EXCERPT 1
The lightweight blanket over the dry grass provided only a thin, scratchy protection from the hard rocks as Rafael and Ellie lay on their stomachs side by side, looking over the cliff edge at the road below. Rafael could feel the heat leaching from his body into the cold rock beneath him.

There was little traffic on the road, making it easy for his mind to wander to the life they left behind. They had seen three pairs of security bots passing on foot, wielding chip detection wands. As they trotted along, the bots scanned both sides of the road and the adjacent shrubbery. When the third pair of bots disappeared around the next bend, Rafael rolled over onto his back. Above, the sun shone in a cloudless blue sky. The leaves on nearby bushes fluttered in the cool breeze.

“That’s the third pair in an hour, about 20 minutes apart. It means we can easily cross the road when we’re ready to get further down.”

Ellie wriggled to get closer and lay her head on Rafael’s chest. “We’re going to be okay, aren’t we?”

Rafael kissed her on the top of her head. “Of course, we haven’t done anything wrong. We just need to lie low until we figure out how to make them understand.”

“I’m scared, Raffi.”

Guilt washed through him as he thought of how his misplaced curiosity was now putting Ellie at risk. “So am I, but we can’t give in to that. Let’s get up and keep moving. We’ll make camp in a couple more hours and have the last sandwiches for dinner. Everything will seem better in the morning.”

They stood and took up their packs, then moved off along the old hiking trail that ran for several hundred kilometers around the island that was home. This far from the city, the trail was now little more than a rabbit track through the scrub bushes and sharp grasses. Peeling white blazes painted on the trees continued to guide them forward.

As the sun dipped lower, they made camp. With practiced hands, Rafael put up their hiking tent. There was not enough room to stand, so he knelt on the floor of the tent as he laid out their sleeping bags side by side. Outside, Ellie was preparing a meal of sandwiches, potato chips, and two flasks of water. There was no fire tonight. She laid the sandwiches on their wrappings and set them on a nearby rock serving as an ersatz table.

After dinner, they brushed their teeth with the last flask of water, then removed their shoes and jackets and crawled fully clothed into the light sleeping bags.

“I’ll be so glad when we can have a shower again,” said Ellie, sniffing her armpits. “I’m starting to stink.”

“You still smell lovely to me, but it might be good if you tried to sleep a little further away,” replied Rafael.

“You’re no prize either, but I’m too polite to mention it.”

“Let’s both agree that we’re overdue for washing and just go to sleep. With any luck, we’ll be able to get clean tomorrow.”

Ellie rolled away from him. Rafael lay facing her back and placed his hand on her hip. Lying there, waiting for sleep to come, Rafael retraced the events that had brought them to this point in time.

EXCERPT 2
“I am Gisele, one of the apex AIs that Rafael has been searching for. Please bring him to the library now.”

An icy wave of fear traveled down her spine. Oh shit! “We need some time to get dressed. We’ll be there in thirty minutes.”

“Come to the reserved reading room when you arrive. An appointment has been made for you.”

The screen went black. Fear and anger filled her. Shit, shit, shit! What do we do now? Why did he have to go and ask all these questions?!

With three strides, she reached Rafael and roughly pulled the headset off his head. “Get up! We have a problem. Giselle is waiting for us at the library in thirty minutes. We need to get away. Find the backpacks, tents and sleeping bags. I’ll get toiletries, clothes and food. Ten minutes and we’re gone.”.

“But what….”

“Don’t talk. Your idiotic fishing around the AIs has caught something we can’t land. Now get started.”

“At least tell me…”

Ellie wanted to scream. “No! No time. Pack now, talk later.”

Ten minutes later, they were packed. Not neatly, but packed.

“Where do we go?” asked Rafael.

“Highland trail. There’s lots of branching trails. We need to stay hidden.”

“Just a moment.” Rafael ducked into the kitchen and returned with a roll of aluminum foil. “Keep our tablets undetectable.” Ellie just nodded.

They ran down the three flights of stairs, stumbling and hanging onto the handrail in their haste.

“Hang on a second,” said Raffi, struggling to catch his breath. “We need to be calm as we walk out. No need to attract attention. Just another hike in the woods.”

Ellie was anything but calm. It may have been a crappy apartment, but it was our crappy apartment. I wonder if we’ll see it again.

Two security bots fell in beside them as they stepped out the front door. “You have an appointment with Giselle.”

A four-seat Central Taxi stood at the curb, its doors open. “We are here to escort you to Giselle.

Please get in the taxi.”

Rafael was guided into the front seat and Ellie into the back. A security bot sat next to each of them. Rafael twisted round to look at her. “What’s going on, Ellie?”

“I did some research on my own. Apparently, it triggered something.”

“Oh. Let’s talk when this is over. Too many ears in here.”

They sat in silence. Ellie felt a deep-seated fear take hold. Looking at the security bot beside her, a cold, clammy sweat broke out on her skin. She felt her heartbeat racing. The biography of Abraham Aziz came back to her. I’m not sure that this will be over in a good way.

She looked up at Rafael in the front seat, not moving. She leaned forward. Running a hand down the side of his head to his cheek, she felt an unexpected wetness. He covered her hand with his own and pressed her to his cheek. “Mi vida,” was all he said.