Kissed in code

CHAPTER ONE: LOVE COMES TO TOWN

"Love is the most dangerous weapon, for it has the power to heal or destroy."

1

In the not-so-distant future, a world transformed by the melding of virtual reality and augmented reality had emerged. People walked through city streets wearing sleek AR glasses, overlaying digital information onto their surroundings.

It was a world where technology promised to bridge the gap between reality and fantasy, and no innovation exemplified this more than Virtual Oasis.

Nickolas Harrington stood in his high tech office, gazing out at the city's skyline through floor-to-ceiling windows. At thirty-eight, he was a tech prodigy, renowned for his groundbreaking creations in the world of augmented and virtual reality. The fame and fortune that came with his successes had brought him to this point, but now, he was on the precipice of his greatest achievement yet.

Virtual Oasis was the culmination of years of work and relentless ambition. As the soft hum of servers filled the room, Nickolas watched holographic displays flicker to life, showcasing the sleek design of the new app. It promised to revolutionize the dating world by offering users the chance to meet their ideal partners in a meticulously crafted virtual world.

In the boardroom down the hall, his team of developers, designers and marketers eagerly reviewed the final preparations for the app's launch. They marveled at the potential of the technology to bring people together in ways never before imagined. The room buzzed with excitement.

Yet, Nick knew that the real power of Virtual Oasis lay in its hidden capabilities. Although he was excited too, as the launch date had drawn close, Nick had found himself increasingly haunted by ethical concerns. He had become the puppeteer in this digital masquerade, and the line between his creations and their unwitting participants blurred with each passing day. Yet he kept telling himself that it had to be done.

He remembered his first crush in high school. "what was her name again?", he thought.

"Melinda...? "

He couldn't recall her surname anymore, but he could never forget her face. Her features were flawlessly symmetrical, from her high cheekbones, to her softly curved lips which always seemed to carry a playful and knowing smile.

She was the very first girl he had fallen in love with. The girl who had never looked at him twice. To her, Nick was invincible. He had loved her in secret. Watched her, obsessed over her. He had dreamt of her every night even at that young age. The dreams were passionate, and when he woke up on one of such nights, he had forced himself up from pure ecstasy, panting and sweating.

He knew he wanted her. He wanted to run his young hands through her fiery red hair and kiss her passionately. He remembered telling his friend Gordon about his dreams.

"look Nick", Gordon had told him that day, "you can never be with Melinda. We are just two weirdos, no girl will ever love us, you better stop dreaming and wake up".

Gordon might have been young, but he was certainly right that day. Nick had picked up his lunch and gone out. That was twelve years ago and he had since moved on.

If only he had then what he had now, he sometimes admitted to himself. It might have made a difference. He had convinced himself that his invention would be solely for the benefit of mankind. People like young Nick and Gordon.

"Anyway, now isn't the time to sulk", he told himself, this was his moment, and he was going to enjoy every minute of it.

2.

"Hi Nick", the lady in blue office blouse said, and smiled at him. Nickolas smiled back and waved, he was a superstar now. In the bustling office, Isabella was a vision of allure and charm, turning heads with every step.

Every single male member in the office desired and lusted after her. Her presence commanded attention, and she moved with a graceful confidence that was impossible to ignore.

As Isabella passed Nick, she winked at him seductively, Nick turned around and stared her. With long, chestnut-brown hair that cascaded down her back in soft luxurious waves, she effortlessly caught the light from the office expansive windows. Dressed in office attire that effortlessly blended sophistication and allure, she wore a short tailored pencil skirt and tight fitting blouse that hugged her voluptuous curves in all the right places, while highlighting her hourglass figure.

Her blouse which was elegantly buttoned just enough to maintain professionalism, hinted at seductive pleasures concealed within.

Oliver who was about getting up dropped a file carelessly as Isabella passed his desk. He bent over to pick up the file as he muttered something under his breath. Nickolas could see that Oliver was trying to hide the rapidly growing bulge beneath his trousers.

She had begun calling him Nick which was the shorten form of Nickolas ever since he had presented his work to the board of directors and they had approved of it. Nickolas knew that Isabella didn't flirt with everyone, she only had time for the big players in the company and right now Nickolas was about to become one.

"Why does she always dress this way?", Oliver Watkins asked Nick in a tone of frustration. Nick gave a short laugh.

"I'm telling you Nick, she knows exactly what she is doing to us all, and I have a feeling she enjoys it", he continued.

Oliver eyes followed Isabella's behind until she disappeared behind a door, he turned back to face Nick.

"You like her don't you?", Nick asked

"Damn you Nick, every single man in this office complex do, you know that yourself. It's a shame she doesn't look my way. I bet all the board members get to smash- "

Nick could relate with his pain. Oliver reminded him of a certain teenager who longer for the love of a girl who didn't even know he existed.

"Tell me the truth Nick, do you think I need to be a bad boy to get her attention?", Oliver asked.

"I think you're perfect Ollie, you see, girls like this really love guys who try to be themselves". Nick knew he was telling a lie, but he wanted Oliver to feel better.

Oliver who was now looking dejected asked,

"What does being yourself even mean?".

"Just be the sweet nerd you are", Nick said with a sly grin. Oliver shook his head.

"Enough about this vixen", Nick said, getting back to business "How's social media feeling about the launch" Oliver's face brightened.

"The buzz is out of this damn world. Listen Nick, all media houses are sending representatives to the briefing. This is going to be your biggest win yet". Another girl passed by and flashed Nick a charming smile, completely ignoring Oliver who stood at his side.

