BACKTRACKER by Milo Fowler (e book reader txt) 📕

This came in the form of a second mandroid who exited the nightclub andjoined them with deliberate steps through the downpour. Within moments, the machine was leading the pack.

"Looks like that thing's after you," the driverobserved.

"What makes you say that?" Muldoon jammed the hot muzzleof his gun into the cringing cabbie's neck. "Step on it."

"Right, right." The door beside Muldoon dropped andlocked into place. "Anywhere in particular?"

"HellTown."

The driver swallowed and stepped on the accelerator. The SYNs wereleft behind en masse, shrinking in size as the taxicab lurched forward and spedoff, joining the other zigzagging traffic of its kind. Only one figure brokefrom the crowd and followed, racing after the cab at full-tilt, eyes glowingand focused on its prey despite the sheets of precipitation falling in betweenthem.

"We've got company," the cabbie yelped,glancing into the rearview mirror.

Muldoon had already caught sight of the robot. His right handtightened on the gun.

"It will notify the police of its pursuit. They will set up aroadblock within minutes, and we will be taken into custody." Yeng tiltedhis head to one side and smiled smugly. "Has that been your plan allalong, Mr. Muldoon? To get caught?"

I've had just about enough of you, monk.

Without another thought, Muldoon plowed a left hook across Yeng'sjaw, stunning him long enough to grab hold of his ear and slam his rain-slickeddome once, twice against the oval window. The third time was the charm, andYeng's head broke through, shattering the plastiglass. The driver cursed inalarm, exasperated but resigned to the fact that this was not his luckiestnight.

Muldoon let Yeng collapse to the floor, out cold. He'd have ablinding headache when he came to, but that wasn't Muldoon's concern.

"Halt." The mandroid's voice came loud and clear as it closed in on the cab,footfalls striking hard against the slick pavement, large arms bent at theelbows, its tuxedo and synthetic hair drenched by the rain. "The policehave been notified. You have nowhere to go. Stop the vehicle at once." Theominous eyes stared straight at Muldoon through the broken rear window."Halt."

"The police?" the cabbie moaned, cursing again andpounding the dashboard with his fist. "I need this kind of trouble likethe Plague!"

"Hasn't been my night either, buddy." Muldoon brought uphis gun and pulled the trigger. The pulse round hurtled out of the smashedwindow and—

The mandroid ducked mid-stride without slowing down.

The pulse struck the vehicle behind it with a flash of light,killing the engine instantly. The driver inside fought the steering grips asthey refused to respond, brakes locking up only to slide slick tires across wetpavement, spinning the vehicle sideways. Two autos at full speed collided withit, one hitting the nose while the other smashed against the tail, screeching,bending steel and breaking glass as they spun out of control. But this awkwardthreesome was not the extent of the casualties.

Muldoon could only stare at the mayhem unfolding before his eyesas the mandroid doubled its pace, determined now to reach its quarry beforethere was a chance for more collateral damage. Behind its rigid, racing frame,one automobile after another flipped violently up into the air, roaring likefrightened beasts in the night, unable to brake in time to avoid the wreckage caused by Muldoon's single shot.

"Yikes!" The driver blinked into the rearview."What a mess. Wow, would you look at that..." Then he cursed as themandroid came within reach of the cab's tail fender. "Hey, that thingis—!"

"I know." Muldoon aimed his gun again, this timegripping it steady with both hands.

"Halt." The robot reached forward and grabbed hold ofthe fender, at the same time digging its heels into the pavement. The cabjerked forward, throwing Muldoon on top of the monk.

"It's got us!" the cabbie shrieked.

The mandroid had the tail end of the cab in both massive hands andwas heaving it upward, leaving the rear tires to spin idly. The automaton'seyes glowed with menace, its giant humanoid mask framed by the broken remainsof the rear window. Its heels plowed through the asphalt, leaving two jaggedfurrows in its wake as the taxicab slowed to a stop despite its best efforts atescape.

"Halt," the robot droned yet again.

"You sound like a broken record," Muldoon muttered andpulled the trigger, at the same time wondering, What the hell is a brokenrecord?

The pulse round struck the mandroid's face and sizzled, sending aflurry of white hot sparks in all directions. The head jerked wildly, bobbling,but the mechanical hands didn't let go of the cab. Muldoon pulled the triggeragain, then again. The rounds slammed into their mark full-force, blowing themandroid's head clean off. It sailed end over end until it landed in a gutterpuddle, hissing as its sparks were driven into submission.

"Yeah, that oughta do it," the driver said. "Butwe're still not moving." He stepped on the accelerator, revved the engine.Nothing.

The cab remained in the unyielding grasp of the decapitatedmandroid, tilting forward at a forty degree angle. Traffic passed them on bothsides with honking horns, but they remained at a standstill.

"How's business these days?" Muldoon said as he reloadedhis weapon.

"Honestly? In the crapper." The cabbie swiveled aroundto face him, resigned to the bizarre situation. "There's more AI-driventaxis on the roads thanever before, putting honest guys like me outta work.We're the last of a dying breed"

"You and me both." Muldoon holstered his revolver andpalmed the door release. "Got a tire iron?"

"Sure, under the backseat. Why?"

Muldoon flipped open the seat and retrieved the heavy tool fromthe compartment underneath. "Ease off the accelerator for now."

The driver watched his only conscious passenger step out into thedriving rain, then pause for a moment to size up the situation.

Muldoon gripped the tire iron in both hands and brought it over hisshoulder like he was some kind of ancient frontiersman chopping wood. Then heswung it down, breaking off the mandroid's left hand at the wrist with a crunchof metallic components and a shower of sparks extinguished by the downpour. Thecab pitched to one side, and the cabbie let out a cry of alarm, hanging ontothe steering grips. The mandroid's right hand on the tail fender was next togo, and Muldoon dispatched it