Grand Theft AI by James Cox

Author:James Cox [Cox, James]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
Published: 2024-07-23T00:00:00+00:00

The ITCH

9:30 p.m.

Baz led Eddie down Polk, banged a left onto Turk, and stopped. He’d sold Otto stolen bots for years, but he’d never set foot in his club. And that first glimpse was always a showstopper. The joint was packed with a crowd spilling onto the cobblestones as HydroJags and Maybachs rolled up and Valet Bots took ’em away. Old-school neon and LEDs flashed the number 7 everywhere, but Baz’s gaze focused on the massive holo-sign crawling up the narrow alleyway. No English or Sino-Fusion, just two vampire incisors dripping blood that heralded:

THE FANG

Eddie stood next to Baz, across from those bleeding teeth. “I’ll be in your head as soon as she gets us in the Grid Room.”

But Baz didn’t say anything.

“Gear’s inside?” Eddie asked, already knowing the answer.

Baz just nodded. “In the Dungeon downstairs.”

5 hours earlier

Baz stopped by Quinn’s compound to pick up the Pirelli along with a sensor scanner and the sling-pack he’d need to haul twenty pounds of glass data outta the Fang without anyone noticing.

As Baz spec’d the items, he could feel Quinn’s eyes on him . . .

Then the Irishman dropped a pair of resident visas marked “Tahitian Protectorate” on the table, and Baz’s heart skipped a beat.

“Second one’s for Eddie. Said it was fine if I gave you both of ’em.”

Baz exhaled casually, but by then it was too late.

“Looks like you were hopin’ the second was for someone else.” Quinn said with a knowing smile.

“Huh?” Baz played dumb. But he shifted, a bit uncomfortable. Unsure of whether the way Quinn was staring at him was just stressin’. Or judgmental.

“Haven’t told her ’bout the NSA, have you?”

Then Baz knew it was both.

Quinn leaned in close to get a good look. “Yup . . . You got that same cocky look in your eye too. Guess she doesn’t know about—”

“Fuck are you tryin’ to do, Quinn, rattle me?”

If the geezer had any goddamn doubts, why was he here? And if so, why bring ’em up now for chrissakes?

But Quinn just stuck his finger in Baz’s chest:

“Get that bitch outta your head.”

9:31 p.m.

Eddie glanced now at Baz, whose eyes stayed fixed on the Fang—its teeth bleeding a crimson glow down both their faces. His partner’s nerves were obvious, so he waited patiently. ’Til Baz took a deep breath . . .

“Let’s do this.”

And they walked across the street.

“We’re on the list,” Baz said as they approached the ropes, but the Door Bot, Prinella, just shook her head, and McT moved forward ominously.

“You don’t remember me, do you?” Baz realized McT’s backup didn’t include the firefight, since the Warrior Bot just barked at him:

“Back of the line, fossil.”

“You know you were a lot nicer deactivated,” Eddie said.

“I got this one, McT.” Ria appeared.

Off her nod, Prinella opened the ropes.

“Guess she doesn’t trust you, T.” Baz smiled at the Warrior Bot. “I wouldn’t take it personally.”

“Why would I?” McT lifted his Resonance Sequencer and waved the wand over Baz’s body, whose cranium flashed:

>Angola.Refugee<

CLASSIFICATION

Human

“She doesn’t trust anyone.”

Then that

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