The grand hall of the Ritz-Carlton was stripped of its grandeur, a vast, echoing space where the silent work of ordinary people had returned. No chandeliers blazed overhead, no titans of wealth bowed in hushed reverence—just staff moving chairs and folding linens, the muffled scrape of silver against trays filling the quiet. For Karma, this was familiar ground, more real than all the pomp of earlier. It was a world he had once belonged to, a world that hadn't cared for the power he now wielded.
He leaned back in one of the banquet chairs, his name tag still pinned to his chest, as his old colleagues gathered hesitantly around him. Their faces were a tapestry of disbelief and awe, but the initial shock had worn off enough that they finally dared to speak to him like they used to.
Sajid plopped down across from him, arms folded, his tone a perfect mix of half-teasing banter and genuine resentment. "Alright, mister big shot. You vanish for months, reappear with a bunch of godly VIPs, and suddenly the whole world bows to you. Tell me—are you even still human?"
The others chuckled nervously, stealing glances at Karma as though they weren't sure if they were allowed to laugh.
Karma smirked, leaning forward slightly. "Human enough to still remember all your ugly mugs." The comment was a perfectly delivered jab from their old life, and it broke the tension. Laughter, genuine and unrestrained, rippled through the group. For a moment, it was like old times, the long, hard nights of work forgotten in the easy camaraderie.
He let the laughter fade, then asked casually, "So… what about you guys? Still slaving away here?"
A collective groan went up around the circle. One of the guys, a server named Leo, muttered, "Yeah, what else? Same pay, same crap hours. It's a job."
"It's a trap, is what it is," Sajid added, leaning back with a sigh. "I feel like I'm just living for the next shift, hoping they are good enough to cover rent."
Karma's gaze lingered on Sajid. "Hey, are still looking for IT jobs? How's that going?"
Sajid rolled his eyes. "Nowhere. Got a couple of rejections today as well, I want to stop trying. Why? You gonna give me one?"
Karma grinned. "Sure, why not? In fact—" he swept his gaze across the whole group "—I can give all of you jobs. If you want."
The words hung in the air. For a second, no one spoke, their minds struggling to process the sincerity in his voice. Then a staff member named Rina laughed nervously. "What, like… real jobs? Not just serving drinks in nicer suits?"
"Real jobs," Karma said, his tone steady. "With good pay, good benefits, and not much work."
The room went quiet again. His friends exchanged looks, their usual sarcasm faltering under the weight of his calm certainty.
Sajid finally snorted. "You're kidding. Free jobs, just like that? You're not pulling our legs, right?"
"Nope," Karma said, sipping from a half-empty glass. "And I'll do you one better. Even if you just want to laze around, I'll still make sure you're well taken care of."
The words hung in the air, a different kind of promise.
"But think carefully," he continued, his eyes glinting. "Are you sure you just want a job? Or do you want to actually try something bigger?"
"Don't tell me you're going back on your words now!" Sajid jabbed a finger, his tone more defensive than joking.
"Relax. I meant it." He leaned forward, his eyes glinting with a flicker of the power they'd just seen him use. "Why don't you see for yourselves what the VVIPs were going crazy over? Don't tell me you're not curious."
Their eyes widened.
"The VR pods?" Kiki whispered, her voice barely audible.
Karma just smiled.
Anna returned to the hall then, her movements as fluid and efficient as always. She found Karma at the center of a nervous huddle, the black capsule a silent witness to their confusion. She paused, clipboard in hand, and offered Karma a soft, almost imperceptible smile.
"Young Lord," she said softly, "the company registration is progressing. Mr. William recommends the cabin manufacturing unit can be placed nearby—it will make logistics easier since the headquarters are to be in the city."
Karma nodded, his gaze still on the staff. "Do it."
Anna bowed and stepped back, her presence a silent testament to Karma's new reality. Meanwhile, the first staff member, Leo, climbed into the pod. Five minutes later, he stumbled out, pale and wide-eyed, his hands covering his face. "What the f—" His voice cracked. "That… that wasn't a game. I was there. I smelled the grass. I felt the wind. What the hell was that?"
He looked at Karma with a mix of awe and terror.
Another staff member, took their turn. When he emerged, his face was slack with a dazed wonder. "I saw a river made of light," he whispered, staring into the middle distance. "Just… pure, flowing light. And the fish in it… they were made of stars."
One after another, they took their turns. Each emerged shaken, bewildered, muttering fragments about otherworldly landscapes and impossible creatures. One saw an ancient, towering tree that pulsed with spiritual energy. Another ran from a creature with eyes like fire. By the end, they sat in a half-circle around Karma, staring at him like he was the keeper of the universe's secrets.
"So," Karma asked quietly, his voice a calm counterpoint to their stunned silence, "now that you've seen it… what do you think?"
Sajid rubbed his face, his cynicism finally gone. "Honestly? It's insane. It's the most incredible thing I've ever experienced. But… it doesn't pay bills. So… I'll take the job."
One by one, the others nodded, their practical natures winning out over their awe. They had families to support, rent to pay. Awe wasn't enough to feed them.
All except Kiki.
She shifted nervously, then raised her hand slightly, like she was in class. "Um… I want the VR. Not the job."
Everyone turned to stare at her. Sajid frowned, a look of worry on his face. Kiki was still recovering from her recent surgery, and she needed a steady income more than anyone. This choice was not just surprising, it was reckless.
Karma's brows lifted, just slightly. Of all of them, she was the last person he expected to choose the unknown. A flicker of surprise passed through his eyes, then he nodded slowly. "Alright."
He turned to Anna. "Arrange jobs for the rest. Good salaries, low stress. They'll start once they're ready. I'll handle the contracts."
While Anna was busy taking the details of their backgrounds, Karma walked over to Kiki, the others' questions and comments fading into the background.
He leaned closer, his voice soft. "Meet me tomorrow. Kings Park. There's something I want to talk to you about privately."
Her eyes widened, but she nodded, her voice barely a whisper. "Okay."