"Thank you so much," Hector said. He, Molly, Dorothy, Norman and Roger were gathered in the solarium. "I didn't know what to do. We were in a terrible situation--the authorities had realized that Molly didn't have any parents, were questioning why she wasn't in school, and they were talking about sending her to live with a human family."
"Mr. Anderson offered to help us," Molly said. "He and his wife had lost their only child two years ago. He said I could go and live with them but that he would let me see Hector as much as I wanted."
"He didn't keep his word?" Roger asked.
"He wanted my Memories," Molly said. "I couldn't disobey him. Every time I thought of a way to tell someone what was happening, he would command me to keep me from doing it again, and he said that if Hector spoke to anyone, he'd... he'd make me destroy him."
Norman held up a small wafer. "This is far more sophisticated than the system Beck used on Miss Dorothy," he said. "I destroyed the port it plugged into after I removed it, so it can't be used again."
"I have one last question," Roger said. "Why didn't you just tell the authorities that Molly was an android?"
"We were afraid that if people knew, they would try to just take the Memories," Hector said. "There was a certain amount of protection in Molly appearing to be a child--no one wanted to take the chance of harming her. When Mr. Anderson made us that offer, it seemed like the perfect solution."
Roger nodded, satisfied, and the conversation turned to Molly and Hector's plans for the future. "I think it's time to build a new shell," Molly said. "This one has served its purpose. If I look older, it will prevent many of these problems."
"I agree," Norman said. "If you need any help, I would be happy to assist in any way I can."
"Thank you," Molly said. "If you don't mind, though, what I would really like to do now is go home...if Hector and I still have a home."
"It's just as you left it," he said, and she smiled.