Silvertroll

Outsmarting a Nexxon

Connor dribbles the worn basketball past Libby, pushing her gently out of the way with his hip, determined not to get on her bad books. She counters by spinning around and running back to her defensive position, her bare feet slapping on the concrete.

"Take the shot," she taunts him.

'I'm gonna," he says.

Libby rushes at him, keeping low, trying to anticipate his moves. Conner aims, jumps... but a phone rings, causing him to shoot and miss the shot.

Arlan is on his laptop. "It's him," he says as he answers his phone and places it on speaker. "Hey, Caveman."

A gruff voice says, "How do I outrun a Quarius?"

Libby and Connor rush over and hover over Arlan and his phone.

Arlan says, "You can't."

"What does that mean?"

"It has a combined output of up to four hundred kilowatts. Super quick acceleration. We are talking about zero to a hundred kays an hour in just two seconds. A top speed of two hundred and eighty. One does not simply outrun a Nexxon Quarius."

"There's nobody driving that stupid thing. How is it following me?"

Arlan explains, "It has an artificial intelligence linked to the city's traffic network."

"I get how that works," says the Caveman. "How does it know to follow me?"

"Auto route setting."

"What? Set to my every move?"

"Not possible," says Connor. "All vehicles have the following settings. There's waypoint mode. Follow mode. Wonder mode. Taxi mode. Remote mode has been banned due to it's potential use as a weapon. It can't be set to follow mode because the van is ancient, therefor incompatible."

"It's been hacked," says Arlan. "Or you may have a waypoint signaller inside the van."

Silence.

Until, "So how do I outrun it?"

"You can't," insists Arlan.

Connor leans over and offers, "You can trick it. Try braking hard, or... Try going on the wrong side of the road."

Arlan glares at his brother, "Don't tell him that."

"It won't follow you," Connor insists, "Trust me. Break any road rule and the AI will shit itself."

Libby leans in, "Mister Caves?"

No answer, just the screeching of rubber and blaring horns. Total audio mayhem.

"Shit," says Arlan. "He's doing it."

More screeching squeals from the speaker, multiple tyres scream in tune with the horns, until a silence pervades the air.

"Mister Caves," says Libby.

Nothing.

"It's me, Libby."

Just the rush of air hisses from the speaker, until, "I think I lost it."

"Hello," shouts Libby.

"What can I do for you, Libby?"

Another voice adds, "Hello, Libby."

"Who's that?" she asks.

There is a loud smack. "Nobody," says the Caveman.

"I need to speak to you."

"You lied to me, Libby."

"I did not lie to you."

"You kept the truth from me. There's some fat kid out there traumatised because of me, and it could have been avoided if you were upfront with me."

"I need to talk to you about Julian. You need to hear this."

"You know something all of a sudden."

Libby disregards the sarcasm, "Where do I meet you?"