Exodus: The Assassin's Path 52 Exodus Platform

Ten days went by as the Fora pvp team continued to prepare for Exodus. The big news was that TAP compliance with Exodus, was way ahead of schedule. The merger was finished, the hub to Exodus could be opened any day.

Quinn was seated comfortably in a conference room with a long table and several chairs. Seated with him were his Father, Grandpa, Sister, Tal, Anna and Mallory Olsen from the U.S. Attorney General's Office.

Mallory Olsen had taken all of one week to build an air tight case against HYLO. She glanced at the young man named Quinn. He had impressed her, he was meticulous and clever. "We will lead our agents into HYLO Corporation, armed with search warrants and IT Techs. Everything will be taken, and carefully combed through."

"What is your timeline?" Quinn had thought this would take a bit longer.

"Two days." Mallory had read the brief Quinn had sent. He had assigned someone to tail Nora Salo whenever she entered Exodus. They had done something that scared her beyond any reason. When Mallory had Dr. Salo picked up, the doctor hadn't even asked for a lawyer, she had spilled everything. "Dr. Salo was most cooperative."

Em and Quinn glanced at each other and then gave Mallory an innocent look. Tal covered her smile from across the table.

"She won't receive clemency right?" Quinn wanted her to pay, there was no way around it.

"We didn't even put in on the table, like I said, she spilled everything. I've never seen someone so rattled." Mallory closed the hud she had opened. "She's currently isolated under federal protection," she paused for a moment, "you realize that we can't touch Sidney Horn."

Quinn nodded, "legally he is already dead. How do you lock up a virtual person?"

"Exactly, we can freeze his accounts. Take down the company, but he is basically untouchable." Mallory stood up and looked toward Mike Obreen. "Need a protection detail?"

Mike shook his head, "no, I've taken care of that already."

***********

******Broadcast WVN News******

This morning Federal Agents from the Attorney General's Office stormed HYLO headquarters. The entire Corporate Board was taken into custody and the building was emptied in a matter of minutes. This operation coincided with the anonymous release of a very disturbing video. HYLO allegedly used human test subjects to advance their research. This lead to the death of several people, these deaths were then covered up by HYLO. By lunch time, HYLO stock had plummeted, forcing the SEC to step in and lock down trade on the company. Our efforts to reach Sidney Horn for comment were unsuccessful.

Quinn and Ro-Ro had watched the broadcast from the pool. Rhapsody had finally embraced the nickname. Tal and Jinn were sitting poolside with their feet in the water. It was a good day.

Quinn occasionally glanced at Tal and her orange bikini.

"Cannonball!" A tiny ball splashed into the pool, the effect barely reached Tal and Jinn. Anna surfaced, slicking her hair back with both hands.

Her face made Quinn laugh. "An 'A' for effort Nana."

"I just took a bad angle." The cute lawyer stuck her tongue out at him and swam over to Tal.

Quinn didn't say anything further, Anna was fun to tease but Quinn liked to let her win. He followed her, content to hang onto the side of the pool next to Tal. "Where's Ren and Pops?"

Tal pointed toward the back fence, "Ren is planting green beans in the planters we made. The 'Overlord' is slowly taking over TAP."

Ever since Quinn had brought back the entire contents of two Infinity rooms, Pops had been spending even more time in TAP. He converted much of it to real world funds. As Exodus day approached, TAP players were willing to spend real money to gear up.

"When are they going to open the TAP hub in Exodus?" Jinn had originally started playing TAP because it was isolated and not part of Exodus.

Quinn shrugged from the pool, "am guessing any day. The news about HYLO may delay or speed up the process depending on how they approach it."

Although HYLO developed the Exodus Platform, they didn't own Exodus. The Exodus virtual space was owned by the individual Virtual Companies who had purchased it from HYLO.

Two slim hands hands gripped Quinn's shoulders, he turned his head as Em hugged him from behind. "Hey guys!"

Em had warmed up slowly to the entire TAP group, even Jinn and Ro-Ro had forgiven their first meeting.

Quinn gave her an exaggerated frown, "shouldn't you be in TAP working on your pvp?"

"Give your sister a break! All I do is work, work, work!" Em pinched one of his cheeks, but not very hard. They had grown very close in the past few weeks. He relied on her and that trust meant everything to Em.

Quinn looked up as Ren walked over from the back of the yard. She wore jeans and a long sleeve shirt, her pale blond hair was tied up in a bun. Although still very slim, she was looking quite a bit healthier. Her activity level had been increasing daily. "I'm going to change and go swimming too!"

She waved at everyone and walked toward the house.

Reluctantly Quinn boosted himself out of the pool and grabbed the towel he had brought with him. "I've a meeting with Silas in a few minutes, so I need to get going."

Tal smiled and waited for him to give her a hand up. She never wore her prosthetic to the pool. Quinn was more then willing to provide transport. When he knelt in front of her, she hopped on his back. "Thanks hun."

Quinn waved at the rest of the group and walked inside, almost stumbling on the stairs when Tal bit his ear. "You trying to kill us?"

