by Sofia Grey
“Come on, you should know this like the back of your hand,” Donny said.
Was it my name first? Or the vault name? Or a passkey? I closed my eyes and tried to visualize how it looked. How it should look.
Nothing.
I pushed at the black hole in my memory, and winced at how painful it was. Beads of sweat broke out across my forehead. What was the fucking access protocol?
I know how to make it work.
What had I been thinking of?
“Get a move on, or there’s going to be more screaming.”
I scowled at Donny. “If I fuck this up just once, I’ll be locked out of the system.” I spoke through gritted teeth.
“Well you’d better get it right.”
Think, Scott. The wetware protocols were based on the simple premise of linking up the human brain to others in a bio-neural network. Information could be shared at the speed of light. Instructions sent and received as a single thought. I’d struggled with the response times, but had cracked that problem some time ago.
I swiped at my forehead. Think. Squeezing my eyes tight shut, I tried to blank out my thoughts. One name emerged from the darkness. Dorothy.
I wouldn’t have used her name; that would be too easy for anyone to hack. Likewise, her birth date, registration number, or any of the other publicly stored information.
“I said hurry. Who d’you want me to hurt next? I’m easy on that score.”
Hurt. I’d hurt Dorothy. The black curtain lifted to show me a crowded room, family, friends and strangers, all dressed up and elegant. I’d sunk to my knees, a ring in my hand, and proposed to Dorothy. I caught a glimpse of her face, her smile quickly turning to a grimace of horror.
“I’m sorry.” She’d backed away, one hand over her mouth, as she tripped over her own feet in her haste to put some distance between us. “I can’t. I’m so sorry.” She’d stumbled, and then recovered. The band had faltered in their song, and silence had fallen over the entire room. As I knelt there, dying a thousand public deaths, she’d turned and fled, taking the remnants of my heart with her.
The band. They’d been playing her favorite song. One by Lionheart. Something about Paris?
I flexed my fingers, and typed:
10DaysInParis
Chapter Eight
The flashing cursor blinked once, twice, and then cleared. I held my breath.
Welcome SCrowe
A list of options scrolled down the screen. I exhaled in a rush, the force making me dizzy for a second.
“Yes!” Donny leaned over my shoulder, the gun within grabbing distance. Almost.
My reactions were too slow at the moment, and I knew I couldn’t do it without making the situation a hundred times more dangerous. I bit down on my frustration. When I made my move, like with the login, it’d be a one-shot deal.
“Is it in the Projects area?” He gestured at the screen with his phone.
I wasn’t telling him I didn’t have the faintest idea. Instead, I fixed a calm mask on my fears, and leaned back a fraction. “It’s your turn to give me something. A measure of good faith, if you like.”
“Like what?” He sounded amused.
“Let the women go. Adele and the cleaner.” I flexed my fingers as though getting ready to type. “I’ll give you what you’re after, but I want them out of here.” I sucked in a harsh breath. “And then give me the collar. I’ll wear it.”
“The women are my insurance.” Donny stepped back. “Get me into the wetware vault and then I’ll let them go. Not before.”
I glanced at the cleaner. She lay unmoving on the floor. She ought to be waking by now, unless he’d done some serious damage. Fear coiled in my gut. I’d make this bastard pay.
Praying I could do this without having to think, I scanned the folder list, and selected Projects. Typing at high speed, I let my fingers move in the pattern that came naturally to them and entered a six-digit code. I then selected another folder, typed another code, and finally came to a series of vaults.
“These are the links.” I sagged, nausea rising in my throat. “Everything I have, it’s here.” Years of work. Hundreds of test cases. Information that, used correctly, could give one man control of a private army. The military had funded most of this work. The CyGes corporation would not be happy.
Donny stared at the data links, a greedy smile spreading on his face.
“Free the women,” I said. “That was the deal.”
