Hard Wired Trilogy

by DeAnna Pearce

  “How do you know where I live?” he asked. “Have I got you before?”

  She needed to be more careful, he may be more conscious than she thought. “You said you lived close by. This is the closest living complex. Unless you live in a home?” Homes were rare and very expensive. Maybe he could have afforded one with his talent, but how he wasted it on drugs and VR no one would really think so.

  “Yeah, yeah.” He staggered slightly. “All the way up there in a little box inside a big box spinning on the hamster wheel like everyone else.”

  She forced a light laugh. “That’s why you have to live it up while you have the chance, right?”

  “Live it up. Live it up.” He spoke the words as they entered the lobby. With a hand scan they boarded the lift. Once inside, he watched her through the reflective glass inside. “How do you live? Why do you live?”

  She ignored his depressive monologue. At least he wasn’t handsy in this state. She had to be grateful for small mercies. She worried about how Joe and Marco would make it up the lift though.

  Turning her thoughts back to his question and her cover, she replied, “I live in the moment, live for the good times. What else is there?”

  Watching her closely, he shook his head, a soberness to his gaze. “No. You’re more than good times.”

  She forced herself to soften her smile. Maybe that drug sobered him more than she wanted. “You’re drunk, baby. We’ll be inside soon. Don’t worry. Then I will take care of you.”

  Leaning against the wall, he closed his eyes as they traveled up to the thirty-eighth floor. The doors opened, and he still didn’t move. Ari gently shook his shoulder.

  “We’re almost there.” With effort, she moved him down the hall. “Which one is yours?” she asked, already knowing the answer.

  “Right here.” He used an arm to hold himself up while the security scanned his retina.

  As bloodshot as his eyes were, Ari worried it wouldn’t work. The click sounded though, and with a swoosh the door opened. She followed him in.

  The smell of body odor and stale food hit her together. Cluttered electronics and left-over food containers filled the small apartment. He half-walked, half-stumbled to the kitchen that stood on one side of the room and grabbed a dirty mug to fill. She glanced around at the cluttered kitchen table. Instead of couches or a social area, a large desk sat against the wall with monitors scattered on old tables. The bedroom door stood ajar and was just as messy as this room. The other door must be the bathroom.

  “Give me a minute, and I’ll be up and going again. I just need to find that TAB.” He opened a filthy cupboard in search of the tab, shoving random cups and papers out of the way.

  Any drug that would get him up and going was the one thing Ari didn’t want. “Can I get a drink as well?” She slipped out the needle while his back was turned and approached.

  He turned around with a colored cup in hand, and after he took a drink, handed it to her. She swallowed her disgust and reached for the cup. It wasn’t water, but some other type of liquid or drug. She barely swallowed the sickly sweet drink before setting it down. The few drops that made it past her lips tasting of citrus and honey.

  Forcing a seductive smile, she stepped towards him, the needle hidden in her other hand. “Hey.”

  As he pulled her close, she stabbed him in the side, the needle easily piercing his shirt. Before she could inject the full the full amount, he swatted her hand away.

  Confusion flashed over his face. “What did you do?”

  “Nothing, Echo. Just relax.”

  Anger focused his attention on her. “What did you just call me?”

  “Echo? You told me that was your screen name.”

  “No. I’d never say that.” He gripped her by her shoulder, squeezing. “Who the hell are you?”

  Trying not to be overwhelmed by his size or his smell, she forced herself not to fight. “I’m Jewel.”

  He shook her once, then paused blinking repeatedly. “What the hell did you do to me?”

  “I promise, I’m not here to hurt you. You’ll be okay.” As his hold lessened, Ari stepped back, leaving him next to the kitchen counter.

  He staggered, trying to balance. Eventually, he slumped to the ground. His eyes were still open, but there was no fight left.

  A light knock sounded on the door. “We’re here.” Joe’s voice sounded through the com behind her ear. Ari hurried to the door and let them in.

  Joe evaluated the room with a quick once-over and headed through the bedroom door without a word. His calm, commanding presence soothed her nerves. The sooner they got out of there, the better.

