He typed in Twist O’Lemon. Up came a profile with a picture of a male AV with long, straight, red and blond-streaked hair and a bare chest. He frowned, wondering if he’d entered the name wrong. But it was the name Janey had given him, and he’d made no typos. The information on the profile told him that this AV had been “born” almost exactly a year ago. There was a window listing Groups of which Twist was a member, and a short paragraph about her.
Here to have fun, it said. Check out my agency if you need help. Just IM me for a fast response.
What agency? Chas wondered. He opened the Send Instant Message window.
Chas: Hi, Twist. It’s Chas. Are you there?
After a moment a reply appeared.
Twist: Chas! You’re here!! So cool. I’ll send you a TP.
Chas: A what?
Twist: Teleport. Hang on.
A blue window appeared in the top right of Chas’ screen. Twist O’Lemon has offered to teleport you to his or her location. Join me on Jersey Island. He clicked to accept. There was a loud whooshing sound. He dropped to his knees and stood up, and found himself in what appeared to be a large office lined with bookcases. Huge blue windows all around cut high up into brick walls that rose to a wooden ceiling. Paintings hung on some of the windows: a fist with the middle finger raised, followed by a large U; a strange, multicoloured eye that peered back at him from within its frame. Below stood a sofa and several soft armchairs. A grand piano separated two desks, each with computers. Behind one of them, bubbles rose through turquoise water in an aquarium where colourful tropical fish drifted languidly by. Above it hung a large gold crested logo for the Twist of Fate Detective Agency.
Outside, through the blue-smoked glass, Chas could see a sandy island landscape, sun shining on a glittering sea in the distance. There was a row of shops. Across a narrow waterway, several mansion houses. A railway track ran past, then somehow rose up into the sky and looped around, heading off toward an enormous shopping mall in the hazy distance.
Whatever Chas might have been expecting of Second Life, he could never have imagined any of this.
Twist: So what do you think of my office?
Chas turned to see the long-haired, bare-chested young man from Twist’s profile sitting at the piano, hands drifting up and down the keyboard. He became aware of soft piano music in the air.
Chas: Who are you?
Twist: LOL. Can’t you read? It’s me. Twist.
Chas: But you’re a man!
Twist: In SL, yes.
Chas: But why?
Twist: Cos I got fed up being harassed all the time. Guys in here are much bolder than they are in RL. A good-looking girl never gets a moment’s peace — and all the girls in here are good-looking, Chas. So I decided to be a man. And anyway, this way my clients take me much more seriously. Even if I do go around with a bare chest.
Chas looked down and realised that Twist was also bare-footed.
Chas: What clients?
Twist: Of the agency. Didn’t you see my logo?
Chas: You’re not seriously telling me you’re a private detective?
Twist: Sure, I am. Get lots of work, too. Harassment cases. Stalking. Fraud. Infidelity.
Chas: Infidelity?
He couldn’t keep the incredulity out of his voice.
Chas: Who’s being unfaithful to who?
Twist: Hahaha. Chas, SL is just like RL. People have relationships. Get married. They also cheat. And jealous partners come to me to find out who with.
Twist stood up from the piano.
Twist: Anyway, now that you’ve come into SL, you can be my partner in the agency. We can be a team.
Chas: You’re kidding!
Twist: No, I’m dead serious, Chas. Here...
An invitation appeared inviting him to join a Group called the Twist of Fate Detective Agency. He accepted, and immediately the tag above his head read, Private Detective Chas Chesnokov.
Twist: Great. Welcome to the agency, Chas. You are now officially a detective.
A pop-up asked permission for Twist to animate his avatar. As soon as he agreed, Twist advanced toward him, and the two AVs put their arms around each other in an intimate hug.
Chas: Hey! What are you doing?
Twist: Giving you a hug.
Chas: I’m not in the habit of hugging men.
Twist: LOL. Don’t worry, it’ll be our secret.
If Chas could have frowned, he would have.
Chas: What’s this LOL you keep saying?
Twist: Laughs out loud, Chas. LOL. Anyway, now you’re part of the Group, you can set this office as your Home. It’s where you will log in from now on. If I’m not here, you just click on the door to get in and out. Or you can TP. Come on, I’ll show you a little trick.
Twist opened the door and Chas followed him outside. It closed again behind them. He glanced down the row of shops. One was selling furniture. Another sold Skins. A third was peddling animations. And yet another had its windows filled with hair and clothes. AVs were drifting in and out of the stores or standing chatting in groups.
Chas turned around and bumped into Twist.
Twist: Pay attention Chas! This is important.
And Twist described a maneouvre with mouse and alt key that enabled Chas to move his POV from the exterior of the building to the interior, swinging past the outside wall. Chas did as instructed and found that he could see inside the office as if he were there.
Twist: Now click anywhere inside to move around. Magic, huh? You can see through brick walls. Very handy for a PI. Oh, and you can actually go inside, too. Even if the door is locked. Right-click on any of the chairs inside and you’ll get an option to Sit. Click on it, and abracadabra, you’ll be sitting in that chair. You’ll see a Stand Up button on your toolbar. Click that and you’re in.
Again, Chas followed Twists’ instructions, and in an instant found himself sitting in one of the armchairs inside the office. Twist came back in through the door.
Twist: See? Just like magic.
For a moment he stood looking at Chas, to the point where Chas almost began to feel uncomfortable. It was odd how he was projecting his insecurities into the expressions of an expressionless avatar. But somehow they seemed real.
Chas: What?
Twist: I was just thinking, Chas. You look like such a newbie. We’re going to need to get you a whole new look. And a whole new wardrobe. A weapon would be good, too.
Chapter Eleven
The huge brownstone building that housed the Body Doubles shopping mall stood on the edge of a lake bordered by trees that swayed in the breeze. Twist and Chas TPed into an arrival point just outside. Large posters of seductive AVs on the wall advertised the store as image consultants. A ramp led across a moat, guarded by a tiger, to the main entrance. Just inside the front door, a scantily clad blonde wearing a bra, a Stetson, and not much else stood on a circular podium welcoming shoppers to the store. Beyond, a vast two-tiered gallery displayed images around four walls of glamorous-looking men and women, film and rock star lookalikes.