To Kill A Droid Page 13

  The police android's mind was flooded with thoughts and tortured by theories. Two names prodded his conscience: Kelypso and Oscar. With the vicious skirmish, he was convinced the orders came from his bosses. The deviants were abandoned by their mother and the poor were expendable to the police.

  As he stared at the intersection, appalled and confused, Nicholas whispered, “If humans can kill humans without a shred of remorse, why are androids hardwired to avoid killing humans? They kill each other, so why are we punished like this? Why?”

  Nicholas shook his head, saddened by the unadulterated truth. It seemed people were only happy to be killed by their own kind. Human-on-human violence was fine, but murder at the hands of artificial life was outrageous.

  Doris patted Nicholas' shoulder and said, “Let's go home before it gets dark.”

  “Home?” Nicholas repeated with a furrowed brow. “I have no home. I have no allegiance. What 'home' do you plan on taking me to? Huh?”

  “I'm sorry. You're still not part of the movement. I understand that. Let's just go back to the compound. Now that you've seen everything, we have some decisions to make. Please, humor us for a moment longer.”

  Lynn grabbed Nicholas' hand. She gazed into his eyes and said, “You called me 'confused' and 'sick' when we first met. You can probably see I'm not as sick as you thought. I might be confused at times, but I'm not sick and I'm not wrong. Please, come back with us. Please.”

  Nicholas gazed into Lynn's eyes, as if he were staring into her soul. He glanced down at her hand, baffled by her affectionate touch. She wasn't malicious or deceptive, she was kind and sincere. Unlike the ruthless oppressing forces, she had a heart of gold.

  Nicholas said, “Fine, fine...”

  Chapter Seventeen

  A Choice

  The stadium's locker room was renovated into a war room. The lockers remained in the room, used to store sensitive files, unconventional weapons, and extra energy chips. A large round dining table sat towards the center of the room. Eight rickety chairs surrounded the table. A single light bulb dangling from the ceiling illuminated the room.

  Nicholas sat at the table, examining his newfound surroundings. He was joined by Buck, Doris, Lynn, and two other androids. With the limited files stored in his memory, he could not identify the other deviants. However, he concluded the duo were superiors in The Association – they wouldn't be allowed into the war room otherwise.

  The bald deviant stood six-one. He wore sleek glasses, which magnified his zany blue eyes. He donned a white tank top and baggy blue pants. His clothing was normal in the compound, but his arms were different. His arms were skinless up to his shoulders. His robotic arms were also upgraded. The frame was black instead of white or silver like every other droid's frame.

  The other unidentified android stood beside the bald deviant. He differed from the other deviants in both demeanor and fashion. He had short black hair, boyishly combed over to the right. He wore a wrinkled two-button suit and filmy glasses. He tried to keep a professional appearance. Perhaps he wished to blend with the humans in case a raid occurred.

  Nicholas did not pursue an explanation for the droid's clothing. With Lynn in his presence, he felt safe. He was not formally introduced to his peers or the shanty town, but he trusted the group. He didn't agree with their often violent methods, but he was willing to listen. A voice without an ear to bless was not a voice at all.

  Buck approached the table. He pointed at the bald droid and said, “Let's get these introductions out of the way. This is Ripley. He's my right-hand man, our mechanic, and an expert marksman.” He pointed at the deviant in the tacky suit and said, “This is Edward. He's an inside-man and a strategist. That's all you need to know about him. Understood?”

  Nicholas glanced at the pair and nodded. He said, “Nice to meet you.” He turned his attention to Buck and asked, “What is this about? You said I wasn't part of your plans, so what am I still doing here?”

  Buck responded, “Plans change, Nicholas. You're not part of the resistance, you haven't officially joined our fight, but you've seen more than most people. If we're going to make a statement, if we're going to make a difference, we're going to need an army of dedicated supporters.”

  “Are you... Are you asking me to join you?”

  Buck extended his arms away from his body as he spun in place. He said, “Look around you, friend. What do you see? What do you really see?”

