Chapter 11

Elias took an AI-taxi to a few blocks away from the meeting point. The place was as safe as the rest of the city, yet most of the streets stayed vacant. Elias couldn't help but wonder if it was the proximity to the outskirts of town where some of the outsiders lived, or if something else was going on.

Not everything is always as it seems.

After a few blocks, he couldn't help but notice the lack of AI drones flying around. They were everywhere in the city, or at least they were supposed to be.

"Maybe I should've asked Jae to come with me." Elias shuddered and quickened his pace.

He could feel eyes on him, but when he checked, no one was around.

"It's all in my head. It's my imagination getting the better of me." With a few deep breaths, and another glance back, he rounded the corner to the alleyway the meeting was set at.

To his surprise, his friend stood in a spiffy suit and fedora with a bulky suitcase.

"Hey, Elias, my friend. I've got what you want; I hope you have what I want," Chad said, holding up the suitcase.

"Isn't that a bit flashy for a backroom deal?"

"But I can't dress like this at work. Low surveillance here means I can wear what I want." He slid his hand down his gold necklace. "Spiffy, don't you think?"

Elias pulled a small box out of his jacket pocket and opened it to show him. "My great-great-grandfather's watch. In my family for generations." He sighed. "Is this really the only thing you're willing to trade? It's an old-school watch."

"It's vintage and worth a ton with all that gold."

"Impossible to get the type of battery it requires around here, but I guess that isn't a problem for you."

"Nope; I know a guy."

"Of course, you do."

Elias stared at the watch for a moment before holding the box out to him.

"Are you sure you want to trade it? You seem reluctant."

"It's the only thing I have you want, so it is what it is." Elias sighed.

Chad handed over the briefcase and took the watch. "If you have any trouble with it, let me know; I know how to fix them."

"Thanks."

"No, thank you; you have no idea how long I've been hunting down one of these. So sleek. So cool." Chad hugged the box before eagerly taking the watch out and putting it on. "What do you think? Does it suit me?" He posed, holding onto his chin with his thumb and finger to show off the watch. "Better than the spy watch they give everyone."

"It's a biometric watch with AR capabilities linked to the internet, and it has the time."

"Yes, but it doesn't look this good, and doesn't spy on you."

"My watch isn't spying on me... much. It's only for the health alert system."

"They can track your location with it."

Elias scratched his cheek. "Kinda goes with the health system, since they need to know where you are to help you."

"I know, but it's too much! I'll keep this fake one on this wrist, and this lovely on my other." Chad kissed the watch.

"You should stay inside, away from the eyes," Kristie said as she stopped Jae at the front door.

"We don't have time to chat; we'll lose him." Jae took her hand and continued following Elias. "He's getting in a white vehicle." He wanted to call it a car, but there were no visible tires, and it lacked the shape he was used to. It was a rounded, floating box rather than a classic car.

"K-28."

"What?"

Kristie pulled into the underground garage.

"Aren't we going to lose him?"

"Are you planning on following him on foot?" Kristie asked as she unlocked her car. "Get in."

"Yes, ma'am." He hopped in and looked around the simple interior with a touch screen display spanning the front console, two seats in the back, and a small storage space behind it. "Almost one of those mini square cars," he mumbled. "How are we going to find him now? He's been out of sight for too long."

"Don't worry about that. K-28, right?"

"That's what you said earlier."

Kristie typed on the console. The car started and automatically drove off.

"What's going on? You don't have to drive?"

"Nope; that was deemed too dangerous."

"That's a shame; I used to love driving. I get it, though." Jae nodded, thinking back to all the dangerous drivers he'd been around. All the ones speeding, zigzagging through traffic, running stop signs and red lights. "It's probably better this way."

"Hasn't been an accident in years. There's a hidden steering wheel that not everyone knows about, but it's only for emergencies."

Jae watched the map on the console as they got closer to the dot. "Did you seriously just input the code for that car, and this one is auto-following it? Is this a video game or what? Doesn't seem safe."

"Most vehicles have a question pop up for an agreement to the follow. It's used for multiple vehicles travelling together. This... was rigged by Elias one time, and I may have kept it this way without him knowing."

"I see. Is Elias a genius?"

"He likes to think so, but it's more like he has an obsession with tech."

"Trust me when I say an extreme obsession with something doesn't mean you'll be skilled with it. It takes a lot of work to be an expert like he seems to be."

Kristie nodded, her lips puffed up. "I guess so. I never thought about it."

"Something tells me society these days doesn't value critical thinking skills. It's easier to keep people complacent that way."

"I agree with you there, but to be fair, AI keeps people safe and the world running smoothly. Considering how much I question AI, that's saying something."

"I suppose so."

Their car stopped down the street from where Elias did.

"He's getting out. Guess he's going on foot from here." Jae looked around the vacant street and got out alongside Kristie. "Is he okay? He keeps shifting around."

"He's probably nervous. We've never been to this side of the city." Kristie stared at the sky, waiting for a drone to pass by. That's weird. Doesn't normally take long to spot one. "Ah! Humph—" Holy crap.

Jae pressed up against her, covering her mouth as he pulled her into a narrow side. "He turned around. I think he knows he's being followed, or at least suspects it. Sorry for the rough treatment." He pulled his hand away.

"Sorry; I wasn't paying enough attention to him. Guess I'm not too good at this." Her heart raced as she stared at his neck, then at his sharp jawline, up to his eyes.

"Are you okay?"

"Yup," she chirped, unable to stop the hitch in her voice.

"He turned down that alley. Let's go." He took her hand this time and rushed down the street, worried they'd lose him. "Wait." He stopped at the corner and peeked around. "I guess that's the guy he's meeting with. A bit flashy considering what's normal in this time."

Kristie leaned into him to see for herself. "But if he's the sketchy dealer, it makes sense; he's against AI. Either because he dislikes it overall or just wants to rebel."

"Or he has questionable tastes that go against the norm." Jae had to stop himself from tapping his foot as he waited. "If anything happens, I'm running in, but you stay here."

"Stay here?" Kristie's eyes widened. "I'll excuse you, because you don't know me well yet, but I'm not good at staying put."

He frowned at her. "But this is for your own safety. You're not trained, are you?"

"Nope."

"Then please stay back if something happens. I don't want to have to rescue two people."

"How about I come in if something happens to you?"

"That's even worse." Jae sighed. "Oh, they've made the exchange. Looks like it's going to go smoothly." He ushered her back a bit. "I guess we worried for nothing."

"Still has to make it back."

"Please don't jinx this."

Feeling eyes on him, Elias looked around again, this time even up at the building windows.

"Is it bad we're the ones causing his paranoia?" Kristie asked.

"We're probably adding to it, but we're not the cause. He's doing something he doesn't usually do, and I assume it's against the law. For someone who likes to uphold it, this must be anxiety-inducing."

"Geez, you just met us, and you're already an expert."

"I've done extensive studies on human behaviour and used that in the field, and the office."

"You get more impressive by the moment."

Jae glanced back at where her car was parked. "I don't think we have enough time to get away before he sees us; we waited too long." He pulled her deeper into the alleyway. "I'm sorry for the close-quarters again."

"No need to be sorry." I definitely don't mind having to be this close to you. Physical contact with others was frowned upon in public, and even in private, most people kept a bit of distance unless they were together. Without thinking, she rested her hand on Jae's chest.

"You okay?" Jae whispered.

"Ha, I should've known it was you."