[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
eyes held mine for a long moment.
All right I'll cause your distraction. Give me twenty minutes from NOW.
A digital countdown appeared in the corner of my vision.
How will I know when you've done what you plan to do?
You won't You're expecting me to trust you, aren't you?
Before I could comment, the image shifted.
The page discarded the feminine costume for the receptionist gear he wore when
we first connected. /
hate to be a bad "host," but
...
With the intensity of one of his boomerang viruses, the page snapped me back
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ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
into real time. The ground rushed away from my feet, and I fell upward through
the jumble of the LINK with blinding speed. The information stream crackled
lightning-bright behind my eyes. I snapped them open to see Rebeckah kneeling
in front of me.
My fingers fumbled for the filament in the helmet. Reaching out, Rebeckah
popped the panel on the helmet and grabbed the connection. "You off?"
I nodded mutely, shutting the connections as quickly as I could. With the
filament disconnected, Rebeckah gently lifted the helmet from my head. My hair
was a mat of sweat, but the fresh air revived me; I took a deep breathe
Rebeckah watched me intently. Her usually controlled face showed a hint of
concern.
" 'M okay," I croaked. All the liquid in my mouth had evaporated, and my
tongue felt heavy and clumsy.
Rebeckah pointed to one of her comrades. "Water," was all she had to say. He
returned with a brimming plastic cup before I could even protest.
"Where were you?" Rebeckah's expression hardened now that it appeared I was
going to live. "Sharron couldn't finger your ID on the LINK."
"Mouse's hub," I managed around a gulp of water. The muscles in my neck shot
pain to my shoulders when I tried to move.
Rebeckah glanced at Sharron. Following her gaze, I could see the disbelief in
the hacker's eyes. With another swig of water, I swallowed the urge to pout,
"Was too!" Instead, I said, "It's all set. Mouse will provide a LINK
distraction in" I checked the display still floating in the corner of my
vision "fifteen minutes, thirty-one seconds and counting."
Rebeckah's eyebrow raised. "Sharron, could we pull off a simultaneous attack?
Keep the boys hopping?"
"You got it, Chief." Sharron smiled that gleeful grin every LINK-hacker
flashed when plotting a job. It reminded me of Daniel. At the thought of
seeing him again, panic crawled along my extremities. I shook my shoulders
before the feeling reached my heart. Far too late for regrets or second
thoughts, I told myself. Re-
"
beckah and Mouse's page were in on the fiasco now, and I could hardly let them
down.
As the crowd dispersed, I stretched my leg out experimentally. Cramped muscles
protested with every minute movement. "Man, I must've been completely zoned,"
I grumbled. "How long was I out?"
"Only twenty minutes or so," Rebeckah said. Standing
*""
up, she dusted her hands on her thighs. "But you were in it deep. In a few
more. I would've called a paramedic."
I raised my eyebrows.
She. shrugged; her eyes left mine. "Even the best of us fall into old habits."
I let out an irritated huff; she figured I was off on an info-bender unable to
resist the slick tech of the uniform and my new LINK connection. "I was a cop,
Rebeckah, not a wire-junkie."
"Oh, really?"
I could feel my jaw working, but decided against de- -~"* fending myself.
Rebeckah was part of a time in my life I left behind when I joined the force.
She never saw my transformation. When she looked in my eyes she remembered a
strung-out college girl, away from home for the first time, and lost in the
LINK. I
had to earn Rebeckah's respect; no amount of explanation would substitute. I
kept my tone light. "Are you sure you still want to jeopardize your people in
this venture?"
Hefting my helmet under one arm, Rebeckah sat down next to me on the battered
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ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
plaid couch. The tired springs let out a creaky sigh. Raking her fingers
through her flattop, she smoothed out her frown. "We're old friends, Dee.
Besides, you're going to owe us one when this is done."
"So you've said." My face scrunched up in a lopsided grin. "Funny, I'm a
junkie until you need something, then suddenly I'm a wizard, eh?"
Rebeckah's eyebrow arched at my words, then she let out a laugh. "That's about
right. So, what's the plan?"
"While Mouse and Sharron are running distractions, I'm going to try to locate
Daniel's buddy,"
"Hell of a plan, Dee. There are over six billion users. You plan to ID each
once until you find someone who might be a friendly? You'll be collared in
under a millisecond."
I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees. My head pounded like a killer
hangover, but, perversely, I enjoyed the feeling. Every corner of my brain
felt filled with an ache. No more emptiness.
The pain felt good. Like an athlete returning to the game, the headache
reminded me I was alive, using nearly atrophied muscles. If that made me a
junkie, so be it. With a weak smile, I said, "I know where
Danny will go, virtually speaking."
Rebeckah shook her head in disbelief. "I hope you do."
The digital readout continued to count down in the corner of my eye. Ten
minutes and counting. There was no point in discussing the consequences if I
was wrong. Leaning heavily on the couch, I stood up.
"Do you have a meeting location figured out?"
"Come on." Putting an arm around my waist, Rebeckah supported my weight.
"We've got transport waiting." [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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eyes held mine for a long moment.
