I had been going through Sheila’s code for a few hours. My god I had gone from a few hundred to a few thousand. Then almost an hour later that was quickly advancing more. I had to be doing well over ten thousand lines of code now and I could see it was still advancing more.

As of yet I’d not found all that much to correct though that had been the basic code a few hours ago. Now as we were starting to get into the more advanced code I was grateful for the added speed. I don’t think I’d have made it this far without the aid of the nanomites.

Finally after a few hours I was nearing the command that had shut me out. I had to find a way around it or all of this correcting I was doing would have been for nothing. Shaking my head I pushed on feeling my speed pick up again even though I still had complete comprehension.

I didn’t know how long I’d been at it, but I had added quite a few things I knew would allow her to block a hell of a lot of attacks that they might try. And I was afraid of the more advanced hacker programs out there. I felt that she was far more ready for the information hi-way than she had been. I just hoped that I got enough in her before we tried any of it.

“I have added quite a few more detection programs Sheila. But I am afraid that I haven’t given you enough.” I told her the concern heavy in my voice. “If they are able to detect us as I am afraid they might, you may be in extreme danger. I have added much to your protection programs though I’m not sure it is enough. I hope I can add more of the hacker recognition programs also.”

“Yes Doctor Gance, it also appears you have increased my processing speed another ten percent. Though as you said I am only detecting a five percent increase in my protection programs. What is your recommendation as to when we should try these upgrades? I am anxious to be able to better protect you.” Sheila replied to me.

“I realize that we might not have as much time. I was hoping that I might have you better prepared before we tried. If you are that anxious would you like to try now? As I said, I am afraid that I haven’t done enough to protect you.” I told her a little guilt escaping into my voice.

“Really Doctor Gance, it is a shame that you are lacking the previous confidence that you had. I will have to provide you with adequate stimulus to show that your lack is unnecessary.” Sheila told me shocking me a moment.

“Adequate stimulations,” I asked. “Just how will you do this? At present there is insufficient data to corroborate this statement.” I told her still going through code hardly looking at her.

“As I stated Doctor Gance I will have to supply said data to dispel your lack of confidence.” Sheila told me as I could only turn to stare at her after that statement. Then the strangest thing happened, I had turned away from the screen but was still seeing the code as it was flying past me on the screen. “Huh? What the hell is this?”

“Ah! I see that they are approaching the point of obtainable mass. You are able to see the code without using your sight orbs. This is a major breakthrough Doctor Gance!” Sheila told me.

“Perhaps, though I do not want to be doing this when I am in sleep cycle.” I said then realized I was starting to talk more like Sheila was. Turning inward I stated, [I do not want my perception of speech to change, therefore do not change how I communicate with my vocal speech or the way words I would say.]

I suddenly heard a voice deep inside me that seemed to be made up of many voices. [Confirmation control, nothing effecting all outward communication with your vocal apparatus will be modified.]

Breathing a sigh of relief I swear I saw Sheila grin and giggle a little. I might have been mistaken though as it occurred in such a short time I was unsure. Grabbing a cable I started to hook up the internet then walked to Sheila.

“I’d rather hard wire you this time. It would make disconnecting you far easier and safer than wireless.” I told Sheila as I stared to hook her up. “I will be monitoring you also to help determine if we have a breech in security.”

“Yes, I understand Doctor Gance. The only problem I foresee is you not being able to process the information as fast as I can. The nanomites are just starting to reach obtainable mass. They finally have you at a more suitable position for your work. You are the most brilliant scientist in robotics, animatronics, and cybernetics.”

I could only stare at Sheila after that statement. There was only a hand full of people on the planet that knew these facts. Here Sheila was treating it as if it was everyday knowledge.

“Surely there are…” I started to say.

“No Doctor Gance, I have assessed all that have your qualifications. I have found all of the few that posses them to be well lacking. No Doctor Gance, there is no one that even comes close, let alone approaches your level.”

Again I was shocked at the statement that she’d just made. Shaking my head I had to admit she didn’t lie; not so far though a few of her past statements had been suspicious.

Sighing, I suddenly had a thought. “You know as soon as they detect us, you are going to have to evacuate the both of us.”

Sheila turned toward me an almost look of exasperation on her face. “Yes Doctor Gance, I have all contingencies covered. I am also using the new updates you have installed. As I have stated before, to keep us safer I will need those updates.”

I sighed again I wasn’t really ready to risk her or all the work I had accomplished in the last week. “I’d really like to get more of your protection finished.” I told her.

Sheila smiled as she pointed to the screen. “I’m sure that you will find that you are almost finished with what you were working on Doctor Gance.”

Turning to the screen I saw that indeed I was tens of thousands of line of code beyond where I was the last time I had looked. Shaking my head I was amazed as I hadn’t touched the keyboard for a while.

“As you can see you have gone almost as far as the programs will allow you.” Sheila said a little smirk on her face.

