CHAPTER 2

THE MEETING WITH

TIMOTHY AND DOROTHY WAYNERIGHT

Roger stared at the book, before looking over to the android in the pod, to which I did the same.

Now that I mentioned it, he did look a little like Roger. A smaller Roger, perhaps a younger him, only he looked slightly different. His hair wasn't as dark, and his eyebrows weren't so predominant. Also, his frame appeared to be skinnier then my protectors, not that he was a pole either.

"It cannot be your father," I stated simply, "He looks to young."

"Well whoever he is," Roger said with a smile, "he sure doesn't have a sense of style."

I scowled at him, before saying, a bit defensively, "He has more style then you, Roger Smith."

He looked at me with raised eyebrows, and even I was surprised, what had made me say that?

Deciding to preoccupy myself with something else, I set down the last two diaries on a nearby table and flicked through the first few entries of the first.

"These appear to have been written before the Event," I said aloud.

"What?" Roger came over from examining the android and looked over my shoulder, "Are they…memories?"

I did not answer. I had come to a diary entry that intrigued me. A diary concerning my late father, and the original Dorothy Wayneright.

"Dorothy?" Roger seemed concerned, "What's the matter?"

"I have found an entry that speaks of…my father." I said quietly. I read the entry over and over again. Why was it flustering me? It was an entry in a God-knows-how-old diary, by a person who was probably Roger's grandfather.

"Why don't you read it out?" Roger called as he walked back to the pod to examine it again.

I looked up. Did he really want me to read it aloud? I guess it couldn't hurt. The owner was no longer around after all.

I looked down at the leather bound book and began to read.

"July 30th. Dear Diary…"

"We had a guest lecturer at College today. Dr. Wayneright is the foremost when it comes to cyber-robotics. He was telling us about how he could build an android so perfect in image, it could be mistaken for a human.

Dr. Wayneright is a great man. I listened with rapt attention all lesson, taking in every word he said.

When class was over, I just had to talk to him.

I managed to catch him just as he was leaving campus in his car. I said I really admired his work, and had studied and almost memorised all the technical manuals he had written.

He appeared quite taken to me, and even invited me over to his mansion. His mansion! In the rich district of Paradigm City! What an honour. I can't wait for the end of College."

I couldn't believe it. Me, Daniel R. Smith, standing outside of one of the richest men's houses in Paradigm City. A man that ranked up with people like Senator Fitzgerald, and Gordon Rosewater.

The house was huge, no doubts there. It towered towards the sky, blotting out the sun and casting the long path to the door in shadow.

I was feeling apprehensive now. The house looked large and daunting, standing above me like a giant.

Holding my binders close to my chest, I quickly ran down the pathway, the sooner I got to the door, the sooner I could see Dr. Wayneright.

The door to the house was huge in itself, at least twice my height, made of oak.

I sighed and looked up at the door, before knocking heavily, listening to the echo on the other side.

Nothing.

Perhaps they hadn't heard me. It was a big house after all.

Deciding to knock again, I reached out for the door, only to pull back when it creaked open.

It didn't open all the way, just enough for me to see half of a pale face, with red hair, and one shy-looking, purple eye.

When the person saw who it was whoever it was opened the door a little wider, allowing me a better view of the door opener.

What I saw, made my heart stop.

It was a girl. No, not a girl, a young woman, around my age.

She looked around 5"3 in height, and so looked up at me slightly, with those dark, purple eyes of hers. Her hair was a sort of rusty red, clipped to shoulder length and held in place by a red headband.

She wore a simple red dress and shirt, along with a blue cardigan and small black boots

"Erm…" my mind suddenly stopped, my mouth dying to say words but refusing to do so at the same time, "Hi."

"That's the best you could come up with?"

The woman smiled at me warmly, making my insides flip.

"Hello," she said politely, "You must be Mr. Smith. Father was talking about you."

"Yeah, yeah," I stuttered, before holding out my hand to her, "I'm…I'm Daniel."

She gently slipped her small hand into mine and shook it, "Dorothy. Dorothy Wayneright."

"It's…nice to meet you Miss Wayneright," I managed to get out.

"Oh yeah, like that's the greatest pickup line ever heard."

She giggled at my formality, and I found myself smiling slightly.

