{"id":231,"date":"2014-12-30T23:39:15","date_gmt":"2014-12-31T04:39:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/?page_id=231"},"modified":"2014-12-30T23:39:15","modified_gmt":"2014-12-31T04:39:15","slug":"simulacrum-by-rian-darcy","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/?page_id=231","title":{"rendered":"Simulacrum by Rian Darcy"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>ebook $6.99
\nISBN 9781613900574
\npaperback $14.95
\nISBN 9781613900703<\/p>\n

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The ebook edition is also available at: Amazon<\/a>, Barnes & Noble<\/a>, Smashwords<\/a>, Kobo <\/a>& AllRomanceEbooks<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Buy the paperback edition<\/a>!<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the virtual world of Simulnet, no one knows who you really are, making it the perfect playground for the imagination\u2026 and for a serial killer.<\/p>\n

Shaun\u2019s world turns upside down when a police detective asks for his help finding a murderer somewhere in the cyberspace sex clubs, ramen shops, and massage parlors of Simulnet. His partner on the case will be a prickly and enigmatic programmer known only as Lore. But as they search for the killer, Shaun finds himself wanting to know more and more about his partner. Ultimately the questions Shaun will need to answer most are the ones he asks himself, deep in his heart.<\/p>\n

Combining romance, mystery, and cyberpunk, Rian Darcy creates a world for the reader every bit as engrossing and heart-stopping as Simulnet itself. Simulacrum is the latest book in the Clasp Editions imprint of sf\/f erotic romances from Circlet Press.<\/p>\n

About the Author:<\/strong>
\nRian Darcy is the real life alter-ego of fan fiction author Nishizono Shinji. Once upon a time, she wanted to be an archaeologist (or an astronaut, or a librarian, or a dinosaur), but writing has always been her one true love. She likes coffee, Sherlock Holmes, and things that make her laugh until she cries. Rian\u2019s work has appeared in Spellbinding: Tales from the Magic University, published by Ravenous Romance, and she is editing an anthology of gay fairy tales for Circlet Press entitled Charming.<\/p>\n

Look under the cut for a hot excerpt!<\/span><\/p>\n

Chapter One<\/strong><\/p>\n

Normal people didn\u2019t get excited about murder. Of course, normal people didn\u2019t get phone calls in the middle of the night from the city\u2019s chief homicide detective, either, but even if they did, Shaun was pretty sure they wouldn\u2019t be smiling about it.
\nThe thing was, after two years as a desk jockey in the Cybercrimes Division of the LAPD, Shaun was itching for a chance to do some fieldwork. It wasn\u2019t that he didn\u2019t like his job\u2013he was good at what he did, and he\u2019d always liked computers\u2013but he was trapped in a world where an exciting day at the office consisted of stumbling across a new email scam. Tonight, though, that was going to change.<\/p>\n

Or so he thought.<\/p>\n

Shaun looked up at the building where he was supposed to be meeting Detective Hudson and wondered if he was about to be the ass-end of a joke. He\u2019d never worked a homicide case before, but he\u2019d always imagined that a real life crime scene would look a lot like they did in the movies, complete with coroner\u2019s vans and news crews. The real thing wasn\u2019t that glamorous. The building itself was a typical Los Angeles apartment block: crumbling stucco, a red tile roof, and a shopping cart parked on the scraggly front lawn. An AC unit was buzzing away in a third floor window, trying to combat the August heat, while a couple of teenagers shared a cigarette on the balcony, watching Shaun and muttering to each other in Spanish. The building was otherwise quiet. There wasn\u2019t even a patrol unit outside, just Hudson\u2019s retired police cruiser.
\nShaun checked his t-shirt to make sure he hadn\u2019t spilled any coffee on it while driving, then ran his fingers through his short brown hair and braced himself for whatever was waiting inside.
\nThe entry door had been propped open with a cinder block. Shaun toed it out of the way before stepping into the lobby and easing the door shut behind him. A television blared away in one of the downstairs apartments, and the laugh track seemed to follow him as he made his way upstairs. He still wondered if someone was fucking with him, but when he spotted the yellow crime scene tape stretched over a door at the end of the hall, he heaved a sigh of relief. The door was unlocked, so he opened it and ducked beneath the tape to step into a sparsely furnished living room.
\n\u201cMason?\u201d Hudson shouted from elsewhere in the apartment. \u201cIf that\u2019s you, get your ass in here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shaun found her in one of the bedrooms, which had been turned into a home office with a desk, two bookshelves, and a Simulated Reality tank. The tank was empty except for the Epsom Salt solution that would keep a user afloat, but the interior lights were still on, and the touchscreen on the side of the tank displayed the \u2018Ready For Use\u2019 message. If it wasn\u2019t for the numbered marker the coroner\u2019s office had left on the floor beside the tank, Shaun would never have guessed that someone had died there.<\/p>\n

