Artificial(ish) Intelligence

Chapter 53

Adelaide told the car to wait. According to her locator, the selfiebot was getting closer. It was as if they were heading right to her.

She bent forward and looked up from beneath the windshield. They must be in the hospital, but it was tall, and the locator didn't provide height information so they could be on any floor.

"This parking space is for loading only," said the car. "We must leave within--"

"Pause," she said, again.

Once automated vehicles became compulsory, parking spaces reduced in size, mostly replaced with airport-like bays for people to embark and disembark. Which made things difficult for clandestine tailing. Spare a thought for all those poor PI's who, already stereotypically dealing with alcoholism and excessive smoking, now had to find a new place to park their rusted beat-up sedans to record the activities of their target. You know, those poor sodden fools with barely a few bucks in their pocket to snag an old-fashioned pair of binoculars, or those cassette tape recorders with large attached microphones.

Still, tailing was usually unnecessary since most people were happy to freely blast their location to the world and so, merged with publically accessible camera footage, a log of activity could be easily created from the comfort of a PI's home. Perhaps you shouldn't be sparing any thoughts for them and instead should focus that massive brain power on Adelaide who wasn't sitting at home and was hoping to abscond with the selfiebot that really belonged to her, and would soon belong to Josef Hydan.

And there it was, just outside the main hospital entrance, close behind Will Lurner. Adelaide twisted her whole body for a better look. They were in a hurry, pointing down the street. The road was too public for a quick drive-by snatch-job, so she'd have to follow them to a more secluded location.

"It is illegal to remain parked here for longer than five minutes," said the car.

"Emergency pause," said Adelaide.

Will Lurner flicked his head in all directions. At one point he seemed to stare at Adelaide's car. Her instincts told her to duck, but she didn't. This was in preparation for her new role at AutomatIO. Her underlings should know exactly where she was and what she desired, so they could fulfil her demands.

Will Lurner clambered into a car, the selfiebot diving in behind.

"We have now been parked in excess of the limit and--"

"Go!"