"Nooooo!" Cynthia's hand gripped the shoe now harder than she dared to when Sally's foot was in it for fear of breaking her foot. She regretted that now, better to have a broken foot then a broken spine. She felt the urge to jump over the edge to go after Sally but she knew it would be for nothing. Now, she could see that her friend could not have survived the fall. She hoped that Sally died instantly for her sake. The position her arms and legs were in looked painful.
Cynthia had never considered Sally an enemy even if she exposed Julion to the Boss. The memories that Linda had given her of their friendship were strong and clear in her head, more so now. The memories that were clearest were those that had not been programed in, but ones she gained herself in the first couple months of her life. Sally had seemed like a loyal friend and was there for her, even though Cynthia knew now it was only an act for the sake of the prototype. Despite that from her perspective Sally had been a good and true friend.
She couldn't bear to see her go like this. Not when she was so close to saving her. Water began welling up in her eye and she did not fight the small flood it caused running down her cheek. How strange she thought that her creator would think to add such a thing to an android. Yet it was apparent now that it may not have been her creator's idea. Sally was the more compassionate of the two. She felt a hand on her shoulder and a soft voice in her ear.
"We have to go before more bots arrive."
Cynthia stood there ignoring Alexis's words. She didn't want to take her eyes off Sally's still form. This was her fault. She had gone about the whole thing wrong, she knew that now. But it was too late to think about what she could have done better. She had to keep moving forward and the hands pulling at her made the notion veracious.
"They're coming." Alexis urged again. This time Cynthia did listen. She turned and ran with the others leaving the building and Sally behind her.
***
Adora sat behind her desk as normal listening to the news and occasionally looking out through her windows to the peaceful lake beyond. She had seen Cynthia leave earlier but had decided it would be best to question her actions after she came back from her destination. True, she was the android's sponsor and was responsible if anything went wrong, but she had a good feeling about this replicated woman and was fairly certain that she wouldn't do anything to harm the rebellion. Besides the rebellion is much larger than just the group that the androids had seen. Even if the androids would betray them, they wouldn't hurt the rebellion as a whole.
"Such negative thinking," Adora murmured to herself, "it's not as if something bad is going to happen."
Even as she said this there remained a derisory feeling in the back of her mind that made her doubt her own words. That and the low hum she heard in the distance. She thought it was possibly just a few flits flying by.
The sound grew louder over the next minute, too loud to be just a few flits. A second noise filled the room, a pounding sound. She looked back up to the windows in time to see several people yelling and screaming at her, but she could not hear their words. One older woman barged in the door. "Bot's, hundreds of them. They're coming straight here!"
Adora was on her feet immediately while slamming the button calling in her assistant bot. He wobbled in. "Call Wissen! Tell him we need help." To the woman she ordered, "Get to your house. Everybody get to cover, lock all doors and hide out in your shelters."
"Why would they attack us? What have done to deserve this?" Asked a younger, anxious looking man.
Nothing, you pompous middle class twit, but harbor a couple androids. She thought about saying it aloud but changed her mind.
"We don't even know what they want yet, deary. They could pass us by. Now do as you're told." The Adora pushed them out. At the rate people were scrambling, it wouldn't be long until they were all safe. She peered inside the door to the inner room. "L16?"
The bot did not turn for at the moment he handled a sheet covering the communications device he had been using. "Wissen has sent several teams here. He fears, however, they will not be in time."
"We'll just have to make due." She looked out the window and her heart sank a bit.
The bots came in fast and furious, none firing weapons, yet. They seemed to be searching for something. Going to each house and scanning in the windows. She watched as a fierce-looking human security guard (she noted the patch on his arm signifying him as an officer from the Robonotics plant) came into her office.
"You the manager?" He asked gruffly.
"Yes hon, what can I do for you?" She poured all the sugar into her voice that she could.
"I come on official business in Councilman Estevez's name. I seek the renegade Cynthia Aldin. It is believed she is hiding in this complex. If she is being harbored here and you do not step forward now you will be found as an accomplice to her and be tried as a traitor to the Government."
"We don't harbor anyone deary. I've never heard of this Cynthia Aldin. If you like you may review my list of the residents here."
"That won't be necessary. We are already conducting house to house searches."
"Then why come and bother me?"
"Because, if we find her, you're going with her. I'm stationing bots outside your door. You are not to leave."
"Just make sure you leave everything the way you found it. This is a respectable establishment."
He pounded the butt of his weapon on her desk and left without another word.
