by L M Lacee
‘Okay, give me a minute to look at them.’
‘Okay.’
Fred’s eyes almost bugged out as he looked over the information she had sent him. It was everything he wanted, and the world needed, to operate at full capacity again. When he came back online, he asked. ‘Did you design these?’
‘Yes.’
‘How did you know this was my assignment?’
‘Do you really want an answer to that?’
He grinned as he raised his eyebrows. ‘No, I don’t think I do.’
She smiled then laughed, that laugh captivated him; it was innocence at its best. Clearing his throat, he told her. ‘These are amazing, they will make you the wealthiest woman in the world.’
She screwed her face up as she replied. ‘Seriously, that is not why I designed them.’
He looked at her and shoved every preconceived notion of people from his mind and concentrated just on her as he asked. ‘Why did you then?’
‘So the world will get back to normal, or at least what is normal now. Kids are going hungry that is wrong.’
‘Yes… yes, it is. I fear if you give them to me, which I assume was your idea?’
‘It was.’
‘This is not a good idea. I know our government now, it is made up of business people and politicians. People with dubious good intentions and sadly lacking in common sense. If you give the plans to me and I submit them to the government, I believe special interest groups will take over ownership of them, and nothing will change. At least not until they decide they can make some credits from them. The people who run the government now are filled with fear. And Peyton, as you know, when that is the motivator they do not always make the best choices.’
She blinked several times as she thought about what he had told her, then said. ‘So my question is, how do I stop that from happening?’
‘Make them public, go public with your ideas.’
‘How? If I upload them, they will shut me down.’
‘True they will, if you place them in the Data Master.’
Peyton laughed. ‘Data Master really?’
Fred grinned as he agreed with her. ‘I know, they are not very imaginative, are they?’
‘Not even close. So I am guessing this Data Master holds the data of the world. So once in, it cannot be removed.’
‘Close, but not entirely true. It is an A.I. There are people within those special interest groups I was telling you about, who have authorization to remove data and do so regularly.’
‘So what you are saying, is the government does not even own this Data Master?’
‘No, it was contracted out to a private agency by another government years ago.’
‘How do you know this?’
‘I helped the agent that contracted the scientist who actually designed it.’
Peyton shook her head. ‘Amazing, so what are my choices?’
‘Take it out.’
‘What, the A. I. Is that even possible?’
All humor aside, Fred looked at her and explained. ‘No, it was designed with backups and trap doors. There are safeguards that no one has ever seen before or since. Which I believe cannot be reproduced.’
Peyton whistled, then asked. ‘Who designed this?’
‘I do not know her name, it was just some weird girl. She was freaky in a cute curly headed kind of never smiling way. I saw her only once, about a year after we had met.’
‘Wow, she sounds worse than me.’
‘Could be, but probably not as destructive.’ He said with a smile.
‘You gonna ever let that go?’
‘Doubt it!’ They both smiled at each other, and then he said. ‘You cannot hack it or disassemble it, you cannot infiltrate it or add a virus. They have safeguarded for all of that.’
‘What does that leave me then?’
He stated seriously. ‘Remove the building, all the backup software and computers are with the A. I, in the complex.’
Shocked, she opened and shut her mouth several times before screeching. ‘Who does that?’
Fred laughed at her outraged expression. ‘Morons. I tried explaining it to them, but they knew best. So I thought, what the hell.’
Peyton asked thoughtfully. ‘If I do this, can’t they just rebuild?’
‘Maybe, but Peyton, think about this. The company that contracted and holds the licence to this A. I. will have to admit they have lost the A.I. and access to all the information contained within it. They will not be quick to admit their security was that easy to circumnavigate. And they failed to protect the world’s information and the A.I. Oh, and they lost all the backups at the same time. Seriously, I can tell you this government will think twice before committing any credits toward another failed endeavour. And if by some miracle they did rebuild, your designs would already be on the free Net, for all to copy and use.’
She smiled as she said. ‘Devious and rational. I like it.’
‘I thought you would. You can do this, Peyton.’
‘Yeah, I can. This will be something.’
‘It really will, and as a bonus, if you remove the Data Master. You will be safe, all records of you will be gone and you can be you again.’
‘Well, I am always me, but I get your meaning. So that answers my other question and as for the third question that is between my grandpa and me.’
‘He did it because he loved you.’
Her face softened as she nodded. ‘I never doubted that. So when I get rid of this Data Master, I can safely upload the plans, and the world can get working again.’
‘Yes.’
Peyton looked at Fred; he seemed very much like the tall, dark-haired, dark suited male who had driven her home when she was ten- years-old. His face was drawn, which she did not think was natural, nor were the tired blue eyes that stared out at her. She asked gently. ‘You got the Virus, Fred?’
His smile was crooked as he nodded. ‘Yes, I do. So do not worry that I will spill your secrets.’
She smiled sadly back at him. ‘I never thought you would. It has been real nice talking to you after all this time.’
‘How did you know I was still alive and where to contact me?’
She winked as she said. ‘Really Fred, why are you still asking me these questions?’