As sick as it was, the sight of that little plastic number gave him a glimmer of hope. There had been five Simulnet-related deaths in L.A. County over the last six months. According to the equipment that monitored a user\u2019s vital signs when they were in the tank, all of the victims had suffered massive seizures. Shaun\u2019s gut had been telling him that there was more to the deaths than equipment malfunctions (and judging by some of the conversations he\u2019d overheard at work, he wasn\u2019t the only one who felt that way), but since there had been no evidence of foul play, the coroner\u2019s office had ruled the deaths accidental. After all, no one had ever been murdered through Simulnet before. The fact that Hudson was at the scene, though, meant that Homicide had finally been called in. Shaun just couldn\u2019t figure out why the place was so empty.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, am I late to the party or something?\u201d Shaun asked. \u201cWhere is everyone?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hudson didn\u2019t reply right away; she was busy frowning at her mobile phone. Shaun knew better than to interrupt, so he just stood there and watched her. She must have been pretty when she was younger, he thought, before smoking, middle age, and her job had taken their toll on her looks. After a few minutes of typing, Hudson switched her phone off and tucked it into the pocket of her blazer. Then she narrowed her eyes at Shaun and announced, \u201cI\u2019m about to ask you to do something illegal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shaun\u2019s eyes widened. Hudson had a reputation for pushing boundaries, but she also had a reputation for being a good cop. She\u2019d put in eighteen years with the FBI before signing on with the LAPD. No one knew for sure why she\u2019d decided to make the switch, but everyone assumed it had something to do with the medal in the display case behind her desk. Shaun couldn\u2019t imagine her asking someone to do something illegal. \u201cIs this some kind of test?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Mason, it\u2019s not a test.\u201d Hudson flashed him a wry half-smile. \u201cThat\u2019s why I need you to promise me that even if you say no to what I\u2019m about to ask, this conversation stays between us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay.\u201d Shaun drew the word out. He couldn\u2019t shake the fear that this was a pop quiz he was doomed to fail.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere\u2019s the deal: forensics finally found something we can use.\u201d Hudson gestured to the tank. \u201cSomeone set up a data trap on the victim\u2019s Simulnet line. It logged the addresses of all the places she\u2019d been visiting and kept tabs on network activity. The logs show a huge spike in data transfer right before she died.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd that\u2019s probable cause to open an investigation?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hudson shrugged. \u201cIt\u2019s close enough. We\u2019re not sure what caused the surge, but since the data was coming from an outside source and not the tank itself, that should at least keep the damn coroner\u2019s office from calling this another accident. It\u2019ll be manslaughter at best.\u201d<\/p>\n

While Hudson talked, Shaun wandered over to the desk and sorted through the papers strewn across it\u2013bills mostly, and a few receipts, but the thing that caught his eye was a grade report from the local university. Shaun pointed to the name at the top. \u201cSarah Poulson? Is that her?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hudson nodded.<\/p>\n

Shaun scanned the list of classes\u2013Women\u2019s Studies, Gender Issues in Economics, and Biochemistry\u2013then the list of grades. From the looks of it, Sarah had been a straight \u2018A\u2019 student. She would have gotten along with his sister.<\/p>\n

Hudson\u2019s phone rang while Shaun was going through the other paperwork on the desk. She answered it with a curt greeting, then scowled, flapped her hand at Shaun, and disappeared into the living room.<\/p>\n

Shaun took that as permission to keep poking around.<\/p>\n

Nothing on the desk struck him as being out of the ordinary, though he did notice that a few of the bills were addressed to someone named Keith Larson. The bookshelves were overflowing with college textbooks and paperback thrillers, but nothing overtly personal, so Shaun turned and left the room. On his way out, he spotted Hudson in the kitchen, pacing and muttering into her phone, but he didn\u2019t stick around to listen to what she was saying.<\/p>\n

The master bedroom was tidy in the bland sort of way that results from two people with differing tastes trying to find a compromise. A man\u2019s watch was lying on one nightstand, and the other nightstand was cluttered with photographs. One snapshot in particular caught Shaun\u2019s eye: a photo of a young, blonde woman, sitting on a picnic blanket and smiling up at the camera. She looked happy.<\/p>\n

The photo reminded Shaun so much of a similar photograph on his shelf back home that he had to look away. He tried to busy himself with sifting through the contents of the nightstand drawer: a half-empty tube of lip balm, a few hair elastics, another paperback novel, and a band-aid still in its wrapper. Something rattled near the back of the drawer. It turned out to be a brown pill bottle with Sarah\u2019s name on it. The label was for an antidepressant prescribed by a Dr. R. Greene, and the bottle was half empty.<\/p>\n

\u201cMason?\u201d<\/p>\n

Shaun jerked and almost dropped the pill bottle, which he stuffed back into the nightstand drawer before calling, \u201cIn here!\u201d
\nHudson came into the room looking harried and annoyed. She darted a glance at the open drawer but didn\u2019t mention it. \u201cSorry about that,\u201d she said. \u201cI hate taking calls in the middle of meetings, but it was important.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything okay?\u201d Shaun asked.<\/p>\n

Hudson pressed her lips together in a tight line. \u201cJust dealing with someone hellbent on being uncooperative. Don\u2019t worry about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou still haven\u2019t told me what you want me to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour job.\u201d Hudson sighed and pushed her hair back from her forehead. \u201cLook, I can already tell you that this case is going to turn into a bureaucratic nightmare. The Chief\u2019s office has been on the phone with the feds all night, squabbling over who has jurisdiction. Until they get that settled, I\u2019ve got an office full of Homicide detectives sitting around, twiddling their thumbs.\u201d
\nShaun understood the problem. Simulated Reality was still a new technology, and there had been a lot of back-and-forth over who, if anyone, should enforce the handful of laws that existed for it. Simulnet was technically an extension of the Internet, so the feds argued that it should fall under their jurisdiction. Unlike the Internet, however, which existed as a worldwide network, Simulnet was split into regional clusters. A basic monthly fee allowed users to access their local clusters\u2013the Los Angeles County cluster, for example\u2013but if they wanted to access other regions, they were charged an additional rate. Because of the way Simulnet was divided, local law enforcement wanted to claim jurisdiction over their regional clusters. The debate had been raging for almost two years.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile these morons are busy fighting over who gets to play in the sandbox, people like Sarah Poulson are dying,\u201d Hudson said. \u201cI need you to go in under the radar and get a head start. The sooner we find the person responsible for this shit, the better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shaun nodded and scratched at the back of his neck for a moment while he thought. Although he\u2019d been waiting for an opportunity like this for a long time, nothing was turning out the way he thought it would. Finally, he said, \u201cI don\u2019t know. I mean, don\u2019t get me wrong, I\u2019ve got no problem helping out, but I\u2019m not sure how much I can do. I don\u2019t have a ton of field experience, and I\u2019ve got even less experience investigating things I\u2019m not supposed to be investigating.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I doubt that. As I hear it, you made quite a name for yourself at Cal Tech.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shaun flushed. By some stroke of luck, he\u2019d managed to keep himself out of prison long enough to get into college\u2013not that he was a bad kid, just curious, bright, and easily bored, which, as it turned out, was a dangerous combination. By the end of his freshman year at Cal Tech, he\u2019d discovered the thrill of joyriding through faculty email accounts, and by his sophomore year, his fellow students were paying him a hundred bucks a pop to snag copies of upcoming tests off the university\u2019s FTP server. He\u2019d never officially been caught.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t look so surprised, Mason; it\u2019s in your file. Or did you think we just hire people off the streets without doing background checks?\u201d Hudson said. \u201cAnyway, it doesn\u2019t matter if you\u2019re a little wet behind the ears. You\u2019re not likely to get spotted where I\u2019m sending you.\u201d She paused for a second and stared at him, like she was trying to decide whether or not she could really trust him. Then she pulled a small, portable hard drive out of her pocket and held it up so he could see it. \u201cThis is a copy of all the logs from Sarah Poulson\u2019s line\u2013all the addresses she visited, all the data fluctuations, everything. As far as anyone outside this apartment is concerned, this doesn\u2019t exist, got it?\u201d
\nShaun nodded and took the drive. It felt heavy in his palm, despite being smaller than his thumb. \u201cI\u2019m happy to have a look, but I\u2019m pretty sure I won\u2019t find anything on here that forensics wouldn\u2019t catch.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not analyzing the drive, you\u2019re using the addresses in those log files to start an investigation inside Simulnet.\u201d
\nShaun\u2019s heart lodged itself in his throat. \u201cInside Simulnet?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can say no,\u201d Hudson told him.<\/p>\n

