"What is that" Thomas stood in the doorway of the garage, surveying the machine that took up much of the space inside as Jack pulled off the greasy tarpaulin that had been covering it.
"This, young man, is a car" Jack beamed
"No it isn't. Where's the sensor pod? And what's that sticking out the front of it?"
"That's the hood"
"The what?"
"Where the motor is"
"Why does it need a motor that big?"
"Because it is a combustion engine, one of the last of its kind"
"Impressive" Mr Pinko swung down from the roof of the garage where he'd been keeping look out. "Not normally the sort of antiquity hidden away in a garage in the West Sector. More suited to one of the Tower museums"
"That was where it was supposed to be. But when I saw it, I just had to have it. Caused a little bit of bother with the importers, but worth it. Sometimes I just come and sit in it"
"Not much more you could do. It certainly is not permitted on the autoroads" Mr Pinko turned away from the garage to survey the near derelict industrial lot that Jack had led them to. Wary that the autocab would eventually be traced, they had stopped a couple of clicks away and hiked over. Not many people about as usual, just a few delinquents on bad scenario come downs who very much did not appreciate seeing a big pink gorilla striding through the neighbourhood.
The West Sector was the Megatropolis's least developed and most crime ridden. However, while Civic Centrale certainly had the capability of shutting it down, it lacked the desire. Located as the West Sector was on the outskirts of the city, it acted as a quasi-sanctioned trade hub. Officially the Megatropolis was a sealed city, no one in or out. It was notionally self sufficient with its factory farms, ultra-high efficiency solar power infrastructure, as well as water harvesting and underground springs. It's people were protected by the diamond-dome missile defence system, while the Transnet tended to satiate desire for expanding people's physical horizons. But it could not satisfy all desires and an illicit trade with the Wastes sprang up. Cit-Pro launched the occasional raid, if a gang dispute got out of hand, or if a bad batch of narcotics could be traced from the Towers back outside the city, but it was rarely anything more than lip-service to the idea of a sealed city. Just so long as the population at large remained compliant, Civic Centrale were happy.
Jack had done business here off and on for decades. He had friends here, as well as enemies, something he hoped to leverage in the half formed idea currently lurking at the back of his mind. An idea fighting a losing battle with the more immediate desire to open the car and sit inside. He pulled the door shut with a satisfying clunk. Thomas went round to the passenger door and stood there uncertainly.
"You have to use the handle" Jack spoke loudly for his voice to carry outside of the car
"How?" Thomas replied, voice muffled.
"Pull it towards you"
"It isn't automatic?"
"Nope"
The passenger door creaked open and Thomas clambered in, muttering about stone age technology as he did so. After he'd finished complaining, something that also involved Jack explaining the concept of a steering wheel, the young man said "What now?"
"We drive out of town" Jack stroked the plastic and faux leather dashboard as he said this.
"In this thing?"
"Uh-huh. We'll need transport in the Wastes. Not the place for a stroll and none of the automated transport will work out there"
"You know a lot about the Wastes then?"
"Some. Did a bit of research after your mum first left" when he said a bit he meant hundreds of hours forlornly trying to find out Melissa's fate. But he wasn't about to admit that to Thomas.
"It's supposed to be pretty horrible out there"
"Don't believe everything you read on the Transnet, kid, but yeah, life ain't easy outside the big cities"
"You reckon we can get help finding dad? Or maybe even find out about what happened to mum?"
"Slow down kid. First we've actually got to get to the Wastes. Then let's worry about finding people"
"And do you have a method in mind" Mr Pinko loomed at the driver side door, prompting Jack to jump
"Woah big guy, don't sneak up on me like that!"
"My apologies. But time is pressing. I suspect that Cit-Pro has traced the autocab we took by now."
