Page 26: Android vs. Android

David ran with the ball. His legs moved with keen precision across the court, eyes on his target, every movement a calculation of angle, speed, velocity, air pressure, the sum of the minute mutual interactions between himself and the world about him. Each variable continually updated allowing him to navigate to his destination as quickly as possible.

Fifteen metres, fourteen metres, a slight adjustment to his torso, thirteen metres, he lowered his centre of gravity bringing a shift to every equation. Twelve metres, a flash of movement appeared at his side, knocking him off-balance, the ball bouncing away to be taken up by a new master.

Alvar Higgins stood by the wall in the centre of the court, clapping. ‘Very good!’

Moving beyond the centre-line, Two bounced twice before making a perfect shot for the ring. The ball circled and fell through the opening, bouncing and rolling to his feet. Two collected the ball and walked towards Alvar.

‘David, come over here,’ Alvar called.

David picked himself up from the ground, meeting them both at the centre of the court.

‘What was the purpose of this exercise?’ asked Two.

‘To calibrate your systems.’

Two looked to David and back to Alvar. ‘We’re already calibrated.’

‘So consider it a simple exercise to see who would win.’

‘But I would, of course.’

‘Of course.’ A small smile erupted at the edge of Alvar’s mouth. ‘What do you think, David? Would Two have one by default, being a newer model?’

‘It is probably that as an advanced model you would win,’ David addressed his opponent. ‘But there was no certainty. A test was necessary to establish a proof.’

‘It was obvious I would win,’ insisted Two. ‘David is stunted by literal perceptions, he’ll never see past the immediate. Why don’t we upgrade him? He could be much of much more use..’

‘I’d prefer to keep David as-is. As I would you.’

‘You’re.. planning another.’

‘You have the components necessary for abstract and lateral thought, but..’ Alvar turned to David. ‘How did Two win?’

David’s eyes appraised Two’s taller figure. Glossy and vibrant in the ambient light, he held his shoulders high with the authority of one convinced of the absolute. ‘It was not a matter of skill, or an error in judgement on my part. Two identified my strategy and intercepted. According to the rules, he committed a foul.’

‘Were you harmed?’

‘No. But I was not considered.’

‘Why does that matter?’ Two complained, cutting between them. ‘I won.’

‘Empathy,’ Alvar explained. ‘You need to think beyond your objectives and negate any negative impact on others. You can achieve greater things by working with others. You could achieve things together.’

‘Or I could just build more of myself..’

‘Why would they help you?’

Page 25: Just follow the yellow brick road.

Alex gave an apologetic smile and leaned forwards, clasping his hands atop the desk. ‘I’m sorry about that. Unfortunately something rather serious has come up. But, I think we’ve covered everything necessary. Do you have any questions?’

‘To be blunt, Mr. Denton, you seem to know everything about me already.’

Alex laughed.

‘What can I tell you?’ Paul continued. ‘I appreciate the opportunity, I wouldn’t mind a change of scene. Your offer was pretty generous.’

‘I need the best,’ Alex assured him. ‘I’m willing to pay for it.’

‘Then I’m all yours.’

‘Fantastic.’ Alex rose from the desk prompting to Paul to follow and shook the man’s hand. ‘Thanks for coming. ‘My assistant Jane will show you out.’

In the decrepit apartment, Matthias rested against a broken countertop while Stacey stood beside the door, eyes downcast. There was a sharp rap on the outer door.

‘Stacey?’ a gravelly male voice spoke. ‘It’s me.’

She looked to Matthias who straightened slightly, still, he appeared like a child, intimidated and insecure. Stacey stepped to the door and turned the handle. The man who entered wore a form-fitting suit, his dark shoes polished, thick, pitch-black hair combed back against his scalp. He took a breath, looking to Stacey who lowered her eyes from his gaze, and then to Matthias.

‘You’re willing to come with us?’

‘I don’t believe I have a lot of options,’ Matthias stepped from the counter. ‘Who are you?’

‘Ben Jameson.’ Ben extended a hand which Matthias, as usual, ignored.

‘Head of security for Ascension Technologies. We can get you somewhere safe, get you patched up. You’re in safe hands.’

‘No offense, but if you can get me someplace safe, I’ll do the patching.’

‘That’s fine,’ Jameson agreed. ‘But we need to get you out of here.’

‘Are we taking a van?’ Stacey enquired quietly.