Shaun stared at the drive in his hand. \u201cY\u2019know, having me ask around on the streets is one thing\u2013at least we\u2019d be able to pretend we had jurisdiction\u2013but you\u2019re asking me to dive straight into contested territory. Do you have any idea what would happen to me if I got caught?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the very least, I\u2019d disavow all knowledge of your independent investigation and suspend you for a month. Depending on how this turf war with the FBI ends, it\u2019s possible you\u2019d be interfering with a federal investigation too, so you\u2019d be looking at a couple years in prison for that. Then there are all the lawsuits you\u2019d probably face from privacy advocacy groups\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLawsuits? Count me in.\u201d Shaun flashed her a quick, nervous smile and pocketed the drive. That was how he made most of his decisions: split-second before he could talk himself into backing down. His ex-girlfriend had hated that about him\u2013which was probably one of the reasons she was his ex, he thought\u2013but he knew that if he tried to make his choices any other way, he\u2019d never get anything done. Committing to something this important made him feel jittery, so he took up pacing beside the bed. \u201cAnything else you can tell me before I get started? Was she connected to any of the other victims?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNone so far. The killer doesn\u2019t seem to be targeting his victims based on who they are in the real world,\u201d Hudson said. \u201cI\u2019ve been doing some research in my downtime, and the only link I\u2019ve been able to find between them is that they were all regular Simulnet users.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you\u2019re thinking they might be connected inside Simulnet?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople aren\u2019t always the same in Simulnet as they are in real life,\u201d Hudson pointed out.<\/p>\n

Shaun knew exactly what she meant. Despite the fact that he worked with computers for a living, he didn\u2019t log in to Simulnet very often\u2013he\u2019d always preferred the real world\u2013but whenever he did log in, he was always amazed by the number of beautiful people roaming the streets (not to mention the scores of dragons, elves, and goblins who could be found strolling through the park on Sunday afternoons). By contrast, Shaun\u2019s avatar was an exact replica of his real world self; he didn\u2019t have the money or inclination to create anything more impressive.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll need you to take a leave of absence while you\u2019re working on this; I don\u2019t care what kind of excuse you use as long as your story is solid,\u201d Hudson said. \u201cAccording to your file, you\u2019ve got five days of sick time and two weeks of vacation time. I hate to make you use them this way, but I need you focused on this investigation, not getting distracted by shit at the office.\u201d
\n\u201cFine by me,\u201d Shaun said. \u201cI have to be honest, though: for a tech guy, I haven\u2019t exactly spent a lot of time in Simulnet. I mean, I log in once or twice a week, but I usually stick to the entertainment districts.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hudson\u2019s lips tightened and she glanced away, like she was suddenly uncomfortable meeting Shaun\u2019s gaze. \u201cThat\u2019s why you\u2019re going to have a guide.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re giving me a partner?\u201d Shaun asked with a frown.<\/p>\n

\u201cSomething like that.\u201d Hudson took out her phone and pressed a few keys. Shaun\u2019s phone buzzed in his pocket, and Hudson explained, \u201cI just sent you the address of a cafe in Stackston. I need you to log in and meet him there at nine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shaun checked the string of numbers in the text message, then tucked his phone away and asked, \u201cHow will I recognize him?\u201d
\n\u201cYou won\u2019t, he\u2019ll find you. He\u2019s good at that.\u201d Hudson sighed and checked her wristwatch. \u201cYou should go home and get some more shut-eye before your meeting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shaun wasn\u2019t sure he\u2019d be able to sleep, but he nodded anyway. \u201cShould I call you later with an update?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, it\u2019s better if we only talk about this when we absolutely have to. I only want to hear from you if you\u2019re in trouble or if you\u2019ve found a major lead. And I\u2019m not just looking out for my own ass, here; the cleaner I keep myself in all this, the easier it will be for me to help you if you get caught.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGot it,\u201d Shaun replied. He hoped he sounded less nervous than he felt. The idea of diving into the investigation without backup was as terrifying as it was exciting.<\/p>\n

Shaun turned to leave, but he paused at the door and glanced over his shoulder. Hudson had already turned her attention back to her phone. Part of him knew he should just be grateful for the chance to finally do something worthwhile, even if was unofficial, but curiosity won over common sense and he asked, \u201cHey, why did you call me? I mean, of all the people in my department, why the new guy?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hudson glanced up from her phone and eyed him for a second, then said, \u201cYou know, believe it or not, you didn\u2019t end up on the LAPD\u2019s payroll by accident. It\u2019s not like someone left you on our doorstep in the middle of the night and we took pity on you. You\u2019ve been looking for a chance to prove yourself, so go do it instead of standing around, wasting my time with stupid questions.\u201d
\nShaun grinned. \u201cYes ma\u2019am.\u201d<\/p>\n

