– NeuralNet,“ Dash said through gritted teeth, „you’re out of line. I won’t let it go.
The melodious voice of the AI echoed down the corridor in response to her threat:
– «I apologise, Mistress Dash. Just trying to lighten the mood at this early hour. Just a reminder, someone is trying to call you. Judging by the ID, it’s someone called Vox from the GV24/7 holovision channel.
Dash narrowed her eyes, a dangerous light flickering in them. She slammed her palm against the nearest wall, as if chastising the neural network, which, as everyone in NeuroHub knew, was present in every socket, in every system of the vast complex.
– Let the call go,» she gritted through her teeth, nodding her head sharply.
Immediately a cheerful male voice sounded in her personal audio system, implanted just behind her ear:
– Hello, Dash? It’s me, Vox. I hope I’m not too early?
Dash frowned for a moment, trying to remember which of her many admirers and acquaintances bore that name. Several faces flashed through her mind before she finally remembered the tall blond man from television she’d met last week at the launch of the new neural interface.
– Ah, Vox! – she exclaimed, instantly changing her tone to playful and flirtatious. – From television, huh? What a surprise!
– Did I just walk into the presidential palace?
She threw a mocking glance at her companions, who were watching the conversation with interest.
– No, no, it’s our neural network joking, – Dash continued, not letting Vox get a word in. – We just have relatives from Africa, so it’s crowded like in a real palace. You wouldn’t believe how many cousins and brothers and sisters I’ve got!
Faza, Anna and Nova stood by, watching this improvised performance of one actress with undisguised interest. Nova, unable to bear it, began to nibble on Faza’s shoulder, trying to hold back her laughter.
– No, I can’t meet you today,» Dash continued chirping, lowering her voice coquettishly and twirling a strand of hair around her finger. – My family and I are going to the dacha. Can you imagine, a whole day in the fresh air, away from these skyscrapers and eternal noise.
– Which road are you taking? – Vox’s voice came from the speaker, in which disappointment was clearly audible.
Dash was confused for a moment and looked questioningly at Faza. He grinned and said silently: «By magnetic.»
– You know, I don’t even know,» Dash said playfully, pretending to be a frivolous beauty. – The neural network is driving us, and I never look at the road. I just enjoy the view and the company. Ah, it’s modern technology, isn’t it? You never know where they’ll take you.
She paused, as if listening for something, and added with feigned regret:
– Oh, Vox, I’m sorry, dear, but I can’t talk any more. They’re waiting for me, you know – family, obligations. But don’t worry, I’ll contact you as soon as I get back. Maybe even bring you a souvenir from the slums.
With these words, Dash sent a kiss to the void and cut the connection with a sharp gesture.
Faza laughed, shaking his head and not hiding his admiration for Dash’s acting skills:
– What a chatterbox you are! The poor guy is probably already rushing along all the magnetic roads in search of his mother’s dacha.
Dash, proudly erect and demonstratively swaying her hips, walked past him, tossing over her shoulder with a slight chuckle:
– «Faza, dear, don’t teach me how to live better. I’ll be more experienced in these matters than you. You’d better do something useful, like finding me a husband. But be warned, I need someone of real status. Not some TV presenter, but at least the owner of a TV channel.
With those words, she headed for the exit of the NeuroHub, leaving her friends looking at each other with smiles on their faces. Nova and Anna, still laughing at the situation, hurried after her, and Faza, shaking his head, followed.
In the rays of the early morning sun shining through the dense foliage of century-old trees, the magnetic taxi glided smoothly along the winding road, taking the four friends away from the noisy metropolis. Anna Buyanova, Nova de Kart, Dash, and Faza were comfortably seated in the spacious salon, enjoying the unusual peace and quiet, so rare in their usual city life. The soft hum of the magnetic cushion on which the taxi was travelling provided a peaceful backdrop, allowing them to relax and sink into their thoughts.
Dash, dressed in a tight electric-coloured dress that accentuated all the curves of her slender body, sat next to Faz. Her long legs were elegantly crossed in dizzyingly high heels. She cast playful glances at Faze now and then, clearly enjoying the company of the attractive man. Her long eyelashes, accentuated by the latest generation of shimmering make-up, fluttered slightly when she turned her whole body towards him and said with a sly smile:
– «I see you’re an enviable groom, Faza. – Her voice, low and velvety, was full of feigned admiration. She ran her hand through her long hair, tucking a stray strand behind her ear. – I paid for the taxi, my parents have a summer house… If you’d known before, you’d have taken me to visit, not Nova and her company.
Faza did not take his eyes off the scenery passing outside the window. His profile, clearly outlined against the green trees, seemed carved from stone. He only grinned, and the wrinkles in the corners of his eyes deepened:
– Calm down, Dash. You’re not my type. – He turned to her, and in his grey eyes played cheerful sparks. – And the dacha… it’s just a name. Just an area with a few trees. All that was left after construction forty years ago. You shouldn’t expect anything grand.
Dash, clearly not expecting such a straightforward answer, pouted her plump, perfectly shaped lips and began to feign anger. Her thin eyebrows drew together at the bridge of her nose, forming a small crease. Suddenly she reached for the steering wheel, which was still in the cockpit for the possibility of personal control, even though the machine was being guided by a neural network. Her manicured fingers with long fuchsia-coloured nails gripped the leather braided steering wheel.
– Hey, neural net! – she shouted, trying to turn the steering wheel. Her voice soared an octave higher with feigned indignation. – Turn back! We don’t want to go there! I’ve changed my mind!
The control panel instantly lit up bright red, warning against such behaviour. A melodious female neural network voice said: «Please do not interfere with the operation of the vehicle. It could be dangerous.» Dash, noticing this, immediately pulled her hands away as if she had been burned, but continued to sulk with her arms crossed over her chest.
Anna, who was sitting opposite, trying to defuse the situation, spoke softly, leaning forward and putting her hand on Dash’s knee:
– «Faza, come on, why are you scaring her like that? – She looked at Dash with a smile, her brown eyes radiating warmth and understanding. – Our beautiful girl’s face stretched out. No, it’s the new implants, isn’t it, Dash? – In her voice you could hear a slight irony, but without malice.
Dash, instantly changing her mood like a chameleon changing its colouring, turned to her friend with a mischievous smile. Her eyes, emphasised by perfect arrows, sparkled:
– Don’t chicken out, Anna. We’ll get him now, you’ll see. – She winked at Nova, who sat quietly in the corner, almost blending in with the upholstery of the seat. – Let’s protect our modesty, shall we? Let’s show that stuck-up boy that we’re not just pretty dolls!
Nova, dressed in a simple pastel-coloured summer dress,