It had been over a week since Tenma's disappearance, and Astro went through what many would categorize as a very human emotion. It was unnerving; an entire week and yet there had been no clue of Tenma's whereabouts. Astro had been searching every day, scanning the entire city for outside influences which weren't registered robots. But so far his search had been completely fruitless.

It was now late in the evening and Astro was standing inside the Ministry of Science, looking out through the big window at the heavy rain, splashing against the window and obscuring Astro's vision of the outside world.

Ochanomizu walked up behind him and put his hands gently on Astro's shoulders. "Don't worry, Astro," he said. "I'm sure Dr Tenma will be fine. Your father is not really what anyone would call a normal human being; to get rid of him would be a difficult task."

"Not a normal human being?" Astro asked. "What would people call a person like my father, then?"

"A genius," Ochanomizu replied. "People don't always know how to handle such a person, because there are only so few like him. One in a million, in fact, but that also means he is far ahead of most people."

Astro glanced down. "Then he should have made it back by now."

"Listen, Dr Tenma must have been taken for a reason; it is very unlikely the kidnapper wants to see him dead," Ochanomizu said. "Tenma works in his own ways. Have faith."

"I suppose," Astro sighed as Uran slowly walked up to him as well.

"What were you doing big brother?" Uran asked. "Didn't look like you were scanning."

"I was… accessing Tobio's memories," Astro admitted. "I thought there might be a clue there, but I'm afraid not," he sighed. "It's funny, father seems so different in those memories. He plays the piano. I didn't even think about that. I should have gotten a piano for the apartment; I'm sure he would have enjoyed that."

"You can still get him a piano," Uran pointed out. "Uncle Tenma is a tough nut! I mean, even you couldn't take him down! And you sure tried your best."

"That is true," Astro had to admit, slightly amused.

"What was he like?" Uran asked. "In Tobio's memories."

"I erh… I'm not sure I should talk about that," Astro turned away.

"Aw, come on, just a little bit."

"Uran, no, those are private memories," Ochanomizu reprimanded her.

"It's okay," Astro closed his eyes. "In the memories, father was…. usually very distant, very far away. Yet when he finally came home, he was kind and patient. Tobio wanted father to be home more often, to not be so far away. Because when they were together… they were at peace," he said. "It's odd, though, when I go far back. The furthest I can. I think Tobio's oldest memories I… I remember a scream. I think that was father. Screaming. Tobio was too young to understand words or anything, there was just that scream… But that scream, also sounds so identical to Tobio's very last memory. As he laid in fathers arms, he knew he was dying and father screamed."

Ochanomizu sighed sadly. "Yes, he did scream," he said. "I saw it myself. It was a horrible sight to see him like that, in the middle of the street, Tobio in his arms, blood everywhere. I will never forget it." He shook his head. "That's probably also why I agreed to cover up for him while he built you," he informed Astro. "I just… I couldn't say no to him back then. Even when I had no idea what he was actually doing at that lab; he didn't let anyone see it. I sure was surprised when I finally realized it was you he was making, but I couldn't really blame him. So I covered up for him even further."

"I'm glad you covered for him," Astro smiled lightly. "I wouldn't have been made if you didn't."

"I sure am glad too, Astro," Ochanomizu patted him on the head.

"Me three!" Uran grinned jumping up and down.

"Me four," a fourth voice added as Reno walked up to them as well. "Sorry for listening in, Astro."

"It's okay, Reno," Astro assured.

"Your father is going to be fine. I'm sure of it," Reno told him. "He'll probably turn up when we expect it the least. Isn't that how it's supposed to go?"

"Honestly, with Tenma anything is possible," Ochanomizu admitted. "We're talking about the man who created his first AI from scratch when he was only eleven years old."

"Are you serious?" Reno gaped.

"Yes, he was disqualified from his school's science fair because he was accused of cheating, stealing someone else's robotics," Ochanomizu explained. "Then after further investigation they figured out he wasn't cheating after all and instead he earned an honor medal and a university scholarship. It was in the news back then. Of course, I didn't realize that was actually Tenma before someone pointed it out to me years later when Tenma worked here."

"I could barely make decent repairs on my family when I was eleven," Reno said, astounded.

"Really? But you're really smart, Reno!" Uran exclaimed.

"Hehe," Reno grinned. "Not that smart. But see, Astro?! If he could do that back then, he'll be fine now."

"Sure sounds that way," Astro smiled lightly but then sighed. "Still, though, you can hurry up a bit father," he said, more to himself than them.

"He'll come," Reno reassured him. "Just you wait and see."

