Hack.A.I. (The Hack. series Book 1), page 17
She nodded back, saying nothing.
thirty-two
“So, they are all like supermodels or something?”
“Yeah. They look like it anyway. It was good when it first came out, but it’s lost its touch a little.”
“Mad what people will watch, isn’t it?” Nate said, his face baffled.
“I cannot comprehend how you handle life without a TV, babe.”
“Well, I read a bit, and I’ve been busy these last few years, so I have had little time for it, anyway.”
“Busy causing trouble?”
“No!” Nate said mockingly. “Just hacking stuff. Building stuff. Stealing from the rich and giving to the poor.” He mimicked a cool rapper expression with his fingers.
Cassie rolled her eyes. “Building stuff?”
His mind raced as Nate considered his reply.
“Yeah, I had my own projects, and people would ask for favours.”
“What, like, breaking them out of prison?”
“Ahh, no, that was more of a recent exploit of mine.”
Avoiding her direct gaze, Nate’s eyes meandered around the street, and up at the star-filled night sky.
“Like what then?”
“Well, someone requested me to solve an issue with a quantum computer.”
“And you know how to fix quantum computers, do you?”
Cassie scoffed, her eyes glaring at him.
“Yeah. Most of the time, it’s something simple. Like trying to get better performance out of their new chip.”
“I know you’re bullshitting, love, trying to impress me or something, aren’t you?” Her lips curved into a gentle smile.
“No,” he replied, confused by her scepticism.
“But the only companies that even reached the quantum computing sector are like IBM or something?”
“Yeah, that’s who it was. IBM.”
Cassie laughed out loud.
A deeper sense of confusion appeared on Nate’s face.
“IBM? For real?”
Nate nodded.
“Holy shit, how?” Cassie asked, her tone changing as she abruptly understood just how genuine he was being.
“I studied online with a guy from Harvard. I owed him a favour, and he called it in.”
“What? Studied for what?”
“Systems engineering mainly.”
She chuckled.
“Why is this so hard to believe yet so believable?”
Nate shrugged.
“Maybe because you are so vague about everything. Mister mysterious, aren’t you!”
“I don’t really talk about myself,”
“Why not?”
Nate shrugged. “Nobody to listen.”
“Ha, babes, you are full of jokes. Girls must be throwing themselves at you — tall, dark and handsome.”
“Like I said, I’ve been too busy.”
Cassie paused and gazed at him, looking at the curb.
A silence fell between them.
As Nate began talking, the silence hung in the air, creating an awkward void. It was then that Cassie leaned in and kissed him passionately, filling the space with an intense intimacy.
Hearing an uncomfortable groan, she pulled away from him.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. It’s fine.” He said through a grimace.
Her eyes narrowed as she directed an intense glare towards him.
“It’s just my eye. It’s fine, but it’s still a little sore.”
“Oh my god, babe, I forgot.”
“Don’t worry about it,”
“No, you need to let it rest. Don’t worry, we will make up for it later.”
A surge of thoughts churning up a mix of feelings within Nate accompanied his nod.
Rising from the curb, she reached out her hand to Nate.
“Shall we go back to my place now, or do you want another drink?”
Stunned, Nate’s words failed him as Cassie pulled him to his feet.
“Hey, tortolitos, Bic bought both you drinks. He say come inside.” Sketch said venomously, standing in the bar’s doorway glaring at them, but more specifically, Nate.
“Okay, S, we will be in shortly.” Cassie replied, standing slightly in front of Nate, cutting through Sketch’s sharp gaze.
With an annoyed gesture, he rolled his eyes and retreated into the dimly lit bar.
“Jesus, he looked like he wanted to kill me.”
“He wouldn’t, although by now, you would think you were used to people looking at you like that.” Cassie smiled and pecked him gently on the lips.
“You know, I don’t think it’s ever something I’m going to get used to.”
“No? Well, babe, in the few days I’ve known you, I know more people that want to kill you than don’t, so you are gonna have to try!” They both laughed. “Now come on, Bic wouldn’t let us go without finishing our drink.”
She tugged him to the bar door when they both turned at a woman’s scream. A terrifying, ear curdling sound.
“MY BABY!”
The noise caused bar patrons to emerge.
Nate and Cassie both moved down the street, their anticipation growing with each step.
Bic, Sketch and Check followed a group of people out of the bar. Concerns strewn over all their faces.
Nate and Cassie reached the woman first.
Her voice cracked as she screamed and wailed while she was kicking in a large wooden door with black metal studs.
“MY BABY IS INSIDE!” She howled, piercing Nate’s ears.
Nate swiftly assessed the minimal damage she was making on the sturdy door and stared upward at the building.
Cassie tried the door handle, but it wouldn’t budge.
A lit object brightened a dim room upstairs.
The flickering orange light flashed up against the wall inside it, and Nate recognised it immediately.
He sprung into action and used the building’s ridge walls like a ladder.
Halfway up the exposed cast stone wall that the Georgian architects built for design and not for use as a ladder, Nate hesitated to climb further.
