Entanglement by Gregg Braden Read Free Book Online Page B

appeared around his head. Like hundreds of dancing stars, they grew steadily brighter.
    He had a vision of a desert as seen out of a cracked window, sunglasses reflecting the sun.
    â€œHey?” Ernesto asked. “What’s the matter with you? Are you okay, kid?”
    Jack opened his eyes and blinked several times. Seeing Ernesto’s face, he was about to respond when there was a banging sound from right next to him.
    A gloved hand was knocking on the car window. Jack jerked around in panic to find a young security guard in a bulky uniform standing at the window, pointing his flashlight on him.
    Glancing back in the rearview mirror again, Jack now saw that a security car had pulled up behind him. He realized that the headlights hitting the raindrops on his windows was probably the cause of the dancing lights.
    â€œShit,” Jack muttered under his breath.
    â€œExcuse me, sir?” The security guard’s voice was so high that he sounded like an adolescent.
    He tapped the window again, and Jack rolled it all the way down, unable to keep the annoyance from his voice.
    â€œCan you please stop shining that light in my eyes?”
    On the computer screen, Ernesto moved, leaning close to the camera.
    â€œJack? Are you there?”
    â€œHold on, Ernesto—”
    The guard eyed the laptop suspiciously.
    â€œSir, what business do you have in this neighborhood?”
    â€œI’m parked on a public street. That’s my business.”
    â€œMay I see your license and registration?”
    â€œHey, you’re a security guard, not a cop. And I’m allowed to be here.”
    Jack turned back to Ernesto.
    â€œErnesto, don’t hang up. Sorry—”
    The guard pulled out his radio, and after a few bumbling seconds, announced in an officious voice, “I’ve got a 251 in progress at 1501 Euclid. Requesting police backup.”
    â€œWhat the hell is a 251?”
    â€œSir, you appear to be stealing Internet access.”
    Jack started to get out of the car, but the guy was so jumpy, he suddenly changed his mind. “You can’t steal Internet access! It’s in the air. It’s not like stealing a car!”
    â€œIt’s exactly like stealing a car.”
    Suddenly from the laptop, there was what sounded like a radio transmission of men yelling and swearing, and a far-off explosion.
    Jack turned back to it. On the screen, Ernesto looked behind him, then turned back to the camera.
    â€œJack, I gotta go.”
    â€œWait! What’s happening? Ernesto!”
    â€œGotta go, dude.”
    â€œTell Charlie—I’ll be online no matter what,” Jack said frantically. “I’ll find a place.”
    But Ernesto was gone, and the Skype window went blank.
    Jack was swept with an anxiety so strong that he knew he couldn’t sit still, not for another moment.
    â€œSir, may I please see your identification—hey!”
    The security guard stepped back just as Jack slammed the car into gear and peeled off. In the rearview mirror, he could see the guy fumbling with his cell phone.
    Jack sped back into a commercial area where businesses were closed and dark.
    â€œWhere can I go? Where can I go?” he chanted out loud. Suddenly, he realized where he was. He turned the car around, and in a short time, pulled up in front of his high school.
    He turned off his headlights and grabbed his laptop, clicking on the networks icon. The Roosevelt High network was unlocked.
    â€œYes!” Jack said. He clicked again, but found the connection was weak.
    He looked around to see if there was somewhere he could park closer to the school buildings, but there were no other spaces. He slipped his laptop into his messenger bag, got out of the car, and began to climb through the bushes down to the school.
    When he reached the fence, he slipped through a small break that looked as if it had been there for years.

    Lights burned on the first floor of building