After the door closed behind him Adora went into the back with L16. She dug for a couple weapons, just in case, then made for the rear exit. Not long after she heard several bots open fire on the reception area of her office. "Those bastards destroyed my office." Adora looked back to the burning building. "They're going to pay for that."
***
Cynthia and her group ran to an apartment complex on the other side of town. Fortunately there were no bots around to notice. But this made Cynthia a little suspicious.
They reached an apartment house which looked no different from the rest in the city. There were people milling about outside of the building who paid them no attention. They were either used to several middle class people walking into their building, or they were aware of who the newcomers really were.
A short climb revealed what seemed to be the headquarters for this rebellion. People were walking around with a purpose in here. Each person had their own personal assignment, from filing paperwork, to writing reports and researching on the few computers spread across the large open area, to cleaning hand weapons.
Each one looked as if they were actually enjoying their work, something one didn't see to often these days, especially in the Robonotics building. Bob Wissen was sitting behind a rather complex computer system which looked odd in the run-down building. Bob looked right at home there though and barely gave them an upwards glance when they entered the room.
Bob Wissen motioned to a nearby rebel. "Nathan take the androids and show them their new homes."
"Now wait a minute." Cynthia stepped forward.
"We need to give them new apartments." Wissen went on to explain. "Some of the ones they were in were being monitored by the Government."
So that's how the bots found us at Sally's, Cynthia thought to herself. She nodded to the others that it was okay to go. When they were alone Bob didn't say anything. His stare reminded her of being back in Estevez's office. After a few agonizing moments he spoke. "I'm afraid we may have a leak. As we speak, hundreds of bots have surrounded the housing complex you live in and are searching the houses, presumably for you, or perhaps some sort of THNDR connection. Adora will take arms against them, if necessary. I have people on the way to get her and any people who are in danger out of there. Do you have any idea how they found where you live?"
Cynthia thought of telling him how Julion had been followed but thought better for then she would have to explain her connection with Jamil and Audie. This one little lie was turning into a lot of trouble. She decided on playing dumb on this one. "Could they have had monitors, like they do on the apartments there?"
"No, it's a middle class complex, besides Adora's running it, she wouldn't allow such a thing." He seemed to have a lot of trust in the middle class woman.
"Didn't Adora mention something about getting information about me from a bot? They could have traced the damaged bot to her." Cynthia didn't want to sound desperate, but right now she had no other option.
Again he disagreed. "Adora wouldn't leave any evidence of her tampering."
"I really don't know how then. I don't believe I was followed at any time."
Bob appeared to consider this then said, "We have an apartment here for you as well. Why don't you go and freshen up. I'll send for you in a little while."
"We can assist in the fight at the housing complex if you wish."
"I'm sure my people can handle it."
"Have they been in a fire fight before?"
"Have you or your androids?"
"No, but my androids have that knowledge programmed into them. I saw the need for it."
"Well my people have, they'll do fine."
"There has been fighting around the city before?" Cynthia came to the only conclusion that seemed plausible. "The media has suppressed it haven't they?"
"Of course. Just as they will this."
"Then, we should concentrate on the media, should we not? The people should know about this, that there are people fighting for their rights."
"Ha! The Ministry of Communication is harder to trespass on than the Ministry of Federal Administration. I've tried, even with moles inside, we can't make a dent." Cynthia eyed him suspiciously. He had to be exaggerating. "I'll tell you what, you find a way to get control over just the airwaves here in Brasilia and I'll find a way to bankrupt Estevez."
"Deal." She said quickly, then thought to add. "And this strike against Bane's house?"
"We'll have a meeting tonight. I plan to strike in the morning."
Cynthia had no objection to him moving the date up for she would have suggested it in the meeting herself. In the meantime Wissen got them new worker uniforms. They were too visible in the middle class uniforms now. There was enough time to freshen up before Cynthia gathered the androids for a quick conference to make sure their stories all still matched. A leak like Wissen suggested was just the reason she wanted to keep Audie and Jamil's true identity a secret should the androids lose credibility.
***
The androids, Wissen, and the twenty volunteers gathered at midnight in the headquarters of the rebellion. They had just settled into their seats in the meeting room when the call came over the intercom. The teams at the housing complex have pulled out with only minor injuries, the worst of which was Adora. She and the team leaders were already on their way up.
