“Fine. Hate me. But don’t be stupid. You won’t get another chance to escape and you won’t get out of your contract for years. You need to leave now and without Reed.”
Her heart tore at the thought. “No. I won’t. I can’t leave him.”
“Why? They will keep him well fed and working on the island for another year or two in hopes you’ll return. We can reunite him with his mother and they both will be watched carefully. He will at least be safe, unlike you.”
“I need him.” Tears fell down her face at the selfishness of that statement. She would drag him all over the world because she wanted him by her side.
“If you go to him now, you’ll both be trapped on that island until you can’t remember him anymore. You’re a smart girl. Don’t be selfish and for once think of what’s best for him. Let him go now, and you can get him later.” Niomi stepped back, releasing Ari. “I promise I’ll keep an eye on him.”
She wiped at her face before turning around. “How can I trust you?”
“Despite what you think, I tried to help you. When they approached me about a young untrained warper, I knew if I didn’t take the job, they would just go to the next person who may not feel the way I do. I trained you to fight and to become anyone. Not just inside the system, but out as well.”
The hurt inside of Ari wasn’t ready to forgive her in the littlest bit, but Ari knew she was right. Joining Reed wouldn’t help him at this point. Getting strong enough to rescue him would. She knew what she had to do, but it didn’t make the decision any easier. Lowering her eyes, she nodded in defeat.
“Okay.” Niomi pulled out a device. “I’ll make sure to put you in a section that has already been searched.”
Unable to face Niomi, to face herself for abandoning Reed, Ari focused on the floor in front of her.
“Ari.”
She lifted her head as Niomi handed over a small bag.
“Take this. The money’s untraceable, and with a couple IDs and proper documents you should be able to start over. Keep your head down, okay?”
She felt empty and cold as she accepted the bag, like a traitor for leaving Reed behind.
“Once I leave, I’ll empty the hall for you. Count to twenty and go to your right. Room 101 will be yours.” Niomi stepped towards the door. “I wish I could have done more for you. I really tried.” She left without another word.
Ari stood there, struck dumb for a moment, trying to think back to all her interactions with Niomi. Was she training her for the VLEX or for this? Move, idiot. Think later.
Not sure of how long it had been, Ari placed a hand on the door, a manual door which she hadn’t seen since she left home. With one more deep breath, she pushed through, heading towards the unknown.
Chapter 40
The pain of loss hung with Ari through her voyage. She ended up sharing a room with two other women, but early on turned off her translator. The sway of the small boat brought on a new wave of sickness and Ari welcomed it.
Even though Niomi’s advice was logical, Ari couldn’t help the aching in her chest. Thoughts of Reed, of what he was going through plagued her. Even her own family seemed worlds away. The hope of a normal life had been shattered. Isolation was the only way to keep her family safe. Though the idea brought upon a new wave of darkness and despair.
The journey took three days. She never left her room except to go to the bathroom. The women would bring back food for her, which was probably for the best. By the morning of the last day, the fact she hadn’t showered for three days didn’t even bother her. Niomi’s voice haunted her, shouting that Ari couldn’t give up. Keep running, keep fighting, until there was nothing left to give.
She realized she couldn’t check out of this life. Not yet. Not until those she loved were safe, and she made amends for those she hurt, if that was even possible. Then after that… well, her life would be hers to do with what she might. Until then, she needed to get off her butt.
Exiting the boat in a small port in Acadian, Ari rubbed her arms as she maneuvered off the docks. The temperature had dropped considerably as they made their way north. She’d need to find some warm clothes.
Walking into town, she rehearsed her identity one more time. I’m Tara Phillips, running away from my abusive husband, Dan. At least Ari didn’t have to act to much. She was a runaway with a new identity, a new skin, a new life. Pushing away the past, she focused on the task ahead of her.
While the town was large, it held a quaint fairytale feeling with fresh paint, smiling faces, and flowers dotting the storefronts. A night and day difference than where she left Reed. Her heart ached at the thought of him. He would have loved this place.
She found a clothing shop and searched for a warm jacket. Niomi had given her plenty of money, so she also picked up gloves, a hat, and a couple of extras that fit in her bag. The shopkeeper, an older woman, was happy to help Ari check out. Her accent was thick, but they communicated fine through Ari’s translator.
As Ari packed her bag, she wondered how much she could trust this woman. With few choices and even less time, she hoped she was making the right decision. “I’m meeting a friend.” Ari then repeated the address of the restaurant where she was meeting Antoine.
“It’s a day’s ride to the north. You’ll have to take the tram.”
A day. It took a minute to remember what day of the week it was and realized that Antoine was expecting Kari tomorrow. She’d need to move fast.
“How can I get there?”
“The station is two miles down the road. Is he someone special?” The woman smiled and winked at her.
Lowering her eyes as if embarrassed, Ari nodded and thanked the woman before leaving. The station was loud and crowded but offered a lot of different ride times. She ended up purchasing an overnight ticket which would save her from renting a room.
Once bought, she wandered aimlessly, waiting to board. Her movements became robotic and without feeling. If she started thinking about what she left behind, she couldn’t do what she was about to do.
