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

“I don’t know ... scary.” Ari decided she needed to talk to her mother and figure out what was next. Maybe even Tessa would have some ideas. Ari had barely gotten used to school, and now this. The only silver lining would be the cash, and it sounded like a big lining.

As they reached the group, Ari noticed Tessa dancing with a guy. When the song ended, Tessa headed over.

Her eyes fell on Ari then Garrett, his shirt in his hands.

“Have fun?” Tessa’s sarcasm spooned on extra heavy.

“Nothing happened. I promise,” Ari snapped.

Garrett nudged her with his shoulder. “You can’t say it was nothing.”

“Shut up,” Ari replied.

“Whatever. You’re not the only fish in the sea.” He started to leave but made it only two steps before he dissolved right before their eyes—something Ari had never seen before.

Ari turned to Tessa, whose eyes widened in surprise.

“Run, get out!” Tessa shouted as she closed her eyes and disappeared.

Ari opened her eyes to the darkness of the lab. People were unhooking and rushing out of the room. Before she could reach her cable, swift hands unplugged her.

“Hurry.” Reed pulled her out of the chair. By the time she stood, bright lights filled the room.

A stern voice carried throughout the room. “Please stop or you will be restrained.”

Ari froze, her grip tightening on Reed’s hand, while several armed security guards filled the lab. Tessa stood next to the door with a guard at her side. Several other students were scattered throughout the room. Ari felt like she was falling, though her feet remained glued to the floor, and all she could think was: What did they see?

Chapter Twenty-Two

Ari stood in front of the large wooden door that she remembered from her first day. Even then, she knew she never wanted to come here again. She stared at the brass knocker in the middle, knowing he was watching her. All the students captured had to speak to their advisors to receive their punishment, even if it was two in the morning.

“Come in,” Advisor Williams’s voice boomed from a speaker in the door.

Ari entered and eased into the old leather chair farthest from him, the same chair as last time. Even though it was the middle of the night, Advisor Williams was wide awake and impeccably dressed. He continued to work on his computer for a minute while Ari waited in silence, studying his painting. Golden wheat swayed in the wind as an old house made of wood stood in the corner. Back when they made houses of wood. The falling sun cast shadows of golds and purples on the landscape. When the advisor finally spoke, it made her jump.

“Do you know why I have an antique door?” His lips pressed in a grim line.

The question startled Ari, who held back what she really thought that he was vain and old. Given her silence, he continued.

“It’s to remember, Ms. Mendez. To remember. Before this age of automation, wireless living, and virtual reality, we had to open doors, usually with keys. They didn’t slide open with a scan of your finger.

“This age has made many lazy. Why open doors when they fly open? Why read a book when you can watch one? Why work hard when you can go into a VR to reap all the benefits you never have earned? Why work hard at school when you don’t have to pay for it?” He leaned forward, palms pressed together. “But you will have to pay for it, Ms. Mendez. Trust me, you will pay for it.”

Pushing back the anger at his insults, the fear of her skills, and tired emotions, she responded. “I do work hard, very hard.”

“Really?”

He turned back to his computer. With a click of a button, video filled one wall. Screens bigger than Ari flashed up with a video of the VR lab. There she was with Reed, kissing him goodbye before plugging in. Garrett seethed in the corner, watching them. Ari’s stomach tightened, angry at Williams for watching this, watching them. If there was a camera in the lab without the students’ knowledge, where else had cameras been placed? She couldn’t help but wonder if he’d seen everything that had happened in the virtual.

“Sneaking out at one in the morning for this,” he motioned to the screen, where Reed gave her one last kiss, “Isn’t what I’d call working hard, Ms. Mendez. I will put a demerit in your file, and I will increase security in your dorm as well to prevent future occurrences. Remember, more than one demerit and I can submit your name to the review board for expulsion. You are dismissed.”

Ari stood to leave, part of her grateful he didn’t see her inside the VR and part of her angry at how he had treated her. Yes, she deserved to be punished. She’d snuck out, and broken the rules. She understood that she had to pay for that decision, but he didn’t have to treat her like a third-rate citizen, watching her and Reed like a peeping Tom. Her fatigue loosened her tongue as she turned back.

“By the way, I work hard, harder than you know.” She left his office not waiting for a response and hoped she didn’t regret that later.

By the time Tessa and Ari were released the sun was on the rise. Ari couldn’t remember the last time she watched a sun rise and wasn’t too excited to see that one. Before reaching the dorm, Tessa motioned with her head and turned onto the path towards the lake. Ari let out a sigh. Her body was not in the mood for a walk at that time of the morning, but the guilt from the previous night hung over her. She shouldn’t have invited Tessa, especially with what was at stake.

Tessa’s dark wrinkled clothes looked out of place in the morning light as she sat down in the grass near the lake. Tessa crossed her