Glitch

up like a spotlight in the diagnostic readouts.
    I thought I’d have longer. More time. I felt sick to my
    stomach but stood up calmly and gathered my tablet, swing-
    ing the case over my shoulder. I remembered to breathe and
    tried to stay calm so my heart monitor wouldn’t announce
    my terror to the entire room. I didn’t look at Max again. I
    didn’t think I could manage to keep my composure if I did.
    I moved out of the room with even strides. Only a few
    people glanced up as I passed by. I walked mechanically
    through the exit and into the narrow hallway. It was empty
    at this hour because everyone was either in the lunch hall or
    in class. I walked toward the elevator but my hand paused,
    shaking, as I reached out to swipe my wrist over the sensor
    to call the elevator.
    I felt a sudden overwhelming sadness as I realized I was
    voluntarily going to what almost assuredly would be my own
    destruction. I’d been a fool to even think escape was possible.
    165

    Heather Anastasiu
    If they didn’t deactivate me after this diagnostic, it would at
    least be the end of the life I had discovered, the person I’d
    become, my conversations with Max, everything that mat-
    tered to me now.
    Oh no. Max. My stomach lurched. If they read my mem-
    ory chip, they’d fi nd out about him, too. And it would be all
    my fault. Just like in the dreams with Markan. I yanked my
    arm back from the elevator panel like it was about to bite me.
    I spun and started walking in the opposite direction, away
    from the elevator. A plan was loosely forming in my mind as
    I turned down a side hallway. Maybe I did have a choice in
    all this, and I chose to run. Even if it meant certain deactiva-
    tion, I had to at least try. I’d get on the subway and go to the
    city. I didn’t know how long I’d make it before they found
    me, but I couldn’t go without a fi ght this time.
    Just as I was about to walk through the doorway to the last
    hallway leading down to the subway, I heard sudden foot-
    steps directly behind me. Before I could turn around to look,
    a drive was roughly inserted into the access port at the back
    of my neck.
    “You!” I managed to say before I went numb under the
    control of the drive.
    166

Chapter 12
    “i’m crackin’ sorry to do this to you, but we don’t
    have much time. If you started screaming or your heart
    monitor went off , they’d catch us both. I couldn’t risk it.”
    He spoke in a rush.
    I could only stare numbly at Adrien, the last person in
    the Community I could trust. He dropped his hand after the
    drive was secure. My mouth, along with the rest of my body,
    was completely frozen in place.
    “Look, I’m uploading a new program that’ll reconnect
    you back into the Link. The program will give you control
    over when you connect and when you glitch, so you can be
    connected whenever you want or need to.” He was talking
    so fast, I could barely keep up. “Just whisper the access
    code— Beta Ten Gamma Link,” he said, reaching around and
    gently lifting my ponytail off the back of my neck. Some-
    thing sparked in me at his touch.
    “Beta Ten Gamma Link, ’kay?” he whispered. “Your voice
    will be the only one it recognizes— it’ll set itself the fi rst
    time you say it. Then you can go for your diagnostic and the
    equipment won’t fi nd anything anomalous. I promise. Once
    167

    Heather Anastasiu
    you’re done, just say the code words and you’ll disconnect
    again. They don’t usually scan memory chips at these kind
    of diagnostics, so we’ll have to hope for the best.”
    I had a thousand questions screaming to get out, but my
    mouth wouldn’t open, my vocal cords wouldn’t make a
    sound. It was a horrible feeling. And then too, there was
    something about Adrien . . . some memory teasing at the
    edge of my mind.
    Adrien ran his hand through the back of his hair. He
    looked upset. “I can’t imagine what you must be thinking
    right now but, please—” He leaned in, his intense aquama-
    rine eyes searching my blank face. For a few silent seconds,
    his face opened and his eyes bored into mine like he expected
    something from me, some recognition or sign— of what I
    had no idea.
    He stepped back in the next moment, his face hardening
    back into a blank mask so that he looked like just like every
    other grayed- out Academy student.
    “Just go back up to the diagnostic center. Everything will
    be all right. And be careful of the godlam’d cameras. Please ,
    be