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

anyone caught wind of you, then it would be over. I don’t trust my dad with what he’d use you for. It’s harder to hide than you think and I’m not sure you’d be safe here.”

“Just look into it for me okay? Also, can you check out a Kari Trenton for me? She works for the Icelandic States in VLEX.”

Tessa’s face tightened in worry, her lip ring pulling to the side. “I will. We better go back before anyone catches on.”

They went back to the coffee shop and said their goodbyes. Ari left not knowing whether she felt better or worse.

Chapter 15

Monday, Ari returned to the VLEX as Kari, business as usual. Except for the pit in Ari’s stomach as she thought about the real Kari. She hated the glimpses of the pretty woman’s reflection she accidentally picked up now and again.

When Hailey emailed her asking about lunch, a spark of interest surfaced. Ricco’s at noon. There was nothing unusual about making a friend with other workers in the VLEX. If anything, it was encouraged. Networking and lobbying were the only reason for lunch or drinks inside the VLEX.

When it hit noon, Ari headed down to the town center. She followed the path, the small red door to Ricco’s snuggled in the crowded market. The small entrance gave away nothing. When she opened the door, the flavors of her hometown, peppers and lime, greeted her.

Hailey waved from the bar and stood to welcome her. “Glad you could make it.”

Ari nodded, waves of nervous energy rolling around in her stomach.

“I have a table in the back.” Hailey led the way down a colorful corridor.

Music wafted down the halls, an old Spanish number. Something Ari’s grandmother would listen to with tears in her eyes. Soon they found the source. In the corner a bronze and black machine twirled around playing music. A couple danced in the middle of the floor. The woman wore a bright red dress, cut high in the hip. One hand on her skirt, she whipped it around as the gentleman twirled her.

Ari looked at Hailey and mouthed the words, “What is this?”

Hailey didn’t answer but turned back to the couple. They moved with a grace only a skilled dancer could accomplish. When the final chord struck, the man tilted the woman back leaning close to her neck. As he placed a light kiss on her collarbone, she vanished.

Hailey clapped, applauding the man. Straightening up, he ran a hand through his hair, short and dark with a hint of silver. It may be to show his age, but no one ever knew in here. His red tie stood out against his black suit, a perfect match to the woman’s dress.

“This must be Kari.” He took Ari’s hand and kissed the knuckles. “Pleasure to meet you. You may call me Emil.”

She had to reminder herself to stay in character but noticed how he phrased that with a curl of his lips—pleasure.

“Hailey tells me you have some gifts.”

Ari spared Hailey a quick look. “I guess that’s a matter of opinion.”

A light laughter filled the air, almost as musical as the dance. The musical perfection of his laugh couldn’t have been natural, but only something a warper could do. “Glad you have a sense of humor.”

Nerves on edge, Ari got straight to the point. “How many people like you are in here?”

His smile remained in place. “You mean warpers like you?”

Biting her lower lip, she nodded. She wasn’t ready to admit to anyone her abilities, but this man had abilities of his own. “That’s not an answer.” Ari didn’t want to play games anymore. Could no one be straight? She turned to leave, and a wall appeared in front of her where the hall used to be. Turning around, she realized there was no longer an exit in the room. Yes, she could have moved it, but she didn’t want to use her powers unless necessary. As she turned, she narrowed her gaze.

He held a hand open. “Dance with me?”

“Really?” A laugh escaped her. “I don’t know how to dance.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

Before she could reply, he took her hand and spun her into his arms. The smell of spicy cinnamon, presumably his cologne, wafted around her. He kept his hand on her lower back while lifting hers up in a formal position. Soon they spun around the room with an agility and grace Ari didn’t possess.

Uncomfortable, she pulled back, resisting, but nothing happened. Her body continued to dance close to his. Her hips twisted as her feet danced steps foreign to her. The Spanish number played out of the music player nearby.

Unnerved, she tried harder to stop dancing. Ari slammed her foot hard into the ground, but nothing happened. She focused on the code, the characters and digits flowing along everything in this world. Her power of manipulation, which normally came as easily as walking, didn’t work. She could see the code but couldn’t change it. Her body continued dancing against its will.

He leaned towards her, his breath warm on her neck “Don’t fight it. You’ll only hurt yourself.”

Panic clamped down on her chest. Her breaths came in jagged gasps. Helpless in his arms, his touch became repulsive.

“You’re more special than anyone wants to tell you. You are more than the tool people want you to be.”

Closing her eyes, she tried to pull out of the program. Normally, she only had to will herself back into reality, simple and easy. Instead, she remained in the program with Emil’s hands still on her.

Focusing, she changed the world around her. Brightly colored letters and numbers spun around her, but she was powerless to change anything. This was her current reality. She swallowed back the tears and fear that threatened to overwhelm her.

The music continued playing and when she opened her eyes, Emil smiled back at her. “You’re the future.”

Slowly the music ended, and she spun out of his hands. A wave of dizziness threatened to overtake her. Holding onto a nearby wall,