Page 1 of The Stolen Tribute
PROLOGUE
KYLIE
“Fuck yeah, I’m going to kill you for that, you alien bastard!”
The screen flashed hypnotically as I raised my laser blaster and took aim at the boss-level alien and pulled the trigger. The first shot broke his shield, the second killed him.
Campaign complete … Returning to lobby…
“Wow! That was awesome, girl!” A voice said in my custom purple headphones. “I thought we were done for a minute, there.”
The voice was Sue Chen, akaMiss_Light88, my best friend and fellow gamer girl. We’d known each other since we met online when we were 12. She was the only one I trusted to play competitive campaign mode with.
I watched my screen tag flash at the top of the world-wide board,Killer_Kylie_x0.
I finally could breathe again. “No, kidding! If I hadn’t upgraded my blaster last level, we would have lost for sure,” I said into my microphone.
“Don’t be so modest,” Sue said with a laugh. She was Australian, and we’d only met in person at a few conventions and competitions. Still, we hung out via the internet almost every day.
“Fine, but you helped,” I said.
“We make quite the team,” Sue laughed.
I glanced at the clock at the bottom of the screen. It was five in the morning here in Los Angeles.
“Ah, fuck, I’d better get going,” I said.
We took turns getting up early and staying up late in order to make up for the seventeen-hour time difference between Brisbane and LA. I worked as a barista to make ends meet between gaming competitions, and I had to get my ass to work pronto.
“No worries, girl. Catch you later,” Sue said.
“Yep, see ya!”
I logged off and scrambled to get ready.
My tiny bachelor apartment, if you could call it that, was full of awards, medals, posters, and photos of my career on the professional gaming circuit. Female gamers still didn’t make as much as the guys (bullshit, I know), so despite everything, I had to put on my customer service voice and make lattes four days a week. My boss was chill, though, and I had a flexible schedule, so I had that going for me.
I quickly got dressed, did my hair, and brushed my teeth. Then I ran down the stairs of my apartment instead of waiting for the elevator, emerging onto the street just as a bus passed by.
“Damn,” I sighed and started walking.
Ads were everywhere these days, even on the sidewalk, which was pretty new. I didn’t pay attention to the flashing lights, smiling actors, and cute cartoons that were desperately trying to sell me shit. I didn’t need anything but games in my life.
Another bus hovered by with a big sign on one side of it:Worldwide E-Game Championship Summer 2062 – Get your tickets now!
“Ha, already qualified,” I said to myself smugly.
If I could win my division, maybe I’d finally secure a good enough sponsor to quit my day job. Now, that would be the life.
The next ad caught my eye for another reason. It was a beautiful purple alien male, a Zexian. The alien race that Earth had made a deal with for intergalactic protection while we built up our own tech.Summer 2062 – Girls 18+ wanted. Apply now to be a Zexian Bride and live your wildest dreams.
I snorted. “Not this girl,” I said with a roll of my eyes.
The bell above the door rang, and the hover-bus rumbled away.
***
After the morning rush, I usually had a few minutes to chill and listen to the customers talk to each other. People watching (and listening) was super fun, in my opinion. It gave me some sort of resemblance of a social life, while still respecting my boundaries as a dedicated introvert.
