E.R.I.C. (The Almost Series Book 2) by Christina Leigh Pritchard Read Free Book Online

lips trembled. I closed my eyes. “You do hate me!” Her hologram grew faint, disappearing from before me. “I’m so sorry, my Shay. You’ve been misled. I told you I would not allow your termination!”
    My fingers trembled. “You want to control me. That’s not love,” I thought.
    Amie did not respond.
    Dr. Cole shoved me. “Hey, pay attention. Something’s wrong.”
    Pop’s lights entered my room and ran along the walls toward his console. “N.I.C. just informed me that the E.R.I.C. is back and has entered the Robotics floor. He is searching for Shay,” he said.
    I shoved Dr. Cole. “See there, he would’ve found me in that death box.”
    She rolled her eyes. “How mature, Shay.”
    “He has someone with him, helping him find you,” Pop said.
    “What do you mean?” Dr. Cole stood, tying up her hair. “This can’t be happening! Who would assist the E.R.I.C.?”
    Pop’s image faded in and out. “The keeper.”
    “Isn’t the keeper really just an extension of the N.I.C.?” I asked.
    “Not exactly,” Pop said. “He calls the keeper his son.”
    “Is he clever?”
    Dr. Cole nodded. “He learns quickly and is the eyes and ears for his ‘father’.”
    “Why is he helping Eric, then?”
    “Your potential mate does not remember attempting your termination.” Pop disappeared.
    I sat up, staring out through the glass walls. Fish with purple scales and yellow fins swam, their mouths nipping at the containment. A school of needlefish swam by, followed by a manatee.
    I loved my room.
    Soon, it would be no more.
    I felt it.
    I stood, putting on my slippers. “Let’s get ready. It’s happening today. He has the keeper to help him figure out where we are.”
    “So far, he’s been unsuccessful.” Dr. Cole covered herself up. “I’m going to sleep.”
    “Pop, Darla, prepare yourselves.” I rummaged on the tabletops that held my prototypes. “Backpacks, Pop.”
    Two bags floated above. One landed next to Darla and the other, fell, my fingers grasping its back straps. “Wake up, Mom.” I glanced over at Darla. She would not move. “Darla, now ! We leave tonight!”
    Dr. Cole sat up. “You cannot leave.”
    “It’s happening, Dr. Cole, get ready if you’re coming with us.” I rummaged about, grabbing various prototypes, stuffing them in my bag. I took Darla’s bag and shoved in supplies for survival. I snatched an emergency raft the size of a three-inch cube. Once it hit water, the raft would enlarge and blow up within minutes. “Pop, a bag for Dr. Cole, please.”
    “Is that wise, my Shay?” he asked.
    I shrugged. “It’s not going to matter in a few minutes. He’s coming, I feel it.”
    Amie appeared. “You’re right, the keeper has figured out why they cannot find you. He’s telling the E.R.I.C. now. They’re splitting up.”
    I took the aerosol can prototype of my Freeze Portal. It was older and not as good as the one I used on Darla when we escaped to the Lone Keys. I only needed her in there long enough to pass into Miami and this one was safe to hold her in for two hours of travel time. Eric thought he was coming to rescue me. If he couldn’t lock on to Darla, then he’d help me escape across the boundary within no time at all. I could release her once we were over the border where Eric couldn’t follow. I grabbed the extractor. It was huge compared to the latest version. It looked like a sponge or bar of old school soap.
    Amie’s image stood before me. “You need to tell your Pop goodbye. This is it, my Shay. The keeper has breached our level. It’s only a matter of time before they arrive.”
    “Where’s Eric?” I thought, speaking to Amie.
    She shook her head. “It’s just as you expected.”
    I nodded, searching for Pop. “Pop! I love you!”
    “I do not emote, my Shay,” he said. “Please continue with survival assessment.”
    “I’ve got the suggested prototypes,” I said.
    “Check,” said Pop. “And for your O.H.P.?”
    “Survival supplies and