Operating System (The System Series Book 3) Read online

  Operating System

  Book 3 in The System Series

  Andrea Ring

  Love makes us do crazy things.

  I glare at him. “You’re suggesting that I just flat out lie to Tessa.”

  “Yes.”

  “You know I have a hard time lying,” I say.

  “No, you don’t,” Dad says. “You just think you do. Get over it.”

  “So you would have lied to Erica about saving her house?”

  “Yep. You just happened to get there before I did.”

  I pick at a hangnail. “I don’t know, Dad. Is it worth it?”

  “Seriously?” he says, raising an eyebrow. “You’re asking if one little lie is worth saving Tessa’s life and having her with you forever?”

  “Well, when you put it that way…”

  Table of Contents

  How Systematic Ended

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Chapter Forty

  Chapter Forty-One

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Chapter Forty-Eight

  FAQs

  Book Excerpt

  Breaking the Surface

  Dedication

  About the Author

  Copyright Page

  How Systematic Ended

  It’s around one in the morning. I’m sitting with Tyrion, watching him rest. I said my goodbyes to Vivian, and then I was banished from her room. Dad thought I might get heroic and try to save her.

  He’s right. I’ve thought about it all day. Why the hell not save her?

  Except her death is supposed to save someone else.

  There’s sudden commotion in the hallway, and I open the door and peer out. Dr. Trent zooms by, then a nurse.

  “What’s up?” I ask her, racing two steps behind.

  “Dacey’s coded again.”

  My God…Dacey. That’s who Vivian is supposed to save.

  I rush back the other way to isolation room one, where Vivian is holed up. I do my scans and open the door.

  Vivian, Dad, and Jack are playing cards, laughing.

  “Hey, Thomas,” Vivian says. “Want to buy in?”

  “It’s Dacey,” I say, breathless.

  Vivian throws her cards on the table and stands. “What’s Dacey?”

  “He coded, just now. I think he’s the one you’re supposed to save.”

  Vivian freezes. Dad picks up a phone on the wall and dials. After barking some questions, he hangs up.

  “Well?” Vivian asks.

  “His heart’s done,” Dad says. “They can keep him alive for a bit.”

  “How long?”

  Dad shrugs, palms up.

  Vivian throws herself at Jack and kisses her forehead. “Don’t forget,” Vivian says to her. “Don’t ever forget.”

  Jack kisses her back and nods.

  Vivian moves to Dad. “First love,” she says, and Dad smiles. “Best friend. Catch me?”

  “Always.”

  Dad opens his arms and Vivian falls into them.

  Her eyes flutter. Her body twitches obscenely. Her legs give out, and Dad catches her. He puts one arm underneath her knees and picks her up.

  “Door,” Dad says, and I open it.

  Dad strides down the hall to surgery.

  Chapter One

  “Tell me what you know about women.”

  I bark a laugh. “This’ll be a short conversation.”

  Tyrion smiles. “Come now. You’ve been with Tessa most of your life. You must know something about them.”

  “Well,” I say. I take a swig of orange juice and swallow loudly. “I can tell you about Tessa, but this stuff won’t necessarily apply to every living female.”

  “Noted.”

  “So…let’s see. Tessa’s a great listener, but she likes me to listen to her, too. I mean, she wants to be heard and understood and supported.”

  “A male trait, as well,” Tyrion says. “Wanting to be heard, I mean. Not the part about being a good listener.”

  I laugh. “Exactly. So don’t talk too much. Let them do the talking. Be in the moment when you’re with them. Pay attention.” I scratch my elbow absently. “And they like presents, but you have to choose a gift that they want, not one that you want them to have. I’ve made that mistake a few times.”

  Tyrion cocks his head. “Give me an example.”

  “Last Christmas, Tessa wanted a new easel. She even pointed out the one she wanted when we were at the art store. So I went back a few days later and bought the best one they had. I thought she’d love it.”

  “She did not?” Tyrion asks. “Why would she not appreciate a superior product?”

  “Superior product is sort of subjective, Tyrion. The one I picked was too large and didn’t fold up for travel. I didn’t realize Tessa wanted to be able to take it with her. I just picked the most expensive one.”

  “Hmm,” he says, thoughtfully scratching his chin. “I see. Did you not discuss Tessa’s reasons for choosing the easel in the first place?”

  “Maybe we did,” I say. “She says we did. Apparently I wasn’t listening.”

  Tyrion laughs. “Listening is the key, then.”

  I nod. “And they like attention, too, at least Tessa does. I can’t just hole up in the lab for days on end. I have to make time for her.”

  “Does she not realize how important your research is?”

  “Yeah, she gets it, and she’s pretty supportive most of the time. But I have to make her feel like she’s more important than my work. I mean, she is more important.”

  Tyrion sighs. “I feel the urge for female companionship, but I cannot imagine making a woman more important than work.”

