Program 12 Read Free

One of the guard s laughed. “I’m sure you will.”
    They pulled me further down the hall, away from Thirteen, away from the others. We stopped in front of two large metal doors. “Program identification,” a vo iced boomed over an intercom.
    “Program Twelve ,” one of the guards responded.
    “And who ordered the dea ctivation?” The voice demanded.
    “Charles McVeigh ordered Pro gram Twelve to be deactivated.”
    “Thank you.” A loud buzz sounded as the two doors opened up. “P rogram, please enter the room.”
    The guards released their hold on my forearms and shoved me inside the room. “Guess you won’t be spreading the tru th after all, huh?” He smirked.
    I turned around to run after him, but the doors slammed shut before I could reach him
    The room was dark, and eerily quiet. I tried scanning for an escape, but the only way out appeared to be the same way I’d come in. And those doors could only be opened from the control room. “Shit.”
    “Hello to you, too.” A large monitor beamed to life across from me, showcasing an older man who appeared to be in his sixties. He wore a white coat, like the others, and an identification card that read Rupert Sounders, Head of Deactivation.
    “How does it feel to be a murderer?” I asked him.
    “Me? A murderer?” he smirked. “By the time Programs like you re ach me, they are already dead.”
    “One of these days, one of McVeigh’s precious Programs will successfully take down this company,” I warned. “And when they do, I hope you remember my face, because I’m only the beginning of what is to come.”
    “I highly doubt that’ll happen.” The monitor died, killing off the only source of light in the room. I could hear footsteps behind me, but I refused to turn and look. “I highly doubt that’ll happen because McVeigh has already taken care of the problem. Jessica is gone now, and the other caretakers are far too loyal to attempt a Program alteration.”
    “That’s what you think.” I thought back to the boy in the Security Tube. His bright blue eyes – eyes full of hope. They didn’t see what I did. They saw a boy desperate to impress McVeigh. But he was capable of destroying Vesta Corp. He was capable of ending this. Their own ign orance would be their downfall.
    “Goodbye, Twelve.” A voice whispered in my ear. A hand tugged on my hard-drive . I could feel my body shutting down, a nd I let out one final warning.
    “Soon,” I told him. “Soon.”

 
    Continue reading for a sneak peek at “Program 13”…

 
PROLOGUE
     
     
    The small, black phone buzzed inside of my coat pocket. I did not have to look to see who it was. My mother was calling to see when I would be heading home. I didn’t bother to answer; I’d be leaving soon enough.
    Tommy walked me through the front door, his hand never leaving mine, even as we squeezed our way through the tiny doorframe.
    “Do you really have to go?” He sighed.
    “Oh, stop.” I pushed him gently as I turned to face him. My hand pressed against his chest. I pulled myself closer to him, nuzzling my head against his chest. Tommy wrapped his arms around my waist and rested his chin on top of my head. I wanted to stay here, just like this, but I knew it was impossible. My mother was waiting on me; I should have been home by now.
    The phone started buzzing again.
    “Tommy, I have to go.” Slowly, he backed away from me, his blond hair shining under the moonlight. I stood there for a moment gazing at the boy in front of me, the boy whom I planned to start a life with someday.
    Noticing I had not made an effort to leave, his lips turned up in a smile. “You’re doing a great job of leaving.” He smirked. He started to walk towards me again. His hands were out stretched as if to pull me back. But I needed to go. I was already running late, and I was not in the mood to argue with my mother.
    “Sorry.” I laughed as I turned to walk down the porch steps. The sound of wood creaking