I look at Paul and Zora. ‘What should I do?’
‘Maybe you’d better update before you make any changes? That might be why he’s acting weird. Moncha are always trying to fix any bugs . . . no pun intended,’ says Zora.
I nod.
But just as I’m about to leash him up, he buzzes with a message from Tobias.
TOBIAS: I’ll be inside Moncha HQ in fifteen minutes.
Get somewhere private and I’ll stream to you?
I turn to Zora and Paul. They don’t know about Tobias’s mission yet, so I make up an excuse. ‘I have to watch this. Looks like we might have to give fixing up the beetle a rain check until tomorrow.’
Paul nods. ‘I’ll do a bit of research, see what I can find out.’
‘Thanks,’ I say, with a grateful smile.
‘I’m not going to lie . . . Slick has spooked me,’ says Zora. ‘Might be good to figure out what’s wrong before we tweak his code anyway. We don’t want to make a mess we can’t fix.’
I swallow. No matter how much I want things to go back to normal, it seems like all I’m able to do lately is create an even bigger mess.
WHEN I GET BACK TO the apartment, it’s dark except for the strobing light of the television in the living room. I lean up against the doorframe, watching Mom on the sofa. She doesn’t even lift her head to greet me. Petal slowly flies around her head, circling like a halo.
Instinctively I reach down and place my hand over Slick. I’ve trapped the little robot inside the zipped pocket of my fleece. I’m still wary of him. It’s not just his strange behaviour in my locker that has me worried. It’s something more bone-deep than that. A primal fear response that I can’t explain.
I’ve seen the science-fiction movies. Read the books. But I’ve never feared a baku (except the security ones). They aren’t scary metal humanoids with glowing eyes, or black boxes with an eerie electronic voice. They’re cute companions. Friends. Helpers.
Or at least I thought so.
I turn my attention back to Mom.
I’ve always tried to be a good daughter, one that doesn’t cause too much fuss or worry – not after what Mom went through with Dad. I never wanted to be the cause of so much anguish. But I’d always assumed that if I needed her – really needed her – that she’d be there for me.
That she wouldn’t sweep my concerns under the carpet, like she did this evening. Still, maybe there’s a way to find out if she still cares.
‘Hi, Mom,’ I say, stepping out of the shadows. I walk over and kiss the top of her head.
She reaches up and strokes my hand. ‘There you are, Lacey. Did you have a good evening?’
A small frown flickers between my eyebrows. Any other school night and I’d be receiving a lecture about storming out of the condo and disappearing instead of having dinner with her. At the very least I’d receive a stern look and a scowl. But her expression barely changes at all. I never thought that I’d be desperate to see my mom get angry, but I yearn for a reaction.
‘I don’t think I’m going to go to school tomorrow.’ I test the waters, pushing our boundaries even further.
Those words do seem to have an effect on her and my heart leaps. She turns her head around, her spine straightening. She opens her mouth, and I swear she’s about to tell me that there is no way you’re skipping school, young lady. But then Petal buzzes gently, fluttering down to her shoulder and the leash. Mom’s shoulders sag back into the deep cushion of the sofa. ‘Well, I’m at work at six a.m. so I won’t know. Just don’t fall behind, sweetheart.’
I can’t choke down my disappointment, but I don’t want to cry. What if Mom doesn’t even react to that? She’s not behaving like herself. Scratch that, she’s not behaving like a normal human being.
The terror of that thought grips me, and my feet feel frozen to the floor. What’s happening?
The fifteen minutes are almost up. Tobias is going to be live streaming, and I’m desperate to watch what he comes across.
I whisper a ‘Goodnight’ to Mom, who raises her head, smiles and says ‘Goodnight’ back. Her eyes drift back down to the TV, and I’m dismissed.
Feeling despondent, I head to my room. I sit cross-legged on my bed, take a deep breath, and take Slick out of my pocket.
>>Don’t forget about the update.
There’s no sign of him buzzing around like a mad beetle. He’s back to acting like a normal baku.
