City Center, The Read Online Free PDF Page B

placed throughout the city, his all-seeing eyes peering over everyone.
    “Over here,” the voice called out again.
    Ava glanced toward the statue where the voice seemed to have come from. Was the statue talking to her?
    “Who is there?” Ava yelled out.
    “Please, don’t run. I’m here to help you,” he called out. Then he edged his way around the giant foot of Morray’s statue. The man from the reports. Ava’s blood turned to ice.
    “Stay where you are! Do not take another step,” Ava yelled.
    “I’m not infected.”
    “Remain still. I’m calling for help.” Ava pressed her index finger and thumb, but her internal microchip wouldn’t respond. She tried a few more times.
    “No use. I blocked the mainframe,” he said.
    “What do you want? Don’t you know you’ll be terminated?”
    “I don’t care. This is my last chance to help all of you.”
    The man moved to the front of Morray’s statue. He clutched a small black bag. Ava wondered why he sounded educated, and what he meant by blocking the mainframe. “Listen to me, I’m here to help you.”
    “I’d rather not be helped by a toxic-ridden terrorist.” Ava stood in a warrior stance, preparing for battle.
    “Look, I only have a few minutes. I really need you forget everything you’ve been told about the Outsiders. We aren’t terrorists.” He lowered himself to the grass to show submission. This could be a trick, Ava thought.
    “Security will arrive in seconds,” she called out.
    “Like I said, I’ve taken care of that. We’re running out of time.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “I’m blocking Morray’s mainframe. No cameras.”
    “I doubt the Outsiders have the technology to compete with Morray’s mainframe.”
    “I don’t have time to argue with you. My name is Joseph. I’m not a terrorist. None of us are. We’ve been trying to help your people for decades.”
    “Help us with what? We aren’t the ones with disease and death.”
    “Lies. All lies.”
    “How do I know you’re speaking the truth now?”
    “I need you to take this bag. Read the book inside.”
    “Book?” Ava asked, confused. She didn’t think books existed any more. She had seen them only in the movies.
    “Yes, a book. I need you to read it.” Joseph tossed the bag toward Ava.
    “How do I know this isn’t a trap?”
    “Trust me,” he said.
    She stood only ten feet away from the Outsider, but didn’t feel threatened by him. Every bit of information ingrained in her since inception vanished. The nagging questions she had accumulated in the back of her mind for years were somehow being answered. A voice inside told her to trust Joseph. She grabbed the bag and opened it with caution, removing a small brown book. She rubbed her fingers over the cover and inhaled the musty scent of old paper. A real book.
    “First time holding a book?” Joseph’s voice interrupted.
    “What am I supposed to do?”
    “Read it.”
    “Why me?” she asked, flipping through the pages of senseless etchings.
    “You’re the only one ignoring protocol.” Joseph looked down at the device strapped to his wrist.
    “You have technology?” she asked.
    “We’ve had it for years. More proof of their lies. Listen, the mainframe is rebooting. Read the book.”
    “What then?”
    “I’m sure you’ll figure out something.”
    Ava stared at Joseph. She wanted to touch him to see if he was real. “My name is Ava,” she called out. “If you were wondering.”
    He waved her onward. The City Center flashed on and the monitors switched back to the streaming reports. The mainframe was back up. She clutched the book and ran off to the transporter station just as hovercrafts circled overhead. The transporter door slid open and she jumped inside, tucking the book into her tracksuit.
    When she stepped inside her dwelling unit, the door bolted shut and locked. She pressed her finger on the entry panel to boot up her system.
    “Good afternoon, Ava Rhodes. Please note: we are in a state of