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

never thought of you as a sister,” Reed whispered into her neck.

She reluctantly stepped back. “I better shower and get ready for class.”

“Are you going?”

“Williams didn’t give me much of a choice.”

“That guy’s a moron.” Reed grabbed her hand, and they walked to her dorm.

“It’s okay. Hopefully it will keep my mind off things. I can’t go in until this afternoon.”

Reed stopped, abruptly pulling Ari back to face him. “You’re going in?”

“Of course. They’ll let me do it here for free before they send him to a center where my mom will have to pay.”

“Why doesn’t your mom come and do it?”

“She can’t get off work.” Ari lowered her eyes only briefly. She wasn’t sure why her family situation bothered her. Reed had been to her house enough to know, and it’s wasn’t like his family was a whole lot better off. But his mom only had to work one job, and it was enough so that they didn’t ever go hungry.

“Then I’ll do it,” Reed offered.

“Williams barely approved of me going in. Why does it matter?” Being tired, it took Ari a minute to connect the dots.

“I’m worried with your new abilities, that you’ll be tempted.”

“If you’re telling me to hide my abilities and leave my brother in there, I can’t do it.” Ari had to admit she was thankful Reed had suggested it. She hated to tell him that she hadn’t thought of it before. Maybe there was some way to change Marco’s virtual to help him come out.

Reed must have sensed her thoughts. “Can you help him when he gets out if you get shipped out of here?”

“We’re not even sure if changing the VR will help him.”

“I mean it, Ari. I don’t think Marco or I want to finish the year without you. Please don’t.”

“It’ll be fine,” Ari said and placed another quick peck on his lips.

“You don’t know that,” he said. “I have a lab today during your lunch, but I’ll meet you in the wellness clinic after classes.”

“You don’t have to—”

“I’ll meet you there.” Reed cut her off before she could finish and then headed to class.

She watched his tall, slim frame walk away through the crowd. A cold breeze made Ari shiver, sending her inside.

Ari made it to her dorm to find Tessa pulling her purple hair into a high pony tail. She threw her bag on a chair and headed to the closet. She probably should at least change before she headed to class.

“Where have you been?” Tessa turned to face Ari. “I thought if you had a wild night you’d be in a better mood.”

“No wild night.”

Tessa grabbed her hand and made Ari sit down on her bed. “What happened? You’re still in the same clothes, and you look like a walking zombie.”

“Thanks,” Ari said, sarcastically.

Tessa shrugged.

“It’s Marco,” Ari said. She swallowed, not sure the words wanted to come out of her mouth. But after the episode with Reed, she realized she didn’t need to do this alone. “He’s in a virtual coma.”

Tessa pulled back for a moment, surprise painted her face. “Really? I’m sorry.”

“Thanks.” Ari rubbed a hand over her face, wishing she could wake up from the nightmare. “I’m going in this afternoon, to try to get him out.”

Tessa’s brows rose, acknowledging what exactly that meant without saying it. They both knew their room wasn’t secure. “You sure?”

Ari nodded.

Tessa paused for a moment before continuing. “I can ask around and see if anyone knows anything, even do some research for the project we talked about.”

Ari read between the lines and realized Tessa referred to Ari using her newfound abilities in the VR. “Aren’t you worried about people listening in?”

“We’ve had our own code for communicating in games,” Tessa said with a wink. “I gotta head out, but I’ll let you know what I find.”

“Thanks.”

With no time for a shower, she grabbed a new shirt and noticed something sticking out, Dave’s business card. Someone who knew more about her abilities than she did. Calling him might not be a great idea, but she’d passed great ideas hours ago.

She called Garrett on the way to class to ask him about a safe way to call Dave. She would have asked Reed, but he hadn’t wanted her to use her abilities in the VR. Garrett didn’t answer, so she clicked off her ear piece and wrapped it around her finger.

Ari made it to class as the last bell rang. Her teacher, who Ari and Tessa secretly referred to as Dr. Toadstool, was at his podium, already lecturing with the notes projecting behind him.

She opened her tablet and started recording her professor’s lecture. Her concentration was shot, and she knew she needed a backup. Still thinking about her brother, she messaged Garrett.

I need to talk to you on break.

She struggled to follow the lecture on plotting with multiple story lines. She was surprised that she received a return message so soon.

Last time we talked I ended up getting a demerit on my transcript.

Reed and Garrett had gotten into a lot of trouble when the school busted their VR party. It would probably affect their placement at graduation the following year. Reed said they both knew what they were getting into, but that was Reed. She didn’t think Garrett had taken it as well, and she hadn’t talked to him since. Determined to save her brother, she refused to feel guilty, and messaged Garrett.

I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important. Marco is in a VR coma.

And I should care why?

Ari bit her lip in frustration. I’ll owe you.

You already owe me.

He was right. She did owe him already and didn’t have any way to pay him back. She pulled her hair into a pony tail, trying to figure out her next move. She would call Dave at lunch. Maybe Tessa would let her use her phone. The school couldn’t be watching every student’s phone, could they?

Before she could close her messaging interface, another message flew across her screen.

Meet me for lunch. I’ll