She stepped out of the bathroom to find Marco and Joe already back at work. They had made progress in their search, narrowing it down to two guys and one woman. While they continued to watch over Echo’s apartment building, they expanded their search.
Various breakfast items were scattered on the dresser, and Ari picked up a bagel. Marco stood and stretched his back. Joe used the only desk, so Marco and Ari made makeshift desks on the beds. Marco grabbed a drink and leaned against a dresser. “Did you get a chance to go through the list of local VR forums?” he asked Joe.
“Yeah, most the Sprawl game series. But a few local ones for socialization.” Joe leaned back in the chair and focused on Marco. “Want to start going in?”
“Sure,” Marco shrugged, but Ari worried it meant more to him than that. He had the propensity to be a VR addict, wishing he could live in the VR instead of out of it.
“Maybe you should go in,” Ari turned to Joe, “being a warper and all.”
“There’s a lot of places to check out,” Joe said. “It’ll need all three of us to find info about a local programmer for hire. Locally is probably one of the few places he shows his face.”
She glanced at her brother but didn’t say a word.
He must have noticed her worried look. “I’ll be fine. I have barely been in and it will be for shorter stints.” Marco smiled his salesman smile, and then turned to Joe, who had been watching them, to explain. “I had a little episode a year ago with the VR, and my sister worries, but I’m fine.”
“I trust you to know your limits.” Joe pushed back from his desk and stood. “I have to do some work with the cameras we installed and add a couple more near the closest VR joint. I’m hoping we’ll get some matches between them. So, if both of you can hit up the VR joints today, I’ll take the shift tonight or tomorrow.”
With the bagel halfway to her mouth, she froze. This was her out. They both would be busy and wouldn’t realize she was gone for awhile, but Marco…
Her brother had been in a VR coma not even two years ago and would now be spending the day back inside. And if she left, that would make even more work for him, putting him at more of a risk. What kind of sister would do that?
Marco set down his drink, oblivious to Ari’s dilemma. “I’ll head out in a bit. I’m going to take a shower first.” Glancing at Ari, he added. “Don’t worry, sis. I’ll be fine.”
Swallowing the sick taste in her mouth, she set down her bagel. Disgust and guilt never tasted good. Marco went to shower, while Joe packed a bag.
He glanced up at her. “You alright? Marco has been doing very well. I’m sure he’ll be fine, but if you’re worried you can talk more to him. It’s okay if we stay longer and just you and I go in the VR.”
Pursing her lips, she nodded. “Thanks for offering, but you’re right. He knows his limits.” She wondered who she was trying to convince: Joe or herself.
“Alright. I’m heading out then. You’ll probably be gone by the time I return. You know how to get ahold of me.” Joe motioned to their HUBS on their wrist. They had an encrypted channel he set up for the three of them to use.
Alone in the room, she stared at the electronic watch on her wrist. The seconds ticked by, and she realized it was now or never. If she saw Marco again, she wouldn’t be able to hide it from him. Or face him, feeling like she was picking Reed over him. Her justification was that Marco would want her to do that. He loved Reed like family. Before she could change her mind, she grabbed her bag, and headed out of the door.
Nerves made her heart rate pick up, and she left the hotel. She messaged her brother that she was headed out to start on the VRs, then added an additional message to be delivered at lunch. She didn’t want to worry them when they found out she was missing.
Flipping through her HUB, she considered whether to take a plane or tram. There wasn’t a flight for a couple hours, and she worried Joe would be able to track her in the airport. With tighter security, she’d have to use the identification Joe created for her to get on a plane. That wouldn’t work. After checking the tram station and schedule, she turned off her HUB and disconnected the battery. If anyone could figure out how to track her HUB, it would be Joe.
Marco would be mad but would get over it. Since he also cared for Reed, hopefully he would understand why she had to do it, and without him. She couldn’t chance Marco becoming another piece for VisionTech to manipulate her with.