He could hear a hissing sound.
Ignoring the sound and the endless pleading calls of Cassie telling him to get down, Nate continued.
As he ascended to the floor above, his hand grasped the rough windowsill ledge, when he paused at an unusual squeaky sound. And then a sudden boom.
An immense, blinding light appeared before him, as if he had opened the curtains to the sun outside his window.
His hands shot up to protect his eyes, releasing the ledge. He hung in the air as flames exploded through the windows, disappearing into the night sky and hurtling the rag dolling Nate across the two car lane street into the concrete wall of the building opposite.
The city echoed with the boom; the street quickly resembled a war zone.
The force of the explosion jolted Cassie and the terrified mother, sending them sprawling onto the hard floor. Her ears were ringing, forcing her to come around.
She covered her ears, but to no avail. The high pitch rang in her brain and its piercing hiss echoed around her head.
Heat from the flames seared her face until she felt a warm trickle of a heavy fluid run down her cheek.
A hasty swipe of her hand revealed the blood was from her painful hairline cut.
The cut had a ridge on either side of a deep, bloody gash.
Her eyes flickered around, taking in the scene before her.
Ten yards out toward the pool bar, or what she would guess was the pool bar, an outline of a large person was running through the smoke towards her.
As if in slow motion, Bic got on his knees beside her, clasping her head and pulling her in close to him.
She heard a faint mumble in between the ringing. Concentrating on Bic’s lips, she tried to discern his words.
“…are you okay?” His mouth was highly animated, as if he was shouting, but it sounded muted beneath the ringing noise in her eardrums.
Still dazed, she managed a nod of agreement.
“Nate?” she called loudly to Bic, but muted to her own ear. “He tried to save a baby. Where is he?”
Bic gazed past her, through the smoky haze.
A clearing created by a gust of wind allowed Bic to see Nate stretched out on the floor.
Propped up against the wall, he looked like a drunk bum, with a small rush of blood running down the wall near his head.
Cassie looked over, saw him, and bellowed.
“Get him!” She pushed Bic away, allowing herself to fall to the floor.
Bic hesitated.
“Go!”
He jumped to his feet and rushed over.
Stepping over the debris of rubble and broken glass, burning wood and fabric.
As he approached Nate, the heat intensified, causing him to sweat heavily.
A childhood memory of getting too close to a bonfire flashed in his mind.
Bic reached Nate and knelt beside him.
His face and clothes were black with soot.
He felt for Nate’s pulse and was relieved to find one.
“Nate, NATE! Are you okay?”
His working eye fluttered open. He glanced at Bic and appeared to lose consciousness once more.
Bic resisted the urge to smack him awake. It may have worked in movies, but in real life it does more harm.
A loud crashing noise went off behind them, causing Bic to dip his head.
The timber frame building imploded into its centre, as the flames blossomed.
“Come on, kid. We can’t stay around here. We need to get you checked over.” Bic slid his arm underneath Nate’s shoulders and under his upper hamstring and hurled him up in a squatting motion.
Nate’s height made it difficult for Bic to carry him as he hung over his arms, with his hands grazing the floor.
Straining, Bic walked a mumbling Nate past Cassie, who was being helped to her feet by Sketch.
“Is he okay?”
Cassie could not see the scowl on Sketch’s face as he put her arm around his shoulder.
“I think so. We need to get him seen.” Bic forced out, still moving.
She watched his lips and listened intently through the tinny sound.
“Eh, man, we can’t go to the hospital.”
Cassie’s head jerked to see Sketch’s lips move.
“We have to. He’s badly injured.”
“No, Bic, we get in trouble. The people after him and us now,” Sketch added.
“We have no other choice!”
“What about Dr, whatever his name is, eggman, remember? The guy from the army? Call him to bunker or somting, don’t get us in trouble for this idiota man,”
“He was helping, you piece of—” Cassie cried, pushing herself out of Sketch’s hold, but he held on, refusing to release her.
“Cassie, coriño, you can not walk by yourself. Let me help.”
“Sketch is right, Cass!”
Check stood at the street’s edge with other patrons, all shocked, watching the blaze. Only a handful aided those in need.
His face looked even more puzzled when he noticed Bic carrying an unconscious, slightly charred Nate in a firefighter lift towards him.
“What happened?”
“He tried to save the child from the fire, but the building blew.” Bic gasped.
“Is he okay?”
“Not really. We need to get him to the bunker.”
“I’ll. Uh. I’ll. I’ll go get the van.” Check stammered before turning and hauling off toward the bunker.
Bic’s arms and legs ache more with each step. The heat radiated from Nate, and Bic was sure his clothes were smoking.
As they got further away from the burning building, it became obvious that his clothes were indeed smoking.
Their fine fibre ends—burnt from the blast.
Aligned with the bar entrance, Bic’s body urged him to set down a burdensome Nate on the pavement.
Some people gathered around. Others ran towards the blaze. People walked near the burning building, helping soot-covered and coughing individuals away from the rising flames. Comforting them. Offering them water they had had from the bar. Everyone was still unsure if the fire would spread to the building next door. All being connected right up to the pool bar.
