Thank you for all the kind reviews. It really motivated me to hurry up and write the next chapter. To all of you guessers out there, I think you will enjoy it more if you just wait and see what happens. It will be more fun that way. Thanks again!

Chapter 2

Clockwork Armageddon

FEDERAL EXPRESS DRONE HUB

ANGEL'S BLUFF, VA

Riley pulls up to the gate driving a gray sedan that she and Michael stole from the Park and Ride where they left the SUV. She fervently hopes that the Cyber Com agents who must be searching for them were fooled by the cameras that Michael looped at the train station there or the G.P.S. auto-piloted car from the same lot that he programmed to head for the airport. She rolls down her window and the guard at the gate gives her an expectant look.

"I'm Carla Johnson with the FAA," she says handing him her FAA identification card, "This location was chosen for a random site visit."

The guard examines the card and returns it to her.

"You can park in one of the visitor spaces over there," he says pointing to some spaces labeled visitor and grabbing the phone.

She parks the car, pops the trunk and walks around to pull a very large and heavy tool case out of it. The case has wheels so once she gets it out of the trunk she rolls it along with relative ease.

Riley walks up to the reception desk dragging her case behind her.

"Hi, I'm Carla Johnson with the FAA," Riley says handing over her credentials, "Your site has been chosen for a random inspection,"

The receptionist gave her a horrified look and says, "Let me call Randy."

After about five minutes, Randy, a heavy set man with an ill fitting blue suit, arrives.

"Ms. Johnson," Randy says putting out his hand for a hand shake, "I'm Randy Ellis, Chief Engineer."

"Nice to meet you Randy" Riley says smiling up at him as she shakes his hand, "You can call me Carla."

"Nice to meet you Carla," he smiles back, "Call me Randy. I've never had a surprise FAA inspection before so I guess you better tell me what you need.

"It's not too complicated really. I just need to randomly select a drone in each weight class, check its maintenance log and inspect it. I usually start with the larger drones and work my way down," she says.

"Sure, that shouldn't be any problem. I'll take you over to the drone hangers myself," he says, "May I carry your case for you?"

"Thank you, but no. Some of the instruments in here are very delicate and I'm already so used to dragging it around that I don't bang it into anything by mistake," she says.

"Suit yourself," Randy says and walks her down the hall, out onto a runway and then into a hangar filled with drones.

"Here we are," he says.

"I just need to select one and inspect it," Riley says looking around the room until she sees a body transport drone, "How about that one," she says pointing.

"Certainly, that is one of our body transport drones. It's a new model, but they have pretty simple navigation systems. They don't carry any other kind of cargo, and they always fly direct with no stops," he said.

"Sounds like it won't take too long to inspect then. Can you get it down for me and get me the maintenance logs? I'm going to need a quiet place to work where I can tear it down to inspect it. "

"Sure. I'll have Scott get it down for you with the fork lift and put it into the empty hangar next door. Do you mind if I go back to my office for awhile?" Randy asks, "Scott will be happy to get you anything else you need."

"Certainly, I'm not allowed to have any of your personnel in the room during the inspection anyway," Riley says.

"Just go on over to the hangar next door, Ma'am," Scott says, "I'll bring you the drone when Kelly gets me the log."

Riley drags the tool chest over into the next hangar and looks around carefully before speaking into the com in her sleeve.

"How are you doing in there Michael," she asks.

"Fine, it's just boring," he says.

"Are you having any trouble breathing?" she asks.

"No, the ventilation system is working fine," he says.

"Good, I'm afraid you're going to have to stay in there just a little longer until they give me some privacy," she says.

The hangar's garage door rolls up and Scott is there on the fork lift bearing the body transport drone.

"Where do you want it, Ma'am?" Scott asks.

"Just bring it in far enough that I can close the door back. I don't want to get any particles in the engine while I'm taking it apart," she says.

Scott complies with her request, then hands her the log book.

