15.
“STEAK TARTAR for you, Mr. Kharon.”
Manos looks up at his robot butler, Devon. “Leave it on the table.”
Sprawled across his luxury bed high above the streets of Manhattan, Manos analyzes stock prices through his Vision smartglasses. The expansive bedroom, the centerpiece in his 8000-square-foot Upper East Side apartment, looks down to flooded Central Park and submerged Times Square, once a vibrant jewel of the city.
“Devon, get me some whiskey.”
A red light shines on his assistant’s circular head and its chrome-plated arm rises to its trunk. “Scotch, American, or Japanese, sir?”
“Make it an Aberlour.”
A panel retracts on the robot’s chest, revealing a liquor cabinet. Devon takes a bottle and pours into a glass. “Here you are, Mr. Kharon.”
Manos’s smartglasses vibrate with an incoming call and “Chief of Staff” flashes on the screen. He rolls his eyes. “Not in the mood. Decline the call.”
He sits up and grabs the plate of food, stuffing his mouth with steak tartar and washing it down with whiskey. Feeling euphoric, he walks over to a full-body VR suit hanging from a chair. “Devon, help me get into this.”
The robot picks up the outfit, a silver bodysuit with red stripes streaming on its sides, and holds it up as Manos slips on the leggings and secures the accessories. He attaches a sensory belt and dons a pair of silver gloves.
Devon tightens the straps on the back and hands him a helmet. “Shall I activate the console, Mr. Kharon?”
Manos puts on the headgear and mumbles through it. “How do I look?”
“Like a motorcycle rider ready for the race.”
He laughs. “Fire up the VR, Devon.”
A wall retracts and a six-foot-by-six-foot game pit appears in the corner of the room, its borders lined with black padding. Sensors and speakers encircle the unit, and a multi-directional treadmill spans its base.
As Manos steps into the console, his helmet vibrates with an incoming call. “Sir,” an A.I. voice says to him, “your Chief of Staff is calling again. It may be urgent.”
“I don’t have time right now.” Manos jogs on the treadmill to warm up. “Tell Seth to call me later.” As he turns left, the track rotates to match his speed and direction, keeping him in the center of the unit at all times.
Devon’s voice comes through the helmet. “Are you ready to begin, Mr. Kharon?”
“Yes, start the game.”
Sensors flash and the treadmill slows to a light walk. Manos strolls on an island beach with coconut trees lining the shore. A tall blonde-haired woman walks beside him, her high cheekbones and perfect smile designed by Manos himself. She is barefoot, with a white bikini and flowing locks that glisten in the sunlight.
He holds her hand. “You look amazing, Nina.”
“Thank you, honey,” she says in a soft voice. “Where would you like to go today?”
“This feels nice…” He closes his eyes as a warm breeze strokes his face. Hearing waves crashing and birds squawking in the cloudless blue sky, he opens his eyes to see a turtle peeking its head above the water. “I want to go to Thailand.”
The scenery changes. Limestone formations rise from the water surface and grow towards the heavens. A long-tail boat drifts in the ocean, its protruding bow adorned in blue and red drapes.
Nina kisses his cheek. “Southeast Asia is beautiful this time of year.”
He smiles. “It was the best vacation I ever had. I wish I could go back in time to 2018.”
The boat docks on the beach and an elderly Thai man steps on shore. He hands them a cocktail. “Your ride is ready, sir. Next stop is Koh Samui.”
Manos snatches the drinks. “Follow me, Nina.” He guides her onto the water taxi and stands on deck facing the ocean. “Gorgeous…”
As they take in the view, the boat undocks and glides across the turquoise water through a passageway surrounded by green mountains. Monkeys howl from cliffside treetops. A warm breeze carries the smell of the ocean.
“We’ve been to Koh Samui before,” Manos says to the driver. “Take me to a different island this time.”
“Would you like nightlife or a quiet beach?”
“Give me a party.”
The boat wafts toward an island lined with hundreds of coconut trees bending at angles towards the sky. Laser lights flicker from the beach and the faint sounds of dance music drift over the gentle wind.
Manos spots revelers partying on the sand. “Now this is a fiesta!” He reaches over and kisses Nina. “I’m gonna show you a great time tonight.”
She frowns. “I’m sorry to tell you this, but there’s a message from Seth.”
Manos throws his hands in the air. “Can’t I have one minute of peace? What does he want?”
“Shall I read his message to you?”
He rolls his eyes. “Go ahead.”
“His message says: ‘China is retaliating. We are under attack. Please call me.’”
“Not now, Nina.” He covers his ears. “I don’t want to think about that. Let’s go have fun. The real world can wait.”
A setting sun casts an orange glow across the sky. They land on shore and head for a festival on the beach. Partygoers dance on the sand as a DJ blasts electronic music through speakers suspended high on the coconut trees.
A Thai woman with a basket approaches them. “Would you like some smokes?”
“Where are we?” Manos asks.
“Koh Phangan.”
“What year is it?”
“2018.”
Manos buys a pack of cigarettes. “I loved that year, Nina. This is the best place in the world. Did you know the King’s nephew used to throw parties here?”
Nina strokes her hair. “Yes, the full moon festivals.”
“That’s right. There was a shop on the cliffside selling mushroom shakes.” He turns to the Thai woman. “Do you have molly?”
“Yes, I do.”
Manos takes a pill from her and swallows it, chasing it with his cocktail. He leads Nina to the sandy dance floor as a wave of euphoria comes over him. He lights a cigarette and hugs her tightly. “This is everything I’ve ever wanted.”
He closes his eyes and feels the bass thumping through his body. On a stage, a tattooed man lifts a burning stick and blows a fireball into the air. People scream and laugh.
“What a party!” Manos grabs Nina and dances with her to the music’s beat. “Isn’t this fun, babe?”
She pulls away.
“What’s the matter?”
She grimaces. “Seth is calling again, Manos.”
He stops dancing and shouts, “I’m sick of this! Doesn’t he know I don’t want to talk?” He throws his cocktail in the sand. “Answer the call and let’s get this over with it.”
The island vanishes and the screen goes black. A white-framed box appears and Seth comes into view. “Mr. Kharon, sorry to bother you. Something urgent has come up.”
Manos clenches his jaw. “What’s so important that you need to call me three times?”
“The Chinese just launched cyberattacks against our banks. Our servers are frozen.”
“What do you want me to do about it? Let the government deal with it.”
Seth leans forward. “I’m hearing this attack is retaliation for the Information Tariffs.”
Manos rolls his eyes. “Obviously. The enemy is angry.”
“Yes, and how do respond?”
Manos laughs. “We celebrate.”
“Sir?”
“China’s reaction is proof that my tariffs worked. We pounded the enemy where it hurts, and that makes me a hero. I’ll take it as a sign of genius.”
After some silence, Seth speaks up. “What should we do now?”
“Get our backup servers online and stay silent for a few days. Wait for the attacks to stop.”