* * * *<\/p>\n

Shaun left Sarah\u2019s apartment feeling jittery, but lack of sleep caught up to him on the drive home, and he barely managed to crawl into bed before he was sound asleep. A few hours later, he was startled awake by the sound of his mobile phone buzzing its way across his nightstand. He reached for it without opening his eyes and answered with a bleary, \u201cYeah?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShaun? Are you still in bed?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cKim?\u201d Shaun mumbled, then sat straight up and blurted, \u201cShit, what time is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

The sound of his sister\u2019s laughter made his heart constrict. Sometimes he forgot how much he missed her. They were fraternal twins, and although they\u2019d had their share of arguments, they\u2019d been inseparable for most of their childhood. Now, though, they hadn\u2019t seen each other in person for almost two years. Kim was finishing her graduate work in France, and even though they met on Simulnet whenever she had the time and he had the money, it just wasn\u2019t the same.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt should be eight o\u2019clock there, unless I screwed up the time difference again,\u201d Kim said. \u201cWhy are you still in bed, you slacker? Don\u2019t tell me you had another late night.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shaun hesitated. No matter what answer he gave, it was going to be the wrong one. If he said no, she would know he was lying. If he said yes and didn\u2019t offer an explanation, she would assume he\u2019d been out partying. Finally, he settled for telling the truth. \u201cJust up late working on a new project\u2013you know, the usual boring stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnother project, Shaun?\u201d Kim sighed. \u201cDidn\u2019t you just finish working on that virus tracker or whatever?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, well, you know how it goes. I\u2019m still the new kid, so when they ask me to do something\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, I wish you\u2019d take the rest of your life even half as seriously as you took your job.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shaun sighed. They\u2019d been having this argument since high school. It was amazing, he thought, that they could be alike in so many ways, yet so different went it came to what they wanted out of life. Kim liked stability and predictability; her main goals at the moment were to finish school, buy a house, and settle into a lifetime career of teaching at UCLA. Meanwhile, Shaun\u2019s plans for the future included hanging a towel rack in the bathroom and tackling the pile of laundry in his closet, and he liked it that way. Kim lived her life in the someday, and Shaun lived his in the now.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know I only nag you because I love you, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGod help the poor guy you end up marrying.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t be a dick,\u201d Kim replied, but she was laughing.<\/p>\n

Shaun smiled, relieved to have wormed his way out of getting lectured. \u201cAnyway, what about you? Anything exciting happening out there? Have you cloned any giant, dinosaur-eating ferns yet?\u201d
\n\u201cYou really believe I work in Jurassic Park, don\u2019t you?\u201d Kim replied with a snort.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust remember you promised to name that fern after me,\u201d Shaun replied as he flopped back among his pillows and yawned. There was a long silence, and he frowned. Uncomfortable silences usually meant Kim was trying to find a way to broach the real reason for the phone call.<\/p>\n

And sure enough, a few seconds later, she said, \u201cSo, Julie called the other day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shaun groaned and stuffed a pillow over his face. So much for dodging lectures.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe asked about you,\u201d Kim went on, oblivious to Shaun\u2019s misery. \u201cShe didn\u2019t come right out and say it, but she hinted that she\u2019s not seeing anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou should have asked her out, then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t be an asshole. You know she\u2019d give you another shot if you stopped being such a stubborn prick and called her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shaun heaved a sigh and shoved the pillow away. \u201cKim, nothing\u2019s changed since we broke up. I\u2019m not gonna see her and suddenly want to get married.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not like she\u2019s going to expect you to propose the first time you have drinks together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Actually, Shaun wouldn\u2019t have been surprised if that was exactly what Julie expected. During the last three months of their relationship, every time they\u2019d gone out together and the evening had ended without a marriage proposal, she had gone home angry. Shaun had tried to psych himself up and convince himself that after four years of dating, getting married was the logical next step, but he just couldn\u2019t do it. Eventually, Julie had given him an ultimatum: propose or leave. Shaun left.<\/p>\n

\u201cLook, at least think about giving it a try. It\u2019s been what? Six months? Maybe all you guys needed was some time apart to cool off.\u201d
\nShaun sighed. \u201cIf I promise to call her, will you promise to stop bugging me about it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly if you actually call her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shaun rolled his eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cLook, I\u2019m really not trying to be a pain, it\u2019s just that Julie was really good for you. You seemed so\u2013\u201d Kim was interrupted by a man\u2019s voice, rattling something off in French. She sighed. \u201cDamn it. Hey, look, I actually have to go. We\u2019re headed out to the field tomorrow and Professor Rigel wants to have a meeting before dinner so we can plan for the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s okay, I should get my ass outta bed and get going anyway.\u201d
\n\u201cI won\u2019t have reception out there, but I\u2019ll call you when I get back to town, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n

After making Kim promise to call as soon as she got back, Shaun hung up and covered his face with his hands. He felt anxious, the way he always did whenever he knew Kim would be unreachable. It wasn\u2019t just his protective brotherly instincts that made him worry; he relied, more than he liked to admit, on knowing his sister was just a phone call away if he needed her.<\/p>\n

Shaun sighed and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his palms, then glanced at the framed photo on his nightstand. It had been taken from above, just like the picture of Sarah, but the girl in this photograph was much younger\u2013twelve, to be exact\u2013with dark hair and a shy smile. She was wearing light blue pajamas and kneeling in a sea of crumpled wrapping paper. Shaun reached over to touch the frame before crawling out of bed.<\/p>\n