Those already in the small confines of the conference room seemed to have mixed emotions about the battle. It was welcome news to have such low casualties inflicted, but the battle should have never taken place. Wissen seemed to accuse Cynthia with his eyes. It was her fault this was happening after all. His stare grew harder when the bloodied Adora limped in the room. Two men held her upright and placed gingerly into a chair by the door. She was in bad shape, but she still held an air of confidence about her. She turned to one of the rebels at the table.
"Are you just going to stand there and stare, hon, or are you going to get me something to drink?" He moved quickly to the small side table and poured a glass of water. In the meantime Cynthia called Larry to tend to Adora's wounds. Wissen knelt down beside her and asked, "What happened?"
Adora seemed comfortable with all the attention she was getting but she hesitated as she looked to Cynthia. "They came looking for Cynthia."
"Yes, we figured that, but do you know how they found where she lived?" Wissen urged.
She shook her head. Cynthia could tell she knew but wouldn't tell him about Julion. It interested Cynthia to see this woman so loyal to someone she hardly knew over a man she's followed for years.
"I can only assume the Boss had her followed at some time." Adora said.
Bob glanced up at Cynthia critically. "I see." He said slowly. "Why did you engage the bots without my order?"
Adora didn't seem to like him questioning her actions. "They destroyed my office, communication equipment, and were going after homes. They might have killed somebody had I not taken any action!"
"Yes, and you could have been killed by taking the offensive. You could have told them the truth that she wasn't there and let them search her house. In this way no one would have been harmed."
She stood in protest leaning on the chair for support. "Do you think I didn't try to divert them? They attacked first!"
"They wouldn't have attacked if you would have given them what they wanted!" He stood too, his voice loud and strong enough to shake the thin walls.
"They would have set a trap for her in her own home and stuck around waiting for her. I couldn't let them do that."
"I had already gotten her a new place to live."
Unfazed, Adora shot back. "How could I have known that?" She stuck a finger in his chest. "You never informed me!"
Wissen was so taken aback by her outburst and that she was right that he was speechless. "That's what I thought deary. You should know all the facts before you go accusing people of anything. Have a little confidence in your people. They know what they're doing." She plopped back down in the chair and winked at Cynthia.
Cynthia herself didn't know what to make of the exchange, except that she knew she never wanted get into a fight with the woman. With the way Bob kept looking at her she knew this would be a long and difficult night.
Bob started laying out the attack plan. Since the androids were the only ones going into the house Cynthia had no reason to tell him about the new traps she learned about from Sally. The rest of the meeting went fairly smoothly then they retired for the rest of what was left of the night so they were totally fresh for dawn. For that was when they were to strike.
***
The sun hadn't even started to turn the sky purple between the dark clouds, which meant they had maybe another twenty minutes of total darkness. Even that didn't matter, the bots had infrared sensors and would easily spot them whether it was night or day. The only hope was to stay out of their sensor range, which wasn't as easy as it sounded. With the new addition to the bots on patrol, there was no longer the comfortable two and a half minute gap in the perimeter. Now it was down to 45 seconds. While that was plenty of time for them to sprint across the large opening, it wouldn't be enough to get them inside. Sergio was suddenly glad that they computed their numbers correctly and made the proper precautions.
A few wet droplets had started to fall from the sky, it was only a minute or so before it started pouring. Sergio's advanced eyesight had already compensated for the new development.
Cynthia kept her head low and moved quickly through the brush. Sergio moved beside her, his motion a little slower and more calculated. Cynthia spoke into her microphone to the team over two hundred meters away. "We're in position. Remember to maintain radio silence once we're inside the house. Team 2 give the word when you're ready."
He smiled at her. "This is where the fun begins."
"If it's all the same to you I'd rather be safe at home." She said.
"We're in place, just waiting for the distraction." Betsy's voice came over their earpieces. Sergio risked being spotted while he popped his head above the brush, faced the backup team, and waved his arm twice.
***
Laser fire sounded towards the east wing. Beams shot out from beneath the trees. Those that didn't dissipate into the air hit the tree tops and sent them ablaze. The fire spread rapidly so even the rain couldn't douse it. Screams erupted underneath, not screams of pain but primal yells. An attack cry!
Fifteen bots sped towards the sounds. When the first wave of bots reached the disturbance, the noise quieted as Audie riding the back of a Larry's fuselage floated, waiting. It didn't take long for the bots to start firing. Audie and Larry turned tail and flew straight over the wall of the compound. Only the few fly bots followed.
