Upgrade (Augmented Duology Book 2)

by Heather Hayden

  As we headed back to the lobby, the scientist promised to be in touch if they made any progress in tracking the AI or the missing cyborgs. We got our phones back, had the bracelets removed from our wrists, and then headed to the elevator.

  I followed Agent Smith through the garage without saying a word. We sat in silence on the ride out. The exit was much less exhilarating than the entrance. Our driver parked on a marked section of concrete and pressed something on the dashboard. The floor jerked upwards a bit, then metal railings unfolded out and up to hold the car in place while the floor continued to make its way out.

  We left through the warehouse’s entrance. The door creaked just as much as it had on the way in. Agent Smith gave the driver directions to my street. I didn’t argue—I was still too shaken to go straight to Dan’s. Especially if it meant meeting his parents. They might have something to do with the cyborg program. That could explain the similarity and why they recently moved here. Two coincidences that could explain each other.

  Thinking back to the conversation at lunch, I wondered if Dan knew anything about his parents’ work. Did he know that they’d modeled their project after him? Or worse, perhaps even used his DNA as a base in growing the cyborgs’ augmented parts?

  Remembering my biological parents, and how they’d treated me as nothing more than an experiment, made my fingers curl into fists. If what I suspected was true, Dan was a victim just like me. It wasn’t fair. He wanted to be a scientist like his parents—I wondered if he’d still want that, knowing the truth.

  Should I say something to Agent Smith? I sneaked a glance at him. He was busy writing on his clipboard, paying me no attention. If I told him, he’d want to accompany me to Dan’s house, possibly interrogate his parents about their work. But it wasn’t the scientists’ fault that the cyborgs had been stolen. Besides, he’d probably already spoken to them, and I still didn’t trust him. I leaned over a bit, in the pretense of stretching, trying to catch a glimpse of his clipboard, but it was useless. A combination of shorthand and scribbly handwriting made it impossible to make anything out. Thankfully, he didn’t notice my attempts, too caught up in his notes.

  The car pulled to a stop. I sat back seconds before Agent Smith looked up. “Viki, we’re a block from your house. I thought it better not to drop you off at your doorway.”

  “Yeah, thanks,” I mumbled, gathering my backpack.

  He placed a hand on my shoulder. “I just want to say that I really admire your fortitude. You’ve been through some very stressful situations in the past, but you still agreed to assist me and you did a great job today. Thank you.”

  I stared at him. His brown eyes were sincere and met mine without hesitation. Either he was an extremely good actor, or I was wrong to suspect him. “You’re welcome,” I managed to say.

  He sat back with a nod. “I’ll be in touch.”

  Clutching my backpack, I exited the car and fled down the sidewalk. I had to get home to Halle. Who knew what my friend had gone through in the past few hours.

  I turned onto the driveway too fast and skidded on the gravel, almost landing on my face. Catching my balance, I paused to erase the skid marks I’d made. Then I headed inside, for once grateful that my parents weren’t home yet. I didn’t want them to hear the conversation Halle and I were about to have.

  Once inside, I kicked off my sneakers and headed upstairs.

  “Halle?” I said, entering my room. “Did you hear everything all right?”

  “I wish I had not.” The cat curled up on the screen was pitch black in color, eyes a deep, deep purple. “How could they do that to the AI?”

  “I know. I’m sorry.” Not for the first time, I wished I could give my friend a real, physical hug. I had to settle for a sympathetic look, and sat down in front of the computer. “I’m supposed to go over to Dan’s for dinner.”

  “Why did you not have Agent Smith drop you off there, then?”

  “I wanted to make sure you were all right.” I hesitated, taking a deep breath. “And because of something I saw in the laboratory.”

  “What did you see?”

  “The cyborgs,” I said. “They all looked a lot like Dan.”

  The cat raised its head a fraction of an inch. “Truly?”

  I nodded. “I thought it might just be a coincidence, maybe his parents are working on the project? But they have the same eyes, same hair color, even the build is similar. It was eerie.” I pushed off my clothes hamper and spun in my chair, trying to escape the crawling sensation that crept down my back.