  “You did well, sis.” Marco stood next to her. “Want me to watch over him and you can help Joe?”

  She shook her head. “You’re better at that stuff. I’ll watch him and see if I can find anything out here.”

  “Okay. Holler if you need anything. He doesn’t seem to be as out of it as Patrick said he would be.” Marco motioned to Echo, who remained on the kitchen floor, eyes still open and partially aware.

  Ari worried about the same thing. “They gave him MAT at the club. Maybe there’s some weird interaction?”

  “MAT is a heavy duty stimulant, but I have a feeling this guy is a walking pharmacy. Who knows what he is on? Be careful.”

  “I will.” With another disapproving glance at her outfit, Marco headed off into the bedroom with Joe.

  Ari searched through the papers on the round kitchen table. She found small tech, but nothing that held their program. Echo had to be smarter than that.

  “That’s your brother?” Echo’s deep voice startled Ari.

  She cursed Marco when she realized he had called her sis. Turning around, she found him watching her.

  He coughed slightly. “Are you robbing me? I don’t have money. Not much anyway.”

  “We’ll find any tech we can sell.” She knew money was the better option for most thieves, but it was a lie, anyway.

  “Take it all. I don’t care anymore.”

  She tilted her head and wondered if he really meant that. If he wrote that program for Maxim, he should have enough money to retire on. Could he have really blown through that so fast?

  “Why?” she asked sincerely.

  He laughed. “Why do you care?”

  “I don’t,” she remained callous, cold. She had to. “But I’m curious.”

  “We torture each other in virtuals, commit acts we’d never do in person, and then wonder why we’re dying. We’re dying inside. Every bit of poison trickles into our heart, our body, and our minds.” He tapped the side of his head.

  Ari struggled to follow his drunk speak, but there was something there. Some truth of his fighting to get out. “Then why do you keep going back?”

  “To die.” His eyes still red, held a sadness in them, and she realized he was being truthful. “I’m a coward. I kill people with characters and die byte by byte.”

  Was he referring to his actions in the VR program, or the virus sitting on one of his hard drives? Either way his conscience was getting to him like a good old drunk. She wished there was something to knock him out. Maybe if he felt guilty enough, he would help them out. She decided to push him for more information.

  “Who do you kill?” she asked, hoping to clarify his drug rambling.

  A scowl appeared on his face. “You’re going to rob me and judge me at the same time?”

  “Maybe. Maybe your past sins have led us here.” She hoped she didn’t give too much away. Not that there was anything he could do about it now, and by tomorrow morning he would have realized what they had taken.

  “Are you telling me you’re an angel come to exact vengeance?” He chuckled, which turned into a cough. Then his bloodshot eyes turned to her body. “Although with that body you could be an angel or a devil.”

  Rolling her eyes, she turned to another table of junk to sort through; mostly takeout wrappers.

  “Have you ever made a mistake? Like hitting o
n men then stealing from them?”

  It was her turn to chuckle. She didn’t bother answering his question but continued looking through his stuff.

  “You’ve never done anything you regret?” His voice sounded scratchy and raw, but more sober than she liked.

  Her hands stilled for a moment. “Everyone makes mistakes, but not everyone’s mistakes kill.” She pushed aside her history at VisionTech. She never willingly hurt anyone.

  She glanced back to find him still sitting on his kitchen floor watching her. He didn’t have a HUB on to call anyone and there was no other tech in his hand. He didn’t look too worried about being robbed. He was silent, but his eyes looked calculating. Even drugged he was probably still a genius. Anyone who could have created that virus had to be smart. Though, after his behavior lately, she wasn’t positive.

  “What are you here for?” A small beeping emitted from the bedroom. After a second, his eyes widened. “You can’t be here for that. Do you know what you’ve done?”

  She finally hit where he was sensitive. “Why don’t you tell me?”

  “You’ve alerted them.”

  Chapter 24

  The clarity and fear in Echo’s voice made Ari’s chest tighten. “Who is them?”

