Chapter Twenty-Eight

“You had better be quiet. You and your clanking, banging, self are so loud they can probably hear you clear across the street! So, silence your camera, or turn it off. You must comply, this is a safety directive override command. Your noise is going to place us in danger!” she hushed as she pulled him in, away from the closing door.

“Perhaps that would be a good thing if they hear me across the street,” he responded, situating himself at the back of the elevator. “It isn’t too late to go home—”

But it was, in fact, too late.

She was already approaching the iris scanner, a small silver unit on the right side of the elevator doors.

She had been on the access list to Aura’s apartment since she was eight—a privilege she was now extremely thankful for.

“Hello, Miss Kuzland,” the apartment’s AI said over the comm after scanning Viktoriya’s retina with a faded blue light.

“Would you like a lift to the Leighey residence, ninth floor?”

CLEFF’s robotic voice rang out, “No—”

“Shut up! Yes, please,” she said, ignoring her robotic companion.

The elevator ascended way more slowly than she recalled, as if it was taunting her.

“You’re heavy, like really heavy,” she said to CLEFF as she thrust her hand into her book bag, finding her favorite magnets tucked into an inside pocket.

“Viktori-Ya, have you ever considered your preoccupation with a given task may impair your ability to be objective about the validity of what you are trying to accomplish?”

“What the, what? Are you seriously saying I’m obsessive-compulsive?”

She spun her magnets around in her palm, the cool metal and subtle tension between them calming her buzzing nerves.

If she was being honest, she was, in fact, having doubts. It was as though the atmosphere itself repelled her from going forward, and with every step, she wondered if she had really considered what she was doing?

Was CLEFF right?

“I’m not sure if this is the right thing to do, but it is the only thing I can think of. I have to find out. Aura may need my help.”

Fortunately, she had CLEFF there with her, should things go badly. But was that going to be enough?

“I… I’m actually glad you’re here with me, CLEFF.”

“I’m not glad. But I am within my protective protocol, staying within close proximity to you, and that is positive.”

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

She would have felt better had her parents been there with her if they could only understand. But she came alone because she had to and must know for herself. And they would never agree.

She reached Aura’s apartment as the elevator opened to the private floor.

They made their way inside; the television was loud and tuned to channel seventy-seven with the recent updates about the Frost. Then they had invited the president for an interview.

The president moved from one television channel to another to reassure the people that they were safe and everything had been taken care of.

She scanned the vacant room from the flower vase on the center table, the clothes littered all over the apartment, to the cable from a laptop.

She turned to the table and pulled the drawer in search of any clues. Maybe, like in the movies, she might end up finding some tickets or something.

But nothing.

They had emptied the drawer clean. The smell of fresh flowers filled the crisp air with an intoxicating fragrance. Perhaps it was the only refreshing thing in the room.

She continued to scrutinize the site for any clues but found nothing, at least in the first few minutes.

She knew that Aura had left in a hurry.

The apartment was quiet and deserted. Had Aura fled for her life? Seeing that the Dark Snare was pursuing her, she had most definitely done so.

“CLEFF, scan for any communications, systems, or data transfers in the last two days. You must comply. This is a safety directive override command.”

He had no choice except to obey her request, no questions asked.

“Viktori-Ya, I have scanned the site-to-site communications system and have traced an encrypted incoming call from the building at seventy-nine Ellin Cove Drive. It is located two blocks south of this address. Unfortunately, I cannot pinpoint the exact apartment.”

“Great, we’re going there!”

He followed her back down the elevator, out of the apartment, along the sidewalk, and to the new location that he had pinpointed.

“Hey, I know this place, it’s—”

“Hello, Miss Kuzland,” the apartment’s AI said over the comms after scanning her retina.

“Would you like a lift to Dr. Maribel’s office, eleventh floor?”

“Yes, please,” she answered, giving CLEFF a scolding, squinting look to convey that he had better keep quiet this time.

As they arrived, they stepped cautiously out into the hallway.

“CLEFF, scan for Aura’s voice or bio-trace. You must comply. This is a safe-”

“Yes, I know already. Scanning, please wait. This will take a few moments.” Within a minute, CLEFF announced,

“Aura is not here; she is one floor down at apartment ten-eighty-three. There are four other humans there as well. And a parrot. The parrot appears to be dead.”

They took the stairs down and slowed as they crept toward the apartment door.

“CLEFF, I’m a little scared. Are you really supposed to take care of me?”

“Currently, I am in companion mode. But should the need arise, emergency protocols will be activated, and I shall protect Viktori-Ya Kuzland at all costs.”

Suddenly, she heard a sound behind the closed door; Aura and some other men were talking.

Viktoriya froze. She turned to CLEFF, following behind her all the while, her whole body trembling from fear.

She heard the conversation from within as she pressed her ear to the door.

She covered her mouth with both hands as though she was hoping to shield herself from gasping out.

From the way they spoke, they did not seem to hurry or even try to keep their voices down.

And Viktoriya, being ever obsessive, thought to herself that she must find the answer. She had to know about her dear friend’s fate and what had become of her.

She had to identify who these other people were. Maybe it would assist in her quest to help Aura.

Were they Argosys?

Aura and some of the team were inside, where they came to retrieve one of their tablets with her source code and new AI, a modified version of Portal.

The conversation had gone on longer than any of them had desired, but they continued in circles, debating their next action and how to approach it.

Team Halikkon had proven to be a force to be reckoned with, and this time, they would not underestimate them.