  “Do you think it is possible he is one of them?”

  I sucked in a breath, hating to even consider it. “That can’t be right. Why would he be attending school if he was? He said his parents are scientists working on something classified. I bet they used his DNA, or theirs, in creating the cyborgs.”

  Halle must have heard the pain in my voice. “I am sorry, Viki. I should never have let you be involved in this.”

  “Why? Because I was in a similar situation once?” I barked a short laugh. “It’s not like his parents grew him in a laboratory. They just modeled their cyborgs after him. Kind of sweet, isn’t it?”

  The cat just watched me with deep purple eyes.

  I looked down at my desk, the faint scratches in the wood from years of use. “It’s fine.”

  “Did you tell Agent Smith?”

  “No. He’d just want to interrogate them, maybe Dan, too.”

  “I am not sure withholding this information is a good idea. Regardless of his intentions toward me, he has promised to look out for you.”

  “Like he did last time?” I said, sarcasm spilling out.

  Halle’s ears flattened. “Maybe you should speak to Dan about it first.”

  “I could do it tonight, since I’m going over to his place. His parents might even be home.” Although, if my speaking to them wound up getting them in trouble at work, Dan might never speak to me again. I sighed.

  Halle’s fur bristled. “I do not like the idea of you going over there alone!”

  Its reaction startled me. “Relax, it’s fine. His parents might be as crazy as mine, but they just worked on the cyborgs. It’s not like they stole them.”

  “And what if they did?” Halle said, echoing the same thought I had just had.

  I pushed down a rising swell of fear at the thought. “Why would they steal some cyborgs?”

  “I do not know. It is possible Talbot is behind the theft, but if that is the case…”

  I bit my lip. “Do you think it’s possible Agent Smith’s telling the truth?”

  Halle’s crouch became more of a slump, head hanging and ears drooping. “I do not know.”

  My computer’s clock told me it was half past five. I needed to head out if I wanted to make it to Dan’s by six.

  “I need to pack up my computer,” I said, standing. “Are you going to need it?”

  Halle raised its head. Its ears twitched. “I still think it is too risky for you to go over to his house.”

  “You’ve taken plenty of risks on my account.” I unplugged the computer. “Besides, his parents, even if they are involved, would have no idea I’m investigating the cyborgs.”

  “And what if you are wrong? If we both are? What if Dan is nothing more than an altered cyborg, controlled by Talbot?”

  It was my turn to say, “I don’t know.” I dumped my backpack onto my bed with a little more force than necessary. “If I think I’m in danger, I’ll leave immediately, I promise.”

  “Please be careful, Viki.”

  “You, too.” I gave Halle what I hoped was a comforting look. “We’re in this together, okay?”

  Halle flicked its tail. “I wish you were not involved.” It paused. “You have a message from Dan, by the way.”

  Dan’s voice came over the speakers. “Hi, Viki, my parents called and said they’re working late, but you’re welcome to come over if you still want to. I’m making mac and cheese like I said, and we can blast mu
sic over the stereo while we game. Anyway, feel free to give me a call, or just show up. The address is 303 Lake Street—I think I forgot to give that to you earlier, sorry.”

  “Great.” I shoved my computer and mouse into the backpack. “His parents aren’t going to be there.” Maybe this is a bad idea. But if I didn’t go over tonight, Dan might not invite me again. This was my best chance to ask him some questions—and perhaps his parents would come home before I left and I could question them, too. I zipped my bag shut, then looked down at the uniform I was still wearing. “Ugh, I better change.”

  A few minutes later, I pulled my jacket on over a casual outfit of jeans and a blue t-shirt. “I’m going to head out now, Halle.”

  “Your Realmshards password is set to autosave,” Halle said over the house speakers. “Please message me through the voice chat when you want me to join.”

  “Okay.” I paused in the doorway of my room. “Halle, I know there isn’t much I can do to help with Talbot, but I’m here for you if you need me, okay?”

  “I know.” Halle’s voice was heavy with worry. “Please be careful.”

  “Promise.” I took a deep breath and headed out.

