18. Chapter 18 Sabrina
Chapter 18: Sabrina
T he familiar forum loaded, its blue-gray interface a comforting sight. Here, she was just another anonymous user, free from the complications of her real life. No one knew she worked for Taylor Industries, and she intended to keep it that way. Besides, she wouldn’t be working for them much longer, and maybe one of these folks would be the connection that led her to something better than working as a cashier at Hy-Vee.
As expected, the latest thread was buzzing with activity. Her online friends were deep in debate about the ethics of TI’s technology development. Sabrina’s eyes skimmed the comments, a mix of excitement and unease settling in her stomach.
TruthYeller: “This is Los Alamos all over again. The power of it will make a handful of people richer than they can imagine while destroying entire countries. We’ve learned nothing from history.”
TechGuru99: “Look at how they saved those sailors. This technology is saving lives.”
NerdyBird93: “But what’s to stop anyone from using them to destroy things instead of saving them? If the bots can be programmed to fix stuff, surely they can be programmed to break things.”
TruthYeller: “Exactly @NerdyBird93! Intentions are great, but it won’t stop the technology from being used as a weapon. It’s always the rich who win, and there’s more profit in war than humanitarian efforts.”
TechGuru99: “But that’s why we need layers of protection. Like how two companies split control of it now. DS has the hardware, TI the software. Built-in checks and balances.”
NerdyBird93: “Does it really matter who owns it? As long as humans are in charge, they’ll find a way to use it to hurt each other. History’s taught us that much.”
Sabrina’s fingers hovered over the keyboard. She knew more than any of them, but she couldn’t reveal that. Instead, she crafted a careful response:
User_42: “The bots make it possible to explore space and the ocean, but the software could be used for so much more. The AI could be tasked with curing cancer and then it would work toward the goal without stopping.”
She hit send, then watched as replies flooded in. Some agreed, others argued passionately against her point. Sabrina responded here and there, careful not to reveal too much. What would she do when she didn’t have this anymore?
As the debate raged on, Sabrina found herself questioning her own role in all of this. She was proud of her work, of the advancements they were making. But it would be irresponsible not to consider the potential consequences. Maybe this was another reason to leave and return to Nebraska. It certainly felt like the universe was pushing her in that direction.
Maybe she could get their perspective without revealing anything she shouldn’t. It took her a moment to decide how to frame a hypothetical that would work, but it didn’t need to be anything deep or detailed. Decision made, she typed it out.
User_42: “Mental Exercise Alert: Everyone’s blaming the people whose names are listed on those leaked reports from TI, right? What if they didn’t do it? Should they take the fall, anyway? Are we all going to be appeased if one of them was fired or whatever and took responsibility for the leak?”
Sabrina hit send, her heart pounding as she waited for responses. They came quickly:
TechGuru99: “Not if they didn’t do it. Truth rules. If they didn’t do it, they shouldn’t take the fall.”
NerdyBird93: “Agreed. Honesty is the best policy. Plus, if they’re innocent, there should be evidence to prove it.”
TechGuru99: “Yeah, evidence is key. I don’t think we can just trust anything anyone says. They have to back it up with proof.”
Sabrina nodded, feeling a glimmer of hope. But then a new message popped up:
TruthYeller: “But that’s exactly why they should step down. If the person is innocent, there won’t be evidence to support their guilt. We won’t believe the corrupt media when they say that the person was guilty and can keep looking for the real person behind it all. Sometimes, the smartest move is to remove yourself from the situation entirely. That way, everyone can focus on finding the real culprit.”
Sabrina’s stomach twisted. TruthYeller’s words hit too close to home. She typed a follow-up:
User_42: “But wouldn’t leaving look like an admission of guilt?”
The responses came flooding in, a mix of practical advice and moral debates. Sabrina read each one carefully, weighing her options. As much as she wanted to believe in honesty and justice, TruthYeller’s words nagged at her.
The cynical perspective echoed her deepest fears. She’d worked so hard to escape her past, to build a life she could be proud of, but what if her leaving was the only way for TI to survive? Maybe without her around, they’d be able to find the real leak. It wasn’t like anyone thought she could be the one to post those results online.
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, ready to argue, to defend herself. But what was the point? These faceless strangers couldn’t truly understand her situation. And maybe, just maybe, TruthYeller was right.
Returning to Nebraska wasn’t just an escape—it was a solution. A way to protect Taylor Industries, secure their contract with Dynamic Solutions, and solve her own housing crisis in one fell swoop.
Her absence would allow TI to demonstrate their commitment to security. Without DS breathing down their necks and threatening their contract, they’d have the time and space to dig deeper and uncover the true culprit. And with her gone, the issue of her missing security token would become moot.
