. . .

Citali Duran waited patiently inside Rivertown Vet Hospital, alongside several other citizens with their pets at their sides. A ferret, tucked within the denim jacket of his owner, was staring at her from the opposite side of the room. He kept letting out persistent yawns ans she smiled back, charmed by the endearing gesture.

She then noticed a Malamut dog sitting on her hindquarters besides a girl who looked around college-aged. The canine was staring off to the side, lost in thought. Citali thought she looked unusually intelligent doing that. The dog was even ignoring the fussy cat meowing in the pet carrier next to a mother and her two children, their faces glued to handheld gaming devices.

What was the dog thinking about?

While she was musing, a woman with olive skin and dark hair styled in a side braid appeared from one of the back rooms. It was her cousin Cassandra, looking quite frazzled. She was a vet technician and had been employed by the hospital for a year and half.

"Hey Lali," she greeted, as she rounded the reception desk.

Lali let out a small wave, rising from her seat. Both made their way to the exit, stepping out into frigid evening, a slight breeze tickling their faces.

"Thanks for picking me up," Cassandra said.

Citali nodded. "It's the least I could do, given that I'm bumming off you guys."

Cassandra put her arm around her cousin in a reassuring hug. "Ah, you're family, after all. Plus you're earning your keep by helping us around the apartment."

Both made their way to a parking lot behind the clinic building, where Lali's car, an electric Toyota Deseret, sat. It was one of the older models of the late 2020s, though it proved to be an exceptionally reliable car. Lali had owned it for about five years now and she loved driving. She hardly took advantage of the more popular and frugal self-driving vehicles.

"So, what are you guys cooking tonight?" Cassandra asked while buckling her seat belt.

"We're doing take out," Lali replied. "It's Friday after all."

"Oh right, we don't cook on Fridays. My mind's more fried than I thought," Cassandra said mid yaw

The radio was set to the local news, where a reporter was droning on about the latest updates to traffic and weather. Then came more news of Congress amending another bill pertaining to android rights covering their medical and mental health. Lali couldn't believe it – machines needing help for health issues? What was this world coming to? But it seemed that's all there ever was on the news nowadays – always some trite headline on having to do with the androids or Jericho.

Ignoring the radio for the moment, Cassandra turned to her cousin. "So, how's your vision? Still seeing that fuzziness or that weird, faraway sensation?"

"Yes, Dr. Alsup said it would eventually fade away," Lali explained. "Several months to a year, give or take."

"Well, at least you won't have it forever. What about your body? Feeling funny with all those pains?"

"That hasn't been too bad. I've been sticking to the exercises that my physiotherapist recommended. As long as I get some walking in too. He said motion is lotion for the body."

"That makes sense. I just had no idea the body could sometimes freak out so badly after what happened."

"Me neither. Panic attacks can sometimes be so traumatic to your body and subconscious, that it takes slower to recover than your mind. Dr. Alsup said it was a coping mechanism…." Lali let out a defeated sigh. "My brain is in a kind of extreme self-defense mode. I can't really control it. In the end, it has the final say on whether I'm out of 'danger' or not." She let a frustrated huff. "Stupid brain…"

Cassandra grinned. "Well, it's only looking out for you. The mind's programmed to be that way, ever since the dawn of humankind. Otherwise, we wouldn't have survived for this long. Don't be too hard on that wrinkly muscle in your skull."

"Ugh, whatever…"

They finally arrived at an apartment complex in their Rivertown neighborhood and hurried inside, eager to get out of the biting, cold draft.

As they stepped out of the elevator to the second floor, they came across several people moving furniture into the unit next door. Cassandra briefly greeted them, too tired to be her usual sociable self. She then used a small key device to hover over the ID scanner on the doorknob.

Only second later, the door opened and a young, wiry-built man appeared. "Oh so, what took you so long? I need my two maids on their hands and knees, scrubbing my floors and bringing me my beer!"

Cassandra slapped him on the shoulder. "Stop it, Max, this isn't a trash misogynist fantasy audition!"

Simply snickering, he stepped aside to let them in. A young woman with long dark hair and wearing a purple sweater was passing by, carrying several toiletries to next door; she slowed down in her walking.

"Hi," she brightly greeted.

Lali turned to her, a bit distracted. "Oh, hello."

