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

hall which opened to a cluster of cubes, and on the left she found a cubicle with the name Patel on the short wall divider.

His co-workers glanced up at him. He gave a short nod, which they mirrored, and then they returned to their work. I guess Rajit really is a loner, or a real jerk. She didn’t spend time wondering about his personality flaws and hopped on his computer. With a quick glance around to make sure no one was watching, she hacked into his system. With the right scan and the ability to see past the computer and into the codes that created it, it didn’t take long for Ari to find the right file.

She copied them down to a drive in her pocket, like a digital piece of paper. Except this piece of paper had to leave the building in a particular fashion to avoid detection. As she stood to leave, none of the neighboring workers even looked up. Maybe Niomi wasn’t wrong.

Except nothing was as easy it they say.

As Ari turned around, she found Hailey standing there watching her. Gone was the bubbly, pretty girl. Those large eyes narrowed, burning past the mirage of data.

“You’re not going to leave with that.”

“What?” Ari pulled back against the desk.

“Don’t play dumb with me. You want to sell your soul to the devil, that’s your choice. But you won’t be taking that to them.”

Ari nervously glanced at the others who stared at them with gawking, curious gazes. She wished she could just leave right now, except Niomi said not to. They couldn’t alert security.

“Can we talk about this in private?” Ari offered a kind smile.

Hailey laughed. “Sure. But you’re not leaving the building.” She extended an arm. “After you.”

“Okay.” Ari headed towards the elevator, not sure where she was going. The closer to an exit and past their fire walls the better.

As they rounded a corner, Hailey changed into a security guard. Her new look took less than a second and no one around appeared to notice, everyone busy with their day. Now a good foot taller than Ari, she looked down and winked at her. “All the better to apprehend a spy with stolen data in her pocket.”

“Like you’re one to talk.” Ari noticed a restroom up ahead and pulled Hailey inside. The room was more of a lounge with mirrors to touch up in, and couches to relax. Ari locked the door or, more specifically, she blocked the door by morphing the code.

Ari turned to Hailey. “What the hell? When did you become so self-righteous?”

Hailey’s body shuddered, and she turned back into herself. “I’ve always been pretty self-righteous, if you ever got to know me.”

Point for Hailey. Ari didn’t really know her.

“Are you going to let me leave?”

Hailey leaned against a counter. “Of course. But not with the data in your pocket.”

“Why does it even matter to you? Are you mad I haven’t joined Emil’s team?” Frustration started to mount, a tightness gathering in her shoulders. “Just for the record, I asked about the warpers. And they gave me their files. They are willing to give me the information and keep me and my family safe.”

Hailey tapped her hand against her leg not appearing to be bothered by Ari’s temper. “Huh?”

“Huh? Is that all you got to say? I thought you’d want the files for yourself.”

“Nope. Why would we? We know a hell of a lot more warpers than VisionTech has ever hired.”

“Then what’s the problem?” Ari’s voice raised in anger. Her thirty minute window was coming closer to an end.

Hailey picked at her nails. “Do you ever think what happens to the names on those lists you have? I mean really happens to them?”

A dark pit in her stomach tightened. “They just want the names. Nothing else.”

She jumped down, facing Ari. “You keep telling yourself those lies and maybe one day you can sleep through the night. Those names are real people who will have a huge target painted on their backs once that list is out. Lives ruined, families put at risk and for what? Cryptos? So, you get a comfy bit of paradise.”

“Niomi said people don’t get hurt.” After she said it, Ari realized how naive that sounds. She probably shouldn’t have used Niomi’s name either, but it wasn’t her full name at least.

“You’re young but you’re not stupid. Don’t question my morality when I don’t want to play with your little company. I asked nicely. Next time I won’t ask. If you’re not with us, you’re against us. Working for the man, screwing over everyone you can.”

Ari struggled to swallow. Before she could gather a reply, an alarm sounded through the building. Her heart picked up. “What did you do?”

“Me?” Hailey pulled back in mock surprise. “I didn’t bar an electrical door, changing the structure of a government building. How long did you think you could go unnoticed here?”

Ari pushed past Hailey and searched past the walls into the code beyond. Guards raced towards the bathroom. Ari turned back to Hailey, “Why aren’t you worried?”

“I have no reason to be. You’re the stranger with stolen data on you.”

Ari spun around realizing the truth of the situation. She wasn’t getting the data to Niomi. Not that it was the end of the world, if anything this only created more questions and doubts. And even if Hailey was right, Ari wanted to slap the pretty little smirk off her face. She deleted the data.

Hailey obviously noticed the change in code. “Thank you for your cooperation, but remember, next time, there will be no asking. Governments love to find and hang little warpers every now and again, just to make sure they are safe.”

Closing her eyes, Ari pulled out of the simulation. She wouldn’t forget.

Chapter 26

Gasping for air, Ari woke in Niomi’s lab and reached for the plug. Her sweaty hands struggled, and it took a minute longer to unplug. Before she sat up, Niomi loomed over her chair.

“It’s bad enough constantly waking up in