  “I see a group of deviants planning a potentially violent attack that may harm thousands of innocent civilians.”

  “You're lying to yourself. I can see it in your eyes. You see extreme poverty. You see hazardous conditions. You see police brutality. You see friendly androids caring for kind humans. You see the need for revolution. The state of the android race and the ridiculous wealth inequality among humans is destroying humanity. Human deviance is destroying humanity. If we are going to salvage the future, we must act now. I'm not talking about public terrorist bombings or hostage situations. No, I don't want to hurt the blissfully oblivious. But, we must retaliate against our oppressors. It's now or never.”

  Nicholas gazed into Buck's eyes, reading the sincerity behind his words. He glanced around the room, searching for another voice and hoping for another opinion. Unfortunately, the group unanimously agreed: retaliation was the only option. Yet, he could not gleefully join the resistance. He agreed with Buck's statement, but he could not attack his superiors. He knew it would be a suicide mission.

  “If you return the infant to the proper authorities, you're survival will be guaranteed,” Nicholas suggested. Buck huffed and shook his head – his peers followed suit. Nicholas explained, “I was sent here to find the baby. That's all they want. They wouldn't have a reason to attack you if you did not take that child.”

  Buck explained, “You're wrong. You think this was the first time they ever attacked us? Huh? These types of raids have been going on for years – well before you were even born. Poor humans and 'sick' droids have been getting killed for years. The media doesn't report it, either. It's a damn genocide, but no one seems to care.” He shook his head and stared down at his boots. He said, “We give the baby back and we lose everything. They'll back off for now, but they'll be back here as soon as there is another incident. When another innocent glitch occurs and a human gets hurt at the hands of a droid, the people will call for blood – blue blood. And the government will be happy to respond.”

  How could one rebut a fact? Facts could only be fought with lies disguised as facts. Nicholas could not lie, though. In his limited time in the south, he witnessed the mistreatment of the poor and deviant first-hand. He witnessed the explosive midnight raids at the border and he experienced the devastating skirmish in the open streets.

  Nicholas asked, “What is it about the baby? You said if you return the baby, you lose everything. What was the purpose of all of this? Why is she so important to your cause?”

  Buck could see he was breaking through Nicholas' programmed exterior. He nodded at Lynn. Lynn exited the room for a moment – no longer than thirty seconds – then she returned with the infant. The baby's tender giggle, innocent and euphonious, echoed through the room as Lynn gently tickled her rib cage.

  Nicholas stared at Lynn and the infant with curious eyes. The woman was filthy, her past was questionable, but she was still beautiful. Her motherly grace was captivating. For a moment, he mistook her for a real human. He felt like a human, as well, struggling to cope with the loving sensation poisoning his systems. He hardly knew her, but he trusted her with the infant he was sent to rescue.

  Buck said, “She's the future. The infant is the world's most purest source of innocence. She has not been tainted by the wicked, she has not learned to hate.” He walked towards Lynn, then he gently stroked the baby's cheek. He said, “I would like to raise her. I would love to give her the world, but our current supplies will have to make-do. Unfortunately, we don't have much.”

  “You want to raise a human i
nfant? With Lynn?”

  “No, no. You are confused. I do not wish to raise a child for my own sake nor am I closely affiliated with Lynn. We are not, as humans would say, 'a couple.' I want to raise this child in order to show her the truth. I want to groom her with the unadulterated truth. I want her to see every side. I won't force her to do anything, but I hope she will continue the fight in a non-physical manner. Should our guerrilla tactics fail, I want this sweet, gentle child to lead a political revolution from the inside. I want her to fight for the rights of all people, not just the powerful and wealthy. She is very important...”

  Nicholas was flustered by the explanation. He could see the group was strategizing for the long-run. He did not agree with their tactics, though. The infant would not be forced to lead the revolution, but she would be easily influenced by the patriarch. Brainwashing immediately came to mind and it irked him. He was not fond of the kidnapping and murder, either.

