E.R.I.C. (The Almost Series Book 2) Read online

  E.R.I.C.:

  ALMOST Reprogrammed…

  ALMOST Series, Book Two

  A novella by Christina Leigh Pritchard

  E.R.I.C.: ALMOST Reprogrammed…

  Copyright © 2016 by Christina Leigh Pritchard.

  All rights reserved.

  First Print Edition: September 2016

  Limitless Publishing, LLC

  Kailua, HI 96734

  www.limitlesspublishing.com

  Formatting: Limitless Publishing

  ISBN-13: 978-1-68058-779-1

  ISBN-10: 1-68058-779-X

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to locales, events, business establishments, or actual persons—living or dead—is entirely coincidental.

  Dedication

  This is for the real Eric…

  …and Nick too. :)

  Table of Contents

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

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  Chapter One

  “Drown the Intruder”

  E.R.I.C.

  I woke to the waves crashing into my legs. The sand itched my back and I could hear something scurry about in the palms above. I rolled over, searching for Shay.

  My hands found nothing but a coconut.

  I sat up, rubbing my eyes. Something had to be wrong. She had her extractor and could relax, right? Maybe she panicked, seeing her skin rip, and when her veins glowed, perhaps she reasoned she might want to see the scientists after all? Metal pieces had threatened to surface and her body trembled with fear. I felt it. If her condition worsened…

  Shay couldn’t survive on her own. I searched the shoreline. Her footprints had already washed away and there was sand in my butt crack.

  I scratched myself, searching for my shirt. It was hanging on the palm above me with the remaining pieces of Shay’s glider.

  Shay.

  The cream puff would die without my help.

  I brushed the sand off me and allowed my eyes to adjust. They changed from their normal visual functions to thermal scanners. I could see a snake’s body heat in the tree and crabs sneaking into the mangroves, but not a human girl.

  I stepped into the sand, my feet sinking. I thought of Shay’s skin against mine. She was soft and warm.

  I shook the thought away.

  What did I care? She was stubborn and ungrateful. I saved her life and she still hadn’t thanked me.

  There was something wrong with her skin. Liquid metal coursed through her veins. She refused to go to the scientists for help. Maybe my brother could assist. I could find her and take her to him. Nick would help. His mind was like a sponge, learning things quickly.

  Nick wasn’t really my brother.

  We were both stuck on these islands alone. Several years ago we came across one another and decided to stick together. It was nice to have someone around. We created little hide-outs and explored, never daring set foot on the shores belonging to the scientists. He warned me to stay away. He and Shay both hated them. What did those scientists do to them? Nick wouldn’t speak of his time on Pigeon Key; stating they were memories he wished to forget. I couldn’t recall meeting them, but something told me I had.

  I stood at the edge of the island. Shay wasn’t anywhere, not even in the mangroves. She wasn’t that clever. I could easily find her each time she’d run before. Maybe she was still trying to get her imaginary friend into Miami. Did she think the hospitals had better facilities to save her?

  It didn’t matter. Shay ran off again. She’d chosen to leave, not me. Still, I stood at the shoreline, searching for any sign of her.

  I turned about and grinned.

  Nick jumped from the trees, landing in the beach. A smile lit his face. We looked similar but his face was rounder and his hair lighter. I was taller and broader with more square features. One thing about him seemed to define him: a small dark mole to the right of his mouth.

  “It took me forever to find you,” Nick said.

  He tackled me and we wrestled, rolling downhill into the water. He punched me in the ribcage. We picked up weapons. Me: a coconut. Him: a live crab.

  “What’re you looking for me, for?” I tossed the coconut at him.

  He ducked, chasing me with the crab. “The scientists are everywhere; we need to get out of here.”

  “I can’t, I have to find the cream puff.” I dodged the flying creature. It knocked against the palm and tumbled down into the sand.

  We laughed.

  Nick sat near the exhausted fire and picked at the remaining branches that hadn’t disintegrated yet. “She’s bad news for you.”

  “No, dude, listen, if you could’ve seen us last night—”

  He laughed. “Oh, I watched everything.”

  “You perv!”

  “Consider it a nice night and pack up your camp. You don’t want to follow that girl—she’s trouble.”

  “Something’s wrong with her skin.”

  “What’dya mean?”

  I pointed at my veins. “It’s like liquid metal is coursing through her and I dunno, those scientists, they might be looking for her. I think they did something to her.”

  “I should look at her.”

  I nodded.

  “Where’d she go?”

  “I can’t find any readings marking her exit.”

  Nick rolled his eyes. “You and your big words.” He pointed at the shoreline. “She went that way.”

  “How do you know?” My eyes scanned for thermals but found no markings. “How could you see her path and I can’t? Are my adaptations faltering?”

  “No,” Nick said. “I was here early this morning and watched her escape. You were downloading.” He smiled. “Your girl talks to herself.”

  “Yes, I know.”

  He punched me. “I didn’t know you liked ‘em crazy.”