‘There’s a unit a few buildings over. We’re short on time, so..’ Jameson turned and stepped to the doorway, looking both ways before proceeding into the alley.

He led them to the rear of another building, unlocking a blue door which led into a pristine apartment. Sunlight fell through large windows over cream carpet, the furniture perfectly aligned, every surface spotless. Leading them through a kitchen into the living room, a teleportation sat in a rear corner. Jameson activated the unit and began dialling.

‘So you just had one prepared?’

Jameson released a near undetectable huff before turning to explain.

‘Ascension holds many assets, but yes. After your incident at Natural Robotics, we’ve been watching you.’

‘Why?’

‘My employer finds you valuable.’

Jameson finished dialling, and the teleporter came alive, emitting a low hum.

‘I’ll go first,’ Jameson offered, and stepped inside, his form disintegrating.

Once they were alone, Matthias looked to Stacey.

‘You trust this guy?’

She gave a small shrug. ‘He’s my boss. I’d trust him with my life.’

She sensed his remaining hesitation and continued: ‘Look, it’s purely by accident that we even knew each other before this. I was placed at Natural Robotics as an observer. I was and am your friend. You can trust me.’

Her eyes seemed sincere, and reading her biometric signs, he couldn’t detect a lie.

‘Okay.’ He looked to the teleporter, hesitating, and stepped inside.

Page 24

‘Fine.’ Matthias stepped in front of the door and, fixing his feet against the ground, steadying his balance as best he could, tugged the wooden boards from the opening, setting each by the door. The door shuddered and cracked as he pressed it open. Inside, sunlight wilted through covered windows over a dismal apartment of crumbling refuse.

Matthias took two steps inside, followed by Stacey, who closed the door after him.

‘Now what?’

‘We wait.’

 

Alexander stood by the windows to his office, gazing over the city. He wore a gray suit and tie over a blue shirt, a casual hand resting in one pocket.

‘Sir.’ A tall, neat blonde in dark glasses entered the room, her cautious heels echoing as they hit the floor. ‘Paul Bowman is here.’

‘Thanks, Jane. Send him in.’

Paul stepped into the office wearing a dark suit and a cautious smile. His eyes flitted about his surroundings, somewhat impressed yet further intimidated by the space and style in which Alex kept himself.

‘Paul,’ Alex smiled, approaching from the windows.

‘Mr. Denton, it’s a pleasure to meet you.’

The pair met in the centre of the room, shaking hands.

‘How are you doing?’

‘I’m well, thank you sir.’

‘Call me Alex.’ He gestured towards his desk, ‘Please, take a seat.’

Resting in a slight chair at the head of the room, Alex rested with an open, earnest demeanour, his radiant blue eyes glowing with contagious enthusiasm.

‘I appreciate the invitation,’ Paul began. ‘I have to say I’m a little curious.. do you usually interview your security personnel personally?’

‘I have a specific position in mind,’ Alex related. ‘It’s important that I find the right person for the job. You came highly recommended by a friend of mine.’

‘Oh?’

‘I don’t believe you’ve met, but he’s familiar with your work. I thought you might appreciate the opportunity to increase the value of your work. For us and for yourself.’

‘Absolutely.’

‘I place a great deal of value on research and development. We lead the market on new and emerging technologies, but for every development there’s a necessity to guard our inventions closely.’

‘I understand.’

‘I’m looking to place someone on a new team guarding a new development. You’ll be well-compensated, have access to the latest equipment, but secrecy is paramount. I think uh, one of our latest recruits is someone you’ve met before.. Matthias Drake?’

Bowman squinted. ‘Drake? In security?’

‘No, no, he’ll be assisting the team with some more technological aspects. I was briefed on the altercation between you and just need to gauge where things lie..’

‘Well I only met him the once,’ Bowman replied, brow furrowed. ‘I don’t really know the guy.’

‘He managed to subdue you, though?’

‘I. wouldn’t phrase it like that. He.. I let him pass. A woman’s life was at stake. He saved her.’

‘So you didn’t know anything about Mr. Drake beforehand? His qualifications?’

Bowman’s face began to redden and he tugged at his collar, clearing his throat. ‘I have to admit, it’s not my proudest moment. He was very convincing of his ability to save the woman, and he succeeded. I did make an effort to physically restrain the subject.. Mr. Drake, but, well, to be honest his strength was.. surprising.’

‘Not a particularly large fellow, though?’

