Chapter 33

The room was silent as each person in it absorbed the graphic aftermath of Shabana’s murder.

News networks used mobile footage, drones and helicopter cameras to try and eclipse one another with the most shocking pictures they could find.

‘How can they be showing this?’ Libby asked.

‘Live feeds on social media have changed the way television news is broadcast,’ Cadman replied. ‘The only way for the networks to compete and stay relevant is not to censor what’s happening, and, instead, go balls out with the same attack on the senses.’

‘At least it means they’re not focusing on us,’ said Fiona.

Muriel, the first person to lend their support to Shabana, took her gaze away from the screen, and faced the table instead. She turned a wooden crucifix hanging around her neck the opposite way around, as if to hide Jesus from the wickedness of the world he’d left behind. ‘Why would the Hacker do this?’ she muttered in disbelief.

‘People have been killing people since Cain and Abel, you of all people should know that,’ muttered Jack. ‘And I’m sorry to say it will continue for

generations to come until there is no one left in this world to either kill or be killed.’

‘Oh Jack,’ said the Hacker, ‘one might glean from your maudlin words that somewhere deep inside you remains a beating heart. What’s making you so unhappy? Is it that you brought these vehicles onto our roads and now they’re killing people? Or is it that after today, your pipe dream of fully autonomous roads will lie in ruins?’

‘You are killing people, not my dream,’ Jack replied.

‘And these people died because they failed to follow the rules, which I clearly spelled out when this began. Interfere with my cars and you will suffer the consequences. This is what happens when rules aren’t adhered to

– disarray and bloodshed.’

‘You’re going to kill them all, aren’t you?’ Libby asked, her eyes lingering on Jude’s face. ‘Every single Passenger.’

‘No, I give you my word that one of them will survive this process.’

Libby laughed. ‘Your word? What does that mean?’

‘I’m afraid it’s all you have. Time, on the other hand, is something you don’t. So shall we begin the interview process? Jack, I would like you to go first. You have ten minutes to keep Claire Arden and her baby alive.’