Read Online Random Chance and the Paradise that is Earth by Shawn Michel de Montaigne - Free Book Online Page B

the
fossil that’s running The
Girl . Should any Garkies board her, which they won’t , don’t
look so alarmed, they won’t know to look for her, because they’ll
have no reason to suspect that you are using any of their tech.
This console’s programs will mimic and ‘hide behind’ the old
software. Sensors watching us at the shop think we purchased
something entirely non-threatening and completely legal. Hewey has
access to the sensor logs. He’ll mark them as useless and they’ll
be deleted within an hour. I’m doing this to make you safer , Findlay. You’ve
gotta trust me … okay? Okay? ”
    She held up, then nervously jerked her head
up and down. He took her hand, which he noticed was sweaty, and
together they walked towards the taxis.
    Bringing her was definitely a mistake.
    ~~*~~
    “What’s this?” asked the security guard at
the throughway. Beyond were the taxis. Mia stared at them like
she’d never get to them.
    Random took his gaze from the case to the
man, who continued to examine it.
    “That? A very bright future. If you open it,
though, you’ll never see it.”
    The guard’s face melted into a
mishmash of conflicting emotions. He impatiently turned and barked
at the security arc to shut up, which was shouting, over and
over, “Contents under suspicion. Unable to
view inside. Recommend opening and investigating. Contents under
…”
    Security bots gathered at the arc’s
perimeter.
    “Tell you what,” said Random, “let me run it
through again. Would you mind? I think the sensor is
malfunctioning. After it passes under the arc, I’ll be happy to
open the case, or let a bot do it. How about it?”
    The guard’s face solidified back into
suspicion, though this time there was a vacant cast mixed in with
it. “No. I’ll do it. Get back, sir,” he ordered. “That’s my job.
Get back.”
    He grabbed the case and walked around the
arc as Random and Mia watched. He set it down on the conveyor belt
and walked alongside it as it slid through for a second time. The
bots didn’t move.
    “Contents verified,” said the arc.
    The bots turned and walked away.
    Random grabbed the case and glanced at the
guard. “Shall we run it through a third time just for kicks, or
shall we open it? I’d be happy to …”
    That vacant suspicious look melted into
uncertainty. “My … my future?”
    Random patted the man’s shoulder. “It’s all
set, no worries. You’re workin’ for the wrong side. Now you know
it. Do what you need to do.”
    He reached for Mia’s hand. With
the case in his other hand, they walked out of the throughway to
the taxis. They got in the first one to pull up. Moments later it
floated up Shaft 18A towards The Glowing
Girl thirteen kilometers above.
    ~~*~~
    Mia hadn’t stopped staring at him. He sighed
and took his gaze from the green-glowing walls of the shaft and the
incoming ships.
    He knew what that stare was about. He sighed
and shrugged. “It’s a gift, like you said. I try to use it for
good.”
    She blinked. “I didn’t think …
I mean … I hadn’t thought it through. How would I know if you’ve
been influencing me with it? How would I know you haven’t used it to mess with my
biotech like you did that guard’s?”
    “You …” He shook his head. “You
wouldn’t.”
    The horrified stare on her face was painful
to look at. He took her hands.
    “I have never interfered with your biotech,
Findlay. Never. Do you hear me? And you have my word that I never
will. Never.”
    “But … but … how can I know that?”
    He shrugged helplessly. “Baby …
I’m sorry. You can’t. But you can trust me. You know me. Do you think I’m capable of doing that to you?
Haven’t I earned a little trust?”
    “The problem is …” she shook
her head doubtfully “… this takes a lot of trust, Rand.”
    “Then let me earn it.” He kissed her. “I
love you, Findlay.”
    She pulled back, shocked. “What did you
say?”
    “Maybe I’m not thinkin’
straight,” he