My Cousin is a Time Traveller by David Solomons

Author:David Solomons [David Solomons]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781788005869
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Published: 2019-08-02T16:00:00+00:00

My relief that Servatron had failed to kill either my brother or Cara turned out to be short-lived.

“What are you standing there for?” shouted Dina as she and Lara dashed past me towards the emergency exit. “Come on!”

Serge and I bolted after them, leaving behind a groggy Zack and Cara in the now-deserted café. I hurried after Dina and Lara as they pounded along the pavement following what I now saw to be a trail of drips left by Servatron’s steam mop. We caught up with the girls at the next junction, by which time the trail had run dry.

I put my hands on my knees and gasped, “Why … are … we … chasing … Servatron?”

Dina wore a grim expression. “Zack and Cara were at its mercy. Servatron had the perfect opportunity to win the future war against the humans. But didn’t take it.”

I shrugged. “So we got lucky.”

“It wasn’t luck,” said Dina. “Servatron operates with ruthless logic. The only possible explanation is that it’s altered the plan.”

“Why would it do that?” asked Lara.

“Because it’s calculated a better outcome,” said Dina. “Better for the machines – worse for us.”

At her words I felt a sudden chill, as if one of Servatron’s desk fans were blowing cold air on my neck. “What could be worse than the future defeat and enslavement of all humankind?”

“I don’t know yet,” said Dina, “but it has something to do with your deputy manager.”

“Talbot?!” I’d assumed that he had fled following his defeat by the AI.

“I saw Servatron leave the comic shop carrying him in its arms,” she said. “He was unconscious.”

Cars whizzed past us on the road while Rocketship.com delivery drones did the same at roof level. They were becoming a regular sight in town. It would’ve been possible for Servatron to blend in with the aerial traffic and whisk Talbot away, unnoticed by anyone.

“Downloading,” I muttered.

“What’s that?” said Dina.

I told her that in the exchange of fire at the Fortress of Snackitude, I’d heard Servatron say the word when Talbot zapped it with his electrical superpower. “For a second they were joined by that bolt of electricity.”

“Like a data connection?”

“Exactly. Servatron can access electronic devices, right? Well, Talbot is half machine…”

Dina nodded. “We have to assume that whatever Christopher Talbot has been plotting, Servatron knows all about it now. I’m going to keep searching for them.” And without waiting for us, she hurried off along the street.

I couldn’t go after her. Dad knew I’d been in the café during the attack – he’d have a fit if he didn’t find me there. I needed to get back urgently. Lara and I returned to the shop, having made the decision to gather the others and plan our next move.

I was right about Dad. He was relieved to see us, but also insisted we help clean up the mess. In all the commotion he hadn’t seen Servatron clearly and seemed to think the source of the trouble was a rogue Rocketship.com drone. He had already fired off a stiff message of complaint to Customer Services.

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