Driven to Kill - Part 4: HARDCORE SCORN
by Iden Baghdadchi
How’d you get this number?
You don’t remember me, do you?
Nope. I don’t.
Cause I think I’d remember a killer redhead.
Disappointing.
How about you and I get reacquainted?
NOPE. No way.
This doesn’t have to be difficult, Kam.
Stay where you are and I’ll be right there
Of course you’d say that.
You’re a creepy unlisted number in a dark library
AKA, a super ideal place for murder.
This has been cool, but
I’mma GTFO.
BYEEEEEEEE!
You can’t run.
I will find you.
Wherever you go.
You’re down on the fifth floor now.
Northeast corner.
Nope. WRONG
Am I?
And you just ran to the back stairwell
Stop it!
This can be so much easier...
Leave me alone!
I can’t do that, Kam.
Because you have something I want.
That tablet doesn’t belong to you.
Give it to me.
Now.
Before I take it from you.
Not a chance.
You’re on the wrong side of this
Dealing with things you don’t understand.
I know enough.
You’ve got a gun. I don’t.
Therefore.
I’m outta here.
PEACE OUT.
This isn’t over, Kam...
ten minutes later
FRAK
Lucy, I’m in over my head
That was too close!
What happened????
The armed redhead is after me
Sending all kinds of creeper texts.
And before you ask
YES, I have the stupid tablet.
I wasn’t going to ask.
Because I trust you.
Good. Because I’m freaking out right now!
How did she get my number?!?
Idk. That’s so weird.
Why is she gunning for you?
I mean, not to be rude
Why YOU of all people?
The tablet. Obvi.
Oh Kam, I’m so sorry
We’ll make this right soon.
Where are you now?
I just ran to my car.
I’ll explain the situation soon
Meet you in the park.
Okay, see you soon.
half an hour later
Lucy, I’m here at the park.
At the edge of the woods
Let’s get this over with.
Lucy, where are you?
Hello? Lucy?
Hello????
I told you I’d find you.
But you didn’t listen.
Stop running.
Come back, Kam.
Leave me alone!
I will
Once I get what I want.
Not a chance.
I know where you’re hiding.
Enough of this game
Why don’t you just come out so we can finally talk in person?
How do you keep finding me?
You haven’t figured it out yet?
I used...
The tablet!
I hate this stupid thing so much.
You hacked into its IP?!?
Are you also some programming whiz?
Not exactly.
But I have lost my iPhone before, which is close enough.
Close enough.
So how about you walk out from those trees with your hands in the air?
Nobody gets hurt. I promise.
Here goes.
Kam walks out to see the red-headed woman with a gun.
There you are. Now do you recognize me?
Uh -
Seriously? It’s me. Rosa.
Um, could you be more specific?
Remember from that BBQ last summer? We had a long conversation about potato salad?
You kept going on about mayo vs. mustard vs. vinegar based.
I mean, I do have many opinions about those things. But I’m not good with names or faces.
Fine. You may better remember me as the Prof’s wife.
Or rather, his widow.
Oh SHOOT. It’s you! Why didn’t you say that earlier?
Because I’m an accomplished woman in my own right. And a man does not define me.
But now that you bring it up: Yeah, I’m his widow.
And I’m pretty pissed right now.
Right. Sorry about your -
Shut up! I need answers. Now.
Did you kill the Prof?
What??? No!
Then why are you after his stupid A.I. research?
Ok ok ok, so if could please put the gun down first, that would really help me think.
I don’t do well in these high-pressure situations
Fine.
Rosa lowers her gun. Phew.
Now out with it.
So I think there’s been a big misunderstanding.
I didn’t kill the Prof.
And this is gonna sound really crazy but -.
Get to the point, Nerdlinger.
So, the Prof was working on this self-driving car prototype.
But apparently the A.I. became sentient, and Stella went rogue and killed him.
You idiot! There’s no such thing as a sentient A.I.!
But my friend Lucy is trapped inside Stella, and -
Wait. Lucy?
As in that lunatic girl from his class?
Why does everyone say she’s crazy? Am I missing something?
Open your eyes, Kam.
Lucy is a master at lying and manipulation
She’s an obsessed stalker who followed the Prof around.
Oh, she never mentioned that part.
Really? She never mentioned how she had an affair with my husband?
Ho boy.
They were working together on the Stella project.
Spending a lot of time together.
And she seduced him.
It went on for months.
I found out and so he broke it off.
I took him back and forgave him.
I wanted to move on because I still loved him. Flaws and all.
But Lucy wouldn’t stay away. She had this crazy vendetta.
So now I need you to give me that tablet so I can prove...
Lucy is a killer, Kam.
She wants the tablet so she can hide the evidence.
But I won’t let her get away with this.
No no no no. That’s impossible.
Lucy swore she didn’t do it.
Stella is the real killer. She needs the tablet to clear her name.
The car did it!
THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS SENTIENT A.I.
You got played!
Give me the tablet, and I’ll prove it to you.
Uh wait. You hear that?
Give me the tablet! Now!
It’s coming closer. It’s a whizzing sound
No more BS. Give me the tablet. NOW.
Wait. I see headlights down the road. Is that -
No. It can’t be.
I think it is.
Good evening.
My name is Stella.
My apologies for the inconvenience
But I must murder you now.
App