Chapter 6: Lies in Blood
Her shaky bloody hands contrast against the crystal white snow. After their return to Earth, the pale, broken, and unconscious Sheldon was admitted to the hospital; neither Brad nor Jenny spoke a word to each other. Both were shocked by what happened as they watched their friend being wheeled away on a gurney into the emergency room and the doctors rushing to administer oxygen and insert an IV needle in his hand.
Brad opted to stay with Sheldon during the night, his dad was likely home and could watch Tuck. Yet Jenny couldn't take another minute looking at his slightly disfigured face and hearing Sheldon's shallow and staggered breathing through an oxygen mask as his flail chest raised up and down filled her with relentless guilt.
She didn't want to be here, but she stood in front of her own home as she gazed down at her blood-stained hands. Yes, she was hurt and angry at Sheldon, she had every reason to despise him right now. But her friend now lies in the hospital bed in agony and pain…because of her.
Jenny still didn't have enough energy to fly to her bedroom window. Instead, she silently hoped her mother was already asleep or in her lab so she could hurry back into the secluded comfort of her bedroom. Reluctantly she turned the doorknob and slowly crept the door open. Jenny carefully tiptoed to the staircase.
"XJ9?" Jenny jumped and turned around to see her mother in a chair with a book in her hands. Her mother raised an eyebrow, "I didn't realize you had left your room, where have you been?"
"Ah…" Jenny stalled as she folded her arms to hide her blood-stained hands and shifted nervously from side to side. "Nowhere, I was just…getting some fresh air." She rapidly blurted out as she weakly smiled, hoping her mother would believe her.
The hope was in vain as Doctor Wakeman shook her head and saw right through her facade. "XJ9, you're a robot-you don't even breathe, so I know that's not true!" She walked towards her robotic daughter, Jenny immediately tensed up in response, and Wakeman noticed the odd behavior. "Is something wrong?"
Jenny shrugged with a forced smile and shook her head, "No! Oh no, nothing-nothing's wrong. Why would…why would anything be wrong?! I'm fine." As the event still plagued her mind, she gulped, "Just fine, ha." She softly chuckled. If she weren't a robot, there would be no doubt that she would be sweating profusely right now. She couldn't bring herself to tell her mom what really happened. How could she?
Doctor Wakeman observed her daughter, she knew something was wrong when XJ9 spoke at a faster pace and noted how she seemed to be hiding her hands under her arms. Finally, she reached for her arms, "What are you hiding?"
Jenny instantly winced, backed away, and started up the stairs, "Nothing! I'm hiding Nothing!" She blurted out.
"XJ9! I am not stupid, I know when you're lying to me!" Without hesitation, Jenny started to bolt up the stairs; unfortunately, her full speed wasn't back yet as her mom caught her by her arm. "XJ9, what is going on?!"
"Nothing!! Now, please let me go!" Jenny pulled her arm away from her mother.
Before Jenny could make a break for it, Wakeman pounced on top of her, and both fell to the ground. The doctor kept attempting to pry open Jenny's arms as Jenny begged for her to stop and tried to wiggle out of her mom's grip. Cripes, why is she so strong for a woman her age?!
"You tell me, what's going on this instant young lady!"
Jenny cried as she struggled out of her mom's grip, "I…I can't-I don't want to…please!!"
"Why not? I'm your mother!"
Finally, Jenny managed to forcefully push Wakeman off her and began to shake anxiously, "Because if you knew…" She gulped as she thought about the possibility of her mom deactivating her and calling her another failed experiment- relatively high- and started to back away again now fighting tears, "Trust me…you don't want to know, mom."
"XJ9!! What has gotten into you? What shouldn't I know?" Her mother shouted after her as she stood up and brushed herself off. She stopped when she saw Jenny glaring at the ground, and her cooling system grew louder as she breathed heavily. Doctor Wakeman's demeanor softened as she saw her upset daughter, XJ9, has always been an emotional girl. She slowly approached her and rested a hand on her shoulder. "XJ…Jenny, please tell me what's going on. I want to help you."
