Chapter Forty-Eight – Evade and Escape
"Looks clear." Lin reported as he scanned the area around the shop. John nodded, coming out of his hiding place down a small side alley. They could see the shop, or what was left of it, across the street. The Asian android led the way, eyes darting around the structure as he scanned. It was stable, for now at least. So long as they didn't go upstairs they'd be fine. He led the way in, going through the shop and into the small workshop.
It was a sad sight. Barely anything remained from before. The metal tool boxes had been warped, various tools lay scattered around in the ash, all of the wooden and material surfaces had been burned, charred or reduced to ash. He noticed John's jaw tighten as he cast his eyes about the room. This place had been his business, his home. John coughed a little as he started sifting through the ash to find his smaller travel toolbox. He vaguely remembered tucking it into a small cupboard, which had been charred and collapsed. He tossed a black panel aside and grabbed the black box. It was about the size of a doctor's bag, and contained what he needed for smaller emergency repairs.
"Is that it?" Lin asked, watching John's eyes drift towards the storage room.
"Yes." John replied, feet hesitantly taking a few steps towards the darkened doorway. He paused as Lin's hand landed on his shoulder, squeezing firmly.
"Don't." He said simply, feeling John hesitate beneath his hand. He slowly pressed himself against the blonde's back, hands resting on his hips as he leaned down to press a gentle kiss to the teen's temple. His blue eyes remained fixed on the doorway. He bit his lip. "That's not something you want to see." Lin added soothingly, gently trying to urge John to turn from the room. He was surprised as the blonde stood firm, shrugging him off.
"I need to see." John said in a small voice, his breath shaky as he took a hesitant step towards the doorway. He was quietly hoping that nothing would be there, that the fire would have burned it to a crisp, but he knew better. Lin also knew better, quickly taking quick steps to get in front of John, blocking his path. He rest his hands on John's smaller shoulders, brow pinched worriedly as he regarded the human.
"It's not how he'd want you to remember him." He implored, and it took everything for John to squash the urge to shout. He can't want anything, he'll never want anything again. His jaw tightened as he pushed past Lin, who sighed but had little choice. John was stubborn. He lowered his eyes to the floor as he entered the doorway, bottom lip already trembling as he urged himself to raise his head. It was so hard to tear his eyes from his feet when he knew what was there.
He heard light steps behind, crunching the ash. It was reassuring to know he wasn't alone. He took a breath and lifted his head. A small whimper escaped his throat as he looked at the broken plastic shell. Now that the fire was out he could see how hopeless it had been the night before. Metal shards had impaled the android, fixing it in place completely. There was no way he would have been able to free the unit the night before, not without tools. The shards had gone through multiple internal components, causing almost irreparable damage.
"John!" Lin exclaimed, barely catching the teen as his knees gave out. The blonde didn't answer as he slowly reached forward with a shaking hand. Lin watched as the human slowly rested his fingers on the GT300's warped knee, slowly reaching further up to take his charred hand. Lin knelt behind John, as close as possible, so that he could wrap the human in his arms securely. This wasn't something he'd wanted to see either.
"Sorry…I'm sorry." John sniffled, shaking in Lin's grasp. Lin hushed him, gently easing his fingers away from the plastic husk of their friend. After a few moments John turned in his grasp and buried his face in Lin's shoulder. "I don't want to leave him here…I don't want him to be treated like…" The blonde trailed off, not voicing the word. Trash. Scrap. Either one would have done. The problem was they didn't have time.
"I know…but we have to go. Other androids need our help…It's alright. I have his memories, you have his LED, and this is just an empty shell. What happens to it isn't important." Lin assured gently, though he knew it bothered John greatly. He gave the teen a sympathetic nod. John stood slowly, taking one last look before hefting the tool box. Lin gently took it from him, noting the way John's fingers twitched without it. He took John's hand and squeezed, giving him something to focus on. They headed slowly up the quiet street, eventually reaching the small park Katie had been playing in not so long ago. "Behind the fence, get down!" Lin urged as he heard a truck approaching. It was big. Military grade. A tank?
"What is it?" John asked quietly, having done this numerous times that night. Lin rested a hand on John's arm to keep him down. A few moments later he heard the rumble, which became louder as the truck drew closer. It was a large armoured truck, heavy and low to the ground. John's heart almost stopped as he heard the thing roll to a halt and a metal door slam. There were two voices, muffled by armoured helmets. "The army?" The human wondered quietly as he peeked through the wooden panels, watching the humans approach a sickeningly familiar house.
"Good evening Miss, you called about an android requiring collection." One of the uniformed men said politely. John couldn't help shifting for a better look. His stomach dropped as he realised he was right. It was Mrs Thompson. John almost missed the reply as Mrs Thompson agreed and called into the house. Mr Thompson appeared moments later with Katie in his arms. The little girl seemed at ease, safe in her father's embrace.
"Here she is…Katie, you be good for the nice men, okay?" Mr Thompson said as he bounced the girl in his arms. Katie, understandably, seemed wary of the men. She looked from them to her father before giving a small nod. The only saving grace that John could see was that the soldiers didn't point their guns at the small girl as she was lowered to her feet.