  He swallowed and blinked a couple of times as if trying to clear his head. “Hey, guys. Stop what you’re doing. Stop!”

  The short beeps continued, all the more unnerving to Ari because they were not loud like an alarm, but quiet and regular like a countdown.

  She stood in front of Echo, commanding his presence. “What are you talking about? Who are they?”

  “Whoever paid me to create it. Stupid girl. Did you really think you could just copy it?” Echo’s features hardened, his eyes dark and angry.

  “Or take your whole hard drive with us.”

  “They would still come. One way or another.” Echo swore and frantically looked at the exits. “They have built-in security to alert them if I try to move or copy any of my research. They only let me keep it because they needed a recent update.”

  Marco appeared in the doorway. “What’s he’s hollering about?”

  “Stop what you guys are doing.” Ari avoided using first names after she referred to Joe. “There may be more security than we know in place. That beeping is freaking him out.”

  “It’s already done.” Marco came out of the bedroom. “We’re just finishing checking the other drive.”

  “You’re all freaking dead.” Echo rolled to his hands and knees, struggling to get up.

  “Watch yourself, big guy. Don’t make me shoot you up again,” Ari warned.

  “With what? Clayvox? Is that what you used on me? It might work for normal people, but I hit a double dose every night just to go to bed.” No matter what he said, Echo still wasn’t standing upright. He had a hand on a counter, one knee down on the floor, and breathing hard.

  Marco started towards him, but Ari put a hand out. “Wait. I don’t think he wants to hurt us. He’s trying to warn us.”

  “About what?” Joe appeared, wearing a small backpack.

  “You got what you need?” Marco asked, his gaze still on Echo.

  “Yes.”

  “We need to go now,” Ari stepped back. “He said there was a trigger on that program. Alerting someone.”

  “I disabled it,” Joe said.

  “Then why do I still hear that incessant beeping?” Ari struggled to keep her voice calm.

  Echo chuckled and it turned into a deep cough. “No. They know. Trust me. They are darker and bigger than I ever thought. I wanted to take VR to the next level, instead I gave them a weapon that kills through the wires.”

  “Let’s go.” Marco tapped Ari’s arm and, with one last look at Echo, turned to leave.

  “Is there another way out of the building?” Ari turned to Echo who now stood at the counter, sweat dripping down his temple.

  He had some type of TAB in his hand and tossed it in his mouth. “No, sweetheart. The only way is through them.”

  In horror, she watched him swallow another pill. She didn’t know what it would do, but Ari felt responsible. She started forward to help.

  Then with a sudden grunt, he fell to the floor in an ungraceful heap.

  “No.” Marco grabbed her hand. “I don’t know what he took, but we can’t save him.”

  Echo’s breaths came out in ragged gasps and part of Ari wondered if anyone could save him. Would those who they alerted fix him up so he could work some more or just roll him out with the morning trash and find another hacker?

  “I didn’t mean to push him over the edge.” She swallowed bile creeping up her throat and told herself Marco was right. Yet somehow, she felt like the catalyst to all this. Like she played a part, no matter how small, in this man’s death. Marco pulled her to the exit, the beeping a continued warning they were not out of danger. With one last look at this hacker she would never forget, she turned to follow her brother.

  Once out of the apartment, Marco placed something in her hand. It was an electric gun, light and sleek. See didn’t have as much experience with guns, but she could manage. She also had the knife in her boot, but she hoped she wouldn’t get close enough to use it.

  As the beeping noise faded behind the apartment door, the rush of a plane sounded overhead. She frantically looked at the two guys. “Is that what I think it is?”

  Joe swung around his backpack and opened it, pulling out a small device.

  “What’s that?” Ari’s words came out a whisper. She knew what it looked like—a bomb—but surprise forced the question out.

  “He’s prepared,” Marco said moving back beside Ari.

  “We can’t hurt bystanders,” Ari said.

  “It’s more of a distraction than a weapon.” At a fast pace, Joe headed to the elevators, Ari matching him step for step.

