“Welcome to the brain of Tracker220,” Bailen said.
“If this is the brain, where are Peyton and Jeremy headed to?”
“The heart and the lungs.”
“So, we’re going to take away its breath, give it a heart attack, and a stroke all at once?”
“Exactly. And you’re the stroke. But we need to move. That explosion alerted Scurry’s private guard. They’ll be here soon.” Bailen moved to the nearest panel.
We were inches from taking down Tracker220, and yet we had such a long way to go. The functionality of every chip in the world came down to these machines. The whole world had to be taken offline simultaneously in order for it to work.
The machine’s blinking lights and the vibrating floor sent me into a hypnotic state. A part of me felt like I was about to invade the privacy of every person on the planet. I was about to destroy the very nature of society that everyone was accustomed to. It would free everyone. But it could also create chaos.
By taking away the trackers, were we removing peoples’ right to choose technology? I was sure that was how the public would see it, but they didn’t have the full story. I couldn’t let Rufus Scurry turn the world into mind-controlled minions.
Bailen pried open one of the cases on the machines illuminating the room. He leaned the metal cover against the wall and scanned the inside contents. “Nope, not this one.” He slid down the aisle to the next case and repeated his search then shook his head.
I could only watch him as he worked, useless to do anything else. I stepped to one of the panels connected to the giant casings and tapped it. It came to life with a photo of an unknown woman. After a handful of seconds, the image changed to another photo. Then another. And another. Beneath each, the word TRACKERU followed by a dash and a number displayed. I didn’t recognize any of the people as they flashed by, but I kept watching.
After a dozen faces, I pivoted from the monitor, but the newest face that flashed onto the screen caught my attention. Even though the image was grayed out with the word TERMINATED across it, I knew that smile and those eyes. It was Jake. Underneath his image, the sequence, TRACKERU-70285, showed like a product number. What did it mean?
In an attempt to pause the flashing images, I tapped the screen. But the next image appeared in place of Jake’s face. I searched the edges of the monitor, waved over it, and tapped various places on the screen, but nothing stopped the scrolling images. It didn’t matter, though. I knew what I’d seen. If Jake and those others were on that screen in the brains of the tracker network, Scurry surely had plans for them. I shuddered then resigned myself to the fact that Jake would never come back on the screen. I turned to Bailen and the more important task at hand.
“Anything I can do to help?”
“Yeah, check those casings.” He pointed to the row of machines on the opposite side of the aisle. “We’re looking for a box containing a satellite server.”
“What’s that?”
“A component about the size of a shoe box. It’ll probably be blue but might be gray with hundreds of blinking lights on it.”
I pulled the panel from the first casing and it came loose easily. I scanned inside and found a series of blinking lights but nothing resembling the satellite server. At the next box, I did the same check. Nothing. Another. Still nothing. After searching a dozen or so, I noted the long row of computer casings.
“We could be at this a while,” I said.
“I know. Just keep going. We don’t …”
I sensed he was about to say we were out of time. Instead, he turned to me with wide eyes and an expression of sheer horror. “They have Peyton and Jeremy. They’re on their way up here. That was the last thing I heard before her communication cut out.”
My blood pulsed ice cold. This is it. Either we stopped the tracker network here and now, or we were dead. The world would never be free again. I wanted to run to Bailen and hug him until the end, but we still had a job to do. I whirled around and winced as a stabbing pain shot through my side. Hoping Bailen hadn’t noticed, I moved to the next casing and searched for the server box. Nothing.
I pulled off the front panels with renewed vigor until I reached one that wouldn’t budge. I took several deep breaths, ignored the raging pain in my ribs, and yelled as I tore the panel from the front of the metal box. Inside, I found a blue rectangular box with rows of blinking lights. A shiver crawled up my spine.
“Bailen,” I choked out in a hoarse whisper. No answer. “Bailen!” I nearly yelled it.
“What?”
“I think I found it.”
