by Lance Erlick
“Do you know where I can locate Fran Rogers and Maria Baldacci? They were close friends.”
Vera’s apparent grief won over the administrator. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to say. All three disappeared eighteen months ago. I hadn’t heard about Krista. She was a very promising student, as you see in her record. All three worked as interns for Machten-Goradine-McNeil, if that helps. I hope nothing bad happened to the others.”
Vera adjusted her lips and eyes to imitate a smile for the administrator and left.
Her next stop was Krista’s old apartment. All Vera could get from the middle-aged landlord was, “Krista buried herself in work. We hardly saw her during the months before she disappeared. When the rent payments stopped, we had to empty her apartment. It was so sad. There were no personal items, no pictures, not even a computer or phone. Sorry she’s gone.”
There were no personal things because Krista removed them when she joined Machten for her final experiment.
“What about friends?” Vera asked. “Do you know where I can locate Luke Marceau?”
The landlord shook her head and Vera left. The android visited every place Machten could know about and program into her to search for Synthia. He’d programmed her to hunt.
While she watched Vera, Synthia mimicked an anonymous burner phone and called Machten using her silent channel.
He sighed and stared at the control panel in the lab, which showed the tracking chip for the Margarite android in the empty slot where the machine once stood. “This isn’t my day. I’ve lost another one. What is it about you guys not sticking to directives?”
“Will you help me catch Vera and Margarite?”
“I want you back, but I swear I didn’t send them after you. I didn’t want the FBI to discover them. Somehow, in violation of my orders, they cut communications. They’re operating on their own. Like you, I have no idea what directives they have.”
“Please come home and help me. You’re my greatest creation. I need you.”
“I will. Where’s Vera?”
Synthia provided the locations Vera visited and likely would next. She had no confidence Machten could or would take control of her competitor, but she was trying to reduce the number of androids before she overloaded her ability to multitask and keep track of them all.
* * * *
Synthia bypassed an intersection traffic camera by driving behind a drugstore, across the side street, and making her way down an alley behind a strip mall. Better to do this than to leave a trail of scrambled traffic cameras and thereby announce her journey to the FBI. Tampering with the drugstore’s rear camera would draw less police attention for a while.
Interstate traffic cameras and Synthia’s hack of the FBI vehicles revealed Zephirelli, Malloy, and their FBI convoy driving to Chicago. Zephirelli called Thale about any unusual activity along the roads into the city.
“We’re watching,” Thale said. “Nothing yet. We’re getting more camera drones in the air.”
“Good,” Zephirelli said.
“I need a pit stop,” Luke said from the back of the SUV. “And I’m getting thirsty.”
“There are water bottles under the seat in front of you,” Synthia said. “Not to be indelicate, but I suggest you drink one and use the bottle to go.”
“You want me to make a mess in the SUV?”
“I’d rather you didn’t.” Not because of the SUV, rather to protect the bags behind him. “We can’t afford to let the FBI see you on any more cameras.” They’d already broadcast text and video alerts with pictures of Luke and Krista, and descriptions of the suspects and a dark blue or green SUV, license plates unknown. “Do the best you can. We can’t afford to stop.”
Luke sighed and opened a bottle.
To put distance between her and the FBI on the interstate, Synthia headed east, toward Lake Michigan, using side streets to minimize the chance of showing up on primary traffic cameras. Unfortunately, closer to Chicago were more congested neighborhoods with more camera feeds. She couldn’t help that.
Her cameras in the woods around the cabin in Wisconsin blanked out one by one. Special Ops teams were collecting them, running tracers on their signals, and placing them in aluminum bags to block their burst transmissions.
Synthia contacted Chicago-clone.
“Where are we going?” Luke asked for the seventh time.
“As I explained earlier, it’s best for both of us if you know as little as possible.”
“I feel like your pet, being smuggled out of the area.”
“A very exotic and intelligent pet,” Synthia said. “That was a joke, in case you thought otherwise. You’re not a pet. You’re my companion and love interest. Don’t let your feelings put us in danger.”
“Thanks,” Luke said. “I expected us to be in the country by now, heading west.”
“You peeked. Too few roads with too many cameras out west.”