‘No, as I said, I was surprised.’

‘What happened when he thrust his arm into the field?’

‘I.. Mr. Denton, I hope you don’t mind me saying, but is this your usual interview technique?’

‘I’m sorry,’ Alex smiled. He sat back, his intensity dissipating. ‘I’m very curious about the situation, that incident led to Mr. Drake’s employment, and to some degree, your own.’

Bowman hesitated. ‘There was a white flash. I don’t know how he did it, it’s like when his arm entered the field, something went out and the whole thing died. He shut it off with his arm, and she came out unscathed. There was another gu there from I.T. who said it couldn’t be done, but it happened.’

‘Okay.’ Denton tapped his fingertips together, entertained. ‘And you ahven’t spoken to him since?’

‘No, sir.’

‘No problem working with him?’

‘None at all.’

The notification of a call appeared on Alex’s computer monitor. ‘I’m sorry, Paul, I have a call here.. do you mind if I take this? It’s actually my head of security.’

‘Not at all.’

Paul sat back in his chair, gazing idly towards the windows.

Alex pressed a finger to his ear and engaged the call.

‘Hello. I’m actually in a meeting. Can it wait?’

‘My apologies,’ a dry voice rattled. ‘Our agent just called. She has the package, ready and willing. Apparently there’s some damage.’

Alex smiled on Paul, across the desk. ‘Take him to the penthouse.’

‘Very well.’

The call dropped.

Page 23 of The Android

‘I’m okay,’ he said. ‘It’s just this..’ he gestured to his face.

‘What happened to you?’

‘Someone firebombed my apartment.’

She hurried him away, the limping couplet scraping and huffing behind the adjacent buildings.

‘Why would someone do that?’

‘You tell me. I’m still wondering if you were involved.’

‘What? I need to stop,’ she wheezed. He caught himself with a hand against the wall of the nearest building as she panted beside him. ‘How do you weigh so much?’

‘You try to fry my arm with an EMP and next thing I’m being dragged off in a van. I manage to escape and then my apartment is bombed..’

‘I tried to warn you..’

‘What, you work for some rival company? Who are these guys?’

‘It wasn’t us,’ she asserted, placing an arm beneath his. ‘Come on, we’re not far.’

He pushed off from the wall and tried to keep most of his weight to himself. His legs weren’t balancing as they should, the ground seemed tipped to one side, his balance unsettled.

‘If it wasn’t you, then who was it?’

‘It may have been Natural Robotics.’

‘Oh, come on. If they knew anything..’

‘What could they do? You’re an employee, you have rights.’

Shuffling to the next building, she indicated a scrappy doorway smothered in flaking white paint, boards were plastered over the outside.

‘How are we supposed to get through?’

Stacey met him with a stare.

‘What? I have one arm.’

‘Fine.’ She rolled her eyes, grasping the uppermost board and began tugging it away. One side flexed and shifted against the stub of a nail, but she was far from pulling it from the wall. ‘Goddamn it.’

She gave in and stepped away, pressing a finger to her ear.

‘I need a pickup from the rear of Tennyson. We can’t get by the front entrance. I Matthias with me. The police are out front. … Right. Okay.’

An echo of loud voices nearby drew her to the wall beside him.

‘So you’re maintaining you’re innocent?’

‘I’m here aren’t I?’ she hissed. ‘I didn’t blow up your apartment and I don’t know anything about a van. If it wasn’t the guys at Natural, I wouldn’t have a clue, but they were watching you. Why do you think I took you back to my apartment?’

‘There was someone at the bar?’

‘And outside your apartment. Thin guy, black jacket?’

‘So you’ve been watching me too?’

‘Would you quit screwing around and open this door?’

Page 22: More than she seems

Stacey’s steps were quick around the corner. She wore a loose sweater over a thicker shirt, and tighter pants, a silver necklace glinting beneath coarse webbing at her throat, her dark hair tied back. She slowed as she passed beyond the corner.

‘Matthias?’ she whispered.

‘I’m down here,’ he groaned.

He sat by the wall still, clothes torn, seared, and matted in blood. Patches of skin missing from his torso and legs, the synthetic flesh beneath undisguised, all hair singed away.

‘Jesus, what happened?’

‘I was hoping you might tell me.’

‘What..’

‘Help me up?’

He lifted an arm and strained to keep his feet balanced as she crouched to lift her shoulder, supplying her weight beneath his. She faltered beneath him and Matthias fell forwards, catching himself with his one arm against the dumpster.

