The Rise of Io Read Online Free Page B

It was an oxymoron, but she was one of the few con artists the people here trusted.
    Then again, no one said she couldn’t cut off his balls and apologize.
    Ella twisted her waist to make sure she wasn’t going to bleed out while she slept, and then, satisfied and impressed at Coward’s medical skills, slumped to her bed to finally get some sleep.

Three
    Io
    I o was second-guessing herself right about now. That in itself wasn’t an unusual occurrence, any more so than the need to transfer to a new host. Io had needed to make the move often over the centuries. Her transfer rate was higher than the average Quasing’s, but that was more a product of the dangers of this day and age than of her inability to keep her humans alive.
    At least that’s what she told herself.
    No matter the frequency, Io had made a judgment call tonight that was either going to allow her carefully-laid plans to come to fruition, or set her back a few years. But she didn’t have much of a choice. Joining with Hamilton was not an option. He would have definitely wanted to abort and leave India on the first plane out, and that was something Io could not allow. That and the fact that Emily’s auxiliary had proven to be disappointingly unreliable on his first mission. So much for high test scores at Prophus Training Academy in Sydney. The truth comes out when people start playing with live bullets.
    Io checked the girl’s state. She could already tell her new host was a light sleeper, which meant Io would have to be more delicate than usual. She waited half an hour more until Ella’s breathing slowed and her consciousness moved into a deeper stage of sleep before taking control and sitting her up.
    This human was so small, so light, so frail. Her limbs were like twigs. The girl had suffered dozens of small injuries and broken bones over her years of living on the streets. Many of them hadn’t mended quite right. Fortunately, there was no major damage, although her nose really should be reset, with the way it obstructed her breathing.
    Io took a step and stumbled, nearly tipping the girl forward onto her face. Controlling the body of an unconscious human was difficult, and Io was poorer than most Quasing when it came to this skill. She took baby steps and moved the body past the beaded curtain out into the next room.
    Io found the girl’s phone and unplugged it from its charger attached to a solar battery. After rummaging through Ella’s memory for a few minutes, she was able to locate the passcode. She checked the contacts. Everything was coded. Clever, cautious girl.
    Io dialed a number.
    â€œTwenty-four hour wake-up service. We wake up to wake you up. Can I help you?”
    â€œIdentification Io.”
    â€œVoice recognition does not match Emily Curran.”
    Io pursed her lips. The six years they had spent together had been contentious, but also far too short. Emily deserved better, and Io owed it to Colin, Emily’s father and Io’s previous host, to have given her better. What had happened was unfortunate. However, Io had played this particular game long enough. It was time for something different.
    â€œHost has passed.”
    â€œBase Binary code required.”
    â€œBinary code one, one, one, zero, one, zero, zero, one, zero, zero, one, zero.”
    Silence.
    â€œAnalyst Wyatt Smith here. You’re off-book in India, Io. What the hell are you doing there?”
    Io pulled the phone away from her ear and stared at the screen. Analyst? What the hell indeed. She put the phone back to her ear. “Excuse me, Analyst Wyatt Smith, there has been a host transfer. Why am I speaking to you and not to the Keeper?”
    â€œNew protocol,” Wyatt replied. “Keeper is too busy these days to deal with every single host transition. Now, all lower-tier hosts and Quasing go through the call center.”
    Lower-tier.
    Io wanted to tell Analyst Wyatt Smith exactly what she thought