Marco traced a finger along the edge of the empty glass. Maybe Lou was right. And after seeing that addict today, it scared him. One more program, one more job, always led to never having enough. Last year, he slipped into his first VR coma, not wanting to return to reality. Ari pulled him out, and it was harder than he imagined. His slip resulted in him getting kicked out of school and running gigs full time in the city.
“This is different,” Marco told Lou. “Not only did they hack my program but there were people ready to storm the joint. My jobs shouldn’t attract that kind of notice.”
“In this age, you never know who will notice you.” Lou typed away on the keyboard, then paused. “Are you really going?”
“I don’t know, maybe.” He knew he should find a safe place for his mom. Living underground, with random people, and different names every time they went out, wasn’t what he wanted for his mother. But what other choice did he have? His friends, his livelihood, his connections were all he had. In another town or country how would he fair?
“Is it Telli?”
Marco shrugged. He’d dated Telli for a couple months now, but he couldn’t do serious. Problem was Telli was Lou’s friend, so he had to tread carefully around the subject. “Not really. She knows I may have to leave. It was never anything serious.”
“I’m not sure she knows that.”
“That’s not my problem.”
“VR girls are easier for you, I guess.” Lou spun in his chair to face him with a smirk on his face. “She’s on her way.”
“Damn, Lou. Why did you do that? I need to head out ASAP.” Ignoring the insult about his electronic love life, Marco bolted up and ran a hand through his hair.
“Don’t stress. She told me before you came over that she had something to drop off. I thought it wasn’t your problem.” The disgust was evident in Lou’s voice and his dark narrow eyes.
“It’s not.” Marco may not be that interested in Telli, but he never led her on. He didn’t have time for a relationship when he was barely keeping his head above water, and he didn’t have time to deal with Telli right now.
Lou turned back around to face his computer, clearly upset.
Marco didn’t have time to worry about Lou. “So, can you get me new IDs?”
“Can you pay?”
“Of course. Don’t I always?”
Lou turned slightly to glare at him. “I want payment in actual cryptos.”
“I’ll transfer the cryptos right now. It’ll be from an offshore account.” As soon as he gets Tessa or someone to transfer it for him.
“Good.”
Marco walked back to the kitchen and splashed water on his face. A nagging feeling in his gut couldn’t forget what just happened to him. If they hacked him from his sister’s end, then these were powerful people. People that wouldn’t stop just because he ran off.
He’d need to get to his mom soon. Then maybe they could relocate to the north side. It’s a richer neighborhood but maybe that would be easier. Rich people often thought laws were only an obstacle for their wealth. If he got hold of his sister, he could afford it. At least for a couple weeks, which would give him time to think.
A small beep came from the computer.
“Telli is here.” Lou didn’t turn or make a move to answer the door.
Marco rolled his eyes, not looking forward to telling her he was relocating again. “Thanks. I’ll get it.”
He opened the door, and Telli’s blue eyes met his, widening in alarm as she tried to mouth something. Marco didn’t have time to even comprehend what she was saying before she fell into him, pushing him back into the room. “What the hell?”
Her screams echoed through the apartment and chaos ensued. As light spilled in through the open door, armed men in dark garb filtered in behind her. Marco held onto Telli as one of the men shot something towards them. A small dart hit her in the neck. Her eyes rolled in the back of her head as she slumped in his arms. Something fired and soon gas seeped into the room.
Without warning, Lou gave a war cry and barreled towards them. His large frame may not be all muscle, but it grabbed the men’s attention. While the mercenaries turned to Lou, Marco sprinted to the bathroom.
He didn’t have time to think, just react. As he turned the corner, something buzzed past his temple and he ducked, skidding into the bathroom and slamming the door shut behind him. More muffled shots rang out as footsteps filled the room beyond the door.
These people didn’t want them dead. If so, they would be shooting with live ammo. He had a twinge of guilt abandoning his friends, but they all knew the code. It was everyone for themselves. The fact Lou didn’t run here first surprised Marco. Maybe there was something more there between Telli and Lou than his friend wanted to admit.
Marco turned to the large bathroom mirror. It stood next to the towel rack, at least four feet tall, bigger than anything except the shower. Marco reached behind the bottom of the mirror and hit the small notch that opened it. It opened to a small electrical panel and an escape route. Marco had helped find the tech to put it in here years ago. Stepping inside, he shut the mirror and flipped the switch.
An electrical current flashed brightly and Marco could hear shouts coming from the apartment. He’d just fried everything electronic in Lou’s apartment. Not only did it keep all of Lou’s secrets safe, but all the electric guns or weapons, and possibly any tracking devices will be dead as well. Marco didn’t have time to see the destruction. Something large struck the bathroom door, which was stronger than it looked. He shimmied down the secret passage. Dust scattered as he made his way down the inside of a wall. Meeting the end of the wall, he turned the corner and continued down the wood beams.
This apartment was built years ago, when old bulky wires and round pipes had to be run in a labyrinth behind walls. Now construction was more efficient, but this left ample space for Sketchy Lou’s crazy plans. They didn’t seem so crazy now though. And the EMP Marco let loose in the apartment would limit their tracking abilities.