  “Shut up!” I kicked at him. “Help me find her.”

  “If you find that girl…” Nick said. He grabbed my arm. “I think things will change for us. We won’t be the same.”

  “Why do you say that, man?”

  “It’s just something in my gut warning me.”

  I shrugged. “She’s just a girl who says she’s got a two years or less life expectancy.”

  “That’s it?”

  “Yeah, but, I think it’s less, like a few weeks.”

  Nick frowned. “We need to help her.”

  “Yeah.”

  “C’mon, man.” Nick guided me along the shoreline towards where he had watched Shay board her emergency raft. “She went that way.”

  I followed his finger towards the mainland. “I’ll see ya later.”

  “What?” Nick chased after me. “Wait, man! I gotta warn you!”

  I jumped into the ocean, feeling my hands and feet web together. My muscles twitched and I groaned from the pain. Gills formed along my neck and I swam out faster and faster as the changes took effect.

  I could see the Miami Shoreline and a floating craft up ahead less than a mile away. It was Shay, I could tell by the readings on the
screen.

  Someone was in the boat with Shay.

  I adjusted my vocals to sonar for better hearing under the water and resisted using satellite vision. It was rare I ever received the capabilities, and I hated when new software downloaded to replace the existing. The Lone Keys never seemed to receive a satellite signal. It was a dead zone and if the upgrades were satellite based, I’d be without many defenses.

  I swam faster. My main concern was the intruder I spotted in the boat with Shay. Was it a scientist?

  There was a small island. I climbed out onto its shoreline and narrowed my eyes, scanning the boat. My vision stopped on the unidentified person. I finally downloaded updated software. While satellite images uploaded, I tried to focus the rest of my attention on the unknown intruder. Somehow, my communications programming didn’t register. I switched to satellite. It was slower than my usual communications, but it knew who the intruder was.

  Species: Human; Homo sapiens’ original flesh; soul.

  Specified Use: Optional Human Parent

  Genetics Match: DNA match: yours.

  Mine?

  What did Shay just call her?

  She called her Mom and then, Darla.

  Darla.

  I couldn’t swallow.

  Was she my human host?

  “Mom?”

  I remembered her! She used to cradle me in her arms and sing to me. She had the same thick, dark hair that tickled my face and those big, soft eyes…

  I reached out—my eyes locking with hers.

  My body jolted, electrical currents ran through my veins, and I shook, vibrations overtaking me.

  You’re being reprogrammed. Please stand by.

  “I’m being what?” I could barely get the words out.

  Everything blurred. My fingers, still webbed, curled in on themselves and my nails cut into my flesh. I couldn’t stop my teeth from chattering.

  Reprogramming nearly complete.

  Who was talking to me?

  My eyes went into manual override. I tried to look to the left, but it was as if someone controlled my will to do so. My optics scanned without permission and when I tried to shut down satellite use, red lights flashed within my pupils, blinding me. Next, I could feel my limbs reject my thoughts. They belonged to someone else. Who could do this to me?

  “What’s happening?” I jolted. Tears streamed down my face. Messages I didn’t want to read appeared before my limited visuals.

  Kill the human host.

  “I can’t do that!”

  Kill the human host.

  “But the human host is my mother!”

  Sharp jabs of pain shot up my spine.

  The voice echoed inside my skull. “I said kill the human host.”

  “I won’t do it!”

  Electrical currents paralyzed me. I couldn’t speak and my eyesight blackened. Something or someone forced my arms outward into the diver’s position.

  “You will kill the human host,” the voice said. “You’ve been reprogrammed.”

  My body struggled against me. I dragged my feet along the sand, feeling waves crash into my toes.

  “Kill the human host.”

  “No.”

  “Then I will do it for you,” the voice said.

  My body jerked forward, arching and splashing into the sea. I swam faster than I’d ever gone before. My breath was sucked straight from me as I dove, like a sea monster, faster and faster, towards the boat.

  I couldn’t focus. Somehow, had the boat tipped? A girl with dark hair blocked my way to my human host. Shay.

  “I must kill the human host,” I said.

  “Stop it, Eric!” Shay pleaded with me. “Don’t do this!” I could see her eyes moisten. Was she frightened? What was the cream puff doing in the water?

  Helicopters hovered above me.

  Darla screamed.

  “Hurry, go!” Shay shouted to my mother. “Just cross into Miami! Hurry!”

  “Eliminate all interference and kill the human host,” the voice said. “Drown the intruder.”

  My arm jerked forward.

  What was I doing?

  “Eric!” Shay screamed, her head dipping into the waters. I shoved her down, feeling the waves ripple as she struggled to surface.

  “She’s not the enemy!” I tried to say. My lips wouldn’t part. I gagged, attempting to resist killing my little cream puff.

  Drown the intruder.

  My heart pounded.

  Drown the intruder.

  Shay struggled less.

  “Shay!” Darla cried. “My Shay!”

  I released Shay.

  She gasped for air, grabbing at my arm. “Don’t do it, Eric, please!”

