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

small device, an electronic bug. As she looked around to see where it came from, her vision began to blur around the edges.

“What did you do?”

“Everything I could to protect you.” Niomi must have moved, but Ari didn’t see it, because all of a sudden she was helping her stand. “I told you to stay home.”

Ari’s legs worked fine, but not really on her command. As the drug entered her system, each movement took concentrated effect. She had only tabbed a couple times in her life, so she didn’t have much to compare it too. Ari was furious at Niomi’s betrayal, but somehow her body couldn’t register it.

“You drugged me.” Ari’s words come out slow and awkward.

“Not me.” Niomi’s eyes flickered around them. “I was forced to come with the team to retrieve you. A friendly face, you could say.” Niomi turned her around and began moving down the street. “They’re idiots if they think I’m their lapdog though.”

A tall man in a gray shirt and hat walked towards them. Ari knew she should stop, should move away from him, but with Niomi pulling her along, her legs continued to move without her command. The noises on the nearby street blurred together as the effect of the drug continued to grow, and it became like white noise rolling in and out as waves.

Finally, Niomi stopped near the entrance to a park and leaned Ari against the iron rod fence. Her eyes remained on the man mere feet away from them. Glancing around, Ari found another man coming from behind with that same close-cut hairdo and sharp eyes.

Niomi pulled out a thin stick and kept it near her arm to not draw attention. Ari had seen her use the electric baton before, and Niomi was impressive. But these men didn’t even flinch at the weapon.

“I have her from here boys. I’ll meet up at the plane.” Niomi kept her voice soft, but her stance ready.

“Our employer doesn’t trust you to deliver the package. We’ll take it from here.” The man’s athletic build and curled hands looked eager to attack.

“I don’t want—” Niomi stepped forward innocently then struck at the man’s neck, electricity sizzling on contact.

An obvious professional, the other man didn’t flinch, still several feet away, and shot something at her. With an electric jolt, Niomi stumbled to the ground. The drugs in Ari’s system muted the shock she should have felt. She pushed herself off the gate and dropped next to Niomi.

“Niomi?” The fuzzy feeling in Ari’s head didn’t mute the pain of watching her old trainer, her friend, lay in a heap on the ground. Niomi was hurt bad and not getting up.

As Ari tried to help her up, Niomi pushed her hands away. “Go. Run.”

Ari almost wanted to laugh. She couldn’t walk a straight line, let alone run. Frantically scanning the area, Ari tried to muster the energy to move and came up empty. Then she noticed Niomi’s weapon at her side.

As rough hands pulled her up, she grabbed the baton. An alarm sounded in the distance. Maybe the police? Niomi struggled to stand as the man dragged Ari away. She had wanted to talk to Niomi more, tell her what she was doing, what she had learned. But instead, the trainer she thought was invincible could barely move.

Rage surged in Ari, and she struck out at the man with the weapon. It made connection and sparked from the heat. He shouted something as he fell, taking her with him. She pushed away from him, but her world tilted on its axis.

Other men appeared, but she didn’t know who they were with. Local police or VisionTech. Shouts rang out, confusing Ari. Between the fast moving forms and the effects of the drugs, Ari couldn’t focus enough to find the threat. Niomi, she remembered. Where was Niomi?

Strangers filled Ari’s vision, and she was unsure who to trust. Panic and confusion colored her thoughts. As more men charged the scene, weapons fired with snaps of electricity.

Ari spotted Niomi’s platinum hair nearby, and she crawled towards her. Why wasn’t Niomi up? A taser wouldn’t keep her down for so long.

As she made it to her trainer and placed a hand on her arm, Ari saw blood pooling on Niomi’s stomach. Whatever struck Niomi was a more deadly than a taser. Why would they attack their own person?

Because they didn’t want Niomi, she realized. They wanted Ari and Niomi got in the way.

Shaking her arm, Ari tried to contain the emotional storm that threatened to overtake her. Her voice came out in ragged pieces. “Niomi, get up. We have to move.”

Niomi’s steely eyes were glazed over. The fire that had always been in them now missing. Her gaze flicked to Ari. “If I taught you anything, it’s don’t be an idiot. Get out of here.”

“I don’t think I can.” Ari wanted to lay down next to her and give up. The siren in the distance drew closer. Hopefully the police? It didn’t matter anymore.

“Yes, you can.” For a few seconds, a spark returned to her trainer, then it fled as quick as it came as she coughed blood. “Yes. You. Can.” She bit out.

Ari knew that it was goodbye. No matter how much she wanted it not to be, this was the end. Whatever they had gone through, Niomi had sacrificed a lot for Ari—no, she had sacrificed everything for Ari.

Strong hands lifted her up and Ari struck out. Everything Niomi had taught her, all the rage building inside of her came out. Her elbow connected to something, causing a sickening crack. She stumbled backwards, finding leverage on a nearby bench. The world spun around her and two men grappled in front of her. The drug pulled on her, and she blinked to clear her vision.

Soon gentle hands guided her forward. “This way.” The warm familiar voice soothed the panic inside.

With a quick swoop, she was in his arms, wrapped in his smell. A comforting feeling poured over her. Before she could