Netcast: Zero by Ryk Brown Read Free Book Online Page B

NCN:World the other night? Hanna thought as the speaker introduced the rest of the people on the stage.
    Reply: Yes, it is. It was a good interview. Really good.
    Hanna scowled slightly. Message: Yes, it was good. I still hate her, though.
    “At this time, the GDCO regrets to report that all eight hundred and fourteen suspected cases of Klaria reported in the city of Sorel have been confirmed. Not only is this another Klaria outbreak, but it is also one of the fastest moving outbreaks of the Klaria virus we have seen since the first case was reported just over eleven months ago.”
    Hands began to shoot up in the air, as reporters from dozens of news agencies, both big and small began shouting for attention as they vied for a chance to ask questions. As expected, Constance Gerard was the first called.
    “Constance Gerard, Netcast News World,” she began as she stood.
    Message; Arielle: Hanna thought. God, she always looks perfect, doesn’t she? She probably rolls out of bed looking that well put together.
    Reply: She’s got wardrobe and makeup specialists following her around twenty-four-seven, Hanna, Arielle answered. She probably looks like Graham when she rolls out of bed.
    Hanna fought back a laugh.
    “How many lives has the Sorel outbreak of Klaria claimed, and has there been any change noted in the transmission method?”
    “The Sorel outbreak of Klaria has claimed the lives of six hundred and thirty-seven people as of this morning. That is over an eight day period, which is remarkably fast, even for Klaria. As for the second part of your question, I’ll save that for Doctor Benarro to answer later in the conference.”
    Hanna watched as Constance Gerard nodded politely and sat back down. Another message appeared in her personal visual space.
    From; Unknown: Ask the question again.
    Hanna’s eyes squinted in thought. Then she responded. Reply: Arielle? Is that you? Your ID tag didn’t come through.
    Hanna waited for a response while another reporter asked a question of Doctor Mesnard. After a minute passed, she messaged Arielle directly. Message; Arielle: Did you just message me?
    Reply: No. Something wrong?
    Message: Nothing. Wrong number I guess.
    Reply: Shouldn’t you have your comm filters set to hold all other messages but mine right now?
    Message: I thought I did. Hanna commanded her communications settings menu to appear in her visual space to check. Message: It is. Weird .
    Reply: Maybe you should have your comm-firmware checked later?
    From; Unknown: Ask the question again, Hanna.
    A look of concern came across Hanna’s face. Reply: Who is this? What question?
    Again there was a long pause. Hanna called up the message details in her visual space, checking for source and routing codes, but there were none.
    Message; Unknown: The question you asked Doctor Benarro five days ago. Ask it again. Maybe Doctor Mesnard will be more receptive.
    Reply: WHO IS THIS? Hanna began looking around the room, hoping to see Graham laughing in the corner as he perpetrated a joke on her. But Graham was standing next to Arielle, and his facial expressions indicated that his mind was busy with the FI data stream that he was linked to. Besides, she doubted that Graham would have the expertise required to remove all source and routing codes from messages. And the fact that each message was a new message, rather than a continuation of an ongoing thread meant that each new message was being routed differently. She had interviewed enough hackers and digital security experts to know that much. Someone truly unknown to her was sending her messages, and that someone had seen the raw footage they had shot at Doctor Benarro’s office.
    Message; Arielle: Who was the client for the Benarro assignment?
    Reply: Tri-state, out of New York. Why?
    Message: Just curious.
    Reply: You need to stay focused. What’s wrong with you, Hanna?
    Message: I’m focused, I’m focused.
    From; Unknown: One more time, Hanna. Ask the question