'All the lights in Manhattan are run by AI now. To improve response times they red-light interfering traffic and green-light emergency vehicles. And in situations like ours…'

'But that's good, isn't it? It means we won't hurt anybody.'

'But it means we're fucked too. So long as they keep feeding us greens they know exactly where we are, where we're going.'

'What are we going to do?'

'You see a grey leather case back there? You know, Bill's case!'

'Yeah, why?'

'Open it up.'

Thomas fumbled behind his seat, fished out the case. He clicked it open.

'Is his TV in there?'

Thomas pulled the panel out. 'TV?' he asked.

'Birthday present,' Mia snapped. 'Don't ask. Just turn it on.'

Sure enough, he saw a helicopter shot of Manhattan, alternating between dark natural light and the whites and greys of FLIRR—forward-looking infrared radar. '… to recap, then,' a tinny voice was saying, 'we're following an old model, black Toyota SUV along—'

'How did you know?'

'Got another bad OJ vibe,' Mia said sourly. 'But this is good. It gives us information.'

'They're setting something up ahead of us!' Thomas shouted. 'Something to take out our tires.'

'Like my papa always said, 'Mia cried, '"Son, ya cain't outroon the frickin' ray-deeooo…"' Without warning, he yanked the Toyota right so hard Thomas nearly rolled onto his lap.' "Unless ya gawt woon yerself…"'

The city was a whirring tunnel, a cylindrical swarm of light and streaking blackness.

'Mia! What the fuck! What are you doing?'

'Is this for keeps?' Mia shouted. 'Are we playing for keeps, Tommy?'

'My son'… What are you talking about?'

'This is for keeps, right?'

'Yes… Yes! But what are—'

'Look. I'm so scared I'm blowing bubbles out my ass, but if this is for keeps, if we really have to do this to save Frankie, then we're going to hafta take some risks.'

'Take some risks? What the hell do you call this?'

'Softball,' Mia muttered, yanking the car hard right once again.

Oh my word, a miniature voice chirped.

What do you make of that, Delores?

Well, Jim, things seem to have become more desperate. It was almost as though they sensed the trap the NYPD had set for them. I gotta tell you, though, the fact they're driving an SUV makes me that much more nervous.

And why's that?

Because of the higher center of—Jim? You got the bird's eye view up there? What are they doing now?

I'm not sure, Delores. It looks like they've…

Static punctuated by voices in the background.