Automan and all character names therein are owned by the American Broadcasting Company. All characters are fictional and resemblance to any persons living or dead is coincidental. No copyright infringement is intended.

Automan: Overclocked

By Sailor Chronos

Chapter 6

The Autocar glided along the streets, weaving in and out of traffic in pursuit of the blue Pontiac that had been reported as being a getaway vehicle in another electronics heist. "I sure hope we can catch them this time," Walter said from the passenger seat. "At the very least, they've got charges of attempted murder of police officers coming to them."

"I will try," said Auto, concentrating on the road ahead. "But the traffic is much heavier than usual this evening. The longer we pursue them it increases the likelihood of an accident. Even though we can't hit anything, they can."

"I know," said Walter, watching their quarry closely. Suddenly the blue car braked hard and turned off the thoroughfare, and the Autocar followed. After a few more turns they ended up on a narrow lane and Walter became puzzled. "Why are they going this way? Do they have a hideout around here?"

"There's only one way to find out." Auto slowed as the car ahead slowed as well. Then suddenly he perceived a subtle flicker of something that spanned the roadway. "What-?" he exclaimed, and hit the brakes.

Walter saw nothing in front of them. However the front of the car began to de-rez as if there was an invisible line across the road, on the other side of which the car couldn't exist. He was flung out of his seat and through the no-longer-solid dashboard, and fell heavily to the pavement.

Automan's body on the other hand impacted on what felt like a solid wall, and he cried out in agony as the remainder of the car shimmered out of existence. He crumpled to the ground on his back. The only other time he had felt like this was back in 1984 when he and Walter had been trapped by an assassin intent on killing them... and he realized that these criminals had done something similar by rigging an electro-magnetic field across the road. "Walter?" he called in a strained voice as he tried to rise. But his partner was unmoving; unconscious and possibly hurt badly.

"Don't you worry about your friend," said a gruff voice, and Auto looked up to see the large form of a man that he recognized from the police reports as Terence Argyle. "You come with us, 'Agent Mann', and we'll see to it that he stays alive. If you try to escape, or disappear, or whatever it is that you do, then he's a dead man." He waved his hand, and two other men came forward and lifted Walter up.

It was obvious that these men knew what he was and at least some of his capabilities. He had no choice but to capitulate, since he didn't want to risk Walter's life. What he could do, however, was get help. He mentally instructed Cursor to discreetly alert Lina and Roxanne. They would do what was necessary.

Lina had stoked the fire for the night and was about to go to sleep when her cellphone rang, startling her. Reception here at the cabin was unreliable at best, but she still kept the phone handy just in case. When she picked up the phone, a text message displayed: AUTOMAN IN TROUBLE, COME QUICKLY. CURSOR.

Despite the warmth, her body froze. What had happened? It was very rare that Walter and Auto got into a situation that they couldn't handle, which meant things had to be bad if Cursor was summoning her during her time off. Despite having been ordered to stay off the beat for a week, she couldn't ignore this. If anything happened to Auto... she pushed the thought aside and focused on what needed to be done.

Hurriedly she dressed and gathered up the few things she would need, intending to return and deal with the rest as soon as possible. Then she doused the fire, closed up the cabin, and rode her snowmobile along the dark trail through the woods toward town. Once she reached her car it would take close to two hours for her to drive back into Los Angeles, and she desperately hoped that nothing would happen to either Auto or Walter before then.

Roxanne was catching up on some mind-numbing clerical work in her home office when the floor trembled slightly and the lights dimmed. She knew well what this heralded, and was glad that the boys were staying over at a friend's house and wouldn't witness it. Cursor emerged from the screen, twittered briefly, then returned to the computer and wrote out a message.

"Walter and Automan have been captured and are being held at an old factory on the edge of Boyle Heights. Their captors know what Automan is and have measures to contain him. Please hurry." He then typed an address.

"Got it," she said. "Thanks Cursor, I'll be there as soon as I can." Grabbing her cellphone and keys, she headed out. This scared her; memories of Walter in the hospital recovering from a gunshot wound were never far from her mind, even after all these years. "Oh Wally, what have you and Automan gotten into now?"

Argyle led Automan into a large brick building and ascended two flights of stairs to a well-appointed office. The slender brown-haired man sitting behind the desk turned as they approached. "Thank you, Mr. Argyle. Please leave us." He waited until the man left before speaking again. "Welcome, Agent Mann. I must apologize for using such methods to ensure your presence, but would you have listened to what I have to say if my men had asked nicely?"

"I believe you know the answer to that, Mr. Logan," Auto replied sternly, also knowing him from the reports he had read. "Where is Lieutenant Nebicher?" The question was for appearances, since he could sense that Walter was also in the building, and alive. But he needed to find out more about this operation and stall for time.

"Your partner is quite safe, as long as you do as you're told." Logan rose and began to walk around the room. "I understand that you are considered an expert in computers, by virtue of the fact that your appearance is generated by them. One of my colleagues happened to see the holographic performance at the E3 trade show last summer."

Auto recalled that at the time he had mentioned that he was a hologram, but he hadn't shown any of his abilities. However, even that knowledge had already been exploited to devastating effect. He had to take care to not show Logan any more than necessary. "If that's true, then you would also know that I don't take orders from anybody."

Logan lifted a finger. "Ah, but you have a strong connection to Nebicher that allows him to influence you. If I had to guess, I would say that he's your best friend as well as your police partner. That gives me the advantage."

Unfortunately Logan was correct. "What is it that you want? If you are expecting me to engage in criminal activity on your behalf, that is impossible. I help enforce the law, not break it."

Now Logan's calm expression changed to one of malice. "You will if you want to see your friend alive again," he threatened. "While all men fear death, as a hologram you are nearly indestructible, which negates that weakness. However, like all men with some semblance of feeling, you are not above being manipulated." He activated a speaker-phone. "Mr. Argyle, please give our guest a small demonstration."

Walter's voice sounded on the speaker. "Agent Mann, don't worry about me! Don't do what they want!" There was a low-pitched hiss in the background: the sound of something hot being applied to human flesh. Walter yelled in pain.

His eyes blazing with fury, Auto walked up to Logan and grabbed the front of his jacket, lifting him off the floor. "Desist. Now."

The man smirked. "Harm me and Nebicher dies. It's that simple."

Logan was not lying. Seeing no alternative, Auto put him down. "What do you need me for that you can't have anyone else do?"

"First, some... corrections shall we say, of certain government records. Even my best hacker can't access the federal data banks, but you can." He indicated that Auto should sit down at the computer on his desk. "Oh, and don't think about escaping, since there now is a magnetic field protecting this room. Get started."