Upgrade (Augmented Duology Book 2) by Heather Hayden (the top 100 crime novels of all time .TXT) 📕

the message anyway, hoping it would be from Halle, or even Agent Smith.

House network down. Your computer, too. Can’t find Halle. -D

Tears stung my eyes, both from the painful scrapes and the ache in my chest. I had given Dan the phone number on our way back from the forest, in case we got separated. Despite the danger, he was still trying to help Halle. But… My chest tightened, making it difficult to breathe.

Halle couldn’t be gone. Not after everything that had happened. Could Talbot really have been more powerful than Halle? Powerful enough to destroy it? I struggled to force air into my lungs. My body felt as though I’d spent a day on the track, being trampled by my classmates over and over.

One of the men glanced in my direction. I jumped. He moved toward me, jabbing a finger at the ground by my feet. “Don’t move,” he called. He holstered his gun and removed the handcuffs from his belt.

A roar came from the engine of another black flyer as it landed with a thud between me and the agents. The front passenger’s window rolled down. Agent Smith was in the driver’s seat.

“Agent Smith!” Agent Newman stared, lowering his gun a fraction. “What are you doing here?”

“Apparently making sure the girl under my protection doesn’t get shot by my trigger-happy compatriots.” Agent Smith drilled a glare into the other agent. “Viki, get in the car.”

I yanked open the door and hopped in. “What’s going on? He said you were handling something else.”

Agent Newman took a step forward. “I don’t—”

Agent Smith cut him off. “I’m taking her into my custody. This house has been secured by my partner Walters. You may proceed to the next rendezvous point.”

“There’s an assailant inside,” Agent Newman responded. “Once we have dealt with him, we’ll meet you there.”

Agent Smith scowled. “One of the cyborgs?”

“I believe so, given the speed with which he moved.”

“Deal with it.” Agent Smith shoved a lever on his door, and my window rolled up.

The second the window had clicked into place, I grabbed his arm. “You can’t let them kill him! Dan’s not working for Talbot, he’s my friend!”

The agent stared at me. “What are you talking about?”

“We were trying to help Halle, that’s why we came here. He was supposed to wait for me, but then I was in trouble and he came to help.” My words were tumbling over each other, and I wasn’t sure how much was understandable, but the other agents were moving in on the house. Any moment now, they would go inside and start combing the place. Dan would have nowhere to go. “You have to stop them. He could help us stop Talbot.”

“Who is this Talbot person you keep talking about?” Agent Smith’s eyes became narrow pieces of flint. “No. Please don’t tell me that you and Halle have been in communication with the rogue all this time.”

Agent Newman was saying something, making a gesture. Two men started to approach the damaged front door.

“I’ll explain everything, but we have to get Dan now.”

Agent Smith gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white. “I can’t rescind their orders—those come from our superior. Unless you have a plan—”

“I do. Lift off and go to that window.” I pointed at my bedroom then started typing frantically on my phone.

Dan, go upstairs. First bedroom. Exit through window.

The agent was still hesitating. “Where’s Halle?”

“I don’t know. Dan couldn’t find it.” My voice was strained with stress and pain. “Please, Agent Smith, just do this. If Halle’s gone, Dan might be our only chance.”

“Fine.” He slammed the car into gear and took off, heading for the window rather than the road.

Agent Newman glanced up, his eyes widening. “Get in the house! Now!”

The men stormed inside. I held my breath. Please let Dan make it. I wasn’t going to lose anyone today. Not if I could help it.

“Seatbelt,” Agent Smith ordered as he maneuvered the car into position. “We’ll need to leave fast. Hit the moonroof.”

I stuffed the phone into my pocket and yanked the seatbelt into place. My free hand jabbed the button that opened the moonroof.

As we flew past my window, it slammed open and Dan threw himself out. He landed on the car’s roof with a thud. The car wasn’t made to handle sudden changes in weight. It bucked and shook. I clutched the seat as Agent Smith fought for control.

Dan tumbled inside, wedged between the two front seats for a moment before he managed to wriggle free. He collapsed on the back seat at the same moment the car jerked forward. Agent Smith had hit the gas, and we were flying along at breakneck speed.

“They’ll be pursuing us shortly, but I think I can lose them.” Agent Smith glanced into the rearview mirror, frowning. “Put a seatbelt on and don’t try anything, kid. Viki, it’s time for an explanation, now.”

Dan drew a sharp breath. “There’s no need to point a gun at me!”

I had been so focused on him that I hadn’t noticed the agent draw a gun. The black barrel didn’t have a white stripe on it—definitely not a stun gun. What was he doing? “Put that away!”

Agent Smith didn’t lower the weapon. “He’s dangerous.”

My voice rose in pitch. “The rogue AI doesn’t have any control over him. Put. The. Gun. Down.”

“As far as the Government is concerned, he’s stolen property.” Agent Smith turned the wheel slightly when the car’s GPS beeped, though his eyes remained fixed on Dan.

“I wasn’t stolen,” Dan snapped. “I’m not property.”

“You’re also an unknown element. Viki, the rogue could have told him to fake being free of its control.”

“No.” I shook my head. “He saved my life.” I sent the agent a pleading look. “Please, just put the gun