Hard Wired Trilogy

by DeAnna Pearce

  Thinking of home, Ari thought of her family’s situation. “Hey, Vinh, could you possibly help me check up on my family? There was some trouble with my last visit.”

  His lips pressed into a tight line. He shook his head slightly as he lifted a finger. The screen blinked out and then reappeared a moment later. “Ari, you know better than to talk about certain things on an unsecured line.”

  “I thought everything was a safe line here on the island.” They were completely shut off from the outside world in this little speck of paradise in the middle of the ocean.

  “Don’t be naive.”

  She swallowed, realizing what she was asking of him, and felt guilty. They were friends, but they hadn’t known each other for long. “I’m sorry, you don’t—”

  “I’m not saying I won’t help.” His smile lifted on one side.

  “So, you’ll help?”

  “I can’t contact your family without losing my job. It would put both them and you in danger.”

  Disappointment pulled at her shoulders, then an idea came to her. “What about a friend at a different company?” Her ex-roommate and best friend Tessa should be easy enough to contact through her father. Maybe she could check in on Marco and Ari’s mom.

  Vinh bit the inside of his lip. “Maybe. I can’t promise anything, but I’ll get the information later. You’ll owe me, you know.”

  “Agreed. I’ll work on wrestling a fish for you on my next run,” she joked. She didn’t mind owing Vinh.

  The next morning, Ari stood outside the wave, waiting for Reed. She took a few steps towards the shore. Did we say we’d meet at the beach and I forget? Double checking her HUB, she didn’t see a message. She called him, but it went straight to voice mail.

  Before worry set in, she reminded herself he was at one of the safest places in the world. He probably just had a late night and slept in. After sending him a message, she set off on her usual path.

  Surprisingly, the run went by quickly. Thoughts of not only Reed but of her family occupied her mind. By the time she returned, Niomi was at the gym warming up.

  “I thought maybe we could skip sparring and weights today, since I still have so much to work on.” With a pile of twenty or so profiles to learn, Ari needed all the extra time she could get. Not being bruised or sore for a day would also be a side benefit.

  Niomi shook her head. “No. We never skip your training. Trust me on this. The healthier you are out here, the better you’ll do in there. And soon you’ll be in VLEX more than you want. I can quiz you as we fight.”

  “Oh joy.” Ari picked up a staff. She wasn’t too disappointed though. The less time inside the better in her book.

  They went through their usual physical training session. Then Ari had time for a quick shower and snack before joining Niomi back in the VR. Once in a program, she spent her entire session as Kari in a room full of mirrors.

  The odd feeling of being displaced slowly vanished as they worked for hours. Not that she’d ever get used to looking like another person, but it didn’t surprise her anymore to look down and see a petite pale arm with perfectly painted rose colored nails. By the time evening rolled around, the voice sounded almost natural.

  Once out of the VR, they studied videos of Kari’s life. Not that Ari would ever be this person outside of VLEX, but she needed to know every personal detail possible. After watching her eat dinner with her parents, take in a stray cat, and even cry when that cat died, Kari morphed into a real person, someone Ari would probably enjoy meeting.

  “What happens to Kari when I impersonate her in the VLEX?” Ari leaned back in the chair, her notes in the screen on the desk in front of her. “Is she told to take a vacation or something?”

  “Not sure and it’s not our business to care. We focus on our job and doing it perfectly. The rest is up to others.”

  Ari straighten up. “You’re really okay with not knowing?” Her trainer didn’t seem to be the type to take orders with such blind faith. But Ari had only known her for six months or so. Maybe she was wrong.

  Niomi set down her screen marker. “When you’ve been in this business for ten years or so, you learn that you don’t want to know. We have enough work set out for us. To take on any more isn’t good.” She stared at the screen for a moment as if contemplating saying more but didn’t.

  Words left unsaid floated in the air, leaving an uneasy sensation crawling along Ari’s arms. She wasn’t so easily appeased.

