Hard Wired Trilogy DeAnna Pearce (if you give a mouse a cookie read aloud txt) 📖

took the lead, which could be a problem as Ari wasn’t familiar with this office. Gratefully, the elevator was within sight. They headed downstairs. Niomi had made Ari memorize everything she could about VLEX, so she was comfortable leading the way to the United Nations building that held the political forums and votes.

People escorted her inside, her assistant—she found out his name was Chi from overhearing another person—remained by her side. Inside the large building the sleek silver design shone on every surface. People of every race moved with purpose, only conversing in hushed tones.

Ari stopped for a minute in surprise. Next to an older woman was Hailey with her brown hair wrapped in a bun. Hailey glanced her way but didn’t appear to recognize Ari. Before her staring became awkward, Ari continued forward, grateful Chi didn’t ask any questions.

In his personal voting room, there were drinks and a small sitting area sectioned off containing one chair, obviously for Tao. Stepping inside, she realized the room opened to a large arena. It was more of a private suite where everyone could see each other.

A single podium stood in the center with a dark-skinned fellow. Once in her chair, she viewed the screen to her right. Unfortunately, the wording was in a different language. She traced a finger down the screen and realized she’d have to look at the code to decipher it.

Chi stood behind her. “Are you alright, sir? Can I get you anything?”

She froze for a moment, not realizing Chi was so near. Remembering Niomi’s advice she rubbed a spot on her chest and stared forward. “A drink will do.”

As she sipped some sort of tea, she read through the information on the screen. The bill that was up for a vote dealt with new virtual reality research that the Russian States were accused of. There weren’t specific details on what they were researching. The wording was filled with so much legalese it was hard to read.

Ari was grateful that once the proceedings started Chi went into the back room, as it gave her time to copy the files discreetly. As the man in the center of the arena spoke, the bill appeared on the screen. He called on the author of the bill to speak. Ari focused more on copying the transcript as it came through on her screen.

People were worried about the Russian’s research threatening national security. The Russian representative was adamant that the research was purely academic, concerned about people’s wellbeing inside the virtual. When it came time to vote on whether to send a team to investigate, she was so caught up in the discussion that she almost forgot to enter Tao’s vote.

With a click of a button, she entered her yes vote. Sitting back in her chair, the enormity of what she just did hit her. She wasn’t just getting information for VisionTech. Impersonating a country’s representative and forging a vote must be illegal in all countries in so many ways. Prison didn’t begin to describe how much trouble she would be in. How did she let Niomi talk her into this? It felt so simple in the beginning.

The man in the middle, President of the Union, Ari realized, concluded the meeting, and she rushed to copy a vote of the bill. The data, invisible to everyone but a warper, remained in her pocket for when she could transfer it alone.

The walk back to her office, Chi continued behind her, his gaze burning the back of her head. He watched with a careful eye which put Ari on edge. When they entered the office, Ari kept walking to her private office.

“I’ll see you on the other side, sir,” Chi said.

Ari sat down at her desk staring at her hands. What did she do? If she wasn’t here where would Tao be? Or Kari for that matter? What was Kari thinking being back at work, if she even was back at work, that is. Stop it. Finish the job and get out of here. You can question all you want on the other side.

She quickly sent off the data to the temporary address. Then, with a silent prayer that Tao was alright, she pulled out of VLEX.

Chapter 13

Ari’s head pounded as she returned to reality. Ignoring the headache, she unplugged herself and checked on her files.

“We got the data you sent. I wasn’t sure you could translate that quickly and copy the data. Good job,” Niomi said.

Getting a ‘good job’ was rare from Niomi. Its equivalent was jumping up and down for joy from normal people. Niomi was so pleased, she gave Ari the afternoon off. Granted, in Niomi’s words it came as, “You need some rest before I have to deal with more teenage tantrums.” At least she was smiling as she said it.

The insult didn’t even hit Ari. She didn’t have many notes because of the short day, and she copied all the meeting’s proceedings as fast as she could. A numbness poured over Ari as she headed to her room, thinking about what she had done and her role with VisionTech. She hated the nagging feeling in the back of her mind that maybe she made the wrong choice coming here.

As she entered her bedroom, her maid was making her bed. Ari didn’t see Jewels often, as she normally worked when Ari worked.

“Sorry to bother you,” the older islander said with a heavy accent. Her black hair, laced with silver, was wound into a large bun on top of her head. “I thought you’d be working.”

“Me too.” Ari shrugged, kicked off her shoes and plopped down on a sofa on the opposite side of the room, her head still throbbing. “Don’t leave on my account. I won’t bother you.”

Jewels finished tucking in the sheets and turned to dusting. Ari couldn’t see any dust, but the woman kept wiping at the corners. “These robots think they can do everything. Press a shirt, vacuum a floor, but phooey. They don’t get the details