After downing two cups of instant coffee, Shaun ambled into his living room, made sure the front door was locked, and booted up his SR tank. The tank\u2019s interior lights flickered on, and the on-board computer whirred as it ran through its self-check routines. While Shaun waited, he plugged the drive Hudson had given him into one of the tank\u2019s ports so that the files would be accessible from inside Simulnet. The float solution inside the tank was fresh\u2013he changed it once a week whether he\u2019d used the tank or not\u2013and after a few minutes of being warmed by the climate control system, it was was exactly 98.6 degrees. When the tank\u2019s control screen gave him the \u2018System Ready\u2019 message, Shaun shed his clothes and climbed inside.<\/p>\n

The interior lights went dark when Shaun closed the hatch, and the inside of the tank was lit only by the bluish glow of the secondary control screen. Shaun selected the address of his apartment in Simulnet, then fitted the transmitter unit over his head. The transmitter worked by manipulating brain waves with sonic pulses, but it looked so much like the cap from an electric chair that Shaun always imagined he could feel a shock when the metal made contact with his body. Once everything had been adjusted and calibrated, Shaun reached up and tapped the login button on the control panel, then lay back and closed his eyes.<\/p>\n

* * * *<\/p>\n

When Shaun opened his eyes again, he was lying on the futon in his Simulnet apartment, in exactly the same position he\u2019d been in when he logged out. He stayed where he was for a few minutes while he waited for his body to adjust. Slipping into an avatar made his skin feel tight, like the full-body equivalent of squeezing his foot into a shoe that was half a size too small.<\/p>\n

Eventually, the disorientation passed and he sat up. Unlike his real world apartment, a spacious one bedroom in North Hollywood, his Simulnet apartment consisted only of a tiny living room, a walk-in closet, and a transport chamber that had been programmed to look like an elevator. It was an absurdly simple living space, especially in Simulnet where even the poorest of users could own mansions, but Shaun didn\u2019t spend much time there, so he didn\u2019t see a point in making a ton of improvements. The apartment served its purpose: a quiet place for him to go when he wanted to log off.
\n\u201cWelcome home, Sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shaun smiled. Winston was one of the only additions he\u2019d bothered with: an artificial intelligence program responsible for keeping the apartment secure and managing Shaun\u2019s messages while he was offline. Having a butler, even an artificial one, made him feel a little like Bruce Wayne.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have no messages,\u201d Winston informed him. \u201cMay I be of any assistance?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot right now, but thanks,\u201d Shaun replied as he pushed to his feet.<\/p>\n

\u201cVery well, Sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shaun stretched, then went to change out of the suit he\u2019d been wearing. The last time he\u2019d logged in had been for a blind date with one of Kim\u2019s friends from college. She\u2019d been nice enough, but it turned out that Kim was the only thing they had in common, and Shaun wasn\u2019t comfortable basing a relationship off of his sister\u2013actually, he wasn\u2019t sure he wanted a relationship at all.
\nAfter changing into jeans and a T-shirt, Shaun tucked his phone into his pocket, then made his way over to the transport chamber. The control panel came to life at his touch, and he entered the address of the cafe where he was supposed to be meeting his new partner. The doors of the chamber slid open, and Shaun stepped inside. Technically, the chambers weren\u2019t necessary since avatars could be teleported from one location to another, but the human brain wasn\u2019t wired to accept instant shifts in reality. True teleportation triggered all sorts of nasty side effects, ranging from vertigo and nausea to full-blown psychotic breaks, so the chambers had been designed to give the illusion of travel.
\nThe doors opened again a few seconds later, and Shaun stepped out of the chamber into a Moroccan-themed coffeehouse full of low couches, layered rugs, and piles of overstuffed cushions. The only other customer was a blue-skinned woman who didn\u2019t look up from the book she was reading, so Shaun ordered a coffee from the perky elven girl behind the counter and then wandered outside to sit at one of the tables on the sidewalk. The warmth from the coffee soothed his nerves, and since he had a few minutes to kill, he busied himself with examining the scenery.<\/p>\n

It was early afternoon in Stackston, and cooler than it had been in the real world. The hosting company that managed the neighborhood had pre-programmed its weather and streets, but the buildings had been designed by users in a hodgepodge of different styles, ranging from classic to outright absurd. The restaurant next door to the Moroccan cafe looked like a scale replica of the Parthenon, and across the street, a giant white cube with no windows had been plopped down beside a thatched cottage. The clashing styles gave the city a surreal, bewildering quality.
\nSomeone bumped into Shaun\u2019s chair and startled him out of his thoughts. He looked up just in time to see a winged cyborg levitate past his table, followed by a petite blond girl with a mechanical spine. Shaun watched them go and wondered if he\u2019d ever get used to being in a world where there was such a thin line between man and machine. Sometimes it appealed to the little kid inside him, the fledgling computer geek who\u2019d had a poster of The Terminator above his bed and spent hours drawing robots, but then he remembered that those things could only happen online and his excitement ebbed. Simulnet made a million things possible, but none of it was real.<\/p>\n

Shaun sighed and took his phone out to check the time. It was ten minutes past nine, and his partner still hadn\u2019t arrived. He peered through the window of the cafe, but it was still empty except for the blue-skinned woman who\u2019d been there when he arrived. Shaun sighed and drummed his fingers on the table.<\/p>\n

Five minutes later, he took his phone out again and scrolled through his address book until he found Hudson\u2019s name. Just as he was about to press \u2018call\u2019, however, a softly accented voice said, \u201cMe being late doesn\u2019t qualify as an emergency.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shaun jerked in surprise and almost dropped his phone.<\/p>\n

A dark-haired man seemed to have simply appeared in the chair across from him, already slouched in his seat with his head bowed over a clunky old laptop. His bony, ring-adorned fingers were flying over the keyboard, and the toe of his boot was tapping out a restless beat against the sidewalk. There was a row of silver earrings in his ear and a tattoo in what looked like Chinese on the back of his wrist. He wore a black tweed jacket and a layer of scarves wrapped around his neck.<\/p>\n

