He felt the fire extinguisher swing through the air. He missed, he figured. The ball would be in the intruder’s court if that were the case. He had very little doubt that their next move wouldn’t miss, especially if they were an IW.
The extinguisher’s movement came to a sudden stop. It hit something solid, something meaty. A thudding sound followed up seconds later. When he opened his eyes, he saw the intruder lying face-first on the floor. The man was dressed in black, had a pistol in one hand, phone in the other, and a trickle of red leaking from the side of his head. Ray hit him good.
Standing over the body of the intruder, Ray took notice of his chest. It was still moving, and he was certain he heard something that sounded like a groan of pain. The intruder could be a threat when he came to, and he realized the weak hacker-turned-journalist got the jump on the man, who was clearly some black op operative.
Ray grabbed the fire extinguisher tightly and imagined the intruder’s head was a nail, and the fire extinguisher was a hammer. Two deep breaths and three blunt strikes to the intruder’s head silenced his groaning. He wanted to leave after that, as he felt his stomach do something he’d rather it not do.
But what if he gets up after that? Or worse, is faking it?
The fire extinguisher came down on the intruder’s head, and then again, and again. Fear made you do stupid things, with the promise that if you listened to its instructions, you’d live to see tomorrow. And that’s all that Ray wanted; a guarantee he’d walk out alive. Fear told him if he continued hammering the intruder’s head, he’d be able to do that. So, even when blood started to splash and spray-up, covering Ray, the walls, and ceiling, he kept on smashing. When the intruder’s skull was caved in, forcing out all sorts of red and pink gore onto the floor, Ray’s fear told him he was safe to leave.
The intruder wasn’t breathing. He killed him. Dead threats can’t hurt you.
He dropped the fire extinguisher. The impact cracked a ceramic tile. Ray killed a man. He was a murderer now.
But it was in self-defense. Though, he had doubts that would hold up in court. He could argue the first strike as self-defense, everything after that was questionable.
You’re a murderer.
But he was going to kill him.
With what proof?
Ray fell to his knees. The trembling in his body wouldn’t stop.
You’re a murderer.
His eyes remained locked on the body, convinced it would get up and look for revenge. When it didn’t, he was convinced the police would haul him away in cuffs and charge him with murder. And with those IWs on the loose, what would stop them from attacking the jail cell he’d end up in?
The intruder’s phone had partially slipped out from his hands after the bludgeoning. Ray scooped it up, flicking through its recent activity logs. He found a series of back-and-forth text messages. He read them.
You: We tracked where the second hacker is staying.
Nobuo: Excellent.
You: And get this, it's fucking Partington.
Nobuo: Really?
You: Yeah, so two birds with one stone here. Witnesses gone and we get Arianna's package. We can call off the hunt for her after I'm done with him.
Nobuo: Good, we’re stretched thin as it with the search for the Bald Skulls.
Nobuo, who was he? Someone of importance he figured, after taking a double look at the messages. There were more messages, but he dropped the phone, kicking it away. Further usage would only leave behind more digital evidence that it was in use, and the mention of a ‘second’ hacker had him worried. Jax had given Ray access to his botnet which he used to hack the morgue’s cameras, and then tell the world what he saw. Nobuo, and whoever it was he was working with knew he was involved.
Ray had to escape, and it had to be now.
Changing his clothes was a hard task. His hands never stopped shaking, not even after he washed the murder blood down the drain. His shirt went on backward at first. It took him two minutes to get it on correctly. Getting his pants on took longer.
You’re a murderer.
Only his phone, tablet, memory sphere, and engagement ring went with him when left the suite. It was debatable if that was wise given the gear the intruder left behind, like his pistol, which would have been nice to have for protection, but walking around with Federation black ops gear was a good way to draw attention to you, especially if there were tracking devices on them.
Cold wind bit at his cheeks as he walked away from the hotel hastily. He was alone now, just the weather, flickering neon, and the odd pedestrian on the surrounding streets, and none of them knew of the new murderer that was secretly on the run. And why? Because he witnessed the airport attack, and then later the hit on the morgue.