"I see Ollie. I never knew we could it, we are about to reshape the way the world interacts". They were still discussing when Isabella strode out of the room she had gone into. Oliver's face became gloomy again.

3.

In a sleek and modern office room to be used for the presentation nestled within the heart of the Mega X tech hub, a palpable atmosphere of anticipation and excitement hung in the air. The room was bathed in the soft, ambient glow of AR screens and holographic displays, casting a futuristic aura over the scene.

Software engineers, dressed in a mix of business casual and tech-chic attire, huddled in small groups, engaged in animated discussions. Laptops and tablets adorned every available surface, displaying lines of code, virtual schematics, and intricate design mock-ups. The scent of freshly brewed coffee wafted from a nearby corner, where a state-of-the-art espresso machine provided a constant stream of caffeine to fuel the engineers' creativity.

"This is going to be great, one engineer was saying to another"

Amid the low hum of conversations, you could hear snippets of technical jargon and excited chatter about the groundbreaking dating app they were about to unveil. The walls were adorned with large LED screens that showcased the app's logo and promotional graphics, each radiating an air of modern sophistication and promise.

In the center of the room, a large, semi-circular table with a shimmering glass surface served as the focal point. It was here that the lead software engineer, Nickolas Harrington, stood, dressed in a tailored suit that combined classic style with a hint of cutting-edge flair. He had an air of quiet confidence, surveying his team as they prepared for the pivotal presentation.

The minutes ticked away, and the room buzzed with energy as the presentation neared. Engineers tweaked algorithms, tested AR interfaces, and fine-tuned the app's features to perfection. The anticipation of showcasing their creation to the world had reached its peak.

Outside the conference room's panoramic windows, the city's skyline glittered with the lights of a near-future world. It was a world where virtual reality and augmented reality had seamlessly integrated into daily life, and where the promise of technology was limited only by the bounds of imagination. The engineers in the room were about to unveil a dating app that would bridge the gap between reality and the immersive virtual world, offering users the chance to meet their ideal partners in a digital realm where authenticity met illusion.

As the moment for the meeting drew closer, a sense of camaraderie and shared purpose united the engineers. They knew they were on the cusp of something extraordinary, something that would change the way people thought about love and connections. The meeting to unveil the app was not just about presenting a product; it was about introducing a new era in human relationships, and the excitement in the room was infectious.

In this futuristic setting, the engineers, each a brilliant mind in their own right, were ready to unveil their creation and change the course of digital romance forever. The atmosphere crackled with the promise of discovery, innovation, and the potential for love to transcend the boundaries of the real and the virtual.

4.

"Turn up the volume, I want to hear what going on", somebody was saying as Sophia Bennett walked into the room.

"Hello, what's going on here?", Sophia asked.

"shush! It's the launching of the Oasis app today, shouldn't you be there interviewing someone or something?", the questioning eyes of Margaret inquired.

Sophia who didn't think much about the whole launching thing said, "I opted out Maggie. I don't know what all the fuss is about this app. People have been dating each other for a long time now, and I think the idea of finding a perfect partner does not exist".

"oh, of course you would", Margaret fired back, as Sophia grabbed a seat and sat down. "You have been single for way to long Sophia, you probably don't know what the touch of a man feels like". Sophia slapped her playfully on the back. The Big screen of the television showed the figure of a man walking up. Margaret whistled softly and sipped on her drink.

Nick stood on a stage in front of a massive crowd, ready to unveil his creation to the world. The audience was a mix of tech enthusiasts, investors, and hopeful romantics, all eager to experience the future of dating.

"Who's that guy?", Sophia asked

"Who?"

"Stop playing Maggie, who's this guy speaking now?"

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining me today," Nick began, his charismatic voice resonating through the venue. "Today, we embark on a journey into a new realm of possibilities. With Virtual Oasis, you can meet your perfect match in a world of your dreams, a world that understands you like no other."

"Nickolas Harrington. Tech guy, rich, famous, hot, single..."

Sophia opened her mouth in protest, "You dirty girl. How did you know he is single?"

"That's easy", Margaret replied. She was explaining to Sophia when the audience erupted in applause. Nick continued, explaining the app's features and its promise of genuine connections. The attendees marveled at the potential for finding true love in a digital landscape.

As Nick spoke, Sophia watched the live stream. Her brow furrowed with suspicion. She had seen this charismatic engineer before, somewhere. Although she couldn't recall where, her senses told her that she had met this strange man before. She quickly put the thought off her mind.

He could have been any of the millions of everyday people she had encountered in her course of being an investigative journalist. He didn't seem out of the ordinary, but something about his confident demeanor set off alarm bells.

Sophia's phone rang.

"Hello. Err, is this Sophia Bennett?"

"Yes. Who is this?"

"Are you watching the news?"

"Who am I speaking to?"

The voice on the other end sounded impatient. "I cannot say who I am". Silence

"Are you watching the news?"

Sophia's went into investigative mode. Many a time she had received anonymous tips when working on different stories. She understood the need for an insider to want their identity to remain hidden.

"I'm watching the news. What exactly are you getting at?"

The strange caller proceeded to talk to Sophia for two minutes. When she hung up the phone she stood up.

"what's up Sophie?", Margaret asked her.

"oh, nothing serious. I need to see Evelyn." Margaret didn't believe her, she knew something was up, but didn't press her further.

Nick was just stepping down from the podium as Sophia headed for the editor's office. She stared briefly at the television set before entering the office, a smile already forming on her pretty face.