“That’s unusual for you,” Neela commented as she sat down across from me.
I was so caught up in my work I almost didn’t register it. “Hm?” I glanced up, trying to keep a pleasant look on my face. “What do you mean?”
She pointed her fork at my pudding. “No toppings? Are you not feeling well?”
I pressed my lips into a smile. “I’m fine, thanks. You’re only having a salad?”
She shrugged. “I’m not super hungry right now. Besides, we’ll eat plenty tonight, right, girls?”
Annabeth and Mel shared a frown.
Dan glanced at me. “Are you going out tonight? I guess that means we won’t be gaming?”
He still wanted to game, despite last night’s near-disaster? I breathed a silent sigh of relief and was about to correct him when Neela cut in.
“You’re welcome to join us, Dan,” she purred. “It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
Dan shook his head. “I have some things to take care of this afternoon for my parents; wasn’t planning to game until this evening. Besides, if it’s just the four of you, you aren’t going to want a guy hanging around.”
“I bet she would,” Annabeth muttered into her burger.
I held back a snort of laughter by taking a sip of my juice. Neela, thankfully, didn’t hear.
“Thanks, Dan, I’d be happy to game this evening,” I said.
“But what about girls’ night?” Neela asked, her expression falling.
I hesitated, not sure if I really wanted to say the words that were on the tip of my tongue, then opened my mouth and let them out. “I wasn’t aware I was invited.”
“Of course you are.” Neela forced a laugh. “Why wouldn’t you be?”
Dan looked up from his burger and said in an even voice, “Probably because of how you’ve been treating her since last spring.” He took a bite of his burger, chewed, and swallowed.
Neela stared at him, eyes wide with shock.
I was in shock, too. Had he just defended me? Unsure what to say, I looked down at my pasta. His words from the day we’d met echoed in my mind. Outsiders should stick together, right? No one had stuck up for me like that before. Emotions twisted together and my left hand drummed on my leg, expelling nervous energy. Halle’s words were in my mind as well, warning me that I might not be able to trust what I was seeing. But why would an AI program a cyborg to act this way, anyway? I was more certain than ever that Halle was wrong, and I was right.
“He has a point, Neela,” Annabeth said, setting down her burger. “I thought we talked about this.”
Neela’s jaw dropped. “What—”
“We did,” Mel agreed, looking up from her bowl of soup. “You promised us you’d stop treating her like that, but you keep doing it. It isn’t Viki’s fault what happened.”
Emotions flickered across Neela’s face—frustration, anger, sadness. “I thought you two were my friends.” She jerked to her feet and yanked her tray off the table.
“We are your friends,” Annabeth said in an even tone. “But we’re also Viki’s friends, and we’re tired of the way you’ve been acting around her and us. When are you going to grow up?”
Without responding, Neela turned on her heel, tossing her hair over one shoulder as she stalked away. She all but bristled with anger.
I looked from Annabeth to Mel and back, at a loss for words.
Annabeth reached across the table and grasped my hand. “Don’t let her get to you, Viki.”
“You didn’t have to…”
“Yes, we did.” Mel set down her spoon with a clack. “You were right. Friends don’t treat friends like that.” She smiled at Dan. “It was sweet of you to stand up for Viki.”
“Someone needed to do it, and Viki’s too nice to.”
I laughed. “More that I’ve stopped caring at this point. I told her on the bus this morning that I was done.”
“Good for you.” Annabeth dunked a fry into a pool of ketchup. “I’m guessing girls’ night will be cancelled, but if you want to hang out with us, you’re welcome to.”
It was tempting, but I needed to be there for Halle in case something happened. I shook my head. “Tonight’s not a good time.”
Dan stood, gathering his tray. “I need to talk to the teacher before class, so I’ll see you all later. Have a good afternoon.”
I nodded. “See you, Dan. And thanks.”
“Anytime.” He walked away, looking completely natural. Acting completely natural. If I couldn’t still feel the impression of his implants on my arms, I would have believed he was just a normal guy. But if there was something wrong, then I needed to figure it out before someone got hurt.
Sighing, I picked at my pasta.
“Here.” Annabeth tossed a ketchup packet at me. “You might like it better with this.”
“Not today,” I said, pushing my tray back. “I think I’m going to head to class.”
“See you in P.E., then.”
“Have a good day,” Mel added. “Let’s plan to hang out soon, okay?”
I smiled. “Sounds good.”
After disposing of my tray, I headed to my locker to grab my clothes before P.E. My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I dug it out, wondering if it would be a message from Mom or Dad, seeing how my day was going.
It was a text from Halle. Still no sign of parents. His phone has no messages from them, either.
The hope that had been rising in my chest shrunk into a tiny ball that buried itself in my stomach. I leaned against my locker and closed my eyes. So. He was either lying about having things to do, had spoken to his parents verbally outside his house, or he was somehow a cyborg controlled by a rogue AI possibly bent on destruction.
I didn’t want to deal with this. Who decided that it was going to be my lot in life to deal with secret missions, and danger, and lies? I hated it. First the truth about my adoption, then my biological parents seeing me as a specimen they had to save in order to perform more experiments, and now this. I just wanted a normal life. That’s all I ever wanted.