Ray reached for his phone, his hands ignoring the numbing winds biting at them as the transparent object flashed to life with a dial pad. He called Jax, and he replied quickly.
“Where are you?” Ray asked, relieved to see Jax’s face on the phone’s screen.
“Play, Pause, Rewind joint—” Static cut off his next words.
“What the fuck are you doing there?” No reply, the static continued. Someone was interfering with the call. Ray asked again.
“You asked me—” Static.
“Say that again? You’re breaking up.”
Static. “… meet you here …”
“I didn’t.”
An error message blinked a connection lost sign. Re-dialing Jax’s number yielded other error messages and dinging noises he’d rather not see or hear.
Ray wasn’t in contact with him after the morgue went up in smoke. It proved his previous suspicions right. Jax was a target that wasn’t allowed to contact anyone. He wasn’t sure what to do. Leave Jax and go into hiding? Going for Jax meant returning to Pause, Play, Rewind, now that he had no other means of reaching Jax.
Stay or take off, both options carried an uncertain future for Ray and Jax. Ray chose to find Jax. Get in and get Jax out without forcing any hands prematurely.
He hoped he made the right choice.
Thirty-One
Estrella
The Witch’s Brew bar Robbie ran was bustling with life, significantly more than the last time Estrella remembered. What was once a straightforward bar out in the middle of Los Angeles IW district quickly became a crowded dance floor. Piper was dressed for the night, sporting a black faux leather skirt, matching strapless crop top, and transparent heeled boots. Estrella wished she could say the same, but she was never one to participate heavily in nightlife and lacked the attire. A simple black skater dress had to make do.
Piper flashed her wallet when she got to the bar, alerting Robbie to her siren-like appearance. The first and second round of drinks was on her, tequila shots. Piper mumbled something to her. The booming luststep music blasting from the speakers covered in strobe lights rendered her words mute. Estrella had to sit closer which was fine by her. The newly nano printed ring on her finger required Estrella to make physical contact with Piper, long enough to inject her with the nanites.
Piper smiled intoxicatingly at Estrella as she neared. She paid no mind to Estrella’s touch with her hand equipped with the nanite ring.
“I said, you wanna dance?!” Piper repeated now that Estrella was in hearing range.
“Well—”
“That’s a yes!”
Piper stood from the barstool pulling on Estrella’s arm. She dragged her to the middle of the lively dance floor, past the waving arms of IWs and their alcohol-powered dance moves. Estrella released an internal sigh. Dancing wasn’t on the menu; extracting Piper’s secrets was. She played along, she had to. The two were drinking and now dancing. Estrella needed to keep up the happy emotions and hide the malicious act brewing on her finger.
Great, we’re wasting time.
Actually, Estrella, this may be the perfect chance to remain in physical contact with her.
By dancing?
The ring must come in contact with Piper
for a prolonged period of time. Consider using a stance that forces you to hold her.
How long? Because I held her with the ring already, but it didn’t activate.
I need the ring to be in contact for a minimum of five seconds to release the nanites and bypass her AI.
Dancing next to a friend was one thing, having a dance partner that’d you hold on to for over five seconds, was awkward. Estrella had to wait for the liquid courage to take hold and throw that awkwardness in the trash. Piper swayed hips and hands in sync with the music, her skin turning to a myriad colors from the light show of the dance floor. It forced Estrella to pause, gazing deeply at Piper’s hips in the black leather skirt. She grinned. Piper’s exposed midriff would be the perfect place for her palms to touch, according to a quick optical scan.
When Piper’s back was to Estrella, she made her move. She held Piper from behind and felt her fingers press into the flesh of her exposed waist, syncing her body’s movement with Piper’s. Estrella’s head was overloading. Never had she danced this close to someone. She could smell the scent of Piper’s lavender fragrance, feel the heat of her body, and had the movement of Piper’s ass shaking against Estrella’s front. Estrella’s face turned red, and it wasn’t because of the booze.
