Chapter 8.
Carefully Carl scanned the area where he and Markus were hiding. Besides the circuitry and pipes pinned to the side, most of this area was clear and just large enough that someone their size could crawl up there with ease.
He supposed that's the way architects built these more modern buildings with the revelations that the materials they used decades ago also caused the cancer rates to skyrocket.
He scanned the rest of the building finding a vent above the emergency exit.
"Come on, Markus. I think I found a way out."
"Where?"
Carl glanced at Markus and instantly remembered that his eye was still out for the count.
He gave him back the ice pack.
"Here, hold that to your eye and give me your hand."
Markus held out his hand to Carl.
He wrapped it around his right hand.
"I want you to hold on tight alright. I'll get us out of here."
Markus followed Carl's lead until they reached the vent.
Carl scanned the perimeter below.
No human or android was around the vicinity.
He held out his left hand. The index finger folded back as a red light shimmered from the finger.
Carefully Carl aimed it as the vent firing a laser from his finger loosening the vent before he pulled it out from below and set it aside.
"Are you ready, Markus?"
"Ready? Ready for what."
"I'm going to pull you down alright?"
Markus slowly eased back down the vent, Carl clinging to both his arms holding him steady.
Eventually he touched the floor.
"Okay Carl, I'm good," he whispered and Carl relinquished his gift.
With a sigh, Markus sat down leaning against the wall next to the emergency exit. Carl eventually joined him, both exiting the vent.
"We outta get going we can't stick around."
Markus attempted to get to his feet but the dizziness made him unsteady.
He covered his mouth.
"I think I'm going to be sick."
Carl wrapped his left arm around Markus for support.
"Markus, I'll carry you out alright. Just hang in there."
He opened the door of the emergency exit and the two stepped inside to a bunch of stairs.
The two stopped once they reached the first floor. Only the nurse at the front desk was present.
It was a clear exit.
Carl carefully opened the door which made a creaking sound. He made sure the nurse was preoccupied with something else before making their way outside.
"I think I need to switch arms," Markus whispered.
Carl swapped arms, supporting Markus' left arm on his right shoulder.
"That good?"
"Yeah."
With that the two stepped outside and headed towards Carl's car.
Suddenly a loud boom whizzed in the distance.
Markus felt a sting come from his lower left side and winced.
"Markus, what's the matter?"
"I think I was shot."
"Sh-t."
"Freeze, hold it right there."
Carl stood still.
"We found them," A voice said behind them.
"Did you really think you could escape us? An RK-800 always accomplishes their mission."
"What are you going to do now?" Carl asked.
One of the androids took his arm.
"We're taking you with us?"
Markus winced clutching his wound.
"What about Markus?"
"We have no business with him."
Carl turned with a snarl pulling his arm out of their grasp.
"You shot him. The h-ll you don't."
"We'll do whatever means necessary to apprehend our target."
He folded his arms.
"You think I'll just let you capture me like that huh?"
"We left you with no other option. You have no choice."
"Oh I have plenty of choices. I could just refuse to go with you."
"Then you'll die."
'I'll die kicking your a-ses. You think I'm going to leave my son here to die because you immbeciles put your mission above the lives of another human being?"
The androids looked at him with confusion.
"I suppose the thought didn't cross your mind then? I guess your creator wasn't that much of a genius. Here's a newsflash, in case you haven't caught wind of my priorities. You leave my son here to rot, I will deactivate myself here and now and you'll die never accomplishing your mission."
"You wouldn't," one of the androids said. "You wouldn't throw your life away for nothing."
"But I would and your creator could care less if I die or not. You were all created from scrap metal and you could easily return to scrap metal anytime if you all prove faulty."
"Take the human with us."
Carl smiled as one of the androids grabbed his arm and lead him to the car.
The others hauled Markus behind him before shoving him in the car alongside Carl.
"Markus, you're going to be alright?"
He stroked his head soothingly as Markus laid on his lap.
The two eventually arrived at a large 12 story building being lead in by the androids.
Inside the building was a brown skinned woman behind the front desk. The androids had put their LEDS back on the sides of their forehead apparently while driving them here.
The woman behind the front desk appeared to already have her LED on the corner of her forehead. Surprising considering the mass population of androids preferred taking off the LEDs to make it harder to distinguish them from other humans. It had been a message of freedom at the time.
Wordless communication went on with the androids before the security lasers blocking the entrance to the building were removed.
Carl and Markus were shoved through an elevator at the end of a long hall. One of the androids pushed a button that read floor 5. Minutes later it stopped on floor five before Carl and Markus were ushered out.