Shaun gaped.<\/p>\n

The man didn\u2019t look up, but his fingers paused over the keyboard. \u201cYou\u2019re staring.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shaun was taken aback. That was hardly the greeting he\u2019d been expecting\u2013not that he really knew what he\u2019d been expecting\u2013and for a second, he didn\u2019t know how to respond. Finally, he cleared his throat and replied, \u201cSorry, it\u2019s just, you startled me. I didn\u2019t even see you sit down.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh,\u201d Shaun said. They hadn\u2019t even been talking for ten whole seconds, and he could already feel the conversation slipping out of his control. After another uncomfortable pause, he prompted, \u201cUhm, are you the one who\u2019s supposed to be meeting me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay.\u201d Shaun drew the word out, then squinted and said, \u201cSorry, I don\u2019t think I caught your name.\u201d<\/p>\n

The man finally looked up from his laptop. There was something odd about his face, like each of his features had been borrowed from a different race. He looked like he hadn\u2019t slept or eaten properly in weeks; there were dark circles under his eyes, his cheeks were hollow, and his skin was pale. When he focused his unnaturally blue eyes on Shaun\u2019s face, the intensity of his gaze made Shaun want to physically recoil. After a long silence, the man said, \u201cLore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLore?\u201d Shaun repeated.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy name.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh! Sure, sorry.\u201d Shaun tried to break the tension between them by offering a sheepish grin, but when Lore didn\u2019t react, he felt a twinge of annoyance. Normally, he had no problem getting along with people, even the disagreeable ones, but so far this conversation had been one strikeout after another. He didn\u2019t get the impression that Lore was purposely trying to be difficult, but the effect was the same. Still, he managed to keep a polite smile on his face as he said \u201cSo, Lore, huh? I\u2019m guessing that\u2019s not your real name.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lore didn\u2019t reply; he just sat there, looking at Shaun. It was unnerving to have his full attention and have no idea what to do with it.<\/p>\n

\u201cRight. Well, nice to meet you. I\u2019m Shaun Mason.\u201d Shaun stuck his hand across the table for Lore to shake.<\/p>\n

Lore just stared at Shaun\u2019s hand before turning his attention back to the laptop. \u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see.\u201d Shaun gritted his teeth. \u201cSo you\u2019re my new partner, then?\u201d
\n\u201cI don\u2019t like rhetorical questions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shaun finally ran out of patience. \u201cLook, man, what\u2019s your problem?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy problem?\u201d Lore quirked an eyebrow.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve known me two minutes and you\u2019re already being a dick,\u201d Shaun replied. \u201cAre you always like this, or did I manage to do something to piss you off sometime between when you sat down and when I noticed you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lore stared at him for a moment, as if considering, then sighed almost politely and said, \u201cWe need to be clear on one thing from the start: I\u2019m not here to socialize. I don\u2019t like you or dislike you. I don\u2019t engage in small talk because it\u2019s a waste of time. I\u2019m here to do my job and to help you do yours. Everything else is superfluous.\u201d He held Shaun\u2019s gaze for what seemed like a few seconds too long, then turned back to his laptop.
\nIt was the look that did it. There was a flash of wariness in Lore\u2019s otherwise neutral expression that made Shaun back down. It vanished as quickly as it had appeared, but Shaun recognized it immediately; he\u2019d seen it before, on the faces of victims who\u2019d been hurt so badly it was either shut down or break apart. Shaun wondered what Lore\u2019s story was.<\/p>\n

\u201cI need the log files,\u201d Lore murmured. He seemed to be talking to himself, but when Shaun didn\u2019t say anything, he glanced up and arched an eyebrow.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, shit, yeah, hold on.\u201d Shaun fumbled with his phone and then flicked through the menus until he found the files from the drive Hudson had given him. \u201cWhat address should I send them to?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lore stopped typing long enough to give Shaun an email address, then went back to whatever he\u2019d been doing.<\/p>\n

Shaun sent the files on their way, then set his phone aside and folded his arms on the table. In a hesitant tone, the verbal equivalent of approaching a dangerous animal, he said, \u201cOkay, so, I know you\u2019re not big on chit-chat, but I figure if we\u2019re gonna be working together, we should know something about each other.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour name is Shaun Mason. You spent most of your academic career earning high scores on all of your standardized tests but average grades in all of your classes. You graduated from UCLA with dual Bachelor\u2019s degrees in Computer Science and Criminal Justice. You applied for a job with the LAPD two years later, after repeatedly and unsuccessfully applying with the FBI. You have a twin sister called Kim and an ex-girlfriend called Julie.\u201d Lore looked up and stared straight into Shaun\u2019s eyes. \u201cI already know more about you than I care to know about most people.\u201d<\/p>\n

For a moment, Shaun was uncharacteristically speechless. It wasn\u2019t until Lore looked down at the laptop again that he was able to mentally shake himself and reply, \u201cOkay, I\u2019m impressed. Did Hudson tell you all that, or did you dig it up on your own?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI research people before I agree to work with them. You should do the same.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t even know your name until just a few minutes ago. I figure if Hudson is cool with you\u2013\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen you already know everything you need to know about me,\u201d Lore interrupted.<\/p>\n

Shaun blinked.<\/p>\n

\u201cHave I insulted you?\u201d Lore asked. He didn\u2019t sound apologetic, but it didn\u2019t seem like he was trying to pick an argument, either. If anything, he sounded curious.<\/p>\n

Shaun considered the question. Lore was prickly and aloof, but Shaun couldn\u2019t shake the feeling that there was more to him than he let on. And since Shaun loved both challenges and puzzles, he flashed Lore his most irritating grin and replied, \u201cNah, we\u2019re good.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lore eyed him for a moment, then nodded and turned his laptop around so Shaun could see the screen. \u201cI ran reverse look-ups on the addresses in the log files. Two are private addresses, but I found names for the other four.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shaun was taken aback by the abrupt change of subject, but he just went with it and leaned in to read the list of names: \u201cPlatinum, Der Kampf, Anguish Arts, Oubliette\u2013they sound like S&M clubs or something.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMost of them are.\u201d Lore spun the laptop back around and resumed typing. \u201cThey\u2019re all in the Okui District. Sarah may have been a regular in the neighborhood.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cY\u2019know, I didn\u2019t know her or anything, but she doesn\u2019t strike me as the type who\u2019d be into that sort of thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone is different in Simulnet.\u201d Lore peered at Shaun over the edge of the laptop screen. \u201cThat\u2019s a side effect of anonymity.\u201d
\n\u201cSo what are you like in real life?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lore stared at Shaun for a moment more before standing abruptly and snapping his laptop closed. \u201cMeet me at Oubliette in twenty minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, but I need the\u2013\u201d Shaun broke off when his phone buzzed. It was a text message from an unknown number, containing the Simulnet address for Oubliette.<\/p>\n