Establishing a connection, Geoffrey reported, and it made dancing and close grinding with Piper hard.
You’re supposed to enjoy the company of a dance partner, not wonder if the nanites you were secretly injecting them with would make it in undetected. Estrella’s hands trembled.
Connection lost. She was panicking.
Geoffrey, what happened?
You must keep the ring still. Please try again.
She tried to steady her grips, keeping them still as she continued holding onto Piper’s dancing body. When she did, Geoffrey updated her status, the five-second countdown to breach Piper begun. It made it as far as three seconds.
Connection lost.
Piper enjoyed having Estrella hold her from behind. She lowered her hands resting over top of Estrella’s, grabbing hold of them. Synthetic hand held synthetic hand, fleshy hand held the other. Piper twirled, holding onto Estrella’s hands. She wanted to dance face to face, the emerald glow of her eyes met Estrella’s. Estrella was experiencing life on the dance floor with a partner for the first time, with a woman who was a decade and a half older than her.
Estrella’s screen continued to flash connection established and disconnected messages for the next fifteen minutes. It made her wonder if Piper knew what she was trying to pull. Piper’s moves were fast and were strangely erotic, yet pleasant. She was a wild, moving, feisty woman, drawing a variety of ogles as the dancing went on. Estrella felt the tips of Piper’s fingers stroke her hip pressing the fabric of her dress against it. She didn’t want her to stop. So, Piper didn’t and lowered her hand fondle to Estrella’s thigh. The sensation increased the rate of her heartbeat. Estrella had to shake it off. She had a mission to finish and was failing to get it done.
Two minutes and a lot of jealous glares came and went. Piper was yearning for another drink and a break. Estrella was glad to hear it; an idle Piper would be easier to touch and hold. The two left the dance floor, navigating past the mass of dancing strobe light flashing bodies. Piper took a seat at the bar, and this time, Estrella pulled a seat close to her. Close enough for their shoulders to brush. It made a smile grow on Piper’s flushed face.
Estrella braced herself, this was it. The window of opportunity would open soon. She would get this right. Just reach over and hold Piper’s arm or hand when the time was appropriate, without it looking awkward or suspect. Inject the nanites, then come up with a new plan if her AI detects the intrusion and reports the source—her—to Piper. She’d have to deal with that later.
Piper turned away from the bar, facing Estrella. Her face had shifted from pink to purple with the lights. “You look exhausted, Estrella.”
“Yeah, I think—” I overdid it on the dance floor, is what Estrella wanted to say.
“I need another drink?” Piper put words into Estrella’s mouth.
Estrella shrugged. Her thoughts pondering how to spin this into getting the scan done, the reason she showed up in the first place. “Well—”
“Robbie!” Piper’s intoxicated voice was loud, making Robbie jerk his head away from a patron sitting at the bar. He looked over, smiling at Piper and Estrella. “More drinks for the two of us!”
“Eh …” Estrella mumbled, not that either of them heard her over the music.
A smile and a lean forward by Piper, her chin was practically resting on Estrella’s shoulder. “This one’s on me too, love.”
Another drink might not hurt. Geoffrey suggested. It will make Piper more intoxicated. I’ve already detected a 4 percent drop in her reaction and movement speed.
“Fine,” Estrella said with a beaming smile.
“Another tequila shot?” Robbie offered.
Piper faced him nodding. “Please.”
He faced her back, glanced at Estrella, then back at Piper. Robbie’s eyebrow lifted with fascination. “Piper, darling, you sure you can handle this one?” Roaring laughter came next from them both.
“Please,” Piper said after the laugh, waving a tipsy index finger at Robbie. “I can do this all night, until six in the morning—”
“Sex in the morning?” Estrella cut in, unsure of if the music made her misunderstand Piper’s words, or the booze.
Piper repeated, her gaze shifting back to Estrella. “Six!”
“I heard sex …” Snickered Estrella.
“You making fun of my kiwi accent?”
“Oh no, it’s just.”
“Six!”
“Sex.”
“Six, six, six.”
