Three Wishes by Alexander Juli

Author:Alexander, Juli [Alexander, Juli]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Juli Alexander
Published: 2012-04-16T21:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

By the time Leo got back with my car, I had finished off my drink and managed to eat my sandwich.

Now that I had my mind around how I’d gotten here, I was worried about being caught.

“Thanks, Leo,” I said as he handed me the keys.

“Are you back to normal?”

I nodded, dropping the keys in my purse. “Pretty much.”

“Let me grab some lunch and we’ll talk.”

When he got back with his tray, I didn’t even wait for him to sit before asking, “Am I going to get caught?”

Leo set his tray down and sat in the chair across from me. “No.” He shook his head. “You don’t need to worry. It’s all about the Techno Echo we talked about. The chance that they’ll have picked up on you is slim to none.”

Leaning forward with my elbows on the table, I said, “Okay. I think it’s time I learned more about the Techno Echo.”

Leo opened his straw and stuck it into his drink. “Basically things are going to blow up before long. The U.N.I.V.E.R.S.E. and genies are polarizing into two camps. One wants genies to provide an alternative to magic monitoring, and one insists genies keep the new freedoms.”

At the Treaty of the Bermuda Triangle, we had agreed to be monitored and to work for the U.N.I.V.E.R.S.E. in exchange for some freedom. However, it was now the 21st century. Why should we be monitored when most Americans were not? Why should we be treated like criminals? They could wait until we caused trouble before monitoring us.

“But it’s only a matter of time before we reach the breaking point. Either there will be violence, or the U.N.I.V.E.R.S.E. will come up with a new system and we won’t know it until we’re caught. So, today I’m pretty sure we’re safe, but next week, maybe not.”

Yeah, so not worth the risk. I wouldn’t be using my newfound power. “Now I see why your dad thinks his arrest has to do with the movement. It’s a big deal, huh?”

“Yes. But I don’t want to ignore any possibilities.”

“So you just came from the U.N.I.V.E.R.S.E.?”

He nodded, already chewing a bite of his burger.

“And you had no warning about the no visitor thing?’

“No.” He clenched his jaw. “It’s almost like they make this stuff up as they go along.”

“Should we split up and each take half the list?”

“Katie’s run out of leads on my dad’s past and the last few weeks. She’s going to take some of the list. If you’ll ride with me, we’ll do what we can. Then I’ll skip school tomorrow to do the rest.”

“I’m surprised you’ve bothered to go at all.”

He smiled. “I promised my dad, remember? Besides, I needed to meet you, and I don’t want to give the U.N.I.V.E.R.S.E. any excuses to mess with me. I missed two days when he was arrested. I can miss tomorrow. Skipping out for two straight weeks probably wouldn’t have worked.” He glanced down at my tray. “Keep eating. We have to hurry.”

I ate a couple more fries.

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