‘Fine,’ I say, gritting my teeth at his incessant reminders. ‘After the stream from Tobias. Can you project as widely as possible?’
Slick moves so he’s on the edge of the bed, then he starts the live stream. In one corner, I see the faces of Ashley, Kai and River, who are also watching. They wave to me, but no one says a word. Tobias is streaming secretly, so we don’t want to make any noise to give him away.
Tobias is walking down a nondescript hallway. I don’t immediately recognize where he is in Moncha HQ, but I can only assume he’s following my instructions.
‘How was it you know about this place?’ I hear a voice ask. Aero’s camera pivots in the voice’s direction, and I see a tall black man with short-cropped hair, greying at the temples. I recognize him from the photos I’ve seen in Tobias’s home. It’s his dad.
‘Oh . . . I heard about it at school.’
‘So you thought you’d come down here, gone eight o’clock on a school night?’
I don’t have to wonder how Tobias is going to explain his strange request. His dad keeps on talking. ‘I’m glad you’re showing an interest, son, but the simple fact is, you’re too late.’
They approach a door that I recognize. Through that door is the weird street where I found Monica. I hold my breath, edging closer to the live stream, so that I’m almost sitting inside it.
His dad opens the door. Aero flies through – but all his camera shows is a completely blank space. It looks like a giant aircraft hangar, huge and echoing and empty. ‘I told you,’ says his dad. ‘We pulled this whole place down a month ago. We’re replacing it with something even better, but that’s classified.’ He winks at his son.
My shoulders slump. The street with all the houses is gone. And if Monica was being held there against her will, she’s not there now.
Our only lead disappears in an instant. Of course Eric was going to be many steps ahead of me – he’s the head of a multinational tech corporation, and I’m just a teenager.
The transmission ends, with Tobias’s final words . . . ‘Sorry, Lacey.’
In case I’d forgotten, Slick lights up with commands for me. >>Don’t forget to update!
‘I haven’t forgotten,’ I mutter. I fiddle with the leash at my ear, unhooking it so that it dangles down my neck.
Then, I lift the beetle to the leash. But just as we are about to connect – there’s a crash against my bedroom window.
Standing outside with his face pressed against the glass is the last thing I expect to see.
It’s Jinx.
JINX’S RETURN
I BLINK, UNABLE TO BELIEVE my eyes. But as his paw taps the glass again, I’m surprised to hear an impatient voice in my head.
>>Let me in!
I rush towards the window, fumbling with the latch.
‘Oh my god, Jinx! Is that really you?’
I push the frame up, cold air and my favourite baku pouring through into my room. Seeing his sleek black body, pointed ears and mischievous face makes my heart leap into my chest. Since remembering that letting him go had been my choice, I’d resigned myself to never seeing him again.
And now, here he is.
He’s come back.
The window drops and I open my arms to catch him in a hug. Instead, he darts forward, knocking Slick off of my shoulder. They tumble to the carpeted floor, a mechanical whirlwind. Jinx, master of the Baku Battles, comes out on top, of course. He pins Slick beneath his paws.
‘Jinx?’ I say. ‘What’s going on?’
>>Promise me you won’t leash that bug until you
’ve heard everything that I’m about to say.
‘I . . . I won’t!’ I stutter out. Reluctantly, Jinx releases Slick.
To the surprise of both of us, Slick is aggressive, flying directly towards me ready to leash up – without my permission. That scares me, and I grab him between my hands and grip him tight. I barely recognize this terrifying little bug any more.
I stuff Slick into the pocket of my fleece and seal the zip. Then I turn to Jinx, who is sitting on my bed, licking his paw without a care in the world, as if he hasn’t just turned everything upside down by his reappearance.
I blink, convinced each time I close my eyes that he’s going to be gone in the next millisecond.
But he’s back.
My Jinx.
‘You’re here!’ I exclaim.
>>And just in time. You can’t survive without me, can you?