They walked through another long hall spotting several barred doors on the sides.
Loud moans, and pained groans echoed the halls. Markus wasn't sure he wanted to know what those sounds were amidst the burning pain in his side.
Carl it appeared ignored it.
The two were eventually ushered to a room at the end of the hall and locked in a room with metal walls, a bed on the right corner with a large cushion made with a metal frame, and a metal sink on the left corner.
Quickly Carl set Markus on the bed kneeling down in front of him.
He placed his hand on the ice pack on his eye.
"How's your eye?"
Markus allowed Carl to remove it.
Blood was oozing out of the corners of his eyelids.
"It hurt before but now it hurts even worse."
Carl winced.
"I'm beginning to think we should have just stayed at the hospital."
"Too late for that now."
Carl removed his coat and shirt revealing his hairless chest.
He began ripping his shirt.
"Still we ought to do something with that wound of yours."
"What did you have in mind?"
"When I was built, this body was created to have all the functions of a housecare unit. Among those functions was caring for someone's injuries. One of the first things to do when presented with a severely bloody wound is to stiffle the blood."
Markus sighed.
"Why do I have a feeling I'm not going to like this?"
Carl held a piece of fabric to his mouth.
"You can bite on that if the pain is too much."
Eagerly Carl tied strips of his shirt together.
Carefully unbuttoning Markus' shirt, Carl proceeded to wrap the handmade tourniquet around his wounds causing Markus to wince.
"I'm sorry. Y'know I don't mean to hurt you."
"It's alright Carl," Markus said through gritted teeth. "You gotta stop the bleeding."
After they were finished Carl let out a sigh of relief before redressing Markus.
"That ought to stop the blood for now but you ought to lie down. The nurse did say you had to take it easy."
Markus sighed before lying down.
Some hours later and someone knocked on their cell.
"The boss brought you lunch."
A plate of food was pushed through a hole at the bottom of the door before it was resealed.
Carl looked at it with disgust scanning the plate.
Some kind of hallucinogen drug was placed in the meal. It was as good rotten.
"So what's for lunch?"
"Poison and they know it. They want you dead, Markus and I was an idiot and fell for their stupid trap."
He kicked the food against the wall.
Hours passed it seemed before there was another knock on their celldoor.
"Anyone in here?" asked a soft voice.
"Yeah, what's it to you?"
"Good."
Suddenly Carl and Markus heard a clicking sound as if someone was fiddling with a lock or something.
One of the masked androids opened the door of the cell.
"Ch-st, didn't think I'd find anyone here in one piece."
The android removed it's helmet revealing a head of short blond hair and blue eyes.
"The name's Simon. I'm here to rescue you."
"Sure you're not one of those RK-800s trying to lull us into a sense of security."
Simon snorted.
"Are you one of those sick androids doing those sick experimentations of humans?"
"Not very subtle are you? There is a reason I didn't breach the topic."
"Carl, what's he talking about?"
Simon narrowed his eyes in Carl's direction.
"So he has a name huh?"
Markus snorted.
"Of course he does, he's my father."
"He could have easily brainwashed you to say that. You know what they've done to the humans held up here? I just passed by a room where an android was implanting robotic parts in a human while they were wide awake. The room was a bloody mess and they were screaming their lungs out."
"I know who damaged my eye and I know who shot me."
Simon sighed.
The only thing Carl is guilty of is raising me. How do we know you're not one of those androids who did either of those things?"
"I'd have hardly stood a chance releasing two wanted criminals with no backup. Y'know it's surprisingly easy getting the upper hand on them when they don't expect you. Surprisingly easy to kill as long as you can get a head shot. Learned that one the hard way," he muttered to himself.
He took out some guns from his holsters handing them to Carl and Markus.
"What's your name by the way?" Simon asked.
"Markus, and this is Carl, my father."
"We need to get out of here before someone trips security. Did you need some help?"
"He's fine," Carl said helping Markus to his feet.
"Then follow me," Simon said.
Carl and Markus followed him to a corner. Two androids were lying on the floor unconscious.
"You two will need disguises."
He pulled one of the androids in a dark room.
"So we'll undress these androids and steal their clothes."
Carl followed suit. His lips curled in disgust as Simon began removing the android's clothes.
"There is just something aesthetically pleasing about how they build these androids. I mean some would give money to have a hairless chest."
"Have some decency for chr-st's sake. You could at least avert your eyes."
Simon glanced at him causing Carl to tense up.
"Why? Are you disturbed by my bedroom eyes?
"You're treading on thin ice."
"Do you have a problem with removing his clothes? If you like I could take him off your hands.