For some reason, the girl looked slightly familiar. But Lali couldn't pinpoint where she'd seen her before.

"Hey Lali, come on, let's start the eeny, meeny, miny, mo on the take-out," Max called from the living room.

Turning away from the girl, Lali stepped inside, closing the door shut.

Cassandra was already in her and Max's bedroom, taking off her burgundy scrubs for the day. Both were a couple on the verge of getting married, having been together for over three years.

Just then, something black and tan zipped past Lali, the jingling sound of a metal tag following in its wake. She let out a startled yelp, as it ran past her again, zig zagging like a bolt of lightning around the love sofa, coffee table and then darting into the kitchen.

"Pepper, quit it!" Max chided.

A small Chihuahua dog peeked its head of the kitchen entrance, its dark eyes wide with excitement. It then made a mad dash towards the bedroom where Cassandra was at.

"AH! Goddamn it, Pepper!" Lali heard her cousin yell. "You almost tripped me! Get out of here NOW!"

"What have you been feeding her, weed biscuits?" Lali asked.

Max snorted. "More like crack biscuits."

Awhile later, after all three had settled in over a dinner of Thai food…

"So, we finally got some new neighbors," Cassandra remarked, as she scooped some more cashew noodles on her plate.

"Yep, the unit's been vacant for a few months now," Max stated, before adding in a conspiratorial manner. "And get this…they're androids."

"Really?" Lali asked

He nodded. "Lenny from down the hall told me. He says they used to be sex models. The WR400s, was it…?"

"Oh, right! Didn't you tell me he use to work at one of the local adult clubs?" Cassandra asked, struggling to chew the huge amount of noodles she had stuffed in her face.

"Yeah, the Eden Club."

Her dark eyes then softened. "It must have been horrible, being forced into doing disgusting things at that god-forsaken place."

Max shrugged. "Hey, what did they know? It's what they were programmed to do."

"But they're still people."

Lali wasn't surprised by her cousin's sentimental nature towards the androids. She had been part of the civil rights movement to recognize them as sentient, living beings, long before last year's monumental revolution. It had been a profound change for not only the city, but the entire nation and the world – an absolutely unexpected dilemma that all were still grappling with.

To be honest, Lali's feelings towards the machines were ambivalent. She grew up most of her life in foster care around the state, fairly isolated from any interaction with artificial beings. It wasn't until she found herself working in Detroit that she actually encountered more of them.

Even the last place where she worked at had a strict policy of not hiring androids. But when the company changed ownership, Lali and the other human workers were fired. They ended up being replaced by the androids; the reason being, that machines were far superior in completing the same tasks, making less mistakes and meeting deadlines by half the time it would have taken their organic counterparts.

It was also cheaper, as they didn't have to be paid the at the state wage level; more money for the business then. It was less maintenance on machines than for humans, with no comprehensive benefits or salary raises to oblige them with.

Lali had looked for other similar work in her vocational field. She was a test technician, specializing in repairs and maintenance on point-of-sales equipment.

No such luck though, and soon another ordeal came barreling into her upturned life. She and the tenants were being evicted from their apartments. Like her former job, the complex was under new ownership. They also planned to tear down the seventy-year-old building structure to make way for a shopping plaza.

Now Lali would be out on the streets, as their was hardly any affordable rent. All the emergency shelters and transitional housing projects were shockingly full – mainly due to the high unemployment brought on by the androids taking over the jobs of the ordinary citizen. It wasn't just people dealing with substance abuse, mental health or dysfunctional family issues.

Her unemployment benefits nearly took three months to receive. In that time, she nearly drained all of her meager savings. But she was lucky enough that her estranged cousin decided to take her in. It was in a better part of the city as well, as she didn't have to worry about being mugged or if a nextdoor neighbor was running a meth/crack den at all hours of the night.

As for her cousin, Lali had only met her a few times in life. Both their families (or what was left of hers) weren't too close. Cassandra was the younger sister of Carlos Ortiz, another city dweller. Lali didn't know him that well, as he had little contact with the family. He had two children though. Presumably, they were with the mother or another relative, as their whereabouts were unknown.

Both Lali's late mother and her cousins' father were siblings, having grown up in Illinois. The family later moved up to Michigan during the 2000s. She heard there were more siblings of her mother, but they all had died when they were young.