We stood like that for a moment, on the doorstep, our hands entwined together, our eyes locked in a staring match.

Finally Dorothy shook her head and let go of my hand.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't keep you standing here."

No, no, it's all right," I said with a smile.

Dorothy smiled back, before indicating me in.

"Come in," she said as she walked through the Lobby, "My father's waiting for you in the Lab."

"Ah! Mr. Smith, it's good to see you again," Dr. Wayneright said warmly as he threatened to shake my arm off, "I take it you've met my daughter, Dorothy?"

"Indeed I have sir," I said with a smile as father and daughter hugged each other, wishing that I could be like that with my father, "And may I say you should be…proud of such a…beautiful young woman."

I watched as Dorothy smiled slightly at me, a tinge of pink coming onto her cheeks.

Dr. Wayneright looked from me to her, and back again, before smiling with amusement.

"Indeed I am, Mr. Smith. Indeed I am. But I didn't ask you to come her just to admire my daughter," he paused for a moment, allowing what he had said to sink in, "If I may say so Mr. Smith, your are a gifted man yourself."

I raised an eyebrow at this, but before I could ask something, he continued.

"Before I left the College, I decided to have a look at the progress reports for your course."

Now both eyebrows shot up, he read my report?

"You, are a very talented man when it comes to Cyber-robotics Mr. Smith," Dr. Wayneright continued, "You are the top of the class for that course, as well as in Android construction, advanced robotics, also degrees in Negotiation and politics."

"I…had dreams of becoming a robot-engineer someday Dr. Wayneright," I admitted, "Or perhaps a Negotiator, that's why I studied Politics and all that. It is the reason I have come to admire you and your work in the Cyber-robotics field. You can create a android so lifelike, it can almost be passed off for a human…if it doesn't move or anything."

Dr. Wayneright smirked.

"You know a lot about this field also, Mr. Smith. And so I have a proposition for you."
"Oh?"

"I can't do a lot about the Negotiator part, but would like to teach you in your robotics fields, after the end of the school day of course. Teach you the art that is the construction of Androids and other such machinery. Your skills, are some of the best I've ever seen, and I think I could put them to good use."
My eyes widened. Could he be serious? Could I actually be taught by the legendary Dr. Timothy Wayneright?

I scratched the back of my neck uncertainty.

"I don't know sir," I said quietly, "You've only just met me, and now you want to teach me? Sure it's been my dream to be taught by you. But…"

"Oh please?" Dorothy suddenly cried, "You seem like such a nice person! Please be taught by father? I would…like to get to know you better."

I glanced at the woman with interest, who now bowed her head slightly to hide the flush that had appeared on her cheeks. She appeared to be very quiet and reserved usually, so I could imagine an outburst like that from her was unusual.

But it had persuaded me.

"Alright," I said quietly, "I would be honour sir."

"Well for starters," The Doctor said with a warm smile as he took me by the shoulders, "You can stop calling me Dr. Wayneright, or sir. My name is Timothy. You can call me that."

I smiled, "Thank you very much…Timothy."

He smiled back and guided me back to the elevator.

"Now, I suggest that you go home and get some rest. Tomorrow will be a big day for you, come here around five, okay?"

I nodded as the elevator doors opened.

"Thank you sir," I said as I entered, "Until tomorrow then?"

He nodded and I looked towards Dorothy.

"Good day Miss Wayneright."
she nodded back, with a slight wave of the hand, "Good day Mr. Daniel Smith."

"...I'm looking forward to tomorrow, when my extra teaching begins, and I get to see Dorothy again. I don't know why, but that girl has affected me in a way I couldn't possibly imagine."

I looked up from reading, only to find Roger watching me, an amused smirk on his face.

I stared at him blankly, "What is it?"

His smirk grew wider, "It sounds like you and Grandpa were quite the item."

I glowered at him, "I have never met your grandfather, Roger Smith," I said stiffly, "The real Dorothy Wayneright was the person he met."

Roger chuckled as he went back to inspecting the android.

I scanned through the other pages of the diary. It was mostly of what Daniel Smith had been doing with Dr. Wayneright, as well as the odd entry about the original Dorothy. I was just at the end of the first diary when one entry caught my eye, a entry dated: December 25th.