"Yeah, that I believe. It's just I normally research my plans a bit more"
"Sometimes one must think on his feet. Or in his car" Mr Pinko moved down the flank of the vehicle and opened the door behind Jack. Space was even more tight than the cab, with the gorilla struggling to fit his bulk through the opening. While the car was a near pristine example of late era combustion engine manufacture, it had been a car at the smaller, more cost conscious end of the consumer market. Space was at a premium.
"Ok. Let's run this through. Assuming Cit-Pro are on our heals, they'll see we're in West Sector and work out our intention to leave"
"Indeed, perhaps it might be prudent to select an alternative exit point?" Mr Pinko's large face loomed between Jack and Thomas in the front seats.
"Or we sod playing silly buggers and head right for the exit"
"They will surely close the roads though?" this from Thomas
"This car ain't linked, they can't control it"
"A physical barrier is feasible, however" said Mr Pinko.
"Only if they get ahead of us. And the gangs round here are not likely to welcome a Cit-Pro delegation"
"Will they have a choice?"
"Depends what Cit-Pro can mobilise at short notice and in part of the city they don't venture to much"
"Even their individual fast reaction drones have formidable weaponry"
"Do they have any weapons that fire angry gorillas?"
"I do not think so"
"There you go" Jack was emphatic
"So we make haste?" Mr Pinko sounded less convinced, however.
"Exactly" This was the point where in Jack's mind they would have departed to the sound of wheel spin (and maybe some covetous glances from attractive female onlookers), but instead the car remained in the garage. Look of confusion spreading across Jack's face.
"Come on then" said Thomas impatiently.
"It's, er, been a while since, er"
"You don't know how to drive this thing, do you?" Thomas folded his arms
"Just give me a sec. Something to do with, ah, yes, here we go" the engine gave a wheeze, then more silence.
"Should I search the Transnet for a technical manual?" the question from the rear of the car
"I've nearly got it. A-ha, yes, told you" the engine spluttered into life, the car jolted forward and stopped again "Bugger"
"Is it malfunctioning? I can't access its diagnostic systems" Thomas' iris flickered as he relayed this information
"The diagnosis is that I need the pair of you to shut-up for a second" Jack grew increasingly impatient.
"Company" Mr Pinko spoke calmly but quickly "Aerial survey drone, one click north-east and closing"
"Drakk!" exclaimed Thomas, craning forward to look out the top of the windscreen. Iris magnification confirming Mr Pinko's assertion "Come on Jack" he urged
"Ok, this time, please" the car spluttered again. Then started. The economical engine of the small car was hardly the throaty roar that Jack remembered from the drag races of his youth, but it was noticeably louder than the electric motor based auto-transport of the Megatropolis. They might not have left in a cloud of dust and screeching noise, but they were moving.
Jack slowly got used to the controls as he negotiated their way through the maze of city blocks in this part of the West Sector. All while the survey drone followed overhead.
"We need to get up onto the main road" Jack was struggling with the twists and turns of inner-city driving, especially without any kind of iris map overlay that most people used for navigating.
"That would leave us exposed. At least here the buildings offer some protection" Mr Pinko was contorted in such a way he could just about see out of the rear window, but it meant a thick leg dangled over the central console between Jack and Thomas.
"We'll move quicker on the main road. Plus it won't be what they're expecting" although if Jack was honest with himself, he didn't have much idea how Cit-Pro might react to the three of them attempting to escape in a half century old small family hatchback. Some poor proxy-AI in Civic Centrale was surely going to have a meltdown.
"I leave the decision in your hands" the gorilla deferred.
Jack swerved onto the on-ramp up to the main circular ring road that snaked its way around the Megatropolis. Traffic was light as usual, demand falling as the Transnet expanded and scenario-life sucked citizens in. What their was, Jack swerved around with exaggerated swings of the steering wheel, big grin on his face.
"Two traffic control drones have joined the survey machine" Mr Pinko said
"And they're drakked off" added Thomas
"How'd you know kid?" Jack glanced across, before darting the car around a lumbering transportation barge.
