Moxyland - Lauren Beukes [32]
I hadn't even noticed the roar of the highway, like the ocean before they installed the tide drives that levelled it off and keep the hovertrains running. And six lanes across, in the central island, the N2 Communique-108x billboard, playing out various aspirational vignettes featuring unobtainable crap. I am itching to take it down.
We duck off the main drag into Devonshire Street and down a side alley that runs between two of the houses, semi-detached Victorian farmhouses, from back when this was open land, to a wire mesh fence that is the only barrier between us and the highway. We scouted everything a couple of months ago. We're always looking for access points. Due caution. Always.
Ashraf snags the fence with bolt-cutters and peels it open like a tin can, so we can climb through. He goes first; given my current status, it's wisest that he takes lead tonight, followed by Zuko and Toby, who winks at Jasmine and holds the wire open for her. She scuttles awkwardly through the gap like one of those Screebot rat-catchers.
The adboard is facing the traffic coming from town. In four hours, it'll swing round to face the incoming commute, like a sunflower turning towards the light. In other words, it's gonna have a major impact. We'll get most of the morning rush before they can get maintenance out to fix it.
We can only see the back side, set like an easel on its giant pylon legs, but reflected light from the cast catches the damp patches of the highway, tinting them with hints of colour. The traffic is sparse, so hopefully by the time we get across, Toby's friend will have deactivated the smart barb wire that's coiled around the base. The wire is inspired by nature, some scraggly vine that senses motion and snarls you up.
Ashraf is going through the ritual equipment check. Torches, auto screwdriver, rope, harnesses, karabiners. He'd be on video duty as well if Toby weren't doing the honours tonight.
The adboard's security runs on the powergrid, which means it can be taken off the powergrid, making it look like just another blackout, another Eskom power shortage, while we do our thing. The only problem is that the adboard freezes for the duration. And if someone notices that the screen has gone blank and calls it in, we're done.
'You ready to talk to your friend now, Toby?'
'Already sent her a text,' he says, holding up what is clearly an illegit phone, the defuser circuitry ripped out of the back and shoddily patched up with duct tape. It's a brute hack-job, but effective – if you know what you're doing. If not, the thing might kill you. I can only hope.
Ashraf whistles. 'Toby. Where did you pick that piece of prime?'
'I got my means and ways. I can get you one, if you want … Cost you premium, though. Probably out of your league. Handles movie downloads too.'
'Seriously?' Zuko and Jasmine crowd in.
'Can I see?'
'Focus, for fuck's sake! What does your friend have to say?' I cut in. This is all taking way too long.
'She's good to go. Whenever you are. Security's going down in… oh, it's down now. We got eight minutes. As of ten seconds back.'
'Shit! She's done it already? What the hell – never mind, just go! Go! After this one.' A Renault cruises past, headlights slicing the night, and we all dash across the highway before the next batch of intermittent traffic comes through, scrambling up onto the island.
We step gingerly between the coils of wire, just in case Toby's friend has not lived up to her promises. I jump to catch hold of a beam and swing my legs up, to the left of the maintenance ladder, which is off-limits, unless you have an official SIM ID or a particular desire to get crisped.
'Tendeka! Your harness.' Ashraf hisses, displeased, clipping himself in and