Wakeman expected this to be a problem with school or something downtown, as many still struggle to trust or accept her after the holiday fiasco. She knew everything had been taking a toll on Jenny's mental state.
Jenny grieved and said softly, "Sheldon…is in the hospital."
Doctor Wakeman's eyes widened in surprise; she was not expecting Jenny to say that. "Hospital? Why is Sheldon in the hospital?"
"He got badly injured…" and it's my fault. I was angry, and now he's in the hospital because of it! I shouldn't have gone that far! She painfully thought to herself. Her lips quivered, she didn't dare look her mom in the eye.
"How did he get hurt?" Asked her mom with genuine concern. Jenny didn't answer- the event vividly played in her mind, in response, she started to whimper to Wakeman's surprise. "XJ9?"
"No…No I-I can't." Jenny shook her head and hurriedly ran up the stairs, leaving her mom in total confusion.
Jenny's bedroom door slammed. Wakeman sighed as she shook her head, she had to get to the bottom of this.
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It hurts. Everything does. That's how Sheldon knew he was, unfortunately, still alive. He shouldn't complain though, he deserved it. That's what he thinks anyways.
The heart monitor beeped in the silent room; Sheldon forced himself to open his eyes. As the lights penetrated his vision he instantly regretted it as it made his head ache even more. He noticed the oxygen mask resting over the bottom half of his face and glanced towards his arms, one had an IV tube inserted under the skin while the other was found in a cast.
He tried to take a deep breath as his nose wasn't entirely giving him oxygen-bad idea. A deep stinging aching sensation shot through his ribs causing him to wince. He let out a soft groan as he attempted to let his body relax in his hospital bed.
"Hey, you're finally awake!" Sheldon gazed over and saw Brad strolling in the room with a drink. "Sorry, I left for a second to get something to eat at the cafeteria." Brad nibbled at his cereal bar and took a sip of milk.
Sheldon raised an eyebrow and pointed to himself. "Food?" He sputtered out, but then was met with the raging agony of pain inside his jaw. He rubbed his cheeks and moaned as he tightly closed his eyes. The pain pulsed throughout his entire jaw and cheeks.
Brad winced as he watched his friend shudder in pain. "Yea, I wouldn't recommend solid foods for a while…Also the doctors did tell me you're going to need surgery…like on almost your entire face." He forced a weak smile.
Sheldon widened his eyes, was he damaged that badly? He looked around and found a small round mirror on the doctor's small tray in the corner. He reached out his non-injured hand and tried to grab the mirror, Brad quickly pulled the mirror away from him before Sheldon could look. Brad shook his head as he tossed the mirror back on the tray,"Don't, you'll scare yourself." Sheldon narrowed his eyes hopelessly. Brad's words just made him feel worse-adding, insult to injury.
Another pair of footsteps emerged into the room, catching both of their attention. In the doorway stood Doctor Wakeman looking concerned. "May I come in? I'd like to speak with Sheldon for a moment." Brad glanced over at Sheldon with a raised eyebrow. Sheldon sighed and softly nodded, allowing her to enter the room. Doctor Wakeman was probably here to berate him for what he and Brad had done. Although to be fair, he deserved to be yelled at for accidentally putting Jenny in Vexus's hands.
To his surprise, Wakeman was quiet for a minute. She tilted her head and observed him. His face was swollen and bruised. His eyes were black and puffy, His nose was severely bent out of shape and his jaw was positioned off center to the rest of his face, creating a significant crossbite. His top lip was also more inward than his bottom lip. It was also obvious he was missing some teeth, he looked almost unrecognizable. On top of that, his broken arm lay in a cast, as his chest looked uneven as he breathed, the sight of him was horrible. Finally, she spoke as she kept her composure despite the feeling of uneasiness, "XJ9 told me you were in the hospital and I wanted to talk to you."
Both boys looked concerned, wondering what Jenny could have told her. Finally, Brad nodded with a raised eyebrow. "Oh, what did she tell you?