He hops down off the bed and sashays towards me. I stretch out my hand, tentative at first, and he bumps up against my palm, rubbing his head on my fingers. Then in a bounding leap, he’s in my arms, the feel of his gentle purrs against my chest bringing tears to my eyes. ‘Oh Jinx, I’ve missed you!’ I say, into his soft electronic fur.
>>I’ve missed you too. He sounds as sincere as Jinx gets, but then he quickly turns serious. He slips out of my arms and sits facing me. >>Lacey, you can’t install that update.
‘Okay, I won’t. But . . . can I ask why?’
>>Normally updates are to make sure bakus have the latest apps, to fix any bugs in code, stuff like that, right?
I nod, unsure what Jinx is getting at.
Jinx’s eyes flash. >>This time, the update isn’t for the bakus. It’s for the owners.
It takes a moment for Jinx’s words to sink in.
‘What?!’ I shake my head as a chill shoots down my spine. ‘No . . . no, that’s impossible.’
>>It’s not only possible, it’s happened. This has been Eric’s plan all along.
‘His plan? What plan? What does the update do?’
>>It’s easier if I show you. His tail lifts and curls into a C-shape above his head, the projector opening. >>Do you remember Team Happiness?
I frown. ‘That was the name for Eric Smith’s personal team at Moncha HQ. Tobias’s dad works in that group.’
>>I was able to download this from the Team Happiness server . . .
‘Still as good at hacking as ever then?’
>>Just watch.
He launches one of his apps, a baku-friendly version of the slideshow programs that used to be common for corporate presentations. It begins with a brief introduction from Eric, welcoming everyone to the launch of the Team Happiness update. Having his face projected large in my bedroom makes me grimace in disgust.
Thankfully, his face dissolves into a slightly distorted version of the main Moncha logo – a stylized M with a cluster of stars along one edge. It’s the same logo that’s above Tobias’s front door. The same logo worn by the security team who searched our home. The ‘Team Happiness’ logo. Seeing it gives me even more chills.
I can touch the stars to unlock sections of the presentation. It’s a very slick bit of technology, but I’m afraid of what I’m about to see. After a moment’s hesitation, I reach out and touch the first star.
Eric Smith’s voiceover fills the room. He explains that the Team Happiness update is a revolutionary new way to make a baku owner’s life happier. By taking advantage of the incredible leash technology, a tiny tweak is delivered via the baku to the owner’s mind that will ease anxieties and sadness. The presentation pitches it as a natural extension of the Moncha slogan: Accompanying you to your happiest life ever.
‘But this . . . this is essentially mind control!’ I say, when I’ve picked my jaw up off the floor.
>>I know. That ‘tiny tweak’ is to the part of the brain that controls ambition. He thinks without aspirations, people will be happier.
‘That can’t be legal. No one would allow it if they knew!’
>>It gets worse. Jinx’s tone is dark.
I gulp, and press the next star. It states that the update is ready to be beta-tested on real people. And who better to test it on than willing employees? After all, they’ve already agreed to be part of any and all Moncha experiments (or ‘innovations’ as the voiceover calls them) just by virtue of receiving a pay cheque once a month. Of course, this ‘perk’ is listed as one of the great benefits of working for Moncha – dressed up as getting access to advanced technology before anyone else. As employees, they get to be ‘early adopters’.
>>What they don’t realize is that that they’ve essentially signed up to be guinea pigs in Eric’s grand plan.
The third star lists roll-out dates for the update – the first one was yesterday. But it’s not the date that catches my eye. It’s the name of the department. MONCHA TELESUPPORT.
Where my mom works.
I think about her strange behaviour today. How she’d flipped from super supportive to uncaring overnight. I think about Petal fluttering around her head with the flashing lights. The notification . . .
‘Oh my god, Jinx!’ I leap to my feet. ‘Petal updated yesterday!’
JINX IS QUICKER THAN I am and he darts out in front of me, blocking the door. He arches his back, hissing at me. I’m so surprised I fall back down on the bed. He’s never done anything like that before.
>> I learned that move from my time with my cat friends. He slinks back into his normal form.
‘I have to check if Mom is okay!’