  Niomi changed the subject, and they continued analyzing every minute detail of Kari’s life.

  By the time Niomi called it quits, night had fallen. Soft blue lights illuminated the hallway. The moon hung high outside, shinning down on the night life on the island. Most of the animals slept, but a few nocturnal creatures moved through the trees and if lucky she’d glimpse a bat or long tail.

  Her first week or so in the Wave, she found watching the evening wildlife disconcerting with its never-ending darkness. But now she enjoyed it on clear nights. Inside her room, she even programed her walls so she could continue seeing outside.

  Too exhausted to even eat, she drank a high calorie shake so Niomi wouldn’t harass her. In bed, a call came through. Reed.

  She accepted the video call. “Hey, stranger.”

  His sweet smile and kind eyes filled the video. “I’m so sorry. I met with the art team until late into the night and by the time—”

  “Stop.” Ari interrupted him. “I’m going to pass out any second and don’t want to waste it on apologies. I get it. Tell me how your day was instead.”

  “Okay.” They settled into their usual conversation. Talking much longer than Ari thought she would last. She realized how much she missed him. Even though they weren’t that close physically, it was close enough.

  The next few days passed in the same fashion. Reed’s busy schedule kept him from a lot of morning runs, which Ari hated but supported. Ari spent the day training with Niomi, memorizing more profiles, or skins as Niomi referred to them. Then she spent her evening chatting with Vinh or Reed. The three of them even met for dinner once. Ari cherished her time with both of them. They kept her grounded and reminded her of who she was as she spent the day learning to be someone else.

  Chapter 6

  Dusting on a fine layer of powder, Ari finished getting ready for her date. She never considered herself one of those fancy girls that spent hours in front of the mirror, but tonight promised to be special. After getting permission from Niomi, Reed asked her out to a restaurant. A real restaurant filled with other people.

  Ari would meet other employees or even islanders. Currently she could count on one hand how many people she’d met, most being paid to be there for her. She never considered herself a social creature, but being stuck in isolation, even if a tropical paradise, changed that.

  Niomi wouldn’t tell her why it was now okay for her to eat and see the other workers. Of course, no one could know that she was a warper—she had a fake identity and a position in administration to a higher up—at least she got to keep her first name.

  Her HUB beeped letting her know Reed was waiting outside, and she headed out front. As she walked out the doors, Reed let out a long whistle.

  She smiled, appreciating the compliment. “Guess it’s better than me sweating in a smart suit.”

  “I like you sweaty too. But it’s not every day you wear a dress.”

  “Thanks.” She smoothed down the dark floral material. The sleeveless dress fit the island attire and was more comfortable than even jeans. Her hair remained wavy, like usual, and she had pulled up the top half to keep out of her face.

  Stepping forward, he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “You look beautiful.”

  Nervous energy tingled down her neck from where his touch lingered. “Thank you. You look great yourself.”

  He wore tan pants and a blue button-down shirt. His hair looked recently cut, but it still held a slight wave on top. She clasped her hand tight to keep from reaching out and
touching it. If they started that, they might never make it out.

  “Ready for dinner?” He cocked a brow.

  “Definitely.”

  He moved to the side and motioned to the vehicle behind him.

  “Where did you get a car?”

  “I requisitioned one… I may have mentioned to Niomi that it would be safer to transport you.”

  “Amazing.” She hurried towards it, checking out the built-in electric panels and polarized plates underneath. Yes, she might be nerding out, but she’d only seen this once before when she first came to the island and she was too much in shock to appreciate it.

  “All the guys in my dorm checked it out too. The acceleration is pretty nice as well.” He clicked the doors open.

  She climbed inside, eying the panels. They spent their trip talking about the car’s AI and flipping every switch and option the car had to offer. Her favorite was the massage chairs so far, but they still had the ride back to explore more options.

