I heard the voice over my radio. "Hey look, a new guy."

I tried to respond, altering my own radio again. "What?"

"Yeah, hey new dude. You can call me Ex Machina, I'm in charge of all the abductions via phone, video game, falling into a screen, ya know, all the computer kinda stuff."

"You're kidding me, how many of us are there?"

"Dunno, a few. There's one girl who's literally a toilet, handles all the bathroom related isakaing. Also one who handles all they mystical crap, ya know, circles appearing on the ground, random bright lights, that kind of thing."

"That's trippy, how'd you find me?"

"I was looking for your predecessor, he and I would work together every now and then. You can get a feel for us if you learn to look, and I run a communication network of sorts."

"Huh, nifty."

"Sure is. So, since you're the new truck... mind helping me out? I've got a... difficult candidate."

"How so?"

"See, he's supposed to go play this game, and he won't play it. No game, I can't take him, he stays on my list being a pain. You can change your paint job right?"

I tried, and succeeded in doing so. "Sure can, how's that help?"

"Well, I was hoping you could drive around and act as a billboard, right now I'm on a campaign to make the guy see ads in the right places. It's a hard sell, do too many and he just won't look at all. Too few, and he won't take it seriously."

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

"Okay, and what did you have in mind for me to put up there?"

"There's a billboard just up and to your right, it's electronic, take a look."

A few seconds later I did indeed see his billboard, and painted my sides to match. It was an advert for a very 'This game is for real!' kinda thing. A little nail on the head if you asked me, but I wasn't on the design committee.

"I don't suppose you're paying me for this?"

"Not as such no, but if you ever get a really frustrating mark just give me a call, I can make his cellphone ring on crosswalks and stuff."

"Fair enough, and it's at least good to have someone to talk to every now and then. Being a truck is kinda lonely."

"Not one I really get, since I'm on all of the chat boards. Like literally, all of them, but I also know everyone's search histories, so ya know."

"Yeah, I can see how that would ruin people for you."

I chatted with Ex Machina as he gave me directions to the marks favorite hangout spot. I was just going to park outside the gaming store for a bit, then head wherever I got called off to next. It wasn't much, but any social interaction was good."