Chapter Three

The others in the dining room with warm smiles greeted Carla. She looked around silently, smiling back a little. "Hi…thank you for rescuing me…"

"It was no trouble at all, young one." 004 nodded. "We are honored to have you join us for dinner."

"I am honored to share it with you." Carla returned politely, as an orange haired boy pulled out her chair. "Thank you,Sir."

"It's 002." After that, the rest of the people in the room introduced themselves. Each of them had a different number.

"I'm Carla Baker. I'm pleased to meet you all." She looked around at all of them, her mind whirling. They only knew each other as numbers. Why didn't they have names?

"You are wondering why we call each other by numbers instead of names. Aren't you?" 001 spoke up suddenly. "Well,I will tell you. We are cyborgs. Some of us are much older than we look."

"Cyborgs?" Something clicked in her memory. Her father had spent a great amount of time on human anatomy. Carla figured he was just trying to learn it better in order to take care of her. Then, he'd brought home books on robotics. She remembered asking him what he needed them for, and not getting a decent answer. "I…I think I know about cyborgs…"

"Oh? What do you know about them?" 004 was looking at her carefully. He was certain she was a spy for Black Ghost. He didn't trust a lot of people.

Carla stared back, nervously. "Well….my father is a scientist.."

"Here now, let's not ruin a perfectly good meal with a lot of talk…" The cyborg known as 006 spoke up. "There'll be time enough for talking."

004 gave him a stern look. "Fine."

She ate the food set in front of her. "This is pretty good…."

"Why thank you. I'm glad somebody likes it." 006 beamed at her.

"Don't lie to him, Carla. He's used to being insulted, really. 009 joked.

"No, really. It's better than my cook's cooking."

After the meal, Carla was invited to sit with them in the parlor, while she told them how she ended up in Japan. "I'm searching for my father,Steven Baker. He left Antigua a few months ago, and hasn't been home since. I know he said he would be here in Japan, but I don't know where or why."

"Stephen Baker, hmm? Carla, did you father ever mention anything about an organization called Black Ghost?" 004 asked softly. He'd been wrong to assume this child had anything to do with such an operation.

"N-no…why?" Carla looked at the cyborg now. "Why would he?"

"I'm sorry to inform you, but your father is working for some really bad people." 004 announced, as he began to pace. "Having you here with us is very dangerous."

"What are you talking about? My father's not bad!" Carla burst out angrily. He's a scientist!"

"Perhaps. But do you know he tried to kill me?" 004 told her. "He may not be bad intentionally, but he is."

"I don't believe you! You're lying!" Carla excxlaimed. "My father wouldn't hurt anyone!"

"Sit down, Carla. 004 isn't really explaining himself very well,is he?" 003 spoke up now. "What he means is that your father is working for Black Ghost, the people who made us. He may or may not realize what he's doing is illegal."

"I…I don't know what to say…." The child looked at the floor. "Now I know why he didn't tell me."

"It's not your fault,Child. You have no control over what your father does." Dr. Gilmore spoke up. " But now that you do know, you're in danger as well. Stay with us, and I promise you, everything will be fine. We've enough room to take on another member."

"What?! Weren't you listening?! Her father works for Black Ghost! They're on our tail enough, without giving them a real reason!" 002 exploded suddenly.

"Enough!" Came the voice of the baby cyborg. "She is in a great amount of danger if her father is part of Black Ghost. Don't you guys find it odd that the other scientists in the organization have no children?"

"001 is right. This Baker guy is the only one with a child. This makes her easy prey." 009 agreed, putting a hand on Carla's shoulder. "I vote we keep her here with us, and take care of her like our own. It'll be like having a little sister or something."

"Or a big sister, in my case." 001 chimed in, as 003 put him in the new girl's lap.

Carla caressed 001 lovingly, as he gripped her finger protectively. "I….Thank you…all of you." She looked down at 001. "So…DO you all have names, or is it you can't remember?"

"We have names. It's just, we were introduced to each other by numbers." 008 replied. "If it bothers you so, we can go back to calling each other by name. My name is Puynma."

"I'm Joe."

"Chang."

They all went around introducing themselves. 001 was the last to speak. "I'm Ivan." He studied his newfound big sister silently. "Don't worry. I may look like a baby, but I'm strong in other ways." He told her after a minute.

Just then, the clock on the wall struck eleven. "Oh goodness. It's getting late. Let's get you to bed, Carla. Is the room we gave you suitable?" Dr. Gilmore inquired.

"It's perfect,Dr. Gilmore. Thank you." She stood up, and started to hand Ivan back to the girl called Francoise.

"Wait a minute, Carla. I think I'll stay with you tonight. Just put me in my basket, so I can sleep. I may or may not wake up for fifteen days though."

"Fifteen? I know infants sleep a lot, but isn't that a little much?" Carla was surprised at how easily talking to the baby cyborg was.

"It's so I can regain my psychic strength. I can sleep less,or more. It depends on how much energy I use." Ivan explained, as he was tucked into his basket. "All I'm going to need to do is get a bottle before I sleep."

"I'll do that, if you want me to, Carla." Francoise offered kindly.

"Just this once. I'm a little too tired for that tonight. I'll leave my door open. He can just levitate in when he's ready." She yawned, as the two cyborgs followed her into her room. "Good night,Francoise and Ivan."