  As they approached, she noticed the numbers descending from the top floor. “Hold up.” She skidded to a stop.

  “Ari’s right.” Patrick sounded on their coms. “They are headed your way. Head to the service elevators in the back.”

  They turned and sprinted down the hall, Ari internally cursing her choice of shoes. She kept up behind Marco, though, with Joe pulling up the rear.

  “Another left,” Patrick spoke calmly as Ari’s heart pounded in her ears.

  The elevator sat waiting and open for them. Patrick must have hacked the building’s mainframe. Inside, Ari pressed the button for the basement. “They’ll probably have the street covered.”

  “They have the basement covered too.” Patrick told them. “Get off on five but push it at the last minute. You guys can take the fire escape. I’m headed to pick you up now. Only a block away.”

  “We’ll be out.” Joe spun the small device in his hand, staring straight ahead.

  Marco swore quietly next to her then, as they hit level six, he quickly pushed the button to exit on level five. “Let’s go.”

  The carpet on the stairs muffled their steps, but they weren’t silent. Legs burning, she focused on the steps in front of her. One misstep at their speed could break something.

  “I’m parked out front, but you’ve got company. Every entrance is blocked. This will probably be your best bet,” Patrick’s calm voice sounded in their coms. His voice strengthened her resolve as she looked over the handrail.

  As they approached the bottom, Ari noticed dark-clad people waiting for them. “I see them,” she whispered.

  “We’ll make it through,” Marco whispered.

  “Through?” She remembered those were the same words Echo said. She paused for a moment, then hurried to keep up with Joe. There were only a few flights left.

  “You better have more than a flash and bang in that bag,” Marco said.

  For once, Ari agreed.

  “I do. Just keep moving. They will want us alive.” He tapped the piece on his ear that connected them to Patrick. “Plan on extraction side B.”

  She double checked her gun was on and wi
th a short glance realized they were only a floor or two away. Joe paused and she stopped a few stairs down and turned around.

  “Put that in your corset.” He motioned to her electric gun and turned to Marco. “Put your gun in your bag as well.”

  “Why—” she started to ask.

  “No time. Don’t stop moving no matter what.” Joe pulled his bag to his chest while the others put away their tasers. Once secured away, he threw the small explosive over the handrail and motioned for them to move.

  Obeying, she rushed down the stairs with Marco at her side, expecting Joe to follow. Instead, as the loud explosion roared through the stairwell, she caught Joe jumping over the handrail to the chaos below. The bright light kept her from following his progress all the way down. What kind of crazy ninja was Joe? After this she was definitely sitting down with some questions for that guy.

  But now, as adrenaline pumped in her veins and some of her senses were numb from Joe’s explosion, she hurried down to catch up with Joe. Marco stayed at her side. Once the blast died down, Marco pulled out his gun and Ari followed suit.

  The first soldier in full riot type gear appeared before they made it down the stairs. Both Marco and Ari fired without hesitation. Electricity shot from the weapons, but the shots seemed absorbed by the gear somehow. He turned his gun on Marco, but it malfunctioned, possibly due to Joe’s earlier blast.

  Stepping closer, Ari aimed the weapon at the exposed skin on the base of his jaw and fired. The soldier fell back with little resistance, shaking from the blast.

  They both continued rushing down the stairs. Smoke burned her eyes as she continued forward. As Ari rushed the closest soldier, he was slow realizing his gun was useless. Ari stepped close to get a clean shot and tased him on his hand. The jolt shot through him and he dropped to his knees.

  In her peripheral vision she saw Joe fight, beautiful and deadly. She wished she really could watch him, but the men in front of her prevented that. She swore if she made it out of here, Joe would be her new teacher.

  Most of the assailants focused on Joe, making Marco and Ari’s exit easier. The door in sight, she turned to find Marco grappling with a soldier. Marco took a hit to his leg and it crumpled under him. Coming up from behind the soldier, she fired her gun into the back of the man’s neck, and he went down. She was starting to like this electric gun.