It only took twenty minutes for her to make her way to the tram station. She soon had her route scheduled to get her to the Spanish sector. She took a couple trams to get her there in time.
Despite the quiet dark tram, she couldn’t sleep. She closed her eyes and leaned back against the seat, but instead of resting she obsessed about her plan and all the ways it could go wrong. That same edgy nervous feeling followed her through a few different sectors of the European Union. She made it to the Spanish sector as the sun rose.
Chapter 20
In the tram’s bathroom, Ari had put on new fingerprints and pulled out the new identity. She wrapped her hair into a low pony and put on a ball cap that she’d taken from Marco. It wasn’t the best disguise, but it would have to do. She spent the next couple of hours scoping out the area. She’d stolen some spare cameras from Joe and placed them indiscreetly at store fronts and along the street.
Keeping the video feeds linked to the HUB on her arm, she went out for breakfast and privacy. The Spanish sector of Europe felt the closest to home than Ari had felt for a while. Ari never learned to speak Spanish fluently, though her grandmother used to speak it when Ari was a child. Ari let the words and smells of the country comfort her as she prepared for the meet up.
Even at breakfast they used a spicy chorizo that would challenge her mother’s. Ari enjoyed her meal at a small café under a sunny sky and soaked it all in. The potted flowers on the nearby building and the old men gossiping over coffee felt almost normal, like she could pretend she lived here and had an average life. A life where she lived in one city, had a job she could be proud off, and Reed. Her life would always include Reed.
She glanced at her HUB again, flipping through the cameras. Unfortunately, there was nothing to see. Even reviewing the recorded data, there was no one familiar or out of place near the meeting site. She would continue watching until they showed up. She had no intention of showing until she saw Reed, and even then she hoped for an opportunity to grab him on the way to or from the meeting site.
Ari’s table sat outside near an alley that provided an easy exit if needed. Finishing her drink, she glanced on her screen and flipped through the different camera views again. The meeting spot was only a couple of blocks away. She wondered why VisionTech would pick this spot. If they wanted to take her against her will, there would definitely be a scene.
Unless there was something she missed. Watching nearby shops from behind her dark glasses, she scoured the cameras for possible exits and found none. There were a few storefronts to drag someone into, maybe. Or maybe VisionTech had enough leverage she would go with them willingly. Across the street there were apartment buildings, making it a great viewpoint for whoever wanted to watch.
With less than thirty minutes until the meet-up, she kept a close watch on her HUB. An uneasiness crept under her skin, a feeling that she missed something. Only a few minutes left until noon. She pushed back from the table to find a better viewpoint.
“Have a seat. I think this is a much cozier meeting spot for old friends than a street corner. Don’t you think?”
Ari’s stomach dropped at the sound of the voice. Memories flooded her, both good and bad. Of all the people to use Reed against her, Ari didn’t think it would be her.
Niomi took a seat on the other side of the table. “Please, sit.” She still had the bottom half of her head shaved beneath platinum hair that fell to her chin. Gone was the bright red lipstick though, and now it was a dark plum to match the rest of her dark outfit.
Startled, Ari couldn’t help but show her
surprise. When Ari was fleeing her servitude to VisionTech, Niomi convinced her to leave Reed with promises that he’d be taken care of. With every sense on alert, Ari had no clue if this was a friend or foe. Of course, Niomi worked for VisionTech, so that said something.
“I like the new look.” Ari motioned to Niomi’s hair.
Niomi shrugged it off. “You look… taken care of.”
“I am.”
“So then why are you here?”
“For Reed. I assume you sent the message.” Anger began slowly building in her body and she forced her hands to remain relaxed.
“No boy is worth that, Ari. If I knew you were that stupid, I would have never worked with you.” The familiar sneer pulled up her dark lips. “And this wasn’t my idea. I told them it would never work.”
“I liked you too.” Ari glared at her. “Where’s Reed?”
“Not here.” Niomi leaned back, nonplussed by Ari’s anger. It never did bother her.
