Chapter 5
Once they arrived at the address of the art gallery, Carl parked the car and the two headed out walking towards the art gallery which was housed in Kamski's manor.
Walking to the door, Markus placed his hand on the scan pad by the door.
"Markus Manfred, invitation granted."
The door opened and the two stepped inside. The gallery was filled full of fancy dressed people talking amongst themselves.
A man with brown hair greeted him.
"You're Markus, correct?"
"That's me. You're Elisha right?"
The man smiled.
"You can call me that if you like."
Carl was oddly quiet.
Markus turned towards him.
"What's the matter, Carl? Aren't you going to say hi?"
He didn't say anything however but just stared coolly at the man.
On further inspection, the man who had greeted them had an undercut. The remaining locks of his brown hair tied in a braid.
"Well, I hope you have a good time at the gallery. There are snacks and refreshments at the table over there."
Elisha gestured towards the table with the punch and cookies.
"The cookies are especially good. My wife made them for everyone."
"I'm sorry about your son. I heard he was a good man."
"That may be true but still all good people have their bad days. My son was no exception. Did you know him when he was alive?"
"No but my brother did. He always said good things about him, always said that Kamski seemed to enjoy teasing him alot."
"Well Elijah can be a bit difficult at times. I seem to recall that he would always talk about how your brother was always so gullible and would always act melodramatically angry at the first sign of teasing. He always described your brother as a bit uptight."
"That sounds like him but he only acts that way around people he likes. My brother's not really a social butterfly so he usually keeps to himself but when he was in the military I sensed he felt lonely. Only when Kamski came up he started opening up to me a bit more."
"I see."
After talking with Elisha, Markus scouted the gallery for Carl.
"Excuse me," a female voice called out to him.
He turned and saw a middle aged woman had addressed him. Her hair was red tied back in a bun and she wore a silk green outfit comprised of a flowing skirt and frilly blouse.
"Yes, what is it?"
"Elisha informed me that you were the artist responsible for the paintings on the wall towards the back of the house."
"I am."
"How much are you selling them for?"
Markus shrugged.
'Weird, never had anyone wanting to buy my artwork before.'
"2000 dollars a sufficient price? Or maybe 3000?"
"I'll have to discuss it with my father."
Markus continued to search for Carl finally finding him chilling by the punch table looking at the art on the walls.
"Carl?"
He turned towards Markus.
"Oh Markus, there you are."
"I was just looking for you. You'll never guess what happened?"
"Oh really? Then what happened."
"Someone wants to buy my art."
"Really?"
Carl didn't seem surprised by the revelation at all.
"Yeah."
"How much are they asking for them?"
"3000 a piece. I wanted to ask you for your advice before I make a decision but I figure if I can sell them for that much I might be able to pay for Leo's mother's treatment."
"3000 is not nearly enough money as you should be getting from your art pieces, Markus. True art is invaluable, you can't put a price tag on it. Show some pride for your work."
"Carl, this isn't about pride. I want to help Leo. It's my obligation."
"Markus, you don't owe Leo anything."
"I know but I feel my love won't reach him any other way."
Carl sighed.
"Then I think that's an adequate price."
Markus saw that Carl had said that in a somber tone. He didn't appear happy with his decision but was putting on a smile to satisfy him.
'My art is invaluable to me but sometimes family is more important.'
After the transaction was made, Markus met up with Carl.
"Want to go home?"
"Definitely."
The two headed back to the car and drove back home.
After arriving back home, Carl and Markus headed inside their home.
"You're not angry with my decision are you?"
"You know I'm not programmed to be angry, Markus," Carl said.
"I know what you're programmed to be but it doesn't mean you don't feel anger."
"I'm not angry. I'm merely at a loss. What has the world come to that people feel like money can buy everything? What does it say about the world when the things that matter to you can only be bought with a pricetag?"
"I've found that for us, it's a way to cope with our own value. When you think about it how significant are we really? Our skills, our talents none of them are unique. While I'm a good artist there is always artists that are better than me. What you can't replace is the love you give to the people around you and that's truly what makes life worth living."
"I suppose. Say, want a snack before bed?" Carl asked.
Markus raised his left brow.
"What'd you have in mind?"
Carl chuckled.
"You'll just have to find out."
Just as the two were heading for the dining room, Carl caught sight of a bright light coming from the studio.
"That's weird. I'm certain I turned off the light in the studio," he said.
"You did."
"I'm going to call the police then we can check it out."
After Carl made the call to the police, the two carefully walked inside the studio.
Inside the two spotted Leo hovering over a table full of paintings.
"Leo!" Carl called out.
Leo turned and pulled a gun on them.
Carl looked bewildered.
"What are you doing?"
"You refused to help me so I'm helping myself."
"Wait Leo. I can fix this."
Leo laughed. His eyes were sad though.
"It's too late. The doctors said she died this morning. I'm just selling the rest of these to pay for her funeral expenses."
"No, you're not."
"How are you going to stop me, old man? Gonna kill me? I'll just come right back brand new. Mom never told you did she? About how I died in that accident. All those times you thought she was squandering your money. She was using it to pay for my funeral expenses. One day, some person from Cyberlife offered her an android in the likeness of her son. That android was me. You killed me and Cyberlife will make another one in my place and I'll never forget what you've done to my mother."
