Shadow Seed 1: The Misbegotten Read Online Free Page B

“Well, at least we lost them.”
    “Who do you think it was?” wondered Flavia offhandedly, slowing the Glide-car back down to a speed congruent to the traffic around them.
    The twelfth level of the highway was busier than the one on ground level.  Commuters chose the broad vistas and pseudo-open air over the massive pylons supporting the structure and the rather mundane, if not monotonous, view of the thousands of farms they were passing.  Traffic was still moving over 275kph, but all nine northbound lanes were full.  When he glanced to his left, Estefan could see the southbound lanes were full just the same.
    Not much different than rush hour in 2020…
    “It could’ve been anybody really,” he answered, glazing over his shoulder and through the curved plane of Diatainium reinforced plexi-glass at the back of the Glide-car.  Much of his view was obscured by the hulking Glide-bus, but from what he could see, he saw no sign of the extra-long sedan.  “There may be many parties interested in what Dr. Ahmed had to tell us, including the other members of the Board, those not employed by us.  The clans, the Burhka’s, even the Yaku Alliance and the Trû-Knights, have the tech capable of cracking Optic-mail security protocol.  That shit has as many holes as a hundred-year-old whore.  It seems only natural someone could’ve ousted his security measures and found out about our little rendezvous.”  The Keeper’s emphasis on the good doctor’s mode of communication belied his unshakable belief in their own.  They had, after all, invoked the highest degree of countermeasures for this meeting.  Maybe their contact hadn’t been as thorough?  Actually, he knew so.  None could firewall information better than the Synod.
    She half-smiled at nothing.  “You don’t think it might have come from our end?”
    It was like she was reading his mind.  “No,” he retorted, his voice clipped.  “Jake would’ve detected any intrusion onto our webs.  Before the software or the security bots, he would’ve known.  You know how anal his is about that shit.”  Stop being such a brat, Flavia!
    “Sonofabitch,” said Flavia under her breath, but it was loud enough for him to hear.
    “What?” he asked anxiously, because his one-time step-sister never cussed unless she had good cause.
    She pointed, at 3 o’ clock.  He followed her long, narrow finger.  His eyes bulged in their sockets as the same sleek, dark colored Glide-car pulled onto the same level as them, using one of the many onramps.  It was streaking down the wide thoroughfare, nearly double their speed.
    “How in the hell could they’ve followed us?” asked Flavia, incredulity and anger filling her tones.  She didn’t like being outwitted, especially if it involved Estefan.  His wellbeing was her foremost directive.
    “It doesn’t matter.  They haven’t spotted us yet… just do like Han Solo told Chewbacca – drive casual,” was Estefan’s reply.  Being flippant seemed to focus them when they needed it most.
    At his side, the long-legged vixen sniggered, following suit.  “He told him to fly casual, Eff, not drive, you wanker.”
    “Whatever…”
    “Jeez, one visit to Disneyscapes and you’re already quoting the ancient movie lexicon,” remarked Flavia, the playfulness back in her voice.
    Beside her, Estefan leaned forward.  She turned a part of her attention toward the extra-long Glide-car.
    “Is it slowing down?” she asked.
    His mouth hung slack.  How in the fuck…?
    “Yeah, they’re slowing,” concluded Estefan, reactivating his Neuro-Nanoswarm, his fingers typing complete words atop a keyboard that existed only for him.  “I’m gonna shut down this section of the highway and allow you to drop us as many levels as you deemed necessary to lose these assholes.  But the moment we do, I want you to put the car in stealth mode.  You got it?”
    “Just give me the countdown,” was all she said, her pretty brow furling