A/N: Hope you're enjoying this. :)
Chapter 2
"So what do you think?" Pixel couldn't his pride as his friends looked over the android.
"Incredible. So he listens to your commands?" Stephanie asked.
"Watch this." Pixel smirked and ordered,
"IAC shake Robbie's hand." The android sat up turned to Robbie and extended a hand. Robbie extended his as well and they shook.
"Amazing." Trixie commented.
"I must have it! It's MIIIIIINE!" Stingy shouted. He reached for the robot and Trixie punched him in the shoulder.
"Don't even think about it." She gave him a glare. The miser gave her a look as if to say "how dare you deny me" and she smacked upside the head. Ziggy chuckled at this, which only got him glares from both of them.
"So can he help us infiltrate the Ministry's base?" Sportacus wondered.
"We've begun to create programming for it's main computer. Right now IAC only responds to verbal commands. We're hoping to create a program to upload instructions to him, that way he will not be able to disobey a direct order." Robbie explained.
"Does that make him Three Laws compatible?" The above average hero asked.
"Yes and no. We intend to have him recognize all of us and any perceived attacks against us to be interpreted as such and then the command is 'Destroy'. IAC will then take out the threat unless instructed not too by our recognized voice commands." Robbie said.
"Destroy?" This seemed to make Sportacus a little nervous.
"That command will only kick in when I sent a signal to him, indicating 'War Mode'." Pixel explained.
"War Mode?" Again there was nervousness in the hero's voice. His question was ignored and the Gizmo Guy announced,
"It'll take Robbie and I at least two weeks to get the code done. Then he'll be ready for action."
"That doesn't give us much time. Come on guys. Let's get back to training." Stephanie smiled and quickly ushered her friends out leaving Sportacus with Robbie and Pixel.
"Shouldn't you be going?" Robbie asked him. This seemed to shake the hero from his thoughts.
"Right. Sorry. Hey can we talk later?" He asked Robbie as Pixel headed upstairs for more caffeine.
"Sure. What time?" The ex-villain wondered.
"Around six. Your place unless you want to climb the ladder." The hero said.
"My place it is then." Robbie nodded. He had no intention of trying to climb that ladder. His body probably couldn't take it. Sportacus nodded as he left the room and headed back upstairs. Robbie watched him, wondering what the hero wanted to talk to him in private for.
Training continued into the late afternoon until around five o'clock which signaled dinner and break for the evening. Trixie and Stingy headed toward her mom's house as she had invited him over and Ziggy headed toward his folks place.
"So, you coming for dinner?" Stephanie asked.
"Of course." He smiled though he seemed slightly distracted.
"Are you ok? You've seemed preoccupied after we visited Pixel and Robbie." Concern filled Stephanie's voice as they started walking to the Mayor's house.
"Sorry. I'm just worried." He told her.
"Worried? You? Come on. Since when?" Her joking tone made him chuckle.
"I just don't know about this plan. I'd never forgive myself if something happened to anyone. Especially you." He took her hand and gave it a squeeze.
"No worries, I can take care of myself. Besides if I get into trouble, you're always there." She tried to reassure him. Sportacus smiled slightly. It seemed as though Stephanie's naiveté wasn't letting her see what he meant. Although he noted she could just be saying that to make him feel better.
"Come on, we're getting better every day and with IAC we should be able to take them." She said.
"We don't even know who they are or how many there are. This is what concerns me. We could be walking right into a death trap." His concern about the impending trip was logical and Stephanie could see how it bothered him. She also knew he was right, as usual. She let out a sigh, stopped just before her Uncle's front door, and said,
"After dinner, I'll go talk to Pixel about the plan and see if IAC can't give us more info on the Ministry. Ok?"
"Sounds good. That'll give me some time to plan tomorrow's training sessions." He smiled and leaned over. Pressing his lips to her forehead, he hoped he was reassuring her. She smiled back and opened the door.
To Be Continued…
