you up to?’ Liam asked, worried.
‘Watch,’ I told him.
It took three attempts to link up to the VIMS unit at Desica International. I’d seen Mum do it plenty of times but this was the first time I’d done it myself. Once the link had been established, I put my right hand in the VR, or virtual reality, glove. It was warm and slightly scratchy. I assumed that was because of all the sensors on the inside of the glove. I made a fist, then flexed my fingers. The monitor screen blinked on. We could see the VIMS testing area. I considered putting on the VR glasses but then Liam wouldn’t have been able to see on the monitor what I was doing. And I wanted him to see every single thing. He’d been there when Matt had shown me up so it was only right that he should see I wasn’t a complete wimp – that I could fight back.
‘Now what?’ Liam asked.
‘Now we’re going to have some fun,’ I grinned. ‘Watch! And learn! I’m going to take VIMS for a walk. Here we go!’
After a sudden lurch, it seemed as if the whole room was moving towards us. I pointed my index finger forward in the direction of the testing area double doors. VIMS started moving forward.
‘What’s going on?’ Liam gasped.
‘I’m making VIMS move forward. I’m going to make him leave the Desica building and make his way to Matt’s house.’
‘No!’ Liam stared. ‘That’s really VIMS moving?’
‘That’s right.’
‘How come we can’t see him?’
‘’Cause we’re seeing
through
him. We’re seeing everything he sees, looking through his eyes if you like,’ I explained.
‘You can’t take him out of Desica,’ Liam said, appalled. ‘You can’t just have him trundle down the street to Matt’s house.’
‘Oh, yes, I can,’ I laughed.
‘Dominic, see sense,’ Liam urged. ‘Someone’s bound to see him and then they’ll freak out and call the police and all sorts. And when your mum hears about it …’
‘Mum and Jack are probably up on the fifth floor in the computer room,’ I said.
‘Probably? I don’t like the sound of that.’ Liam shook his head.
I know I should’ve told him that VIMS was only in simulation mode. That everything he was seeing wasn’t really real. It was just an illusion, like a film being played back through the VIMS unit – but I didn’t want to tell him that. Not yet.
‘Don’t worry. I’ll have VIMS back in the testing area before anyone realizes it’s missing,’ I said.
I pointed my index finger forward again. VIMS’ surroundings appeared to move backwards, creating the illusion that VIMS was moving forwards. When it got to the door, I mimed turning the door handle. I watched on the monitor as the testing door opened. I pointed forward. The surroundings scrolled until VIMS reached the lift. I pointed at the control panel of the lift and said, ‘VIMS, press the button.’
VIMS did as it was told. The lift doors opened almost immediately. I pointed into the lift and VIMS entered it. I made VIMS press the button to go up to the ground floor. When the lift doors opened, I could see on the monitor a security guard I did not recognize. He was sitting at his desk in the reception area, reading his newspaper. It took me a moment to remember the appropriate command for what I wanted to do next. Keeping my hand level and parallel to the ground, I said, ‘VIMS, low mode, maximum stealth, silent running.’
Almost immediately, the monitor view changed so that we could only see a few centimetres off the ground. VIMS wheeled right past the security guard’s desk to the exit.
‘How’re you going to open the door?’ Liam asked.
‘Like this! VIMS, activate Desica main doors and exit. On exit, immediately seek cover and get out of sight.’
Before our eyes, one of the main exit doors opened and VIMS rolled out.
‘VIMS, rear view please.’
On the monitor we saw the security guard look up from his newspaper, surprise on his face. Mum must’ve updated the tape VIMS was currently
‘Watch,’ I told him.
It took three attempts to link up to the VIMS unit at Desica International. I’d seen Mum do it plenty of times but this was the first time I’d done it myself. Once the link had been established, I put my right hand in the VR, or virtual reality, glove. It was warm and slightly scratchy. I assumed that was because of all the sensors on the inside of the glove. I made a fist, then flexed my fingers. The monitor screen blinked on. We could see the VIMS testing area. I considered putting on the VR glasses but then Liam wouldn’t have been able to see on the monitor what I was doing. And I wanted him to see every single thing. He’d been there when Matt had shown me up so it was only right that he should see I wasn’t a complete wimp – that I could fight back.
‘Now what?’ Liam asked.
‘Now we’re going to have some fun,’ I grinned. ‘Watch! And learn! I’m going to take VIMS for a walk. Here we go!’
After a sudden lurch, it seemed as if the whole room was moving towards us. I pointed my index finger forward in the direction of the testing area double doors. VIMS started moving forward.
‘What’s going on?’ Liam gasped.
‘I’m making VIMS move forward. I’m going to make him leave the Desica building and make his way to Matt’s house.’
‘No!’ Liam stared. ‘That’s really VIMS moving?’
‘That’s right.’
‘How come we can’t see him?’
‘’Cause we’re seeing
through
him. We’re seeing everything he sees, looking through his eyes if you like,’ I explained.
‘You can’t take him out of Desica,’ Liam said, appalled. ‘You can’t just have him trundle down the street to Matt’s house.’
‘Oh, yes, I can,’ I laughed.
‘Dominic, see sense,’ Liam urged. ‘Someone’s bound to see him and then they’ll freak out and call the police and all sorts. And when your mum hears about it …’
‘Mum and Jack are probably up on the fifth floor in the computer room,’ I said.
‘Probably? I don’t like the sound of that.’ Liam shook his head.
I know I should’ve told him that VIMS was only in simulation mode. That everything he was seeing wasn’t really real. It was just an illusion, like a film being played back through the VIMS unit – but I didn’t want to tell him that. Not yet.
‘Don’t worry. I’ll have VIMS back in the testing area before anyone realizes it’s missing,’ I said.
I pointed my index finger forward again. VIMS’ surroundings appeared to move backwards, creating the illusion that VIMS was moving forwards. When it got to the door, I mimed turning the door handle. I watched on the monitor as the testing door opened. I pointed forward. The surroundings scrolled until VIMS reached the lift. I pointed at the control panel of the lift and said, ‘VIMS, press the button.’
VIMS did as it was told. The lift doors opened almost immediately. I pointed into the lift and VIMS entered it. I made VIMS press the button to go up to the ground floor. When the lift doors opened, I could see on the monitor a security guard I did not recognize. He was sitting at his desk in the reception area, reading his newspaper. It took me a moment to remember the appropriate command for what I wanted to do next. Keeping my hand level and parallel to the ground, I said, ‘VIMS, low mode, maximum stealth, silent running.’
Almost immediately, the monitor view changed so that we could only see a few centimetres off the ground. VIMS wheeled right past the security guard’s desk to the exit.
‘How’re you going to open the door?’ Liam asked.
‘Like this! VIMS, activate Desica main doors and exit. On exit, immediately seek cover and get out of sight.’
Before our eyes, one of the main exit doors opened and VIMS rolled out.
‘VIMS, rear view please.’
On the monitor we saw the security guard look up from his newspaper, surprise on his face. Mum must’ve updated the tape VIMS was currently
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