“There was a baby.” Cassie murmured, collapsing to her knees on the floor beside Nate. “Nate tried to save her baby.”
“I know, Cass, I know.” Bic said.
“The woman, the mother. Where is she?” Cassie turned towards the flame, her tears cutting tracks through her dusty face.
She peered her head over Nate at the engulfed building.
Smoke vomiting out from the windows was thick. And then exhaustion gripped her and dragged her back to the floor.
“Cass, we don’t know what she looks like, but people are helping, okay? And the emergency services are on their way. My priority right now is getting you and Nate looked at. Okay? So, kid, I need you to stay with me here!” Bic held both Cassie’s shoulders and looked sincerely into her eyes.
She wiped her tears and could feel the coarse dust stuck to her cheek.
A dust filled soup of mucus bled from her nose.
“Cass?”
Bic’s voice sounded clearer.
She heard the car and house alarms screeching. And the faint sound of many approaching emergency services from different directions.
“Okay. I’m ready.”
Cassie reached out for Bic’s hand and he pulled her upright.
“Cass!” Sketch lunged at her, but she held up her hand to stop him.
“I’m fine. I don’t want your help!”
Taken aback, Sketch had no time to wallow when Check pulled up in the van.
“Sketch, help me lift him in!”
He was still glaring at Cassie, affronted. It took a second call by Bic for him to move and grab Nate under his arms and Bic grabbed his legs and moved him into the back of the van.
“Is-is he still alive?” Check asked. His voice was shaky.
“He is, but he needs to be seen. ASAP.”
“Why aren’t we waiting for an ambulance?”
“He has police after him and mobsters. I don’t think the hospital is the safest place for him right now. I know a doctor that I’m sure would help us out. Just get us back to the bunker, kid.”
An unnerving look on young Check’s face led to Bic putting his arm over his shoulder. “Don’t worry, he will be okay!”
Check was unsure. He nodded anyway and jumped back into the driver’s seat.
As the last door closed, Check sped off and deftly dodged an oncoming police car that had turned the corner without sirens, but with its lights on.
The officers shot a sharp, disapproving look towards the onlookers before continuing their journey towards the chaotic scene.
Nate shouted and sat upright in the back seats, gripping his chest.
thirty-three
They arrived in the bunker ten minutes later. Bic had arranged an emergency gathering and people were already in the bunker waiting.
Check unintentionally slammed the van to a halt as two individuals arrived at the door and, with Bic's assistance, started to arm and leg Nate indoors.
They heaved him up onto an eating table and a group member attempted first aid and insisted on checking Nate over.
Bic’s army doctor, Eggman, arrived ten minutes later.
A small, bald black man with a thick paint brush moustache and slender frame stood outside, weary.
Bic met him at the door and brought him in.
Unsure of his surroundings, he glanced around the bunker in confusion before spotting the patient. Instinct kicked in and he began working.
Cutting Nate’s clothes off to assess every inch of him.
A check on his blood pressure, a stethoscope to his chest and back, a bit of pressure on his rib cage, to which Nate jerked, and a quick assessment over the rest of Nate’s body and he was done.
As Nate opened his eyes, he could hear the whirling sound of his surroundings as he was lifted and carefully set down on a plush, cushioned surface.
He dropped his head into a thick pillow and passed out.
A few hours passed before he came round.
He woke to Cassie softly pressing a cold cloth on his hot, burnt face.
“Morning,”
Without natural light or windows, Nate couldn't tell the time.
“Hey.”
“How are you feeling, babe?”
She sounded tinny. Nate's ears still echoed, reminiscent of post-club mornings.
“I’ve been better. My back is the worst.”
“That will be the three broken ribs you have, babe. The painkillers must have worn off. Here, I’ll get you some more.”
As he questioned how he ended up like this, his mind replayed the night’s events like a vivid movie.
Cassie handed him the tablets and a bottle of cold water from the mini fridge.
“The baby.” Nate’s voice cracked.
Cassie’s eyes welled up, and she turned her head away from Nate.
“You did everything you could, Nate. We were just too late.”
The sorrow in her voice tugged at his heartstrings, but he found himself rooted to the spot, unable to console her.
Thoughts consumed Nate’s mind, but he masked his emotions.
“You’re lucky to still be alive. You got thrown across the street. To end up with a few superficial burns and cracked ribs is so lucky, Nate. The crack on the back of your head was small too. The doctor thinks that bruising already on your face shielded you a little.”
“I don’t feel lucky.”
In one swift motion, he tossed the tablets in his mouth and drank water.
She understood. Her mind drifted elsewhere for a moment. With the poor mother, Nate would guess.
“Cassie, I wanted to tell you on the night but you are beautiful. Do you know that?”
“What?” Her forehead creased with worry, her brows forming a deep furrow.
“I just don’t think I’ve said it to you. But I want you to know. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.”
She smiled a big, beaming smile. If just for a moment, it gave her the needed boost to forget.
“Thank you.”