‘Matthias, your skin..’

‘I was hoping you wouldn’t see me like this.’

There are police out front, I..’

‘I gathered. Those people, your company, I can give them an arm. Can you get me out of here?’

‘Police!’ A male voice barked from the entrance. Who’s back there?’

Stacey took a breath and stepped back, raising her hands. ‘It’s just me.’

The officer came forwards, a younger, blonde officer. His face was kind, but his expression impassive. ‘My friend was in the building. Can you call an ambulance?’

‘Stacey!’ Matthias growled.

She looked down to him, still wearing her concern.

‘Let me see him.’

‘You really don’t want to see..’ The officer stepped around the corner, heedless of the warning. Matthias looked upon the officer whose blinked, startled at the mix of damaged human and naked android before him. Before he could speak, a sharp buzzing came from behind and his body slumped to the ground. Stacey replaced a small taser in her pocket, all expression of concern vacated.

‘What?’

‘Can you walk?’ Stacey demanded.

‘Yes, I can walk.’

She placed an arm around him nevertheless, guiding his balance as he limped from the corner, giving a quick glance to the side of the building as they headed in the opposite direction.

Page 21: Boom.

Matthias limped out of the teleporter into his lounge, the lights activated overhead, as normal.

‘Berkeley! Where’s your nearest service centre?’

He entered the lounge. No response.

The dog’s form lay motionless on the floor at the far end of the couch. Matthias approached and knelt, rolling his lifeless body onto his back. There were no emissions at all, his carcass entirely lifeless. Matthias located the number he had wanted internally, and dialed.

‘Hello. Natural Robotics Service Centre, you’re speaking to Mike.’

‘Hi Mike, I’m looking to order some parts. I’m hoping you have them in stock.’

‘Sure, do you have an account, or..?’

‘I’m just a hobbyist, but I am an employee: ID 115918.’

‘Okay..’ Mike breathed into the phone as he tapped the number into a keypad. ‘Matthias Drake. No worries. What can I do for you?’

‘I have something of a list here, I’m hoping I could have them delivered, it’s kind of urgent.’

‘Well, I don’t know if we can do it today, but give me your list and I’ll see what I can do.’

Matthias began to recite a long list of parts from memory, pausing between each as Mike noted and confirmed them. During the process, Berkeley’s corpse began to radiate a glimmer of energy, something small, deep within his torso.

‘Berkeley?’ He interrupted Mike: ‘Hold on just a second.’

Focusing on Berkeley’s chassis, he was able to “see” through his skin without pulling his friend apart. There was a small nodule embedded in his chest, a foreign object. Depressing a pressure point in his neck, he pried Berkeley’s plastic ribcage open to reveal his internals. There was something at the centre, embedded against his spine. Chemicals, a timer.. it was a completely independent unit.

‘Shit.’

Matthias ran for the far wall as an explosion tore through the apartment, a wall of flame on his heels. The blast accelerated his momentum as he leapt into the tapestry, his heavy frame shattered through the plaster, his body crumpling through the entrance to a ventilation shaft. His skin seared, shards of steel slicing through his skin, his thin layer of flesh searing against the heated metal as he crawled through to an intersection.

At the rear of the building, an exhaust fan and cover burst from their mounting and bounced, clattering, against the rear of a dumpster and fell broken on the concrete. Matthias slipped out onto the pavement and crawled to the wall, wrapping his arms around his smoking form. Skin and blood still covered most of his frame, but large patches were missing, his true form visible across much of his torso and legs. Sirens wailed nearby. Matthias dialed Stacey.

‘Matthias?’

‘Stacey? I need your help.’

‘Where are you?’ There was a sincere worry in her voice.

‘I need you to meet me at the rear of my building. Do you have my address?’

‘I..’

‘1313 Tennyson Road. Please, I’m in trouble.’

‘I’ll be right there,’ she faltered.

---

Well, I can’t say I didn’t expect it but it’s getting difficult to keep up with writing this novel and studying. Hope you appreciate the new page 🙂 I intend to continue the current rate of a page every two days while I can. – Kyle

P.S. I actually own (or is it truly a lease?) a copy of Microsoft Office now and will be writing from there. So if the pages become slightly shorter, it’s because I’ll be posting from an edited Word page rather than a more-or-less double written page. I write best with a pen.