Grid Seekers (Grid Seekers Book One) by Logan Byrne Page A

besides, I wouldn’t do well in a labor camp. I’m not meant for that,” Peter said, grasping his belly.
    “What do you know about the other hackers? Who poses an absolute threat to us?” Liam asked.
    “Well, I think only one other guy is like, really good. He’s about the same level as me, and the other people up there are good, but he and I are miles ahead of them,” Peter said.
    “Who is he?” Liam asked.
    “Him. The guy in the black shirt over there,” Peter said.
    I looked over, seeing the super cocky guy from orientation, who was from Los Angeles, standing with the hacker Peter pointed out, the two of them together making a toxic cocktail for Liam and me. The competitor was already thinking he was going to win, that nobody was going to stop him, and now he had a great hacker to lead him and his partner through the competition. I knew he would stop at nothing to take other people, myself included, out. This wasn’t a battle, but he was going to make sure he won, even if it meant turning this into one.
    “And you’re sure he’s the only one?” Liam asked.
    “I’m a hacker. Knowledge is my game. I’m sure,” Peter said.
    “Then we’re going to need to keep an eye on him. You can’t be afraid to take him out if need be,” Liam said, looking at me.
    “I’m not in this to ruin lives or hunt people,” I said.
    “I didn’t say that. It’s just that you can’t let him get you before you get him. We have to keep our eyes peeled, and if it’s us or him, he’s going down,” Liam said.
    “Fine, I can agree to that, but only if we do it strictly in self-defense. Our lives have to be on the line,” I said.
    “Agreed,” Liam replied.
    “Listen up!” Quinn said.
    We turned, seeing her in front, the back wall opening as a dimmed box came out of it and stopped right behind her. It looked like it was made of some kind of glass or transparent material.
    “This is one of many simulators we have here for your training. You may be asking yourself how it works, and that’s a great question. You will wear a headset that will transfer you into a digital setting without putting you into WorldNet. You move normally, the ground moving with you and expanding as you go, making sure you never run into the walls or even come close. You will be guided by your hacker, both of you, as you look for a small item that will be in there, completely hidden from view. Gordana will now scramble the groups and pick the first one to go,” Quinn said.
    The picture on the screen moved quickly, slowing down as the seconds wore on, before the first contestants were chosen. It was us. I wasn’t as nervous as I was annoyed, hating going first and having to set the standard, so to speak, for the rest of the groups. I knew they’d all be watching us, and I really didn’t want to go so slow that I looked stupid or weak.
    Liam and I walked up to get fitted with our helmets. Peter went around to the side, where a computer was waiting for him. He put on a headset to talk to us through. I felt the door open to the box, and a soft, plastic-smelling breeze hit me as my helmet was put on. Everything was black except for when I looked to my right, where the box sat alone in time and space, the inside looking rather expansive.
    I put my hand on Liam’s shoulder; walking in with him, looking around at the gigantic warehouse. The item we were looking for was probably the size of a hair inside here. The floor was cold, a polished concrete, with hanging pot lights that were fairly dim and did a horrible job of lighting up the place. There were large wooden boxes everywhere, stacked ten at a time, lining the warehouse like a maze.
    “Ok guys, can you hear me?” Peter asked.
    “Yes,” I said.
    “Yup,” Liam replied.
    “Okay, I know this place looks confusing, so I’m going to do my best to guide you through it. Looking through a screen and walking on the type of platform you’re on can be a little disorienting, so I want you to keep