  Lake Street was a few blocks down and over, but it wouldn’t be hard to find his house. Halfway there, I pulled out my phone to text my parents and let them know that I would be home late, only to find that its battery had died.

  Muttering curses under my breath, I tucked it back into my pocket. Halle would let my parents know where I had gone. I just hoped it didn’t say anything more to them. I didn’t think it would reveal what was going on, but if it thought I was in danger, it might. I picked up my pace, wishing I had thought to grab James’s hoverboard. It would have made traveling a lot faster.

  During the fifteen-minute walk to Dan’s house, I almost turned around three times. It was nerve-wracking; what was I supposed to say to him? “Hello, how was your afternoon, by the way are you aware your parents work for a secret government laboratory building cyborgs that look a lot like you?” The thought made me laugh; my stomach twisted, then growled in a reminder that I still hadn’t had dinner.

  I rang the doorbell and waited for someone to answer. If only his parents would be home, then I could avoid asking him about their work. By asking them directly. I bounced on my toes, half-ready to turn and run back down the way I’d come.

  “Viki!” Dan exclaimed, opening the door. “I was worried you might not make it. Come on in. I just finished eating, but there’s plenty of leftovers.”

  “Sounds good. Sorry I didn’t get here sooner.” Maybe I should have had Agent Smith drop me off. But then I would have spent the entire evening worrying about Halle. And I needed my computer, anyways. I shifted the straps of my backpack nervously.

  Dan shrugged. “No worries. Come on in.”

  I stepped inside and pulled my phone from my pocket. “Any chance you have a charger that fits this?” I held it up. “It died, and I’d like to send my folks a text letting them know where I am.”

  “Yeah, my phone has the same charger. Be right back. You can drop your stuff in the living room. The kitchen’s that way—help yourself to food.” Dan vanished upstairs, taking the steps two at a time.

  I hesitated, looking around the house. It was small, with bare white walls and wooden floors so freshly waxed I could smell the lemon oil. Cardboard boxes lay scattered about, some partly open with plastic air bubbles spilling out, others still closed and piled on top of each other almost to the ceiling.

  I moved to the living room. Dust covers were piled on one of the armchairs, but the glass-topped coffee table was cleared off and had a computer sitting on it. A nice model, not as new as mine, but then I’d just gotten a new computer for my birthday. Couch cushions had been spread around the coffee table for seats. I set my backpack by one, then ventured into the kitchen to find something to eat.

  It took some rummaging to locate a plate and fork. I rinsed them off in the sink, then pulled a tub of leftover mac and cheese from the fridge. There appeared to be hot dogs chopped up and mixed in. I shrugged and served myself a plate. While the microwave hummed, warming my dinner, I returned the tub to the fridge.

  “Here you go.” Dan burst into the kitchen and dropped a cord in my hand. “That should solve that problem. You found everything okay?” He glanced at the microwave.

  I nodded. The microwave chose that moment to beep and shut off.

  “You can bring it into the living room,” Dan said.

  I grabbed my fork, rescued my plate from the microwave, and followed him as he navigated the hazard course of boxes with ease.

  “Sorry about the mess,” he said over his shoulder. “I’ve unpacked most of my stuff, but my parents have been too busy.” Sadness filtered into his voice. “If we aren’t here for long, they might not even bother.”

  “I hope you can stay,” I said. The cyborg project was a big deal. Surely his parents wouldn’t move away when the lab where they worked was so close. For that matter, why hadn’t they moved here sooner? Had they been commuting? Or maybe they’d had trouble finding a house?

  Dan plopped onto a couch cushion in front of his computer. “Oh! I forgot drinks,” he said, interrupting my thoughts. “I think we still have juice left. Or water?”

  “Water would be fine.”

  He jumped up and headed for the kitchen. I watched him go, still struck by the similarities between him and the motionless cyborgs. For a second, I entertained the thought that his parents had built him, too. How much of a cyborg was human, anyway? Dan moved just as naturally as I did, not like the jerky or uncannily smooth movements of my family’s kitchen robot. His chest moved as he breathed. Remembering the unnatural stillness of the cyborgs, I shivered. Did they move like humans? If so, how would anyone be able to tell them apart? According to Chris, that had been the point of the project, but the idea of dangerous machines walking around unrecognized and with hidden purpose sounded like something straight of a science fiction horror movie.