"Thank you for your cooperation." The first soldier said as the second took Katie's small hand and led her towards the truck. She was still wearing her pyjamas and slippers. She was shivering in the cold, part of her realistic response programming. John felt Lin's hand grip his shoulder painfully. He hadn't even realised he'd tried to move. He looked at Lin, horrified.
"Lin, it's Katie!" He hissed, the taller man closing his eyes a moment. He didn't like it either. In the doorway Mrs Thompson and her husband looked on, sharing s few more words with the soldier. Saying how they were happy to help, and that the reports were truly frightening. John found it more frightening that two seemingly perfect parents were willingly sending their child to what was certainly an extermination camp. "Please! We can't just let them do this!" John urged desperately. Lin nodded quietly. There were likely more than fifty androids in that truck, he could hear the movement of their feet and hands as they tried to find a way out.
"Stay here." Lin urged as he sneaked through the gate, staying low. John felt his heart clench in fear as Lin sneaked towards the rear of the truck. The second solider was on the right, opening the small side door to shove Katie inside. While he was busy, and the first guard was distracted with the main door, Lin reached the larger rear doors. He scanned it. A simple key lock, made so that androids couldn't hack it. There were also heavy bolts. Lin knew he wouldn't have much time. The noise would bring the guards right to him. He ran a few options, but the best one was to simply make all the noise necessary and focus on speed.
Knowing time was a factor he straightened and grasped the strong bolt in his hands. Rather than trying to open it it would be easier to wrench it off entirely, so that's what he did. There was a deafening clang as he ripped it away, a muffled 'What the hell?' sounding from the side of the van. He wasted no time in gripping a piece of the door and pulling, feeling the lock give. Luckily he wasn't alone in his efforts. He could hear desperate cries from inside and felt the pressure of more androids pushing on the door.
"Step away from there!" The soldier ordered as he raised his rifle. Lin barely had time to duck and hide around the side of the door before the metal swung open and androids came pouring out. A few shots fired before cries for backup were heard, and then cries of pain. The soldier in the doorway also made a call, firing off a few shots as androids scattered in all directions.
"Katie!" John cried as he hopped the fence and held a hand out to the small girl. Lin cursed under his breath as he saw the man at the front door take note of John. He was just raising his rifle when Lin tossed the bolt from the truck door like a spear. It hit the man in his shoulder, knocking him off the front door steps. The blonde didn't seem to notice, focusing on the small android as she ran fearfully into his waiting arms. "Lin?" John cried as he lifted the girl and looked around.
"Here." Lin announced as he jogged to John's side and lifted the tool box once more. "We should hurry. They called for backup." He added as he tugged John's sleeve so that they could head further up the street. John followed and didn't look back, though he could see Katie watching as her home faded into the distance. Her parents made no effort to come after them or stop them. John slowly sighed his relief. If they'd been any later they wouldn't have seen it. John stumbled as Lin gripped his arm and all but dragged him into someone's front yard, crouching behind some large bushes. He held his breath as he cradled Katie against his chest.
A large armoured truck rolled by, the lights shining brightly in the street. Two soldiers hung off the side, looking around as they drove by. John closed his eyes tightly and prayed. Please don't let them find us, please make them drive by. He thought fearfully, feeling Katie's smaller hands ball in his borrowed jacket. Takigawa's clothing was quite large on him, so she had plenty of material to hold onto. The loud rumble passed and soon Lin was standing once more.
"We should find another way, they'll likely stop somewhere ahead." Lin warned as he looked up the road they were walking down. John nodded his agreement. They knew the area was crawling with escaped deviants, they'd be slowly blocking off every main street. They were hardly inconspicuous either. A tall Asian carrying a tool box, a blonde in oversized clothing and a small girl in pyjamas. They made an odd trio. John rubbed Katie's small spine as he felt her shiver in his grasp. It was freezing.
"Should we go back to Takigawa's? Or head straight for the androids?" John asked quietly, unsure which direction would lead to the highest success rate. Takigawa lived closer to town, and they were closer to town. The Androids were further away, in the opposite direction. John had no idea which way was likely to have more soldiers either. In the end Lin suggested heading away from town may be the safer option. It would at least limit their amount of human contact. They ducked down a side street, heading to a slightly smaller main street. Their progress was good, and John thought they might actually make it before two soldiers appeared on foot. It was too late for them to duck behind cover, the men had already signalled them to stop.
"Show me your hands." The first masked man ordered, both training their rifles on the trio. Lin reluctantly lowered the box to the floor and raised his hands, but John remained as he was, Katie clinging to his neck. "Show me your identification." The man added warily, John's heart racing as he realised he didn't have any ID. It had been in the shop. He looked across at Lin. If they scanned them Lin and Katie were done for.
"Please, we're just passing through…It's late, and this one needs to go to bed." John said softly as he hefted Katie a little higher. The men didn't seem perturbed by Katie's presence. It was well known that there were child models around. John swallowed hard as he slowly handed Katie off to Lin. The soldiers kept their guns aimed but allowed the exchange. "I lost my ID, but I'm human. You can scan me." John said as he held his hands out low, in a calming manner. The soldiers nodded at each other before one of them stepped forward with a scanner. John held his breath as it scanned and beeped with a blue light.