>>You need to hear me out first. If she’s already updated, then there’s nothing you can do. I’m only sorry I didn’t get here sooner, before she connected.
‘But . . . we need to fix her!’
>>How? We don’t know how to reverse the update.
‘We can’t stay here and do nothing!’ I flail my arms, feeling utterly useless.
>>We won’t. That’s why you need to listen to me.
We stare at each other for a few seconds but finally I nod.
Jinx cocks his head towards me. >>She is okay. If anything, the update is designed to make her feel more content.
‘Only because she can’t think for herself,’ I mutter, the sick feeling in my stomach and the acidic taste in the back of my throat not going away. The lump in my pocket buzzes, reminding me of the baku trapped inside. ‘What about Slick? I’m not a Moncha Telesupport employee so I shouldn’t have the update yet.’
>>Eric’s made an exception for you. He wants you quiet and compliant now you’re out of the hospital.
‘Seriously?’ I don’t know whether to be flattered or annoyed that Eric still thinks I’m worth special consideration. ‘But I need Slick for school! If I don’t have a baku I’ll be drawing more attention to myself and I really don’t need that right now.’
>>I’m surprised you haven’t destroyed him already. Jinx’s voice is low, and the words are followed by an almost tiger-like growl.
‘Destroy him? He might be just a level 1 but he cost me all my life savings!’
>>Even after what he did to you?
I frown. ‘What he did to me? What do you mean?’
>>You don’t remember?
‘No . . .’
>>The night you left me at the cat park he shocked you through the leash. Then he unfurled a syringe from deep inside his casing. He injected you with something. I think it was to immobilize you so that Moncha security could find you and interrogate you – but luckily Tobias got there first.
A shiver crawls over my spine, a million ants dancing across my skin. ‘Slick . . . Slick is why I was in hospital?’ My baku brought me harm.
I think I’m going to throw up.
Even more pieces fall into place in my mind as the truth is revealed. ‘So that’s why that security team came to our apartment when I woke up?’
>>Yes, exactly. They wanted to finish their interrogation. They wanted to know how to find me.
Fear spikes inside my chest. ‘Oh no, Jinx, if they find out you�
��re here . . . they’ll hunt you down. I set you free because I didn’t want you to get wrapped up in all of this.’ I reach out to touch him again.
Jinx arches his back and pulls away from my hand.
>>What, and leave you to sort this mess out on your own? As if.
Jinx tails flicks at me, and I recognize the gesture. He’s annoyed – but not at me, I think.
>>I admit, I was prepared to disappear into life with those real cats.
His voice is soft, wistful almost.
>>They welcomed me. They accepted me. And while you were in hospital, there was not much I could do. I checked by your window every now and then to see if you were awake . . .
>>But I knew Eric was up to something. As much as I wanted to just . . . be . . . I didn’t want you to come to any more harm. I had to find out what he was planning. And now we know.
So you do care about me? I tease.
>>Yeah, yeah, don’t get too emotional about it. I already said I missed you too.
‘It’s been so hard without you. Not being allowed into Profectus, this thing with Mom . . . At least I know now that it was the update causing her to act so strangely towards me.’ I sigh. ‘And what about Slick? I need him so that I can act “normal”. You can’t be my baku because Eric Smith would find you in an instant.’
>>Maybe being trapped in your fleece for a while will do him some good, Jinx jokes. Then he is serious again. >>When you wake up tomorrow, block the bottom of your leash with duct tape so he can’t connect. Charge him from the mains from now on. As long as he doesn’t have access to your mind, it will be okay.
I nod, relieved that I won’t be kicked out of a second school – this time for not having a baku at all. Then the weight of everything I’ve just learned threatens to crush me.
‘But Jinx . . . how do you know all this?’
>>I’m still able to access the private Moncha databases – like the ones I used to get you into Profectus in the first place. I was also able to wipe any mention of my location from Slick’s databanks and the back-up in the cloud.
‘Whoa,’ I say, somehow unable to adequately express my awe at Jinx’s capabilities.
Unleashed Page 7