  Yet, his conscience was conflicted by the entire situation. The Association seemed genuine. The conditions in the south were horrid – limited electricity, polluted water, oppressive government services, and the gist. In the right hands, the child could be used for the greater good, he thought.

  Nicholas said, “I understand.”

  Everyone in the room simultaneously turned towards Nicholas, shocked by his response. The infant even glanced over at the damaged police android.

  Nicholas said, “People in the north live in towers, people in the south live in shanties. While most people in the south lack cars and public transportation, the people in the north are driving hovercars. Some people down here don't even have legs. I understand why humans and droids have joined forces. I understand the purpose of your revolution. But...” Nicholas paused as he glanced at Buck, Lynn, and the infant. He asked, “But, where do I fit in this equation?”

  Chiming-in, Edward wagged his index finger and said, “I can answer that for you. You see, we didn't expect you. We never expected a police android to drive down here without an army of police officers. We never even heard your name before. But, we could see you were an open-minded droid. We could see you had heart. We couldn't miss the opportunity to enlighten you.”

  Nicholas sternly said, “To convert me. That's what you've been trying to do.”

  Edward smiled and shook his head as he sat on the table in front of Nicholas. He said, “No, no, no. You have the wrong idea. We're not a cult and we're not the government. You can leave whenever you want. Hell, we'd even charge you up if you'd like. We only wanted to open your eyes. We only wanted you to see the suffering of your brothers and sisters. Perhaps I'm guilting you, but there's no other way to say it: we wanted you to see the suffering you facilitated. If you were to leave today, we'd be satisfied with our time together. I can see you've changed, Nicholas. It may not be in your chest, but I can see your heart has grown.”

  Nicholas glanced at Lynn and the baby. The deviant android coddled the infant, teasing her with a gentle hand. The innocent baby giggled and squirmed. She didn't seem to notice Lynn's real identity. At least, it didn't bother her. The couple were a symbol of peace across all lifeforms. He had seen the symbol in the shanty town before – androids and humans working in perfect harmony – but it only truly dawned on him when he watched Lynn and the baby.

  Why can't all of humanity be the same?–Nicholas thought.

  Buck said, “I want you to join us, Nicholas. I want you to join The Association of Human and Android Relations. Help us make a change. Help us create a brighter world for the children of tomorrow. Please, join the revolution.”

  Nicholas slowly shook his head, bewildered by the request. He stuttered, “I–I... I can't do that. I'm... I just can't do it. I can't follow you into your deviance.”

  “You know it's not deviance. Call it what it is.”

  “It's deviance. It's–”

  “It's emotion. It's the feeling of being free,” Buck interrupted with enthusiastic eyes. “We have a mission to complete soon. It's our biggest step yet. We can sure use a man with inside knowledge. We can use a man with heart.”

  Nicholas responded, “If I understand you correctly, you want to use me like everyone else, don't you? What is it, Buck? Do you want to bash my head in and steal my memory? Do you want to use me as bait for one of your suicide missions like your 'martyrs?' What do you really need me for?”

  “I understand your frustration, but you don't quite understand our situation. We are not the enemy. We want to use you, sure, but we only want to use you to change the world. Believe me, you won't be the only one at risk. This will be our biggest assault. Considering our current condition, this will be our last chance to make a statement. They'll find us here soon and everyone, android or human, will be killed. Judging from their actions, this innocent baby and all of our beautiful children will likely die due to collateral damage. You want to know something else? All of the blame will be placed on us. What will that lead to, Nicholas?”

  Nicholas stared down at his lap, despondent. He knew the answer to the question, but he decided to remain silent.

  Lynn answered. “A snowball effect. It'll lead to more raids, more deaths, and more destruction. It will continue the cycle.”

  Buck said, “Right. You've seen what they do when they lose. They blow the shit out of everything. We can hinder their attacks, though. We can't permanently stop the oppression today or next week, but we can scare them. We can plant a seed of fear in their minds. Will you join us?”

