Release date. April 12, 2017
Subgenre: Cyberpunk, technothriller
About The Metaverse: Virtual Life - Real Death:
An FBI Agent more comfortable hunting criminals the old fashioned way. A brilliant scientist who kills using Virtual Reality. And an Artificial Intelligence with an agenda of its own.
The Metaverse, more than the “internet of things,” is a place where humankind has devised a way to comfortably and seamlessly merge the biologic and the digital to the point that neither is readily distinguishable from the other. As people in ever greater numbers choose to live, work and play "In World," so too do those who prey on their fellow man.The Metaverse is a fast-paced Crime Thriller that takes place in the not too distant future with technology that even now is a part of our world.
Excerpt:
Melissa’s office was on the 84th floor one floor
below the office suites of the CEO. She was the receptionist/administrative
assistant for Joanne Hendricks, the senior VP of operations for North America
and was here on an internship program, hoping to move up in the company. Most
of the jobs in the Metaverse that she did now were done by AE’s but GEI also
had a need for actual humans that could work in both places as needed.
Melissa did not do full emersion yet as she
could not afford a SecondSkin suit and the company would not provide her one
until her 90-day probation period was completed, which wasn’t for another two
and half months. In the meantime, Melissa used an I-suit or sometimes came to
work in her PJ’s as she used the H-Pod in her parent’s basement. It was an
older model, but for what Melissa did in-world it would suffice. Once she
completed probation, she would get not only a SecondSkin but also her very own
new H-Pod that would be rented by the company for her at a facility not far
from her current home. She was excited that she could finally move out as
Melissa planned to live 24/7 in-world where she would go to school at night and
work full time at Global Energy.
Melissa sized up the tall, sharply dressed man in
the lobby. He looked familiar, but she could not put her finger on where she
knew him. She hoped he wasn’t one of the bosses from upstairs whose names she
hadn’t learned. She wasn’t too worried as everyone here had been so nice,
particularly Joanne, in welcoming her.
“Hello, how may I help you?” Melissa asked the
man.
Why do you look familiar? She thought.
“I’m here to see Ms. Hendricks.”
“I’m sorry, sir. I don’t see anything on her
calendar. Did you have an appointment?”
The man smiled, placing one hand in his pocket.
That gesture, where did I see that? Is he from
accounting maybe? Melissa racked her brain.
“No. Is it Melissa?” The man said, angling his
upper body slightly back at the waist as he looked down at her nametag.
“Yes, sir.”
The man smiled wider.
“Melissa, I don’t need an appointment.”
“Ah yes, sir,” Melissa said, picking up the
phone.
“What’s your name, sir?”
“Alex Reynolds.”
Melissa’s voice choked as her whole body
shivered.
“Yes, Melissa?” The voice on the other end said.
Melissa jumped and screamed into the phone.
“Joanne, run! Eject! Get out!”
Alex chuckled. He took the phone from Melissa
and placed it back in its cradle before walking by Melissa’s desk.
“That’s ok; I’ll see myself in.”
Amazon
About William Kurth:
A career Law Enforcement Officer who over a
thirty-year period held positions as a Police Officer, K-9 Officer, Hostage
Negotiator, Police Supervisor, Command Level Officer, Federal and Military
Trainer and a Police Chief. William Kurth is a recognized expert in police
policy, tactics, and small arms. He has participated in, supervised or
commanded over five-hundred tactical operations, including high-risk warrant
services, barricaded subjects, hostage rescues and other critical incidents.
Following other passions, William instructs skiing full time in the winter at
Ski Santa Fe and writes during the warmer months. A Board Member of the
Practical Defensive Arts Association William works with instructors and
students in implementing self-defense courses both for the individual and
corporations. William lives in "The Land of Enchantment," known as
the state of New Mexico with his wife and daughters and two Maltese-Shitzu's,
Phineas and Ferb.
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