“Sprite, you’ve got a security breach, code seven,” Scotty said. “I’m shut out, so you’re stuck at 89% access credentials. Authorities will lock down your sector and be on top of you in under three minutes.”

“Ling,” Sprite said, “I need you to slow them down while I’m digging through materials.”

“No can do; we’ve got five specters up to their knees in our security. If I leave them alone, they’ll be swimming in our system in no time.”

“You don’t have time to dig through anything,” Vapor said, not believing Sprite. “You’ve got to get out of there now!”

A ghost was a ghost. And the ghost they had faced had been quite formidable. Vapor didn’t understand how over the course of a sector transfer, Sprite could disable the other ghost to the point of being effectively or even actually gone.

But now wasn’t the time to ask, because at that point, some of their bad luck became worse. It could have been because of the ghost’s tagalong. Or perhaps the missing 11% of Sprite’s access level had a key component that Scotty hadn’t gotten. Or perhaps fortune simply frowned rather than smiled.

Whatever the reason, alarms went off.

“Sprite,” Vapor said, eying what stats she had. “You’ve got 103 others in your quad, but I don’t know who’s security yet. I’m working on getting the adjacent quads.”

“Copy,” Sprite said.

“What about that ghost?” Ling asked.

“Taken care of,” Sprite said. “But it’s going to slow down my uploads.”

“Taken care of?” Vapor said, not believing what she heard. How could anyone just take out a ghost like that, especially after locking a hold strong enough to be transferred through a barrier and into encryption?

“The ghost is a non-issue,” Sprite repeated, “but my uploads will be delayed.”

But the ghost avoided Darkholm’s blockades easily, not willing to be denied, still fast on Sprite’s trail. Sprite reached the doorway for encryption, entering the barrier and already starting to vanish from Vapor’s view, entering the next level. But because Scotty had only reached 89% entrance, the transfer took too much time. The ghost was able to reach Sprite and lock a hold for the transfer, being pulled through with Sprite into encryption.

Upon entering encryption level, the ghost and Sprite completely disappeared from Vapor’s monitor. She checked some numbers, but location coordinates and other specifics were limited at best.

“Not yet, Sprite,” Ling said. “Just a bit longer.”

But it was too late. Already the ghost had left their mainframe as quickly as he had entered, now rapidly zeroing in on Sprite’s signal.

“Faster, Sprite!” Vapor said. “There’s a ghost on you!”

Ling threw up a patch, blocking the specters from tracing the ghost’s trail into their mainframe. Being specters, their skills weren’t as high as a ghost. But it wouldn’t take them long to break through a patch. Ling kept at it, trying to seal the hole tight.

Darkholm drew three quick blockades between the ghost and Sprite.

No, it wouldn’t take a ghost of these obvious abilities long at all to wreak havoc in their system, eventually taking them over completely.

“Eighty-nine,” Scotty said, and for a second, Ling didn’t even realize what it was he was talking about.

And then a familiar voice they hadn’t heard for what seemed like hours crackled over everyone’s headsets. “I’m not waiting any longer,” Sprite said. “I’m entering encryption.”

Vapor pulled up Sprite’s sector and saw the ace hack back on her terminal, quickly moving across the sector and toward the entrance to encryption.

“Sprite, wait for it,” Ling demanded.

“We’ll worry about patchwork later,” Ling said.

“I’ve got one specter tunneling, another climbing,” Vapor said.

“I got ’em,” Ling said. “Dark, how’s that ghost?”

“No trail,” he said.

“Stay on him. He can’t have disappeared completely.”

“I’ve got him!” Vapor yelled.

“What?” Ling turned toward her.

“He just vaulted through the specter’s pathway. He’s deep in our mainframe!”

Ling turned to her monitor, looking at their security. Sure enough, the ghost had reappeared, and he was terrorizing their systems. Even with all the trapdoors, mazes, and security add-ons they had, a ghost of this skill could do real damage.

The ghost’s path continued to elude Darkholm. And it would be foolish to simply hope the ghost had gone away.

“Ok, keep an eye on the area, but I need your help in home protection,” Ling said to Vapor. “We’re no good to Sprite if they track down our location and shut us down. Back up my cleaner and run an imprint.”

Vapor switched modes, shrinking the view on Sprite’s daggered sector, and moving over to their own firewalls and trenches. “Ok, I got your cleaner backup. What about the stucco?”

“Ignore it. We’ve got to get these guys out.”

The noise might draw a few thrill seekers, but most norms would avoid the area, knowing they were out of their league.

