I've said it before and I wish I didn't have to say it again: I DO NOT OWN BIG O OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. I AM NOT MAKING MONEY WHEN I PUBLISH THESE STORIES. IF YOU CAME HERE LOOKING FOR A LAWSUIT, THEN BUGGER OFF!!!!!
I do, however, claim the City of Angels and David as my own original ideas, so if anybody uses them without asking first, be prepared for a severe type-lashing! =(
Act 23: Ghost in the Machine
"Ah, you're here. Have a seat, both of you." Roger and Dorothy sat in the two chairs, which groaned under their respective weights. David stood from behind the desk, and walked around in front. "I assume that Angel told you about this city's past? How it was a center of culture and learning before the Event? Well, there are the ruins of a large complex not to far outside the border. We believe it was once a famous school, where students and teachers alike were kept to the highest standards." He leaned against his desk, and pressed a button on a small pad of them. A screen lowered onto a wall nearby, on which was displayed a map. "Since it was a place of learning, we imagine there to be considerable secrets to be found within. None of our people, however, go near it." He looked around, then leaned closer to them. "They say it's haunted."
"Bah! The last ghost I ran into was just an illusion. Superstition, plain and simple." Roger stood and walked over to the map.
"It may be superstition, but nobody will go near it. I figured, however, that two androids have little to fear from the dead..."
"You've got that right. Let's roll, Dorothy." Roger pulled out his sunglasses and started for the door, but Dorothy remained sitting.
"Are you sure it's a good idea to rush into things this way, Roger?"
He paused in the doorframe. "Well, it's worked for me so far, hasn't it?" She merely raised an eyebrow. "Hey, if I hadn't 'rushed into things,' as you put it, we wouldn't have met, now, would we?"
Dorothy smirked. "You have a point. We'll be back soon, David."
"Excellent. I will have your car waiting at the city's edge for you, Roger."
The Gryphon came to a halt at the ancient, rusting gates. Roger and Dorothy stepped out and approached warily.
"Look...some words are formed in the arch." Dorothy pointed at the curving metal above the gate.
Roger squinted, a human reflex left over from his organic body, and read what he could make out. "Ha...Har...Harvad?"
"Harvard. I suppose that was someone's name. Perhaps the founder," said Dorothy as Roger stepped forward and effortlessly ripped the gate aside.
"Whoa!! This is still going to take a little getting used to." He flexed his hydraulic limbs, feeling the strength at his finger-tips.
"Don't get to cocky, Roger. Androids may be stronger, faster, and more capable than humans, but we are still fallible." Dorothy chided him, then turned to look beyond the gate.
Crumbling, red-brick buildings lined both sides of an overgrown road. Trees grew here and there, and she felt an aura of mystery about the place. The walked in silence down the road.
Roger spotted something out of the corner of his eye. He turned, as did Dorothy, and they saw a pale blue light in one of the unbroken windows of a nearby building. It faded, as if the source were moving back.
"Come on!" Roger took off at a jog. Dorothy sighed, "Men," and followed him at a leisurely pace.
I do, however, claim the City of Angels and David as my own original ideas, so if anybody uses them without asking first, be prepared for a severe type-lashing! =(
Act 23: Ghost in the Machine
"Ah, you're here. Have a seat, both of you." Roger and Dorothy sat in the two chairs, which groaned under their respective weights. David stood from behind the desk, and walked around in front. "I assume that Angel told you about this city's past? How it was a center of culture and learning before the Event? Well, there are the ruins of a large complex not to far outside the border. We believe it was once a famous school, where students and teachers alike were kept to the highest standards." He leaned against his desk, and pressed a button on a small pad of them. A screen lowered onto a wall nearby, on which was displayed a map. "Since it was a place of learning, we imagine there to be considerable secrets to be found within. None of our people, however, go near it." He looked around, then leaned closer to them. "They say it's haunted."
"Bah! The last ghost I ran into was just an illusion. Superstition, plain and simple." Roger stood and walked over to the map.
"It may be superstition, but nobody will go near it. I figured, however, that two androids have little to fear from the dead..."
"You've got that right. Let's roll, Dorothy." Roger pulled out his sunglasses and started for the door, but Dorothy remained sitting.
"Are you sure it's a good idea to rush into things this way, Roger?"
He paused in the doorframe. "Well, it's worked for me so far, hasn't it?" She merely raised an eyebrow. "Hey, if I hadn't 'rushed into things,' as you put it, we wouldn't have met, now, would we?"
Dorothy smirked. "You have a point. We'll be back soon, David."
"Excellent. I will have your car waiting at the city's edge for you, Roger."
The Gryphon came to a halt at the ancient, rusting gates. Roger and Dorothy stepped out and approached warily.
"Look...some words are formed in the arch." Dorothy pointed at the curving metal above the gate.
Roger squinted, a human reflex left over from his organic body, and read what he could make out. "Ha...Har...Harvad?"
"Harvard. I suppose that was someone's name. Perhaps the founder," said Dorothy as Roger stepped forward and effortlessly ripped the gate aside.
"Whoa!! This is still going to take a little getting used to." He flexed his hydraulic limbs, feeling the strength at his finger-tips.
"Don't get to cocky, Roger. Androids may be stronger, faster, and more capable than humans, but we are still fallible." Dorothy chided him, then turned to look beyond the gate.
Crumbling, red-brick buildings lined both sides of an overgrown road. Trees grew here and there, and she felt an aura of mystery about the place. The walked in silence down the road.
Roger spotted something out of the corner of his eye. He turned, as did Dorothy, and they saw a pale blue light in one of the unbroken windows of a nearby building. It faded, as if the source were moving back.
"Come on!" Roger took off at a jog. Dorothy sighed, "Men," and followed him at a leisurely pace.