\u201cTwenty minutes,\u201d Lore said. He picked up his laptop, then turned and strode into the cafe. Shaun watched him through the window as he went to the transport chamber and stepped inside. Their eyes met when he turned around again, and Shaun waved. Lore didn\u2019t return the sentiment.<\/p>\n

Once the doors had shut, Shaun sighed and shook his head, then took a sip of coffee that he promptly spit back out again. Amazing, he thought, that almost anything was possible inside Simulnet, yet his coffee had still gone cold.<\/p>\n

Shaun went back into the cafe to have the barista reheat his coffee, then leaned on the counter while he waited and looked around the coffeehouse. When his gaze landed on the chair where the blue-skinned woman had been sitting earlier, he frowned. She\u2019d left her book. Once the barista had come back with his coffee, he went over and picked the book up, and arched an eyebrow at the title: \u2018Simulacrum and Simulation\u2019 by Jean Baudrillard. Curious, he flipped the book open to the first page, only to find it blank\u2013as was the page after that, and the page after that. Shaun put his coffee down on the table and used both hands to flip through the pages. They were all blank, right up until very end where someone had scrawled a message on the inside of the back cover: \u2018Don\u2019t believe everything you see.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat the fuck?\u201d Shaun said out loud.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs there a problem, Sir?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHuh?\u201d Shaun looked up to find the barista watching him. He offered her a reassuring smile and replied, \u201cNo, sorry. There\u2019s no problem.\u201d Then he turned his attention back to the book, frowned, and muttered under his breath, \u201cI don\u2019t think so, anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter Two<\/strong><\/p>\n

The address Lore had given Shaun was for a public transport chamber across the street from Oubliette. As soon as Shaun stepped out of the mock phone booth and saw the line of people waiting to get into the club, he understood why Lore hadn\u2019t sent him straight inside: his jeans and T-shirt would have been a flashing neon sign that he didn\u2019t belong. Oubliette\u2019s customers used the same mix of avatars as everyone else\u2013everything from scantily-dressed model types to satyrs with ocular implants\u2013but even though the neighborhood looked like it had just survived a war, the people milling around outside the club may as well have been the patrons of a five star restaurant. Shaun was surprised; he\u2019d toyed with bondage before, but S&M clubs had always conjured images of leather chaps and bull whips, not three piece suits and little black dresses.<\/p>\n

Shaun scanned the crowd. When he didn\u2019t see Lore anywhere, he stuffed his hands in his pockets and leaned against the transport chamber. The longer he waited, the more jittery he felt. He was equal parts nervous and excited, like a little kid about to go off to summer camp and spend two blissful months away from the watchful eyes of his parents. This was hardly his first time at a nightclub\u2013he\u2019d been sneaking into bars with fake IDs since he was fifteen\u2013but an S&M club on Simulnet was a far cry from the trendy Hollywood spots he usually frequented.<\/p>\n

Someone cleared their throat next to him, and Shaun wheeled around to find Lore standing there. Shaun pressed a hand to his chest and let out an embarrassed chuckle. \u201cJesus, that\u2019s the second time today. You\u2019re like a ninja or something.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lore thrust a paper-wrapped package in Shaun\u2019s direction. \u201cYou\u2019ll need to change.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shaun was too surprised to react for a moment, but then he took the package and said, \u201cYou know, you could have just told me there was a dress code. I\u2019m pretty good at dressing myself these days.\u201d He eyed Lore, who was wearing a smart black suit with a blue tie. He\u2019d done away with his mantle of scarves, and Shaun spotted another tattoo peeking out from underneath his collar.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re staring again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shaun snapped to attention, then offered a sheepish grin and a muttered apology. He\u2019d never met anyone so adept at throwing him off his guard, but he actually sort of liked it. Being around someone who could surprise him was a nice change of pace.
\nThere was a narrow alley directly behind where they were standing, and Shaun jerked his head toward it. \u201cHey, want to keep a lookout for me while I duck in there and get dressed?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lore followed and stood at the entrance of the alley with his back to Shaun. The bluish glow from a nearby streetlight made his hair look more purple than black, and the light glinted off the earrings in his ear. His arms were crossed, and he was drumming his fingers against his elbow, but it seemed more fidgety than impatient. Shaun wondered if he was always like this.
\nWhile Shaun wriggled out of his jeans, Lore glanced over his shoulder and said, \u201cThere\u2019s an ID patch built into the coat. It should mask your user ID if anyone tries to scan you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoesn\u2019t that violate terms of service?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cProbably.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh good, first day on the case and I\u2019m already breaking rules.\u201d Shaun tried to sound annoyed, but he had a feeling the effect was ruined by the smile on his face. There was nothing quite like the thrill of doing something you weren\u2019t supposed to, and it had been a long time. Once he\u2019d finished changing into the suit, he said, \u201cOkay, you can turn around now. How do I look? A little bit Tony Stark, a little bit James Bond?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lore gave Shaun a once-over, then turned and headed back toward the club without a word. Shaun hurried to catch up and wondered why Lore\u2019s stride seemed so much longer than his despite the fact that they were almost the same height.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, who am I supposed to be, anyway?\u201d Shaun asked. \u201cThe name on the ID patch, I mean.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStephen Malone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBetter than John Doe, I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n

