Autonomy Pt 3

John heard the door buzzer.  The door was opened and he heard voices: two men.  They were laughing with one of the nurses.  As the door closed he moved his gaze from the ceiling towards the vestibule wall.  He had to assume the existence of anything beyond the wall from the sounds he heard.

The policemen looked out of place.  Too bulky in their flat hats, stab-vests and white shirts.  The implements about their waists gave John a sense of authoritarian threat.  He was disinclined to trust them.

The nurse who led them over had been busy at the side of his bed earlier.  Apart from a brief “Good morning.” they hadn’t spoken.  He wondered where Shelley and Ana were.

“John?  These gentlemen would like to ask you about your accident.  Do you feel well enough?”

John nodded, eyeing the two men.

He cleared his throat.  “Please can I have some water?”

The nurse smiled.  “I’ll go and fill your jug.”

He watched the policemen whilst the nurse was away.  He felt vulnerable.  They took their hats off in unison.  One pushed his hand back through his hair.  The other didn’t have any to push back.  With an ease that made him think they’d done this before, they found chairs and sat down at the side of the bed.   

The one with hair spoke.  John decided he looked like a footballer.

“Morning Mr Chine.  The medical staff have told us you’re well enough to help with a few enquiries.”

John nodded.

The nurse came back with the water and filled a plastic cup.

“Are you going to drink it all for me?” she asked.

“I’ll try.” John answered.

“Help me with it.  Let’s see if you can hold the cup yourself.”

She guided his hand.  Her fingers felt hot on his skin.  She was wearing perfume.  Nothing too intrusive.  Maybe it was soap or shampoo.  The smell made him feel human again.

His hand still shook and some of the water spilled down his front.  The nurse apologised.  He drank the remainder.

“It’s not your fault.  Thank you.”  He wanted to thank her for the sensation she’d brought him, but was too embarrassed.

She filled the cup again and left it by the bed.

“I’m only in the next bay.” she said.  “You’ve got your buzzer if you need anything.”

John nodded an acknowledgement.

“How are you feeling?” asked the policeman with no hair.  That seemed to be the standard entrée into conversation around here.

“Been better.” he answered.

“I’ll bet.” said the policeman.  “You’ve been lucky.”

The misplaced logic brought a snort.  “Yes.  So people say.”

“We just need to confirm some personal details.” the footballer said.

John nodded.

He read off full name, date of birth, current address.  John acknowledged each one.

“Do you remember anything about the accident?” the hairless one asked.  Their radios chattered on their shoulders.  Both men fiddled with them until they became quieter.

“About where you were?  What was happening at the time?”

“Have you got the driver?” John asked.

“We’ve interviewed him, yes.”  the bald one answered.  “He hasn’t been arrested, but we may want to speak to him again.  If there are charges to answer.  You were on a pedestrian crossing, according to witnesses.”

“I remember I was crossing the road.”

“At a pedestrian crossing.” repeated the footballer.  “A zebra.”  They had their notebooks in their hands.

“Yes.  Yes, I remember the street.  Someone told me the car was driverless.”

“Autonomous.  We understand it was in autonomous mode at the time of the accident.”

“It wasn’t an accident.”

Both men looked up.  Their gaze stayed fixed on John.  The footballer passed his hand through his hair again.  Perhaps it was a tic.

“Why do you say that?” he asked.

“They’ve been following me.”

“Are you sure?” asked the other.  “Who is 'they'?”

“I’m a journalist.” John said.  It felt like a confession. “I write for online news channels, freelance.  I don’t think those people like what I’m writing.”

“Who are ‘those people’?” the footballer asked.

“Powerful people.  In the US, but here too.  They’re international.  They have global reach.”

The policemen glanced at each other.

“But the car was in autonomous mode anyway.  We’re having it examined.  The driver… vehicle operator wasn’t at the controls.”

“You say you’ve been followed.  Can you tell us any more?  Where?  By whom?”

John tried to organise his thoughts, but none of it made sense.  His head had begun to throb.  He could feel the pain down his right side.  His eyes were watering continuously.

“Are you ok to continue?” the bald one asked.

John shook his head and pressed the button on his lap.

The nurse appeared straight away.

“I’m sorry.” she said.  “I think that’s all for today.”

The policemen stood up and put on their hats, the footballer was flicking sheets in his notebook.

“Did you get a look at the driver?”  he asked.

John shook his head.  “I don’t remember.”

The one with no hair smiled and said “Let's leave it for now.  Look after yourself, John.  Try to get some rest.”

They walked with the nurse towards the door.  He heard one of them ask “Will he be ok for tomorrow?”

“I hope so." she answered. "Ring ahead in case.”

Then the footballer: “This ward is secure, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“Are you planning to move him?”

“Not yet.”

John heard the door buzzer and a click as the door shut.

He decided he quite liked the two policemen after all.