The Astral Hacker (Cryptopunk Revolution Book 1) by Brian Terenna (motivational books for women TXT) 📕

if I’m even close to being ready for something, but I like the attention he gives me. I’ve been very lonely. He’s also interesting. Did you know he made the silver jewelry he wears?”

I shrug.

“I tried to compliment him on his bracelet. And he brushed it off like it was nothing. I like that even though he’s done so much, he can stay modest.”

A positive trait at least.

“He actually wants to start up a silversmith business when this is all over. And look what he made me.” She reaches up to a necklace and shows me a small pendant with a purple gemstone in it. “It’s amethyst.”

“It’s beautiful.”

“Even better,” she says. “I asked if he’d make something that I could give you.” She reaches into her pocket and hands me a slender cuff bracelet with a matching amethyst gem.

“Aww. Thanks, Nav. I love it.” I slip it onto my bare wrist, then rotate it, admiring how the gemstone sparkles. I also like that it distracts from my scar. “Now, we’re twins.”

She looks down at me. “I must have stolen all the nutrients in the womb.”

I giggle. “It’s true. So, your dad wants us to study the Evo in the man they captured,” I say, changing the subject. “This is a good opportunity for us to improve our hacking.”

She nods. “I know it’s important, but I’m going to be uncomfortable experimenting on a man. That’s why I’ve always liked hacking. It’s all computers. And nobody really gets hurt.”

The blimp crushes her husband, his screams slicing through me. “Right.”

“What exactly does he want us to do?”

I rip my mind away from my…mistake and refocus on the issue. “I’m not sure. He didn’t say yet, but I have some ideas.”

Nav pokes me in the ribs. “Of course, you do.”

I flinch back and swat at her hand.

“I also don’t like the idea of what will happen after we finish our testing,” she says.

“It doesn’t look good. Gabriel wanted to kill him on the spot, and the Loyalists had to be cooled down by Americus, or they would have too.”

Nav presses her knuckles into her lips and shakes her head.

“Maybe he should die. He was with those thugs that beat up Astrid.”

She looks up at me, frowning. “He didn’t do it, though, and who knows why he was going to rob the place. The supermarkets didn’t have much food before the government took them over.”

It annoys me that she’s defending this man. “These creeps almost killed me. Don’t you care?”

She squeezes my hand. “Of course, I care. You’re important to me, but I don’t like to see people die unnecessarily.”

I suppose she’s right. Neither do I…although he was trying to capture me. I guess it doesn’t matter if he doesn’t know where I am, though. Either way, if it’s important to her, it’s important to me. “You’re right. You should try to convince Americus to let him go when we’re done.”

She pulls back and adjusts her headband. “I will.”

  CHAPTER 15

PUPPET MASTER

The next morning, Nav, Sunny, and I checked on Astrid and Yumi. Astrid’s wounds, while brutal, were not life-threatening. She had two broken ribs, a broken nose, several gashes and bruises, and a concussion. She would have destroyed him if he didn’t have a friend. Luckily, Astrid had one too.

Yumi thanked me a hundred times for saving Astrid. Her usual infectious energy and positive spirit pulled us out of the darkness, and instead of reliving the disaster again, we talked about our future goals and dreams.

Yumi was the harmonica player in an indie folk-rock band. Her bandmates were unharmed in the war and don’t have the Evo. She said when this is over, they’re going to record their second album, titled Sprite’s Revenge, after me.

Astrid showed us photos of her protein powder and talked about other supplements she wanted to make. Sunny talked about all the improvements he’d make for himself, like sensors in his fingers so he can feel like we do. He made a joke in the middle of it, and Yumi cracked up laughing. Perhaps the relief of Astrid living made her think it was funnier than it was.

Nav told us about a positive coping skills counseling group she planned to create, and I told them about several apps I hope to finish after we’ve saved the country. It was weird to be chatting with the girls as if we’re in a normal world, or I’m a normal person, but I liked it.

“Fae?” asks Nav.

I shake my head to bring myself back to the present. “Sorry. Chim, execute program thirty-three.”

The prisoner stands and raises his arms awkwardly as if pulled by puppet strings, which he essentially is.

“Wow, that worked well. Finally,” says Nav. “It looks like you have complete control now.”

“There’s still a fair amount of resistance, though,” I say. “His movements are too jerky.”

Nav points to a section of the code floating before us. “What if we replace this line with this section and then delete lines ten and eleven?”

I examine it. “You know what? You’re right. Nice catch.” I make the change.

The man growls and throws himself at the front of the cage.

I flinch back, my heart skipping a beat. Oops. “Chim, freeze him in place.”

The man freezes but keeps growling behind his gag. His eyes burn with fury and contempt.

“Chim, sit him down,” I say.

The man sits, his motion much smoother than before. I roll my shoulders, sore from sitting on the bench for so long while testing.

“So is that it?” asks Nav.

“No. I want to see if we can induce hallucinations and emotional extremes like we saw in the streets.”

“I don’t know,” says Nav. “I’m not sure if that’s right.”

“But it would prove the Evo is capable