All right I'll cause your distraction. Give me twenty minutes from NOW.
A digital countdown appeared in the corner of my vision.
How will I know when you've done what you plan to do?
You won't You're expecting me to trust you, aren't you?
Before I could comment, the image shifted.
The page discarded the feminine costume for the receptionist gear he wore when
we first connected. /
hate to be a bad "host," but
...
With the intensity of one of his boomerang viruses, the page snapped me back
Page 99
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
into real time. The ground rushed away from my feet, and I fell upward through
the jumble of the LINK with blinding speed. The information stream crackled
lightning-bright behind my eyes. I snapped them open to see Rebeckah kneeling
in front of me.
My fingers fumbled for the filament in the helmet. Reaching out, Rebeckah
popped the panel on the helmet and grabbed the connection. "You off?"
I nodded mutely, shutting the connections as quickly as I could. With the
filament disconnected, Rebeckah gently lifted the helmet from my head. My hair
was a mat of sweat, but the fresh air revived me; I took a deep breathe
Rebeckah watched me intently. Her usually controlled face showed a hint of
concern.
" 'M okay," I croaked. All the liquid in my mouth had evaporated, and my
tongue felt heavy and clumsy.
Rebeckah pointed to one of her comrades. "Water," was all she had to say. He
returned with a brimming plastic cup before I could even protest.
"Where were you?" Rebeckah's expression hardened now that it appeared I was
going to live. "Sharron couldn't finger your ID on the LINK."
"Mouse's hub," I managed around a gulp of water. The muscles in my neck shot
pain to my shoulders when I tried to move.
Rebeckah glanced at Sharron. Following her gaze, I could see the disbelief in
the hacker's eyes. With another swig of water, I swallowed the urge to pout,
"Was too!" Instead, I said, "It's all set. Mouse will provide a LINK
distraction in" I checked the display still floating in the corner of my
vision "fifteen minutes, thirty-one seconds and counting."
Rebeckah's eyebrow raised. "Sharron, could we pull off a simultaneous attack?
Keep the boys hopping?"
"You got it, Chief." Sharron smiled that gleeful grin every LINK-hacker
flashed when plotting a job. It reminded me of Daniel. At the thought of
seeing him again, panic crawled along my extremities. I shook my shoulders
before the feeling reached my heart. Far too late for regrets or second
thoughts, I told myself. Re-
"
beckah and Mouse's page were in on the fiasco now, and I could hardly let them
down.
As the crowd dispersed, I stretched my leg out experimentally. Cramped muscles
protested with every minute movement. "Man, I must've been completely zoned,"
I grumbled. "How long was I out?"
"Only twenty minutes or so," Rebeckah said. Standing
*""
up, she dusted her hands on her thighs. "But you were in it deep. In a few
more. I would've called a paramedic."
I raised my eyebrows.
She. shrugged; her eyes left mine. "Even the best of us fall into old habits."
I let out an irritated huff; she figured I was off on an info-bender unable to
resist the slick tech of the uniform and my new LINK connection. "I was a cop,
Rebeckah, not a wire-junkie."
"Oh, really?"
I could feel my jaw working, but decided against de- -~"* fending myself.
Rebeckah was part of a time in my life I left behind when I joined the force.
She never saw my transformation. When she looked in my eyes she remembered a
strung-out college girl, away from home for the first time, and lost in the
LINK. I
had to earn Rebeckah's respect; no amount of explanation would substitute. I
kept my tone light. "Are you sure you still want to jeopardize your people in
this venture?"
Hefting my helmet under one arm, Rebeckah sat down next to me on the battered
Page 100
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
plaid couch. The tired springs let out a creaky sigh. Raking her fingers
through her flattop, she smoothed out her frown. "We're old friends, Dee.
Besides, you're going to owe us one when this is done."
"So you've said." My face scrunched up in a lopsided grin. "Funny, I'm a
junkie until you need something, then suddenly I'm a wizard, eh?"
Rebeckah's eyebrow arched at my words, then she let out a laugh. "That's about
right. So, what's the plan?"
"While Mouse and Sharron are running distractions, I'm going to try to locate
Daniel's buddy,"
"Hell of a plan, Dee. There are over six billion users. You plan to ID each
once until you find someone who might be a friendly? You'll be collared in
under a millisecond."
I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees. My head pounded like a killer
hangover, but, perversely, I enjoyed the feeling. Every corner of my brain
felt filled with an ache. No more emptiness.
The pain felt good. Like an athlete returning to the game, the headache
reminded me I was alive, using nearly atrophied muscles. If that made me a
junkie, so be it. With a weak smile, I said, "I know where
Danny will go, virtually speaking."
Rebeckah shook her head in disbelief. "I hope you do."
The digital readout continued to count down in the corner of my eye. Ten
minutes and counting. There was no point in discussing the consequences if I
was wrong. Leaning heavily on the couch, I stood up.
"Do you have a meeting location figured out?"
"Come on." Putting an arm around my waist, Rebeckah supported my weight.
"We've got transport waiting." [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]