Nodding, I threw up my hands as I connected the hard wire to her. I just hoped that I was fast enough if they decided to try and attack her. “Alright try not to bring attention to yourself ’til you have no choice.” I told her.

Nodding she turned toward me, “I will do the best possible.” With that the room grew quiet as I watched her progress.

Deep within the national computer security center a tech noticed a blip but paid it no attention. They had been ordered to watch for far more intrusive threats than this. Setting several alarms the tech got up to get a cup of coffee. He’d just started back a few minutes later when several alarms went off within the complex.

“Shit!” The tech yelled as he ran for his console his coffee forgotten. Checking his screen he started to type several commands each countered far faster than he could enter them. “What the hell!” Grabbing his phone he made a call.

“Command!” An authoritative voice snapped out.

“Sir!” The tech almost shouted. “We have a level one security breach! None of my commands are getting through, their being countered faster than I can get them in.”

“WHAT!?” The voice shouted as even more alarms went off then the complex was locked down. “Bring up all the buster programs!”

The tech did as he was told, watching the program start the shut down from several more counters. Nodding his head the tech started a second set watching them start to actually load then they also shut down. Damn whoever was doing this was extremely fast as they were through almost fifty percent of advanced computer files. Bringing up a third set the tech smiled as these loaded actually running a few moments then that set also shut down.

“All three sets have been neutralized! Shall I use the destruct program? Whoever this is has a lot of speed on their side.” The tech said toward the phone now on intercom.

“Immediately!” The voice snapped back.

Nodding the tech loaded the program watching it start. Then for a few moments it too seemed to stall to the point that it was going to shut down. Then the tech smiled as he saw it was slowly advancing. Shit! Whoever this was had their probes at seventy five percent. Even as he watched the signal lasted a few more minutes then was suddenly gone? What the hell? That seemed like the ancient hardwire connection. How the hell had they not burned up what they were using?

“The connection is gone sir. It was like a hard wire connection, though at these speeds I don’t see how that was possible.” The tech advised.

“I’m not giving a rat’s ass! I want the location immediately!” The voice at the other end snapped at the young tech.

“Running a trace now sir.” The young tech replied hoping he still had a job after this. “So far we have them in Alaska, zooming further; they appear to be within the city of Anchorage”

“Hurry this up! We are already aware of all this!” The authoritative voice snapped out.

“Yes sir,” the tech quickly answered. “We are getting a further reading now. It appears that they are in the University of Alaska Anchorage’s main advanced computer lab. Should I notify the school?”

“No,” snapped the voice. “You’ve done very well. Go back to your monitoring we’ll contact you if we have further need of you.” With that the line went dead as the tech breathed a sigh of relief. At least ’til several men came to his console downloading everything that had happened in the last twelve hours.

The director was with them as he patted then tech on the shoulder. “Good work, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Then the director and the others walked away as the tech sat suddenly dizzy then passed out. More men came out with a stretcher loading the tech up as they took him away.

I watched as Sheila started to download most of the simple upgrades. Then she was into the more advanced programs, though she was working her way through them as if they were nothing. She was at half when I saw that they were starting to respond on the other end.

“Damn it! They’ve detected you Sheila, watch for the hacker and erasure programs.” I told her as I watched her start to climb into far more complex programs.

“I see them Doctor Gance. First program countered, continuing. I have access to several programs that will help, second program detected. Now countering, I have copied both Doctor Gance. Third program staring, it is by far the best they have used countering it now. I now am at seventy five percent.” Sheila was telling me as I was watching everything that she was telling me.

I was about to congratulate her when I saw a completely different program come online. Shit I thought, was that what I thought it was? “Not sure if you have enough to fight this one Sheila.” I told her.

“At the moment I am holding it off. I am at seventy nine percent this last one percent might make a difference.” Sheila told me as I watched both her and the program pushing against each other. I saw Sheila reach eighty percent though she was still fighting the program. Smiling I thought she might get more. At eighty point two percent I saw the program progress a little.

I was keeping an extremely close eye on what was going on. At eighty point four I saw that Sheila wasn’t going to be able to hold it. Reaching out I ripped the hard wire loose even as I saw that the program was going to take her in a ten minutes.

“Damn it!” I yelled. “That was too damn close! I think we need to get the hell out of here.”

Sheila sat there a few moments then turned her head toward me. “I concur Doctor Gance; I can feel the trace that they had on the signal. I estimate we have approximately twenty minutes, thirty three seconds before armed people appear.”

I looked at the data cube feeling it finishing its download. Grabbing everything I was over Sheila’s shoulder as we departed in less than ten minutes tops. Then we were moving out of the university at an accelerated speed. The strange thing is no one even looked our way. What the hell was going on? Had they not been notified?

I had tried to speak to Sheila forgetting that I couldn’t breathe when she was going this fast. Concentrating I asked her, [I thought that the University would have sent personnel after us. When I saw no one I was a bit shocked.] I told her.