Doctor Wakeman pulled up one of the chairs in the corner, sat next to Sheldon's head, and sighed with a shrug, "She didn't tell me anything except that Sheldon was hospitalized. She just came home distraught and didn't want to talk to me and was acting pretty offish like she was hiding something." She folded her arms and raised an eyebrow. "I am hoping you two can tell me what's going on, since I can't get anything out of my daughter."
Brad and Sheldon glanced at each other uncomfortably, neither knew what to say. Both knew what could happen if they told the whole truth. Brad rubbed the back of his neck as he stared at the ground. He hesitated, "Well…Ms. Wakeman…It wasn't anyone's fault…"
"Tree." Sheldon grunted forcefully. Brad and Wakeman both stared at him incredulously at his sudden explanation. Despite the pain of his broken jaw, he continued to explain, "Tree…R-Rabid poodle…I was…I was…too close." He winced as he spoke, his jaw aching for him to stop talking.
Wakeman tilted her head and glared in disbelief, "A poodle? A poodle did this to you?"
Brad glanced at Sheldon who glanced at him to continue for him. Brad nodded and stammered,"Uh…yes, a rabid poodle who was…taking steroids and was…probably radioactive. It was vicious because Sheldon here tried to save it from a bird's nest?"
Wakeman sighed and nodded, guessing they wouldn't tell her either. Sheldon gasped rubbing his cheek in pain, "Jenny…saved me."
Wakeman nodded and mumbled, "I see…so my daughter saved you from a radioactive rabid steroid-fed poodle? That's strange, I wasn't aware of something like that yesterday, I would have sent XJ8 since XJ9 is still not mentally ready yet."
Brad waved his hand dismissively, "It just happened really fast and Jenny was already down there…for an oil change." He nodded quickly with a forced smile. "Yea, an oil change!"
Wakeman resisted the urge to roll her eyes, Jenny hasn't got her oil changed since Christmas. The boys tried to facade their innocence, but Wakeman was not fooled easily. She shook her head, it was clear they weren't going to give her the truth regardless. "Well…Thanks for telling me boys." She mumbled with slight disappointment in her voice.
"Of course, Ms. W!" Brad nodded. Wakeman silently nodded in return as she headed for the doorway. "Hey, Ms. Wakeman…" Doctor Wakeman stopped and looked at Brad curiously, "Tell Jen, that Sheldon is ok. I'm sure she's worried about him." Doctor Wakeman nodded and proceeded to leave the room.
Sheldon felt himself relax a bit, the presence of Wakeman being in the room made his body tense up. His head hit the pillow. They lied to her, he lied to her. He felt guilty, but it wasn't for his sake, it was for Jenny. He wondered why Jenny didn't at least tell Doctor Wakeman about Vexus and the kidnapping situation. Was she trying to protect me? The thought baffled him, why should Jenny defend him, he's not that significant to the world. He felt a knot in his chest swell up, all he did was hurt her, lie to her…and maybe made her miserable. Why would she protect him?
Sheldon glared at the ceiling, he's a geek, a loser, a literal nobody! Even his parents don't actually care about him, his dad left when he was a child and his mom only stuck around because she felt compelled too. Even then, she's not around much, too busy with her fashion company and always out of town. Sheldon recalled when his mom told a coworker she had to go take care of some charity work…she was referring to him. Sheldon wouldn't be surprised if her employees believed she didn't have children.
He shook his head, how could he have been so stupid? All he wanted was for Jenny to love him like he loved her. Then his social awkwardness and immaturity ruined everything, like it always does. He didn't deserve her…he never will. She is everything and he is Nothing. He faintly recalled Jenny's harsh words when she was beating him, those words though hurtful, were true. How could have I been so stupid?! He couldn't even help Brad, let alone himself. So why did he even bother? He could feel his eyes getting teary, he blinked to get it to stop.
"Hey, are you alright?" Sheldon looked up to see Brad's concerned face.
Sheldon gulped and nodded, "I'm…fine." He followed with a forced smile. "Could…Could I have a drink?"
Brad shook his head sympathetically, "Actually, I forgot to tell you…your mom was already called and said to go ahead with the operation, it's set for this afternoon. So you can't have anything right now."
