Isaac grabbed at the back of the rear seat row, fumbling to find a hand hold as the sudden acceleration threatened to slide him right back out onto the pavement.

Behind him cars honked their alarm and displeasure as the X5 abruptly cut into traffic, changing lanes sharply. One hand clasped at an eye ring for cargo netting as gravity tore at Isaac, slowly peeling him backwards across the floor. He could feel himself losing this battle and quickly.

The vehicle continued to accelerate, making a hard-left turn through a yellow light. Centrifugal force slung Isaac across the back of the SUV, ripping him free from the eye ring and slamming him up against the passenger’s side.

The force of the blow stunned him momentarily, exhausting precious seconds.

Last chance. Spotting the slot of space between the rear seat row and the car frame, Isaac jammed his fingers of both hands in and wrapped them around the leather. With a grunt and double arm pull he hauled himself into the SUV as it weaved dangerously through traffic.

Clear of the hatch, the door descended automatically, cutting off the threat of becoming one with the road. Huffing from the adrenaline, Issac slowly clambered onto his trembling knees, “Are you trying to kill me?!”

“Quite not,” a distinctly male British voice replied. “Actually, that was a daring rescue.”

The X5 hit the brakes, tires chuffing, as it drifted through a hard-right hand turn. More horns blared. Isaac bear hugged at the rear row to keep from being thrown like a rag doll.

“Where did you learn to drive?!”

“If you are displeased with my service, you may exit at any time.”

Isaac heard all the door locks pop up simultaneously as he climbed over the back of the rear row and flopped into the seats in front of him. Sitting up he looked to the driver’s seat.

Empty.

What the heck!?

Isaac braced himself, staring as the steering wheel spun on its own as the X5 slid through another right-hand turn. “A self-driving car?!”

“The proper terminology is augmented operator assistance.” The vehicle swerved to avoid a pedestrian stepping out into the road. “Miss Ohara is rather capable of driving herself.”

“I rather you not kill someone!”

“Dear sir, my transit success rate is 99.9%.” The voice took a beat. “Back… seat… drivers.” Isaac could almost hear the distain.

The vehicle executed another turbulent right-hand turn onto a one-way street. Fortunately, in the correct direction. Ahead the roofline of Wrocław Główny appeared between the buildings.

“Wait… are we going in a circle?”

“No, we are retrieving Miss Ohara.”

With a rush of air, the driver’s side door popped open as the X5 ducked onto the cobbled stones of the city’s light rail line. Motors whirred as the door fully extended while the SUV gradually slowed to a rolling stop.

Isaac’s carry on flew across the inside of the car, landing with a series of bangs in the passenger seat before Tommy leapt into the driver’s side. The X5 instantly accelerated again as she jerked the door shut. Looking up in the rear-view mirror she nodded approvingly.

“You good?”