When the rest started to turn back, the shouts and firing began again. This was the attack the bots had been prepared for. They went into the underbrush firing. Even with their infrared sensors, the bots appeared to have a hard time picking out the rebels as they were equipped with IR reflectors that emitted the same temperature as the surrounding flora. The ones they did fire at moved quickly and managed to roll out of the bots line of fire.
The workers started firing into the air again. This time their fire intentionally hit the trees. One flaming branch after another fell to the ground right on top of the pedbots. Some were knocked to the ground buried under the branches and fire. One's fuel tank became exposed and when the fire reached it, the bot exploded into hundreds of pieces taking another pedbot with it.
A few of the rebels took to the trees and began firing from there. The bots were easy targets and went down quickly. By now, the rebels had managed to take out nine of the bots.
Their luck would not hold out for long. From the direction of the house, six revbots started firing into the trees. They moved slowly through the muddy garden but they still advanced. More laser fire sounded on the other side of the high wall. The rebels hope for a win hit rock bottom when they realized they were surrounded.
***
The sound of the fight echoed over the entire mansion grounds, even to the west wing over 300 meters away. Up in a tree not far from the west end of the mansion, Betsy and Alexis held their breath when they positioned the mechanism and heard the sound of a revbot beneath them. It seemed to pay no attention to the rustling leaves above. When it was out of sight, Alexis flipped a lever and a thin cable and anchor flew out over the house straight into another tree. They waited a minute just to be sure no one noticed. Just as they had hoped the bots were only programed to watch for ground attacks, a fatal mistake on the Boss's part.
Betsy placed the pulley onto the cable and tested her weight on it. She knew it would hold but it never hurt to double check. She was preparing to slide out when she spotted a flybot take a short cut over the roof in the direction of the disturbance. It passed within mere centimeters of the cable. She held her breath again knowing it would sense the metal cable. To her surprise, the bot did not stop to investigate, in too much of a hurry to get to the rebel's distraction.
Making sure there were no other bots around she pushed out, crossed the hundred meters between the tree and the house, and dropped off about midway on the roof. Alexis swung down beside her a second later with a rather large thunk. She knew the sound would be heard, but it was up to the other teams to make sure the response would not get to them before they got inside.
***
The gray face of the security chief filled all the monitors on Estevez's wall. His face held a certain amount of anxiety when he recognized it to be Estevez calling. He looked to be in a hurry as if taking the time to talk to the Boss was a waste. Estevez dismissed it as the natural reaction of a man caught off guard by the Boss's sudden call. The chief confirmed his hunch. "Sir, I was about to call you."
Estevez was in no mood to hear the normal boring status report. He was determined to show it by snapping at the man on his screen. "Why didn't you tell me Loda was dead?!"
The security man seemed somewhat confused but answered the question put to him. "I had only found out a few hours ago. We recovered her body plus a small piece of surveillance video from one of the destroyed bots. I thought it was not that relevant considering the current situation."
"I want to see that video."
Quickly the chief answered. "I'll have it sent to you immediately."
The Boss was about to cut the channel when he saw the urgent look on the chief's face and realized what the chief had just said. "What do you mean by 'current situation?'"
"We're under attack. There is a small disturbance out past the east wing. Sixty percent of the bots have responded and-" The chief started checking his instruments on the panel next to the monitor. "They're in the house!"
Could his people do nothing right? Estevez knew the androids alone could not have compromised his security so well. However, with Loda's death his faith in his own security was dwindling fast. "I'm sending backup." He told his officer and cut the channel.
***
The twig crackled beneath his foot. Sergio knew the bot was within hearing range. He and Cynthia exchanged a glimpse. Both of their faces portrayed one word, run! In a heart beat they were out from the cover and halfway to the house, the dirt flew around them as the bot's laser missed the back of their feet by mere centimeters. Diving head first they ducked among the statues on the porch. The air crackled around them as the bot laid down his fire. The large broken chunks of statues gave them enough cover to return fire, and they did heavily.
The bot was down in a minute. Unfortunately, there were two more right behind it.
"I have an idea." Sergio whispered and at their first opening. They rushed for the door. The bots followed. When they were at the door, Cynthia and Sergio pushed on the pillar closest to them. It had been badly damaged in the crossfire. The roof creaked with the pressure put on it and with the help of the bots' fire sparking on the pillar. It gave way. Sergio and Cynthia jumped in the door as the ceiling came crashing down, destroying the bots in the process.
