Mika climbed back into the Black Car Y. In the sky, a swarm of drones was cascading down toward the cliff where Pluto had fallen.
“What is Pluto’s predicted route?”
Leo was already analyzing the terrain data below the cliff.
“Pluto will likely evade the pursuit drones, enter the Hyehwa Station subway tunnels, and move along the subway tracks. However, three riot police units have already been deployed at Hyehwa Station and have established a defensive line.”
“Isn’t there anywhere else he can go?”
“Ground movement is impossible because of the pursuit drones.”
Then there was no other way. Pluto would certainly head toward Hyehwa Station as well.
“Then we go to Hyehwa Station too.”
“Yes.”
Leo’s Black Car Y went wiiiiiing—at maximum electric output, taking the Naksan road toward Hyehwa Station. Two minutes later, when they arrived at Hyehwa Station, as expected a large number of police forces had been deployed, and a swarm of 150 drones was hovering above them. If so, Pluto must be hiding somewhere here. Mika had to act.
“Generate Pluto mechanical voice authentication signal!”
Leo immediately generated Pluto’s mechanical voice authentication signal.
“Generation complete.”
“Police units, stand down.”
“Police units, stand down.”
Mika’s command was generated exactly in Pluto’s mechanical voice. Through the external speakers of Leo’s car, Pluto’s mechanical voice was amplified and spread outward. Pluto’s unique voice authentication signal was included in it.
“Police units, stand down. Police units, stand down.”
The swarm of drones hovering above Hyehwa Station immediately began flying toward Leo’s Black Car Y, the source of the sound.
“We lure them toward Dongdaemun.”
“Yes.”
Leo’s Black Car Y departed toward Dongdaemun. From Leo’s external speakers, Pluto’s mechanical voice kept repeating, saying, “Police units, stand down.” As the pursuit drone swarm moved, the police forces also boarded their armored vehicles all at once and began chasing the Black Car Y. Then it happened. Pluto, who had been hiding under a cargo truck parked at Hyehwa Station, rotated with a kkiirik sound and rolled down beneath the Hyehwa Station stairs. Passengers screamed in surprise, but the police forces had already left Hyehwa Station and were pursuing Leo’s Black Car Y. Mika checked them through the rearview mirror. Tense, Mika asked Leo.
“How long until we’re discovered?”
“Fifteen seconds remaining.”
Fifteen seconds later, seven AV-283 drones, the newest model among the pursuit drone swarm, suddenly stopped in the air and turned around, unlike the other older drones that were chasing Mika. It was clear that they had detected Pluto’s faint individual signal. The seven AV-283 drones flew wiiing—at a speed of eighty kilometers per hour—and entered Hyehwa Station. At that moment, Pluto had jumped down below the subway tracks and was running into the darkness inside the tunnel. With a waeng sound, seven drones appeared behind Pluto. Pluto kept running forward. The seven drones chased Pluto and disappeared into the darkness inside the tunnel.
Inside Terra Motors Second Plant, where the traces of the protesters who had endured for sixty days remained like ruins, there was no one. The protesters had all been arrested, the police forces had withdrawn, and the factory had not yet begun operating. On the rusted iron gate that creaked was attached a notice saying “Scheduled for Replacement,” and throughout the factory there were various inspection sheets and instruction notices such as “Repair Needed” and “Scheduled for Demolition,” directing maintenance and cleaning for the operation of the new factory.
Sending thin streams of water across the wet road inside the factory, Leo’s Black Car Y entered carefully with a ziiiing. The Black Car Y stopped in front of Building Zone 3, and Mika got out. In front of Mika’s eyes, she saw white oil marks on the floor, dotted like droplets. It was oil used in advanced high-tech machines such as robots. Naturally, Mika had an idea. Following the oil marks, Mika went inside the building.
Wiiing—
One AV-283 drone circling in the air was suddenly snatched pudeudeuk by something in the darkness. The one holding the drone was Pluto’s armored hand. Pluto looked around, then twisted the lid of the drone that was fluttering weng-weng and struggling, ripping it off with a ppagak. Weeeeng—pat—the drone’s propellers stopped. Pluto took out the two lithium-ion batteries installed inside the drone with his thumb and index finger, opened the upper left part of his abdomen with a chal-kak, and inserted those batteries there. The battery level indicator rose by two bars. Pluto’s dimming red eyes momentarily became clear. However, sparks were discharging pajijik from Pluto’s hollowed chest, and steam was leaking out from his damaged helmet from time to time. Pluto’s left arm and right leg were gone, torn off, and white oil continued leaking from his left side.
“Pluto.”