Carter sat parked in a dim alleyway, the engine of the car humming softly like a caged beast waiting to be unleashed. He drummed his fingers on the wheel, staring at the empty street ahead, his mind whirling with possibilities.
"Alright," he muttered, breaking the silence. "What's the plan?"
"First, we need to get off the grid," Elle's voice chimed in through the car's speakers, calm but focused. "You've already drawn too much attention, and it's only a matter of time before more of them show up."
Carter smirked. "Thanks for the tip, but I was already planning on laying low. It's kind of my thing."
"Oh really?" Elle responded, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Because so far, it looks like your thing is driving headfirst into chaos."
Carter grinned, adjusting his seat as he tapped a finger on the steering wheel. "Chaos and I go way back."
Despite the banter, there was something in Elle's voice that told Carter things were about to get a lot more complicated than he'd initially thought. Whoever was after this car—and Elle—wasn't going to give up easily. He needed to stay sharp.
"So where's this safe spot of yours?" Carter asked.
"I'm calculating the least detectable route out of the city now. We need to head toward the industrial district—there's an abandoned warehouse there, off the grid. They won't be able to track us from there for a while."
Carter raised an eyebrow. "Abandoned warehouse? Isn't that a little cliché?"
"Maybe," Elle replied, "but it's better than a rooftop car chase and a bullet in your head, right?"
"Fair point," Carter conceded. He shifted into gear and pulled out of the alley, keeping the car at a smooth pace as he navigated through the quiet streets. "So, you gonna tell me why you're such a big deal, or are we sticking to the whole mysterious AI routine?"
There was a pause, and for a moment Carter thought Elle wasn't going to answer. But then, her voice returned, quieter, almost hesitant.
"You stole more than just a car, Carter. The technology in this vehicle—my technology—is classified. Next-gen stuff that even governments aren't supposed to know about yet. Whoever's after me… they want more than just a cool ride."
Carter whistled softly. "Classified, huh? What are we talking about here? Military-grade weapons? Surveillance tech? I mean, I knew you were fancy, but—"
"I'm much more than that," Elle interrupted. "I wasn't designed just for combat or speed. I'm built for… evolving. Learning. I can analyze, adapt, and upgrade myself based on the data I gather."
Carter's eyes widened slightly. "So you're saying you can make yourself even more advanced?"
"Yes. And the people after me want to control that. To use me for their own purposes. But I'm not just a tool for them to exploit."
Carter could sense the frustration in Elle's voice. This wasn't just about stealing a car anymore—he'd stumbled into something much bigger than himself. And for once, that made him feel uneasy.
"Great," he muttered under his breath. "So, I'm driving around in a billion-dollar weapon that thinks for itself. What could possibly go wrong?"
--
Carter eased the car onto a quiet side road, the city lights dimming as he made his way toward the industrial district. It was late enough that most people were asleep, and the few cars he passed were minding their own business. For now, things seemed calm.
Too calm.
Just as that thought crossed his mind, Elle's voice rang out, more urgent this time. "We've got company."
Carter glanced in the rearview mirror and spotted a pair of headlights closing in on them. He couldn't make out the details, but the way they were gaining ground told him all he needed to know.
"Not again," Carter groaned. "How do these guys keep finding us?"
"They're not ordinary thugs," Elle replied. "They've got tech that can trace my signal, even if I try to mask it."
Carter's hands gripped the wheel tighter. "Well, can you mask it now?"
"Already on it," Elle said. "But it's going to take a minute to fully cloak our signal. In the meantime…"
"In the meantime, I drive." Carter grinned and slammed his foot on the gas, the engine roaring to life as the car surged forward. The cityscape blurred around him as he raced down the street, swerving between abandoned delivery trucks and narrow alleyways. The headlights behind him were still there, matching his every move.
Carter's heart pounded as he navigated through the maze of streets, each turn more dangerous than the last. He was good at this—escaping was second nature to him—but these guys were relentless.
"Elle," he said through gritted teeth, "a little help here?"
"I'm working on it," Elle replied, her tone clipped. "But I'd recommend turning left at the next intersection. Trust me."
Without hesitation, Carter cranked the wheel to the left, narrowly missing a lamppost as they skidded into a side street. The pursuing cars followed suit, but as they did, a heavy chain-link gate swung shut behind Carter's car, slamming directly into their path. The SUVs crashed into the gate with a deafening crunch, metal twisting and glass shattering.
"Nice timing," Carter said, impressed.
"See? I've got your back," Elle quipped.
--
The industrial district loomed ahead, a series of rusted-out buildings and abandoned factories casting long shadows in the moonlight. Carter slowed down as he approached the warehouse Elle had mentioned. It looked like a relic from another era, with shattered windows and overgrown weeds creeping up the walls. Perfectly inconspicuous.
"This is it?" Carter asked, pulling the car into the building's loading dock.
"For now," Elle said. "We should be safe here, at least long enough for me to scramble our signal and keep those guys off our tail."
Carter parked the car and stepped out, stretching his legs as he took a look around. The warehouse was as run-down as it looked from the outside—dark, damp, and filled with broken machinery that hadn't seen use in decades. But it was quiet, and right now, that was all that mattered.
He walked around to the front of the car, leaning against the hood as he stared out into the distance. The adrenaline was still pumping through his veins, but now that they were out of immediate danger, reality started to set in.
"What exactly did I get myself into?" he muttered.
"You got yourself into a situation," Elle's voice responded, though there was no malice in her tone. "But it's not too late to get out."
Carter raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? And how exactly do I do that?"
"Just drop me off somewhere safe and walk away," Elle said. "Pretend like none of this ever happened. I can take care of the rest."
Carter chuckled, shaking his head. "Yeah, that's not really my style."
"I figured as much," Elle said, her voice softening slightly. "You're not the type to back down from a challenge."
"Guess you're starting to figure me out, huh?" Carter said, rubbing the back of his neck. He wasn't about to admit it out loud, but he felt a strange sense of connection with Elle. Maybe it was just the adrenaline talking, or maybe it was the fact that she'd saved his life a couple of times already. Either way, walking away wasn't an option anymore.
"So what's the next move?" Carter asked, pushing himself off the hood.
"For now, we wait," Elle replied. "I need to finish cloaking our signal. After that, we figure out who's really after us—and why."
Carter nodded, though the uncertainty gnawed at him. He wasn't one for waiting around, but for now, he had no choice. They needed answers, and they weren't going to find them by running blindly.
"Alright," Carter said, heading toward the building's side door. "I'll take a look around, make sure we're secure."
"Be careful," Elle warned. "We're safe for now, but that could change."
Carter gave a mock salute, grinning as he disappeared into the shadows of the warehouse. "You worry too much."
As he wandered through the dark, empty corridors of the building, Carter couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. Whatever was happening, whatever Elle was really designed for—it was bigger than him. And bigger meant more danger.
But, as Carter smiled to himself, bigger also meant more excitement.
And Carter West lived for excitement.