“Then I’m leaving.” Not trusting her shaking hands, Ari stood to leave, swearing at herself for falling for this stupid plan. Was it too late to get away in one piece?
“Don’t you want to know where he is?” Niomi’s demeanor turned sickly sweet.
Slowly returning to her seat, Ari checked her temper. “How do I know you’re telling the truth?”
“I guess you don’t, but it would be easy enough to check. He could be anywhere in the world. Don’t you at least want a head start?”
“In exchange for what?”
“At this point in the game, there is no more negotiating, Ari. You were stupid enough to show up here, so your options are limited. Just like mine are working for VisionTech.”
She ignored the threat. “Where is he?”
“Home.”
Ari pulled back in surprise. Could it really be that simple?
“Once we created a profile and skin for him, we really didn’t need him. Did we?” She leaned forward and quieted her voice. “I told you I’d take care of him, didn’t I? They were happy to let him go home and leave a trap for when you return. You really shouldn’t have come here. There is only so much I can do to protect you.”
“What do you mean?” Ari readied herself to bolt.
Something stung her in the neck. Reaching up, she found a small device, an electronic bug. As she looked around to see where it came from, her vision began to blur around the edges.
“What did you do?”
“Everything I could to protect you.” Niomi must have moved, but Ari didn’t see it, because all of a sudden she was helping her stand. “I told you to stay home.”
Ari’s legs worked fine, but not really on her command. As the drug entered her system, each movement took concentrated effect. She had only tabbed a couple times in her life, so she didn’t have much to compare it too. Ari was furious at Niomi’s betrayal, but somehow her body couldn’t register it.
“You drugged me.” Ari’s words come out slow and awkward.
“Not me.” Niomi’s eyes flickered around them. “I was forced to come with the team to retrieve you. A friendly face, you could say.” Niomi turned her around and began moving down the street. “They’re idiots if they think I’m their lapdog though.”
A tall man in a gray shirt and hat walked towards them. Ari knew she should stop, should move away from him, but with Niomi pulling her along, her legs continued to move without her command. The noises on the nearby street blurred together as the effect of the drug continued to grow, and it became like white noise rolling in and out as waves.
Finally, Niomi stopped near the entrance to a park and leaned Ari against the iron rod fence. Her eyes remained on the man mere feet away from them. Glancing around, Ari found another man coming from behind with that same close-cut hairdo and sharp eyes.
Niomi pulled out a thin stick and kept it near her arm to not draw attention. Ari had seen her use the electric baton before, and Niomi was impressive. But these men didn’t even flinch at the weapon.
“I have her from here boys. I’ll meet up at the plane.” Niomi kept her voice soft, but her stance ready.
“Our employer doesn’t trust you to deliver the package. We’ll take it from here.” The man’s athletic build and curled hands looked eager to attack.
“I don’t want—” Niomi stepped forward innocently then struck at the man’s neck, electricity sizzling on contact.
An obvious professional, the other man didn’t flinch, still several feet away, and shot something at her. With an electric jolt, Niomi stumbled to the ground. The drugs in Ari’s system muted the shock she should have felt. She pushed herself off the gate and dropped next to Niomi.
“Niomi?” The fuzzy feeling in Ari’s head didn’t mute the pain of watching her old trainer, her friend, lay in a heap on the ground. Niomi was hurt bad and not getting up.
As Ari tried to help her up, Niomi pushed her hands away. “Go. Run.”
Ari almost wanted to laugh. She couldn’t walk a straight line, let alone run. Frantically scanning the area, Ari tried to muster the energy to move and came up empty. Then she noticed Niomi’s weapon at her side.
As rough hands pulled her up, she grabbed the baton. An alarm sounded in the distance. Maybe the police? Niomi struggled to stand as the man dragged Ari away. She had wanted to talk to Niomi more, tell her what she was doing, what she had learned. But instead, the trainer she thought was invincible could barely move.
Rage surged in Ari, and she struck out at the man with the weapon. It made connection and sparked from the heat. He shouted something as he fell, taking her with him. She pushed away from him, but her world tilted on its axis.
