Hard Wired Trilogy by DeAnna Pearce (smart books to read .TXT) 📕

Joe swung around his backpack and opened it, pulling out a small device.

“What’s that?” Ari’s words came out a whisper. She knew what it looked like—a bomb—but surprise forced the question out.

“He’s prepared,” Marco said moving back beside Ari.

“We can’t hurt bystanders,” Ari said.

“It’s more of a distraction than a weapon.” At a fast pace, Joe headed to the elevators, Ari matching him step for step.

As they approached, she noticed the numbers descending from the top floor. “Hold up.” She skidded to a stop.

“Ari’s right.” Patrick sounded on their coms. “They are headed your way. Head to the service elevators in the back.”

They turned and sprinted down the hall, Ari internally cursing her choice of shoes. She kept up behind Marco, though, with Joe pulling up the rear.

“Another left,” Patrick spoke calmly as Ari’s heart pounded in her ears.

The elevator sat waiting and open for them. Patrick must have hacked the building’s mainframe. Inside, Ari pressed the button for the basement. “They’ll probably have the street covered.”

“They have the basement covered too.” Patrick told them. “Get off on five but push it at the last minute. You guys can take the fire escape. I’m headed to pick you up now. Only a block away.”

“We’ll be out.” Joe spun the small device in his hand, staring straight ahead.

Marco swore quietly next to her then, as they hit level six, he quickly pushed the button to exit on level five. “Let’s go.”

The carpet on the stairs muffled their steps, but they weren’t silent. Legs burning, she focused on the steps in front of her. One misstep at their speed could break something.

“I’m parked out front, but you’ve got company. Every entrance is blocked. This will probably be your best bet,” Patrick’s calm voice sounded in their coms. His voice strengthened her resolve as she looked over the handrail.

As they approached the bottom, Ari noticed dark-clad people waiting for them. “I see them,” she whispered.

“We’ll make it through,” Marco whispered.

“Through?” She remembered those were the same words Echo said. She paused for a moment, then hurried to keep up with Joe. There were only a few flights left.

“You better have more than a flash and bang in that bag,” Marco said.

For once, Ari agreed.

“I do. Just keep moving. They will want us alive.” He tapped the piece on his ear that connected them to Patrick. “Plan on extraction side B.”

She double checked her gun was on and with a short glance realized they were only a floor or two away. Joe paused and she stopped a few stairs down and turned around.

“Put that in your corset.” He motioned to her electric gun and turned to Marco. “Put your gun in your bag as well.”

“Why—” she started to ask.

“No time. Don’t stop moving no matter what.” Joe pulled his bag to his chest while the others put away their tasers. Once secured away, he threw the small explosive over the handrail and motioned for them to move.

Obeying, she rushed down the stairs with Marco at her side, expecting Joe to follow. Instead, as the loud explosion roared through the stairwell, she caught Joe jumping over the handrail to the chaos below. The bright light kept her from following his progress all the way down. What kind of crazy ninja was Joe? After this she was definitely sitting down with some questions for that guy.

But now, as adrenaline pumped in her veins and some of her senses were numb from Joe’s explosion, she hurried down to catch up with Joe. Marco stayed at her side. Once the blast died down, Marco pulled out his gun and Ari followed suit.

The first soldier in full riot type gear appeared before they made it down the stairs. Both Marco and Ari fired without hesitation. Electricity shot from the weapons, but the shots seemed absorbed by the gear somehow. He turned his gun on Marco, but it malfunctioned, possibly due to Joe’s earlier blast.

Stepping closer, Ari aimed the weapon at the exposed skin on the base of his jaw and fired. The soldier fell back with little resistance, shaking from the blast.

They both continued rushing down the stairs. Smoke burned her eyes as she continued forward. As Ari rushed the closest soldier, he was slow realizing his gun was useless. Ari stepped close to get a clean shot and tased him on his hand. The jolt shot through him and he dropped to his knees.

In her peripheral vision she saw Joe fight, beautiful and deadly. She wished she really could watch him, but the men in front of her prevented that. She swore if she made it out of here, Joe would be her new teacher.

Most of the assailants focused on Joe, making Marco and Ari’s exit easier. The door in sight, she turned to find Marco grappling with a soldier. Marco took a hit to his leg and it crumpled under him. Coming up from behind the soldier, she fired her gun into the back of the man’s neck, and he went down. She was starting to like this electric gun.

She reached to help Marco up. Pulling him up, she found he wasn’t that steady yet on his leg. Good thing he was thin.

“I’m trying,” he muttered as he walked on shaking legs.

She glanced at Joe, and for a brief second met his eyes and he glanced at the door. Go. Receiving the implied message, she planned on coming back once Marco was safely tucked away. Once outside, she found a crowd gathering on the street, a fire alarm ringing in the distance. She moved from the lights, hoping for refuge in the shadows.

Ari continued across the street. Most cars were at a standstill because of the crowds and chaos. She found Patrick sitting in a light blue car across the street. Once he saw her, he jumped out and opened the back door. Before he could move to help, Joe appeared and helped with Marco’s other side.

“A bit slow tonight?” Marco joked as he was tucked into