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

“I want to go see my dad.”

Reed’s brow creased, then the lines deepened. What a way to kill the mood. Not that she expected Reed to be pleased, but she’d hoped he would be understanding and willing to help.

“You mean ...” He couldn’t say it.

“Yes, I want to go into the VR with him. Maybe try to help him leave like I did for Marco.” What Ari didn’t say, what she was too scared to articulate, was that she was willing to use her skills as a warper to help convince her father to leave.

Reed pushed himself up to a seated position and stared at Ari with disbelief.

“Please try to understand.” Ari sat up as well and placed a hand on top of his, but Reed was cold and angry.

“I think I understand all right. You’re going to give away your life for a man that has already thrown his away more than once.” Reed’s voice grew, no longer the hushed whispers.

Ari turned to see if Tessa was still playing. Her hands were a little slower than usual on her keyboard, as if she was trying to ignore them.

“He is my father, Reed. You, more than anybody, should realize that.”

“Don’t talk to me about fathers.” Reed climbed off her bed. “Sometimes it’s better if they’re gone rather than having them around to screw up our lives.”

“I was hoping you could help me.” Ari needed him to cover her tracks, but she didn’t even know if that was possible in a hospital.

He ran a hand over his short hair. “Of course, I’ll help you, but I’m not sure if that will be enough or if I can keep you safe.”

She wanted him to be okay with it, but she had to do it with or without him. “I have to.”

“No, you don’t. Does your mom know? Because I’m pretty sure she would say no. It’s too dangerous.”

“I need to do it while I can. You’re leaving at the end of the school year as it is.” Every day was more of a struggle for Ari to conceal her abilities. She planned to finish the school year with Reed. At the end of the year, he would move on to his career assignment, and she could take Dave’s position or something. It hurt to watch Reed’s pain.

“Why do I have the feeling you’re checking out of this relationship early? You could wait until I graduate.” Reed picked up his bag and swung it over his shoulder.

“I can’t.”

He nodded, his jaw tightening. Then without another word, he turned and walked out.

Ari stared at the door as it shut, shocked at how fast things had turned sour. Maybe she hadn’t made the right choice, but she wasn’t sure what she could have said to make it any easier.

Tessa continued playing her game, commenting between keystrokes. “Boys suck.”

The following week was quiet for Ari. She found herself constantly checking for a message and even stalked Reed’s social network for any updates he cared to post—which were none. She started to message him several times, wanting to explain but there was nothing left to explain. He knew her better than anyone else. He knew she had to do it. He just didn’t want to accept it.

So, she threw herself into her midterm project virtual which all her teachers would be grading. It would be the first virtual the students were required to create, and each teacher had different criteria they expected, from the storyboard, to art design, to complex code and procedure. Tessa helped a lot as she was at the top of the class, though she didn’t always agree.

“I could name a couple guys that are a lot better than me,” Tessa said before taking another bite of their pizza covered in ham and pineapple—another one of Ari’s new favorites.

“Maybe in complex coding, but you have moxie no one else has.”

Tessa pulled back slightly, acting surprised. “Moxie?”

“Something my grandfather used to say about someone with gumption, spark.” Ari bit into another piece of pizza.

“Huh, moxie,” Tessa said the word again, her latest lip ring giving her a slight lisp. She turned back to Ari. “So, where’s your moxie?”

Ari stared at her for a second, confused.

“Reed.” Tessa’s eyes narrowed at her. “Come on. You’ve been moping around all week after that fight. What’s the deal?”

Ari picked off a pineapple. She struggled to talk about her home life or anything personal. Tessa had no problem sharing, including her dad’s sex life, which often turned Ari a couple of shades redder.

“It’s my dad.” Ari proceeded to tell Tessa the whole story. “Reed doesn’t want me to see him on Christmas Break. He thinks it’s too dangerous.” She left out using her abilities to help her father.

Tessa set down her slice of pizza and stood. “Let’s go to the bathroom.”

“What?” Ari knew Tessa was not the type of girl to go to the bathroom in groups.

“Come on.”

Ari followed her into their small private bathroom. White tile and silver fixtures gleamed. Tessa waved a hand in front of a sensor and turned on the shower.

Once the water was pounding against the tiles, she turned to face Ari. “I get why you have to go see your dad. I do. But I don’t see why you feel like going into the government program is your only choice.”

“Because once they know, there will be no other options.”

Tessa gave a short laugh. “You have to stop acting like some poor little girl. You have skills people would kill for, literally. And you’re bright and smart enough to figure another way out of this.”

Ari bristled at the remark. How could Tessa so smoothly compliment and insult her at the same time?

“I say we start with that agent that contacted you. Dave, right?” Tessa grinned and the ring on her lip curled her lip, making her look bit mischievous and frightening at the same time.

The next day Tessa scheduled an appointment with Dave for the following Friday after