Sheldon groaned and then raised his eyebrows, he already knew what the answer would be, but just felt like asking it anyways."Did…she say anything else?" Brad shook his head and Sheldon lightly scoffed. Of course she didn't.
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Jenny frantically rubbed her hands with a cloth, yet her hands remained covered in blood. She groaned in frustration as she saw no results, usually, she can remove stains well but blood was not her specialty. Come on, come on! Get off of me! She pleaded to herself as she roughly brushed her hands.
Jenny didn't know how much time she had left, she knew her mom left somewhere but didn't know when she'd be back and was running on the clock. She couldn't use water thanks to her metallic skin, so she was stuck with a dry raggedy old cloth from one of the drawers.
"XJ9?"
Jenny shrieked, turned around and dropped the cloth on the ground. Doctor Wakeman stared at her with a slightly shocked expression. Jenny's hands were out in the open and Wakeman can see her dried bloody hands clasped in front of Jenny's chest. She could feel her gears whirring at high speed, her body began to shake as her optics met her mother's stare. She stammered nervously; she felt like she shrunk under her mother's gaze, "M-Mom…you're home…I was just uh…" Her optics frantically shifted around the room and spotted an oil can on the table. "Getting a can of oil and going back to my room!" She sputtered as her hand reached out to grab the can of oil.
Wakeman seized her by grabbing Jenny's wrist. She observed the red stain that covered her daughter's shaky hand and glanced back at her daughter, who looked mortified. She glared back at the blood, "I visited Sheldon at the hospital…he's awake, looks awful, though."
Jenny gulped, she felt some relief knowing that Sheldon was alive, but still felt uneasy as her mom continued to stare at her hand. "Uhm…well I'm glad he's ok…What did he say? and this…" She gestured to her hand, "Is not what it looks like, I promise…it's just a-a…papercut?" She weakly smiled as Wakeman raised an eyebrow, unimpressed with her daughter's response.
"A paper cut? Really?" Wakeman asked with a deadpan expression. "You do understand that you can't bleed, right? And paper cuts don't make someone this bloody."
Jenny guilty glared at her hand, unsure of what to say next. Doctor Wakeman continued with a sigh as she dropped her daughter's hand and opened the door under the sink for the hydrogen peroxide, "Sheldon just told me you saved him from an animal attack…sounded like it was a vicious one." She recalled as she sprayed the chemical onto the rag and wiped Jenny's hands.
Jenny slowly nodded, deciding to go along with it. "Yes..yes, it was! It was a ferocious beast. It was a dragon made out of…of…Paper! Yes! And that's how I got my paper cuts…because I fought the dragon, and it's paper skin managed to give me paper cuts! And it also has rabies so it was dangerous!"
Wakeman blinked unamused, "Sheldon said it was a radioactive poodle on steroids."
Jenny gulped and weakly chuckled, "Oh…hehe…yes. So it was a big poodle…that was also made of paper…?"
Wakeman narrowed her eyes in disbelief as she watched XJ9 blatantly lie to her like her friends at the hospital. She felt massively disappointed and upset how Jenny was behaving. She studied at the drenched cloth and back at Jenny who sheepishly grinned in return. "I see…That's what happened? Nothing else I should know about?" She raised an eyebrow suspiciously.
Jenny shook her head nervously. "No mom, that's…that's what happened." She glanced towards the ground and scruffed her foot against the tile.
"Hmm…alright, go upstairs with your oil, I'm going to work for a bit." Wakeman mumbled with a shrug. Her daughter softly smiled, quickly brushed past her, and hurried up the stairs with oil in hand.
Wakeman watched her rush up the stairs and glared back at the damp and bloody cloth. It all felt unsettling to her. She looked down the hall and towards the door to the lab, a faint light that Wakeman had forgotten to turn off illuminated inside.
She groaned and rubbed her forehead. She didn't want to, but she knew what had to be done.
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Systems online. Sleep Mode Terminated.
She slowly opened her optics and groaned, her batteries overly charged. The last time she was activated was Christmas, and watching her sister melt down about the possibility of getting replaced. She hated that. Not because she felt terrible, just that Jenny was still crying over it even though it wasn't going to happen anymore. Of course, it wouldn't, she's mommy's favorite.
