Julion heaved the bot down the street. He could have left it just outside the lab. He didn't because he devised a plan for this broken down bot.
Just for a moment he wished he had his own thruster pack to get to his destination that much faster. All of Julion's free time was dedicated to eating, sleeping, and working out. All the work outs in the world could not make him strong enough to lug this bot as far as he wanted to go. In his workshop they used pulleys and levers and robotic arms to lift bots to where they wanted them. His arms and back were not that strong.
Finally he came upon the door to the flit shop. Julion entered his code into the pad next to the door after dropping the bot to the ground. As the doors opened, he dragged the bot a length into the doorway, the metal screeching loudly. Just inside he let the bot lie on the floor as he activated the machinery he would be using. Once the room was brightly lit he moved to the controls of the hoisting system. A large arm came from out of the corner of the room slid above him and towards the bot. It reached down and lifted the bot with much less effort than he. The arm retracted and placed the bot onto an empty worktable.
Julion moved several diagnostic machines over to the bench. He began the laborious task of repairing the bot.
Five and a half hours later, Julion began putting the newly painted, shining, red (the color of security), metal casing back onto the bot. In these past few hours he had gained a certain amount of familiarity with the bot, and once he activated the bot's consciousness, he found the bot to be most fascinating. The bot talked much as Julion worked, mostly about his work in the Medical Clinic. When Julion activated it, the bot remarked how ironic it was for Julion to be repairing it. Julion had answered by telling bot, which Julion decided had a bit of personality after all, that he needed the bot's help. Julion then outlined his plan for ruining Linda and helping its friend at the same time.
The bot reluctantly agreed. After that, he was far more amicable and told Julion his experiences so far and Julion in turn imparted his knowledge of the androids. During the line of conversation Julion actually began to like this bot. He even almost felt as if the bot were human, except that it was made out of electronics.
With the help of the machines around him, he welded the last metal slab into place on the bot's chest. When completely repaired, the bot activated his thrusters and rose above the table. "I feel like new!" It exclaimed whirling around several times.
Julion removed his gloves and replaced all the tools back to their rightful place to give the appearance no one had been there. "I would hope so most of those components are new. You should keep in mind that I wasn't able to fix everything in the time allotted."
The bot watched as Julion flicked the power switch that would deactivate every machine in the room. "I am sure that you have done all the work to the best of your ability, and whatever you did not complete is of little importance and can be looked at on a later date."
Julion opened the door and waved the bot outwards. "I'm not sure, but that sounded like a compliment."
"You are very perceptive." It moved out onto the street and noted that the workers have begun to come out of their homes and onto the daily migration to work.
Julion began walking fast through the crowd. The bot had no problem keeping up and floated above him. Julion wanted to put distance between himself and the shop before any of his acquaintances could see him.
***
Cynthia woke up with a start. She was not where she remembered to be when she blanked out. She was in her small cubical inside Robonotics of Brazil. Sally was there staring at her. Sally's hands placed firmly but gently on her shoulders. Cynthia looked in confusion around her. The clock on the desk said it was nearly 6 A.M., time for work.
She looked around her and noted that none of the computers were turned on, so if she had been here working it didn't show it. She vaguely remembered going home and didn't remember coming here. The entire night was just a blank void, like a black hole.
When Sally saw that Cynthia was fine, she turned to the computer and turned it on, ready to work. Cynthia watched her in confusion. "What happened? Why am I here?"
Sally turned back to her. "I don't know. You were here asleep when I came in. You never showed up outside your apartment and when I went to check on you, you were gone. So I came to work and found you here. I was kind of hoping you could tell me." She looked back to her computer momentarily, blocking the view from Cynthia. "Anyway, 10NUD said the Boss wanted to have another talk with you. You've been popular with him lately. Maybe he's beginning to like you."
The suggestion didn't sound kind. There was an underlying unpleasant tone to her voice. Cynthia stood, believing that if she could see the computer screen it would answer at least a couple of her questions. Sally moved to block out her view again. Cynthia pointed to it. "Does that have anything to do with my blackout yesterday? And does my blackout yesterday have any relation with what I'm doing here instead of at my home?"
Sally avoided the question with practiced ease. "I believe you want to go see the Boss. You don't want to be late you know."
"Yes, of course, 'the Boss will have my head.'" Cynthia began to leave and quickly turned. Sally was still standing in front of the computer like a wall. "When I return, I want answers."
"Of course, ma'am." Sally's reply was snide.