“There’s no way we can get on a plane. Tell me that’s not your plan. Not with all the security. You wouldn’t make it through the screening process.”
“This is true,” Synthia said.
“What then? A bus? A train? As your companion, you should give me a hint.”
“I’ll let you know when I’m confident of the plan,” Synthia said. “Right now, the FBI has sent aerial drones to hunt us. We need to change our mode of transportation and soon.”
* * * *
During the drive to Chicago, with Marcy Malloy at the wheel, Emily Zephirelli finally reached her boss, Derek Chen. “We had the target until Special Ops jumped in and caused confusion,” Zephirelli said. “They allowed the target to escape.”
“Don’t blame your failure on them,” Chen said.
“It can’t be my failure. You relieved me of command before we could complete the mission.”
Chen took a moment to reply. “I’ll keep you in the loop. You’re to provide any information you receive to me personally. Is that clear?”
“Crystal.”
“Where do you think the target’s heading?”
“Your buddies ripped up our operation,” Zephirelli said. “I’ll have to dig up new leads, sir.”
“Whatever you uncover, including theories, bring them to me. In the meantime, I’m ordering roadblocks across the area and increased surveillance at airports, bus stops, and train stations. Be prepared to shut everything down.”
“The target will know you’ve done this and search for another path.”
“It’s come to my attention that we may have as many as six targets on the loose,” Chen said. “I’ll send you what we have on them. You’re to coordinate with Kirk Drago. Is that clear? I’m naming him head of operations for this. He has the resources to apprehend all six.”
“
We’d do better with finesse over brute force.”
“Not this time. The targets represent a credible national security threat. We’ve linked the primary target with nine deaths. We’re shutting down the four Chicago companies who released these targets and require their support to apprehend their merchandise. Depending on their level of cooperation, we’ll consider criminal, treason, and other charges.”
Chen severed the call.
“That didn’t go well,” Malloy said.
Zephirelli shook her head. “All he did was to confirm ops is running the show.”
“Unless we find the androids first.”
Synthia had no visual on Chen and so heard both sides of the conversation from Zephirelli’s phone and the vehicle’s wireless communications system. The exchange troubled her. With the FBI and Special Ops fighting over control and five other androids on the loose, Synthia raised her threat level. A coordinated enemy required overcoming a single strategy. Competing adversaries with the unpredictable androids added chaos to the mix.
* * * *
Synthia was on edge the moment she entered the Chicago city limits. The city presented no more risk than the surrounding suburbs. However, the closer she got to downtown, the farther the distance to escape the metropolitan area and her enemy’s dragnet if her plan failed. She prompted Chicago-clone for answers while they synchronized information.
Synthia couldn’t bring herself to abandon Luke. Instead of replying, she passed Krista’s concerns to Chicago-clone.
The other reason for getting out of town was there were now five other androids on the loose and Synthia needed time to develop a plan for dealing with them, as well as the FBI and Special Ops.
Since traffic cameras were pervasive throughout Chicago, Synthia no longer saw any benefit of remaining on side roads. She hopped onto Lake Shore Drive and headed for Union Station. It was a risk, but no more than the slow route.
“Okay, listen up, my love,” Synthia said, startling Luke in the back of the van. “We’re going to the train station. There’s a train to St. Louis. We could keep going, out to Colorado. You said you liked it out there and wanted to show me around.”
“Really?” His voice sounded cheerful, though a touch of fear seeped in.
“The FBI and police have stepped up surveillance; we can’t be seen together. I’ll drop you off a block from the station. I’ve left you a prepaid ticket at the counter. Board the train and find a quiet place to sit.”
“You will join me, won’t you?”
“If I can safely board the train, I’ll let you know I’m there,” Synthia said, “but we still can’t be together. The FBI sent out a bulletin looking for a couple. We can’t be that couple. Do you understand? You need to agree to this or we’re both doomed.”
“I understand,” Luke said. “We can’t be together on the train. What about when we reach St. Louis?”
“We can’t be seen together. I’ll arrange a car rental for you at the station. Go to the counter, get a car, and wait for me in the parking lot.”
“And if we don’t connect?”