“That’s it.” Bailen pulled the series five thousand chip from his vest pocket.
“That thing has certainly proved useful,” I said.
“You have no idea. I’ve rigged it to match the signal on your tracker. With your help, and the relays the others set up, we’ll create a virus in the network that will destroy the link between the tracker chips and the satellite signals connecting everything together.”
“When did you have time to do all that?”
“I had to keep busy while you were doing all that drawing. Once the schematic started coming together, it became clear the signal on your tracker was linked to it. So I rigged this up, figuring it would be useful. When I saw the final drawings, I was glad I had. The low-level frequency from your tracker is like a password for the server box. It’ll give us access to the network.”
All the tech talk made my head swim. “Let’s finish this.”
He reached into the casing and pushed aside a wire bundle, clearing a path to the server box. “Can you help me with this?”
Behind us, the unmistakable sound of a charging authority weapon buzzed.
Thirty-Seven
“Stop what you’re doing. Slowly raise your hands and turn around,” said a deep voice.
A pit formed in my stomach. Bailen dipped his head ever-so-slightly, telling me to follow instructions. I lifted my arms, and Bailen did the same. Together, we turned to face whoever had bested us.
A set of familiar dark brown eyes starred back. Rufus Scurry, in full authority gear, pointed a standard-issue authority gun at us. His tousled, graying brown hair made it seem like he’d just fallen out of bed. But the bags under his eyes and tired evil grin said he’d been waiting for us for a very long time. Scurry had outmaneuvered us again and was quite proud of himself.
“Hand me the chip,” he said, holding out his hand. “Easy now. No sudden movements.”
Bailen lowered his hand and inched toward Scurry. He dropped the chip into Scurry’s gloved hand then stepped next to me. As the chip fell into the enemy’s hand, my hope plummeted off a cliff. The end wasn’t here yet, but it was fast approaching with increasing velocity.
Scurry slipped the chip into his vest’s top pocket without taking his gun off us. “You two think you’re really clever, don’t you?”
Neither of us spoke. I stared over his shoulder to avoid direct eye contact.
“Let’s go,” Scurry spat.
As he finished his sentence, a shadow darted behind a row of machines a couple aisles behind Scurry. Out of the corner of my eye, I checked to see if Bailen had noticed it too. If he had, his expression gave nothing away. Over Scurry’s shoulder, I hoped to catch another glimpse of the mysterious shadow but saw nothing. Maybe I was hallucinating.
“I said move.” Scurry stepped sideways and motioned his gun in the direction of the door.
Bailen nodded to me, indicating I should go first. I crept toward the door, but Scurry shoved his gun into my injured side, and I winced. Before I could fight back, Bailen stepped between me and Scurry.
I thought about running, but it wouldn’t do any good. Either Bailen or I would end up shot. Or worse, both of us.
With each step, my side burned more and more. Maybe if I feigned collapsing, we’d have the element of surprise. It was only Scurry. How much combat training could he have? We could take him.
A horrific pain shot through
my ribs. I cried out. Maybe I wouldn’t have to fake it. If it continued, I really would collapse.
I swayed and Bailen caught me around the waist. I wailed as his touch stabbed into my side.
“No! Put her down,” said Scurry. “I won’t tolerate any tricks.”
Bailen lowered me to the ground. My head lay in his lap. He pulled his hands from my sides, and his glove returned wet with my blood. He inhaled sharply as he no doubt realized how hurt I really was.
“Step away from her.”
“But she’s injured.” Bailen held out his gloved hand so Scurry could see the blood.
“I don’t care. Move away.”
Bailen shook his head. “You’re going to have to kill me.”
I zeroed in on Bailen, catching his gaze. Nothing else mattered in that moment but him. But out of the corner of my eye, I saw a shadow dart by again. And now I was certain I was seeing full-blown hallucinations.
The end was here.
“Last chance before I shoot you both.”
“You’re going to kill us anyway, so what difference does it make if it’s now or later?” Bailen spat.
