(November 8th, 2038)
She has the worst night of sleep that she has had in years. Between worry, excitement, and lust she could not get her heart to calm down enough to sleep for more than an hour at a time. All night she just kept wanting to tell them to join her in her room but she knew that was wrong. They are not a gang of sex slaves. They are people with hopes, dreams, and desires of their own. Most of them were probably going to leave just as soon as they know the group is okay.
She gets dressed and heads downstairs. As she suggested, some of the Jerrys are reading while others watch the TV. Some of them are even in the kitchen again presumably making her breakfast. She wipes her eyes sleepily.
"Good morning everyone."
"Good morning miss. We hope you had a nice rest."
"I didn't but nothing a strong cup of coffee can't fix."
She walks over to the coffee maker which has coffee already brewed and she pours herself a cup.
"Did any other Jerrys show up last night?"
"Two more did. We did as you said but we didn't have any more clothes to give them."
They present her with the two Jerrys who are still wearing their beat up uniforms. They bow to greet her and she bows back.
"I'm glad you could make it." She realizes it is already pretty sunny outside. "Oh shit, what time is it?" She looks over at the clock. It reads nine twenty six. "Crap, I over slept. My cow is not going to be happy about that."
"Is there anything we can do to help?"
"No, no, you have all done more than enough."
"Please, we want to help."
She sits down exhausted at the table and sips her coffee. Jerry sets a plate of bacon and eggs down in front of her and the others step over to the table and stare at her, waiting for a response.
She laughs, "Okay, if you insist. Since I am sure it continued to snow through the night, the tarps on my vegetable garden need to be cleared off, my horses need to be feed and brushed, my cow needs milking, and the chicken pen needs to be shoveled out, and laid with fresh wood chips. That's all I can think of right now."
"We'll get right on." They all head for the door.
"Oh wait, please don't touch my cow. She can be a bit testy and I am sure she wouldn't like strangers barging into her pen. We also don't need you guys getting more banged up before we have the parts of fix you."
"Understood," they reply.
"Thank you."
The Jerrys work quickly to get the chores completed. Valerie gets suited up for the trip and the Jerrys gather around her truck to see her off.
"Okay, so how many Jerrys were left at the park? Twelve correct? I should be able to bring that many back in my truck."
The Jerrys' LEDs flash red for a moment.
"What is it? What's wrong?"
"It's the other Jerrys. Some of them were captured as they tried to make their way here. A few more were found at the park and either shot or brought back to the city for destruction."
"Oh my god no," she cries.
"So far none of the ones who were captured have been killed but they are being detained. They're scared."
Valerie panics, "So... are there any still alive on the park grounds?"
They check with each other through their connections. "There are three," they answer.
"Well I'm sticking to the plan then. We'll have to come up with a way to get the others after."
She hops into the truck and one of the Jerrys climbs in beside her.
"What are you doing? You should stay here," she tells him.
"No, you need one of us to tell you how to find the others."
"Well, tell everyone to stay put and if anyone shows up they should hide up inside the barn. There is a crawlspace up there and no one should be able to find them there."
Her eyes drip with tears as she watches him close his eyes and relay the message to the others. Once he opens them again, he gives her a nod, she kicks the truck into gear, and speeds on her way to rescue the others.
They approach the park and find a fresh trail of tire tracks along the road. Being cautious, she slowly approaches the entrance. As they reach the center of the plaza they find many sets of footprints along the ground. Valerie parks the truck and steps out to take a look around.
"Do you see anything?" She asks Jerry.
"No, I think we're in the clear," he replies.
"Hey! Is anyone here?" She shouts. "It's okay, you can come out now!" There is no response. "Fuck," she mutters to herself.
They continue to look around and before long she discovers a trail of blue blood in the snow. She follows it and comes across an EM400 who has been wounded, twitching and kneeling in the snow.
"Hey over here!" She hollers.
The other Jerry runs to her aid.
"He looks like he's lost a lot of blood. Get him back to the truck and wrap something tight around the wound."
"Got it."