"They're bombarding us with halt orders, you'd see if you were tapped in"
"Well I'm not, so they can do one"
"It seems that they are attempting to follow standard procedures" mused Mr Pinko. First a direct order, then..."
"What?" Jack turned briefly to look back
"JACKLOOKOUTYOUREGOINGTOKILLUS" Thomas lent over to drag the steering wheel, the car swerving violently, losing traction and fish-tail skidding, banging up against the edge wall with a crunch, but avoiding the autobus that had come to a sudden stop in front of them.
"...issue a stop order for this section of road" Mr Pinko finished, no sense of emotion at the near miss.
They were still moving, but had lost speed in the evasive maneuver. Jack changed down a gear and accelerated again, jerking the wheel to pull away from the wall "A stop order that only applies to those poxy automated vehicles, right?" he said with a small hint of glee.
"That is correct"
"Standard procedures, right? So first a warning, then a shutdown, and then non-lethal force." Jack said
"You have previously stated that you make a habit of getting to know your enemies"
"Indeed, but I ain't never been in a car chase before. So what is non-lethal for these little fellas?" he pointed up at the small shapes buzzing about overhead. As if to answer one dropped down in front of them, before a momentary flash of light and buzz of energy hit them.
"Yowsers, what was that?" Jack looked about for signs of damage, but couldn't see anything. The window wipers had started, and the headlights flashed on and off at an uneven tempo, but they were still moving.
"They zapped us" Thomas figured it out first "Trying to fry the car's electricals. Smart"
"But ineffective" replied Jack
"The bodywork of this old car would appear to act as a crude sort of Faraday cage. The energy blast passed around us" Mr Pinko explained
"Heh, they can't touch us!" Jack sounded near manic. Getting one over Cit-Pro in a dramatic race across the city in an old car. Who needs scenarios?
"The blast was not entirely without effect on the interior of the car" Mr Pinko interjected.
Jack kept his eyes on the road, mindful of the previous near miss, but Thomas did turn round, and started to laugh. The static from the zap had made Mr Pinko's fur stand on end.
"You look like a giant pom-pom from the e-sports cheerleaders!" he declared.
Jack wished he could look, but his mind was insisting on thinking about the next aspect of the Cit-Pro drone checklist. After non-lethal force, there was only one other option.
"SHIIIIIIIT!" Jack cried, swerving the car again as a hail of pulse rounds from a newly arrived aerial suppression drone chewed up the synthetic-asphalt.
"I believe this is where I may be of some use" with a meaty fist, Mr Pinko shattered the rear window and climbed out. The rush of wind loud in the car. Thuds on the roof, then dents appearing at each side where the gorilla's feet locked onto the metalwork.
"He says to keep driving straight" Thomas lent towards Jack and yelled over the noise. For a second, Jack was confused as to who the younger man was talking about, but then he realised that he and Mr Pinko would be able to communicate via their internal augments.
"Sure thing" Jack shouted back, attempting to catch a glance out of the top of the windscreen as to what was going on.
"Now he wants you to pass close by that stopped lorry up ahead" Thomas pointed to the shape looming about half a click ahead in the middle of road. Outside was another crack of fire, but Jack didn't see any impacts.
Jack frowned, but did as instructed, maneuvering the car just to the side of the centre lane. Another volley of fire, this time the rear passenger window behind Thomas shattered, and two other holes punched through the door below it, tearing wide and ragged gashes in the back seat.
"He better bloody well know what he's doing" the old man yelled to no one in particular, but held the car steady.
They approached the lorry quickly, Jack attempting to make small adjustments to pass by as close as he could, but the headlights were still working erratically, making it hard to judge the distances involved. At least that was Jack's excuse for smashing off the wing mirror and scraping the side of the car down the trailer of the lorry.
At the same time as the smashing and scraping, there was a thud from the roof as Mr Pinko let go and jumped off. Jack caught a flash of the gorilla dashing across the top of the lorry, then Mr Pinko was gone, using the lorry cab as a springboard to leap into the air from.