“No, I’ll shoot her instead.” Scurry blinked and angled his head at the row of casings to his left. A girl with brown hair in her face crept into the aisle next to Scurry. Behind her, Harlow pointed an authority weapon at her head. Even though we fought the last time we saw each other there was no way he was helping Scurry. I inspected Harlow with a mixture of shock and horror. His complexion was paler than usual, and his hair looked like it hadn’t been washed in a week. An emotionless expression masked what he was thinking which normally would have been so easy to read.
“What are you doing, Harlow?” But his lifeless eyes stared back at me. His body was frozen, not responding to my words. “Harlow, stop it!” But he didn’t even blink. It was no use. He was a zombie.
“Kaya?” The girl lifted her head, and her stringy hair fell out of her face. Her puffy red eyes pleaded with me.
A sinking sensation filled my core. “Emily.” I reached out for her.
She launched for me, but Scurry blinked twice in quick succession. Harlow snapped to action, grabbing her by the arm and yanking her back before she took another step.
“Let her go, or you’ll pay for every ounce of pain you’ve caused,” I said through gritted teeth.
“Tsk tsk, Kaya. I thought you of all people would recognize the severity of your situation.” Scurry’s evil expression indicated he knew he’d won.
“You’ve taken everything from me! I have nothing left to lose.”
“Your brother was an unfortunate casualty, but there will be others like him. Many more.”
“Don’t you dare talk about my brother!”
“Fine, then let’s talk about the other men in your life. Starting with this one.” He pointed his weapon at Bailen. I refused to flinch. I wouldn’t give Scurry the satisfaction.
Bailen pulled me up to give me a painful hug. I didn’t care that it hurt to have additional pressure on my wound. If I was going to die, at least I’d go out fighting until the very end.
A high-pitched whine emanated from Scurry’s weapon as a shadow loomed behind him. Scurry’s finger closed on the trigger.
With a horrific cracking sound, Scurry crumpled to the floor. An instant later, Harlow collapsed next to him. Emily nudged Harlow with his shoe to confirm he was out then ran to me and threw her arms around my back, sandwiching me between her and Bailen. A low groan escaped from between my lips.
“I’ve been waiting a long time to do that,” said a familiar voice.
“Dad?” I coughed out. The shadowy figure staggered from the darkness into the fluorescent glow of the lights. His normally clean-cut hair was overgrown and tousled. His clothes resembled shredded rags around his pale thin frame, but he appeared otherwise unharmed.
“What?” Bailen asked me.
“Bailen, it’s my dad.” I tapped his shoulder. Bailen’s iron grasp released me, and Emily’s hands slipped away as I fell to the floor and winced. A sharp pain shot through my midsection.
“Mr. Weiss? What are you doing here?”
I pushed into a sitting position. Dad searched Scurry and pulled the chip from his top vest pocket. He tossed it to Bailen. “No time for questions. Just do whatever you came here to do.”
Bailen caught the chip and moved to the panel with the satellite server. He shoved the chip inside the casing and activated the screen attached.
I pushed to my feet and stumbled into Dad’s arms. “I love you,” he said into my ear. “Now help him.” He winked then spun me around to face Bailen and the computer casing.
I wobbled forward but stopped in front of Emily. I hugged her and said, “Stay with my dad.”
“Sure,” she said, backing away from the computer casing.
I inched next to Bailen, my chest heaving. He pulled a series of wires and discs from his vest. After everything I’d been through, I knew exactly what to do with them. I pulled the backs from the discs and stuck them to my temples and the base of my neck while Bailen ran the wires directly through the chip.
Once they were connected, he said, “Do your thing.”
I didn’t have to ask him what he meant. I just knew. It was a primal instinct inside me, a quiet voice telling me exactly how to end it. Almost as if the satellite, the server, and the entire population whispered into my ear simultaneously, telling me to disconnect them. The signals hummed inside my head, and yet it was far from overwhelming. Because a single voice cried out to me. A piece that felt new and familiar at the same time. Something in the code that that was meant just for me. A message that urged me to follow it.
