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would they ask three teenagers to solve their problems?”
    “I’ve been thinking about that,” Michael said. “Agent Weber said others would be searching, too. Maybe they’re finding the best gamers and coders around and giving them an opportunity to crack whatever secret location Kaine has created. She knew we could hack and code. I’m telling you, it wasn’t a joke.”
    “But how can we do anything the VNS people can’t do?” Sarah asked. “That’s their whole job, and frankly it scares me that they’re trying to pawn it off on kids.”
    Bryson scoffed. “Old geezers always know that the next generation is smarter than they’ll ever be at this stuff. I mean, we hang out in this place. We
do
know it better than anyone. We can do it because it’s
not
our job. It’s our hobby.”
    “And it has to do with more than programming,” Michael added, glad that Bryson was making it sound legitimate. “They need users, not just makers. Who’s better than us?”
    “You sure that’s it?” Sarah asked. “Or do you just want an excuse to play?”
    “Don’t you?” Michael asked.
    “Yeah, well.” She shrugged and smiled.
    “And what was that little part about being set for life if we find it?” Bryson asked. “That lady better have meant all three of us, not just you.”
    “I’m sure she did,” Michael answered, even though he didn’t know for sure. “We’ll be rich, work for the VNS, whatever. But we absolutely can’t tell anyone about this.” For some reason he couldn’t bring himself to mention the less-than-veiled threats Agent Weber had also doled out. But then, maybe they didn’t apply to his friends.
    “I admit, it sounds fun—it’d be a good challenge,” Sarah said.
    Michael agreed. A game that wasn’t a game anymore—it was more important than a game. In that second he got so excited to start that he almost stood up, ready to move.
    Bryson must’ve read the expression on his face. “Hold on to your pants, there, brother. We’ve gotta be sure about this.”
    “I know,” Michael replied. “I am.” And he meant it fully.
    Something happened then. An uncomfortable oddness suddenly permeated their surroundings, flooding Michael with fear. Everything in the park around them slowed to a crawl, like a fly trapped in syrup.
    Sarah’s hand was moving to tuck her hair behind her ear. Bryson’s mouth was stretching into a smile—his mischievous one, his way of letting everyone know he agreed and was committed. The tree branches above them swayed lazily. A bird flew past, and Michael could see its wing move up, then down. The air thickened, filled with a stifling humidity.
    And then it all disappeared in a flash of light, replaced by spinning stars and a maniac’s laughter.
5
    Michael’s body had been subjected to everything imaginable in terms of motion within the VirtNet, the Coffin always doing its trick to make things as realistic as possible. Roller coasters, diving airplanes, rockets being shot to other universes at light speed, more falls than he could ever count. But whatever happened to them in that moment felt like it was going to rip his body into a hundred pieces. His stomach turned and his brain split into ten kinds of pain. All the while, stars spun, and he couldn’t tell if his eyes were open or closed. He lost all awareness of his surroundings, and he suddenly wondered if the Coffin would be able to handle the stress.
    Abruptly, the craziness stopped. Michael’s insides clenched and he heaved, but nothing came out. He slowly regained his breath and looked around. All was frozen in darkness except for small lights winking in the distance.
    There were two bodies next to him. He could barely see them—they weren’t much more than shadows—but he knew it was Bryson and Sarah. It had to be.
    The lights began to swirl, then coalesce, moving more rapidly with each passing second—collecting immediately in front of them into a ball that grew larger and brighter, until