“What’s this about sex?” Robbie said, having returned with the two lime wedge tequila shots in hand. He offered one to Piper and the other to Estrella.
Piper rolled her eyes. “Oh, my fucking god.”
“Oh, someone’s blushing!” There was silence as the two knocked back the shots. “You might be in over your head there, Estrella.”
Two empty shot glasses hit the bar in sync. Estrella’s courage was replenished. “I’m good.”
“Piper’s a cougar,” Robbie said. “She likes the younger girls—”
“Robbie!” Piper winced.
He giggled in response, pointing a finger at Piper, then Estrella. “Oh wait.” Robbie looked confused. “You two ain’t?”
“Just hanging out, man,” a defensive-sounding Piper muttered.
“Oh, I’m sorry, didn’t mean to—” Embarrassment hit Robbie. He backed away from the two slowly, his hands out delivering a nonverbal apology. “Ah, shit, I’ll just mosey myself out of this talk.”
Estrella watched Piper’s legs as they moved to cross. Piper leaned closer to Robbie. “What made you think I was here to seduce Estrella?”
“The way you two were dancing? And the talk about sex—”
“Six!”
Robbie copied Piper’s kiwi accent. “Sex!” He laughed. “Right, moving on!” And backed away, this time for real.
Piper was gazing at Estrella now as Robbie left the two alone at the bar. “Don’t mind him.”
“He’s cool for an IW.” Estrella said, making Piper wince again. She wondered why. “I’m surprised none of the IWs here had me lynched since I arrived, given the reception I got. It’s fucking breathtaking.”
“You’re breathtaking.”
Intoxicated giggles were exchanged. Piper was drunk, and so was Estrella. She was right where she needed her.
Piper gestured to the exit. “I think I’m gonna head out.”
“So soon?”
“Yeah, not much going on here.”
Estrella had to change her mind. She couldn’t let Piper walk out with all her secrets. She had to come up with something, anything, that’ll keep Piper’s interest locked onto her.
“I was just getting to know you better, Piper.” It was
the first thing that came to Estrella’s head. The tequila shots were working.
Piper ran her index fingertip around the rim of her empty shot glass. Estrella piqued her interests. Piper’s emerald eyes opening wide as her smile sent the message that she wanted something more.
“Oh?” Piper purred. A soft smile accompanied it.
What am I doing? Estrella thought as an enticing gaze from Piper remained locked on her figure. She saw Piper’s eyes stare and gave Estrella a top to bottom gawk. Piper paused for three seconds when her gaze halted around Estrella’s cleavage.
Pipers eyes found Estrella’s eyes again. “What about me has you so interested?” Piper asked.
“Oh, well, uh—”
Piper’s flirty hand stroked the flesh of Estrella’s real arm. Estrella flushed. The tips of her fingers leisurely inched toward her hand with the ring. This was it. A chance to nanite scan her, and they were still at the bar. She wasn’t sure what to do. Take the shot? Or let Piper take her home with her. There’d definitely be more opportunities to touch and hold her then.
Her stroke of Estrella’s arm stopped at the wrist. “Don’t tell me,” Piper said. She bit her lip before continuing. “Come back to my place, and then you can ask me anything.” Her face was closer, the tone of her voice changed to a whisper. “Or do anything.”
Estrella was holding Piper’s hand, and she had no memory of how that happened. Piper didn’t let go. The grin Piper had on her face suggested she was enjoying the small embrace too much to do otherwise. The ring came in contact with Piper’s flesh again, and the countdown resumed, its numbers working from five to zero. The booze killed all nervous twitching in her hands. Estrella was calm, and relaxed.
Attempting to gain access, Estrella. Please standby and keep the ring still.
Two pairs of emerald synthetic eyes remained fixed on each other. Estrella wasn’t sure what was going through Piper’s head, but Estrella’s gaze at her was to scan for any sudden changes in her facial expression. A crawl of text and numbers covered the upper left corner of her vision. Geoffrey gained access to Piper’s cyberware, and the data was coming through.
Cyber Witch Page 24