"Don't do this Leo. He's the only family you have left."
"Some family. He loves you more than us."
"Please don't kill him."
Leo sighed.
"It doesn't matter. Her funeral has been already paid. After I get the rest of the money I'll be able to relinquish all our debts and I won't have to rely on you anymore."
"Where did you get the money?"
Leo chuckled.
"Isn't that a funny story. A woman offered to pay the entire sum if I killed my own father. She said father and his friend had sabotaged her business. Before that entire affair she said her mother had once been CEO of Cyberlife and that they killed her. Him and Elijah Kamski."
Carl's eyes widened.
"You talked with Mariah?"
"Yeah. What a funny coincidence."
"Mariah thinks we killed her mother?"
"Yes, and I'm inclined to agree."
Carl made a step towards him. Leo shot the gun.
The bullet missed hitting the wall behind him.
"Listen Leo, it's not like that."
"What do I care about your little family secrets?"
"I'm just paying my debt."
Markus stepped in between them.
"Knock it off, Leo."
"Step back, Markus."
Carl stepped back but Markus lunged forward.
Leo pushed him aside.
"Any last words, Carl?"
Carl sighed staring at his son pensively.
"Just take care of yourself, alright."
Just before Leo pulled the trigger, Markus ran forward.
Leo fired.
"Markus!"
Markus keeled forward. Red blood coming from his right eye.
Carl grabbed Markus by the shoulders.
Leo looked on in panic dropping the gun.
Carl set Markus on the ground and carefully kicked the gun away from his son.
Just then, the police came marching in holding their guns out.
"Hold it right there."
One of the policemen got in contact with the hospital. While the other one questioned Carl.
"Now what's going on? You said that there was a break in?"
"Yes, my son came in and tried to steal some of our things before threatening me with a gun."
After finishing they finished questioning Carl and Leo, the ambulance came up. Some of the men marched up to place Markus in a gurney and ship him straight to the hospital.
"Is it alright if I accompany him?"
"Sure, are you his father?"
"Yes."
Carl got in the vehicle and the ambulance drove to the hospital.
The police had told him that his son would be charged for assault with a deadly weapon at least and the charges were pending for attempted manslaughter.
By the time they reached the hospital, doctors were attempting to stablilize Markus.
Carl idled in the waiting room twiddling his thumbs anxiously as he waited for them to operate on Markus to see if the bullet had caused any brain damage.
He connected with his other son's phone.
"Hello?"
"Connor?"
"Oh, Carl. I didn't expect you to call here so late."
"You're as calm and collected as ever."
"No need to continue with the charade. You didn't call to make small talk."
"It's about your brother. He's in the hospital. Leo accidentally shot him in the eye."
"Oh is he alright?"
"They are working on him right now."
"What room is he in?"
"Room 111."
"I'll be there."
With that he hung up.
A good thirty minutes passed before Connor arrived accompanied by an older man.
"What's his status?" he asked.
"They're just finishing up his surgery."
Just then a brown skinned woman came out.
"Are you Mr Manfred?"
"Yes, that's me."
"We just finished operating on his eye and we've taken him to the recovery room. Do you wish to see him?"
"Yeah."
She regarded the two other men with him.
"Are you with him?" she asked.
"I'm his son," Connor said.
"I'm a friend," the other man said.
The nurse let them in.
"The doctor wants you to be quiet when you go in the patient's room."
"Will do."
As they stepped inside, Carl took in Markus who was laying peacefully in bed. A bandage covered his right eye.
"So why did you come here anyway?"
"Can't I see my own brother or is he not considered my family anymore?"
"It's not like that. The last time we saw each other I got the impression you never wanted to see my face again," Carl said.
"You were clearly ashamed of me and my decisions."
"Is that what you thought?"
"I wanted to pursue a career, Markus didn't even have a supporting job. I put everything aside for you despite my own wishes and you wanted me to give it up for him."
"Connor."
"It hurt. It hurt a lot."
"So you came here just for Markus."
"I never hated my brother."
"But you hate me."
"Not as much as I could."
"That's a comforting thought. Perhaps in hindsight it was rather insensitive of me to put Markus' needs before your own but if I could take it back, believe me I would."
Carl clutched Markus' hand.
"In any case, you seem to be doing alright. I heard from Markus you got yourself a new place."
"That was years ago."
"Got yourself a new partner too?"
Connor's arms were folded.
"Yeah, this is Hank Anderson."
He gestured to Hank before gesturing back to Carl.
"Anderson, this is Carl Manfred. He raised me and my brother when we just kids."
Hank smiled before holding his hand out.
"Pleased to meet you, Mr Manfred."
Carl reciprocated his handshake.
"Just call me, Carl. I hope Connor's been treating you well."
Hank glanced at Connor, a mysterious smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
"As well as expected I suppose. You never told me you had a brother."
"You never asked," Connor murmured.
"Excuse me, I need to check his vitals."
A curvy female nurse with tied back black hair came in with some floral scrubs on checking in on him.