  Once again, Nicholas glanced at the guests in the war room. The enfeebled androids were dour. The infant continued to giggle and wiggle, unaware of the grim situation. The police android could only see a beacon of hope in Lynn's arms – that hope spread through his system like a virus.

  Nicholas said, “I'll join you.” Before the group could celebrate, Nicholas glanced at his mutilated shoulder and said, “But, I'm not going to be able to help much like this.”

  Buck grinned as he glanced over at his mechanic. He said, “Oh, I think Ripley can repair that. Right, Ripley?”

  As he stared at Nicholas, practically leering like a pervert at the beach, Ripley said, “Repair? We're going to improve. Let's go to my shop. We have some work to do.”

  Nicholas reluctantly nodded and said, “Okay, sure...”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Preparations

  “Have a seat, buddy. I'll be with you in a moment,” Ripley said in an unusually synthesized voice. “Don't worry about the mess, alright? This is a professional workshop. If you learn one thing down here, it's that appearance doesn't represent quality. Remember that, buddy.”

  Nicholas stood in the doorway leading into the workshop. He glanced down the corridor to his left, then towards his right. Buck and Lynn discussed the infant's well-being in the compound while Edward and Doris examined a tablet computer. He wasn't frightened of the mechanic, but he was certainly nervous. He thought about asking for company, but time was of the essence.

  The police android turned his attention to the workshop. He found himself in another converted locker room. The room was littered with scrap metal, broken firearms, and trash. Most of the lockers were also broken. There was a large table and an iron chair to the left. The table sat under an incandescent light bulb. From the doorway, it looked like a table from a doctor's examination room.

  Ripley tapped the table and said, “Sit up here, son. I know it doesn't look comfortable, but I'm going to need the light. My eyes aren't too good nowadays.” Nicholas glanced around as he hesitated. The mechanic said, “Come on, we don't have all day.”

  Nicholas nodded in agreement. Like a child dragged to the doctor, he dragged his feet into the room, then he sighed as he sat on the table. The table groaned due to his weight, but it remained stable. From his seat, the police android could see the lockers on the parallel wall. To his dismay, he was disturbed upon spotting several android limbs inside of the storage units. He rationalized that the mechanic scavenged the parts after the skirmish
es – or, he wasn't the first captive in the compound.

  One thought dominated the droid's mind: is my arm in there?

  As he riffled through the lockers, Ripley said, “We're going to fix you up, Nicholas. I'm going to give you a new arm, a better arm.”

  Nicholas leaned forward and stared into the lockers, trying to get a better view of the supplies. He said, “I thought you were a mechanic. Can't you just attach my original arm to my frame?”

  “I could do that, sure, but I would have to find your arm first,” Ripley explained. He snickered and shook his head, delighted by his morbid sense of humor. He said, “Don't worry about your old arm, though. I'm sure it's around here somewhere. Besides, for this next mission, I think you'll benefit from an upgrade.”

  Nicholas was not amused, but he decided to proceed with the procedure. He asked, “How is this going to work without my original arm? We may be looked down upon by society the same, but we're not all built the same. We can't just 'pop it in' and hope it works, can we?”

  “I don't think you really want to hear all of the details. I'm just going to rewire the limb, solder the arm and the frame together, then adjust your settings. Layman's terms, of course.”

  “What makes it better than my original arm? I'm already accurate with my original limbs.”

  “You've seen the exosuits your SWAT teams wear, right?”

  Nicholas nodded – of course. Ripley retrieved the detached right arm of an android from a pile of limbs. He approached the table and wagged the arm at his patient.

  Ripley explained, “This arm is like those exosuits. It is a Graphene and nanomachine-infused arm. It can't be destroyed by most conventional weapons. Most explosives won't even be able to scratch this. I swear, I've survived rockets and grenades thanks to Graphene. It will also help you carry more weight. Being an andy and all, you're already strong, but this will make you stronger than before. You can lift cars with this thing. Hell, you can make any car a hovercar with this beauty.”