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Where in the name of the stones am I going, Maeve wondered, wiping her nose on her sleeve in midflight.

Veronica’s phone rang in her hand, playing a song Maeve didn’t recognize. I don’t give a damn ‘bout my reputation…

That’s either Veronica, or it isn’t. Either way it’s nobody I want to talk to, Maeve thought.

You’re living in the past, it’s a new— Maeve declined the call. Quiet, stupid phone, she thought, this is all your fault. But now what do I do?

The phone screen abruptly lit up green. SENTRY MODE ACTIVATED BY REMOTE SOURCE came an AI-generated voice.

“Aagh!” Maeve cried, blocking her eyes.

THREAT DETECTION: INCONCLUSIVE. USER BIOMETRIC MISMATCH.

“Leave me alone!” Maeve flung the phone away from her.

“Maeve! Nooo!” came a tinny, unfamiliar voice as the device tumbled down into the darkness.

USER CONNECTION: LOST agreed the AI.

Who was that? Maeve wondered. She spiraled downward to land on the rooftop the phone had hit.

“Maeve? My name is Peter Moore. We spoke earlier. Could you pick the phone back up, please?” came the thin voice.

Maeve crouched over the phone, afraid to touch it. “Ah! There you are, hello!” came the English voice. “And you are another gargoyle, this is fantastic!”

“Can you see me?”

“I can, yes, and I really do request that you pick up the phone, please. It won’t harm you, I promise.”