The growling of her stomach awakened her for her need to eat. She grabbed a small meal and boarded the tram. The countryside flew by as the sun set behind mountains of glistening snow. Exhaustion set in and she slept sitting up.
She woke to the sun rising on similar mountains yet now more grandiose. The morning flew by as she stared out the window, only getting up to take care of her body’s needs. She fell into numb trance as the tram raced towards what came next: Antoine. The idea filled her stomach with ice cold dread.
In the afternoon, the overhead speaker announced her stop. She freshened up in the small bathroom, trying not to look as ragged as she felt. Her brown eyes looked lifeless accompanied by dark circles hanging underneath. The red hair still bothered her, like a stranger staring back at her. She finished brushing her teeth, spat in the sink and left the room.
Back in her seat, tall heavy trees flashed by, growing in number. The view opened, and the tram slowed. A mountain resort sat nestled in a small valley.
Zipping up her coat, she exited the tram and headed to the wood fashioned building. It looked like it was constructed from the nearby trees. Ari had never seen anything like it before.
A pretty woman greeted her at the door. “How can I help you?”
“I’m meeting a friend, Antoine, for dinner.” She bit her lip as she scanned the room.
“Of course, let me take your coat.” The attendant helped her out of her coat and led her into the dining area.
Ari spotted the table first, the one with a large bouquet of lilacs. A bottle of wine with two glasses also waited for her. No, not for her, for Kari.
As they approached, Antoine pushed up from the table, dressed in black pants and a nice button-up blue shirt. He looked similar to his VLEX profile. An extra ten pounds or so rested in his middle section and face. His jaw wasn’t as chiseled as inside VLEX, but he was still attractive. His kind gray eyes greeted her with excitement.
Her stomach
ached with dread and guilt. She had hurt this man maybe more than anyone. Would her next step help or hurt him more?
Reaching for her, he wrapped her up in a big hug. “You look nothing like I imaged but still so beautiful.” His heavy accent laced his words, but he spoke in English.
Uncomfortable with his embrace and not able to hide in the program, she stepped back. Even though he felt like a good friend after all the time they spent together, he was still under the notion she was someone else.
She motioned to the table. “Sit, please. We need to talk.”
His brow furrowed in confusion. “What’s wrong, Kari?”
Guilt felt heavy in her stomach, and Ari didn’t want to answer to that name.
“You are Kari, aren’t you?” His confusion turned to apparent concern quickly.
She was surprised he connected the dots so quickly, but also grateful. Motioning to his seat, she waited until he was seated. “I’m not Kari. I’m sorry, but I thought you would want to know about her.”
Bewilderment flash across his face. “What about her?”
Glancing down, Ari noticed his restless fingers picking at a napkin on the table. “There’s no easy way to say this. Kari hasn’t been inside VLEX for months.” Before he could react, she continued with her story of how she was hired by a company to impersonate Kari, and how Ari didn’t know where Kari was or what happened to her.
By the time she finished, Antoine strangled the napkin in his hands, staring at Ari with a strange mix of rage and concern. Finally, he poured himself a tall glass of wine and drank half of it. Looking up at her, his expression was hard to read. “Did they kill her?”
“I was told that she was alive, but I don’t know if that is true. I had a friend check Kari’s house, and she was no longer living there.”
He glanced away, quiet. Ari recognized that painful ache deep in his eyes, because it mirrored just how she felt. Maybe she did deserve to be alone after all the pain she caused this man.
“Why?” His words came out as a whisper barely heard over the roar of nearby conversation.
“Why what?”
“Why are you here telling me this? Why did you keep up the whole character with dating me inside the VLEX? And how did you pull it off? The skins are permanent inside VLEX.”
“Not for someone like me.” For the first time, she wasn’t afraid of what she was, but ashamed. “I’m telling you now because I wanted to make it right.”
“The only way to make it right is to bring me Kari.”
The thoughts that had been swirling in her mind formed into the start of a plan of how to find Kari and take care of what she needed for Emil. “I don’t know if I can, but I’m willing to try.”
She gave him a moment and resisted the urge to comfort him. Hugging him would be natural as she thought of him as a friend at this point. But he didn’t know Ari, he only knew Kari.
His gaze turned steely. “How can you fix this? If she’s not home, where would she be? She may be dead.”
“I’m hoping I can find someone else that knows her, family, friends that would know where she would be. Thing is, I don’t have a way to get back inside.”
He glared at her under his long lashes. “Is this some sick joke? You tell me my girlfriend’s possibly dead, and the only way you can save her is by using my credentials to get inside.”
“No.” Looking back at the conversation, she had to admit he had a point. It didn’t look good. But getting inside would give her the resources she needed. “I just… look.” She leaned forward, elbows on the table. “I don’t need your credentials, I just need a way inside. I left the company I worked for. They, along with a government or two, are searching for me. My skill set is… very unique inside. Give me twenty minutes, that’s all I need.”
He finished off his glass of wine. “How dumb do you think I am?”