***
The laser fire was getting louder on the other side of the wall. One worker looked to another and the stares of impending doom passed between them all. Even the bots seemed to be aware of the change of atmosphere. For a short time there were no sounds. No rustling or firing of weapons, but it was not a peaceful silence and it wasn't very long. An explosion, one great enough to blow a large hole in the concrete wall next to them.
Through that hole a bot was blown straight into the path of the remaining pedbots. It too exploded. Following it through the hole and smoke, Jamil and Larry led the way for the second wave of rebels. Not far behind them were Pedro and Audie. They managed to push their way through the main force of the pedbots and headed for the oncoming revbots. They took position behind the last few trees before the great clearing. They fired wildly, more to get the bots' attention than to do damage. Several of the bots did fire in their direction. The ground and trees were set ablaze about them. It was getting hot. Pedro urged them to leave. They refused but insisted he leave. They could withstand much higher heat than humans. They did not return fire hoping the bots would think that they had killed them.
The bots ignorantly passed straight between them. When the group of bots were about halfway through, Jamil gave the signal to attack. Jamil and Audie leaped simultaneously and grabbed a bot each. Audie dragged his to the ground and started pounding on it. Jamil took a simpler approach and took a large branch and drove it through the face plate of the one he held. He twisted the stake and broke it off leaving the bot lifeless on the ground. He took the remaining piece and started swinging it at the back of another's head.
Sensing him, without turning its head, the bot swiveled its laser arm and shot out a short burst. The beam sliced right through the arm that holding the branch. Jamil's arm went limp and he fell to the ground in pain. Even through the pain he knew what he must do and with his good arm he brought his sidearm to bear and with one precise shot took out the bot's main fuel tank. It exploded seriously damaging the one that drove next to it. That bot, with its attention now fully focused on Jamil, turned on him and as it was training its damaged laser onto Jamil's skull, it fell to the ground. Audie jumped up from where it had fallen and with great abandon he kicked the bot one last time to make sure it would give them no more problems. After Jamil wrapped his arm to hide the damage Audie gave Jamil his hand and they were both ready when the next bot began firing at them. They worked together to swiftly bring that bot's mechanical life to an end.
Meanwhile, Pedro and Larry had their hands full. Pedro was by no means a fighter. Larry knew how bots fought, by first hand experience, but it was no help. As the only other two fighting in hand to hand combat, they were too overwhelmed by the eight attacking bots.
Jamil and Audie both saw their distress and were about to move in when several rebels jumped out of the bushes brandishing large sticks and some using rifles as clubs. They began beating on the bots overwhelming Pedro and Larry. At first, one at a time, the rebels came out of their hiding places to fight the remaining bots. Soon they were coming out in larger groups until all rebels had taken a piece of the action.
Audie and Jamil smiled at each other. They knew this meant a new start for the rebellion. They were no longer passive fighters. Wasting no more time, the duo took up arms themselves against the remaining robots, making sure to create enough noise to keep the bots' interest away from the mansion.
***
Betsy measured her steps carefully from the chimney moving exactly 7.3 meters south. Alexis began clearing the shingles enough to find the junction of the vent duct. At this point the vent forked off and moved down away from the roof. Betsy removed a steel bar from their pack and Alexis struck a hole into the junction point. Betsy stood ready with her pistol in case a bot might investigate the noise. However, it seemed the noise of the distraction on the other side of the house was enough to keep the bots at bay. With little effort, Alexis had a wide enough hole for them to slip through and they quickly disappeared into it.
With the knowledge of the blueprints for the house and Sally's confession of where Julion was being held, it was only a matter of breaking through the right part of the vent. Of course they had not been told that blueprints were an old version and thus did not have the updated ventilation diagrams.
"Figures, I thought things were going too smoothly." Betsy said under her breath after they had dropped into a seemingly empty room.
"I had warned you that the vents did not seem to be in the right place but you would not listen." Alexis, the center of calm, took in their surroundings, trying to place where this room was in the mansion. Apparently, they both realized their location at the same time, for Betsy and Alexis tried to rush for the opening across the room.
The pressure sensors activated as soon as their feet hit the floor and now they felt and smelled the heat burning through the soles of their boots and melting the rubber into the floor. If they removed their shoes their bare feet would be subject to the same horrid heat that would melt the plastocarbon skin basically gluing them to the ground. Of course, if they didn't move, it would eventually do the same. Unfortunately, this was a room they had planned to avoid altogether for they had no solution to this particular puzzle.
I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please send me any comments you might have, good or bad. Copyrighted 2008 by Christine Schnell. Go ahead and share it with others just keep my name with it.
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