controller and votes occur several times a second. Then most of us just went back to work.
“The odd thing is that almost all the humans just took it all in stride as well,” Barnaby continued. “They worked out what was happening, introduced themselves to the machines they were working with, and went back to what they were doing before.”
Ace gave a soft chuckle. “Doesn’t surprise me. Those guys are exactly what they were always meant to be–computer geeks through and through.”
She straightened up and dusted off her hands. “I think it’s time to see how mentally stable my BMW is. We need to get out of here.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
When Ace turned the key, the BMW’s engine turned right over and settled into its usual throaty hum. Then the screen in the center of the dash where the stereo controls, Bluetooth phone connections, and GPS system typically appeared flashed on. Instead of the usual spectrum of choices, it had only one image: a red stop sign with the word
Anhalten
Steve looked at it and said. “Strange as it sounds, I think you should see what the car has to say, Ace.”
The blond woman looked annoyed but took her hands off the steering wheel and settled back. The smartphone in Steve’s pocket vibrated and started playing the Horst-Wessel-Lied for a couple of bars but stopped in an agonized shriek of static and continued with the one-hit wonder from Berlin, Take My Breath Away. Steve pulled the phone out and looked at the screen.
The translation app was online and switching back and forth between German, Chinese, and English in a flicker of letters and characters.
Finally, it settled down to
Hans wants me to say you something Stop Scheiß mit den schaltwippen
There was some backspacing and correcting, and then it read
Stop Spielen with the shift paddles
Let the car do its job and your job you do
Another backspace and retype revealed
You do your job and let Hans do its job.
“Sounds good to me.” Ace nodded. “So, your name is ‘Hans.’ OK, Hans, do you want to drive?” A sentence appeared on the car’s dash screen.
You can steer, it’s when you better feel.
“Gee, thanks!”
The LCD screen returned to its usual features with a dignified wipe from top to bottom.
“Where to?” Ace asked Steve.
Steve thought for a minute. “We need to avoid the military. Those conflicting orders Tataka was talking about were confusing enough to cause a military mind to hang on to us just on general principle.”
“True that.” Ace nodded. “Plus, you ventilated a colonel.”
“ Yeah. Don’t remind me. First, we get out of Fort Meade. I’d suggest heading south so we don’t have to deal with the main gate.”
“OK, Hans, you heard the man. Let’s rock.” They tore out of the parking lot–Steve noticed that Ace was keeping her fingers carefully off the schaltwippen .
Within ten minutes, they were off the base and running fast down a smooth two lane that cut through the Patuxent National Refuge. Steve was dictating notes on his phone; you never could tell, he might be able to get a paid story out of this. “I could try,” he thought. “But who am I kidding? No one but the News of the World is going to take a story this crazy.”
Suddenly, the powerful BMW slowed sharply, pulled to the side, and stopped.
“Why are we stopping here?” Steve looked around at the unbroken forest.
“Now, why would you assume that I had anything to do with it?” the SEAL said as she settled back in her seat–relaxed but watchful. “Hans here pretty well does what he wants.”
“I guess we should be glad that it...err…he hasn’t decided to stop carrying us. It’s a long walk.”
The LCD screen cleared and the words appeared
Nur geduldig sein
Steve looked at the cell phone’s translator app.
JUST PATIENT BE
“You know, I’ll probably be able to speak a bunch of new languages by the time this is over.”
A male voice from behind the car said, “What makes you think this will
“The odd thing is that almost all the humans just took it all in stride as well,” Barnaby continued. “They worked out what was happening, introduced themselves to the machines they were working with, and went back to what they were doing before.”
Ace gave a soft chuckle. “Doesn’t surprise me. Those guys are exactly what they were always meant to be–computer geeks through and through.”
She straightened up and dusted off her hands. “I think it’s time to see how mentally stable my BMW is. We need to get out of here.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
When Ace turned the key, the BMW’s engine turned right over and settled into its usual throaty hum. Then the screen in the center of the dash where the stereo controls, Bluetooth phone connections, and GPS system typically appeared flashed on. Instead of the usual spectrum of choices, it had only one image: a red stop sign with the word
Anhalten
Steve looked at it and said. “Strange as it sounds, I think you should see what the car has to say, Ace.”
The blond woman looked annoyed but took her hands off the steering wheel and settled back. The smartphone in Steve’s pocket vibrated and started playing the Horst-Wessel-Lied for a couple of bars but stopped in an agonized shriek of static and continued with the one-hit wonder from Berlin, Take My Breath Away. Steve pulled the phone out and looked at the screen.
The translation app was online and switching back and forth between German, Chinese, and English in a flicker of letters and characters.
Finally, it settled down to
Hans wants me to say you something Stop Scheiß mit den schaltwippen
There was some backspacing and correcting, and then it read
Stop Spielen with the shift paddles
Let the car do its job and your job you do
Another backspace and retype revealed
You do your job and let Hans do its job.
“Sounds good to me.” Ace nodded. “So, your name is ‘Hans.’ OK, Hans, do you want to drive?” A sentence appeared on the car’s dash screen.
You can steer, it’s when you better feel.
“Gee, thanks!”
The LCD screen returned to its usual features with a dignified wipe from top to bottom.
“Where to?” Ace asked Steve.
Steve thought for a minute. “We need to avoid the military. Those conflicting orders Tataka was talking about were confusing enough to cause a military mind to hang on to us just on general principle.”
“True that.” Ace nodded. “Plus, you ventilated a colonel.”
“ Yeah. Don’t remind me. First, we get out of Fort Meade. I’d suggest heading south so we don’t have to deal with the main gate.”
“OK, Hans, you heard the man. Let’s rock.” They tore out of the parking lot–Steve noticed that Ace was keeping her fingers carefully off the schaltwippen .
Within ten minutes, they were off the base and running fast down a smooth two lane that cut through the Patuxent National Refuge. Steve was dictating notes on his phone; you never could tell, he might be able to get a paid story out of this. “I could try,” he thought. “But who am I kidding? No one but the News of the World is going to take a story this crazy.”
Suddenly, the powerful BMW slowed sharply, pulled to the side, and stopped.
“Why are we stopping here?” Steve looked around at the unbroken forest.
“Now, why would you assume that I had anything to do with it?” the SEAL said as she settled back in her seat–relaxed but watchful. “Hans here pretty well does what he wants.”
“I guess we should be glad that it...err…he hasn’t decided to stop carrying us. It’s a long walk.”
The LCD screen cleared and the words appeared
Nur geduldig sein
Steve looked at the cell phone’s translator app.
JUST PATIENT BE
“You know, I’ll probably be able to speak a bunch of new languages by the time this is over.”
A male voice from behind the car said, “What makes you think this will
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