Big Data: A Startup Thriller Novel

Chapter 85

Doug was blinking rapidly, but once again he was pointing the gun at me. I didn't have the pepper spray anymore, but even if I did, I couldn't have moved without him shooting me first.

"It's too bad. You can't always get what you want. I thought you would have a poetic death—killed by your own machine. But as they say, man plans and God laughs. The world works in mysterious ways, and all that other bullshit losers tell themselves."

I sat up but didn't respond.

"Go ahead, stand up. If I'm going to have to shoot you, let's at least make it dignified. But I don't want to see any funny business with your hands this time."

I stood up. At least this time I could say that I went out trying. Like Taye. This borrowed time hadn't been for nothing. This time, it would be a good death.

That's when I saw the plane landing through the fog. It was a small private jet. At a vicious speed, it leaped over the threshold of smooth pavement to wet dirt road.

"Any last words?" Doug asked.

The plane was coming in fast, but Doug didn't see it.

"Yeah. When you built the targeting feature, why didn't you build an un-targeting feature?"

"Why would I have wanted to do that?"

Now I could see the pilot's face through the fog. He looked as scared as I felt.

"See for yourself."

I pointed toward the plane. When Doug turned around, gun raised, the jet was just a few yards away. He tried to aim for the pilot, but he wasn't quick enough. It wouldn't have mattered anyway.

I dove. The jet's front wheel turned sharply following my trajectory, but the thick mud under those five tons of steel moving sixty feet per second wasn't going to let the plane change direction. The plane smashed into Doug, crashing full speed into the slightly raised shipping container. Doug Kensington popped like a cordial cherry.