The Almost Series: Books 1-3 by Christina Leigh Pritchard

Author:Christina Leigh Pritchard [Pritchard, Christina Leigh]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Limitless Publishing LLC
Published: 2017-01-10T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

The Romeo Clone

“Requesting to enter,” the keeper said. He stood outside the glass doors. “I’m not here to harm anyone, my father has asked me to help keep you safe.”

Dr. Cole shook her head. “We do not need any outside help.”

I stood frozen, my peepers still locked with Eric’s. Pop argued with Dr. Cole and Darla recoiled, hiding her face from her son.

Pop ran statistics before Dr. Cole. “Do you see how helpful the keeper can be for us? He’s spent years studying the E.R.I.C.”

“I don’t care! Machines can change at any given moment as they are based off probability and statistics rather than empathy and humanity.” Dr. Cole’s eyes filled with tears. “Machines don’t care about us.”

My fingers trembled, frozen, as Amie pressed her palm to mine. “I would choose you over any statistic.”

I shook my head. “Suppose I don’t save your S.H.A.Y., then what would you do?”

Amie frowned. “I’d be very disappointed, but I would still choose you.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Just like how Dr. Cole’s A.M.I.E. chose her?”

“Please, trust me,” Amie begged. “Why would I connect to you out of all my S.H.A.Y.s if you were not important to me?”

“Maybe because I was the first to ever try to meet you?”

She touched my cheeks. My tears felt like ice against my skin. “You’re the only S.H.A.Y. I opened my door for.”

Pop’s voice rose. “I am unlocking the doors! Dr. Cole is unreasonable and not thinking with her complete mental faculties.”

She tried to punch his hologram. “Listen. Idiot. I’m in charge, not you!”

“The N.I.C. approves of his keeper being allowed to enter,” Pop said. “Consider your authority revoked by the N.I.C.” The doors opened and the keeper stepped forward.

Dr. Cole charged for him.

Pop shouted, his lights flashing. “Abort, abort!”

She cut through his hologram and tackled the keeper. They rolled around. Dr. Cole, finally showing her active side, punched him in the face and he kicked her, sending her flying. She landed against the double doors.

The keeper, his arms flexing, grabbed her by the ankles and dragged her into the sanitation room. He grabbed the privacy curtain, twisting it and wrapping it around the struggling Dr. Cole’s waist.

“This won’t hold me!” she shouted, jerking violently. He shrugged, turning away.

“Shay?” he said. I looked him over. He was tall, but not as tall as Eric, and there was a playfulness to him. His face was rounder and he had a beauty mark to the right of his mouth. The keeper’s eyes were a soulful brown. “I’m Nick, Eric’s best friend. We’re like brothers. He doesn’t want to hurt you.”

“Don’t listen to him!” Dr. Cole warned. “He’s the keeper for a machine!”

I nodded. “I know, he’s here to save me.” My eyes glanced back, watching Eric swim back and forth. He was unable to figure out a way to enter the aquarium walls.

Nick stepped closer until his arm rested against mine. He was warm and loving. My eyes set on his. They danced and I smiled. “I’m going to get you out of here, far away from this monster woman.

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