"In the meantime, Astro," Ochanomizu said, "just keep doing what you always do. Live your life, go to school, be with your friends and help people. Your father would not want you to drop everything to look after him exclusively when there is no lead."

"Yeah, I guess," Astro sighed. "Okay then, but the moment there's a lead…!"

"I'll tell you at once. I swear," Ochanomizu promised, holding up a hand.

"Thank you, professor!"

"Any time, Astro."

"Huh, you're running a bit of a fever," Rumiko commented as she had placed a hand on Tenma's forehead.

Tenma didn't reply to the statement, just exhaled deeply.

"That was quite a fall though, buddy. I'm quite surprised none of your bones are broken!" Oda said. "I mean, you were basically passed out when we found you. Glad you came around after a bit of sleep."

Tenma huffed in annoyance, but pulled the worn out blanket closer around his shoulders. He had been placed in a bunk close to a fireplace. What he was sitting in was what basically looked like a makeshift camp; small huts had been raised around them using the old robot spare parts, plates, boxes and whatever else they could find. It was even worse than the robot village above.

Sleep had indeed done wonders for Tenma, though, and just being allowed to digest the food he had finally gotten had given him strength back. However, his body was far from prime condition. He felt pathetically weak, and his body was still shaking without his consent. He could feel the flush over his cheeks which he could only assume was the result of that fever Rumiko had mentioned.

"It sure has been a while since we last had a new one down here," Oda commented.

A middle aged woman snorted. "And good thing too; now we just have an extra mouth to feed. Nothing but trouble!" The woman was plump, her hair short, curly and brown, and yet she didn't look or sound like the kind sort of plump woman. She was far more harsh.

"Elisa," Oda tried to smile at the woman.

"Don't you Elisa me!" Elisa huffed, crossing her arms. "We've barely got enough food and water to go around, and now we get a guy who might not even be able to work for a while! Don't get too lazy, you! I'll personally make sure you won't get to just slack off!"

Tenma shot Elisa a death glare.

"Hah, cute," Elisa sneered, looking straight back at Tenma with a warning glance.

Oda shook his head as he took an old tin mug and poured in hot water, then put in a tea bag. "So what are you in for, stranger?" he asked, offering Tenma the tea, almost as a peace offering.

Tenma glanced at Oda, frowning slightly.

"Don't mind him," Rumiko smiled, a bit amused. "He treats this like it's a prison camp and we are all offenders of some kind."

"Well, in the eyes of the robots up there we are," Oda said, pointing up at the balcony where Tenma had been standing probably a bit over a week ago, looking down. "They pick up humans they think have committed a crime against robots and put them here. I, for one, worked as a disassembler, pulling apart discarded robots before throwing them down here. And then I was thrown down here myself. Some kind of poetic justice to that, would you say?" he asked, amused. "Rumiko, there, protested against robot maids taking her job opportunities."

Rumiko pouted. "I just don't see the reason behind keeping on manufacturing them when humans need those jobs!" she said. "Let's take care of those who are already alive here!"

"And Elisa, my sweet, dear Elisa," Oda smiled.

"Oi, don't you even start," Elisa rolled her eyes.

Oda, though, smiled as he continued. "Mysterious and from the underworld, you wouldn't believe it with such a elegant presence, but she was a black market dealer. Snatching up robots and re-selling them for a higher price. So many robots she tore away from their families so she could erase their memories and re-sell them into much harder living standards."

"What do I care? They are just machines," Elisa snorted.

"So how about you, buddy?" Oda asked Tenma. "What is your big crime?"

Tenma smirked in amusement, then finally accepted the mug as he chuckled to himself.

"Well this sounds promising," Oda commented.

"If you wanted to hear of all my crimes, we would be here all week!" Tenma said. "I don't even know who I made the biggest injustice to. Robots or humans? It is all stacking up."

"A big shot, eh?" Elisa asked. "Well, mister, down here we are all equal. If you wish to survive, you work."

Oda shook his head. "Don't worry, as long as you can tell the difference between a power cord and a broken plate you'll be fine," he assured. "It's not so difficult; of course, it's also kind of based on luck what we'll find from day to day. But it's not too difficult."

"Let's see," Elisa snorted. "I know his type: doesn't look like a person who has had as much as one hard day's work in his life. Listen to me; you are going to get your hands dirty out here. Whether you like it or not."

Tenma smirked. "Who says I am intending to even stay here?"

Elisa burst into laughter. "If you want to escape, please be my guest, but don't expect us to come running to your rescue and patch you up a second time!"