"Woah" was all Jack could mutter before the gorilla came crashing down onto the road in front of them, a drone in each hand. As Jack slammed on the brakes, Mr Pinko used his momentum to spin around, like a discus thrower of old, launching the drones back into the sky. Another loud bang of collision, but this from above them, then the metallic rain of bits of broken drone falling from the sky.
The car pulled next to the shaggy haired beast. "Need a lift?" Jack called through the broken rear passenger window.
"That would be amenable" Mr Pinko replied, pulling open the door and squeezing back inside.
"Are you ok Mr Pinko?" Thomas sounded almost paternal
"A couple of hits about my person, nothing serious. I was able to deflect most of the shots"
"Deflect?" Jack wasn't much of a scientist, but he was fairly sure that once a hyper-velocity pulse of plasma was fired, it wasn't so much deflected as teared-ragged-holes-in-everything-it-comes-into-contact-with.
"Mr Panthros was kind enough to equip me with a suite of electronic warfare software. It was possible to interfere with the drones' targeting systems"
"That and the handy ability to pluck them out of the sky easier than I pluck fluff out of my belly-button?" Jack was somewhat in awe
"They had not come up against a drone of my specifications before. They will learn and adapt. Our plan of escape should not change"
"I think that's his way of saying get a move on" Thomas interjected.
"I don't need telling twice" this time Jack did get a little bit of wheel-spin. Not much, but enough to raise a small smile in among the white bristles of his chin. Once back up to speed he said "So what do you think they'll try next?"
"The aerial drones will stay out of my range, but that will also mar their effectiveness" Mr Pinko replied
"Means they'll need ground based drones?"
"I would imagine so. I also suspect they will intensify their electronic attacks"
"How? This little beauty" a tap of the dashboard "can handle anything they throw at her on that front. The old ones are the good ones"
"The car is not our only vulnerability-y-y-y-y" the stutter from the gorilla came at the same time of a pained grunt from Thomas. The young man grabbed his head, as if trying to rip it off with his bare hands.
"What's going on?" Jack frantically looked around the outside of the car, but they were alone on the road and he could see nothing in the sky.
"Nnnnnnnnnnnnggggggghhhhhh" Thomas slumped forward, then threw his head back violently against the head-rest of the seat.
"Thomas? What's the matter? Furball, you there?" the car swished from side to side as Jack attempted to both restrain Thomas and look back at Mr Pinko.
"Neural o-o-o-o-verload. A-a-a-ttack" the gorilla's voice was slurred, eyes rolled back in his head. Jack turned back to Thomas, his iris's were completely white, while blood trickled from ear and nose as he spasmed.
"A what? Should I stop?"
"N-n-n-no. I can al-al-almost" then the pitch and tone of Mr Pinko's voice changed "Please hold while I reset. Thank you for selecting Real-to-Life animals and apologies for this short interruption" Then there was a brief burst of easy-listening lift music that caused Jack to wince, but after it Mr Pinko spoke normally "They have initiated a full neural overload via the local Transnet"
"I'm not even going to pretend to know what you are on about"
"They have used our uplink connections against us. While they can not control the connection, they can flood them with data"
"But you could turn it off?"
"I was able to shut down my connection and reset. Thomas does not have that option" the young man in question was now unconscious, head slumped down on his chest, blood dripping on his lap.
"Will he be ok?"
"He will need medical attention. It is an extreme measure the Citizen Protectorate have undertaken. Imprecise in the damage that it does"
"So they're throwing the kitchen sink at us?"
"I am unfamiliar with that particular analogy and now lack the means to look it up via the Transnet"
If the situation wasn't so serious, Jack would have remarked about the pathetic dependency people today have on their damn connections. But he was worried about the kid. "I ain't so sure we'll be able to get medical help on the outside" he said instead "Certainly not Megatropolis standard. Maybe we should hand ourselves in?"
