I lean into Meyer, raising my voice above the music. "Have you done this before?"
"A couple of times." An amused expression overtakes his face. "I see you have not."
I smack him on the shoulder and roll my eyes. "Be nice."
"I'm nice." He laughs.
Thankfully the music slows. Most of the dancing couples move in closer, kind of swaying in place.
"I can do this," I say, pulling Meyer in. In front of us, Sanda's attempting to instruct Aron, placing her arms around his shoulders. Inexplicably, a wave of jealousy consumes me as the memory of last night's kiss comes to the front of my mind. Quickly, I push the thought away and avert my eyes to Meyer, but when I do, the guilt of not telling him eats at my stomach. Telling would only hurt him, and it would drive a wedge further between them. They still must be able to work together.
I clear my throat. "You look good tonight."
Meyer grins. "You always look good." He reaches for my hand and interlaces his fingers with mine, bringing me tighter. His strong arms wrap my body, building an illusion of safety I wish would last forever.
We sway to the music below the twinkling stars of the night sky. My mind wanders to the first time Meyer and I really talked, before I joined Affinity.
"How old were you again when you came to live with Jayson and Gabrielle?"
"Hmm, about two. My parents had just died on a mission into Elore. Jayson brought me home and the four of us became a family. Me, Sanda, Gabrielle, and Jayson. We led a pretty quiet life for a long time, far from civilization."
"So, why'd you join Affinity?"
"Jayson stopped working directly for them, but he stayed connected. I can't count the number of times he had some Affinity member over. Sanda and I were always around the movement, hearing the plans, the excitement. It rubbed off. I believe in their cause."
"And you came with me out here anyway? Gave them up?"
Meyer stops dancing and makes space between us. "You aren't getting it. I believe in freedom. If you thought yours was threatened, I needed to support you. If that meant coming out here and getting some breathing room, great. If it meant I'd need to help you disappear, then I'd do that too." He inhales deeply. "I've seen too many people I care about die, and I don't intend to waste time wondering how life could have been. Avlyn, I love you. I don't want to be without you."
My eyes widen and nervousness wells in my chest. Meyer doesn't just care about me … he loves me.
Come back, Ben says in my head as clearly as if he were standing in front of me, snapping me from Meyer.
Why? I think.
I found something, and it's big. It's the answer to our problems.
I hold my breath, excited for his news. Tell me.
Not until you get back.
Fine, I think, frustrated.
I shake my head, continually in awe that Ben and I can communicate in our minds.
"It's time to go back to Gabrielle's," I tell Meyer.
"Now?" he asks, frowning in disappointment.
"I know, but Ben contacted me. Gabrielle said if they called, we needed to go."
"When?"
"Right now. We had an advance in our communication this morning." Meyer shakes his head in amazement as I step closer to him and rise up on my toes to whisper in his ear. "I'm pretty sure I love you, too."
The smile I see on Meyer's lips as I pull back is wider than I've ever seen it, and he leans in and gives me a gentle kiss. If only time would freeze right now. He twirls me around to Sanda and Aron, laughing and smiling as if they're having the best time in their lives. Maybe they are.
"They won't be happy to go either," Meyer says.
I chuckle. "Nope."
"You think they'd give me a lift?"
I reach for Meyer's hand and weave us between the dancers to Sanda and Aron. "They want me back at Gabrielle's."
Sanda rotates toward me and scowls. "Not so soon. We've barely had any time."
"I know, but Ben says it's urgent."
Sanda sighs at Aron and he shrugs. "Let's go." She sighs. Sanda notices Meyer, a sparkle forming in her eyes. "Couldn't resist?"
Meyer's lips curl into one of his signature smiles that makes me slightly rubbery in the knees. I also wish we could stay.
"Can I get a ride?" Meyer asks over the music and conversations.
Sanda nods. "Back to the real world."
We're on our way, I think to Ben.
