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

Next was a picture of a red-haired woman coming out the door. She had a striking similarity to Kari, but for someone who had studied and lived her life, Ari knew it wasn’t her.

Tessa’s message continued.

Kari has been silent online and not in contact with friends. A neighbor claimed that she works long hours and spends even more time in the VR. There is someone living in her apartment, but it’s not her. I picked up a red-haired woman on satellite, but it wasn’t a match. Not sure what happened to her, but something doesn’t sit right. Stay in touch.

Ari slowly sank against the wall. The reader crashed to the floor just as the safety and innocence of Ari’s world did the same. She stared at her hands, Kari’s hands, so petite, so perfect, with the nails painted in a light pink color that matched the floral dress Ari put on today. Was this the only place Kari would be alive in again?

She tried to reassure herself that it could mean several things. Maybe Kari was on vacation. There may not be a dead body, but Ari knew deep down something wasn’t right. They couldn’t have hacked her feed or something. If Kari wasn’t dead yet, she probably would be. Just like Representative Tao. So easily replaceable, these people were to VisionTech. Inside virtual reality for an extended period, it was easy to gain a sense of invincibility. But outside this fabricated world, they were human and weak.

“Can I help you, Oya?” The receptionist extended a hand.

Surprised she jolted upright. “I’m fine, really.” She picked up the screen, and with trembling fingers she deleted the message and handed the screen back to him. “Thank you for your help.”

She clenched her hands as she walked out of the building. She needed to think, not freak out. Her HUB beeped a reminder that she had an appointment to meet Antoine for coffee.

Antoine. Her heart ached for that love-sick fool. How could she break it to him? Should she break it to him?

Chapter 18

In a small Parisian cafe, she greeted Antoine with a kiss on each cheek.

“Just like the Parisians do it,” he said. His musky smell had become familiar which tore at Ari’s heart.

He pulled back, holding her hands. “What’s wrong, my love?”

“Nothing, nothing.” She turned her head as she wiped away a tear that betrayed her. “Just a stressful day at work.”

“Yes,” he lifted her chin with a finger. “But only a couple more weeks until vacation. Imagine you and me in front of a fire. Glass in hand. A fur rug under our bare skin. I can’t wait to meet you in the flesh.”

The excitement on his face rivaled that of a child. She couldn’t help but smile at Antoine. He wore his heart on his sleeve along with everything. Ari was beginning to see why Kari would fall for him. He wrapped sunshine, love, and magic up and presented it to Kari with a bow.

To Kari, Ari reminded herself. Not to you. You might be the cause of her death. She bit down on her lip to push back her emotions while he ordered them both coffees. He carried most of the conversation, which Ari appreciated. She nodded and agreed as he complained about a co-worker and then talked about their plans in the mountains.

“You’ll love it there. The air is so clean, the sky so blue. Like VR blue, but real. I can’t wait for you to meet my brother there.”

“Me either.” The smile came easier for Ari now because she wanted to believe.

Kari and Antoine felt like some type of show or romance novel. These two characters who struggled for true love only to be thwarted by forces beyond their control. If Ari could put this off for a little bit longer, maybe somehow she could give them the happy ending they deserved. Ari wanted to believe in happy endings.

“Damn,” Antoine said checking his HUB. “I have to get back.”

He gave her a deep kiss. Ari felt detached, watching it from a distance. It isn’t her body, it isn’t her life. She hijacked Kari’s world, so at least she could keep those she loved protected.

“Love you.” His gaze penetrated past the charade and Ari shuddered.

“Love you too.”

She watched him leave. Every decision she made had consequences she couldn’t see. She just hoped she made the right one where Antoine was concerned.

Somewhere along the way, Ari had become a pro at hiding. She hid in Kari’s life, even in Tao’s. Now, as she emerged from the VR once again to Niomi and her reports, Ari realized she’d been hiding in her own life. The pain and fear of what VisionTech had done was sealed tight. Moving through the motions, she typed the lies easily from her fingers. The correct words flowed effortless from her mouth.

By the time she walked away from Niomi, with a promise to exercise tonight, she felt as fake as the AI in Ryope Industries. Walking through the motions of life, detached from reality.

“What time is it?” she asked her AI, wondering where Reed would be. Ari didn’t even find humor in tormenting her personal AI anymore, and recently changed his name to just AI.

“4:30 in the afternoon.”

She had stayed late in the VR. Messaging Niomi, Ari told her she was going to visit Reed and workout with him. She stopped asking permission to leave her wing, and Niomi knew better than to bug her about it. She checked out a hoverbike and rode to Reed’s work.

It began raining during her ride, but Ari welcomed it. The cleansing coolness of the water gave her hope that she could figure this mess out. She needed Reed, needed to be reminded of home and who she was. Guilt pulled heavy on her shoulders as she remembered Antoine. Would Reed care? She didn’t want to hurt Reed, but she needed to be honest. He needed to know everything, no matter what his security clearance. He