“Two more specters,” Vapor said, “besides the five in our backyard.” This was also to be expected. With the obviously high price for Sprite’s current black mark, would be bounty hunters would certainly investigate spikes of activity. “But not ghosts.” This was both good and bad. Good that they didn’t read any new ghosts. Bad that the other ghost that had been in the sector was still not found. Darkholm was still fruitlessly trying to find the trail.

“Run another monitor,” Ling said.

“The monitor’s not doing a thing!” Vapor yelled back, scared and frustrated.

“Don’t panic,” Ling said.

“I need some help here!” Vapor said. “This wall is about to go!”

Ling cursed, switching over her view. Then she cursed again, seeing how bad the situation really was.

“I told you,” Vapor said.

“I’m running a cleaner,” Ling said. “Check Sprite’s sector. I need a traffic update.”

Vapor checked another screen for stats and locations. “47 spectators.” Most had cleared out as was to be expected after the crosstide and other hot action occurring in that sector.

“Outer wall is breached!” Vapor said.

“Vapor, run a monitor,” Ling said.

“I lost him!” Darkholm said, slamming the desk in front of him and frantically scanning his monitors for the missing ghost. “Vapor do you see him?”

Vapor finished running the monitor and kicked her chair over to a different screen. “No, I don’t see him anywhere.”

Darkholm cursed.

“This ghost is finished,” Ling said, returning to her previous monitor, desperately trying to find the missing ghost.

Vapor kicked back to her home protection monitor. “The piggybackers are inside the outer courtyard and about to breach the main quarters!”

“Our outer defenses are still compromised from the last attack,” Ling said. “Vapor, you’re going to have to hold them off.”

“But I’m no systems expert,” she protested.

“Just do it!” Ling yelled, fear and anger flashed in her eyes.

Vapor returned to her monitor. “Working up a decoy,” she said, fingers flying across the keyboard.

“Ling, he’s trying to double back,” Darkholm said. “I need you to pick up the trail or we’ll lose him!”

“I can’t! I’m still breaking through this one’s defenses!”

“Run a bot! This one is about to get away!”

“He’s too good for that!”

“Back hacking our other ghost,” Darkholm said.

“Eighty-eight,” Scotty announced.

“He’s on the move,” Vapor said, the ghost suddenly reading their back hack and trying to lose their trace. “And we’ve got three others attacking our system’s outer barrier!”

“I can’t do anything right now,” Ling said. “I need at least another twenty.”

“I’m booked hanging on to this ghost,” Darkholm said, trying not to loose the last ghost in Sprite’s sector.

“It’s three of the specters,” Vapor said, “and two more are piggybacking on their hacks!”

Helen’s bull dober began to growl, looking around the room for cyber invaders.

Finally Ling pulled up the time of the crosstide. She cursed. “He’s still there! The ghost is still there!”

“What? Where?” Vapor said, Helen’s own panic rising.

“13 by 27 by 19,” Ling said, giving Vapor the coordinates.

Vapor punched these in and said, “I’ve got him! He did it! He absorbed the tide!”

“And ran an interference cloak on the backside,” Ling completed. “But he’s left a trail. Dark, track him!”

“I’m on the new one,” Darkholm said. “And shifting final location of the other ghost to your screen.”

“I got him,” Ling said. “I’m shutting him down now.”

“He must have jettisoned,” Vapor said, doubt in her voice.

“Check other local sectors,” Ling said. “This one wasn’t going out without a fight.”

Vapor cycled rapidly through reads. “I’m not getting anything. Is it possible he absorbed the tide?”

“Not without my reading it,” Darkholm said.

“Unless he was running a background sponge,” Ling said.

“I’m checking the history now,” Darkholm said.

“No, I’ll do that,” Ling said. “You stay on that other ghost.”

“Four specters, under 100 spectators,” Vapor said. “But still no sign of the ghost.”

Ling pulled up the history of the sector, searching, scanning back.

But even during the flash, Scotty kept hammering away at his keyboard to gain encryption access rights for Sprite, albeit with his eyes closed briefly to avoid momentary blindness.

The monitors rebooted from black and soon all flickered to life again.

“Spectators rapidly decreasing,” Vapor announced. “200 and falling. Only five specters are still in the sector.”

“My ghost deflected this one too,” Darkholm said. “Running metrics and triangulating location now.”

“150 spectators,” Vapor said.

“Eight-seven,” Scotty announced, getting closer to encryption.

“Where’s our other ghost?” Ling asked.

“I lost him,” Vapor said, a hint of panic in her voice.

“Signal bounced,” Vapor said.

“I caught it,” Darkholm announced.