As the two of them head back to the truck she takes another look around. She discovers the body of another Jerry that has been shot in the head and left for dead in the snow. She runs over to him and checks if he is still alive. His LED is blank. Her hand shakes but not from the cold as she places her fingers over his face.
"No," she weeps.
The other Jerry returns to her side.
"Valerie, I found another one. He is waiting in the truck."
"Good. Now we just have to find the third one."
Jerry tries to find him through their connection but he doesn't get a signal.
"I-I don't know where he could be. I know I heard him back at the house but he doesn't seem to still be here."
"We have to find him," she demands still crying.
"We will."
"Come on. They shot this one but at least we might be able to use him to fix up the others."
They both bring the body back to the truck then continue their search for the remaining Jerry. They walk along the park path calling out to him over and over.
"Jerry! Where are you!" Valerie hollers. "Jerry we have to go!"
Suddenly Jerry sees a figure in the distance. He points.
"Valerie look!"
She sees what he is pointing at and they rush over to the figure. It is indeed another Jerry who has been frozen in place by ice.
"Is he still alive?" She asks.
"I don't know. I can't get a read on him."
"Come on, let's just get him back to the truck."
They each lift him up from one side to carry him. Still frozen, they lift him up next to the others and close him inside.
"Don't worry guys. You'll be safe soon," she promises them.
As they drive back to the farm, they find yet another Jerry stumbling on the road. He has been shot in the stomach and has left a trail of blue blood all the way from the park. They load him into the back and continue home.
Once they arrive she again has the others help her to bring the wounded into the garage. She removes the blanket from the table and props them all up as she did before. They place the frozen Jerry next to the heater to allow him to thaw out. The others gather around the garage door as she first focuses her attention on the Jerry that has been shot in the stomach. She pulls his hand away from the wound and sees that one of his bio-components has been nicked. She tries to think clearly and quickly.
"Okay, um... I need one of you to run up to the upstairs bathroom and grab me some gauze and the box that has the horse symbol on it."
One of the Jerrys does as she says and hurries to bring the items to her. She takes the box and opens it then pours rubbing alcohol over the gauze and sets in over the wound. After getting it cleaned up she takes the set of pliers and sticks it deep down into his wound and pulls out the bullet. As he continues to bleed she sews the nick closed then layers it with fresh gauze before taping the entire wound closed.
"There, that will have to do for now," she tells them.
"How did you know how to do that?" They ask amazed.
"You can't keep livestock around without knowing the few basic steps of how to treat open wounds. Animals tend to get hurt on a farm all the time so I've had to deal with this kind of thing a few times."
"You're incredible," he says still in wonder by her actions.
"Thanks," she blushes.
"Okay so we got to do the same thing to this other one who has been shot in the arm."
She applies the same steps then bandages the wound closed.
"We might just have to find you a new arm but for now we'll just stick to this, okay?"
He nodes his head in agreement.
"Alright. Now somebody go grab Little Jerry for me." They do and pass him along into her hands. She looks him in the eyes. "So I have good news and bad news. The good news Little Jerry is that we have a body for you. The bad news is it comes from another Jerry that was shot and killed at the park.
His face moves from a smile to a frown.
"At least we can take solace that he was not left out there to rot and with no one around to care."
"Yes, he shall be missed. He was a part of your family. It wasn't right for him to just be gunned down like that," she cries.
"Don't be sad miss. If it wasn't for you we might have all been killed. It is almost as if you were sent to save us. You're an angel and we will never be able to thank you enough."
Her heart flutters and she holds him against her chest. Hearing her heartbeat he closes his eyes and relays the feeling to all the other Jerrys. Their LEDs all begin to flash blue, even if only for a moment until she lifts him back into her hands. The others bring her the body and she sets his head down on the table. She pulls the damaged head free from the neck and then places Little Jerry in its place. His neck settles into place then his eyes twitch as he gains control over the body. He looks at his arms and then down at his legs as he wiggles his toes. He then looks back up and her and a tear escapes his eye.
"I can walk again." He giggles, "It's been so long since I had feet, and hands. Thank you."