He held in a sneeze and continued down, the rough wood scratching his hands. Feeling like a trapped rat, his thoughts spun of who could be after him. The men were dressed in dark military garb, like government goons. Or if not, they had to be something bigger that could pay the government to look the other way.
His sister could garner this kind of attention, but why him? He didn’t even know where she was. Ari’s abilities as a warper emerged over the last year. She could change programs and data inside virtual reality programs with the whim of a God. It was a talent he was jealous of more than he wanted to admit. Instead of unique and profitable powers inside the VR, he just had the knack for conning people in and out of them. That wasn’t a talent, but a skill he had honed for years. Honestly, he felt more comfortable inside than outside of VRs. They sure weren’t as dusty as this pathway.
Marco may have helped Sketchy Lou buy tech for this escape route, but he never took it himself. When he hit the bottom, he found another small door. Opening it, he found the edge of Lou’s alley. The street only feet away. His heart raced at what could be waiting for him, a group of armed men ready to drag him off. He didn’t have much of a choice though, did he?
The after work rush crowded the sidewalks. And as the sun began to fall, Marco slipped into a large group exiting a nearby tram. He ran a hand through his hair to brush off any dust he may have picked up along the way. As his feet carried him away from Lou’s, he waited for someone to stop him. People with these resources wouldn’t let him leave this easy.
There was something he was missing but couldn’t see it. He stayed on the street for a couple blocks before taking a shortcut. He wanted to get back to his apartment but knew he couldn’t. They had to have the place watched.
Marco lived with his mom in a small two-bedroom condo listed under a friend’s name. But if they knew about Sketchy Lou, Marco had to assume that they knew about everything. He stopped mid-step, almost tripping at the realization. His mom.
<
br /> He began sprinting down the alley, slowing only when he had to take the public streets. If they knew about Lou, they may know where his mom would be. She must be finishing work, a cleaning job he got through a connection. It paid well for her discretion. It took Marco days to convince her to take the job.
They had a place to meet at if they were in trouble, but did she even know there was trouble? These people were too good to show their hand like that. He couldn’t chance calling her either. His Hub wasn’t hacked or traceable since he made it himself, but it didn’t mean they weren’t scanning the waves looking for them. If she got caught, he doubted he would ever find her again. Not after all this. How would he be able to tell his sister?
If they didn’t already take her, his mom should be on the way home from work. It took another ten minutes to get there. He discreetly watched the street she regularly took, scanning for any sign of his mom. Every second that ticked by, his pulse sped up a little more.
He couldn’t help the slight gasp of breath he took when she walked out of a market with a small bag on her arm. Her tan skin and dark hair blended with those around her, but he could always pick her out. She wrapped her hair up in a bun for work, and even from where he stood her brown eyes looked tired. Her petite frame made her look weak, but she was nothing close to it. She worked harder than most he knew, which would help them survive their uncertain future.
Lifting his hoodie up over his head for coverage, he strode across the street to intercept her. He weaved through the crowd carefully. Once next to her, he itched to grab her hand and never stop running, but he had to play it cool to not draw attention.
“Follow me,” he said, staring straight ahead.
His mom’s breath hitched. “Marco? What’s going on?”
“Just trust me, Mom.” He turned off the normal path onto a nearby street.
His mom slowed her step. “I don’t want to run again, Marco. I’m tired of running.”
“Keep moving.” He gritted his teeth, anger and guilt pulsing through his tight limbs. This argument between them was getting old. They couldn’t stop here to have it though.
At the end of the street, he turned. Another block and he headed into a busy district and pulled his mom into one of the shops. The flood of people off work made it a great place to get lost in.
With a deep breath, he tried to be patient. “We don’t have a choice. Someone’s after me.”
“They are always after you. I’m not running anymore.” She lifted her chin in defiance, a defiance she had been sporting more and more lately.
He heard the harshness that trickled into his voice. “I met with Ari today. Someone hacked our meeting.” Seeing his mother’s worried look, he quickly added. “Ari will be fine. She has the resources to protect herself. But there were men waiting for me when I got out. I barely escaped. If they catch us, best-case scenario is they send you to a government labor camp. That’s if the government finds you first. If it’s someone after Ari, they will use you against her.”
His mom bit her lip, something he’d never seen before, which made her look young. “Then let’s go to Ari?”
It pulled him up short. Yes, that was an option months ago, when his sister first left for her new job. But they didn’t know where Ari was anymore. That information was dangerous. After today, he didn’t think he’d be able to safely contact Ari for some time.
When he didn’t answer, his mom spoke again. “We need to be safe. She can make us safe.”
“I know, but we don’t know where that’ll be.” Part of him didn’t want to go either. He enjoyed his freedom, his life, even his work at times. Leaving that to play second fiddle to his sister didn’t sound like much of a future.
“It doesn’t matter,” his mom reiterated. “What’s your hesitation?”
He didn’t want to tell her the truth. “It’s just a big step. I don’t even know if we still can go.”
“We won’t know until we try.” Her features turned soft now, a kindness that pulled on his emotions.