“What? Oh, yeah.” He scanned the room, his eyes narrowed. “Get your ass over there.” He jerked his chin at the far wall.
For fuck’s sake! I dragged myself across the room and dropped to the tiled floor, just as he snapped a restraint around my wrist, and fastened the other end to the leg of the bench.
Adele lifted her head to meet my stare. She no longer looked frightened, or even distressed. A grin was spreading across her face. “Nice one, Donny. Let me up.”
“Yep.” He leaned over, unclipped her restraint, and then pulled her into his arms. “We did it, babe. You were right.”
I wanted to beat my head against the wall. How stupid was I? I’d thought Adele had been the brains here, and I’d been right. It had all been an act, and I’d believed it. I swallowed my humiliation. “The collar?”
“Fake.” Adele tugged it off, and I saw the metal catches on the back were just for show. They would have scraped the surface of her skin, but nothing more. She was an accomplished actress.
“Are you going to let the cleaner go?” It was a struggle, but I kept my voice hard, squashing down my anxiety.
“Let me see.” Adele assumed a thoughtful pose, tapping her lips with one finger. “No.”
“You can’t hold us here forever. The morning staff will be arriving in a few hours.”
“A lot can happen in that time.” She turned back to Donny, and together, they started downloading my work onto the data sticks Donny produced from under his hoodie.
If they stole everything in that vault, they’d be here for another half hour at least. Was there anything I could do to stop them? They were engrossed in their work. I shifted position and slid to the length of my restraint. I could just reach the fallen woman.
“Hey,” I whispered. “Can you hear me?” I stroked one finger down her cheek and marveled at how soft her skin felt.
I longed to hold her close, to nestle her in my arms, but I couldn’t get near enough.
“Donny, she needs medical attention. Let her go.”
He ignored me, intent on the screen in front of him. What could I do? Frustration swamped me, and I rammed my fists into my thumping temples again. I was fucking useless like this. Or was I?
The security protocols I’d created were watertight. I’d built in redundant systems to mitigate against this very risk. But how did they operate?
The wetware protocols.
I know how to make it work.
That was it. They didn’t work yet. There’d been a massive flaw in the neural interface—one that had taken me months to isolate, and even longer to work out how to bypass, only to realize it would take me years to make it functional. I needed to grow the cells that would have the protocols embedded, and that process could not be hurried. It took humanity one terrifying step closer to full artificial intelligence, and I’d been unsure about taking that step. So unhappy, I’d been ready to close down the project.
I’d been on my way to see someone. Dorothy? A jagged memory lurked just out of reach, and I tried to focus on it, only to have it melt away again.
Even thinking hurt, and I blinked, trying to clear my vision of the black spots that loomed before me.
I forced myself to look at the digital clock on the wall. The numbers blurred and danced, before steadying for a moment. Donny and Adele had been busy copying data for ten minutes. Allowing for a margin of error, I had around fifteen minutes to come up with a plan. One thing was for sure. They’d never let us walk out of here when they finished.
Chapter Nine
/> A noise caught my attention, and I looked at the woman on the floor. Her eyelids fluttered again, before her gaze locked on to me. Did she look frightened? Relieved? She opened her mouth to speak, but I shook my head and mouthed no. They might ignore her, if they thought she was still unconscious.
Her eyebrows tugged together in a frown, and then understanding flooded her eyes. Quietly and slowly, she moved her right hand across the floor to me, to tangle her fingers with mine. It seemed like the most natural thing in the world. Her trust in me was absolute.
I wouldn’t let her down.
Who are you? And why are you so important to me? I skated my thumb over her hand, and the corners of her lips tugged up, but it looked strained. Her eyes drifted closed again, and my heart clenched. She needed a doctor. Christ, I probably needed one myself. My vision was blurring around the edges.
I hated being out of control. I hated being helpless. I slammed the brakes on my pity party, and backtracked. Control.
