for upgrades in other games, but he was not making any actual money. Mako was his acting caretaker, holding that money for him until he turned 18 – or so the deal claimed. Since he was an esports stand- out at his community college where he was dual-enrolled, this task represented little challenge to him. If anything, this particular piloting game
required the use of a special VR-enhanced headset nicknamed “the crown” that allowed the game to have amazing visual detail. And when you took the pills, “greenies,” that his buddy Bullwinkle got him, it made it all too real. The little pale green pill acted as a buffer, reducing the head - aches post-game and increasing the experience. Brody did not think of greenies as a stim contrary to the obvious; rather, they were just equip- ment he needed for battle, like the headset, his energy drinks such as the pungent “Baja Brawndo” and his expensive custom-made gaming chair, which he used to reach ever higher scores. The greenie-induced experiences were so real that Brody had recurring dreams about playing the game, as if they were real memories of his ex- ploits in some non-existent war. But he was very jealous of his position near the top of the leaderboard, which for him was the real achievement, so keeping his name there was his true reward and obsession. While it was unofficial, he also knew that a powerful gaming company, SiegWelt - Sims, was taking notice of his skills and if he could get enough of their attention, they might elevate him to a role beyond mere gamer; he could potentially break into the elite ranks that roamed the country as top tal- ent, spawning a career post-high school. While his parents had wealth, he wanted to carve his own path and show them he was capable in his own right; he was a star who deserved to be among the acknowledged best in the country.
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