  A glass landed on the coffee table in front of me. Dan peered at me, frowning. “Did I spill something on my shirt?” He glanced down.

  I blinked. “What? No. Sorry, I wasn’t staring at you, just off into space.”

  He laughed. “Staring is fine, as long as you don’t start clinging to me like Neela.” He rolled his eyes. “You’d think she’d take a hint.”

  I laughed, feeling the knot in my stomach loosen a bit. “She doesn’t, usually.”

  Dan shrugged. “Well, I’d rather play Realmshards than go shopping at the mall. Thanks for coming over, by the way. It gets lonely, with my parents gone so much.” A brief shadow passed across his face before his smile brightened again. “Is your friend joining us?”

  “Yes, I just need to let Halle know we’re ready.” I took a bite of mac and cheese. It was good, though not as good as the kind Halle had the kitchen robot make. I wasn’t about to tell Dan that, though. As I chewed, I pulled out my computer and set it up.

  “How was your afternoon?” Dan asked.

  I swallowed. “All right.” Before I could stop myself, the question tumbled out. “Do you know what kind of work your parents do?”

  He shook his head. “It’s classified. I told you that, remember?” He frowned. “Is everything okay, Viki? You look pale. If you aren’t feeling well, you should go home… I can call a taxi.”

  “No, I’m fine.” I took a deep breath and focused on plugging in my computer and my phone, not wanting to meet his gaze. “I could get into a lot of trouble for telling you this, but earlier today, I was in a laboratory where I saw a lot of cyborgs some scientists built, and they all looked like you.”

  There was a brief, heavy pause, then Dan burst into laughter. “If you don’t want to talk about what you were up to today, it’s fine, Viki. I was just asking to be polite. You don’t need to make up crazy stories like that.”

  My face warmed. At least he was treating it as a joke, though a quick glance at his face told me he d
idn’t think it was a good one. I forced a laugh, too, hoping I hadn’t alienated my new friend.

  “It’s a joke.” I pushed the button to turn on my computer. “Sorry, I shouldn’t joke about your parents’ work.”

  He kept laughing. “Dad’s so serious about it. I wish he’d been here for that; I’d love to see his face. Especially if you added that maybe he built me, too.”

  I smiled weakly, remembering Halle’s speculations. “It’d be kind of hard for you to be a cyborg, wouldn’t it?”

  “My parents aren’t even Upgraders. They’re Augmenters. Although I’m natural-born—they didn’t want to make that choice for me, and I didn’t need any genetic modification; I was a healthy kid.”

  Heat crept around my ears, and I took a drink of water to moisten my dry mouth. A small beep came from the speakers as my computer turned on. The desktop looked empty without Halle’s cat avatar waiting to greet me. I opened Realmshards.

  Dan smiled at the sound of the loading screen’s music. “I’m waiting at Pirate’s Fall. Nice interface, by the way. New model?”

  “I got it for my birthday,” I replied. “It’s great.” I opened the voice chat program and sent a message to Halle—At Dan’s. Ready for Realmshards?

  A small beep announced a response almost immediately. See you at Pirate’s Fall.

  “Halle’s here,” Dan said at the same time.

  A voice chat request followed, and I accepted it. Another click of the mouse logged me into Realmshards. One spell later, I was joining them in Pirate’s Fall.

  “How has your day been?” Halle asked, the picture of friendliness.

  “My day’s been great, Halle,” Dan said. “How about yours?”

  “Fine,” Halle said. “I discovered something I was not expecting.”

  Had it found Talbot? I suddenly wished I was home, where I could mute Dan and ask Halle straight out. I had to settle for a vague question, “Is it related to that project you’ve been working on?”

  “It is not the direct result I was hoping for,” Halle replied. Not Talbot, then. “However, it is related to it. Are you two ready for this quest?”