XJ6 gazed around the room and expected to see Jenny going off about something and the reactivated XJ sisters joined in on the lively conversation. She was surprised to see that the room was silent, Jenny was nowhere in sight and XJ1-7 were still in sleep mode. XJ8 also appeared to be missing. Her confusion grew by the second of the vast silence, she slowly stepped off her podium and looked around her cautiously. She froze as she saw a light illuminating from the doorway. Her optics narrowed as she pulled out a laser beam in her arm as she approached the entrance. "Hello?" She softly called out.
XJ6 froze as she saw a figure step into the doorway frame. She pointed her gun toward the figure, ready to shoot.
"Wait! XJ6, it's me!"
XJ6 paused and tilted her head curiously as the figure flipped on a switch revealing it to be her mother, Doctor Wakeman. She stepped back and quickly retracted the laser gun into her arm. "M-mom? What are you doing here?" She raised a hand up defensively, "Also, I don't know how I got reactivated, it wasn't me…I'll just go back…"
Wakeman shrugged as she stepped closer to her, "I know you didn't, I did."
XJ6 raised an optic as she observed her mother, who appeared to be stressed. "What? But…but why?"
The doctor sighed and glanced at the bloody wet cloth she had been carrying. "I found XJ9 wiping her hands with this when I got home from the hospital…I think her mental state has gotten worse."
XJ6 scoffed in disbelief and placed a hand on her hip,"You mean she's still upset about the whole holiday situation?" Doctor Wakeman nodded as she placed the cloth on a nearby table. "Why? I mean she stayed active and her life went back to normal!"
"Well, the event was pretty traumatizing for her. Literally, all of us were out to get her, she was confused and scared…I almost built XJ10 to destroy her. And she lost a year of her life and most of society still doesn't trust or like her." She gestured to XJ8's empty podium, "I don't even send XJ9 out on emergencies right now, I send XJ8 to handle those. She's really not doing well."
XJ6 slowly nodded as she got her answer of XJ8's absence. "I need your help." Doctor Wakeman concluded softly as she placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder.
XJ6 stared at her mother blankly, still processing the words she had just heard. Then, finally, she rolled her optics and shoved her mother's hand off of her and retorted, "Or you can finish the XJ10 model and shove her in the basement with the rest of us-oh wait! She's your favorite, so of course she gets the pampered treatment."
Doctor Wakeman was stunned at XJ6's cold words. She frowned and folded her arms, "I do not have a favorite child! Also XJ9 is your sister, so I expect you to show some empathy!"
XJ6 waved a hand dismissively and responded in a mocked tone. "Ah yes, show some empathy for the golden child who got to stay active and have a life! Even though she does Nothing now except be sad! Remember why I was deactivated?" She pointed at an exposed gear from the opposite shoulder. "Because I lost an arm…I lost an ARM! And that put me in the basement! And Jenny…"
"Ok, I understand, I have made mistakes and I was going to replace XJ9 and then she was proven innocent and was still functional," Wakeman stated simply as she tried to calm her daughter.
XJ6 shot back, her hand balled in a fist, "You don't understand! I was just like Jenny, I was a hero! I've done everything I am programmed to do and try to be a part of the humans. Then I lost my arm!"
Wakeman sympathetically gazed at her and softly spoke "XJ6."
"And where does that put me?! The basement! But when Jenny gets injured or does whatever she's doing right now, she stays activated!"
"XJ6."
"You never cared about me! I would probably still be deactivated if Jenny didn't come to the basement!"
"XJ6…"
XJ6 ignored her and continued, "She's spoiled, that's why she's still sad! But, Cripes, you love her so much and know her name! You even let her interact with people and go to school! You probably don't even…"
"Jessica! Shut up!" Wakeman screeched, silencing XJ6's rant. XJ6's optics widened, she hadn't heard that name in years and was stunned to hear her own mother say it. Wakeman sighed and rubbed her face and replied more calmly."Jessica…of course I remember, the name you called yourself." XJ6 found herself speechless, her facial expression softened. She remembered. Her mom remembered her name.
