Chapter Fourteen.

I didn't mean to, it was an accident- please... believe me when I say I didn't mean to do it. -

I'm not, I'm not... a murderer...

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..........34 minutes earlier...........

"You have six minutes to enter the secure zone before the window closes, and exactly two minutes to launch the code." Ginger smiled at me "I'm certain you'll do the right thing." She pointed the gun at me and hinted at the chair.

-What should I do?- I thought, my conscience weighing down on me, I couldn't kill anyone. I would never do something like that.

"Oh, I forgot to mention, if you fail or decide not to carry out my orders, I will shoot you. Sure I won't kill you, but if you're gonna be that useless I might as well make sure you can't escape from me either."

I could tell that she was serious.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked as I sat "who are you even rebelling against?"

"Five minutes," she stated not even attempting to answer my question.

She waved her left hand while still pointing the gun at me with her right. Her gesture caused a complex HUD bigger than most of the displays that randomly floated around the room to appear before her, one which she to seemed understand completely.

"Second user activate." She stated and then "Reverse-link activate, R 1 3 6 Q - activate."

"Remember, blending in is key, no-one will be able to see you but they'll have security protocols and programs to spot anyone suspicious."

She looked down on me and smiled once again.

"I love you, so don't disappoint me - Link-in."

Suddenly I was pulled back, an almost sudden sensation that I was falling, I immediately found myself among a large crowd of people moving in random directions in front of one of the many gia corporation buildings.

My body felt light and almost weightless almost as if I'd just float away if I let the wind take me.

I knew I wasn't really there but it just felt so real, I could feel, smell feel and …. even touch.

<What are you waiting for?>

Ginger's voice resonated inside my head.

I knew it was just some super-user privilege, being a top notch hacker and all but it still felt weird.

I ignored her question.

Slowly I made my way towards the building, what exactly did she want me to do for her?

Her instructions were to stand in front of the lobby elevator (the one place in the building that has an unguarded access point) and run a simple shell code.

I had a feeling something bad would happen, I mean she did say she wanted me to kill for her but how was a single line of code able to kill anyone?

I stepped inside the large and air conditioned building then walked towards the elevator after glancing at the woman at the reception desk who didn't seem to notice me.

<3 minutes.> ginger stated her tone taking on a hint of urgency.

I stood in front of the elevator, and quickly brought up my retina display and entered the code. Now all that was left to do was give the gesture to run the code.

But...

I couldn't... Not when I wasn't even sure what'd happen if I did.

"I...can't," I stated.

<Hurry up!> ginger stated angrily <you do know I have the gun to your head right?>

"You won't shoot me." I responded feigning bravery.

<Fine!>

Suddenly my hand started moving on its own and before I knew it, I had run the code!

Then without warning the building shook violently. The few occupants of the lobby started running to the exit and after a few minutes even more people started pooling down a stair case sceaming, shrieking and yelling hysterically as the fought to get down the overly crowded stair case.

"There's another bomb!" Someone shouted.

I hadn't noticed before but some of the people had wounds too ghastly to even describe.

I fell to my knees in disbelief at what had happened "no... What have I done? Just how many people did I kill?" The urge to puke was unbearable, I felt sick.

Then "Jake?" Someone called from behind me, "is that you?"

-I know that voice, but it couldn't be.-

I turned slowly and there she stood a thoroughly confused expression.

I knew that like me she wasn't really there but.

001.

"I'm sorry..." Was all I could say.