  He pulled up near the beach, a lit canopy in the distance. Hurrying around, he helped her out of the car. Since the restaurant was outside in the sand, they kicked off their shoes in the car and strolled in the sand up to the hostess. He had made reservations. With the restaurant full, there had to be about fifty or so people, but no one bothered Ari.

  They sat across from each other with the waves crashing in the distance as their backdrop. Tiki torches lit the night. They devoured grilled meats with tropical fruits and veggies stuck on bamboo sticks.

  “Can you believe this is all real?”

  “This is as real as it gets.” He reached forward and lightly touched her hand. “But I know what you mean. If you would have asked me last year when we started school where I’d be, never in a million years would I say an island in the middle of nowhere with my best friend’s sister.”

  “Ditto.” She placed a hand on the side of her face. “My face hurts from smiling.”

  “Good. Maybe some dessert will help with that.”

  After scrolling through their choices, they selected their desserts from the tabletop screen. She picked pineapple sorbet, and he went with a coconut and date cake. He reached for her hands clasped on the tabletop while they waited. She couldn’t help but get lost in his hazel eyes.

  “I get to see my mom again next week.” Reed said.

  Ari snapped out of her reverie. “That’s great. I hope everything is alright since my mom left.”

  “Me too. I’ve been asking about having her come work here, as a receptionist or even a maid.”

  “Is that an option?”

  “They will consider it when there is an opening.” He released her hands and reached for a drink. “There are so many islanders here for the basic jobs though, so we’ll see.”

  Guilt pricked on her conscious. She was the reason he was here and his mom wasn’t. Maybe she should talk to Niomi about getting both of their families here. Before she could offer, his HUB rang with a message.

  His brow tightened as he scrolled through it. “They have to be kidding me.”

  “What?”

  “My art team. We’re putting a presentation together for a new game on Monday, but there was a problem with the storyboard and they need some new designs right away.”

  Ari’s stomach sank. “They can’t do—”

  “They can, and they did. Kimmy, the director of my team, tried to work around it, but couldn’t. I have to go in right away.” Lifting his gaze, regret colored those beautiful eyes.

  “You have to go. I understand.” She bit down on her lip to prevent her from saying anything else. She’d supported him in finding a place here, because she brought him here.

  Sighing, his shoulders dropped. “This sucks.”

  “We had a great night.”

  “I hoped for more. I don’t get to see you as much as I’d like.”

  “I know.”

  Standing, he leaned forward, brushing a light kiss on her lips. One that had her cursing Kimmy. Warmth rushed to her face and he stepped away.

  “You better leave before I tell Kimmy where to go,” she warned.

  He smiled. “Take the car back. I’ll call for a ride, and I will be there for our run Tuesday morning after my presentation.”

  “Okay.”

  He left just as the two desserts arrived at the table. The hurt of being alone burned as she stared at the food. Logically she understood that he was busy and supported him, but emotionally… well… good thing she had two desserts to work through.

  She grabbed her fork and dug in. After all the work it took to get here, she wasn’t in a hurry to leave. Given enough time, she finished both desserts while watching the moon over the dark waves. Maybe life wasn’t how she envisioned it, but it could be a hell of a lot worse.

  The next day, Sunday, Ari was in the midst of studying when Vinh surprised her with a call. “Hey, can we meet up for lunch? At the beach?”

  “At the beach?” Ari asked. There had never been anything romantic between Vinh and Ari, yet he’d never asked her out to lunch either.

  His gaze narrowed on the screen in her room. “Get over yourself and be ready. Okay?”

  “Okay.” Ari could use a break.

  Still in comfy gray pants and a tank, she headed outside. and found Vinh parked with his hoverboard. More casual than usual, he wore shorts and shirt. They kicked off their shoes and headed to the beach on foot.

  “You going to tell me what this is about? You don’t have any food on you?” She motioned to his thin bag.

  “Trust much?”

  “Just curious.”

  “Your curiosity can wait. It’s my butt I’m more worried about.”