  “Then you haven’t found the right woman.” I spear another bratwurst with my fork and put it on my plate. “Is there someone specific you’re interested in?”

  “Me? Oh no, that is to say, I do not…I mean…of course not.”

  I grin. “You totally have your eye on someone.”

  Tyrion laughs. “Well, yes. But it is more the other way around—she is pursuing me. And I am not sure what to do about it.”

  “That’s brilliant,” I say. “It doesn’t get any easier. Ask her out to dinner.”

  “But we cannot have sex at a restaurant.”

  I nearly choke
on my brat. “Excuse me?”

  “That is the point of having a girlfriend, is it not? To relieve sexual tension.”

  “Uh, no,” I say. “I suppose that’s a side benefit, and some guys just use women for sex, but no, Tyrion, that’s not the reason for having a girlfriend.”

  Tyrion sits up straighter in his chair. “But a girlfriend will demand time and attention, I will have to listen to her and put her ahead of my work…all of that, and for what? What do I get out of it?”

  “Love,” I say simply. “Friendship. A connection with another human being. Support. Commiseration. A family. Someone to share your life with.”

  “I have Dacey for that. And you.”

  “It’s different with a girl,” I say. “Completely different.”

  Tyrion sighs. “I understand all that. I mean, logically, I understand the concept of having a life partner. I am just having a difficult time understanding it emotionally.”

  “Love isn’t something you can think through,” I tell him. “You’re one of the most empathetic people I’ve ever met, so I know you have it in you. Ask this girl out and see how it goes.”

  “To dinner?” he asks, grimacing like he’s swallowed castor oil.

  “Yes, to dinner,” I say. “And don’t mention sex until at least the twentieth date.”

  “Twentieth!”

  “Okay,” I say. “Nineteenth.”

  ***

  I get a call from Jack on my drive back up to Orange County from Tyrion and Dacey’s place in San Diego.

  “Hey, sis.”

  “Hey. Where’ve you been all day?”

  “Barbecuing with Tyrion,” I say. “Why?”

  “I knew it!” Jack says. “What did you say to him?”

  “I told him to ask the girl who’s been hounding him out for dinner. I assume that’s you.”

  “Of course it’s me,” she says. “But did he actually want to, or did you bully him into it?”

  “He’s interested,” I say. “Definitely. But he’s never been on a date before, Jack. He has no clue what he’s doing.”

  “That makes two of us,” she says.

  “You’ve never been on a date before?”

  “No, I have, I just…it’s been a while.”

  I pause to think about what I want to say next, or how I want to say it. “Jack, I know you’re already emotionally invested. I mean, dating Tyrion wouldn’t be casual for you.”

  “It’s just casual for him?” she says, disappointment in her voice.

  “I’m not saying that, but he doesn’t really understand relationships. He’s never been in love. He doesn’t have normal expectations.”

  “What does that mean?”

  I blow out a breath. I don’t want to break Tyrion’s confidence, but I also want to warn Jack properly. “Well, his sex drive’s kicking in, finally, but I’m not sure he’s ready to put a girlfriend ahead of everything else.”

  “Ah,” she says. “He wants an easy lay.”

  “I didn’t say that, he just…he’s never experienced a relationship up close. He lives with Dacey, who refuses to get close to anyone and just brings a different girl home every night to help him forget about Vivian. I don’t think he knows what he needs.”

  Jack is silent for a few moments. “Maybe you and Tessa can join us,” she says. “Show him how it’s done.”

  I flush at the compliment. Jack thinks my relationship with Tessa is a good model for Tyrion. Wow.

  “That means a lot to me, that you’d ask that,” I say. “Why don’t you run it by Tyrion first, and if he’s good with it, I’ll ask Tessa.”

  “I’ll call you in five minutes,” she says, hanging up.

  I laugh to myself.

  Jack operates fast.

  Chapter Two

  The three of us stride to the table where Tyrion is sitting straight-backed, nervously fingering his tie. He stands when he sees us.

  “Hello, Tyrion,” Jack says, leaning in to kiss his cheek. He blushes.

  “Hello, Jacqueline, Thomas, Tessa.”

  Tessa and I give him a wave.

  “You look so handsome,” Jack says, running her finger down the length of his tie. “I’ve never seen you all dressed up.”

  “Is my attire not appropriate to the occasion?”

  Jack smiles. “It’s perfect.” She looks at him expectantly.

  I try to catch his eye over Jack’s head, but Tyrion doesn’t notice. So I grab Tessa’s hand.

  “Tessa, you look beautiful tonight.”

  “Thank you,” Tessa says. “And you’re the hottest guy here.”

  I laugh.

  Tyrion finally looks at me. I give him a nod of encouragement, and he looks Jack in the eye. “You are oozing feminine appeal this evening, Jack.”

  Jack coughs to cover up a giggle. “Why, thank you, Tyrion,” she finally manages.