It was difficult to get the details when she was in foster care, as there was virtually no communication with relatives. When she and Cassandra saw on the television news that Carlos had been killed by his house android, Lali was shocked. Her cousin though, reacted numbly and didn't shed any tears.

I can't believe it, Lali had said, aghast. Your brother!

I know, Cassandra replied, her face stone cold. But…I suppose he had it coming. He was a bad brother...and father.

Lali was silent, not knowing what to say. Had it really been that horrible growing up with such a volatile sibling? Did Cassandra hate him that much that his death would bring her a yearning relief?

Didn't you love him…just a little bit? Lali dared to ask.

At one time, I did, Cassandra answered bitterly. I gave him many chances, but each time, he blew it. He hurt my parents….and me alot. I didn't need him, after the shitty, disgusting things he did.

Her cousin then walked away, not caring for more coverage on the unnerving homicide blaring from the TV. Lali had a sinking feeling that Cassandra wouldn't attend his funeral, even with the mother begging her to. What had Carlos done to her that was so traumatizing?

But then, another thought occurred to Lali – one that gripped her with a visceral fear. The murder disturbed her. Why had the android gone berserk? Was it some kind of freak malfunction? What if they all were capable of such violent acts?

After dinner, Lali was resting in her bed when her cell phone rang with a call from her friend, Rayna Ward.

"Hey amiga," she answered, yawning.

"Hi, Ms Sleepyhead! So, are we still on for Monday morning?"

"Yeah, of course."

"Okay, I'll pick you up at nine. I hope we find several leads," Rayna announced. Like Lali, she was also a test technician and a former coworker. She too had suffered the brunt of the mass layoffs.

Lali sighed. "Me too. It seems there's hardly any work in all of Detroit."

"I heard there a several reputable companies, recruiting for electronics and internal sales. I used to do the latter, so we'll see. Chin up, Lali. We'll find something."

As hopeless as she was feeling, Lali had to smile. "I wish I were more like you. Always an optimist."

"Hey, you can be if you wanted to. Try it sometime, girlie."

"Thanks, Rayna."

. . .

The following day, Lali went down the hall to pick up the mail. The WR400 from yesterday was standing in her unit doorway, staring at her. Lali didn't notice, until after she collected the mail and was walking back inside the apartment. She looked up, startled.

"Oh, h-hi."

The other girl smiled, nervous. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but um…do you by any chance have a corkscrew?"

Lali was a bit taken aback. "Uh, sure..."

The girl stepped further from the entrance way, clutching a liquor bottle in her hand.

"I'm trying to open this champagne here and we lost our corkscrew, so I'm trying to surprise my friends before they get back," she earnestly explained.

Lali wondered why the girl couldn't just run to the drugstore to buy one. Maybe it would take too long before her friends arrived.

"I'll be right back," she replied instead, entering her unit and going over to the kitchen. She opened a drawer and retrieved the corkscrew, returning outside to the hall.

"Here you go," Lali deposited the object in the other girl's hands.

"Thank you! You're a life saver!" the android replied.

Normally Lali would feel pleased by the compliment. Even modest about it. But she was feeling numb again – the usual nervousness with meeting new people was absent. Just like her anger…

"You're welcome," she managed amicably.

"By the way, my name's Abigail." The WR400 reached out her hand.

Lali took it with a gentle grip, shaking it. It felt as warm as a real person's. "Citali. But people call me Lali."

"Same here! Everyone calls me Abby for short."

"I suppose it's easier on the tongue."

Abby chuckled. "Yeah, for human and android."

"Well, nice meeting you." Lali gave a nod with as much of a courteous smile as she could convey; it took some effort, as she felt unusually tired and just wanted to go rest.

"Oh, same here," Abby smiled back, and Lali couldn't help but admit it was a charming one. She did feel at ease with it. "I'll be right back with your corkscrew."

True to her word, it was a few minutes before the android appeared again from her doorway. Lali took it, then said goodbye to the girl. Cassandra and Max would be home later from grocery shopping, so she decided to take a short nap before helping them. That damn chronic fatigue again…

. . .

On Monday morning, Lali and Rayna were milling about the career fair, being hosted at a local hotel. They were visiting various booths to distribute their resumes and pickup information pamphlets. Both had anticipated an incredibly long line, but it wasn't as bad as when they first arrived.