“Go to Colorado, where you planned to take Krista, remember?” Synthia said, referring to a restaurant on Pikes Peak.
“Yes.”
“Don’t say it out loud or in writing to anyone.”
“I want to be with you,” Luke said.
“Don’t make this tougher. If the FBI or others get too close, I can move faster and change appearance to blend in easier than you can. They’re after me, not you. Not really.”
“I’m just saying I’m in love with you. Don’t forget.”
“I won’t.” Synthia turned off Lake Shore Drive. “If we get separated for any reason, I’ll find you. In case they catch you, I left a letter in your backpack. It’s a Dear John letter, saying we’re breaking up. It’s for your protection.”
“Don’t,” Luke said.
“Focus. The letter is a ruse, for your protection. It explains that I’m not who or what I represented and when you realize, you’ll despise me.”
“Never.”
“Focus,” Synthia said. “The letter is intended for the FBI. Stick with the script and act surprised. Your life depends on it. Whatever you do, don’t believe I’m abandoning you. It’s all for show.”
“I get it.”
“If caught, play ignorant. The less you tell them, the less they’ll think you know.”
Synthia stopped the SUV by the Chicago River and hacked cameras with any view of the vehicle to scramble their images. “We’re here. Grab your bags. Union Station is down the street and to your left. I’ll see you soon.”
Luke threw off the blanket, reached over the seat, and grabbed his backpack and duffel bags. “Stay safe, Synthia. Don’t let them catch you, no matter what. Don’t risk yourself for me. I love you both.”
Synthia could almost feel Luke’s heart break as he climbed out of the SUV. His eyes moistened, though he did a brave job of holding back tears. He forced a smile that faded. Her biosensors showed his heart racing and his blood pressure dangerously high. Her social-psychology module made clear he was suffering separation anxiety, that he might never see her again. Her empathy chip was tight with concern over how this would affect him. She wanted this to be over quickly so she could comfort him at their destination.
Not waiting for him to walk to the station, Synthia drove off, turned the corner, and restored local cameras. She would have to rely on traffic and building cameras to watch him make his way to the ticket counter at the station.
The moment Luke entered the train station, cameras picked up his image, compared it to the bulletin out for his apprehension, and notifie
d the FBI. As he approached the ticket counter, agents positioned themselves around him. Synthia’s plan to leave town led him into a trap. She didn’t have time to dwell on that, given the risks of staying with this SUV.
Sorry, Luke. I didn’t mean for this to happen. Stay strong. She wished she could have told him directly.
Synthia looked for a parking place or a spot to abandon the SUV so she could try to rescue Luke. She spotted Zephirelli and Malloy driving in downtown Chicago. Other agents poured into the city in response to a bulletin announcing Luke was there.
Not seeing a good place to ditch the vehicle, Synthia chose a delaying tactic to buy time. She sent an anonymous text to Detective Malloy: Luke Marceau is at Union Station in Chicago. FBI agents are closing in. He doesn’t know what I am or what’s at stake. He might be willing to speak with you, alone.
Synthia dissolved the connection and destroyed the IP address associated with the message. She hoped Malloy would arrive before the FBI or others shoved Luke into an underground facility, where he might disappear for years.
Chapter 14
Concerned for Luke’s well-being, Synthia pulled up security footage at Union Station and flew in two aerial drones to cover the area. While she looked for a place to leave her vehicle so she could help Luke, she watched his movements.
At the station ticket counter Luke gave his alias to the bored woman behind the thick glass window and placed a fake driver’s license Synthia had given him into the exchange slot. “There should be a ticket for me,” he said.
He looked to his right and spotted two men in dark suits heading his way. From the opposite direction, a tall woman approached with a determined look on her face. Fran Rogers was with the FBI and had been an intern he’d worked with, though he didn’t seem to recognize her. At the exit behind him were two more men. Sweat beaded up on his forehead. Luke looked down at his two duffel bags, drew in his arms, and shrank beneath the weight of his backpack. He had nowhere to go, no idea where to find Synthia, and no skills for living on the streets.
He returned his attention to the ticket clerk, who’d disappeared, taking his ID with her.