Another vibration of my phone. I forced myself to summon the energy to check the message. Another from Halle.
Are you all right?
“No,” I whispered, even as my fingers tapped away at a reply. Yes, don’t worry. I need to get to class. Talk to you tonight? We could play Realmshards.
You need to do your homework first. You have things due on Friday.
I groaned. When on a mission to save the world, why did things like homework have to exist? Shouldn’t I get an exemption from the universe to avoid homework? Fine. I will do it when I get home. Stuffing my phone in my pocket, I opened my locker, grabbed the things I needed, and headed for class. Time to bury my troubles in taking notes for a while.
I tried to ignore the fact that most of my doodles were of the same face, over and over.
***
My fingers pounded on the computer’s keyboard a little harder than necessary as I worked on the essay due next week. I’d already completed the chemistry homework and some math problems, but I wanted to get an outline done before I lost my train of thought for the paper. Pausing in the middle of a bullet-point list, I glanced at the small black cat sitting in the corner of my screen. “So it’s pretty much a solid fact, then.”
“Yes.” The black cat’s ears flattened. “I am sorry, Viki, but it does appear that he is lying about his parents, which means he is probably lying about everything else, including his own identity.”
I deleted a bullet point and replaced it with a better one, then switched a couple around. Organizing essays wasn’t easy, and I half-wished I could just ask Halle to do it for me. My friend enjoyed helping me with my homework, but I’d promised myself that I wouldn’t rely on Halle this year to get good grades, even if it was a lot better at writing essays.
A knock on my door made me jump.
“Come in,” I called.
The door opened, and Mom poked her head in. “I just wanted to let you know tha
t dinner is going to be ready soon.”
“Awesome, thanks. I’ll be right down.”
She continued to hover in my doorway. “How was your date last night?”
My face reddened. “Mom! It’s not like that. We just hung out and gamed.”
Her slim fingers tucked a few stray blond curls behind one ear. “Well, next time you decide to go over to someone’s house, your father and I would like to meet that person beforehand, okay?”
“I won’t go over again until you meet him,” I promised with complete sincerity. I have to figure out the truth about him first. Was he a regular guy, or a cyborg hiding in plain sight? I gave Mom a weak smile. “Maybe we could have him over for dinner some night.”
Mom nodded. “Just let me know when.”
It wouldn’t be until I knew for certain if he was human or not. I sighed and looked at my computer screen. “I’ll be down for dinner. Just need to do a little more on this essay.”
“All right.” Mom took the hint and left, closing my door behind her.
I added a few more notes, then pushed myself away from the desk. “You joining us for dinner, Halle?” My friend couldn’t eat, but sometimes it joined in the conversations.
“Hm? No, not today.” Halle sounded distracted, which was unusual. It must be working on something major. I headed downstairs without further comment, not wanting to disturb its work. Maybe it had a new lead on Talbot.
Dinner was spaghetti and meatballs, with a huge salad and garlic bread as sides, and chocolate cake for dessert. I stared at the spread as I took a seat.
“When did you get home?” I asked.
Mom and Dad shared a smile.
“The new nurse started today, so my shifts have been rearranged,” Mom said. “I’m still helping cover for Sharon—she’s on maternity leave—but I’ll be able to come home to make dinner most evenings now. That’ll save Halle the trouble.” Her smile slipped briefly. “Plus, I miss cooking for the family.”
Dad tapped his glass with his knife. “I have an exciting announcement as well! Our project’s in the final stages, so starting next Monday, I’ll be back to my regular schedule. You’d better brush up on chess, Victory, or I’m going to have to start using Defeat for your nickname instead.”
I wrinkled my nose at him and took a bite of spaghetti. “That’s awesome! Congratulations.” It would be wonderful to have dinner with them again. Just like old times. If only I didn’t need to worry about Talbot and Dan.
“Is everything okay?” Mom’s expression filled with concern. “You look upset, Viki. Did something happen at school?”
I took a sip of orange juice to dampen my dry mouth. “It’s fine.”
Mom and Dad shared a look.
“Is this about that boy?” Dad asked.
“No!” I set my juice down with a little more force than necessary. It sloshed, almost spilling onto the white tablecloth. “Dan hasn’t done anything.” It wasn’t just them I was speaking to, but Halle, if it was listening to us. My parents’ startled looks made me scramble for a believable explanation. I looked down at my plate and heaved a sigh. “Remember how Neela wouldn’t see me over the summer? And you thought she might just need some time to cool off?”
“Oh, sweetheart.” Mom reached across the table to squeeze my hand. “You two still haven’t made up?”
I shook my head. “It’s not going to happen. She’s made it clear that she doesn’t want anything to do with me.”
In unison, my parents got up and came around the table, wrapping me in wordless hugs of comfort. I closed my eyes and hugged them back, startled by the sting of tears and the ache in my chest. If I don’t care that we’re not friends anymore, why does it hurt so much?