“Vape, where’s that other ghost?” Ling asked.

“It’s still on the move,” Vapor said, watching more the echo of the ghost’s previous location, than its actual current placement.

“Signal’s bounced and rerouted, but I’m close,” Darkholm said, still chasing the physical location and signal of the ghost who deflected the spectral readout.

“I’m tossing in a crosstide,” Ling said. “Three, two, one, mark!”

All four ace hacks closed their eyes and three turned their heads as their screens momentarily flashed brightest white. Even Helen was taken aback, not expecting this result.

“The ghosts have not moved,” Vapor said. “One specter just hopped one quad over, but nine are still bouncing around in Sprite’s sector.”

“Field’s clear,” Darkholm said. “Ready when you are!”

“Dropping readout,” Ling said.

“Both ghosts on heightened alert,” Vapor said.

“Good,” Ling said. “We’re not trying to surprise them, just make them react.”

“Northern ghost is on the move,” Vapor said. “Southern ghost is not changing location.”

“Dark, get ready to trace this one’s deflection,” Ling said.

“I’m already on it,” Darkholm answered, kicking his swiveled chair over to another monitor, preparing to track the ghost’s resonating deflection.

“If they deflect the spec read and crosstide,” Ling said, “we can triangulate their feedback. If they dodge them, at least we’ve got them a little distracted. And it’s only a matter of time before Sprite can enter encryption. Dark, can I get some assistance on the spectral readout?

“Let me just finish up this bounce, and I’m yours.” A few more keystrokes and Darkholm said, “All right, I’m initiating field scan now.”

“Eighty-six,” Scotty announced.

“Preparing to drop spec read,” Ling said, switching to a trackball mouse and zooming in her view. Keep an eye on those spooks, Vape!”

“Let me know spectator numbers at every 50 mark,” Ling said, “and announce specifics on all specters and ghosts.”

“You got it,” Vapor said.

“Dark, you keep scattering, dampening, and rearranging signals. Throw in some false reads too for good measure.”

“I’ll run a deflection script as well,” Darkholm said, plugging in a wireless drive and running the executable.

“Good,” Ling said. “Let’s keep these ghosts guessing. Location update.”

“Same status, opposite corners of current sector,” Vapor said.

“We can’t track these ghosts’ reads,” Ling said. “But we can at least throw a spectral readout and a crosstide at them.

“Listen up people!” Ling said. “We’ve lost a fellow ace mech hack in the midst of a dagger. I’m confident, however, that Sprite’s skills far exceed ours and that she’s not lost to herself. Therefore our course of action remains the same: we need to keep running backup and expect her to do what she does. Scotty, I need you to keep us posted with every increase toward encryption.”

Scotty nodded, not looking up from his screen, fingers flying their rapid dance back and forth across the keyboard. “You got it.”

“Vapor, you’re on crowd control data.”

“Rodger,” Vapor said.

“Dark, what’s the status on Sprite’s echo?” Ling asked.

“She’s still not silent,” Darkholm said, “but also being not visible helps. I’ve managed to bounce her signal around with refractors, so it’ll slow down their processing dramatically.”

“Vapor, update spectators.”

“Traffic is thinning; we’re down to 290. We’ve still got nine specters bouncing around, fewer still in the surrounding sectors. The two ghosts are in opposite corners. They look like they’re waiting on something.”

“Scotty, how close are we to encryption?”

“Eighty-five and rising.”

“Sprite, wait for ninety or greater,” Ling said. “We’re going to give those ghosts a distraction.”

“Did you check every spectrum?” Darkholm suggested.

“Yes. I’m telling you,” Vapor said, “she’s gone.”

“Maybe she cloaked herself?” Darkholm said.

“That’s impossible, not on the fly like that,” Ling said. “Are you still able to track the ghosts?”

Vapor eyed another monitor, narrowing down the visual ranges. “Yes. But they’ve changed their trajectories. Velocities now show them pulling back, probably for a wider view of the area.” Vapor flipped her goggles up and looked at Ling. “I don’t they can find her either, not even in the same sector.”

“Then we need to be the first ones who do.”

“I’ve lost her signal!” Vapor said.

“What?” Helen said, terror gripping her once again. “What do you mean, you’ve lost her signal?”

“Did my barriers scramble it?” Ling said.

“No, I’m still seeing your walls,” Vapor said, pulling her goggles back on. “But I’m not seeing Sprite anywhere.”

“Check adjacent sectors. She may have hopped from her previous zone.”

“Adjacent sectors are void of her signal. I’m telling you, I was tracking her and then she vanished. Can we raise the shade on her beacon?”

