The Astral Hacker (Cryptopunk Revolution Book 1) Brian Terenna (best novels to read to improve english txt) 📖

hot sun beams down on me, making it even more difficult. Sweat beads on my chest, but I ignore it, laser-focused on my task. One wrong move, and we could be surrounded by guards or worse, LR7 Drones.

After some skilled maneuvering, I say, “I’m in.”

“Navin smiles on us. You proved yourself worthy,” says Americus.

“Best student I’ve ever had,” says Nav.

My face flushes, but luckily no one can see me.

“Alexander, we’re in,” Americus, says into his q-link. “Rattle the door.”

I glance over to where Alexander should be, expecting to see him for a second. A pounding noise rings off the door, and an alarm sounds in the distance. Alexander’s radar dot speeds toward us.

I open the door. A humanoid robotic guard disappears around a corner down the hall. I look left and right, wishing I could see Nav’s warm eyes or Alexander’s unwavering confidence. I step inside the corporate building. Drop ceilings and track lighting hang above my head.

“I’ll keep you guys safe. Those robots looked nasty,” says Alexander, excitement in his voice.

I follow behind him as we head toward a blue dot on the map. We turn down a hall and walk up a wide stairwell. A skinny man in a tie turns the corner and walks down the stairs.

I freeze, as do the green dots around me. He walks by us, grumbling to himself about his boss, lost in his own world. We continue to walk, up the stairs, through a door, and down a hall to a locked office.

Gabriel slumps in the back of the cell, his head lowered, and his hands entwined in prayer. “Oh Lord, deliver me from this evil—”

“Your prayers are answered, old man,” says Americus.

I access the backdoor I left in their firewall and unlock the office. It pops open with a click.

“Is that you, old friend?” Gabriel asks as he pushes himself up.

“You’re lucky I like you,” says Americus. He steps into the office and hands Gabriel two q-links, a battery pack, and a pistol for the escape. “Did you get to download their data?”

Gabriel stands straighter. “I have a drive hidden in my skin compartment. They didn’t find it.” He activates his cloak.

“Good work,” says Americus. He lifts his q-link. “HQ, we have Gabriel, and we’re extracting now.”

Something hisses around us. I jerk my head around, trying to locate the source. What is that?

Mist pours into the hallway.

Americus’ broad back and Nav’s shocked face materialize before me. Alexander, holding his oversized magnum, appears to my right.

Oh hell. This is cracked.

Six robotic guards with attached guns march into the hallway, blocking both escapes.

“It’s a trap,” yells Americus as he fires.

A sparking hole erupts in one of the robot’s heads.

The other robots open fire just as we dive into the makeshift cell.

“HQ,” Americus says into his q-link. “We’re under attack. If we don’t escape, don’t come after us.”

“But sir—” Astrid starts to say before he cuts the connection.

I crouch in the back corner, gripping onto Nav’s shoulder. Adrenaline pumps through my body, making thought difficult. I’m going to die. Why did I agree to this? What the hell!

“God, help us through our plight,” says Gabriel, his pistol in hand. “Lend me strength, and I will be your holy sword against the agents of evil and the beast himself.”

“Get ready,” says Americus. “When they show their faces, roast them.”

We wait a tense few seconds, our guns trained on the door.

“They’re not moving,” says Americus. “We’re going to need a distraction.”

“Cube, patch me into one of the robots,” says Nav. “Come on, Fae, let’s get these noobs.”

She’s right. It’s our only hope besides Alexander and Americus. I crush my panic and force myself to focus. “Chim, access the same robot.”

I scan through the protective architecture of the robot’s programming. It’s different from the doors. More military-like. Complex. New.

“Wait, I’ve seen something like this before,” says Nav. “I know what to do.” Her cybernetic hand blurs into motion as she mumbles code.

I scan the firewall, learning the pattern until cybersecurity locates my q-link and begins an assault.

Nav gasps.

They must have found her too. I disengage and focus on defending her system.

“I’m almost there,” she says.

The five attackers hit Nav’s system at once. Their offensive programs eat away at her firewalls. I can’t hold them off for long.

“I’m in,” says Nav.

A hologram of the robot she controls appears before us. She jerks it to the side, and it clanks into the robot next to it. Alexander takes advantage of the distraction. He drops down and rolls from the office, his guns blazing.

There are multiple clangs, and the robots on one side collapse. More gunshots sound from the remaining two robots. He rolls back in, a broad grin on his lips.

“I can’t protect your firewalls anymore, Nav. Power down.” Just before I disconnect, I record an image of the robot’s code. Maybe I can work on this later.

Alexander leaps up and leans out, firing two more shots. The remaining two robots collapse.

“Boom! That’s why they call me Alexander the Great.”

I haven’t heard anyone call him that. But that was impressive.

“Excellent hacking, Fae,” says Americus.

“It was Nav.”

He nods to her, clearly impressed. Nav smiles at him, surely happy that her distant dad complimented her.

“Come on,” says Americus, motioning to us.

We re-cloak and sprint down the stairs to the back door, which is still ajar. We’re going to make it.

Red lights flash above us, and an alarm sounds. The back door slams shut.

That makes it harder. I connect to their system to crack the door. Their attack will be swift, but I’ll only have to hold them off for a moment.

Something round and metal flies down the hall and lands at our feet. Grenade? My