"But she's not starving," said Zerro, grappling with the briefcase.
"She doesn't have to be," said Exx.
The girl had fright in her eyes, the way a rabbit does when it knows its done for.
"Do you want money?" she said.
"Since when?" said Zerro, ignoring her.
"He said to get them all. To finish the job at all costs." Exx looked down at Paige with a glint in his eye. "I like all costs."
Her own eyes widened. She looked toward Zerro, expecting help, an appeal to the rational half of the pair.
"I'll do it," said Zerro.
"No," said Exx, snatching the briefcase. "I will."
"I've been doing it all the other times," said Zerro.
"You have not," said Exx.
"The last few," said Zerro.
"Hold her down!"
Zerro did as his brother demanded, using his entire weight to press hard against her body. Her ears did poke out like a rabbit's. He imagined the girl char-grilled on a spit. "Who made you boss?" he said, sulking.
Exx didn't answer, instead charging the device up.
Zerro was forced to push down harder on the trapped rabbit. "Hurry up," he said, "I don't like when they fight back."
"It's more fun that way," said Exx.
The girl kicked again, glancing periodically at the screen. It only seemed to be a man running, the back of his head. He looked familiar, somehow; a famous movie star? It didn't really matter -- soon enough she wouldn't be looking anywhere.
"When the scientist man gave us a new briefcase," said Zerro, "why did he make us promise to leave the body after we finished?"
"Hmm," said Exx.
"See, I have a good point," said Zerro.
"You think he's trying to set us up?" Exx examined the room. "It doesn't even look like natural causes."
Electrodes leaped from the briefcase, attaching firmly to Paige's forehead. When Exx flicked the switch, her body convulsed, shaking uncontrollably while a small meter, along the edge of the briefcase, ticked upwards to seventy, eighty, ninety percent. At one hundred percent her body ceased its spasms, settling down into the carpet.
"So what do we do with the body?" said Zerro.
"We'll take it," said Exx. "I ain't gonna be set up by anyone with glasses."
YOU ARE READING
Artificial(ish) Intelligence
Science FictionIt's the near future and Will, supported purely by the Universal Basic Income, spends his days playing video games while devouring piping hot noodles, delivered straight to his room by roaming DeliveryBots. Gamers are starving to death, but Will's...