Tal smiled into the back of his neck, "such a baby."

A few minutes later Quinn slid into the VR chamber, Tal was laying on the bed preparing to log into TAP. "Remmy should get back today with the platform?"

Tal nodded from the bed, "We've been talking quite a bit about the possible uses."

"The engines are a big score." Quinn had snuck a look at Tal's notebook, so he knew exactly what her plans were. "How's the train project coming?"

"Come find me at the Station site outside of Talon when you are done. We've managed to lay the track from Talon Station to the first site." Tal knew he'd want to be part of the first trip between cities.

Quinn nodded and shut the VR chamber door.

"Log-On Exodus, Gaming Hub."

Short and homely Quinn made his way to the same place he had met Silas the last time they had spoke. Silas was already waiting for him.

"Quinn! Did you get the notification?" Silas was smiling widely as he spoke, by the look on Quinn's face, he had no idea what was going on.

"Um... no I've no clue." Quinn hadn't checked his mail, he had been preoccupied with the HYLO news announcement on VNN.

Silas lowered his voice and motioned for Quinn to follow as they walked toward the future TAP hub. "HYLO's bid was disallowed, and the rest of the bids were finalized." Silas rubbed his hands together as he thought about the profits.

Quinn raised an eyebrow, "already? Hmmm, that was fast."

"We should coordinate what type of Shop we are going to build, so we don't take business from each other." Silas had already contacted his financial people, they had given him a few recommendations.

"I'm fairly sure that won't be an issue." Quinn had a good idea as to what he should expect. There would be armor shops, perhaps some accessory vendors and maybe a Blacksmith.

"Since my plot is big enough, I'm thinking an armor shop on one side, backed up to a Blacksmith." Silas knew that armor specific to TAP couldn't be used anywhere but TAP and the Exodus Arena, Blacksmiths however, could work on any Exodus gear.

Quinn nodded at his choices, "they will both do well. I'm putting in a Tattoo Parlor and a Cantina."

Silas stared at him, neither of those were choices that his group recommended. "Wait.. a Tattoo Parlor? You aren't thinking..."

Quinn grinned, it was Silas who had given him her calling card Originally. The Painted Lady would do well in Exodus, not just the Gaming Hub, but everywhere. People loved Virtual Tattoos. "I'm going to make her an offer, she's a player after all, not an NPC."

"She's a player?" Her calling card was an ultrrare drop in high end dungeons. Her tattoos came with extra abilities and stat boosts.

"Yes, the Painted Lady is a player. The Tattoo Artist is a hidden TAP class." Quinn had figured it out a few weeks after meeting her.

"A TAP class? From what base class would that be?" Silas had been certain she was an NPC, although he had never met her. There were rumors that some of her customers managed to irritate her to the point of them being killed. Was it all a cover for her TAP Hit List?

Exodus System Message:The TAP hub will be opened in 72 hours. All Merchant and Shop owners will be able to develop their areas tomorrow at 0600 Exodus Standard Time.

Quinn grinned at the announcement. "Best choose the layout for your shop, they are instbuilds and included in the price of your bid. As for her TAP class, I'll just have to ask her."

Quinn brought up his hud, he noticed that Silas was doing the same thing. He cycled through the various choices for Catina. "So many choices, the lot is big, so there should be an inn and full kitchen." Quinn saved a few choices he liked and then waved goodbye to Silas.

**********

An hour later Q was riding Scorch along the banks of the river. He had popped into HQ to check on Remmy and Tal, he had been pointed toward the newly annointed Talon Station. He had something to take care of first.

Q dismounted in a small ravine a few miles from HQ. He removed Scorch's saddle and then rummaged through his inventory. "Know what would look good on you Red?"

He took out the wing drawings he had procured from the Painted Lady. "These are very nice... am sure they will look great on you." Q had no idea how to proceed so he took the easiest route, he pressed one of the wing drawings against Scorch's shoulder.

"You have got to be kidding me." A cold voice interrupted his attempt, he bit down on the smile that surfaced and turned around. "I thought you said I'd only see you once? A bit unreliable aren't you?"

"Those are Dragon Wings...they won't fit that mangy animal." She was dressed much more conservatively this time. A sleeveless snug fitting silk dress clung to her body, reaching all the way to her ankles, there was a long slit on the outside of either leg.

Quinn rubbed Red's head, "don't listen to the bad lady. The pressure of a secret TAP class is weighing her down."

She pushed her hair off of her face with a slender white hand. "How did you figure that out?"

Q shrugged at her. "I'm an NPC Assassin. If anyone can spot an NPC, it would be me. So you have a talent like one of mine. The ability to imitate an NPC."

The woman stared at him, her fine features showing shock. "Of course... you have something similar."

"You know that Exodus is coming right? Unless you live under a log." Quinn walked around Scorch and approached her. He held out the drawings he had taken.

"I'm aware." If she was surprised to get her drawings back, she didn't show it. "What's your point?"

"My point is that TAP is expanding and so are the opportunities. Let's talk business."

Chapter end