“I’m sorry. I’m trying to make this right. I’m caught up in something bigger than I imagined. But believe it or not, I care about her. Always wondered about her. That’s why, I couldn’t break you two up. I have access to her files and hope they have some information on her family and loved ones. If you want to find her, I will help. I will do whatever I need to make this right. And I can give you my personal information or whatever you need to trust me.”
He stared at the empty wine glass in his hands for a minute, the heavy silence full of unspoken pain and emotion. Shame ate at her as she watched his empty expression.
“Okay.” He finally lifted his gaze. “I’ll give you twenty minutes. If you get caught, I’m saying you broke in and stole access. I won’t go down for this.”
“Of course. Antoine,” she waited until he met her eyes, her own emotion fighting to get free, “I’m so sorry. I want you to know that.”
He shook off her hand. “No. You don’t deserve any sympathy or forgiveness until I have her back.”
“That’s fair.” She couldn’t deny the mistakes she made, which were many. “The sooner we get in, the sooner we get her back.”
Chapter 41
The sun had settled behind the mountains and darkness settled in the valley as they boarded the tram. They needed to get to Antoine’s office back in town. Only a few silent passengers littered the car, making for a quiet ride through the dark of night.
Buried deep in thought, Ari wondered exactly where Kari was. Did she have some type of illness, or maybe Niomi was right and she sold out? Ari wasn’t sure what to hope for.
And what would the cost be of going back in? Was her life like an hour glass? Every trip or manipulation ticked off a few more days or weeks of her life?
Antoine offered her a drink of the large wine bottle he’d taken from the restaurant. “You look like you could need a drink, too.”
“No thanks.”
“Do you have someone here with you? Family nearby?”
Ari turned to him, wondering why he asked. “No.”
“I’m just surprised you came all the way here to tell me this.”
“Me too.”
They rode the rest of the way in silence, interrupted only by him finishing off the bottle of wine. They stepped off the tram, and the cold slammed into them full force. She burrowed deep in her jacket, but the cold still penetrated.
“Up this way.” He motioned to the right, then watched as she put on her thick gloves. “You really aren’t from here are you?”
“No. I can’t say I care for it.”
“People wonder why we drink so much.” He buttoned up his thin coat and headed into the wind.
Tall old buildings lined the street, and he motioned to the brick one on the corner. “Keep your head down. I can erase the security feed, but in case they beat me to it, we don’t need our mugs pasted everywhere.”
Surprised at his ability to erase the security feed, she pulled her hoodie up and focused on her steps in front of her. Every step felt surreal, like she was back in VLEX living someone else’s life. Someone who escaped off islands, stowed away on boats, and went with tall dark strangers in the middle of the night to break into buildings. Kari’s life almost felt normal in comparison to her own.
He quickly got them inside the building, bypassing the security with ease.
“What do you do for work?” Surprised at his ability, Ari didn’t think most diplomats or aids could hack a system like Reed or Marco.
“I started here as IT. After a few years, I got assigned to provide technical help inside the VLEX.”
That’s convenient.
Heading upstairs, she pulled off her gloves, rubbing her hands together to warm them. Then she pulled out the small drive from her necklace. “I’ll need you to upload this to the server when I get in.”
“Why?” He took the miniature drive and turned it in his fingers. “What’s on this? Codes for stolen cryptos?”
“Nothing that exciting. It’s just me.” Files and characters that boiled down to be the story of her life. Sad to think everything she had and was could be hidden on somet
hing so small. That was all she had left. Yes, inside a program she may have vast possibilities, but out in the real world, it felt insignificant.
“Okay. Have a seat.” He powered up a nearby station. “Now, I warned you. Twenty minutes is all I can give you before security is alerted and is on their way down. I want Kari’s real address, her physical location. If not, I turn you over to the authorities. I have enough proof even now to throw you away for a while. Do you get me?”
Mouth dry, Ari nodded. “The drive has everything you need on me to help you put me away for a while. I’ll put Kari’s information on the drive I gave you. If things get bad, take it and run.” If things went bad, jail time for breaking into here would be her least concern.
Pushing her hair aside, she plugged into the machine and leaned back. The cold leather chair sent a shiver down her spine. Closing her eyes to the real world, she wondered if reality would look the same when she woke.
Chapter 42
Since she was signing in under an unfamiliar account, she was careful how she entered the VLEX. Keeping her presence a secret was imperative. As she entered the VLEX, she awoke to the code surrounding her. Antoine put her outside his office building. Because of the time zone change, she barely beat the rush hour. Checking the code for time in VLEX she realized she had a few minutes until most offices opened. For now, mostly security and overzealous employees roamed the open streets.
She thought of just stealing the data from Kari’s old office without even appearing in the program, but the mass amount of data to sift through was too much, even for her. She didn’t need Kari’s real address. Tessa already searched that out and didn’t find Kari. Ari would have to locate her family home or some other connection to find her.
So, between one second and the next, Ari donned Kari’s familiar skin and stepped out from the shadows of a nearby building. She followed the familiar cobblestone street to the building where she had spent so many hours. It was quiet as she took the elevator up to her office. They had changed the access codes from those she previously knew, but a quick hack of the code and she was inside.
Hard Wired Trilogy Page 51