I’d built control tags into the security infrastructure. I fought to keep the grin from my face, and ducked my head while my brain whirred furiously, more jigsaw pieces slotting into place. It was a simple construct, and one I’d used across all my systems. Every folder in the vault included a hidden control file, a switch that ran in two positions. If the control tags weren’t set to the right position, the files would be useless. Donny and Adele could take the entire contents of the vault, but the minute they tried to open the files, they would auto-corrupt. Not only did my system protect the most valuable data, it also raised red flags for the network team. They would know the system had been compromised. They’d be on their way with a security team.
We’ll get you out of here soon, I silently promised the young woman who clung to my hand. Her fingers were cold. My right hand was tethered to the bench leg, and I couldn’t get any closer. Another cascade of images smashed into my head, dizzying in their intensity.
“My hands are always cold.” She’d laughed softly when I held them against my chest, rubbing her fingers to warm them up. “I’ll never get used to the chill in Emerald City.”
“Bet I can warm you up,” I said.
“Are you offering?”
“Nope. I’m promising.”
The echo of her voice seared into my brain, and I gazed at the woman lying on the floor. You? Jagged memories shifted and rearranged themselves, and I saw her properly.
I’d made the breakthrough at work, and needed to share it with someone. Forgetting the time, oblivious to the early hour, I’d gone to her apartment and caught her as she stepped out of the shower. The scent of her skin had been intoxicating. I’d wanted to lick her all over.
As I stood there, watching her make coffee for me, I knew I was about to cross a line. She was my assistant. My closest aide. The woman I wanted more than anything. If I touched her, let her see how she affected me, it would jeopardize our working relationship. Even as I sorted through the arguments in my head, tallying up the pros and cons, I knew I’d ignore the logical outcome.
It was like she was a magnet, and I was made of cheap metal. I could no more keep my distance, than I could un-invent the internet.
I’d closed my hands around her slender hips and buried my nose in the crook of her neck. Orange spice filled my senses and I’d realized how hungry I was for her. “If you don’t want this, for God’s sake, tell me now.” My voice had been rough. For the first time in my life, I surfed the knife-edge of control.
I blinked, and the images faded. “It’s you,” I whispered, staring at her in wonder. I don’t know your name. Why was she here? Posing as a cleaner? Touching her—remembering her—was rebooting my brain, firing up my synapses, and resetting all my thought processes.
Losing her wasn’t an option. I took a rapid breath, pushed past the pain, and looked at the clock.
Ten minutes left.
A security team would be on their way, but whether or not they’d be here before the data had finished downloading was a gamble I couldn’t take. There was only one feasible course of action open to me. To play for time.
Chapter Ten
I remembered Adele now. She’d spent a summer internship in my lab, a year ago. She’d have been there for the last major wetware trial. Was that when she got the idea of stealing the protocols? Or had she infiltrated my rigorous background checks with that aim?
Either way, she had to have a buyer in mind. She wasn’t smart enough, and didn’t have the resources available to pick up the research and close the final loops. Donny was the hired muscle. That was obvious.
I sifted through possibilities and discounted options, my brain crunching through data, as I concentrated.
Donny had held her, called her babe. That was the only weakness he’d showed. I had to exploit it.
What did I remember about Adele? I watched her as she leaned over the counter, her fingers moving rapidly on the data screen. I catalogued everything I knew about her:
- she drank green tea and ate muesli
- I’d seen her giggling and whispering with one of the techs, Miguel
- she had an L-shaped scar above her left elbow. I’d seen it once when she pushed up the sleeves of her overalls
Not much to go on, but it was all I had. With a huge amount of reluctance, I squeezed the woman’s fingers, and then released her hand. This was going to get ugly. I couldn’t risk them seeing our connection. Her eyes stayed closed, and fear coiled tighter in my chest. Please don’t let it be too late.
I took a rapid breath, and then a deeper one, forcing myself to look calm.
Show time!