"Given the apparent desperation of Cit-Pro to halt our progress at any cost, I suspect a peaceful conclusion to this escapade is not on offer"
Jack didn't like the fancy-pants language, but grimly nodded his agreement all the same. "Ok, we keep going, they can't hurt me with their electronic attacks, my old noggin in mine and mine alone" then he spotted something flying over them, high in the sky "but those, those they can hurt me with. Bugger"
"What is it Mr Jack?" the gorilla couldn't see from his position in the back seat.
"Drop ship, jeez, they're really going to town on us now"
"The kitchen sink you referenced?"
"Indeed, except this kitchen sink looks like a shit tonne of those bloody plow drone things" Jack gaze flicked between the ship above, with its payload of eight plow-shaped breaching drones dangling underneath, and the road ahead.
"They intend to block the road"
Jack frowned "Not this road though, it's too wide. What are they doing?" this latter question as the drop ship pulled ahead of them and banked lower.
"Perhaps the off-ramp?"
"They've gone too far ahead for that, but let's pull off one early to be safe" the car jerked to the right as Jack cut across three lanes to hit the exit. The car screeched as he turned sharply left at the bottom of the ramp to go back under the autoroad and into what remained of the West Sector between them and the edge of the city.
Edge of the city, that's it.
"Shit"
"You have assessed their motivations?"
"Yeah. This part of town only has one vehicle exit to the Wastes. An old gas station over on fifth. Big choke point, controlled by the West Sector Boys"
"You had hoped you use it?"
Jack nodded "Those Boys are no fans of mine at the moment, but I figured that the surprise of facing this old jalopy would see us through. Much like how Cit-Pro didn't know what to make of us to start with. "
"A jalopy?"
"The car, dufuss"
"Are their other exits?"
"Nope. Well, not for vehicles anyway" the nucleus of an idea started to form in Jack's mind. "Hey, you see any more of them survey drones?"
"Not recently. They pulled up higher after my actions on the autoroad, but it has proved hard for them to track us from that height among the buildings here.
"And how is the kid doing?" Jack asked. Mr Pinko lent forward, putting a massive hand on Thomas' face and neck.
"He is breathing fine, with a steady heartbeat. The bleeding has stopped, but he is unconscious"
"Will he be alright for a bit?"
"He does need medical attention, but would appear to be stable for now"
"Good. Fancy some stew?" Jack was smiling, a grin that widened when he caught Mr Pinko's look of surprise, then confusion in the rear-view mirror. Before the gorilla could reply, Jack had swung the car down an alley between two of the higher buildings. They splashed through puddles and drove over and through the various detritus of a section of the Megatropolis not well served by Civic-Centrale's street cleaning drones.
To start with the alley was empty of other people, but as they made their way down it signs of habitation were more noticeable. Strings of light bulbs started to span the space, washing hung from windows, and smoke eddied. The alley way ended at a narrow t-junction created with the foot of another grimy tall building. Jack pulled the car to a halt. In front of them people milled about, some in groups, others alone, but all now staring at the car.
"Mr Jack, I am not sure it is wise to stop. Particularly in a location such as this"
"Relax furball. This is my town, these are my sort of people" Jack stepped out of the car.
Immediately there was a knife at his throat.
"Transfer the access code to your ride, gramps" the gruff voice instructed, face hidden in the folds of a large hood.
"Hey fella. Stay easy. It's not that sort of ride" Jack spread his hands out on the roof of the car, not the first time he'd been shaken down. Certainly the least opportune though.
"It got wheels, it got value. The code. Now"
"We are, unfortunately, unable to accede to you demand" Mr Pinko emerged from the rear window, fur still standing slightly on end from the lingering static in the car.
The knife clinked as it landed on the broken concrete of the alley floor, would-be assailant's footfall rapid as he sprinted away from them.
"These are your sort of people?" Mr Pinko said dryly.
"Shut up and come with me" Jack headed towards a cluster of people on the far side of the alley, all of whom started to back away at their approach. They revealed a slight looking man stood behind a crudely wired heating vat, ladle in one hand, dirty cloth in the other.