He laughed. ‘No idea. Goodbye Peyton, live long and be happy.’
‘Goodbye Freddy, you know you were my first friend.’
‘Oh Peyton, you are breaking my heart.’
‘Aww, sweet talker,’ she softly said, ‘I am sorry for everything I did back then. I have done nothing like that since.’
‘Fear will do that to a person, but remember this, sometimes making people listen by example is the only way. You told us, as did your grandfather. We thought we knew better, you showed us we did not. Over the years I have thought about that time and realized for a ten-year-old, you had no other option. We gave you none, forgive yourself, I have.’
He looked out at the night sky then back at her and quietly said. ‘Peyton, if you go ahead with this, you may find you will have to defend yourself again. I beg of you, don’t hesitate. Our world is dangerous, more than it has ever been before. Gangs and killers roam the world waiting to prey on unsuspecting people. Don’t become prey, regardless of what you are told. We don’t have enough soldiers or troopers equipped to patrol the cities and towns and keep people safe. So arm yourself and trust no one.’
Peyton did not dismiss his warning, with a serious expression, she told him. ‘Thank you Freddy, I will remember what you have said. I am sorry you became sick.’
‘I thank you, and I am pleased I spoke to you. I was sad thinking I had left nothing behind that would make a difference. Now I see I was wrong, by keeping your secret I already made a difference.’
She smiled in recognition of what he was saying. ‘I am saddened knowing you will not be in the world to see the new changes. I have faith that our world will recover and grow.’
Surprised at her bel
ief, he paused for a minute then nodded saying. ‘I hope you are right, my time is over, but I can now leave in peace, knowing you are still in the world. Live well, Peyton, and make a difference.’
‘I will try.’
He smiled. ‘I have no doubt you will. I’ll send you the complex plans and location of where the Data Master is.’
Before she could say anything more, he closed down his computer. Minutes later, coordinates scrolled across her screen. She transferred them to her tablet, then closed down her own computer and turned off the pulse field that shielded her transmissions.
EIGHT:
It took Peyton three weeks to shut down her projects, secure her home, and return all the repaired items to their owners. She paid someone to watch over her place while she was away.
Early one morning before the sun rose, she locked her home, climbed on board her magbike, a modified magnetic road bike she had adapted for her use. And with her small travel box for her clothes and another box containing her equipment to dismantle a building secured on her bike. She settled her pack, which held her weapons on her back, and before the sun was high in the sky, she was half-way to the highway. She had ten days of hard riding to do before she got to her destination.
The Data Master was somewhere in the Chihuahuan Desert if she had taken a commercial transporter, she could have been there in a few hours. But habits, long ingrained to stay away from anyone who may want to check her identity, made her choice for her. This mode of transport may take longer, but it was safer, and the views of her country were worth the longer trip.
Six days into her mission, her bike’s charger broke down. It was on her list of things she needed to repair, sadly it sort of slipped her mind. With a curse, she pulled over into a grove of trees, one of the few she had seen since leaving her hometown of Runnerdale.
Thankfully, she had enough parts to make the repairs, so when she found a secure place, she spread out a ground cover and made herself comfortable. After laying her tools and parts out, she went about fixing the charger. An hour later, she was almost done when she heard a slight noise from her right side.
Her hand stole to the gun that lay on her lap, conversationally she told the intruder. ‘Move closer or I will shoot before I bother looking.’ She looked toward a clump of bushes and lifted her gun as she stood. ‘You have until I count to five, then I will shoot and I won’t miss. One… two.’
Suddenly, an adolescent girl around fifteen rushed from the bush, she was clean and not very thin. Her black hair was tied in a ponytail, the clothes she wore were of good quality. She looked sweet which Peyton knew was a disguise. All young girls were dangerous. Well, she had been, so why not this one?
‘Sorry… sorry, don’t shoot, please.’ She pleaded as she moved closer.
Peyton trained her gun on the girl and asked. ‘What do you want?’
‘Just wanted to see what you were doing?’
‘You live round here?’
‘Yep, over the hill with my mom and dad.’
‘You got any sisters or brothers?’
She shook her head. ‘Nah, they died. I am the only one left.’
Skeptically Peyton asked. ‘And your parents let you out by yourself?’
The girl tensed and shifted a little to the side, Peyton raised her gun higher as she said. ‘I will kill her, she won’t outrun a bullet. Come out now.’
Two women or girls in their late teens or early twenties, who looked a lot like the younger girl, moved from behind the trees. Peyton stood now where she could see all three of them, both hands held guns.
‘You’re awfully fast with them guns, can you really shoot them?’ Asked the oldest of the three woman.
Annoyed, Peyton shot into the ground at her feet, causing them all to jump backward. ‘What the hell are you crazy, bitch? You could have shot us.’ The same woman yelled.
The corner of Peyton’s top lip kicked up. ‘Nah, it was just a warning, showing I will shoot. Now, what do you want?’
‘Your magbike looks kinda good.’ The other girl said as she curled a strand of hair around her finger. ‘What you trade for it?’
‘Nothing, I need it to get to the Chihuahuan desert.’