"There you go ma'am. I'll be next door moving some things when you need me to get you another one," Scott says backing up his beeping forklift and pushing the button that sends the garage door back down.

Riley pulls her gun and quickly checks the hangar before holstering her gun, opening the case and releasing Michael.

"You okay?" Riley asks.

"I'm okay, but I'm glad to get out of there," Michael says.

"This is the last leg of our journey," she says.

"Are you going to tell me where we're going now?" he asks.

"We're going to a ranch near North Eagle Butte, South Dakota," she says.

"Why? What's there?" he asks.

"An old friend of mine and your mother's named Gabriel Vaughn. He has a chip in his head a lot like yours. In fact, he was the original Augmented Human Intelligent prototype," Riley says.

"Awesome! I've read about him. It will be cool seeing how the old technology works," Michael says.

"I can't wait till you call him old technology to his face," Riley laughs, "but that's the good news. The bad news is that you are going to have to ride in this drone to get there."

"That's a body transport drone. How are we going to breathe and regulate our temperature?" he asks.

Riley pulls what looks like two body bags out of another compartment in the case.

"We are going to zip ourselves up in these," she says, then she opens one and reveals what looks like a portable breathing machine, "and breathe through these."

"I'm really tired of being cooped up Riley," he says.

"I know sweetheart," she says putting her hand on his head sympathetically, "but just think how fun it will be to meet Gabriel. He always has some really cool gadgets too!"

Michael smiles and begins looking at the drone.

"How long will it take us to get there?" he asks.

"A little under 5 hours," she says, "Can you disable its tracking device and set the G.P.S. for latitude 45 North and longitude 101.27 West?"

"And Michael, if something happens to me ..." she begins.

Interrupting Michaels says, "I know. I know. Hide and wait for someone I know."

"No, I was going to say you can trust Gabriel. He's a good man. One of the best I've ever known and I know he will do everything he can to protect you," Riley says.

She pauses for a moment.

"Have you got the coordinates programmed into the computer?" Riley says.

"Yes. It's was easy," Michael says.

"Good, then I'm afraid it's time to put you in your body bag," she says.

She helps him into the body bag.

"There you are little boy. After this we'll have a nice long rest," she says.

"And get something good to eat? Those protein bars are gross," he says.

"Yes we'll have pizza!" she says.

"Can we have pepperoni?" he asks.

"Absolutely, now I'm going to zip you up and lay you in the drone. We'll both take a nice nap and then we'll be at Gabriel's," she says.

Just as Riley starts to zip him up Scott walks into the hangar with a coke in one hand. Startled she turns and points her gun at him. Scott runs out the door he came in leaving it open. Riley quickly zips Michael up and lays him in the drone then she pushes the button that opens the overhead door of the hangar.

"Come on. Come on," she says watching the door as at it slowly starts to open.

A security guard appears in the doorway with his gun pointed at her.

"Please step away from the drone and show me your hands, miss," he says sternly but politely.

"Officer," she says stepping closer, "I don't understand," another step toward him, "Why are you pointing that gun at me?" one more step.

"Stay where you are, miss," he says still pointing the gun at her, "I don't want to have to hurt you."

"What's the problem? I'm with the FAA. Let me show you my ID," she says reaching into her jacket for the fake ID and taking one more step toward him.

"Keep your hands where I can see them," the guard says nervously.

"Of course," Riley says, "just let me put it back in my pocket," but she drops the ID on the floor.

"Whoops," she says bending to pick it up.

She comes up with a chop to his throat. The guard's gun goes off and the bullet hits Riley in the thigh. She manages to twist the gun out of his hand and brings her other knee up to meet his crotch repeatedly until he falls over. She pitches his gun behind a shelving unit and limps to the drone. She manages to step into her body bag and almost falls back into the drone. She pushes a button on the outside of the drone and lies down. The drone's lid closes down and its engines begin to hum. Zipping up her body bag, she feels a surge of happiness. She is going to see Gabriel again. At least she is if she doesn't bleed out before she gets there.