Other men appeared, but she didn’t know who they were with. Local police or VisionTech. Shouts rang out, confusing Ari. Between the fast moving forms and the effects of the drugs, Ari couldn’t focus enough to find the threat. Niomi, she remembered. Where was Niomi?
Strangers filled Ari’s vision, and she was unsure who to trust. Panic and confusion colored her thoughts. As more men charged the scene, weapons fired with snaps of electricity.
Ari spotted Niomi’s platinum hair nearby, and she crawled towards her. Why wasn’t Niomi up? A taser wouldn’t keep her down for so long.
As she made it to her trainer and placed a hand on her arm, Ari saw blood pooling on Niomi’s stomach. Whatever struck Niomi was a more deadly than a taser. Why would they attack their own person?
Because they didn’t want Niomi, she realized. They wanted Ari and Niomi got in the way.
Shaking her arm, Ari tried to contain the emotional storm that threatened to overtake her. Her voice came out in ragged pieces. “Niomi, get up. We have to move.”
Niomi’s steely eyes were glazed over. The fire that had always been in them now missing. Her gaze flicked to Ari. “If I taught you anything, it’s don’t be an idiot. Get out of here.”
“I don’t think I can.” Ari wanted to lay down next to her and give up. The siren in the distance drew closer. Hopefully the police? It didn’t matter anymore.
“Yes, you can.” For a few seconds, a spark returned to her trainer, then it fled as quick as it came as she coughed blood. “Yes. You. Can.” She bit out.
Ari knew that it was goodbye. No matter how much she wanted it not to be, this was the end. Whatever they had gone through, Niomi had sacrificed a lot for Ari—no, she had sacrificed everything for Ari.
Strong hands lifted her up and Ari struck out. Everything Niomi had taught her, all the rage building inside of her came out. Her elbow connected to something, causing a sickening crack. She stumbled backwards, finding leverage on a nearby bench. The world spun around her and two men grappled in front of her. The drug pulled on her, and she blinked to clear her vision.
Soon gentle hands guided her forward. “This way.” The warm familiar voice soothed the panic inside.
With a quick swoop, she was in his arms, wrapped in his smell. A comforting feeling poured over her. Before she could say anything, darkness swallowed her.
Turning over, Ari rubbed against the rough pillow and wondered why it tasted like a cat threw up in her mouth. She tried to swallow but wasn’t able to with the cotton ball mixed in with cat vomit taste.
“Here have a drink.” Patrick sat on the bed next to her.
The sound of his voice made her want to crawl back into the darkness, cat vomit and all. She screwed up. She knew that and right now didn’t feel up to fighting to explain herself.
He didn’t say anything at first though. With gentle hands, he helped her up and gave her a drink of water. “Are you okay?”
“They hit me with some kind of drug.” She rubbed the spot on her neck where she still felt the lingering pain of the needle’s bite.
“So it would be easier to extract you.” There was a tightness in his throat.
“Can I…” She struggled to voice what she needed. More than a bathroom, she needed a shower, to scrub disinfectant all over her body. “Is there a bathroom or shower here?”
“Are you able to shower?”
Ari assumed since she couldn’t walk very well, that was a valid question. She wanted to ask him a million things, like how did he find her, why did he come and was he alone? But with his answers, he would have questions for her. But she needed a few more moments to clear this foggy feeling from her mind and body. “I think so.”
Slowly sitting up, she moved her feet to the floor. They tingled as if they had been asleep. “It might take a moment.”
“We have time.” His kind features worsened Ari’s guilt.
Slowly, she stood and after a few minutes felt steady. “I think I’m good.”
Patrick stepped back but looked prepared to catch her just in case. “I ordered up some clothes and stuff for you. I wasn’t able to get your bag back.”
She made it to the bathroom and turned back. “Thanks.” It seemed pathetically inadequate.
Hard Wired Trilogy Page 65