All three laughed as the older one said. ‘There is no such place.’
Peyton shrugged. ‘Yeah, there is. You look it up on a map sometime, you will see I am right.’
‘We need a magbike, especially one like that.’
‘Tough, I need it more…’ That was the last thing she said as everything went black.
‘Stupid townie, she should have looked behind her. Thinks it is okay to damn well shoot at me, I should shoot you.’
As she screamed at her, the girl named Julia aimed a vicious kick at Peyton’s stomach and when it connected, she skidded two feet over the rough ground.
‘Huh, see what the feels like, bitch.’ Julia crowed as she went to kick her again, but was halted by her sister Wendy, who was the one that had snuck up and hit Peyton with a bat.
‘Enough, Julia, we have to hurry, night is coming.’ She looked at the two younger girls who were standing doing nothing but looking at the unconscious woman and sharply ordered. ‘You two move it now, collect everything and make it fast. I don’t want to leave the old lady by herself and you know if we are not back in time, they will lock the gates. Let’s go… hustle… hustle!’
‘Do we kill her?’ The youngest girl asked as she picked up Peyton’s guns, while her sister gathered the bag and bike parts. Julia laughed as Wendy grabbed the magbikes handles and started pushing. ‘No, we aren’t savages. She will have no way of tracking us, and by the look of her she is as good as dead or she will be. Especially when the animals come out. Now hurry, we have no time left.’
NINE:
Peyton groaned when she came around and squinted as her eyes tried to focus, while some little demon was playing the drums in her head. ‘What the hell!’ An arm was placed around her shoulders, and she was gently eased into a sitting position. ‘Ohh, hell’s teeth that hurts.’
‘Well, that’s something I have never heard before.’ A voice that sounded like honey murmured.
Peyton squinted her eyes and tried to make the woman’s face come into relief, but to no avail. ‘Where am I?’
‘At my camp, you were found and brought here. I am guessing you were a casualty of the Warren family.’
‘Who?’
‘I will tell you, but I need you to drink this first.’
‘What is it?’
‘Suspicious little thing, aren’t you?’
‘Yes.’
The woman laughed, then said. ‘It is a tonic, it will take away the headache and make it easier for you to move. You have some spectacular damage.’
‘Oh.’
And now that she had mentioned it, Peyton could feel pain radiating from her stomach that rivaled the pain emanating from her head. ‘Yeah… yeah, just give me a minute.’
‘Take all the time you need. We are safe here.’
‘Who are you?’
‘My name is Naya Powers. What is yours?’
‘Peyton.’
Naya waited for her to say more, but no more names came. Maybe, she thought, the poor girl did not know her name or maybe she did not use it in memory of her dead parents. Naya had met all sorts since starting this endeavour, she gently said.
‘Now drink this. It tastes foul, but in a minute your head and stomach will stop hurting and your thinking will be clearer.’
Peyton took the small bottle of bright green liquid and swallowed it in one gulp, then spent the next five minutes trying not to throw up. When she was positive she could speak without vomiting, she hissed out. ‘Shit, that is foul.’
Naya grinned at the typical reaction to one of her concoctions, but although people moaned at the taste of her tonics, they never complained at the results. Peyton sat up straighter when she realized the pain from her head and stomach were gone and thanked the woman. ‘Thank you that is some powerful stuff.�
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Naya bowed her head. ‘I return the thanks, I make it myself.’
‘Well, you would really have to.’ Peyton smiled to show she was not criticizing. Sometimes her offbeat humor did not translate to everyone. She shuffled about a bit to get comfortable.
Naya returned the smiled as she stood and walked to a small camp stove while Peyton look around. She was sitting on a ground cover on a floor of a small cave. There was a fire in a pit and traveling bags lining one wall; too many bags for one woman who was not much taller than herself. Three, four seater land bikes were parked at one end of the cave. In another corner was a trickle from a waterfall; someone had placed a large filtered container under it to catch the water. It looked as though Naya and her friends had been there for a while.
‘You live here?’
‘Temporarily.’
Peyton drew in a sharp breath when her stomach protested her movement. Naya told her as she handed her a cup of coffee.
‘I am guessing you were kicked in the stomach; there was no internal damage, just bruising, your head took a hit. I suspect a bat or rock, luckily you have a hard head. The skin was broken, but other than that there is just bruising, the tonic I gave you should heal all your remaining aches by tomorrow.’
‘Thank you, it tasted terrible, but it is good, you should market it.’
Naya gave her a pleased grinned as she said. ‘It is just herbs and recipes handed down from my mother’s family.’
‘Huh, Wiccan.’
Naya stiffened as she asked. ‘You know of my kind?’
Peyton smiled. ‘Yes, although you are the first one I have met. I have read extensively about what you can do.’
‘Why?’
‘Mainly interested. I hate being ignorant.’
‘Oh, I see.’
Peyton sipped the coffee and felt herself relax, she knew she was addicted to the taste. From the very first cup she’d made herself at fourteen she was sold, and truthfully she had no desire to change, she loved coffee. ‘So, Naya, why are you here?’