Then an idea came. Maybe she could go alone. He could make the arrangements and make sure she was safe. Staying behind offered him more freedom and possibilities.
“Okay,” he conceded.
The relief was evident in her large smile. “Okay.”
He scanned the clothing store that surrounded them, taking in the nearby customers. Nobody set him off. Yet, that nagging worry remained. “Maybe we should just lie low for a while. I don’t know if trying to contact Ari right now would be the safest decision.”
“We have no other choice, that’s what you said.”
Exhaling, it took effort not to roll his eyes.
“We need to be safe,” she reiterated her point.
He shook off the uneasy feeling. Maybe she was right. Anyway, for them to contact Ari again so soon, they needed to talk to her old roommate and best friend, Tessa. Which would be a feat unto itself by tonight. Tessa lived hours away. If he could get a clean line to call her, she may be able to get them a car or something. A public tram may be tricky.
“Okay. Let’s get moving.” He left the store, heading towards a busy walkway.
“Where are we going?” His mom kept pace at his side.
“To find a safe place to contact Tessa.”
“Tessa… Ari’s roommate.” She paused for a moment.
He shuddered momentarily, not sure if her statement was a question or not. His mom knew about Tessa. She often helped funnel money for them as well. She quit school recently to go to work for her dad, a wealthy entertainment producer. Her position made it possible to help them if needed. Mom knew all this and yet...
“Let’s go.” Shaking off the odd feeling, he continued down the crowded path, keeping an eye out for anything unusual.
The smell of coffee nearby reminded him of the long journey ahead, and he turned for a detour. “I’m going to grab a cup real quick.” Marco veered to the shop, reaching for his crypto card linked to an old girlfriend. Every payment card was linked to someone; he learned long ago never to link one to himself.
“I’ll take the usual,” his mom said as she stepped in line beside him.
“The usual?” he turned to ask, staring at her. His mom didn’t do coffee. Never. She drank tea, which she knew they didn’t serve here. Not like she liked it.
“Por favor.” She flowed into her native tongue without hesitation, which was normal for her. Coffee wasn’t.
“Okay.” He turned forward, while his heart picked up again. He flexed and unflexed his hand as a terrifying thought entered his mind: was this really his mom? It would take some high tech to impersonate her? Another thought that was even more frightening entered. Did he ever truly leave the VR back in that crummy shop? He couldn’t control that panic that clawed its way up his throat. It had happened once before, he reminded himself.
Last time it had been after a long stressful weekend, where more than one person had threatened to kill him for a deal turned south. It had started with a short VR trip at school. Marco had thought he left the program but never did. Granted that version of life had gone a lot smoother for him. Deals had worked themselves out and he’d felt safe. It had taken his sister coming into the program for him to leave. But why would he choose a VR where his life was on the line? Surely his subconscious wouldn’t decide to make his life a living hell. Or maybe this paranoia was all in his head?
He stepped up to the counter and typed his order into the screen, glancing down at his mom who was waiting for her usual order. He needed to know the truth. He ordered her a coffee: cream, no sugar. He swiped his payment, and the machine went to work, soon placing two hot coffees in front of him. He handed one to his mom.
“Thanks,” she replied with a smile, then sipped the coffee. “Don’t you think we should contact Tessa soon? It’s getting late.”
Heavy dread twisted his stomach and he looked away from her. He took a drink to hide his reaction. This wasn’t his mother. What he didn’t know was if this
was a program or not and if he woke up, what he would be waking up to. A room full of guards? Maybe staying in here would be safer for everyone. “After coffee, I’ll call her,” he said to placate her.
“Good.” She cupped her petite hands around the cup. They got her hands right, hands weathered and aged due to hard work.
Then as he swallowed the bitter hot drink, he realized he was wrong about staying in the VR. This may not be his mother, but she was out there somewhere. If he didn’t help her, who would?
That realization steadied his reserve as he closed his eyes. Pulling out of the VR was instinctive to most people. Just like closing your computer, he willed his consciousness back to reality. The problem was when your brain already thought this was reality. His father had that problem, and he currently resided in an institution somewhere plugged into feeding tubes to support his loss of function. Even though his mother and sister worried Marco would turn out like him, Marco never truly worried—until now.
“What’s wrong?” his imposter mother placed a hand on his arm.
He smoothed out his features. Looking back at their interactions, he realized her little idiosyncrasies, things that only he and Ari would know, were missing. The silver and dark brown strand that now hung down her cheek would have never remained there. She always tucked it back up after looking at it with a sigh, as if for the first time she realized she was going gray. And this woman drank the coffee like it was delicious. Mom hated coffee. Even refused to kiss their dad when he had been drinking it. “Nothing’s wrong. Well, actually, I have a headache. I need to find a bathroom. Will you be fine here alone?”
“Of course.” She smiled and took another sip.
So without any guilt, he left the woman posing as his mother and went to the bathroom. He went inside a public stall and wondered who was watching the other side of this program. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he feigned a headache and closed his eyes. He had to pull himself out of the program. But every time he tried, he felt like a heavy blanket was keeping him in place.
Hard Wired Trilogy Page 28