It may be because several more recruitment events were being held around town in the next few days.

Well, a shot in the arm for the city perhaps…

"Gotta use the bathroom, be right back." Rayna scurried off.

Lali decided to wait by a security firm booth – they had checked out the business earlier for the inside sales positions. But looking around the place, she spotted another booth, situated in a far corner of the room.

A black and maroon symbol that faintly resembled the international biohazard one. It was a distinct image from her childhood…and her parents' own as well…

Synergy Corporation.

One of the oldest companies in the nation. Their golden age in semiconductor and consumer electronics had been throughout the 1970s-2010s. While their popularity waned due to emerging businesses of similar products or new, innovative technologies, they had managed to stay afloat. One reason could be was that they ventured into other lucrative avenues, like medical devices and military contract projects. Maybe they had several openings – perhaps in production assembly?

Before Lali could stop herself, her feet were padding forward, curious to find out. Several people were crowded around the table, engaged in vigorous talk with the representatives there. She decided to stake out her wait until they were finished.

"You look like you could use one of us."

Lali turned around to the person addressing her. A woman with wavy dark tresses and piercing steel-blue eyes stood before her, smiling amiably. She wore the same uniform shirt as the other Synergy representatives.

She looked vaguely familiar as well.

"Oh y-yes."

"Hello, Lali." The woman smiled in a knowing way.

Bemused, she asked, "How do you know me?"

"I'm a psychic," the representative replied with a shrug. She grinned even more when she got a baffled look in return. "Just kidding! You don't remember me, do you?"

"I…think we met before…"

"Yes, it's been many years. It's me, Annalee."

Now it dawned on Lali - she was one of the foster children from over twelve years ago. The two girls had been staying with a working-class family in the nearby town of Royal Oak. The husband was in the construction industry while the wife worked at a supermarket. Both had two children of their own.

"Oh wow, it's been a long time!" Lali reached out her hand.

"Fancy meeting you here, as the old saying goes," Annalee said, while shaking it.

"So, you're working for Synergy Corporation? That's awesome …well, you if you like your job and all…"

Annalee beamed. "I wouldn't trade it for the world right now. I'm actually one of their executives."

Lali was impressed. While both were the same age, in their mid-twenties, she'd never think another orphan would achieve such a high status that young. Depending on the kind of life Annalee had had, foster life could be hard. Frequently being shuffled from home to home. Starting all over again with school and having to constantly make new friends was just as daunting.

Annalee seemed to have come a long way since then. She quickly cut to the chase with what Lali had come for.

"So, what kind of work are you looking for?"

"Well, I'm a test technician. I've worked mainly in the cabling and point of sales industry. I fixed and tested their card scanners."

"Then you may be just what we're looking for."

Before Lali could ask, Annalee held up one finger and walked over to her company table. She picked up a piece of paper, and promptly returned.

"Take a look." She handed it over to Lali, who then read the title position: Mechatronic Technician I.

The requirements were over just one year of experience in fixing and repairing electronic equipment. A degree was preferable as well, but the employer was willing to train the right person. Lali at least had earned her Associates in Electronics Technology.

"If you know anyone else who is interested, let me know," Annalee said.

Lali was growing excited, despite the chance she might not get the position. There was still the challenge of passing their interview.

"Oh yes! My friend is also a test technician! But she went to use the restroom."

"Here." Annalee the gave her a business card. "When she returns, we can take her resume as well. We have several openings." She titled her head, again giving off a somewhat warm, but shifty smile. "After all, the people in this city have gone through a lot. What's the harm in helping out a few of our fellow brethren down on their luck?"

"Yes, that's true."

"And over the past five years, Synergy has branched out into fiber optics and A.I technology. Do you know the Atavex models?"

The name wasn't familiar to Lali. "No."

"Well, I suppose you wouldn't," Annalee replied, before following with a mocking whisper tone. "It one of those secret elite things."

"I see…" Lali replied back in the same conspiratorial whisper.

"With all the recent activity in the news concerning androids, well, other companies specializing in robotics would also get the media's attention. CyberLife may have had a stranglehold over the industry, but it still had some competition. Others like Hitachi and Bharat Electronics are cranking out their answer to the advanced RK line. Not everyone is going to buy CyberLife's products." She let out a cynical huff. "Especially after what happened last year."