So I did.
I closed my eyes and began overloading the signals along the path like I’d done in the past. I didn’t need to come up with the motivation. It enveloped me. Every pain, every loss, every horrible thing sat front and center as ammo in the final assault. Once I loaded it all in my mind, I released it like a barrage of weapons fire on the network.
The satellites screeched in my mind with a high-pitched whine. I shoved back, trying to push a mountain of thoughts and feelings through a garden hose. My head ached as the network of satellites jammed the information back into my mind. I put up a wall in my mind. Each data packet slammed against it pounding in my brain like sledgehammer. Resisting, I propelled everything back down the frail connection, flooding the link between my tracker and the network. The pathway swelled like a water balloon and overflowed into the billions of connections on the network. The satellites screamed with an almost human-like pain before blinking into silence.
My mind emptied like a slashed tire. The Ghost program went dead. My normal tracker functions disappeared with it. Everything was completely silent. When I opened my eyes, nothing clouded my vision.
Just the world in front of me.
Alone.
Uncluttered.
I finally understood.
Silence.
Inside the giant casing, the satellite server lights had gone dark.
“You did it, Kaya!” Bailen pulled me into a hug.
“Are you sure?” I coughed. My side burned under the pressure.
“Yes! My tracker fell silent. It’s not sending or receiving signals anymore. You really did it!”
I peered over my shoulder at Dad. He didn’t have to say anything for me to know it really was over.
At Dad’s feet, Harlow groaned, sat up, and rubbed his head. “What a nightmare.” His gaze darted around the room before he mumbled a quiet, “Or maybe not.”
Dad put his hand on Harlow’s shoulder. “Easy there, bud, you’ve been through quite an ordeal.”
“You’re telling me,” Harlow said. He searched the room for understanding but stopped on me. His body quaked as his head lowered, almost too heavy for him to hold up.
Dad crouched in front of Harlow and checked him over.
“How did I get here?” Harlow asked. “My head is pounding.”
“What do you remember?” my dad asked.
“I was headed home and then, I woke up here.”
“I can’t believe Rufus went through with it.”
“Went through with what, Dad?” I asked.
“The mind control. He said if he could control them, he could protect them. He took things too far,” Dad said.
“I thought it wasn’t possible until the upgrade. Didn’t we stop it?” I asked.
“Pilot program. But it’s all over now.” Dad helped Harlow to his feet. “Take it easy. Things will be fuzzy for a while.”
Harlow grabbed the sides of his head and leaned against a server for support.
I rested my chin on Bailen’s shoulder, too tired to move, and stared into the server casing in search of answers to questions I couldn’t find the words to say.
Darkness.
I’d never thought a dark computer casing could be so freeing and confusing all at once.
A signal light flashed on inside the box. I blinked and focused on the spot the light emanated from, hoping I was just seeing things from staring into blackness too long. I pushed onto my tiptoes to see over Bailen’s shoulder better, but the box remained dark. My legs shook beneath me, but I didn’t care. I’d never felt so free. My head so quiet, so calm. No network, just me and my thoughts.
As my knees buckled, Bailen scooped me into his arms and carried me toward the door.
“What’s wrong?” Dad asked.
“I think I got nicked by a piece of debris. I’ll be f—” A fierce pain shot up my side and stabbed continuously. I screamed out and tears streaked down my face.
“Oh, Kai.” Before I could protest, Dad peeled up my shirt and checked my wound. “We’ve got to get you out of here now, and no protesting.”
“What about him?” Harlow asked, indicating the crumple heap on the floor that was once a conscious Rufus Scurry.
“You mind dragging his sorry ass out of here?” Dad asked.
“With pleasure.” Harlow grabbed Scurry under the arms and pulled him toward the door.
“I’ve got one thing left to do. You got her?” Dad asked Bailen.
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