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

Nav holds the smoking gun, her legs firmly planted shoulder-width apart, her eyes locked on the corner. She looks courageous and deadly, like Blaze herself.

A guard flashes in the corner of my vision from the entrance behind us, his gun pointed at Nav’s head.

I gasp. “Nav!”

Sunny spins around before anyone can react. Lightning arcs out from his modified stun baton to strike the man.

The man’s eyes glow with electricity as the energy courses through him. He collapses on the ground, convulsing.

I stare at him, my mouth agape, not even sure how he avoided the turrets on the way in.

Nav looks from the guard to Sunny. “Oh my God, thanks. That’s some weapon you have there.”

Sunny smiles. “You’re welcome. I designed it myself.”

I start to wonder if the guard is dead as steam rises from his body. He groans and stirs. Nav raises her cannon to the man.

“Where am I? What’s going on?” asks the guard, not bothering to reach for his gun. He looks at us. “Who are you guys?”

Why is he saying that? It’s as if he doesn’t know what’s going on. Wait…could it be? “I think the electricity shorted out his Evo!”

Nav lowers her gun. “We can save people like this.”

 “You’re a prisoner,” I say to the guard. “You were in an accident, and you lost your memory. Don’t move.”

The man looks around wildly. “A prisoner? No. I’m an accountant. What are you talking about?” He leaps up, and before any of us can react, he sprints outside.

“Don’t,” shouts Nav.

The turrets fry him, his scream echoing in the hallway.

Nav purses her lips and shakes her head. “At least we can save the others.”

“Keep guarding the halls. I need a little bit more time,” I say and continue programming.

“A large group of guards is approaching our position,” says Sunny.

Nav glances at me, her cannon ready.

I finish my network program and access my puppet program. “There’s no more danger now. You can lower your gun.”

Nav looks at me uncertainly and keeps her cannon elevated.

“Chim, freeze everyone,” I say.

Guns clatter to the ground just around the corner as the frozen guards’ hands go limp. Nav peeks into the connecting hallway.

She turns back, her eyes wide. “That’s amazing, but kind of scary. Let’s short out their Evos. I want those truly responsible for my father’s death to pay, but those who were controlled, should live.”

Her words give me a thought. Maybe all of them weren’t compelled. My stomach tightens at the thought of twenty complicit traitors, free of the Evo, suddenly charging with murderous intent.

I could accelerate their hearts until they explode to be safe, or even keep them as soldiers, but it would be wrong. Most probably were controlled. We can hook Sunny up to one of the robo-suit’s fusion engines to give him extra power and shock the guards to free them.

“We’ll shock them one at a time in case some weren’t compelled,” I say. “The innocent will live.”

Nav favors me with a broad, radiant smile.

Her expression is one I’ve only seen a few times. She’s proud. I remember my mother’s loving face and full smile when I first learned what proud meant. She showered me with affection because I could multiply three-digit numbers in seconds at the age of four. I had no idea how advanced that was at the time.

“Chim, assemble a map for the building’s interior and mark all Evo locations.”

My q-link beams sound waves to map the building. A layout of the structure materializes before me. All of the guards are represented by red, human-shaped gridlines. Several are just in front of us.

“Chim, have them all gather in this room,” I say, pointing to a spot on the map.

The guards in front of me and the others throughout the building move to the indicated room.

“Chim, scan for any lifeforms without the Evo.”

“There is one.”

A red figure flashes in a room down the hall.

“That must be Captain Bosu,” I say. “He’s the one who tortured Americus.” And nearly took over my mind.

Nav lowers her eyebrows. “Let’s get him.”

Nav puts her arm around me, and we trot toward the room, Sunny following. A jolt of pain hits me with each step. We reach Bosu’s location, but a steel door bars the entrance.

“Come out,” I command.

“You are nothing. I’m one of the chosen. Leave now or die,” yells Bosu.

I try the knob. It’s locked.

The door looks robust but thinner than the one at Xyphotech. I glance over at Nav’s chrome arm, which glistens from the overhead lights. “Can you break in?”

She punches it twice, sparks flickering from the impacts. It groans and bends. She smashes it again, and it flies off its hinges into the room. It slams into a watercooler, knocking it to the ground and spilling water around it.

The man that shattered my wrists and drilled Americus lies sprawled on his back. His rat-eyes stare at me as he reaches for his gun. Sunny dazzles his eyes. Bosu screams and covers them.

“Director Tempton will make you pay for this,” he says with a growl.

“He’ll be the next one to find out what happens to those who cross me,” I say. “Kill him.”

Bosu scrambles backward.

“This is for you, Dad,” says Nav as she pulls the trigger. A bang splits the air, loud despite my hearing protection.

A hole erupts in the man’s chest, and he falls limp.

☼☼☼

Two hours later, Nav, Sunny, and I survey our campsite in a forest forty minutes east of the NIA headquarters. Alexander lies on a cot, still sedated. We looted the compound before we left as if we just thrashed a raid boss in some MMO. We took both Obliterator suits, the damaged one for parts.