The No-Name Games team reached the phalanx that presumably formed the trailing edge of the "line" to reach the admittance desks. It was much more like a tremendous wedge of people which extended from one end of the spacious main entrance sidewalk to the other.

The Jet Center seated as many as 34,000 for major league sports events and had four full-service convention facilities housed under one roof. GamesWest filled all four and occupied the entire 18-acre covered back parking lot as well. A six-story inflatable alien from a popular mobile game title towered over the merchants expo in the enclosed west parking lot and was visible from four major Los Angeles freeways. News helicopters circled. All the attendees were waiting for their paid admittance passes in the east parking area, which extended to an area equaling almost 20 football fields around the futuristic white-roofed complex.

People at the back of the "line" were alternating their attention between their mobile devices and the enormous animated LED board at the main parking entrance. The announcements on the board were ostensibly the most up-to-date information available, and the entire 11-minute cycle of soundless commercials was devoted to GamesWest. Smiling faces of some of the celebrities scheduled to attend appeared one after the other complete with their panel times and locations inside the venue. A few of the guests elicited occasional cheers from various quarters of the crowd. Every street within a half mile was crammed with bumper to bumper cars, trucks, motorcycles and air conditioning, which surprised none of the Southern California natives. They certainly didn't need a game convention to generate traffic.

"Show Street" was the colloquial name for the three covered lanes directly in front of the convention center entrance. Several idling limousines were parked at curbside. The rest of the available space was taken up by various high-end taxis and mobile-app-summoned ride services. Naturally, Jordan thought this would be a perfect place for the first installment of his convention streaming event.

Robb expertly produced a camera and a portable light, and the host started his live broadcast with "Hello, No-Name fans! Jordan here standing outside the entrance on day one of the GamesWest Supercon! We--"

A combination of a synchronized gasp and a low roar went up from the opposite side of the crowd. It was loud enough to cause everyone to turn and look. The No-Name audience was treated to a spectacular HD view of the sidewalk and several pairs of feet moving to and fro. The audio blanked in and out with pops, wind noises and general confusion until someone shouted "That's him!"

By the time any of Jordan's group got to a position where they could see anything, a red carpet at least thirty feet on a side had been unrolled along the semi-circular edge of Show Street. Four large gentlemen dressed in matching black suits were stationed at the corners. It wasn't until another roar went up that Jordan realized this might be the first big event of the four-day weekend.

From behind the row of cabs, a sleek black vehicle rolled around a traffic cone and up on the sidewalk. A few were able to recognize it as next model year's Sovereign sports coupe. Even its headlights screamed high tech. From its surface and windows reflected every texture and feature of the Jet Center's magnificent front entrance. Its wheels were bright silver and fitted with tires that were perhaps two inches thick from rims to street. It stopped on the red carpet. A soft light bathed the vehicle from above just before its driver-side gullwing door rose into the air. Out stepped Fairly Unusual CEO Garrett Wyland. He produced a microphone, and his amplified voice filled the air around the crowd.

"Welcome to GamesWest!"

The crowd roared.

"I'd like to invite you all to attend the Kings and Conquests booth center-center in convention one. My staff will be glad to show you what we have to offer and a lucky few will get a chance to sit behind the wheel and get some pictures of our prize for the first max-level KNC player." The noise got louder. "And I will see all of you at our presentation on night two on the main floor!"

Another cheer responded. Wyland handed the microphone off and greeted the people in the crowd as he made his way to the entrance.