Hacker Academy

Finale II

My limbs and senses are dulled as I feel her lifting me up with the gun still pressed to the side of my head.

"Perl. Stop." Cyber's voice sounds human again.

"No. You stop. This is where I call you out on your bullshit, Cyber. Seems like you're still a little soft for this girl. Mom, bring them up."

I hear thuds falling into step, one by one, and I watch in horror as Domain, Unix, and the Pythons are lined up between Cyber and I. Miss Tag examines me with her steely grey eyes. My blood turns cold as Domain and Unix have their mouths duct-taped shut with ropes around their wrists and tied behind their backs. My heart shatters in pieces. I've failed them.

"I want them gone. Now."

"But-" Cyber interjects.

"NOW," Perl presses the gun harder, and I whimper weakly.

Reluctantly, Cyber goes back to the Control Panel and activates a pad that glows light blue in the darkness.

"Send them off."

Miss Tag roughly pushes them in, and they disappear. It's a teleportation portal. Now I know how the train at Racter station teleported to HackCity. I try to thrash against Perl, but it must be only like a budge to her. Once they've all been teleported, Miss Tag looks at her daughter.

"You go first, mom."

Miss Tag nods and fades into the light.

The room is silent once again. Perl sighs and walks over to one of the windows, bringing me along. Cyber backs away. She looks out at the city.

"Be a shame if these people got hurt."

"What are you getting at?" Cyber spits out.

She laughs. "You shared a wonderful sob story. You know, there are lots of people here in HackCity that live the same kind of lives that your sister did. You'd save them from dying if you just stayed here with me."

"She was dying here."

"But you wouldn't want to be personally responsible for their deaths, would you? I'd be like killing your sister yourself."

Her voice turns cold. "Stay here in HackCity with me Cyber. Or everyone will die. Ada too. And don't try me," She flicks open a red button on the Control Panel. "Because I will do it."

Cyber slowly raises his hands in the air. Perl hums to herself.

"All of this would've been much easier if you had fallen in love with me in the first place."

Their conversation drones on in my ears like we're underwater. I can't hear a thing. The only thing that remains in my mind is the teleportation pad. If it can be located anywhere, can the pad increase in size? I eye the hacking computer right behind me. I've done difficult assignments before, but I've never done one behind my back, stunned, and a gun pressed to my head.

Perl is talking with Cyber. I'm going to have to memorize my code as I type with one hand. I have enough strength for one last assignment. I'll do it, even if it kills me.

Beads of sweat drop down my forehead as I think of Domain and Unix. I don't know where they went. I've let them down so much, even when they put so much trust in me. The least I can do now is use their sacrifice for the people in HackCity. Will I ever see mom and sister again? It pained me to let go of them just when I had found them. Who knows how long it has been since I left them. It has certainly felt like an eternity to me.

I look at Cyber, the guy I've come to admire and love. But Perl has him now. She's taken everything away from me. My family, my friends, my first love, and my life.

This is it.

I press the red button. I've reconfigured it to open a wider teleportation pad to all of HackCity. There are people shrieking outside and fear trembles down my spine as I wonder if I've made a miscalculation. But the glowing blue light outside blinds Perl who shields her eyes with the hand she used to press the gun to me.

Before I collapse to the floor, I feel a different pair of strong hands scoop me up and fall back to an endless abyss. I strain myself to open my eyes, and my last vision is of Perl reaching out in despair before the glow of blue light and Cyber's hands engulfs me.