Page 97 of Even Angels fall
Guards would be there already. I know how my father operates, and he wouldn’t allow anyone to break into his facilities and not attack right away. He’d consider waiting a sign of weakness.
Weakness.
Something he hates.
Something he doesn’t have anymore, since I shifted for the first time.
And there is only one letter that can be turned into a special character in this word.
“Brice, I think I have it. But it would be good if you all get ready to burn everything and run in case I’m wrong.”
“Ready,” is the only answer he gives me.
“21122555-A-b-s-o-l-u-t-€-P-o-w-€-r.” I hold my breath as I hear Brice type on the keyboard. The click-click-click is the most annoying sound I have ever heard. Or maybe it’s just in this instant and my stress level is making me go neurotic.
I wouldn’t be surprised if it were the case.
Brice presses one last key, and then, absolute silence.
No alarm.
No scream.
Nothing.
I’m still holding my breath, and it’s like unless Brice tells me I can breathe again, my lungs won’t function.
65
Angélique
“I’m in,” Brice finally says after what feels like eternity, “but I don’t really know what I entered because there are only two icons on the screen, and I don’t even know what they’re supposed to be.”
I shouldn’t be surprised that it worked.Typical.
”What do they look like?” Luc asks from my right.
“One looks like a bin of some sort, and the other one looks like a watch, but the hands are the same size; one is white and the other red.”
”That’s not a watch,” Luc answers softly. “It’s a compass, or it’s supposed to look like a compass. That’s the icon for the old interweb. From the time they needed cables.”
“Which would explain the cords,” Brice says, annoyed.
“Can you open the bin?” Luc asks. He sounds like he’s been doing that—helping them on missions remotely—his whole life, but I know that’s the first time they let him be with them.
I also know that it most likely won’t be the last time, either.
“Open,” Brice answers, “what am I supposed to find? That thing has tens of lines that I don’t understand.”
“Are some of them repeating?” I ask before Luc speaks.
”All of them?” Brice answers.
That’s not helpful. Luc shakes his head next to me.
”Click on the compass.”
“Done.”