As for her living situation, combining her needs with her mother’s simplified things. One home to find, fewer belongings to replace. It wasn’t ideal, but it was manageable. Even working for minimum wage, Sabrina and Ma’s combined income would be enough to support them if they were splitting living expenses instead of trying to support two households.
Freddy’s face flashed in her mind, his kind eyes filled with hurt and confusion. He wouldn’t understand. How could he? But this was bigger than their friendship, bigger than her feelings for him. This was about the smartest choice, even if it broke her heart in the process. Leaving TI and returning to Nebraska solved everything.
Resolved, Sabrina took a deep breath and logged out of the forum. She shut down her computer, the screen fading to black, mirroring the finality of her decision. Tomorrow, she’d start making arrangements. But for now, she needed rest.
As she crawled into bed, exhaustion finally overtaking her, Sabrina allowed herself one last moment of weakness. A single tear slid down her cheek, a silent goodbye to the life she’d built and the man she’d never told she loved. It would have been nice to finish what they’d started earlier, but she knew one night with Freddy would only make her wish for more. It was better to stop before they even began.
Sabrina woke with the first rays of sunlight, her resolve hardened by a restless night. She dressed quickly, steeling herself for the day ahead. As she heard Freddy puttering around the kitchen, she took a deep breath, reminding herself this was for the best.
“Morning,” Freddy called cheerfully as she walked down the hall.
Sabrina nodded curtly, not trusting herself to speak. She was careful not to accidentally brush against him as she grabbed a mug and poured her coffee.
“You sleep okay?” Freddy looked at her quizzically, and she knew he could tell something was wrong.
“Yeah, I got a good night’s sleep, and am ready to get back to work. We should head up.” She nodded toward the stairs that led to their office.
“Right.” He inspected her the same way he did a command that wasn’t producing the results he wanted, like he knew it would only take the smallest tweak to bust through and change everything.
Sabrina worried he might be right, but if she could avoid touching him and focus on work, it would be okay. She just needed to stay strong until after the joint meeting when she would officially quit–or be fired.
Heading for the stairs, she didn’t notice Freddy step in close behind her until his hand landed on the small of her back. Sabrina flinched and cursed herself for being unprepared. After the way they’d connected the night before, she should have anticipated he’d touch her more casually than usual, not less. And they’d always rubbed shoulders and invaded each other’s space without it being an issue.
“Sabrina, what’s wrong?” Freddy asked, his voice soft with worry. He must have noticed her discomfort.
“Nothing,” she replied tersely. “We should get to work. Lots to do.” Secretly, she was hoping to get way ahead on drafting their supporting documents. It would take them a while to find a replacement for her, and the last thing Sabrina wanted to do was leave Freddy scrambling to keep up with his work.
The second they made it upstairs, Sabrina made a beeline for her computer and buried herself in writing manuals like her fingers were on fire.
Throughout the morning, Freddy made several attempts at small talk, his voice tinged with concern. He inquired about her mom and even cracked a joke about their latest software bug. Sabrina, however, responded with clipped, one-word answers, her eyes never leaving her screen, fingers flying across the keyboard, creating a rapid-fire clicking that she hoped he would take to mean she was too busy to chat.
She couldn’t bring herself to engage in casual conversation, not when her mind was racing with thoughts of her impending departure and the mountain of work she needed to complete before then. The easy banter that usually filled their mornings was gone, and if she played this right, it would never return.
“Did I do something?” Freddy ventured through gritted teeth, after hours of strained work. “Was it last night? Did I push for too much? Whatever it was, ‘Rina, please let me fix it.” The last part was a desperate plea for her to talk to him.
The pain and hurt in his voice, combined with her nickname, clogged her throat. She wanted to soothe his anguish. Freddy was the only person in the world who ever called her ‘Rina, and she’d never hear him say it again after the next few days. She longed to tell him everything, confess how much last night meant to her, reveal her desire to spend the rest of her life in his comforting embrace, but she would ruin him. Some pain now or more pain later were her only options, and as selfish as it may be, she wasn’t sure she could survive more pain later. It would be best to blame the night before for her leaving, but the words got stuck behind the knot of emotion in her throat. Despite everything, Freddy was, and always would be, her best friend. Leaving would hurt him enough. She wouldn’t make him feel guilty on top of that. She decided on a compromise–push him away but without laying unnecessary blame at his feet.
“No, Freddy. Last night shouldn’t have happened, but it wasn’t your fault. You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m just trying to focus on what’s important. We don’t have time to play around,” she said, her voice flat.
She felt his hurt gaze on her but refused to look up. As the day dragged on, Sabrina found herself reaching to offer him a coffee refill, but each time, she pulled back. Several times, Freddy would lean over her shoulder to point something out on her screen, but she always shifted or rolled her chair back to give him space. She knew this distance was necessary. It would make leaving easier–for both of them.