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

Reed tightened his hold around her waist. “Don’t look now, but there’s an officer across the street.”

Ari turned her gaze down, knowing her face would be the first they would recognize. After a moment, she dared a glance. The officer, dressed in dark fatigues, was approaching them, talking to into his headset.

“Run,” Reed yelled.

They hurried into the building and headed to the elevator. Their ragged appearance drew curious glances, and they ignored the receptionist’s shouts.

“Sorry this one is full.” Tessa pushed a man aside as they raced inside the empty elevator.

The door closed as a security officer sprinted towards them. Marco jabbed at the buttons for top floor and roof access. He pulled out a small device and hooked it into the system. It took mere seconds for him to override the system and grant them access.

Everyone was breathing hard inside the small elevator. Ari’s leg throbbed, and black dots danced in her vision. She focused on staying upright and ignored her desire to sag to the floor. If she went down, she wasn’t sure she could stand again. The bruises on Reed’s face blossomed into a deep purple. Marco put his equipment in his bag and slung it on his back, sweat gathering on his brow.

Ari brushed back her hair. “Do we know if Dave is there yet?”

Tessa’s face fell. “He said he’d hurry.”

So that was a no. “And if there is nothing but officers up there?”

Nobody answered. Reed reached out and squeezed her hand, saying everything they didn’t have time to say. The elevator passed the top floor and arrived at the roof.

The doors binged opened, and the sun shone into the elevator. Reed held the door open with a hand and waited for a moment. The roof held random maintenance units, big silver boxes scattered along the roof. There was no sign of Advisor Williams or other security.

In the corner of the roof, a sleek pale blue aircraft was parked with its engine running. It had a modern oval shape with angular wings protruding from the sides.

“Look.” Ari pointed to the aircraft. Relief coursed through her limbs. It had to be Dave.

“Run,” Marco hollered, and they raced onto the roof.

With Reed at her side, she forced her heavy legs to run towards the plane. Even though every step was jarring and painful, she pushed on. Once in view, the rear side door opened in the aircraft. Dave sat in back with an armed guard and waved them in.

Shouts erupted. Coming from across the roof, Williams, disheveled and injured from the blast, shouted to the guards surrounding him. Two of Williams’s armed men continued chasing them, while the guards dropped to a knee next to Williams.

She focused straight ahead. They were going to make it. They had to. The plane lifted a few feet off the ground, readying for takeoff. Gunfire exploded across the roof. Ari ducked her head but kept moving.

Tessa jumped inside first, and then Marco slid in right behind her.

Mere feet away, Ari and Reed fell to the ground. Pain shot down her leg from the impact. Pushing up, blood painted the ground in front of her, but it wasn’t her blood. Reed. Blood pooled from his shoulder.

Two men in full protective gear jumped out of the plane, one returning fire and the other pulling her into the plane. Rough hands picked her up. “Reed!” she screamed. “Get Reed.” Panic flared at the idea of what Williams would do to Reed bleeding out on the ground.

Deposited in the plane, she turned to the open door. Rapid gunfire and screams rang out as the plane lifted a foot or two in the air. A guard carried Reed under one arm, and they climbed on the readied plane. The door slammed shut behind them. Shots continued bouncing off the plane as it lifted in the sky.

Dave shouted orders to the pilot and grabbed a med kit. Reed moaned in pain and Ari placed a hand on his leg, wishing she could do more. One of the men pushed her out of the way as he worked on Reed’s shoulder. She turned to look out the window, not able to shake the feeling that they were still being chased. She pulled back slightly, and then moved closer to the thick window. Numbers and letters raced around Williams, replacing the roof and the men, and running like code in a VR. Her pulse quickened. This couldn’t be real, it couldn’t be happening. Her heart raced as she glanced to the others in the plane. No one else was paying attention.

She blinked and turned back to the window. The code vanished as fast as it had appeared. Williams stood, surrounded by security, hollering at the nearby guards. Then in a brief moment, he turned to her. Not that he could see her as they lifted high above him, but somehow his hard gaze bore straight inside the plane with a threat of the future. He wouldn’t forget about her.

Chapter Thirty-Four

“Get that away from me.” Reed pushed away Dave’s hand, which held a very large needle. “Not unless you show me your degree.”

“We already gave you a local, but it’s not enough. You don’t want to be awake for this.”

“Trust me. I do.”

Ari didn’t blame Reed. They weren’t quite safe yet. The plane was parked at Tessa’s father’s sky-rise. Tessa and Marco had headed inside to talk with her father, while Reed was treated on the plane. Ari’s wound had already been taken care of, her one pant leg torn to shreds. Reed’s shoulder looked worse, blood staining his arm and shirt. Dave had bandaged Reed’s shoulder, saying the bullet went straight through, but Reed would need to go to a doctor to make sure there was no other permanent damage.

Sitting back against the chair, Dave ran a hand over his head. “I think you guys just aged me ten years. That was a close call.”

“I know.” Ari kept a firm grip on Reed’s