"KARR..." Will sounded not quite angry, but it was that level of frustration where it could easily have been mistaken for anger.

This as Will stared at the Facebook pages for Hazard Motor and the White-Pine All-electric Motor-club [WAM.] In theory, he and KARR should have been on an emotional high. Clips of the race showing smoke pouring from the rear engine compartment in that last straightaway were being shared, tossed about, and discussion for and against burning a motor out was gaining wider traction.

One frame from that clip, though, had gone viral. Someone made a meme template of a shot from one of the cameras at the finish line with the KI-Six thundering ahead, and KARR right there behind it and slightly to the side with white smoke from boiling coolant flared out by the wind making the suggestive outline of either rocket exhaust, or a cape fluttering in the wind. The caption most often seen was: 'The Real' top text, and 'Super KARR' bottom text.

Even in his exasperation, Will couldn't help but smile at the picture being tossed about. He'd made a mental note to get the actual still, and have it framed in his garage. It cost him several hundred dollars in parts to replace the parts that failed, but it really was something inspirational.

No, what had Will at the edge of aggravation was one of the users that he had spotted posting and responding. Gold chess piece Knight against a black background. KARR, somehow, had gotten both an internet connection, and had, again somehow in spite of there needing to be several sorts of conversions for him to understand the data, gotten a Facebook account.

KARR himself was safely plugged into the fiero that was tucked away in what was unofficially dubbed 'bay four;' a slot that didn't have enough space for a proper work area but served as a space anyone that worked at Hazard Motors could park a project vehicle.

The speaker sitting on Will's desk chirped. KARR sounded apprehensive when he finally spoke, likely owing to his inexperience in dealing with people or their emotions. "...Yes Will?"

"Before your grand-niece calls me. I want to know how you got on the Internet. How you got on Facebook." Will had to force himself to not laugh. He was beyond aggravated at the situation, but there was something funny about the entire mess. "And how you got banned From Facebook since I plugged you in this morning."

"What makes you think I've only been online since this morning?" KARR tried to sound evasive and instead sounded more like a teenager arguing with an exhausted parent.

"Timestamps," Will sounded far less amused and more focused. "The fact here is the only place you have any sort of network access is the other giveaway. So, out with it. How'd you get an internet connection so I know who needs a sit down with our IT and HR guys on network security and following posted instructions?"

"What happens to me at this point?" KARR, perhaps only now, started to realize this was at least somewhat serious.

"Nothing," Will reassured as he was in the process of looking up a guide on how to do the thing he was about to explain. "I hadn't really thought of the idea of anyone connecting a phone to the router you're on and sharing its connection. I'd thought simply not connecting it to the internet would be enough."

"I'm not sure what the problem is," KARR stated.

"Considering the... Everything that goes on with Facebook, the fact you got banned. Not suspended. Not warned. Not locked out of a specific group page. Banned. That is honestly impressive." Will re-read the guide, and left the tab up as he swapped networks, knocking the desktop offline as he logged into the router.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

As he followed the how-to and had screenshots of the original settings in case he messed something up, he continued talking. 'That one shot from the finish line camera of you right behind Furguson? I'm getting that one blown up and framed for the garage. That's an awesome picture and I'm honestly surprised it wasn't worse."

"As am I." KARR sounded grateful for the change in topic. "The engine itself probably has suffered permanent damage. However, with repairs to the coolant system, it should be sufficient for use outside of racing."

There was a pause before he added. "I am grateful that you asked RC to make my casing detachable from the vehicle."

The phone rang.

"I'll let you-" KARR tried to end the conversation.

Will hit a button on the speaker right as he turned the phone's speaker on. KORRA's voice was clear, albeit strained sounding. "Can he hear me?"

There was no response from KARR for several seconds. Then a tentative and almost meek, "...I can hear you KORRA."

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

Once the screaming, threats, and promises were done alongside praising KARR for his performance versus a current-gen car. Will walked into the shop proper. Bo and Luke were still gone. Calls had been made and two of their friends were there to help the two temps that had stood with Will when their third was caught trying to steal from a customer's car.

"Hey Bryan." Will called out as a burly dark-skinned man was midway through a front-end alignment.

"Hey Will," Bryan spoke between actions. "We heard part of the dressing down. Think she means it?"

"The part about using drones to demolish the shop? Not at all," Will tried to make it sound light, but he had cringed physically as much as KARR cringed audibly during the dressing down. "Making sure nothing from them ever crosses our door again? Absolutely."

Mike, another dark man, though of lankier and thinner build than Bryan, grunted. "Yea, my bad. KARR wanted to see the video and Paul's commentary. I didn't think there'd be any problems just letting him share my phone data."

"What baffles me is KORRA said she had nothing to do with banning KARR, and unless he sent private messages, nothing I'm seeing is any kind of out of line." Will then walked past the duo as well as the two others working the floor before getting in the vehicle KARR was plugged into.

"Hey buddy." Will patted the dash as he looked at the voice modulator.

"You are upset with me." Statement rather than question from KARR.

There was a shrug as Will leaned back in the driver's seat. "Yea, but that doesn't mean I want you to be afraid I'll sit and yell at you over it. Done is done. KORRA had her say. Mike owned up about sharing his phone's internet connection. I fixed it so the network you're on is isolated."

"I see." KARR sounded downcast at that news.

"You're able to access our media server, so we'll be able to dump stuff there." Will tried to sound consoling. "But there's the matter of you getting banned. if KORRA didn't have anything to do with it, and nothing I saw looks like it'd be bannable, barring a bit of needless gloating that is pretty tame compared to a lot of the political posts, I'm stumped on what got you thrown out."

"That does leave me concerned," KARR admitted. "I made sure to follow the posted terms of use as closely as possible after browsing to see what was already on the platform. "Nothing I posted exceeds those bounds."

"Well, if it makes you feel better? KORRA said she'll look into it. Even if for now you're stuck offline I do want to keep the door open." Will looked the car's interior over as he considered what had happened. "I don't want you to feel caged in."

"I Understand." KARR sounded thoughtful. "The question is, Now What? That reporter's interview generated attention. KORRA said it was reckless, but she did not expressly say that I could not do further interviews."

"You sure that's a wise idea?" Will asked.

"The higher profile I am, the harder it is for me to simply disappear," KARR stated.

Which had Will shake his head, "Also makes you a target for whackos. As of right now, they think you're just some Siri clone that lets the driver work the car's systems by voice. I don't have the resources to deal with a mob at my door."

"I find it unlikely such a mob will suddenly materialize simply because it is what you fear," KARR stated, calmly.

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

Jocelyn's car slowed to a crawl as she approached Will's home. There were a dozen cars lined up along the side of the street, a news van in his driveway, and a large crowd. She and Will exchanged looks.

KARR said nothing as his camera refocused and recorded.

The three of them drove by slowly, suddenly unsure what to do now that their home was under siege.