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

slightest, she declined. “No. I’m good. Why don’t you tell me about the new world you’re working on?”

Her friend paused for a moment, seeing more than Ari would like, but after a few seconds set down her drink. “Sure thing, as long as you both know this has already been copyrighted. No snapping your fingers and creating it one afternoon just to screw with my business plan.”

“I could never do any world of yours justice,” Ari promised.

Tessa glanced at Patrick, assuming he must be a warper as well.

He placed a hand over his heart. “Cross my heart.”

“Okay. It started with a dream about my current cat. Who wasn’t my cat at the time, but I found during a dice game…” Tessa continued talking more about her cat, which Ari figured was more of a jungle cat than a house cat.

The time flew by as the girls discussed the ins and out of the game and repercussions of owning a cat that could claw your eyes out in your sleep.

“Can’t you cage her at night or something? Lock her out of your room?”

“I’d never cage something that beautiful and she’s already torn up a couple doors. I’ve tried to release her back into the wild, but she’s smarter than that. She knows I’ll give her the real stuff. My fish guy is loving it.”

“I bet,” Ari laughed as the city’s bright lights came into view, a myriad of colors lighting up against the sunset. A city like this lived mostly at night.

And just like that, her nerves returned, and she shifted in her seat. Would they be happy to see her or angry they were stuck here because of her? Either way, she just prayed they were okay. For their own protection, Tessa hadn’t spoken to them for a while. She assured Ari if there was a real problem, they knew how to get a hold of her.

Tessa sat up as the plane approached and headed to the controls. A few minutes later, the small plane maneuvered through town. It found its landing on top of a hotel.

“Does your dad own this?” Ari asked, as the plane landed.

“No. I’m checking in under an alias. I don’t want anything connecting me at this point.” Tessa typed something into the controls.

The door slid open, and they exited plane. The roof had a sleek jet-black landing pad with highlight marked for the walkways. There was a handful of other planes coming and going. They followed a couple to the elevator. She wore a dress that shimmered in dark jewel colors, and the man, several years older, wore an expensive suit like they were headed out on a date.

Ari, Patrick, and Tessa remained silent as they traveled to the floor level. The hotel was nothing short of exquisite with its modern decor, but Ari didn’t expect any less. It didn’t faze her though. Her thoughts were racing with seeing her family. Would they have changed in over a year?

Patrick reached for her hand and pulled her back gently.

“What?” She turned back to find Tessa and him behind her.

“Hurrying right now is drawing unwanted attention,” he said.

Tessa reached them in a couple strides. “Slow the hell down, is how I would have put it. You don’t even know where you’re going.”

“Sorry, just excited.” Ari let Tessa led them out of the hotel and into the warm night air. Quite a bit warmer than their place in the mountains. She dropped Patrick’s hand to take off her jacket.

Outside the city looked like every other expensive VR-driven town. Flashy signs promising the world at your fingertips. It blurred past Ari, the only notice she gave was as she searched the faces of everyone walking by.

Security guards were placed sporadically throughout the crowds. They stood out with their uniforms and large protective shields. As they approached, Ari turned to glance across the street.

Once past, Ari turned to Tessa. “Is there always so many guards?”

She nodded. “Crowd control mostly. Drunks coming from shows or fights getting riled up. Just avoid their cams and you’ll be fine.”

Ari would feel more comfortable if she could put her disguise back on. For now, avoidance will do. “How much longer?” she asked.

“Not far.” Tessa motioned to take a right ahead.

Several blocks later they turned down an alley. No, not an alley, but a small street. Like the large hotels were trying to push out the street as much as possible. Not somewhere Ari would like to be found alone at night.

There in the back was a small building. As they got closer, Ari realized it was a church. The small spire was twenty feet high at least, but nothing compared to the other buildings. The red brick exterior looked aged. Ari wondered what this was a front for.

They didn’t say anything, but just followed Tessa inside. The old door opened manually without a scan. The foyer smelled like dust and old books, with low ceilings. In the corner stood a statue of the Virgin Mary.

“Is this a church?” Ari turned in a slow circle.

“What did you think it was? I thought you actually had gone to church before,” Tessa said.

“I have, but with you I thought it was maybe a front or something.”

Tessa laughed. “This wasn’t my first idea, but your mom can be stubborn sometimes.”

“True.” Ari had been dragged to church by her mom and abuela for the first ten years of her life. After her abuela died and her dad went in and out of VR comas, her mom had to work Sundays, and they stopped. Ari rubbed the chill from her arms. It had been years since she came to church or prayed. Years since she believed someone up there actually listened or cared, since her dad left.

“This way,” Tessa said. “Unless you want to go to confession first.”

“I’m coming.” Ari followed Tessa through the next door, into the chapel.

Patrick stayed by her patiently, not saying a word.

The chapel’s large ceiling gave the building a grand hallow feeling. A pulpit up