  Drown the intruder.

  I resisted.

  My body jerked forward, submersing her. Why was I trying to kill Shay?

  “Let her go!” Darla yelled. She swam towards me. “You’re killing her! Stop it!”

  Drown the intruder then kill the human host.

  “I don’t want to kill anybody,” I tried to say. “I’m killing my friend.”

  Men dropped into the ocean waters from the helicopters above. Two divers grabbed Darla by the arms. A cage lowered towards them.

  She kicked and slapped at the men. “Save my daughter! She’s dying! He’s killing her!”

  I was killing Shay. She wasn’t moving anymore.

  My eyes watered.

  Why couldn’t I release her?

  A woman in military garb dropped behind me. Her body bounced back to the surface like a buoy.

  She reached for the back of my skull, hitting me behind the ears.

  “Reset!” she said.

  I dropped into the water, sinking to the ocean floor, watching the combat woman grab Shay around the waist. My eyes dimmed as a rope was wrapped around the foot of the woman. She held Shay in her arms, disappearing.

  Chapter Two

  Negotiations

  S.H.A.Y.

  Strong hands pressed against my diaphragm. I gagged, water spilling from my lungs. “Are you okay? Dr. Cole asked.

  She wasn’t in her usual doctor’s coat. She had on a wet suit and military gear that I remembered creating when I was eleven. “I thought you said those vision goggles sucked?”

  She laughed. “Yes, you’re just fine.”

  “You said I was a failure and nothing I made worked right.”

  “You’re just as obnoxious as normal.” Dr. Cole held a medic-pen, another one of my designs. She scanned my body, checking my heart rate, temperature, and whether my body was a candidate for shock.

  “Your vitals are satisfactory.”

  “Darla! Where’s my mom?”

  Amie, my artificial parent, appeared, pointing at two men. As we swayed in mid-air, I watched men shove Darla into a metal cage attached to one of the helicopters. Amie floated above me, red hair falling around her holographic image. “Say nothing about me to Dr. Cole. Say nothing, my Shay.”

  “What are they doing to Darla?”

  Amie placed her finger to her lips. “Please, Shay! I’ll save her, I promise. Trust me. The E.R.I.C. has been reprogrammed. He’s going to do whatever he can to kill his human host. If you get in his way, he’ll kill you too.”

  “Why is he doing this?”

  Amie touched me. My arm cooled. “Speak to me with your thoughts only.”

  I turned my attention to Dr. Cole. “Let my mother cross over the Miami boarder!” I slapped at her. She didn’t even flinch. “Are you listening to me?” I kicked my feet and she tightened her grip.

  I sobbed.

  The men locked my human parent inside the cage. She began to rise into the sky. Darla crawled closer, her fingers intertwined with the chain links. “You’re going to be okay, I promise! I’ll do whatever I can to help you!”

  I wiped my eyes.

  Dr. Cole grabbed my arm. She examined my skin, tracing the areas where liquid metal coursed through my veins. “You’ve already started changing. We’ve got to get y
ou back right away.”

  “I’m not going anywhere.” I shoved her. “This is all your fault; you’ve ruined my life!”

  “She’s going to be just fine,” Dr. Cole said to the approaching divers. She tied a rope around her foot, motioning for the helicopter to pull us up.

  I couldn’t focus. My heart pounded. I watched the cage rise as I rose. Darla wept, her mouth agape. Tears streamed her face. “Are you okay, my Shay?”

  I nodded.

  The helicopter turned, distancing itself from us. I reached for my mother. Darla strained to touch my fingertips.

  Tears streamed my face. I glanced at Amie. Her hologram stayed close. Why didn’t I listen to you and wait to extract Darla?

  Amie frowned. “I will fix this, my Shay. Just please listen to me, even if you don’t understand.”

  I glanced down. Eric sank into the ocean. I grabbed at my stomach. He’d just tried to kill my Darla, he even tried to kill me, and yet, I still wanted to touch him.

  “Every S.H.A.Y. falls in love with their E.R.I.C. It’s nothing you can help or stop.” Dr. Cole hoisted me up into the helicopter. “It’s the way you’re designed.”

  Her words didn’t make me feel any better. “What’s going to happen to him?”

  “I’ve reset him.”

  “What’s that mean?”

  “Oh, this is not good.” Amie frowned. “An E.R.I.C. is only allowed one reset.”

  “What’s a reset?” My voice shook. “Why did you reset him? Is that good or bad?”

  “He’ll restart and be the Eric you remember,” Dr. Cole said.

  “Why is he trying to kill his mother?”

  “Let’s leave the questioning for now. I need to examine you.”

  “Will you please let Darla go? I’ll do whatever you want me to do, if you’ll just take her over the Miami border.”

  Dr. Cole wouldn’t face me.

  “Dr. Cole!”

  She glanced out the opened doorway. Wind blew her long hair. I’d never seen her wear it down. It was the first time I’d seen her look free.