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

it to knock shards of glass from the edge of the frame. “I’m going to find Halle.” I tossed the tray aside and scrambled over the windowsill.

Two men carrying guns burst into the living room.

“Stop right there!” one of them yelled.

Dan hopped over the sill, scooped me into his arms, and took off down the street.

“What are you doing?” I demanded, glancing back toward the house. Over his shoulder, I could see Agent Smith wrestling with the guy in the window, trying to stop him from shooting at us. Then we turned a corner, and they were out of view.

“Helping you,” Dan said. “Besides, the longer I stayed there, the more likely Chris would have used that EMP generator of his on me. Stop moving. This isn’t easy, carrying you and running.”

“You don’t sound out of breath,” I grumbled but held still, arms folded against my chest. Every footfall was a bone-jarring thud, but we were moving faster than I could have. “You’re definitely going to get kicked off the track team.”

Dan made a sound something between a laugh and a choke. “I don’t think I’m going to be able to stay on it, anyway. They know what I look like. Sooner or later, someone’s going to take me back to where I came from, and then they’ll just…erase me. Or my memories, at least.”

“I’m not going to let that happen. We’ll figure something out, I promise.”

“Let’s focus on getting Halle back. If it’s still alive.”

“It is.” It has to be.

Chapter Seventeen

There were no cars in my driveway, but I still made Dan sneak around to the back door with me, just in case someone was inside. The door squeaked as I closed it, and I winced. I held my breath for a long moment but heard nothing.

“I think it’s safe,” I whispered.

“Halle?” Dan called, his voice not much louder than mine.

No response came. I released the air in my lungs. “House, dim the kitchen lights.”

When nothing happened, I frowned. “The house network must be down completely.” I took a few steps across the kitchen floor. “I’ll go check my computer. Maybe Halle’s hiding there.”

“Let me go first.” Dan pushed ahead of me, then stopped. “Looks like something happened to your kitchen robot.”

I peered around him. The cylindrical robot was lying on the ground, arms and legs askew. Had the agents damaged it? I walked over, leaned down, and pressed the button that would reboot its systems. If it was still functioning, it would be online in a minute or so. A whiff of smoke made me frown. Had the robot’s circuits fried? What could have caused that?

Something beeped, and I jumped.

“The fridge,” Dan whispered, though he looked as startled as me. The beep had been nothing more than its door-open warning sound. He went over and started to close the door, then grabbed the carton of orange juice before shutting it. “Thirsty,” he said in response to my quizzical expression.

I nodded and poked my head out the kitchen door. No sound of movement. The smell of smoke was less strong in the hallway. Opening the door further, I stepped into the hall. Behind me, the kitchen robot beeped as it came online. I froze in the doorway, but no footsteps headed for the kitchen. A few seconds later, the beeping stopped.

“I’m not sure the robot’s working properly,” Dan murmured in my ear. His breath smelled like oranges.

“It’ll have to wait. We need to find Halle. This way.” I headed up to my room.

It was a mess. Papers, books, clothes, everything thrown about in a jumble. Just like it had been last time the government decided to intrude on my life. I grimaced, thinking of the shattered front door and trampled yard. Mom and Dad were going to be furious.

Not that it mattered right now. I refocused on my current goal, picking my way across my room to settle in my desk chair.

My computer sat on my desk like it always did. It turned on without any difficulty, but the screen was devoid of any cat avatars, white, black, or otherwise.

“Halle?” My heart dropped into my sneakers. I slumped in my chair. Halle couldn’t be gone. It couldn’t.

“I’m sorry, Viki,” Dan said quietly, resting a hand on my shoulder.

Gravel crunched outside—a car had landed. The agents again?

“We need to go.” Dan tugged my arm.

“No.” I jerked to my feet, slamming my hands down on the desk. “I’m not letting that rogue win this. I won’t.” I turned and stormed down the stairs, not caring about the racket I made. It would take the agents a few minutes to get inside. That gave me a little more time to find Halle.

The scent of smoke was stronger now, and definitely coming from the kitchen. Had the robot’s fried circuits started a fire? I dashed into the room to find the robot turning off the oven. It opened the oven door, and I could see coal-black cookies sitting on a tray inside.

Halle must have ordered it to make some for me when I got home from school. Tears pressed against my eyes. I should have stayed in the house and tried to help Halle earlier. If it was gone, it was all my fault. I choked back a sob.

The robot turned away from the smoking stove and stopped when it saw me, then raised its hand and waved.

For a long moment, I stared at the machine, then dove forward and wrapped my arms around its stocky metal body.

“Halle!”

“Viki? Is everything all right?”

Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Dan standing in the doorway. He frowned at me, brow furrowed.

“Halle’s in the robot, it’s got to be. It waved at me.”

The robot waved at Dan as well, awkwardly as I had somewhat pinned the waving