Chapter
Twenty-Three
"So, let's have it," I say, barging through the lab door and willing my hair to return to brunette. Gabrielle is seated, the screen in front of her displaying a mass of data. Ben's in one of the testing chairs, hooked into the system, almost as if he's sleeping sitting up. He's immersed.
Gabrielle stops scrolling the data and addresses the rest of us.
"I only want Avlyn in here. You three go find something else to do."
I turn to Sanda, Aron, and Meyer, their faces each displaying disappointment.
"I'll call you if I need you." Gabrielle raises her hand to shoo them from the room.
I lock eyes with Meyer. "Good luck," he says, exiting the room.
"We could help," Sanda protests.
"You are helping," Gabrielle replies. "By leaving."
Aron steps toward the open door. "I need to fix a drone someone broke last night. We should go."
Sanda reluctantly follows Aron from the lab. I shift my attention to Gabrielle. "So, what's happening?"
"First, I heard back from Ruiz. She's on board. Tentative, but on board. And Ben may have found a safe way into Elore's mainframe and grid structure. I've run the data and am pretty sure he's correct."
"Pretty sure?" I echo.
"As of now, it's the best we have. We're losing time. The latest intel is informing me Manning is preparing for another invasion in the next few days. It's time to move and figure out specifics."
"What is it we're doing?" I ask, looking to Ben in the chair. A strange wave of nervous emotion radiates from him.
"Ben will fill you in," Gabrielle says, drawing my attention back to her. "Just get started."
I throw my attention back to Ben, still immersed. The nervousness is gone, but I'm not getting anything else either, no emotional readings. I focus in on him, but can sense nothing.
"You'll guide us, right?" I ask Gabrielle.
She nods and returns to her system to recheck the data. Reaching out for a headset, she places it over her head and eyes. "I'm syncing the system to your EP, so I'll see everything you do."
"See you inside," I say, pulling up a seat and placing my hand onto the system information port. As usual, the world disappears and goes blank for a second, then Ben appears.
He stands at what appears to be a gigantic screen of transparent code, bringing up data and swiping it to the right or left. A few to save, a few to toss.
"Ben?" I say, but he doesn't respond.
I walk to him and gently tap his shoulder. A red emotion smothers me, buckling my knees. I fling back my hand as Ben whips around.
"Are you okay?" I ask.
He stares at me, as if in a sudden trance.
"You're not." I grasp his shoulder, bracing myself for whatever the touch might bring. This time there's no effect.
Ben comes out of it, wiping his brow and returning to the code. "I'm fine. Help me and I'll get you up to speed."
"Everything all right in there?" Gabrielle's voice says over my comm.
"That's what I'm trying to find out. How is Ben's brain function?"
"Normal range," she says.
I watch Ben as he manipulates the code. Suspicion waves over me. I tap off the comm and disable my EP.
"You're manipulating the brain scans so Gabrielle believes you're all right, but you're sick or something." I say. Darkness instantly clouds my thoughts and I shrug away the sensation. "And you're trying to manipulate me, but it won't work."
"Why would I do that?" Ben keeps tapping, but his agitation is con
tagious. The sensation of it vibrates through my body.
"I don't know, but it's what you're doing."
Ben turns and straightens his back. "I'm just tired."
Like a flipped switch, the vibration pauses. He gives me a strained smile and holds my stare until I go back to the code, placing both hands on it. A deluge of information floods me, and it's my intention to transfer the bulk of it to me, away from Ben. I reactivate my EP.
"I lost you for a second," Gabrielle's voice says.
"Yeah, sorry," Ben mutters before I have the chance. "Glitch."
I look toward him, knowing he lied a second time, but remain silent. Inside the system, we carefully approach the Elore mainframe. We're not making it our goal to trigger alarms or anything.
"What exactly are we doing?" I ask Ben.
"I think I found a way we can temporarily take out the grid, but I need to go in with you and confirm it."
"Temporarily?"
"Yeah. Probably for a few days or a week, but it should make them scramble. None of the communications or drones will function and food supply will be disrupted. Control on the DPF will be released."
