Selfie: Device Kids Book One
Page 23
“Now everyone knows SelfX is mine. Whether or not you join Arcana, we’ll relaunch the app with our own developers. My offer still stands, but I’m not a patient man. Don’t keep me waiting.”
The applause died down and we went back into the audience.
“What did he say to you?” David asked.
“Apparently our victory came with strings,” I said when we rejoined the others.
“We’ve been seen in public with Brieker,” David nodded. “He offered us an internship. Nobody will question it if he steals our program and republishes it for Arcana.”
“So we take the money, right?” Amy said.
“Maybe,” I said. I was tired of fighting. Vanessa Briggs was right, this thing was getting too big, too fast. “I did get a higher offer from the Chinese, and the military seems interested as well.”
“We could probably start a bidding war,” David said. “The question is, who would we rather have control over this technology? China, Arcana or the US Military?”
“Is there a door number four?” Brad asked.
“Whatever, for now, nobody’s arresting us or trying to kill us,” I said. “Can we just enjoy the win? We can figure out the rest tomorrow.”
Gasps from the crowd made us turn around, as the screen behind the stage changed to a pattern of laughing skull gifs. They melted and dripped down the screen, burning away to reveal a podium and a flag – the President of the United States was about to speak. A beeping red sign on the bottom left flashed LIVE ADDRESS.
I couldn’t hear his words or the speech he was reading, but I could tell by his haggard expression that it was serious. Megan appeared at my side like a ghost, tugging at my arm.
“What is it?” I asked.
“You killed him,” she said, pointing towards the screen. My heart pounded in my chest. I watched in terror as a protestor near the front flashed a sign that said, “Pay to live. Live to pay. #SelfX.”
The president frowned at her and lifted his arm, but then stumbled. I could tell by his open mouth that he was screaming. I couldn’t hear it, but I felt it in my bones. He lifted his hands to cradle his face as his skin melted off. His eyes went first, dripping out of their sockets like runny eggs. Then his nose and lips pooled around his chest, dripping through his outstretched fingers. He pointed, his head now a gleaming skull, just before collapsing, and the camera panned towards a girl in the audience with bright pink hair. Someone who looked a lot like me.
Author’s Note
Thanks for reading Selfie! I started this book in my parent’s basement and finished it in a French chateau. I love this story because of all the real-life research I could include: most of this technology is already out there. If you want to keep reading book two in this series, plus write a review of book one so I can see you liked it.
I’m working on half a dozen series and want to make sure I’m finishing the stories you like most. You can sign up for a free starter library and get 10 free stories when you join my email list at www.urbanepics.com.