Lali mulled over it. True, with the megacorporation's androids no longer viewed as personal property, virtually all their production lines had come to a standstill. CyberLife was now on life support, still scrambling to contain the damaging controversy over their leading product gaining an aberrant "sentience."

The androids, having taken control of main headquarters in a surprisingly successful coup, was proving a bleak future for all its shareholders and the upper echelons of management. Their CEO and several other committee board members had already been ousted. This was also due to popular public opinion - even extending to worldwide support; it was enough to force even the President to stand down military intervention.

"That's what we do as well," Annalee continued. "The Atavex android is our most popular brand – but they are so expensive, only the wealthy could afford them. Although, we're considering leasing them out to developing countries to help their particularly vulnerable populations."

Lali frowned. "So that's why the only ones I've seen around the city are from CyberLife."

Annalee rolled her eyes. "They might has well be the Disney of artificial life - crowding out other companies, aggressive PR and marketing campaigns; luring away the world's top talent by an irresistible dangling carrot. Also, prices easily affordable to the public. Even during the last two inflations. No wonder they were the biggest player in the game!

"But right now, we're building rapport…trust…with our customer base. Most of them are understandably jumpy about artificial intelligence since the uprising. That's why we're ensuring that nothing like what happened to Cyberlife will affect our androids too."

Lali glanced down at the job description. "Is this would I be doing? Working on them?"

"You'd mostly be assembling and repairing the parts; mainly the Lumini and Atavax line. And knowing AC/DC theory helps alot. How long have you've been out of work?"

"Since February," Lali replied.

"It's an unpleasant pill to swallow. After all, what person likes the idea of being destitute? Not being able to pay the rent or eat because…no job, right?"

Annalee took a few steps forward, peering intently at her. "What do you want, Lali?"

Lali blinked, not sure on the question. Maybe she needed more specifics?

"Um well…to find employment?"

"Is that all?"

Lali contemplated more over this, another subject clicking. "Security! And a place with a roof over my head."

"Anything else?"

"Well…it'd be nice if I had normal vision again. Not all these weird feelings of detachment from my-" Lali realized what she'd just blurted out and paused, mortified.

Now Annalee's intense expression softened into a more sympathetic one. "What's the matter? Health problems?"

Lali didn't want to get into the whole truth, but gave a tiny nod.

"You can't see well?"

"I can, but it's just that…. I …" she fibbed for words. "I'm near sighted, so I need better…uh, prescription glasses."

Annalee just stared at her, and for a moment, she thought the representative wouldn't buy it. But she just reached out for a friendly pat on Lali's shoulder. "I understand."

Inwardly, Lali sighed with relief. She was afraid that Annalee would not be interested in recruiting her for the job if she had actual vision problems.

But it was the Derealization Syndrome that was causing it. Her vision would eventually return to normal, but…her brain. It was still protecting her, in its own peculiar way.

"I'll have our HR department take a look at your resume. But I'm sure you got a shot over those hundreds of people out there in the unemployment lines. Good luck on your job hunting."

"Thanks," Lali replied graciously.

"My pleasure, old friend." Annalee turned around to walk back to the Synergy Corp vendor.

A moment later, Lali spoke up, very pensive. "I just want…things to go back to the way they were before."

Annelee smiled, but somehow, it was cryptic. "It'll get better, Lali. You'll see."

Another Synergy representative called out to her and she went to accommodate them. Walking up to her coworker, she handed him the resume.

"So, they've finally intervened," she muttered with irony. "Breaking their own laws to help us."

Her coworker gave her a begrudging look. "They must think we're a bunch of damn idiots after the huge mess we made." He paused, letting out a tsk. "Correction - CyberLife's mess. It's a wonder that they still bother with us."

"I really don't know either," Annalee mused, her brows furrowing together in thought. "What's their motive? All they said is that this world belongs to us, not to the machines. Nor to their benefactors. It has for over 300,000 years, after all." Her eyes then darkened. "Well, if it takes swallowing our pride and accepting their help, then so be it. This grave mistake must be corrected."

. . .

. . .

* The story's title is a reference to the song, "Out Here On My Own," sung by Irene Cara from the movie, Fame. While it can be interpreted as an aspiring entertainer's struggle for success and love along the way, I thought it could also refer to the human psyche of achieving a goal or dream, even during hard times.