Stretching my legs, I yawned. “Miguel was asking about you.” I managed a lazy drawl, and smirked for good measure. “We compared notes.”
Donny glanced at me, a puzzled frown on his face, but he went back to work when Adele snapped his name.
“I’m curious. What did she promise you, Donny? Money? Eternal gratitude? Her allegiance only lasts until a better prospect comes along.”
He flashed me a scowl, and I smirked some more. “She’s not even that hot in bed. You know what a good actress she is, and yeah, I fell for that too, but her faked orgasms are pitiful. Too many hang-ups about her body, I think. And that scar… You know the one I mean. What did she tell you about that?”
I scratched at my stubbled chin, looking for all the world like a relaxed man. At least I hoped I did.
“Tell me, Adele,” I asked, getting into the part, “did you fake it with me every time?”
“What?” She stared at me over her shoulder.
Donny shifted his feet. “I thought you said you never—”
“I didn’t.” She was indignant.
I pushed on, taking advantage of the disjointed conversation. “You didn’t tell him about us? What about Miguel?” I wanted to unsettle her.
Adele turned around this time, and glared at me, the data theft momentarily forgotten. “What about Miguel? What the fuck are you talking about?”
Raising my eyebrows, I continued in an amused tone. “How did Miguel describe you? Oh yeah. As exciting as fucking a dead chicken.”
“How dare you.” She took a step toward me, twin red spots appearing in her cheeks. Meanwhile, Donny looked more pissed by the minute. His gaze swung from Adele to me, and then back to her. “Babe?”
She took an unsteady breath. “He’s just jerking your chain, babe. Trying to be clever.” Her hands tightened into fists. “Because that’s what he does. Scott’s a smart-ass nerd with delusions of grandeur.”
I ignored her insult. If she got mad, she’d lose focus. I smirked some more before I replied. “You say the sweetest things… Τhen again, pillow talk always was your strength.”
Donny slammed his hand on the counter. “Shut the fuck up. I don’t want another word.”
Adele took a step closer. “I would never fuck you in a million years.”
“Bit late for that.” I glanced at Donny. “I think your puppy is getting restive.”
“I said, shut the fuck up.” It was his turn to step toward me, luckily without his pistol. That remained on the counter.
“I may be a smart-assed nerd, but that’s why you came after me. Without my tech, you’re nothing.” I stared directly at Donny, and tried to suppress the pain that came with every movement. I blew out a nonchalant breath. “Has she told you who the buyer is? Or have you been kept out of that negotiation?”
Strike Two. His gaze slid to Adele, his brows furrowing. “Of course I know.” He didn’t sound convincing.
Adele threw her hands up. “We’re wasting time, Donny. Get the copying finished.”
“Yes, Donny,” I mimicked in a sing-song voice. “Do as you’re told.”
Strike Three. Donny’s face darkened, and he stomped closer, to stand next to Adele. “One more word, and I swear I’m going to make you hurt.”
“There’s a reason you haven’t. Adele still needs me.”
She froze, but her recovery was fast. “Whatever gave you that idea?”
“Because you don’t have the faintest idea what to do with this information. Because you know the protocols don’t work yet. Because you know your buyer won’t tolerate paying for a half-assed solution, when you promised a working model.” I raised one eyebrow. “Am I close yet?”
Chapter Eleven
Adele’s laugh had a slightly hysterical quality. “Of course it works, you fuckwit. I was here for the trials. Remember?”
I gave an exaggerated sigh. “You saw part of the trial. I wrote the report. You were an intern. The final outcomes were well above your pay grade.”
Donny was losing it. He grabbed Adele’s elbow, and spun her to face him. “What does he mean? Does it work or not?”
“Oh come on. Trust me on this.”
“Donny, she’s the last person you should trust. You know, better than anyone, how well she lies.”
Strike Four. Suspicion practically oozing from him, he crouched next to me. “Okay. Yes or no. Does it work?”