Terminal Connection Read Free Page A

eyes.
    The man leaned over and brushed his lips against hers.
    “Wait.” She pulled back. “I don’t even know your name.”
    His green eyes gleamed. “Syzygy.”
    “Siz-uh-what? She smirked. He’s a programmer. His alias reeked of techno-inbreeding. “Computer, identify who is using the alias siz-uh-gee.”
    The disembodied voice of the computer said, “I’m sorry, but there is no information on the alias Syzygy.”
    His gaze held her.
    Her mother’s dating alias had shut off the V-chip, and her body responded. Warmth ignited in her heart and she felt her face blush. She bit her lip. Hundreds of miles separated them. Their only connection was the chat room’s VR server. He could not track her down. At anytime she could exit with a press of a button inset on her left wrist.
    Syzygy peered deep into her eyes. Camille’s heart skipped a beat. He was cute. Medium-length black hair framed his distinguished features, and a five o’clock shadow highlighted his strong jaw line. His form was slender with broad shoulders, a typical V-shaped build. The breeze rippled his black, silk shirt like water across his torso. The shirt hinted at his muscular build. He looked perfect—too perfect.
    He leaned toward her, and she let him press his body against hers. He kissed her, and she pulled him closer, responding to his kiss. He pressed his hips against hers, and Camille’s heart and stomach fluttered. She ran her hands along his back and lifted his shirt.
    Syzygy touched her lips with a forefinger and traced a line down her neck to her shoulders. His other hand brushed her left nipple. Her knees buckled. The two bodies fell to the sand, her face growing warm.
    Camille ignored the simulation glitch.
    He slipped off her blouse, unfastened her bra, and kissed her left breast, then her right, awakening sensations throughout her body. They overwhelmed her like nothing she had ever felt before. Whoever he was, he was not her age—intense, mature. She was ready for him.
    He tugged at her pants and panties, and she kicked them free as he kissed her neck and shoulders and rolled on top of her. The warmth in her head exploded, and her vision narrowed. She heard the sound of rushing water.
    “Ouch!” Camille sat up, but he pushed her back down.
    “Stop it,” she cried. She kneed his groin, but he did not budge.
    “V-chip online!” she shouted.
    Syzygy’s body catapulted away from her, and Camille punched the exit button.
    Nothing happened.
    Her head hurt. Her ears rang. Syzygy paced around her.
    “Leave me alone!”
    She reached for her clothes, but he grabbed her wrist. The V-chip wasn’t working. Camille wrenched free and rolled to her feet. Syzygy lunged and caught her right ankle. She tripped and fell to one knee, and he let go.
    Camille got up, ran to the water, and dove in. Her nude body sliced through the waves, and she swam toward one of the pillars.
    His pants and shoes will slow him down.
    Camille glanced back and saw the beach was empty. She reached the pillar as the first stars appeared. The waves surged and dipped around her, and shadows danced on the water. She scanned the turbulent ocean. Camille rubbed her pounding temples. The Nexus had fail-safes. The pain was too much. She punched the exit button again. Nothing.
    Between two sets of waves, she saw a dark figure. The waves passed and the ocean dipped. A reef. Just a reef.
    Camille pressed the Portal button. No gateway appeared. She pounded the button. Nothing.
    Deep in the water, a shadow circled the pillar. Camille kicked off the pillar and swam toward the shore, but something grabbed her left ankle. She kicked with her right leg but failed to connect.
    He pulled her down, and she slipped beneath the surface. She kicked, struck him, and he let go. She broke to the surface and gasped. He grabbed both her legs. She screamed, gagged on seawater, and slipped beneath the waves. He dragged her down.
    Camille coughed, her lungs filling with seawater. She could still