Page 27 of GlitchBorn Heart

I swallow uneasily and gesture toward the windows.

Outside, the city is still bathed in gray, motionless and muted. “I think we’ll be okay.” I say, though I still can’t believe it myself. “I think TheKast masked your surge. You couldn’t have timed it better.”

He doesn’t answer. He just stares out the window.

Our hearts slow, after pounding so loudly I swear the whole city could hear us. I know this feeling; it’s relief but also the aftermath. I don’t think Eli will ever know peace again, will ever be silent. This moment, this surge, has carved itself into our lives and will remain there forever. He’ll always be fighting this as he grows older, we’ll always be expecting it, holding our breath until the Corporation comes for us to tear what’s left of our family apart.

Now I understand with terrifying clarity that nothing will ever be the same after this...for either of us.

Safety is fleeting.

11

InMotion

Playlist: Night Drive (200mph) - Arya x

Kael

My DataLINK is vibrating incessantly. I contemplate throwing it through the window of my penthouse.

The monitors on my wall spring to life, blaring alarms and blinding me with pulsing lights on the city’s grid.

One minute I’m in DreamNet about to sword-fuck my current favorite holo-girl, the next I’m waking up a sweaty mess in the dark confines of my room, wind knocked out of me like a kick to the gut. I have no clue what’s going on, but it’s never good when it’s the middle of the night.

It only takes me a second to surmise from my dropout that something has happened to collapse DreamNet.

“LINK—who the hell is calling me at this hour of night?” I’m agitated, like someone threw cold water down my boxer shorts. In a way they did.

The girl from STATIK, Lyra, has me hot and bothered in a way that’s eating through my veins like venom. She’s in my head when she shouldn’t be. I can’t shake the sound of her voice, the way her presence crackled against mine. It’s not just attraction, it’s borderline obsession, uncoiling low in my gut, making me want to claim her, feel her underneath me.

DR. RYUDON

DR. EMBER VOSSE IS CALLING FROM THE LAB

SHALL I TAKE THE CALL?

LINK interrupts my yearning.

“Yes.” I rub my eyes with my palms and sit up pushing the covers away. “Ember, what the fuck is going on? What collapsed DreamNet? Did an update fail for TheKast? Did your father do something stupid again?” I quite like being an asshole.

“Kael...” Her voice sounds frantic. She never calls me by my first name. “TheKast is fine, but we have two of the biggest anomalies we have ever seen popping at ten point five on the surge scale about fifteen minutes ago in VikkCorp Towers.”

“Two at ten point five? Unprecedented. I’ll be right there.” I throw my LINKpad down on the bed and shimmy into my pants while heading for the door. “LINK—bring my car around to the front door in exactly five minutes, it’s urgent!”

YES DR. RYUDON.

ARE YOU GOING INTO THE LAB EARLY?

I roll my eyes and sigh. “Yes! Anomalies! Now just do it!”

WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR MOTORCYCLE DOCTOR?

I CALCULATE IT WILL GET YOU TO THE LAB 4.9 MINUTES FASTER

“Fine,” I snap. Bike jacket. Boots. Gloves. Helmet. No wasted motion. I don’t bother with the lights; the glow from the screens already paints the room jagged crimson. LINK will take care of it, like she takes care of me. My hair is still damp with sweat, but there’s no time to shower. I run my fingers through it, shoving it back for my helmet.

Two anomalies detected. Both off the charts.