Love in the Time of Technology 1 by Joseph Veramu Read Free Book Online Page A

I must speak to her. She’s there.”
    Before he could say anything, she took the g pad and spoke. Although her voice was friendly and relaxed, she looked tense and nervous. Time was not on her side. The conversation ended and she said, “He’s so sure you’re going down shortly and asked for some time with me.”
    “How did he connect to you?”
    “My Oracle program probably simulated that having him onboard increased our chances. But you already know all this.”
    Wolf had been provided with a comprehensive picture of Lilydeen and it was on that basis that he decided to commit himself. “You don’t have issues like me,” he said for want of something to say.
    “Once you get to know me you’ll probably have regrets,” she laughed. “In 15 seconds your mini drone friend is going to show up. You are going to shoot it not because I am telling you but because you want to do it.” She passed over the weapon. “One other thing; the Corporation wanted you suspended with immediate effect. Have a quick check of your g-pad. Your page has been wiped off as if you didn’t exist. You were deleted some time ago and they have put out an item that you were placed under observational suspension because of your erratic behavior, a most unfortunate result of the skiing accident.”
    Wolf gasped.
    “Fing has already recorded his message of regret!”
    The mini drone whirred rudely, with supreme confidence, like an erect organ, closer to his window. Its lighted middle eye seemed to sneer at him.
    Wolf stretched out his hand as if in a welcoming gesture of friendship and shot it in the head.
    The bullet shattered his window. The drone made a loud screeching noise as if totally surprised by this show of bravado before it began to fall.
    “What’s next?”
    “We run!’
    “I’ve never run before!”
    “You’d better start now. You’re a risk taker and you’ll thrive. They’ll be sending another drone and a platoon of robots is on its way.”
    “Where do we go?”
    “To the Fringes.”
    He was surprised to see that Chloe’s artwork was facing them again with its eyes glowing. It was one of those clever tech arts that could appear on both sides of the canvas. She was about to shoot it when he stopped her. “Growing sentimental, are you?” she said with a subtle smirk. The eyes seemed to fix her a dark malevolent look.
    T hey went down the elevator. They could hear the crash of glass in his apartment as robots made their way in.
    “There’s an old tunnel at the underground level mobile carrier park. It’s a very old sewer line. We’re going to get into that.”
    “Didn’t they pour concrete on that?”
    “They did but we reopened them. Out tech is very good.”
    She fired almost before the lift door opened. Three robots lay in an obsolete pose.
    They moved very quickly trying to make as little noise as possible. They crouched down and crawled towards the manhole. As Wolf open ed it, she watched tensely with her weapon raised for more robots that might come down. The thought had hardly flashed when three more robots raced towards them with their weapons raised. She had started firing the moment she heard their footsteps. They all collapsed in a heap in the semi darkness. She rushed over to Wolf and closed the sewer just as more robots rushed in firing at them.
    She put a wedge bar on the metal cover and then flashed an orb of light. “They’re not going to follow us here. They never venture into unfamiliar territory without orders or examining what they’re up against,” she said as she walked at a leisurely pace. But if they did, the metallic wedge also had an explosive device.
    He noticed that the tunnel was well maintained probably by the Genetica Underground group he had heard Roneel whisper one morning.
    She seemed to read his thoughts, “There is an underground city of those who escaped from the Corporation. We will not meet them today. Perhaps another time.”
    “But won’t these robots be waiting at