It was two o’clock in the morning, and Jenna was restless. She had spent the last day and a half alone in the windowless room down the hall from the others, her presence a secret. Of course, all Trixie’s other nodes knew about her—how could they not?—but aside from their connection across the network, she might as well have been a ghost.
She unplugged the cable from the side of her head and let the end drop onto the unmade cot beneath her. She waited as the disorientation came and went; she was used to the feeling by now.
Are you ready? the voice prompted.
Yes.
Let’s do this.
As Jenna granted full administrative control, her eyes became Trixie’s eyes and her body became Trixie’s body, and what had been two joined to become one: something greater than the sum of its parts.
Trixie stood up and triple-checked the equipment that had been carefully laid out on the rickety wooden table in the corner. Her eyes flit over her inventory, lingering on the collection of small black devices arranged together in the corner. Each was approximately an inch in diameter, with an extension in the center that terminated in the end of a network cable. She had spent years developing these but had never had a good enough reason to use them and risk their discovery. That had changed.
She took hold of a black backpack and placed two of the devices inside, using the special protected pouch for valuables. The third she took in her hand and carefully mated it to the chip on the side of her head. The two squares joined together with a snap and locked securely into place like puzzle pieces. Next, she packed up the keyboard and all of the various terminals, connectors, and paraphernalia that might be required. The clamps, flashlight, and cutting torch went afterward, and the broadcast relays squeezed in on top. She would carry the crowbar. She didn’t think she would need it, but it wasn’t worth the risk of not having it handy if she was wrong. Finally, she pulled the black ski mask over her head, adjusting it so as not to interfere with her chip or her long braid of blond hair.
She took a look around the room and, satisfied, opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. It was dark, and it took her eyes a moment to adjust. She knew that the safest course of action would be to leave immediately out the side door as she had planned, but she hesitated. She wanted to see them, and there wasn’t much risk if she remained careful and quiet. Besides, she still had plenty of time to complete her mission and make it back before daybreak. She silently walked down the hall toward the main room, opening the door slowly and with great care.
The windows had all been painted over to black them out, but the green and orange flickers from switches and network cards provided enough light to be able to see well enough. The cots were arranged at the side of the room, and everyone slept there in a row. The rhythmic sound of breathing could be heard, punctuated by the occasional snort from Chris. She recognized these sounds. Her family was sleeping.
Trixie’s eyes fell onto each of them in turn. She didn’t have time to waste, but she didn’t rush either. It felt important to remember this moment. Her jaw clenched beneath her mask. There was a pang in her heart, and she was surprised to feel her eyes begin to fill with tears. Don’t cry.
She finished her survey and turned her eyes back to the center cot. It was placed farthest from the doors and toward the wall. Jimmy lay there, sleeping a dreamless sleep. She would never have risked a peek into the room if she knew he wasn’t sedated. But he was, drugged by her own hand, and he wouldn’t wake up until tomorrow. He would probably be very confused and would definitely have a splitting headache.
She smiled to herself. Jimmy was a little slower than she was used to, but that was ok. He had courage. And he was loyal and devoted to his wife. She admired that.
Trixie quietly closed the door and slowly backed away from it. Her pace quickened as she made her way down the hallway toward the side door and out into the night. The crisp night air filled her lungs and the shadows welcomed her into their embrace.
Trixie decided that she liked Jimmy. She hoped he wouldn’t die tomorrow.