Hank caught Connor glancing at her.
"Looks like your type."
"Hardly," Connor murmured, feeling his face heat up.
How embarrassing.
"Do you even have a type?"
"Of course not. There are bigger concerns in the world than which woman I should date?"
"Doesn't mean you haven't entertained the thought. I admit I'm kinda curious."
"You'll just have to remain curious."
Once she was finished the nurse left the room.
Carl chuckled.
"Say Carl, your son ever pick up-"
"No, he's been a virgin since I took him in."
Hank chuckled.
"Why'd you have to go and word it like that?" Connor asked.
"It's true isn't it?"
"That's beside the point."
"I know you've always been the successful one of the family but sometimes I worry about you. There are thoughts that keep me up at nights, nightmares that you die an old shriveled lonely man."
"Don't be so melodramatic."
"I'm not."
"I'm fine with the way things are. You can't just expect me to accept you back so quickly."
"I did not expect that but Connor there is only so long you can hold a grudge before it consumes you."
Connor snorted and headed out with Hank in tow.
"Your father seems like a nice guy."
"Well he has that much going for him at least."
"Is that why you don't carry the same last name as him?"
"I wouldn't let him change my last name because it was the only thing I could control."
"So you were adopted then?"
"Yeah Carl took me and Markus in when we were little."
"He's an android though isn't he? I saw the LED on the right side of his forehead."
"Just because I was on the opposing side of the war doesn't mean I hate androids. It really comes with the kind of people that build them. You build a machine to kill another person without remorse that's a different story. If friendship and loyalty can't even overwrite that kind of program why would you care about them?"
"I never thought you'd be a person who values loyalty."
"Not blind loyalty. Every now and then, I could use correction. It helps keep me on the path of the straight and narrow. I just ask that no one stabs me in the back at the end of the day."
Later after Hank and Connor had left, the nurse gestured for Carl to hold the ice pack to his eye before she left.
Markus's eyelids flickered.
An intense pain burst from his skull.
"The doctor told me to tell you not to open your eyes."
"Carl?"
"Yes, I'm here."
"What happened?"
"Leo shot you. The doctor said it was a direct orbital floor fracture. They had to remove pieces of the bones from your eye."
"Oh, I see. Are you alright, Carl?"
"I'm fine. You should be less concerned about me. I'm replacable you're not."
"That may be true but Carl, I would still do it again if it meant saving your life."
"Of all the foolish things to come out of your mouth, I never want to hear you speak like that again. You are worth so much more than me. A father never wants to see his child die before him."
"Oh, I-I didn't realize..."
Just then Markus heard a ruckus outside. It sounded like loud scuffling,
"What's that?" he asked.
"I'll check it out."
Carl got up and looked out the room just as a loud noise rang out.
A group of men in black uniforms with masks obscuring their features marched through the hospital as though they owned the place.
"Holy sh-t."
"What's going on?"
"Someone's shooting at the nurses."
"Who?"
"Quiet."
Carl raised his internal mike to pick up what was going on.
"I know he's here. We were asked to pay him a visit and take him back with us."
"He's not taking any visitors other than close friends and family and you fall under neither of those categories."
"Our orders override all of your hospital regulations. You protect them we'll use any means to stop you."
"You can try."
That's when Carl heard the shot ring out and the nurse collapsed to the floor.
One of the other guys with him came back from the room ahead.
"Did you find him?"
"No, I think Mr Manfred may be in the next room."
Quickly Carl went back to his room.
"Markus."
"Carl, you sound frantic. What is it?"
"We've got to hide."
"I can't exactly move. The nurse told me to take it easy."
"If you listen to that nurse's instructions, you'll be dead before that eye will ever get a chance to heal."
"Then what do you suggest we do? Got any places we could hide?"
Carl looked around.
There was the curtain separating them from the bed next door.
89 percent chance of being detected.
A locked up bathroom was near the end of the room.
90 percent chance of being detected.
There was a large window next to it looking tightly secure.
95 percent chance of being detected.
Since it was the third floor Markus probably wouldn't make it out alive.
The ceiling looked like it had removable panels. Carl scanned the floor above.
It was currently uninhabited. All that was above them was pipes and circuitry.
10 percent chance of being detected.
"I got an idea."
Carl got on the bed next door and removed the ceiling panel setting it on the bed before walking back to Markus' bedside.
He removed the ice pack from Markus' eye and helped him to his feet.
Markus was hit with awful vertigo.
Carl supported an arm on his shoulder helping him to the bed.
He got on the bed pulling Markus up.
"Reach out and grab the ledge," he said.
Markus clung to it.
"I'm going to lift you. You gotta crawl up there alright."
"Got it."
Minutes later, the men with obscured faces marched into Markus' room only to discover his bed is empty.
The other men looked around.
One of them glanced at a nurse's schedule written on a white board.
"Looks like someone was here."
"Whoever it was left in a rush."
"They couldn't have got far the window isn't even open."
"Whoever they were they must have snuck past us when we weren't looking."
The men cleared out of the room.
Markus and Carl were on top.
"Looks like the coast is clear," Carl said.
"So what now?" Markus asked.
"We get out of here."