"I wouldn't dream of it," Tenma replied evenly, sipping the tea. He regretted it immediately; the tea was awful.

"Seriously, buddy, don't even try. It's impossible!" Oda said. "The only exit is the pipe up there where robotic parts are being dumped down." He pointed upwards. The ceiling above them was indeed so far above that it was nearly impossible to see due to the darkness of the cave. "Of course, sometimes broken thrusters and so on are thrown down here, and some have tried to repair them. But whenever we get too high in the air, those droids that monitor us come along and shock us with electrical pulses."

"Don't tell me that was enough to stop you people," Tenma said. "That is pathetic."

"Of course it wasn't! Don't you think people here have tried anything they could think off?" Oda asked. "Even breaking into the village upstairs. But every time, it just ends up with someone getting hurt. Buddy, for your own sake, don't."

Tenma groaned; he was really tired of being called 'buddy' so casually.

"You'll be wasting your time!" Elisa stated. "Time which could be spent collecting the parts the robot village is asking for!"

"I really have no intention of helping that village," Tenma said.

Elisa huffed as she walked over to him and put her hands on her hips, towering over Tenma, who was still sitting down. "I don't tolerate lazy bums at this camp! If you want to stay here, to eat our food, warm yourself at our fire, drink and bathe in our precious water, or use our tools, you will work. If not, leave! Now!"

"Elisa!" Oda tried. "I'm sure once Umataro has thought things through…!"

"Then he better hurry up, or I'll throw him out personally.".

"Umataro, please." Rumiko then asked. "If you don't work, you'll die down here. How will you escape then?"

Tenma shrugged. "Maybe I'll escape, maybe I won't. Such is the nature of things."

Rumiko blinked. "But, surely, you will want to get out of here. I'm sure there must be someone who misses you!"

Tenma didn't respond, and instead took another sip of tea. He regretted it once again. The tea was still just as awful.

"Come on, buddy," Oda pressed. "Don't you have a family or something? Friends perhaps?"

Tenma exhaled deeply. "My family died long ago," he said. "Now all there is left… No. I still have one son," he corrected. "My son has put a lot of faith in me, even when I didn't deserve it. I should probably try to get out of here."

"See, there you go!" Oda beamed. "So stay alive so you can get back to him!"

Just then, a child came running not far from Tenma. He had bright red hair and didn't look more than ten years old. After a few steps, though, he tripped and fell straight over, landing right on his face. Tenma tensed, almost ready to run over there and help the child up, but the boy only pushed himself up, laughed, and started to run again… Only to fall the exact same way four steps later.

Tenma blinked. "There are children here?"

"Oh that's just Timmy," Oda said. "He came here around two years ago."

Tenma lifted an eyebrow as he observed the child tripping and falling for a third time. "He's awfully clumsy, isn't he?"

"Poor child doesn't seem to be able to walk four steps without falling," Rumiko sighed deeply. "But he is so full of energy, so I doubt there's anything wrong with him."

"He seems perfectly healthy to me," Tenma commented. "Although, when my son tripped like that he would always make such a fuss about it, crying endlessly until I picked him up."

"That won't do any good down here," Elisa huffed.

"Elisa, princess of the underworld, he's just a kid," Oda smiled weakly.

"When I was his age I was already feared in my part of town as the Black Spider," Elisa stated. "Kids nowadays, they are much too soft. Toughening him up will only do him good! Why, if my father caught me crying, he would give me a good whack with the ruler! And if Timmy starts to complain, by god I wouldn't hesitate to do the same!"

"You will do no such thing," Tenma growled darkly.

"Oh? Would you stop me?" Elisa asked. "A weak little man like you?"

"You have no idea what I can do," Tenma replied in a voice dripping with venom.

Elisa glanced at him, and for a moment it looked like they were having a staring contest. Then, at last, Elisa smirked. "Oh good, so you do have a bit of backbone! Good, good, there might be use for you yet!"

Oda sighed deeply. "Umataro, please don't take it too seriously. She doesn't mean it!"

"You bet I do!"

"Don't worry; I've met people like her before," Tenma commented. "They are big shots in situations like this, but out in the real world they are nothing but other people's pawns."

"Umataro, please!" Rumiko tried.

Elisa looked at him coldly. "Upstairs, you might be important, you might be some kind of big shot, but down here you will follow our rules."

Tenma glanced back at her.

"Oh? No wise comeback smart guy?"

"My son must be worried," Tenma then replied calmly. "I need to get back to him. That is why I need to survive. Fine, I'll follow your ways for now."

Elisa grinned. "Good!"

This Chapter has been beta read by MugetsuFoxPipe