Hex Read Online Free PDF Page B

other Hex. To the men in scientists’ coats who were watching him, he seemed oblivious of everything, including their presence. But as they readied their instruments, Luciel was hating them. The straps that held him to the bed couldn’t influence his thoughts, and all his thoughts just then were focused on the hope that somewhere, somehow a Hex could survive.
    The long needle entered Luciel’s arm. There was no anesthetic and the serum it held would keep him delirious for hours. In the time that remained to him before he lost consciousness he concentrated on the pain as the last real thing he would know. Somewhere in the distance, beyond the swirling in his head, he recognized the object of his hatred and filled his stare with all the bitterness inside him, as poisonous as the drug that raced through his veins. But the white-haired scientist was not looking at him. Finishing the notations on his clipboard he glanced at his companions to say:
    â€œTime for the next subject.”
    â€¢Â Â â€¢Â Â â€¢
    Kez woke the next morning to the sound of an argument in full flow. Wraith’s voice was harsh and tense and Raven’s cold and sarcastic but they were keeping their voices low in order not to wake him. He fought his way out of the bedclothes in time to hear Wraith saying:
    â€œThe whole point of staying here is to keep out of sight, safely anonymous. I can’t believe that you would want to change that.”
    â€œWraith, I have no intention of living in a slum when we can afford something better. What are you afraid of? Our new identities are established—why should anyone question our moving higher up?”
    â€œI’m not afraid,” Wraith replied, his voice rising. “What you are failing to take into account is that our identities are fictional, our cred cards are fictional, everything about us is fictional. We only exist because you’ve fooled the computer network into believing that we do.”
    â€œIf the network says we exist, we exist,” Raven insisted, throwing herself down on her bed in frustration. As she did so she met Kez’s eyes and turned to frown at her brother. “Now you’ve woken Kez!”
    â€œSo what?” Wraith asked and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
    Kez looked anxiously across at Raven who shook her head in exasperation.
    â€œDon’t worry about him,” she said. “He’ll come around.”
    â€œWhat were you arguing about?” Kez asked sleepily.
    â€œWraith doesn’t want to move up into the heights of the city,” Raven said, from where she was lying flat on her back. “He thinks we’ll draw unnecessary attention to ourselves.”
    â€œBut you don’t?” Kez frowned.
    â€œThere are advantages to having a respectable official identity,” Raven told him. Smiling, she added: “And I’ve always wanted to live in a really expensive apartment.”
    â€œCan you afford that kind of place?”
    â€œIf I tell the computer I can.” Raven smiled.
    â€œCan every hacker do that, or is it because you’re a . . .” Kez’s voice trailed off as Wraith reopened the door.
    In retrospect it had been unwise of Kez to assume that Wraith would not be back for a while. In a neighborhood he didn’t know there wasn’t anywhere for him to go. He had returned to the room to attempt a calm, reasoned discussion with Raven. But the words he heard as he entered the room erased that intention.
    â€œYou didn’t tell him?” he exclaimed in disbelief. “After I told you not to trust him?”
    â€œSince when do you run my life, Wraith?” His sister sat up on the bed and glared at him antagonistically.
    â€œYou have to be crazy!” Wraith strode across the room and grabbed Raven’s wrists. “This isn’t about us! This could cost you your life!” He turned aside to shoot a hostile glance at