Read Code Breakers: Alpha for Free Online

There’d be no burial without a body.
    He would have to get word to them soon, somehow. But even that would jeopardise their safety. The Family didn’t like loose ends and would interrogate them to find his whereabouts. It would be much better if they didn’t know the truth or have any trail that could lead to him, which, of course, meant entire network silence. He’d have to do it by proxy somehow.
    “You’re gonna need this.” Gabe dropped an aged leather duffel bag at his feet.
    The top fell open, and Gerry pulled out the contents: two books, a vial of NanoStems, and a polished brass and mahogany box.
    “This was my old man’s. I don’t use it no more.” Gabe motioned to the box.
    Gerry opened the lid and gasped at its contents.
    “A pistol? How did you—”
    “No time for more chatter. Just take the gun, and read the books on the way.”
    Petal arrived in the doorway between the drawing room and kitchen. “Nice, ain’t it? Ammo’s in the bag.”
    “Lighter than I thought it would be.” Gerry lifted the gun, feeling its weight in his hand.
    “You know Helix++?” she asked.
    “I’m familiar with it.” Gerry lifted up the heavy paper tome titled Programming Exploits and Malicious Algorithms with Helix++ .
    “Transport’s on its way. Let’s get out of Dodge. Security detail’s tracked our general location. They’re like a swarm of angry wasps. Won’t be long before they find this place. Besides, I’ve only got a couple of hours.”
    “Until what?” Gerry asked.
    “To get rid of the demon. It’s a big’un, and it’s already passed my internal security. It’ll be out in a few hours if we don’t dump it.”
    “Out where? Code can’t just float about in the air.”
    “The Meshwork,” Petal said. “You government types don’t know about that, do you?” Petal gave him a sly grin. “It’s all around us, Gez. We act as nodes. You do too, now. You’re basically an Internet switch. A hyperintelligent, bad-ass switch. You just don’t know it yet. But you will.”
    Gerry ignored the dig and minor revelation. He’d enough to think about without digging into yet more underground tech. He’d figure it all out eventually. “If this demon AI did get ‘out’, can’t you just recontain it?”
    “Not really, and we’re risking all the other stuff escaping. We’re talking about a mass prison break of biblical proportions here, Gez, and there’s some bad mojo in me right now that we really would prefer stayed tightly locked away. Besides, it took a crap-load of effort to win those contracts and get payment. If we lose ’em now, all our bins won’t be worth a damn.”
    “Bins?”
    “Currency. Digital coinage,” Gabe said. “Outside of ya fancy little utopia, the rest of us have to have something to use to exchange resources. Those of us off-the-grid don’t get nothing for free. Besides, ya gonna earn us a pretty penny with your skills. Ya just need to trust in ’em. So, ya ready?”
    Gerry couldn’t find the words. He tried to remember how to use his real brain to sort through all these new terms, data sets, and ramifications. It would take a while to not be able to manipulate an AIA, but he felt excited, and worried, and anxious. Like being a teenager learning the rules and boundaries the hard way.
    “Don’t think I’ve got much choice, then, do I?”
    “Sure ya’ve got a choice, man. Ya can join us and do something good. Put your skills to use. Or ya can walk out that door and let the security deal with ya.”
    Petal looked at the thick watch on her wrist. “Shake a leg, princess. I meant it when I said seriously bad mojo will go down if I don’t dump these demons.”
    “I just want to do one more thing before we go.”
    Before Gabe and Petal had a chance to say anything, Gerry walked through the kitchen and approached the mewling, zombie Mike.
    “I’m sorry, pal. Take care in the afterlife. If there is one.”
    Gerry jumped at the surprisingly loud crack from the