“That would be her end,” Darkholm said.

“Then I don’t know what else to do.”

“I’m reading a total of two ghosts and fifteen specters in your current sector, Sprite!” Vapor said. “Your signal is locked on and pulling you under the riptide.”

“Remain silent,” Darkholm said. “I haven’t broken your signal echo yet.”

“Eighty-two,” Scotty said. “But I still advise averting attention and waiting for ninety percent or better. Entering encryption at ninety without detection is hard enough. You don’t need more bounty hunters trying to cash in on your black mark!”

“Barrier interference is up,” Ling announced. “Three of the specters are chasing each other and two more think you’re two sectors over.”

“I’m running out of options, Scotty!” Sprite yelled. “Let me know when it hits eighty-five, and then I’m entering encryption. I’m hoping most of these specters won’t be able to follow me there.”

“I’ve got six more specters in your surrounding sectors!” Vapor said.

“You’re in the shade; beacon is blinded,” Darkholm said.

“Finally, some good news,” Sprite said. “Ling, how’s that interference?”

“Wait!” Darkholm interrupted. “Go radio silent! Someone’s locked onto your output, and they’re echoing your signal. You’re no longer running silent.”

“I’m reading a second ghost!” Vapor said. “Both on impact course heading seven nine. Evasive maneuvers!”

Only Scotty kept at his manic typing. Everyone else paused, desperately waiting to hear from Sprite on the other end. Then they finally heard her gasping for breath on their headsets.

“Sprite,” Helen said, relieved.

“I took out two of the specters,” Sprite said. “Ling, where are my blockers?”

“Almost there,” Ling said, already back working on the interference.

“Vapor,” Sprite said, “how many more in the vicinity?”

“I’m reading seven specters, one ghost.”

Sprite cursed. “Dark, where’s my shade?”

“Almost there.”

“There’s no time people. Scotty, what’s the count?”

“Seventy-nine.”

“I’m going at eighty-five.”

“You’ll be rejected for sure.”

“Seventy-three and rising,” Scotty said. “But the rate will only continue to drop.”

“Your beacon is glowing,” Darkholm said.

“I need some shade, Dark,” Sprite said.

“The ghost’s system is fried,” Ling announced.

“Good,” Sprite said. “Now throw some barriers in these new guys’ paths. We need to slow them down.”

“I’m on it,” Ling said.

Then there was a terrible feedback in their ears. They all cringed and pulled the headphone away from their ears, all except for Helen, that is. “Sprite!” she yelled, terrified for her fellow dart, friend, and nearly family.

There was silence on the headphones.

“Got them!” Ling said. “Dark, the door’s open.”

Darkholm kicked his chair over to another terminal. His fingers flew across the keyboard. “I’ve frozen their entries and am pulling several packets.”

“Don’t waste your time,” Ling said. “I’m frying their system, and we’re moving on.”

“It’s Sprite!” Darkholm said.

“What?” Ling said, confused.

“Their packets say they’re bounty hunters after Sprite’s black mark!”

“That specter just entered your sector, Sprite,” Vapor said. “And I’ve got six more in my scopes and closing in!”

“Scotty, how am I doing?” Sprite asked, the tension in the room growing.

Helen continued her prayers.

“Thirty percent access,” Scotty said.

“The ghost must have realized we’re on him,” Vapor said. “He’s ditched his trackers and is trying to get lost in the backtide.”

“Ling?” Sprite said, looking for an update

“Almost there.”

“Signal’s clean, Ling,” Darkholm said.

“And me?” Sprite asked.

“The aurora’s gone. They’ve dropped the trace. You’re still silent, but much deeper encryption and that will start to fade.”

“Understood. Vapor, how’s traffic?”

Vapor lifted her goggles, eyeing a monitor. “300. One specter, but he’s two sectors out.”

“Keep an eye on him,” Sprite said.

“Sixty-five percent,” Scotty said.

“I’m holding for ninety.”

“Your signal is stabilizing,” Darkholm said.

“They went past you,” Vapor said, relieved and obviously growing calmer. “The analog worked.”

“We’re not out of this yet,” Ling and Sprite said together, but Helen could see the calm spreading throughout the room, and she felt better.

“I’m back hacking their signal lock,” Ling continued.

“We’re back to blue, still silent,” Darkholm said. “I’m picking up an interference in their signal lock.”

“Clean it up,” Ling said. “We’re not letting these bastards go.”

“There’s nothing here,” Sprite said. “I’m almost at encryption.”

“You’ve got admin rights,” Scotty said, his fingers never resting.