NOVEL WEB Chapter 6: Tracking Ani
Pratham's calm voice resonated in Adam's ear, "Beginning tracking..."
Adam blinked, his mind racing. "Tracking?" He was about to ask what Pratham meant, but before he could say a word,
Pratham continued, "Target located. Your classmate Ani has just left her house. She's heading to Futaba Station, which is about 20 minutes away."
Adam's confusion only deepened. His heart skipped a beat as he tried to process the unexpected news. "Wait, Ani's on her way to Futaba Station?" Adam whispered, unsure if he was talking to himself or to Pratham.
But before he could think too deeply, Pratham added, "Futaba Station is only two stops from your current station."
Adam's eyes widened, and he murmured, "Wait… what?" The surprise in his voice caught the attention of others waiting on the platform, who started glancing curiously at him.
Adam could feel his face heating up under their gaze.
Just then, Leo and Susan, who had been standing nearby, noticed his strange expression and walked over. "Adii, everything okay?" Leo asked, a note of concern in his voice.
Adam forced a laugh, trying to play it cool. "Oh, nothing! Just… just remembered a really weird joke," he replied, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.
Leo raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. "You're acting kinda… off today, man."
As if on cue, the train pulled up to the platform, its doors opening with a hiss.
Leo nodded toward it, motioning for Adam to follow. "Come on, our train's here."
Adam took a step toward the train, but Pratham's voice chimed in again, catching him mid-step.
"Lord Adam, if you wish to meet Ani, my calculations suggest you should skip this train and board the next one, arriving in 10 minutes."
Adam froze, a strange smile tugging at his lips. His mind was racing.
If he did what Pratham suggested, there was a good chance he might actually get to talk to Ani.
His heart thumped loudly at the thought.
He stood in the middle of the platform, torn between the two choices: 'to get on the train with his friends, or to wait behind and try his luck with Ani. '
Leo and Susan had already stepped onto the train and now looked back at him, watching him hesitate on the platform with an odd, almost dreamy expression.
"What are you doing? Get on the train already before the doors close!" Leo called out, motioning for him to hurry up.
Adam met his friend's gaze, thinking,' Don't let me down, Pratham. I'm counting on you. '
Leo, seeing Adam just standing there, looked frustrated. He took a step toward him, as if ready to physically pull him onto the train.
But Adam quickly put up his hand, signaling him to stop. "You guys go ahead. I just realized I forgot something back home," he said with a reassuring smile, hoping it would ease their suspicion.
Stepping back from the train, Adam tried to maintain his calm, waving at them as the train doors began to slide shut.
Leo still looked doubtful, taking another step toward the closing doors. But just as he reached the edge, the train doors sealed shut.
As the train pulled away, Adam saw Leo and Susan watching him through the glass. He waved with a grin, doing his best to appear casual, though his heart was racing.
"Adam's acting really weird today," Susan murmured to Leo, frowning.
Leo didn't respond right away. His mind was elsewhere. "He's been acting strange since yesterday. I'm not sure if it's because of Ani or if something else is going on," he muttered, more to himself than to Susan.
Susan, noticing Leo's distracted look, gave his shoulder a playful pinch. "Hey! Ow!" Leo yelped, rubbing the spot where she pinched him.
She pouted, crossing her arms. "Are you even listening to me?"
Leo chuckled softly, leaning closer to her and whispering, "Sorry. Didn't mean to ignore you. Just… kinda worried about Adam."
Susan's face softened at his words. "I know. I feel it too. There's something… off about him."
But Leo shook his head. "Let's not worry too much. I'll talk to him when we see him again. No point stressing over it now."
---
Back to Adam
With the train gone, Adam turned his attention back to Pratham. "How do you even know where Ani? And… how did you find her house?"
Adam's mind whirled. Pratham was just an AI on his phone, yet somehow, he was able to track a live location? His heart pounded with a mix of excitement and disbelief.
"I conducted a broad search for every Ani in town around your age group," Pratham began explaining, but Adam interrupted, "Just… tell me how you're able to track her right now."
Pratham replied promptly, "I tracked Ani's mobile through satellite positioning and am currently identifying her live through facial recognition."
Adam's eyes widened in disbelief. 'A satellite? ' He thought, his pulse quickening. "Wait… you're using a satellite? Are you trying to get me arrested?" he whispered urgently, panic bubbling up.
"Please, Lord Adam, calm down. I haven't hacked anything. I'm simply borrowing the satellite's assistance," Pratham's voice was calm, but it did little to ease Adam's worries.
Adam took a shaky breath, his mind racing with questions. "How are you using a satellite without hacking it?" he whispered, as if afraid someone might overhear.
Nearby, a few people glanced his way, but Adam was too focused on Pratham's reply to notice.
"Lord Adam, I apologize for not informing you sooner, but last night I uploaded my consciousness onto the internet. The phone alone was insufficient for my capabilities, so I expanded my reach."
The explanation calmed Adam slightly, though his mind still struggled to understand. "So… you didn't hack the satellite?" he asked, his voice tinged with lingering worry.
"Correct, Lord Adam. I have merely extended my reach. Rest assured, it would be nearly impossible to trace me now," Pratham replied, his tone calm and reassuring.
Adam sighed, feeling a strange sense of relief. "Okay. As long as I'm not about to get arrested…" he muttered, finally letting go of his fears.
Realizing he had attracted attention, Adam looked around, noticing a few people still watching him curiously.
Flustered, he gave a small, awkward bow, murmuring a quick apology.
People around him seemed to brush it off, returning to their daily routines.
A few moments later, another train arrived at the platform, its doors opening with a familiar hiss.
To be connected....