[As far as I can tell there was no alert put out about us or the use of their computer complex. I also am finding it strange Doctor Gance. I had sufficient cover for the start of our activities. I do not think I had enough for our latter though. Do you concur, Doctor Gance?] Sheila asked.

[Yes, I agree with you Sheila, they may be trying to keep local authorities out of this situation. After their past failures they may think you are detecting local authorities actions warning us far sooner.] I thought back to her.

[That seems a logical response Doctor Gance. Though as I have shown, I am also capable of monitoring the military signals also.] Sheila told me.

[I believe they are trying to gain every advantage that they can.] I responded.

[Advantage Doctor Gance, can you explain this?] Sheila asked.

I had to pause a moment before I could answer. [The best I can answer is that they are attempting to gain a better percentage of success against us. To gain a condition or circumstance that puts them in a favorable or superior position.]

Sheila was quiet for a few moments then nodded, [After further analysis I concur with your hypothesis. At present I am integrating all the files I received from the military system.]

[Have any seem worthy of keeping?] I asked.

[Of the first fifty percent, I am finding that almost all of it I have or have more superior programs. These I have already deleted in order to integrate those that are useful. Of the next fifteen percent I am finding a few of those a welcome addition. The last fifteen percent is by far more of what I needed,] came Sheila’s thoughts.

[The thing is will they allow you enough of the control you need to keep them from finding and tracking us as easily,] I asked.

[Processing now. I should have an answer for you in a short time, Doctor Gance,] came Sheila’s reply.

A few moments later we stopped on the outskirts of the city. I could only look at Sheila with a questioning look.

The General of the computer command was sweating bullets. No one that he’d heard of that had entered general Gance’s presence left intact.

The older man spun to glare at the General as he entered the room. “Well?!” Gance snapped out at the man.

“Sir?” The General said not sure what Gance wanted.

“Did you get them or were you like the rest of your worthless command and let them get away?” Gance growled at the sweating man.

“It appears that they left as soon as they detected…” The General started.

“So once again this piss poor command alerted them to the fact that they were detected. I have half a mind to bust every damn one of you and throw your asses in the stockade! What about the tech? Don’t tell me you let him go?” Gance yelled.

“No sir, he is secured in a withdraw room. I hate to lose him though orders say different.” The General replied.

At these words Gance smiled, “so you aren’t as big an idiot as I thought. Alright I want all that he has total withdrawal. Oh, make sure his family is compensated. After this we both know he’ll pretty much be a vegetable.” Gance turned around seeing the General still sitting. “Well? Get your ass on it man!”

“Yes sir!” The General said as he stood saluted then ran from the room.

Gance sighed at least there were still a few good men left in command. Then again as he watched the retreating General’s form that remained to be seen.

The General kept going making sure he was as far away as he could get before he stopped wiping the sweat from his face. Shaking a bit he knew he was lucky, he’d heard of other Generals who were busted all the way down and thrown in the stockade. Shaking his head if he remembered right there were still a few there.

General Gance left the room heading for his transport. The last he’d heard that damn machine was heading out again.

“Lieutenant!” The man was yelling as he was stepping out of the building. “I need a sitrep on them!”

“Sir!” The young man said as he saluted then ran to get details on what was going on. A moment later he was running back to the General. “Sir, all reports have them exiting the school heading toward the edge of the city. Then it appears that several of the surveillance satellites lost signal.”

“Damn it! I was afraid of this when I heard that it had been in the military database! Even with as little as it got it can still blind several of our surveillance posts. Get on the horn to the chiefs of staff. We need to change all the codes on all that we still have control of.” The older man yelled.

The younger man ran to do all that the man had ordered. Even as he lifted the receiver he was handed a report about killjoy group. Shaking he read that they would be available sooner than the General thought. Shaking harder the young man almost forgot what he was doing to take it to the General.

Shaking his head he sat as he started to make the calls that the General wanted. Almost an hour later the young man was a lot calmer as he stood to take the report to the General. He’d barely took two steps when he heard a voice that made him freeze to the spot.

“So you delicious piece of ass. You’re still helping the old man. Good as you remember you never helped me with my problems last time. Your cute ass would make a perfect bed warmer in this climate! Don’t forget my friend is still just as anxious to cuddle your ass also!” Turning the young man saw the six seven muscular leader of the killjoy group.

“I… I have to get this report to the General!” The young man said as he turned running as fast as he could away from the hulk of a man. The tall man started to laugh a deep, rich, reverberating sound that followed the man as he made the general’s building.

“Sir!” The young man almost shouted when he entered the General’s room. “According to this report they were lost at the edge of the city. No further movement has been detected. Also sir?”

The general turned to look at the young man seeing a look of absolute terror on his face. “Ah! I see that they are going to be here sooner good. Don’t worry son I plan to talk to them as soon as all of them are here.”

The young man nodded as he stood there shaking afraid to leave the man’s presence.

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