"Marty, good to see you" Jack called out gregariously
"Er, do I know you?" the slight man said uncertainly
"Don't play coy, it's me, Jack" the old mad came to a halt in front of the vat, sniffing in an exaggerated manner "Mmmm, smells great! What have you go cooking?"
"It ain't turned on yet fella. Power's out"
Jack's face dropped for a moment, but he covered it up and went on "Must just be the sweet smell of victory then"
"Er, victory?" Marty looked uncertain, like he'd happily make like the knife mugger and make a run for it if he didn't have all his capital wrapped up in a battered looking hot vat.
"Yup, victory over those West Sector Idiots"
"I don't, er, follow"
"Got me a friend over in Cit-Pro. He works on the systems there. I got him to rig up a raid on the old gas station. They'll be there right now, gonna wipe out those West Sector pussies once and for all. Then I move in. You can set a concession up there if you want Marty, imagine the traffic you'd get"
"Gee, er, thanks"
"Shame about the power being out though, I'd had loved to give my friend here a taste. Oh well. Be seeing you" Jack raised a hand, turned and headed back to the car. Mr Pinko stood still for a second looking as perplexed as a gorilla is capable of, then followed.
"I am confused, Mr Jack" the pink gorilla said as Jack negotiated their way reversing back out of the alley, scraping walls as he did so, cursing periodically.
"Marty is the biggest gossip in town. He'll be on the blower to the West Sector Boys right now"
"I will assume blower means Transnet communication device. But why would he fall for such a ridiculous ruse?"
Still turned for the reversing maneuver, Jack was well positioned to give the gorilla on the back seat a dirty look. "Aren't we the critic? Look, furball, you don't need to be some fancy e-flick actor to play up to these guys' egos" back on the street, Jack turned forward again as they set off. "Standard procedure for the Boys when Cit-Pro come in for one of their periodic raids for the sake of the news-casts is to lay down, let it blow over. No point wasting ammo as Cit-Pro will be gone just as soon as the camera drones are"
"Ok" although Mr Pinko sounded unsure
"But this is the clever bit. If those West Sector Boys think Cit-Pro are making a genuine power move against them...."
"Then they are more likely to fight back" the gorilla's face brightened with understanding, but then a frown returned "But how does that help our escape?"
"Cit-Pro and the Boys kept occupied at the gas station leaves us free to take the other exit"
"I thought you said there was only one exit?"
"I said one exit for vehicles"
"You intend to leave the car behind? What about Mr Thomas?"
"I don't intend to leave the car behind. Hold on" and with that a swerve down another alley way, but this one didn't require reversing to get back out of. They picked up speed and shot across a small side road and down another alley way, before skidding to a halt.
The crack of gunfire from their left, lights in the sky above as more aerial drones raced to the old gas station.
"It appears that your plan has worked as intended" Mr Pinko lent forward so that his head was level with Jack's.
"Drones don't understands the power of egos"
"And so how do we make our exit?"
"See that door over there?" Jack nodded at the the building opposite. A battered grey door stood unadorned, boarded up windows either side.
"I do"
"The building behind it is half collapsed, blown out in a war-drone strike years ago. It leads clear out into the Wastes. The West Sector Boys are simple fellows. Their import levies depend on the size of your load. You need to come in a vehicle, then through the gas station and pay a cool grand or so in creds. But come on foot and fit your wares through the derelict building behind that door and it's only the two-fifty.
"Our vehicle will not fit through that door"
"I always told those boys that the walls on that building looked weak to me. And I've always been a cheap bastard" Jack's hands gripped the steering wheel, knuckles white.
This time, copious wheel-spin.
Tire smoke drifted around the now empty alley. A lone figure stepped out from behind a long forgotten dumpster. Smooth grey face, long brown rain coat, out of time hat.
"Some of us understand egos Mr Willington. Some of us."
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