As soon as they\u2019d taken their place at the end of the line, Lore\u2019s posture changed like someone had flipped a switch that forced all of the tension out of his body: he tucked his hands into his pockets and slouched a little, then tipped his head ever-so-slightly to the side. Even his expression seemed to relax, and he actually smiled at a group of girls who giggled their way past him.
\nShaun knew he was staring again, but he couldn\u2019t help it; he\u2019d never seen anyone snap into character so quickly before.
\nThey made it through security without a problem and stepped through the front doors into a cozy lobby area. The room had been decorated with black walls, plush red couches, and a gleaming oak bar. Well-dressed club-goers were milling around, sipping cocktails and chatting with one another.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you sure this is an S&M club?\u201d Shaun muttered. So far, Oubliette reminded him more of an upscale bar in Hollywood.
\nLore nodded toward another set of double doors. \u201cThrough there.\u201d
\nThe main room was decorated in the same style as the lobby, but it left no doubt as to what the club was really about. Sex was everywhere: sprawled over couches, kneeling in chairs, tied up on the floor, and even hovering in midair. There was no music, just the background noise of conversation and laughter, and the sound of riding crops on bare skin. Only a handful of people were fully dressed. Shaun was hardly a virgin, but the sight of all those naked bodies made him feel like an enthusiastic teenager all over again; he couldn\u2019t decide where to look first.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis way.\u201d Lore seemed completely unfazed by what was happening around them.<\/p>\n

Shaun followed Lore to the bar, where a group of men were sipping their drinks and watching the room. They were in their late forties or early fifties, and attractive enough to be movie stars. Shaun couldn\u2019t stop staring. When Lore handed him a glass, he took a sip without looking and almost spit it back out again. \u201cJesus, what is this?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cClub soda. Given your inexperience with anything stronger\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cInexperience? I\u2019ve been drinking since I was fourteen.\u201d Shaun made a face and took another sip. It made his nose wrinkle. \u201cGod, this shit is vile.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen don\u2019t drink it.\u201d Lore set his drink down on the bar. \u201cWait here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat? Where are you\u2013?\u201d Shaun began, but Lore was already weaving his way across the room, back toward the lobby. Shaun cursed under his breath, then surveyed the crowd while he tried to decide whether he should stay where he was or try to mingle. He sighed and lifted his glass, then remembered what was in it and plunked it back down onto the bar.<\/p>\n

The group of men at the other end of the bar had dispersed. Only one of them, a tall man in a khaki suit, had lagged behind to talk to a younger man with slicked-back hair and sharp cheekbones. They were standing close together, with their heads bowed and their arms touching. Neither of them seemed to have noticed Shaun, so Shaun edged closer to see if he could overhear their conversation.
\n\u201c\u2026can\u2019t tell my wife anything anymore,\u201d the older man was complaining. \u201cShe\u2019d cut my balls off if she knew I came to places like this.\u201d<\/p>\n

The younger man stroked his arm. \u201cThat\u2019s a shame, but plenty of people come here to explore fantasies they can\u2019t talk about with their significant others. Why don\u2019t you tell me one of your favorites\u2013Paul, was it? Tell me something you\u2019d never be able to tell your wife.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sure that\u2019s a good idea. I didn\u2019t really come here to meet anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t get coy.\u201d The younger man let his hand glide down Paul\u2019s chest to his stomach. \u201cI\u2019ve seen you here before, and I\u2019ve seen what you do. Now, why don\u2019t you tell me what you want so we can have a nice time?\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul\u2019s smile was predatory as he leaned in to whisper something into the younger man\u2019s ear. When the younger man pulled away a minute later, he was blushing, and he kept his gaze on Paul\u2019s face as he sank to his knees. Paul leaned back against the bar and reached down to card his fingers through the younger man\u2019s hair.
\nShaun knew he should probably look away, but he was fascinated. He\u2019d experimented with other men before, during his freshman year of college, but even though he\u2019d enjoyed the sex and the guys had been nice enough, he\u2019d never been able to form emotional attachments to any of them. Only a handful of men had caught his interest since then, but his crushes were mostly sexual and always fleeting, so if anyone bothered to ask, he always said he was straight. That didn\u2019t stop him from being curious about what was happening next to him, though.<\/p>\n

The younger man had unfastened Paul\u2019s trousers and freed his cock, and was lapping at the tip while Paul tugged on his hair. Shaun swallowed and shifted his weight from one foot to the other, and when Paul murmured, \u201cput it in your mouth,\u201d he felt his cheeks turn red. What Paul and his partner were doing was tame compared to some of the other things happening around them, but for some reason it was affecting Shaun more than he would have imagined. Maybe Kim was right, he thought; maybe he just really needed to get laid.<\/p>\n

Thinking of his sister put a damper on Shaun\u2019s libido, and he finally looked away to stare at the rows of bottles behind the bar. Paul was whispering something, but Shaun did his best to ignore it. He was so distracted that he didn\u2019t even notice someone had slid up to the bar beside him until the person\u2019s elbow brushed his. The contact startled him, but he tried to play it cool as he glanced over to find a man his own age smiling at him.
\n\u201cDoes this drink belong to someone, or are you here alone?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, no, it\u2019s my friend\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat a pity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shaun didn\u2019t reply.<\/p>\n

The man\u2019s smile faltered. \u201cYou\u2019re new here, aren\u2019t you? I\u2019m pretty sure I\u2019d remember seeing you around before.\u201d<\/p>\n

To read the rest, download the ebook today!<\/em><\/p>\n

[wp_eStore_fancy2 id=73]<\/p>\n

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ebook $6.99 ISBN 9781613900574 paperback $14.95 ISBN 9781613900703 [wp_eStore_add_to_cart id=73] The ebook edition is also available at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, Kobo & AllRomanceEbooks. Buy the paperback edition! In the virtual world of Simulnet, no one knows who you really are, making it the perfect playground for the imagination\u2026 and for a serial killer. … Continue reading Simulacrum by Rian Darcy<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":875,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-231","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/231","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=231"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/231\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/875"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=231"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}