“I’m so sorry.” Mom stroked my hair. “Maybe we can do something this weekend. Go to the beach or a movie. You could invite Dan along.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to tell them the truth, about Agent Smith and Talbot and Dan, but I couldn’t cause them any more worry. They’d already done so much, taking time off during the spring so they could be home with me, convincing the school to let me skip the rest of that semester, staying in constant contact even after they returned to work. Even if they couldn’t always be around, they made sure I knew I was loved and valued. Just like they were doing now.
Sniffing, I reached up to wipe my eyes. “That sounds fun.”
“Let’s see if we can make Saturday work, then.”
We settled back around the table, and I did my best to answer their questions about my classes, Dan, and how Annabeth and Mel were doing. It was hard to keep a cheerful front while my heart lay heavy in my chest. I hated keeping secrets from my parents, but I also didn’t want to put them in danger.
***
After helping clean up the dinner dishes, I headed upstairs.
Halle was pacing around my computer screen, black tail lashing back and forth.
“What’s wrong?” I sat down and drew my knees up to my chest. “Did you hear from Talbot?”
“No. Agent Smith contacted me to say he had nothing new to report. Not that I am surprised. He can do little to assist with the mission.” Halle’s ears flattened. “Also, his son took a turn for the worse last night. He has slipped into a coma.”
I might not like the man, but I had nothing against his son. I remembered the brief glimpse of a small face and a frail body when Agent Smith left my home the last time in March. Poor kid. My shoulders slumped. “Is he going to be okay?”
“I do not know. I am trying to determine a way to help. So far, I have been unable to do so. With your augments, I had the necessary data to formulate a proper cure, but they don’t actually know what causes his disease, except that it might be genetic. The medication he is on was discovered by accident and only treats some of the symptoms.” Halle’s tail continued to sweep back and forth. “There must be something I can do.”
“You’re a good person, Halle.” I rubbed my eyes. “I wish I could help. I feel so useless.”
“You will need to keep an eye on Dan at school.”
My friend’s tone sent my hopes plunging toward my sneakers. “Did you confirm he’s a cyborg, then?”
“I cannot be sure, but except for records, his parents do not exist. There are no video recordings of them and few pictures. I am certain that if you were to actually open the boxes in that house of his, you would find them to be either empty or containing things that belong to an entirely different family, such as the one that was supposed to move into that house a week ago but did not because they were told it was infested with straw itch mites.”
“What?” I sat down heavily on the bed. “So Dan shouldn’t be living there.”
“The reports of the insects seem to be falsified as well. And well-hidden; I almost did not find them. Nothing adds up, though; he seems to be a normal teenager in all other aspects. I do not understand how that is possible.”
“That could be programmed,” I pointed out. “You could act like that if you wanted, couldn’t you? I mean, you talk the way you do because you choose to, right?”
Halle’s ears flicked. “There is nothing wrong with the manner in which I speak. The use of contractions by humans is a sign of their inherent need to shorten things so that it takes less time to do things. But I am an AI; I do not need to worry about wasting time when I have plenty of time to do things.”
I laughed but didn’t argue. “So, it’s possible?”
“I might manage it with a week of preparation and the knowledge of how a human acts. I would also need to know how to handle the cyborg, although that would not be difficult. The lab would have records accessible from inside the laboratory.”
“Were you able to gain access to anything while we were there?” I couldn’t recall Halle mentioning that, but perhaps it hadn’t thought to.
“No, unfortunately I was not able to do so. I did not want to risk my presence being detected.”
My friend had probably been terrified the entire time we we
re there. I didn’t blame it, not one bit. Given what they had done to Talbot, I had a better understanding of the horrors Halle had escaped. It hadn’t harmed anyone, though. And as much as Halle wanted to believe Talbot was telling the truth, I couldn’t help but wonder if the other AI might have been lying.
“Why would Talbot need a teenage cyborg in a school? It doesn’t make sense.”
“We do not know that Talbot stole the cyborgs,” Halle reminded me. “I have no idea why anyone would want to infiltrate the school in such a manner, though it could be considered suspicious that he befriended you so quickly.”
I flinched. That wasn’t something I wanted to contemplate. Halle continued to pace. How could I cheer it up? “Would you like to play Realmshards later? I thought maybe just you and I could play tonight.”
“Perhaps. Is Dan busy?”
“I’m not sure, but it doesn’t matter. Realmshards is our game.” We’d been playing for as long as we’d known each other—as much as I liked Dan, he would never replace Halle.
There was a faint lifting of the cat’s ears, only the slightest of movements, but it made me feel a little happier about the current situation. Halle had a lot of things to worry about right now, but our friendship shouldn’t be one of them.
Or my homework, for that matter. I drummed my fingers on the desk, then called up the essay I’d been working on before dinner. Time to work on my introduction for an essay dealing with the Non-Human Rights Law. My argument was that sentient non-humans, specifically artificial intelligences, should be given the same rights as humans, rather than reduced rights as the law currently allowed. I had told Halle earlier it couldn’t offer feedback until I was done writing the first draft, but I was excited to see what it thought.
Chapter Twelve
It was time. Halle hadn’t told Viki what it was planning; she might argue against it, but there were very few ways this plan could go wrong. Even if its assumptions turned out to be wrong, it was not risking much in investigating Dan.
Upgrade (Augmented Duology Book 2) Page 14