Bennet didn't want to admit anything, but he was seriously confused
by the Infiltration Unit's line of thought. Why was he following the lines
of an archaic divinatory system to find Ro? Had some wires been crossed by
that electromagnetic pulse the security cameras had picked up?
The one dubbed as the Fool had led them to another gang member, a minor leader. He had been in much worse shape than the first. Zeta had the courteousness to call an ambulance for his victim, but it still didn't change what he had done. Looking at the large dent on the side of an elevator's housing, Bennet was more determined than ever to bring the synthoid in. He was even more dangerous than he had ever been as a weapon for the government- this was something with unlimited arsenal and a growing sadistic streak.
The synthoid was no longer a machine wanting to be human. He was a living demon.
---------
Finding Desudo was easy among the thugs and scum of 36th street; they surrounded his headquarters like a raging sea. And like any body of water, you had to get your feet wet to get anywhere. But even for him, fighting wave after wave had gotten tiring. He needed a day to rest, even though he worried how long Ro could last.
He checked into a motel on the edge of the gang territory, not caring of the stares he got from the staff or the loiterers. He pushed his was through the few women who offered to show him a good time to his shabby room, locking the door behind him.
He sat on the bed, shaking, feeling much like an addict going through a withdrawal. Ro was hi cocaine, giving him a silent buzz of joy and protection. With her around, he avoided finding out how horrible humanity really was. Now, without her, he had had become immersed and it had changed him.
He lay down, trying to focus on shutting down. But Ro invaded his thoughts, his programming, his circuits and his electronic soul. He even tried to postulate what it would be like if he were human too, and be able to give her the things that he'd never be able to get from this cold metallic body- love, happiness and an excuse not run anymore. It was a dream he could live with and cherish-
"Zee?"
Somewhere in the white expanse of his thought appeared Ro. "Zee, where are you? One minute I'm in..that place, and next I'm standing here talking to you. And why am I naked, but in a rated G way? Why do I not really care?"
"I don't think we're anywhere. I think we're not actually talking to each other physically, at least. And if you notice, I'm naked too. Or my hologram is, at least."
"Trust me, I'm trying not to. So we're talking telepathically? I don't recalling you being able to do this before. I sure as hell can't." She looked around the white. "This is almost scarier than where I really am." She whispered.
"Ro, don't worry, I'm coming for you. Just hold on a little longer, please. If they do anything to you, I promise-" He clenched his jaw, biting back anymore words.
"Zee? Zee, I've never seen you this angry before. But you've got to stay away! We worked so hard to keep you free, and these guys will use you for scrap! Please, Zee-" She was cut from saying anything more as he put a finger to her lips.
"As I said, I'm coming for you. And nothing is going to stop me. Understand?" Ro looked into his eyes and suddenly saw the anger that burned behind them.
"Zee?"
----
He sat up from the bed, all his sensors screaming, but he was alone in the tiny hotel room, bathed in the orange light of a setting sun. Checking his output levels, he found himself fully recharged, and everything running at optimum efficiency. Reviewing his options, he figured that Ro would be safer if he didn't try to barge in like he did before- it would also keep from wasting any energy he'd need to get her out of there.
He checked the time on his internal clock. Strange, it had only been hour since he checked in. Normally it took a few hours at least to be able to get these levels of recharge. But he didn't question it.
He had to question, though, when he had found the knife he had garnered had become a full length sword. The thick short blade had been hammered out into a long curved blade, much thinner and sharper than before, as he noted touching the tip nearly sliced his finger off. So it wasn't magic, but he had no recollection of even thinking about doing such a thing. He found, though, that the small hammer in his arsenal matched the larger hammer dents. His fingers fit exactly the grooved blade.
He admitted it was anachronistic, but a physical weapon gave him comfort. Now all he had to do was to keep himself on using it on people..
But where was the fun in that?
The one dubbed as the Fool had led them to another gang member, a minor leader. He had been in much worse shape than the first. Zeta had the courteousness to call an ambulance for his victim, but it still didn't change what he had done. Looking at the large dent on the side of an elevator's housing, Bennet was more determined than ever to bring the synthoid in. He was even more dangerous than he had ever been as a weapon for the government- this was something with unlimited arsenal and a growing sadistic streak.
The synthoid was no longer a machine wanting to be human. He was a living demon.
---------
Finding Desudo was easy among the thugs and scum of 36th street; they surrounded his headquarters like a raging sea. And like any body of water, you had to get your feet wet to get anywhere. But even for him, fighting wave after wave had gotten tiring. He needed a day to rest, even though he worried how long Ro could last.
He checked into a motel on the edge of the gang territory, not caring of the stares he got from the staff or the loiterers. He pushed his was through the few women who offered to show him a good time to his shabby room, locking the door behind him.
He sat on the bed, shaking, feeling much like an addict going through a withdrawal. Ro was hi cocaine, giving him a silent buzz of joy and protection. With her around, he avoided finding out how horrible humanity really was. Now, without her, he had had become immersed and it had changed him.
He lay down, trying to focus on shutting down. But Ro invaded his thoughts, his programming, his circuits and his electronic soul. He even tried to postulate what it would be like if he were human too, and be able to give her the things that he'd never be able to get from this cold metallic body- love, happiness and an excuse not run anymore. It was a dream he could live with and cherish-
"Zee?"
Somewhere in the white expanse of his thought appeared Ro. "Zee, where are you? One minute I'm in..that place, and next I'm standing here talking to you. And why am I naked, but in a rated G way? Why do I not really care?"
"I don't think we're anywhere. I think we're not actually talking to each other physically, at least. And if you notice, I'm naked too. Or my hologram is, at least."
"Trust me, I'm trying not to. So we're talking telepathically? I don't recalling you being able to do this before. I sure as hell can't." She looked around the white. "This is almost scarier than where I really am." She whispered.
"Ro, don't worry, I'm coming for you. Just hold on a little longer, please. If they do anything to you, I promise-" He clenched his jaw, biting back anymore words.
"Zee? Zee, I've never seen you this angry before. But you've got to stay away! We worked so hard to keep you free, and these guys will use you for scrap! Please, Zee-" She was cut from saying anything more as he put a finger to her lips.
"As I said, I'm coming for you. And nothing is going to stop me. Understand?" Ro looked into his eyes and suddenly saw the anger that burned behind them.
"Zee?"
----
He sat up from the bed, all his sensors screaming, but he was alone in the tiny hotel room, bathed in the orange light of a setting sun. Checking his output levels, he found himself fully recharged, and everything running at optimum efficiency. Reviewing his options, he figured that Ro would be safer if he didn't try to barge in like he did before- it would also keep from wasting any energy he'd need to get her out of there.
He checked the time on his internal clock. Strange, it had only been hour since he checked in. Normally it took a few hours at least to be able to get these levels of recharge. But he didn't question it.
He had to question, though, when he had found the knife he had garnered had become a full length sword. The thick short blade had been hammered out into a long curved blade, much thinner and sharper than before, as he noted touching the tip nearly sliced his finger off. So it wasn't magic, but he had no recollection of even thinking about doing such a thing. He found, though, that the small hammer in his arsenal matched the larger hammer dents. His fingers fit exactly the grooved blade.
He admitted it was anachronistic, but a physical weapon gave him comfort. Now all he had to do was to keep himself on using it on people..
But where was the fun in that?