As much as she was concerned for her friendship, she had other duties to attend. She predicted what the Boss wanted. Estevez more than likely found out about her little "nap" yesterday and was going to punish her for it. She walked with her head held high though she knew her fate; that she would not be walking back this way. No bots tried to stop her as she was not running.
She proceeded to the office, and 10NUD opened the doors for her. She moved cautiously towards the door, not really sure of what would happen once she walked through them.
***
They agreed that the security entrance would be a better choice than the main entrance. The security bot up front knew everyone who passed through the doors; he would catch on very quickly to the duo's scheme.
They certainly looked the part, after all, with a red security bot and the gash in Julion's head it looked as if he was the first catch of the day, trying to escape work. They went the long way around to the back taking no chances of being seen by anyone they knew. They came to the back door marked "Security" and to their surprise there were no bots in sight. Neither had ever been to the security office, therefore had no idea of what to expect of the people within. The bot, being very much a good sport, played it as if it had done this a million times before.
The bot gripped the door handle, pulled it open, and pushed Julion. Julion grabbed onto the desk that was on the side of the room to keep himself from falling. His face did fall into the desk, and there right under his nose was a pile of ICs. Finding an odd but profitable opportunity, he grabbed several chips and shoved them in his jacket as he straightened in one swift move. The bot floated in casually. The man behind a desk on the other side of the room watched them enter, totally unmoved by the charade. "May I help you?"
The bot moved toward the human who must have been head of security for he was wearing the middle class uniform colors of red and gray. "I am 43YNO from sector three. I found this worker escaping from your facilities."
As the bot and human were talking Julion took advantage of the situation and started inching his way towards the door to the outside, after all he had to play his role too. The bot quickly reacted and attached its robotic claw to the collar of Julion's uniform. "As you can see, this worker is quite suicidal. I would suggest keeping tighter security. I will leave him in your hands to deal with him as you wish." The bot delivered its prisoner to the human.
The security officer was still unmoved by their performance. "I don't think that will be necessary. After all we do have quite a tight security system." With the flick of his finger, he pressed a button and automatically two revbots came rolling in through the factory door. Julion swallowed hard.
"Escort these two out, be aware of their presence and do not allow them access to any of our facilities." The two one-wheeled bots, pistols aimed to kill, rolled toward the duo. Quite quickly, the impostors moved out of the door and back to the outside world. The door closed and they no longer had access to the building. Still, Julion didn't believe all was lost.
With the door behind him and no one else in the alley Julion produced one of the chips he had "borrowed" from his pocket. He fiddled with it between his fingers, then looked at the bot who was surveying the area for more security. "What do you make of these?"
The bot took it from him and examined the chip. The bot then opened a small compartment below its chest and placed the chip within, then placed its claw out asking for another chip. Julion dug into his pocket and produced six more. The bot took them all and placed them with the first. It was silent for a moment as it processed them. "They are of no real importance, only transfer orders for security bots. Perhaps later they will be useful. We must get inside the building before they could be of any use."
Julion, who had given up the plan at that exact moment, sat against the wall hugging his knees sure his life was finished. He no longer had a job, and now the only purpose he believed he had in life was blocked by a large wall. The bot did not seem as resigned. Julion followed the bot's gaze; he looked up, and up, and up about sixty floors. "What, may I ask, are you thinking?" Julion craned his neck to see the top of the building.
"I am calculating what amount of thrust would be required to propel one hundred eighty pounds excess weight to the top of this building."
"I was afraid of that. Listen, let's just forget it. There's no way we're getting into this building. Why don't we just wait until the android leaves? We can use her to get to the rest of the androids." His suggestion was a valid one.
However, the bot diagnosed why Julion had a sudden change of heart. "Do not tell me you are afraid of heights."
"All right, I won't tell you. I just have this to say, if you plan on going to the lab from the outside, than you're doing it by yourself." Julion refused to go up that high from the outside. It wasn't the heights he was afraid of he could look down from the highest window and not be scared. It was just the falling part he was not fond of, and scaling the building in this way included a high risk of falling.
"I am afraid you must put your fears aside. If you were correct in telling me earlier that Estevez wished to see the completed prototype today than she may already be in their hands. She would not be leaving work. We must find our own way in." The bot, even without the red paint, demanded authority.
As much as Julion hated to admit it, the bot was right. He stood and looked up once again. He felt he might regret this decision, but it was their only chance. "Going up?"
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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