"Human. Alright, now you two." The soldier added, John's heart stopping as he looked at Lin.
"Wait, you don't seriously think I'd be out alone at night, with two androids do you?" John stammered, hoping his voice sounded more confident than he felt. The men had completely dropped their guard around John, even stepping between him and his companions. The second soldier pressed on, gripping the scanner, ready to raise it.
"It's protocol. Once we're done you can be on your way." The first man said. John felt adrenaline flood his system, acting without a thought as he jumped on the first soldier's back. The man didn't have time to pull the trigger, and wouldn't want to risk hitting his companion anyway as he twisted to try and dislodge John from his back. In an instant Lin had kicked the scanner away, dropping Katie so that he could wrestle the other faceless soldier into submission. Once the man was knocked out he drove his knee into the other soldier's gut so hard he crumpled like paper.
"What the hell were you thinking?" Lin demanded as he grabbed John's jacket and lifted him off the ground. John's heart was still racing as he gripped Lin's hands with wide eyes. The android finally composed himself and dropped John, steadying the teen as he hit the ground. "You could have been killed!" The android cried as he cupped John's face.
"They were going to scan you! I had to!" John was cut off as Lin crushed him against his chest.
"I would have handled it before then…You're human John, you only have one life." He said quietly, unable to help himself as he pawed John's clothes and examined him with worried eyes. There wasn't a scratch on him, thank god. John took his hands, holding them to his cold cheeks and leaning into Lin's artificial touch.
"And so do you…Just because you're an android it doesn't mean you're indestructible, or replaceable." The teen objected, enjoying the kiss Lin pressed to his lips. His hands warmed against his cold skin, heating him up. Lin drew back, eyes still on John, pressing their foreheads together with a relieved sigh.
"I'm stronger than you, and I can take more damage." Lin shot back, and John couldn't argue. He was, for want of a better word, squishier than Lin. He knew that, and he knew Lin was right, but that didn't mean he was going to let him have his way. A voice called from further up the street, telling them to stay where they were. John's heart leapt into his throat as he tugged Katie behind his body and Lin stood in front of them both. The screech of car tyres pulled his attention away as a car almost span out behind them.
"Get in!" A familiar voice shouted, and John didn't need to be told twice. They dove into the car, metallic pings telling the teen that the soldiers had opened fire. Lin lay across them, shielding John and Katie as the car twisted and peeled back up the street. He stayed there, pinning them down and gripping the seat, acting as both shield and seatbelt. "Hang onto something." Takigawa ordered as he put his foot down, racing through the familiar streets with ease.
He had the home the advantage. These were his streets. He'd patrolled them for years. His car was also sleeker and more manoeuvrable than the army's armoured trucks. They tried blocking off the roads, but Takigawa knew every side street, every shortcut. He swerved the armoured soldiers who ran out into the street, unwilling to hurt the humans inside. He ducked instinctively as they fired at his car, the windshield shattering.
"Sir, this is unwise." Charlie stated, though he made no move to make Takigawa stop. Takigawa grinned in response, almost amused. Ayako was in the backseat too, Katie and John half in her lap as she leaned down with Lin to cover the human and child. They held on for dear life as Takigawa tore round corner after corner, weaving towards town before veering away. They finally hit a deserted highway, and Takigawa put his foot down. Looking back he could tell they'd lost them. They probably thought he'd headed into the city. He pulled over and climbed out with a sigh. His heart was racing from the chase. He hadn't driven like that in months.
"Thank you for saving us." Lin said as he climbed out, surprised as Takigawa tossed the keys at him. He caught them on reflex, looking down at them in confusion.
"You want to thank me you'll keep them safe." The detective replied as he stepped around to Charlie's window and knocked. The glass rolled down as Lin climbed into the driving seat. Takigawa leaned on the frame with an almost apologetic smile at his dark skinned partner. The android tilted its head in confusion. "Charlie, you're programmed to follow all of my orders, right?" He said, though he already knew the answer.
"Affirmative, so long as it is within my capabilities." The unit replied uncertainly.
"Good…Charlie, I order you to go with them. You're to protect them at all costs, and help in any way you can. You're not to return to the police station, and you're not to follow any other human's orders except my own. This is a classified mission, code yellow. Do you understand?" Takigawa asked, watching Charlie's LED spin red. The human's expression softened as he reached out and gripped the unit's shoulder. "I know…I'm going to miss you too partner…" He added, watching Charlie process his words with some difficulty.
"I understand." The unit replied, as if he had any other choice in the matter. Takigawa tapped the hood in satisfaction and drew back, stepping away to allow Lin the space to pull away. He raised a hand and waved, his warm eyes meeting Ayako's as she looked out at him. He gave a tight smile and a nod before watching the car pull away, keeping the lights off for now as they headed out of the city and into the abandoned district. Takigawa headed back into town, covering his own back by reporting his car as stolen and Charlie as missing. He wouldn't place the blame on Charlie, but he wouldn't stop the rumours either. He'd set things straight if things went well. Damn, I hope things go well.