"Ok," I sigh. "If it looks like it will work, Ruiz will be able to move in and assume control." I'll have to trust her if I want to help and avoid a life on the run.
"Exactly. I'm analyzing the data on the back-up generator, you take the grid system."
"And we're only downloading the files for us to study with the group right now?"
"Yes," Ben confirms.
In my head, I start the scan of Ben's isolated data locations, narrowing my search to the most likely areas for the information we require to cripple the grid.
"What's next?" I ask as we arrive at the data.
"Okay, so the whole scenario seems easier than it is," Ben explains. "Direction was smart. There's no central grid location. It's a series of networks through multiple companies including; GenTech, SimCorp, and their sister companies in Level Three. So, in order to do this right, we must find each one and set up an exploit for both the main grid and the back-up. If we miss one, the effect will not be the same. Then we have to launch them at the exact time, otherwise it won't work."
"But there's got to be some sort of failsafe, right? A function to stop a widespread grid outage?" I reason.
"Yep. As I said, Direction is smart. Every company has its own unique hardware and software, and since some of the tech is kept secret between the organizations, we won't be able to assume once we've mastered one we've deciphered the next. Luckily, Elore is only so big."
I shake my head. "This is going to take a while, then."
"We're quick. I have the list of companies and we can sort through them one at a time. Just be careful not to leave a trail."
I chuckle. "You don't know me at all, do you?"
Ben eyes me. "I know you're skilled, but don't get overly confident. I've been doing this kind of hacking for years when I needed to. I've never been caught, but I've made sure to be careful. For now, all we're doing is taking notes on memory corruption vulnerabilities. Access the data, download, and get out of there. We can analyze later."
Some of my ego deflates and I turn from him.
"I mapped the data. Everything to get you started is in there."
"Sounds good." I close my eyes and allow myself to merge with the data, letting Ben's plan lead me to what I need. A sense of calm flows over me and my mind clears. I open my eyelids and Ben is gone, but somehow I know where he is the mainframe. He takes SimCorp; I'm at GenTech. The thought fills me with dread, but I cram it away. This must be done.
I inhale and visualize the GenTech mainframe.
"GenTech grid access."
The data whirlwinds around me and, with a flick of my hand, I command it to a stop. Quickly, I arrange the code and evaluate.
I need to inject some new data into their program … overflow their buffer. That's what will take this out.
I download the data and location within the GenTech mainframe so we can map it later and note the overflow attack option. The download completes and some of me craves to stay and search for anything odd, like infant experimentation. I could know more about what Ben and I experienced and why, but now is not the time. We can do that later, maybe together.
"What now?" I ask, realizing I don't know. Ben's the one with the list of companies we must infiltrate. "Take me to Ben," I say when I receive no answer.
In a tumble of code, I open my eyes to Ben's location and join him in his task.
"Ben? Have you got what you need here?"
"Not quite," he says as he manipulates and swipes at the code he's working on.
"I downloaded GenTech. Do you have my next destination?"
Ben selects a file to his right and turns to me to speak, but instead immediately freezes. My heart leaps in my chest as a rush of black-and-red emotion overruns my entire body. Every inch of me is frozen except my brain.
"No, no, no! What's happening?" I scream. Or, at least, that's what I want to scream, but no words come out.
In my mind, I reach for Ben, but it's an inky nothing.
Can you hear me? Ben? I call to him.
Ben struggles to make our connection. Avlyn, you must get out.
What's doing this? I have to know how to fix it!
You might still have enough strength to break free. Get out! he thinks to me.
No way. What happened?
When I opened the last file ... it must have been a Trojan.
If Manning ordered Trojans concealed in the files, he must know that people are attempting to hack in. He also knows the files are compromised. Our plan is not going to work.
My mind races and I struggle to focus and understand exactly what's happening to us. He's trying to upload a virus to whatever computer is hacking his system, in this case, us. I have no clue what a computer virus might do to Ben and me, but I do know it can't be good.
