’s granted his 40% share voting rights to you. That’s got to be Mark Ulrich. Why did he vanish from the public eye?”

Leo’s voice turned cold, and he let go of her avatar, “Stop asking about Mark. Because we’re friends, I’ll do you the courtesy of telling you this. You’re right, those shares are Mark’s. He’s also the one who gave me the voting rights. However, until he wants me to talk about his situation, I won’t talk about it. I’ve never answered questions about Mark. Other then to say he’s a dear friend. Congratulations you’ve got more of an answer from me than anyone else. I will ask however as a ‘friend’ that you leave Mark alone. He doesn’t want to be in the public eye; its to such an extent he gave me his voting rights. If that can’t convince you and you insist on digging into it, then this will be the last time we talk. He’s my bottom line Liz, don’t touch it.

Elizabeth frowned, she didn’t expect Leo to get so upset at this mark’s name. rolling over to look at him, she felt the need to fix this rift she inadvertently opened, else this whole afternoon would be wasted. “Leo, who do you think I am? I’ll respect your friend’s privacy. However, I expect an exclusive if he plans to break his silence. Is that fair? I’ll keep his secret in exchange I get to tell the story if he ever decides to break his silence?” Her offer was calculated to defuse the situation, she knew he’d never believe her and the rift would never be closed if all she did was promise to keep quiet and not investigate Mark, he wouldn’t believe it, properly so. Any reporter who tossed aside that type of story had no business in the field. However, the promise of an exclusive? For an exclusive, yes, a reporter would stop digging, and wouldn’t spread around a story. He’d believe that oath.

Leo’s reaction proved her right, he smiled and jumped back onto the bed. “I knew I could trust you Lizzie.” He whispered as he drew her close to him pulling the sheet off her.

“MMMmmm” She replied absently to his touch as she pondered the situation, she couldn’t tell if she had a lead on a good story here or not yet, but she felt there was something here worth looking in to.