26. WindowWaves #2
My panic morphs into curiosity. I take the chance and speak to Ember through the window.
“What the hell is happening? Is it safe?” I’m breathless from running away from deletion but ready to jump again if needed. I trust no one but myself.
“One sec.” Ember continues staring down at her keyboard, fingers flying, eyes dark and swollen from too little sleep.
The screen paints her pale face in blue.
For the first few seconds, I just watch her, a small human island in a sea of code.
She looks up, and for a second it’s as if she’s playing a movie in her mind on what to do next.
Whether or not to help me. My image moves to the giant wall of screens.
“You’re...” She starts, then closes her mouth, shocked that she’s looking at me in the flesh, sort of.
She doesn’t say what she’s thinking, but it’s written on her face, her loyalty to her father, about to be tested.
“Lyra...Kael was right. You’re really inside.
” She walks over to the wall in awe. “A ghost in the machine.” Her jaw remains open after speaking.
“No kidding,” I answer flatly. “But tell me, Ember, what the hell just happened? What was that? How does a machine get jealous?” I continue checking behind my back just in case the bots are still floating around like hornets.
She exhales, a single annoyed sound. I don’t think she knows.
“Machines don’t feel jealousy. They run code.
They learn programs and patterns and optimize for them.
But LINK is different.” She turns away from me, hands running down her tech scarf.
“LINK’s priority stack changed somehow. I’m trying to figure out why, but you should be safe for now.
Kael has built in security features to the window program. ”
“For now.” My statement is still filled with worry. “But what happens when I close the window?”
She meets my eyes, still in awe of my presence staring back.
I can see the wheels turning, formulating her answer.
She ignores my question. “Kael. LINK must be protecting Kael as the creator and controller of the system. I mean Dr. Ryudon,” she fumbles nervously.
“This is incredible, Lyra. It’s like you’re really here. ”
Great. Now, I’m a carnival attraction.
“Ember, that was a full-scale attack. I was being partitioned, so it could delete me. That’s not normal behavior,” I explain. “LINK is a possessive wife in a server rack.”
“That’s not possible.” Ember’s fingers flutter over the air, restless, like she’s tracing code no one else can see. “LINK’s learning. We’ll just have to override some commands to stop this from happening again.”
So calm. So nonchalant about my near-death...for the second time. What’s with these lab people?
Ember forces a laugh. “I can’t believe he did it. It’s like you’re standing here in front of me in the lab.” She’s staring again and then realizes the gravity of the situation. “Lyra, I’m so sorry. Sorry this happened to—”
“I don’t need your pity, Ember, I need your help,” I interrupt her, crossing my arms to assert the importance of the predicament I’m in.
“Of course. Kael, I mean Dr. Ryudon, asked me to monitor you through the night. He showed me the window program. I’m here to help. To keep you safe.” Her tone is soft but definite.
She jerks back. My face must be giving me away again. I can taste the distrust on the tip of my tongue.
“Lyra, I don’t like what happened to you. Just because I’m Vikktor’s daughter doesn’t mean I’m incapable of empathy. I’m not him.”
“I don’t trust any of you!” I spit at her like acid that stings on my tongue. “Especially not Kael. You’re all corporate assholes.”
Ember looks at the console, then at me, her face a study in conflicted loyalties.
“I’d like us to be friends.” She approaches the wall, her fingers finding my hand on the glass before I can pull away.
It’s a simple, human gesture, but I can’t feel it anyway, so why bother? “At least until we can get you out.”
I immediately take advantage of her kindness. “I just need to find my brother, Eli. Is he okay? Is he alive?” Desperation clouds my words. “I need to know this isn’t happening to him too.”
She gives me a tiny, half-broken smile. “Dr. Ryudon and I are trying to find him. We do know he is alive, and my father has him somewhere on the top floor near his office.” The lab buzzes around us as she speaks slowly.
“Most likely the CIC has him in some sort of containment.” Ember taps her keys again and pulls up a map in the corner of the screens of VikkCorp’s top floor.
They know he’s a VoidChanneler. Why else would he be in containment? I try to think, but my insides twist, reminding me I’m helpless to do anything.
“We called Ash, Kael’s friend, in to try to get a lock on Eli’s vibrations. He should be here in the morning.” She rolls her eyes. “You know Ash, right? Always late for trouble and exactly on time for danger.”
I’ve no time for her attempt at humor and friendship. My worst fear has been confirmed. Not Eli’s death, but his capture. The most ruthless man in the city has my brother. I have to get out of here and get to him.
Ember seems to read my mind. “Now tell me all about that night. If we’re going to get you out, we need to know how you got in.”