Carl snapped.
"Be my guest."
Simon proceeded to remove the clothes off of the other android as well leaving them naked on the floor in nothing but their boxers.
"I'll help Markus."
"Thanks but no thanks," Carl said, glancing at Simon with narrowed eyes.
Simon sighed.
"We don't have time to play this prudish game. Time is of the essence."
"Fine but if you make any unwanted advances towards him I'll put a hole in your head."
Carl quickly changed into the clothes.
"What happened with you anyway? You said that android didn't shoot you."
Markus sighed as Simon deftly unbuttoned his shirt.
"My brother shot me in the eye and one of those RK-800s shot me in the side."
Simon hummed.
"He did a good job with the tourniquet though I suppose that might just be an advantage of his programming."
Markus snorted.
"You give androids way too much credit. I'm always seeing people do it on tv. If noone knows how to stop blood flow, they are idiots. I mean I'm not exactly the best example, but if you can learn that kind of stuff with no education there's really no excuse to ignore it when you're taught it on school."
Simon chuckled.
"I suppose."
He helped Markus in his clothes. Simon marveled at his work glancing up and down Markus' body.
"Sexy. I must say these clothes look good on you. Hugs your thighs in all the right places."
Markus felt his face heat up as he recalled overhearing him talk with Carl earlier. It seemed almost as though the voice was rehearsed.
'What exactly is he trying to hide?'
He was about to say something when Carl cut him off.
"Ahem."
"Sorry, looks like we gotta turn the heat down for the old man," Simon said smug. He placed his helmet back on his head.
"You should wear your helmets too. It'll be harder to distinguish us that way."
The two followed Simon until they reached a corner of the wall facing diagonally from the elevator.
Markus was about to head to the elevator when Simon's arm was held out to stop him.
"Not so fast," he murmured before pulling out the gun from his holster.
He aimed it high and that's when Markus noticed the security camera.
Simon fired, destroying the camera.
He glanced around in order to see if he had missed a camera or two before getting rid of them.
Simon motioned them to follow him to the elevator. Once they got on the first floor Carl peered around the corner spotting some more Rk-800s heading out from the other side.
There was three Rk-800s near the exit. One of the guards grabbed the shoulder of one of the Rk-800s as they made their way to the exit.
Carl enhanced the audio.
"Are you heading out?"
It nodded.
"There's been a break-in. The HK-200 and his human companion have escaped. We need to interface for verification."
'Sh-t.'
The RK-800 removed it's gloves, the flesh on it's hands ebbing away to reveal it's white interior and the guard proceeded to do the same before grabbing it's hand.
Minutes passed before the guard spoke.
"Ok, you're free to go."
"Great, they're performing security checks."
Simon looked at Carl in confusion.
"Security checks?"
"Yes, you're little escapade wasn't as clever as you love to believe."
Simon snorted glancing at Carl with a cold smirk on his face.
"Perhaps you would have enjoyed remaining in your cell being left to rot. Who knew that life was so meaningless to you. If you had a death wish, I would have just rescued your son and left you there to rot. I mean at least we would have got out hasslefree and I wouldn't have wasted two parachutes to rescue you."
"Any idea how we're going to get out of this joint? If the dead bodies wasn't an obvious clue that something's going on, the disguises are not going to fool anyone much less androids."
"You're an android," Simon said smugly.
"Which would be just peachy keen if android communication is simple like you desperately want to prove," Carl said. "The moment I interface with their network, the androids will have direct access to my memories making this all for naught."
"So we don't interface."
"What's the plan if they discover us?" Carl asked.
"Then we shoot them. It's a small sacrifice but I'm sure they won't feel a thing," Simon said with a wink.
"That's not a plan. That's something you do when a plan fails."
"Now's not the time to argue. I propose a new idea. We'll have Simon draw the guards towards us and have Carl knock them out. Preventing the bloodbath while being a bunch of stealthy motherf-ckers. No security, no hassle," Markus suggested.
Simon smirked smugly glancing at Markus.
"I like the way you talk."
Carl groaned.
"You can scan these rooms right? Find us an empty room," Simon said.
Carl proceeded to scan for an empty room.
"Found one."
He pointed at the room behind them.
Simon confidentally ran over to one of the guards.
"There's been trouble. I've managed to trap the HK-200 in one of the back rooms."
He ran towards the back.
"Is there an issue?"
"I can easily take care of it."
The RK-800 followed Simon until it was around the corner. Carl had opened the door a hair slowly creeping up behind it and nailing it with the butt of the gun.