"You're welcome."
He wraps his arms around her and they share a tight hug. He eventually releases her and she wipes the tears from her face.
She clears her throat, "Alright, so... that leaves us still with the problem of needing an extra heart pump and cranium module..." she looks over at the still frozen Jerry. "...and we're not sure what his condition is going to be. We also still have the problem of lack of blue blood, and we need of extra arms."
Little Jerry places his hands on her shoulders. "Hey, it's okay. You can slow down. None of us are going anywhere and no one is in any condition where they are going to get worse. Just relax."
He rubs her arms softly.
She cries, "I can't. Not until I know all of you are safe. There are still the ones who have been captured in the city as well. I need to find them."
She tries to walk towards the door but the Jerrys block her. They all circle around her and for a moment she becomes frightened by their actions. They then hold out their arms to her and join in a group hug to show her just how much they appreciate all she has done for them. She cries out loud filled with both happiness and sorrow. They hold her close until she is able to regain her composure.
Later that afternoon after she has calmed down, Valerie decides to take a chance and call a fellow farmer who lives only a few towns over. She asks him if he has any blue blood he might be able to spare. He informs her that he got ride of all his androids and therefore if she is willing to come pick it up he would be more than happy to give her his batch. She thanks him and jumps for joy as she goes to tell the others.
"So who wants to go with me to pick it up?" She asks.
They all talk among themselves, "We think that it should be Little Jerry who goes."
"That's okay with me. Come on."
She holds her hand out to him and he joyfully grabs it as she leads him to the truck. On the road, the two of them just sit quietly together enjoying each other's company. They reach the other farm and Valerie parks the truck just outside the barn. Her old, fellow, farmer comes out to meet her and is surprised to see the EM400.
"Oh, I didn't know you were going to be bringing one of them with you," he says.
"I needed someone to help me get that big barrel in the back of my truck. Why is it a problem?"
"No, no I mean not really. It's just odd seeing one again after you know... everything that has been going on. Has yours been acting funny at all?"
"No, not at all. Jerry is still a big help even on a small farm such as mine."
She looks over at Little Jerry and gives him a wink. The old man is none the wiser.
"Uh huh, well the blue blood is all set up and ready to go. It's just inside."
"Thank you, I really appropriate it."
They step into the barn to grab the barrel.
"Do your androids need fresh blood often?"
"Well you know, my horses are starting to get older and therefore more testy so they tend to kick even when unprovoked and that can leave some pretty nasty gashes."
They load the barrel into the truck and lock it in tight.
"Thanks again."
They shake hands.
"You're doing me the favor of not having to dump it off at the solid waste fill. Saves me a trip into the city."
His words click inside Valerie's head. She hops back into her truck and hurries back down the highway.
"What has got you all fired up?" Little Jerry asks.
"The junk yard!" She answers excitedly. "Why didn't I think of it before? We could run in there, grab the parts we need, and no one would be the wiser."
"I don't know. If any of us are seen inside the city we could be shot on sight."
"I won't let that happen. I'll just park the car somewhere nearby, grab the parts we need and get out supper quick and then you will all have the parts and blood you need."
Seeing her excitement he doesn't have the heart to protest against her but still tells the others about her plans and the fear he feels. About an hour later they show up at the waste fill entrance. She grabs a duffle bag from the back seat and hops out of the truck.
"Just stay down and don't come out no matter what you hear. I'll be back as fast as I can."
Little Jerry ducks himself down on the seat of the truck. She shuts and locks the door then closes the windows of the trailer to make sure no one can see the barrel of blue blood. She skips her way over to the mound of body parts and begins to shove pieces into her bag. She inches herself to the edge of the pit and looks in to see all the broken down androids that are struggling to find parts in order to put themselves back together.
"Oh, those pour things," she whispers to herself.
Suddenly, the mound she is gripping onto gives way and she falls down into the pit, landing on her stomach hard. It knocks the wind out of her and for a moment she can't find her footing. She looks around her and finds the head of an EM400 that is still intact. She crawls over to it, picks it up, then shoves it into her bag. Finding her balance again, she stands up and grabs a set of arms and legs. She finds a few eyes and even a couple heart pumps.