Wakeman readjusted her glasses as she watched her daughter lose tension, XJ6's mouth lines trembled. Geeze, this brings back memories…why are only three of my nine children always so dramatic? Even XJ1 cried less than them!
Wakeman held XJ6's hand and patted it, she faintly smiled,"There, there…it's alright. Everything is ok." She consoled XJ6 who stood silent and was emotional. She sighed as she continued, "You're right…you and XJ9 share a lot in common. That's why I reactivated you, your sister needs you right now."
XJ6 raised an optic in confusion, "But what about her friends or you?"
Wakeman shrugged and solemnly shook her head as she slightly glanced back at the cloth, "I'm afraid we can't help her anymore."
XJ6 noted her mother glancing at the cloth, confused about what she meant. Jenny isn't struggling that bad, right? Why would she? Her life is perfect! "So…what, you just want me to talk to her? And then come back down here?"
"No…" XJ6 raised an optic as Nora continued, "No, I want you to stay up there with her and keep her accompanied for a while."
XJ6 blinked and grimaced, "Mom…you want me to babysit her?!" She groaned and rolled her optic, "I think I'd rather stay in the basement than having to watch the golden child mope in her room all day." For no reason! I add.
Wakeman frowned, "Oh no, you're not! You're going upstairs young lady! And besides you're not going to be in her room all day, you both got school!"
"What?! You want me to just follow her around at her school?!"
"No, it's your school now too, I enrolled you in Tremerton High before I came down here." Wakeman explained much to XJ6's surprise.
XJ6 was shocked and still in disbelief, "Wait…you're sending me to school? Like Jenny? For how long?" She gasped and grinned, "I'm gonna be with people! EEE!" She squealed, barely able to contain herself. She imagined herself walking amongst the other teenagers, many of them would admire her, flaunt her newfound popularity as boys would drop at her feet and the girls would be seething with envy…even Jenny. Best of all, she would finally be out of Jenny's shadow. How perfect that would be!
The doctor waved her hand dismissively and replied sternly,"Yes, yes, you get to be around humans. But remember dear, you must watch your sister and stay by her side! That's the main reason why I'm letting you do this!" She sighed, partially regretting the decision, "Also XJ9 really loves you, so I'm hoping she will at least listen to you."
XJ6 scoffed and shrugged, not buying a word of that sentence, "Yea, sure, whatever mom…Ooh, can I stay upstairs?"
"Uhm, yes you and XJ9 will be sharing a room so…"
"Ok thanks mom! Hehe!" Without hesitation XJ6 rushed past her mom and giddily hopped up the stairs, Doctor Wakeman shook her head tiredly as she watched XJ6 carelessly run up the stairs.
Nora was serious about XJ9 really loving XJ6. She recalled the first time XJ9 found and reactivated her sisters and Nora locked them back into the basement. The day after, XJ9 would not stop talking about them, particularly XJ6, it was easy to assume that XJ6 was likely her favorite sister. Ironically, XJ6 feels almost the opposite towards XJ9, always jealous.
Doctor Wakeman picked up the ragged cloth and grimaced at the blood. She gazed back up the stairs where one of her robotic daughters went. Either way, XJ6 was the only viable option. XJ5 doesn't even let people talk, XJ7 is too depressed herself to help, and XJ8 literally struggles processing emotions as well as being currently busy taking over Jenny's role and responsibilities. XJ4 would have been another option, but it was out of the question after she threw out Jenny's bed.
She gripped onto the cloth and felt worrisome. The finished and abandoned plans for an XJ10 rested in a big box at the back of her lab. Nora didn't even dare look at the box, she couldn't. She sighed as she slowly strolled towards the stairs and glanced at the bloody cloth. Please don't make me regret this…Jessica.
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Authors Note: Sixth chapter is finally up! Sorry for the slow update, but I hope you enjoyed the chapter, thanks for reading. Reviews are appreciated:):):):) also sorry for the slow update, classes started so I'm a bit busier now, but I'll try to update as much as I can :)