It crumpled to the floor before Carl dragged it into the empty room.
"So what now?" Simon asked.
"Well we can't very well try that whole thing again. They'll definitely know something's up if you don't return with someone," Carl said smugly.
"Ok genius, what do you suggest we do then?"
"Elijah told me something about the androids he built. A trigger that could switch between protocol mode and operational mode. If I could find the trigger we might make this work."
Carl lifted the android's shirt and removed the panel on it's stomach revealing complex circuitry and a switch in the middle.
"I assume they are currently working on protocol mode?"
"Yes, they are being programmed with orders possibly received from Mariah. Operational mode should leave the RK-800 with basic functions like the ability to sit up and walk. I could hack the microphones in their helmets as well. They'll be listening to see if the same guards return."
"I didn't even think of that," Simon said.
Carl flipped the switch causing a reboot of it's systems.
It sat up.
"What would you like me to do, commander?"
"Stand up," Carl said.
He turned towards Markus.
"You're going to capture me and Simon. When they get close, you'll act like we just knocked you off our feet. Then we'll make our escape."
"Good plan," Markus said.
"If it works," Simon added.
Carl glared at him before putting his hands behind his back. He motioned for the reprogrammed android to clutch his shoulder.
Simon put his hands behind his back and smiled at Markus as he placed his hand on his shoulder.
"You could arrest me anytime, officer."
With that the two walked for the front entrance.
"I've found the prisoners. The HK-200 almost managed to lure us in a trap. It was hiding the human. " Simon's voice came from Markus' helmet.
The two remaining RK-800s walked up to them.
"Take them back to their holding cells."
Just then Carl broke away from Markus elbowing him softly in the stomach. Simon also elbowed the android to the side.
Markus fell down in a heap. Carl reached for the holster on his hip taking the gun and he lifted Markus by the shoulder holding a gun to his head.
"Make any sudden moves and he dies."
Markus felt his heart suddenly pounding fast. This wasn't part of the plan.
'What?! What is going on?'
"Move aside and let us through," Carl said coolly.
The RK-800s dropped their guns and Simon followed behind Carl as he held Markus in front of him.
Eventually the three made their way out.
Simon flagged down a taxi and pulled the driver out of the car.
"No hard feelings but we're kinda in a hurry."
He stepped in on the driver's side while Carl headed in the back seat dragging Markus behind.
Markus closed the door behind them. Before Simon drove off he took out a card from the pocket of his shirt and threw it at the driver.
The three drove away leaving the building in the dust.
Eventually they arrived outside a fenced area.
"What is this place?" Carl asked.
"This is the outcast section of Detroit. It's where they send the criminals and outcasts of society. I'm the leader of a anti-cyberlife group known as Jericho."
"Are you sure it's not anti-android?"
Simon turned to Carl.
"I have nothing against androids. It's Cyberlife who programmed them this way. We believed they staged the whole thing with the whole RA-9 fiasco that lead to the android's deviancy in the first place and were intending to control everything through martial law."
"You know how convoluted that sounds. Surely you don't think Cyberlife would program your everyday androids with the intention of silencing the human masses. Tons of people depend on androids for their every day life. Some care for children. You're seriously trying to tell us that they are plotting our demise because they're being programmed by Cyberlife?" Markus asked.
"I don't expect you to believe me."
"I don't."
Simon smiled sadly.
"Then I guess this is where we part ways then."
He walked off just before Markus spoke with Carl.
"Y'know we ought to think about calling Connor. We could use all the help we could get. He works for the police force so he has to help us."
"I'm not even sure he would once he realises the amount of trouble I got ourselves into," Carl said.
"Well at this point, we have no other options."
Markus scouted his clothes.
'Sh-t I forgot my phone."
"I could call him wirelessly."
"If I left my phone at the hospital, those androids might already know about Connor. They probably've already tapped his home."
"Sh-t, that means they could possibly pinpoint our location through the connection."
Markus sighed.
"Simon."
He turned and walked towards them.
"What is it?"
"Do you have a phone?"
"Yeah, why? Do you need to get ahold of someone?"
"Yes."
"Any reason why that android can't?"
"They got my cellphone. Carl says they'll be able to track him here."
"That is true. The people here don't take too kindly to androids and might even rat you out if there's too much trouble. Who were you going to call?"
"My brother," Markus said. "I wanted to warn him."
Simon pulled a phone from his pocket handing it to Markus.
"Here the phone is unlisted and untraceable, no one should be able to pick up your location from there."
Markus smiled.
"Thanks, Simon."
Simon looked away, feeling his face heat up.
"Yeah, yeah."