"My god this place is a gold mine. Why would they just throw all this stuff away?"
She then finds a torso that has no heart pump but the bio-components are still intact. She lifts it up under her arm and decides that it is the last piece she needs.
"Okay, now I just need to get all this back to the truck."
She looks for a spot to climb up out of the pit and straps the bag over her shoulders. With only one arm to climb with it takes her a while to even get half way up the hill. She looses her grip and slides most of the way back down.
"Fuck," she mutters to herself.
The snow makes her grip on the plastic bodies cold. Her fingers start to go numb and it becomes harder and harder for her to keep her grip. Almost at the top her foot slips and she almost drops the torso. Using the rest of her strength, she tosses the torso up and over the ledge then uses both her hands to pull herself up. Exhausted, she falls belly down to the ground trying to catch her breath. She hears Little Jerry exit the truck and run to her side.
"Valerie! Valerie are you okay?"
"I told you to stay in the truck," she says disappointed in him.
"I thought you were hurt. I couldn't just leave you lying here," he explains.
"It's fine. Just take the bag and get back inside."
He does as she asks then she catches her breath and forces herself to stand back up. She grabs the torso and tosses it into the back and then climbs into the drivers seat. Proud of herself she can't help but crack a big smile.
The sun has gone to sleep by the time they make it back to the house. Valerie heads inside to get something to eat and drink while the Jerrys unload everything from the truck. Valerie stands in the kitchen giggling to herself and is ready to fix up the rest of the group. She downs her meal and makes her way to the garage when she suddenly becomes dizzy and collapses to the ground. The Jerrys hear the loud thud and run to her aid.
(November 9th, 2038)
Valerie wakes up in her bed. Looking around the room she sees that a group of six Jerrys are in a circle around the bed watching over her. She looks to the window and the sun is shining brightly through. She rubs her eyes as she sits up.
"Oh man. Was I really out the whole night?" She groans.
"You must have over exerted yourself. We found you passed out near the front door. We were worried you might be hurt."
"No, no I'm okay. Sorry to make you guys worry like that. I guess I was just running on adrenaline and it must have caught up with me." She shifts herself off the bed and stands up. "So, what about the rest of the Jerrys? Did you guys get them all fixed up?"
"We did. Even the frozen Jerry woke up after we gave him some blue blood." He laughs, "We are surprised he didn't wake you with his repetitive, Welcome to Pirates' Cove spiel. He's back to normal now. Everyone else hard at work making sure the chores are getting done while we were waiting for you to wake up."
"There have been no signs of visitors correct?"
"No, none that we have seen."
"At least that is some good news. Speaking of, we should find out what has been going on."
She heads downstairs and sits herself down in front of the television while a few of the Jerrys prepare breakfast for her. She turns to CTN News as they are about to make an announcement. She turns up the television so that all the Jerrys can listen as well.
"...resulting in armed forces losing 2/3 of effective personnel. Androids are ordered to be turned over to the authorities, to be delivered to the nearest police station or army barracks, to be put in camps. The lack of androids has shut down services and utilities such as hospitals, schools, water, electricity, and even networks..."
She turns off the television and all the Jerrys look to her direction for instructions. She turns to all of them with tears in her eyes.
"For the next few days, I think it is best if everyone stays inside. They might start sending out helicopters to search the area and I don't want any of you spotted by them. Do you all understand?"
"Yes Valerie," they answer.
"Good. Now the question is, what to do with sixteen androids stuck in a house together," she sighs.
Valerie decides to turn her home into a kind of boarding school over the next few days. She tries to teach them about anything they want to know. What they should do, where they should go. She tells them her stories about childhood, love, and family. As they keep an eye on the news, they hear about Markus's revolution and how he plans to free all the androids who have been captured and brought to the camps. They all cheer him on and Valerie prays that the other Jerrys who were taken from the park are still alive.