  We all sit, and Tyrion addresses the table. “I have taken the liberty of ordering,” he says. “Our food should arrive any moment.”

  Jack looks amused. “How do you know what I want to eat?” she asks him.

  “As the man,” he says, “and since I am paying for the meal, I felt it only right to decide which meals to purchase.”

  Tessa turns her head and coughs into her napkin.

  “What?” Tyrion says. “Was this a wrong assumption?”

  “I don’t mind,” Jack says, patting his hand. “And I appreciate that you’re paying. Regardless, I think it’s best to let your date choose her own meal.”

  “Why is that?”

  “What if I have allergies?” she says.

  “Do you?”

  “No.”

  “Then I do not see the problem,” he says.

  I decide it’s time to butt in. “Your date is not here because you’re paying,” I tell him. “If she were, she’d take whatever food was set in front of her and be glad of it. But a date is an opportunity to get to know somebody. You want Jack to be happy and comfortable. You want to learn about her preferences. That means letting her choose her own meal.”

  “I see,” Tyrion says. He turns to Jack. “I have blundered. Forgive me. Waiter!” He waves an imperious hand in the air and our waiter appears. “I would like to cancel my previous order. My date would like to choose her own meal.”

  “Of course, sir,” the waiter says. “Let me get you a menu.”

  “Wait,” Jack says. “What did you order?”

  “Chicken marsala, a side salad with Italian dressing, garlic bread, and tiramisu for dessert,” Tyrion recites.

  “For us, too, I hope,” Tessa says.

  Tyrion smiles. “Yes.”

  Jack laughs. “That sounds delicious. We’ll let the order stand.”

  Tyrion blows out a breath, and Jack turns to him. “How did you know that’s what I’d order? I mean, from the entire menu, I would have ordered chicken marsala.”

  Tyrion looks embarrassed. “Remember that night, a couple of months ago, when I was at your Dad’s house when Dacey wanted privacy for the weekend?”

  “Yes,” Jack says, nodding and still looking confused.

  “Michael ordered Italian Express. And you were in the kitchen with him while he ordered, and he said, ‘They don’t have chicken marsala,’ and you said, ‘What self-respecting Italian restaurant doesn’t have chicken marsala?’”

  “You remember that?” Jack whispers, and Tessa and I watch her melt into a puddle of goo in her chair.

  ***

  We share a great meal.

  After a few early rookie mistakes, Tyrion transforms into the perfect date. He hangs on Jack’s every word and peppers the conversation with memories he has of previous times spent with her. He makes her feel special.

  Jack does the same with him, but I have a hard time reading him. I can’t tell if Tyrion feels the emotional connection like Jack does, or if he’s just following my advice.

  As we leave the restaurant, Jack hooks her arm through Tyrion’s and leans into him. He stiffens a bit,
and then relaxes against her.

  “Thank you for an amazing meal,” she says. “I had a wonderful time.”

  “And I, as well,” he says.

  I yank on Tessa’s arm. “We’re going for a short walk,” I say. “We’ll be right over there.”

  Tessa smiles and slides her arm around my waist. We walk away and give them some privacy.

  But of course, I can hear them clearly.

  “Do you have any free time this week?” Jack asks him. “I’d love to do this again.”

  “You would like to have chicken marsala twice in one week?”

  Jack laughs. “No, I mean I’d like to see you again. I don’t care what we eat, or if we eat at all.”

  “What else does one do on a date? Besides eat?” I note the hope in his voice.

  “We could see a movie, or just have coffee and talk, or maybe we could go to Sea World.”

  “I do not support the way they treat the animals,” Tyrion says.

  “Okay, how about Disneyland? Have you been?”

  “Is that not for children?”

  “Disneyland’s for everyone,” Jack says.

  “It seems a long day,” he says. “Walking around, standing in line. Will we not be too tired?”

  “Too tired for what?”

  “Sex. Dacey says that if a woman does not give sex on the first date, surely it will happen on the second.”

  Jack lowers her voice. “Dacey said that, did he?”

  “He did.”

  “Is that all you want me for, Tyrion?” she asks. “Sex?”

  “I am not…honestly, Jack, I am not sure.”

  “I see.”

  “I am saying this wrong,” Tyrion says. “You are worth much more than sex. I see that clearly. You deserve to have everything you want with a man. I am just not sure I am ready to be that man.”

  “I see.”

  “You do?”

  “Yes,” Jack says. “And you’re right—I do deserve to have what I want. Call me when you’re ready.”

  ***

  Jack and Tessa pile into my car while I say goodbye to Tyrion.

  “She is angry with me,” Tyrion says. “I thought she would appreciate my honesty.”

  I sneak a glance at my car, where I can see Jack’s profile. She’s sitting straight and stiff, her mouth a tight line.

  “I don’t think she’s angry,” I say. “Just disappointed. She really likes you, Tyrion.”