I must disconnect from him. Mustering all my strength, I fixate on my link with Ben. When nothing happens, I grit down further.
"Release me!" I finally scream, ordering the virus. The space reverberates, first slowly, then the sound speeds up, rattling me to the core.
Crack. Bam. An explosion of light hurls me forward into Ben's weak self. I push up to my knees with a groan, closing my eyes to settle on freeing myself from the system. If I can get out, I can manually sever his connection, but when I open my eyes again, it's the same. I'm still in.
"Gabrielle!" I yell. "Get us out of here!"
No response comes. The virus must have infected her entire system, too, including the comm.
"Go," Ben whispers, the blood draining from his tearstained face and lips.
"No way. It's not going to happen." I place my hands on his arm, gritting my teeth in opposition to whatever comes next. A cold jolt rips over me, forcing me to suck in air from the pain, but I don't let go. The sensation makes me grip harder. I focus on Ben until I find the problem.
"Die," I command the virus.
The cold morphs into intense heat.
Well, at least I know it heard me.
"Die!" I yell and direct everything into making it do that. I force the heat from myself and hone in on the bug that's filling Ben and attempting to overrun me. My thoughts surround it and I snatch it from Ben's body. I reach for the small snippet of code, grabbing and smashing it to the ground. The virus code explodes into a burst of light.
"Avlyn, Ben?" Gabrielle's voice fills the space. "Are you okay? I lost you. Ben's vitals are weak."
"Help us now!" I cry, lunging for Ben's lifeless frame, my frame slumping over his.
Chapter
Twenty-Four
I suck in a gasp of oxygen. Adrenaline surges through me, and I rip off the monitor tethering me to Gabrielle's system. I race from my seat to Ben's side. He's still unconscious.
"Is he okay?"
Gabrielle is already motioning a scanner over him. The computer screen displaying his stats blinks like crazy.
"Something caused his nanos to attack his body. They've stopped, but are performing at 5%. They're barely repairing the damage at all."
"Tell me his health status?" I demand, angling to the screen and touching it. Immediately, the data downloads. I call up my EP to translate it to my brain—
"He's dying?" I thrust myself Gabrielle's way, but she blocks me with her arm. "Gabrielle! Let me help him!"
Gabrielle plunges an apparatus with a needle into Ben's neck.
"I'm stabilizing him," she growls, pushing me back. "Let me do it."
Tears erupt from my eyes and my knees buckle. I land in a heap on the lab floor, eyes trained on the screen. The flashing slows.
"It was a virus," I say, panting.
"A virus?"
The thumping of running feet sounds from outside the door. Seconds later, Meyer, Sanda, and Aron burst into the room.
"What's happening?" Sanda demands, barreling toward her mother.
Gabrielle whips her head up with a stern expression that halts the three of them. "I need you to leave the lab."
"But Gabrielle—" Meyer protests.
"Get out!" she growls, waving them off.
Meyer gives me a concerned look, but no matter how much I want him to stay, I agree that Gabrielle is probably right. Too many people in here might make the situation more dangerous than it already is. I motion to them that I'm fine, even though the reality is I'm not.
Sanda plants her feet beside Gabrielle. "I've been trained as a field medic, Mom."
"Go, Sanda. This is beyond that," Gabrielle instructs.
Sanda's stiff shoulders lower slightly and she does an about face, exiting the room. Meyer grabs Aron's arm. "Come on," he mutters before giving me one last glance and pulling Aron into the hall.
"They're gone. Now tell me what you're doing," I say to Gabrielle.
"I was forced to put him into a coma to figure out how to heal him."
"What do you mean?" I palm Ben's forehead and get nothing from him. No emotion … nothing.
"I noticed a small vascular abnormality in his brain the other day. At first, I didn't know what it was, but I called up a bunch of old research. It didn't seem like much. You don't see conditions like that much anymore. When everything went haywire, though, it increased."
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