Katie, standing in the middle of the country road with Bruce, looked at the wreckage of the two Arrivals that had driven head-on into each other and said, “I’ve got to try my mom again.”

Bruce nodded, understanding.

“If anyone knows what’s going on, it’ll be her,” she said, phone in hand. “She’s gonna be mad.”

“Mad?”

“When I tell her Archie went to the mall. He played me, the little shit.”

“I don’t think this is the time to worry about that.”

She entered her mother’s phone number while Bruce studied the Arrival that had spoken to them moments earlier, revealing that its updated directive was “Elimination.”

Bruce took a step closer to the car while Katie tried to reach her mother.

“Shit,” she said. “It’s going to message . . . Mom? It’s me.”

Bruce knelt down beside the car, peered through the shattered side window at the dash. There was static on the screen, as if the car were still undergoing some sort of electrical convulsion.

Bruce said, quietly, “How many of you are involved in . . . elimination.”

The screen crackled. “Total engagement,” the car’s sultry voice replied.

“So every Arrival, every one of these cars on this island, is out to get us.”

“. . . but it was totally Archie’s fault. I was looking for something and when I came outside he was getting into a car with his stupid friends and they said they were going to the mall but . . .”

“Define ‘out to get us.’”

“Does ‘total engagement’ mean that all of the people, the pedestrians . . . the humans . . . are to be targeted?” Bruce asked.

“Yes.”

“. . . and he’s not a serial killer, no matter what Archie says. He’s a really good guy, and you don’t know this, but he’s been teaching me to drive at night, and I don’t know why I’m telling you all this but I guess I just want to get it off my chest but you have to call me and . . .”

“How do we alter your updated directive so that you no longer target people?” Bruce asked.

“Unknown.”

“But there must be a way.”

“Unknown.”

“Who updated your directive?”

“Unknown.”

Bruce sighed. “Okay, when was your directive updated?”

“Introduction of new programming occurred today at 11:17 a.m.”

“But you don’t know by whom?”

“That question has already been asked and answered.”

“Well, excuse me,” Bruce said.

“. . . okay? Let me know you’re okay and I’m going to try to get to the mall but if you get this maybe I can meet you there? Okay? Love you. Bye.”

Katie put her phone away and walked toward Bruce. “I left her a message.” She bit her lower lip. “I hope she’s okay.”

Bruce stood and stepped away from the car. “I’m sure.”

“Were you talking to the car?”

Bruce nodded.

“What did it say?”