  Ari bit back a retort about his back side and continued in silence. She trusted Vinh. He headed straight for the ocean and stopped in front of the water’s edge.

  Sitting down, he pulled out a small box. He flipped a switch and a green light flashed in the corner. “That’s so we can talk or go online without any ghosts.”

  “Okay?” Then she remembered her request last week. “Is this so we can contact my family?”

  “Did you really think I was asking you out on a date?” Sarcasm was spread on thicker than necessary.

  “I didn’t know what you were up to. But thanks for that.” She gently shoved his shoulder.

  “Let’s see if this works.” He popped open a computer as well. “We can’t contact your family directly, but I thought we could troll any groups or sites they may frequent.”

  Ari tried to think of the best way to reach Marco. He wasn’t a regular in any sites or groups. Maybe games, but Ari wasn’t sure which ones he frequented these days. Games. Now Tessa was a regular, because she created her own.

  “How about Neptune?”

  “I may have heard of that before. Let’s check it out.”

  A nervous itch crept along her spine. “Are you going to get fired for this? I don’t want you to get in trouble.”

  He rolled his eyes. “I won’t get fired, maybe suspended. A lot of the guys around here sneak in to check gaming stats or look up old friends. Let’s just not get caught, okay?”

  They found Tessa’s game and Vinh already had a fake profile to contact her. “What do you want to say? And remember it can’t say much.”

  “Don’t be easy or anything.” Ari racked her brain to think of a way to let Tessa know it was her. “Okay. Tell her it’s Oya, Goddess of the sky, wanting to reconnect and check on my family.”

  Oya was from a VR game she played with Tessa last year at school.

  Vinh finished the message and then shut down his equipment. “I’ll check now and again for a reply and let you know.”

  “Thanks.” Ari extended her legs in the sand and stared out into the never-ending expanse of water. “You know, I never even visited the ocean until last year in the VR? I grew up in a desert.”

  “Really? You know I grew up staring at this same ocean, just a different side?” He set down his bag and leaned back on his h
ands. “You are lucky to have such a secluded spot. I get sick of watching guys attempting to surf. There’s a reason we work here.”

  “True.” Most people spent their time plugged in and the real ocean wasn’t as forgiving.

  He glanced at her direction. “Have they scheduled your first mission?”

  “Not yet, but soon.” She picked at her pants, pushing away the churning in her stomach.

  “Nervous?”

  A chuckle escaped her lips. “Yeah, guess so. It’s weird to study a person I never met before. Like really study, their family, co-workers, past lovers. Just weird.”

  “I think weird has only just started. Wait until you get inside.”

  “Have you been inside VLEX before?”

  “No. I’ve just heard some rumors since I’ve been here.” He dug through the sand, picking up a seashell.

  “Like what?”

  “Just how different it is. People with no sense of morality except how it pads their wallet. You might be able to contact Tessa from there.”

  She sat upright, turning to stare at him. The idea excited her. “Really? How?”

  “You’re connected to everything in there, and I mean everything. Just be careful who is watching. There is more that goes on then anyone knows or is willing to talk about.”

  “I will.” A tumult of emotions swirled around, excitement and nerves vied for the top spot. Not able to sit still, she stood and offered a hand to Vinh. “Ready to head back. If I’m out here too long, Niomi will wonder why I’m not exercising.”

  He took her hand. “We don’t want that. You can probably take me down as it is.”

  “Maybe.”

  He did have a husky frame. “Don’t piss me off or I’ll shrink your suit.”

  She raised her arms. “You win.”

  “See, it’s not all about muscles.”

  They headed back towards the Wave. “I agree with you. Now if you could convince Niomi of that.”

  Chapter 7

  As the next few weeks passed, Ari immersed herself into her work, trying to keep her thoughts off missing her family back home. Vinh did get word back to her that Tessa reported everything was okay. He even found out she was working for her father’s company and had some back channels to contact her. Ari didn’t want to press her luck though or jeopardize Vinh’s position.