Artificial(ish) Intelligence

Chapter 88

Adelaide heard footsteps.

She compressed her abs. After countless aerobic exercises, she'd successfully learnt how to repress stomach grumbles so that they wouldn't surface during intimate moments. This translated well to her newest pastime, stakeouts.

At least this apartment building wasn't guarded by a Bobb. It wasn't guarded at all. And you could hardly call the "Residents only" sign posted on the door a form of security. For someone involved in corporate espionage, living in such an environment seemed the height of folly. Or maybe it was a double bluff, hidden in plain sight, that kind of thing. She still clearly had a lot to learn from experts like Will Lurner.

Still, she'd been inconspicuous enough by preferring the stairs over the elevator. It reminded her of the moment she found out about Mr Borken and that compromising-self-for-money-or-other-gains. Now she found herself pressed against the wall, cleverly camouflaged behind the conspicuously placed pot plant.

The footsteps belonged to Will Lurner, heading for his door. Alone. Where was the selfiebot? It hadn't been long since she yanked the battery cables from the van, saving him from those henchman. He couldn't have made the sale to Josef so soon. All she had to do to confirm this hunch was enjoy a polite conversation with Will Lurner. Then, her attention could return to Mr matted-tangle-of-hair-or-fibre-ing Borken, and the cold retribution that awaited him. Once she figured out what that cold retribution entailed.

But what about the other selfiebot in Will Lurner's apartment, the one he was planning to copy the AI onto?

"The more the merrier," she said. "That'll make Mr Borken a very unhappy man."

But that was only if he didn't end up selling to Josef. This may have to be a little more than polite questioning. I'd go so far as to put those words in bold, hyphenated.

She ignored the hunger pains and took a step away from the conspicuously placed pot plant, toward Will Lurner's door. By the time she'd taken a second step, a strange noise echoed down the corridor.