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The host is never part of the drama. Why did I hijack this V, and why are you two here?”
    “Can’t tell you,” Tripp said, sniggering at Hark’s old-fashioned sweat pants. “You know how it is. It’ll mess you up. Has to come slow and sweet.”
    Hark hated to admit the truth. “Voxyprog technocrats run the show.”
    “Their rules.” Tripp moved in close for a better look. “Their game.”  
    Both brothers smiled.  
    “You two should get out of here,” Hark said.
    “She tell you you’re off the script?” Tripp asked.
    “That’s all she told me.”
    Tripp glanced at Celia. “You understand what it means if they get her?”
    Hark nodded. “I do.”  
    “Where will you take her?”
    Every Rend-V had a center responsible for internal narrative integrity staffed with Sersavant hackers. They kept the seams from fraying inside, only pushing up major problems to the hacker corps. Collides , from what Hark remembered reading about its construction years ago, had a Sersavant center that actually generated in-V entertainment. “I’m going to the Mediaplex to sort this out.”
    Tripp embraced him. “Good move. The memories will come soon. It’ll all be clear then.”
    He turned and headed out. Krista hugged Hark. “We’ll meet you there. We’ll talk later. Until then, keep her safe.”
    She’s the host, Hark said to himself. That mean’s everyone in this V is vulnerable. If a host dies in-V, the entire world disintegrates … and any living person jacked into the V is compromised. The biggest secret in V-Theory: they say dying inside isn’t a problem … but it always is.  
    Hark stared at Celia as his brother and sister left. He smiled at her to ease her mind. She had no idea what she was.
    5
    Hark locked the door, the deadbolt thudding into place. Celia and Frankie looked at him and waited.  
    “Oh, it’s time,” Frankie said. “We’re goners.”
    “Relax,” Hark said. “I said I wouldn’t hurt you.”
    “He’s my bodyguard,” Celia said, dripping poison.
    “They’ll be expecting me back,” Frankie said.
    “You got a com device?”  
    “Com device? You mean a phone?” He pulled one out of his pant’s pocket.  
    “Call in sick.”
    “I thought you said—”
    “I said I wouldn’t hurt you, but there’s something both of you need to hear. Call in. You’re done for the day.”
    Hark paced as he considered his next move. The smart thing would be to sit tight and wait for the memory dump. The woman he thought was merely a principal protagonist was actually the host of the Rend-V. She shouldn’t be part of the drama. In fact, he had just interfered by illegally jumping into the drama … to keep her safe ? He wondered which specialist was suiting up right now to find him. It was usually his job to make sure nothing like this happened in the first place. His brother and sister had also illegally immersed with fully husked presences, although they weren’t in stasis vats. That meant they could come and go in an instant. That also meant at least one remote host was tunneling all three of them. Krista and Tripp would have to pop out to hide their tracks while Hark remained hidden. Since he was tunneling in through the same host, they’d do their best to update his memory as soon as possible.
    They’d also be dropping more clues, as well.
    But right now, all he knew was that a host was in trouble.
    What happened in the last month to make me do this? What did I agree to?
    Hark eyed Frankie. “What are you good at, besides acting?”
    Celia glanced at him. “An actor?”
    Frankie cringed, as if he didn’t want to admit how bad he was to her.
    Hark winked at him.  
    “Well, sort of,” Frankie said.
    “I bet he’s a sight to see,” Hark said.
    “I thought I heard you say you failed an audition.”
    Hark shook his head.
    Frankie stared at the floor. “Yeah, I could have done better.”
    “So? What else besides acting?” Hark asked. He crossed his arms. Frankie was here for