Willful Machines Read Online Free Page A

Willful Machines
Book: Willful Machines Read Online Free
Author: Tim Floreen
Pages:
Go to
rest of the audience.
    â€œBeyond reiterating that the US government is not holding any 2Bs in custody,” Dad said, “I have not negotiated with Charlotte. It is the policy of this administration never to negotiate with terrorists. Especially when they aren’t even alive. The tireless men and women of our Cybernetic Defense Corps are doing everything they can to find Charlotte and wipe her— it —off the face of the planet. And today I’d like to propose another important measure: the Protection of Humanhood Amendment, which would add to the Constitution a provision defining a legal person as an individual of the species Homo sapiens. I urge our Congress and the fifty states of our Union to pass it with all possible speed. The power to create life rests solely withour Creator. We must ensure that our laws reflect this fact, and that they continue to protect the inalienable rights with which our Creator endowed us. Thank you.”
    The FUUWLs jumped to their feet again. The sound of cheering crashed through the auditorium. Dad smiled, his eyes crinkling behind his silver glasses, and raised one hand in an understated wave.
    â€œGod bless America.”
    Bex gave me the same searching, baffled look she always did when we happened to see one of Dad’s speeches on the Supernet. It said, How can that guy be your father? I could still feel the possibly imaginary wafts of heat emanating from Nico, but I didn’t have the courage to turn in his direction.
    The applause finally subsided. Headmaster Stroud returned to the podium and dismissed us to our second-period classes. The noise in the auditorium boiled up again as everybody crowded toward the aisles. I’d started to follow Bex when I felt a hand on my arm.
    â€œHey,” Nico said. “Sorry if I came on a little strong. I shouldn’t have just asked you for your handle out of the blue like that.”
    I darted a glance over my shoulder. Bex had already reached the aisle. She raised her eyebrow a tick. I motioned for her to go ahead. “So that was what you were doing? Asking me for my handle?”
    Nico turned on his grin. “Sorry, did I not make that clear?”
    Usually when I saw a grin that big on people, it made me want to shake them and ask them what there was to be so damn happy about. But not with Nico. His grin just made my knees feel squishy. “Look, I know you’re new here and from another country and whatever, but you don’t just start making moves on another boy in a place like Inverness Prep. Especially not while the president of the United States is in the very same room giving a speech about the need to stomp out threats to traditional human values.”
    He took a step closer. “That only made it hotter.”
    My pulse quickened like a Geiger counter at his approach. “Who are you? Where’s your normal, healthy, paralyzing teenage insecurity?”
    â€œProbably trumped by my Latin American audacity.” He opened his hands. “If I’m barking up the wrong tree, you can just tell me.”
    I pushed my chunky black glasses up my nose. My shirt collar felt tighter than ever. Part of me knew I should just tell him, Yes, you’re barking up the wrong tree , and walk away. I sometimes called that side of my psyche Gutless Lee. But another part of me—the part I called Kamikaze Lee—wanted me to sink my fingers into his big, wild mop, pull him close, and whisper my handle into his ear.
    Instead, I did neither of those things and said, “You tied your tie wrong.”
    He touched the blue-black silk. “Excuse me?”
    â€œThat’s a single Windsor. At Inverness Prep, all students are supposed to tie their ties in double Windsor knots. You’ll get in trouble if you’re caught with your tie like that. Also, your tiepin is upside down.”
    His fingers moved to his silver raven tiepin. Every student received one after enrolling at Inverness
Go to

Readers choose

Justine Sebastian

Autumn Dawn

Madelynne Ellis

Dean Pitchford

Aki Peritz, Eric Rosenbach

Rachelle Ayala

Kirsty Moseley