Julian Vance watched the red second hand on the dashboard clock sweep toward the six.
12:52:30 AM.
Thirty seconds remained before Harlan Reed’s single-zone fare expired in the dark between municipal zones.
In the sixteen-inch convex driver’s mirror, the reflection in Row 2 took its final step forward. It crossed the rubber seam into Row 1. The backwards skull tilted down, pressing its flat grey face against the mirror reflection of Clara’s ICU monitor.
A shrill, warbling alarm tore through the front cabin.
BEEP-BEEP-BEEP!
“Oxygen sensor fault!” Elena yelled from the wheelchair bay. “Julian, look at Clara’s monitor!”
“I hear it!” Julian called back.
