Kensi walks back from the ledge towards Dom and me.
"I'm curious. Why aren't the other Thirds as strong as you?" I ask.
"Security should be here any minute. I'm sure they'll take care of you." Kensi said ignoring my question.
"No, you don't have to run and hide now. Officers don't leave their injured behind." I said.
Kensi doesn't say anything in response. She drops a phone on the ground at my feet, and then turns and walks away with Dom, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. They're ten feet from me when I say.
"You're cold lady." coughing up more blood.
I hear them stop walking, as if my comment was a slap in the face, but it was only a beat. I hear footsteps in a hurried rush coming back to me. I look up to see that it was Kensi. She bends over and kisses me, gently, on the lips. I stare at Kensi in shocked surprise. Neither one of us closes our eyes. Kensi stands upright, and then says.
"I will always be cold."
I start to pass out, but not before groaning and saying.
"Kensi."
I close my eyes for a moment. But when I open my eyes again, just for a second, I see Kensi and Dom walking away. Their backs are the last thing I see before I blackout. When I get to the hospital I go into surgery immediately. I have no idea how long the surgery lasts. There are a couple of doctors nearby conversing about my injuries.
"I'm amazed he survived with all the injuries he sustained. His entire chest area was damaged, and the right arm was severed. Over fifty percent of his body will be artificial replacement parts. Isn't that gonna be a problem for a policeman?" The first doctor asked.
"For a recruit, maybe, but not for this cowboy." The second doctor said.
Sometime after surgery I wake up, and the nurse comes to check on me. There was a hassle about whether or not I should be up and moving around, but a doctor signed off. I'm walking around the hospital wing trying to get acclimated to my new parts, but it's more difficult than when I got the new leg a last year. I hear someone laughing, I look up to see that it's Eddie.
"I sure hope you feel better than you look." Eddie said.
"I can't understand why my other arm hurts so much." I say.
"The doctor threw in some kind of new nervous system for you, so it's probably just a side effect." Eddie said. He turns to walk away. "At any rate there's something I want to show you."
We head for the elevator and take it to the basement.
There is only one reason to go into the basement of a hospital. The morgue. I think.
We enter the morgue, and walk along the wall that holds all the deceased people waiting to be autopsied, or taken to the funeral home. Eddie opens a door, pulls out the slab, and then unzips then it. Judging by the frame of the deceased it was a woman. To my horror the deceased is Kelly McCanon.
"It's Kelly McCanon. Why haven't they disposed of her body yet?" I asked.
"Hey, she's a real find. You just don't throw something like her away." Eddie says looking over his shoulder at me. When he looks back at the body his attitude becomes more serious, unzipping the body bag just past the breast bone.
"Except for a few functions, Thirds are perfect synthetic organisms. They can simulate every physical aspect of the human body. The big mystery that's had everybody running in circles is: Why have all the Thirds been female? Do you know?"
I stare at Eddie with a blank face, shaking my head.
"After the victims were autopsied, we discovered that this wasn't just a case of robot destruction. It was murder. I'll show ya." Eddie said.
Eddie unzips the body bag down to the top of her thigh, exposing her entire trunk. I can see incision marks on her abdomen.
"Our country-western singer here? She was pregnant." Eddie said.
My eyes almost hit my eyebrows. The word pregnant kicks something loose in my memory. It was the conversation with McCanon's manager.
No stinking robot can play a guitar and sing the way Kelly does. I'm her manager. I know her better than anybody. She's the most human woman I know.
I stare in shock at the dead woman sitting on the table in front of me. And then something else crosses my mind.
Is Kensi a third? And if she is, can she get pregnant? I think.
M.A.M.
Across town in a warehouse somewhere, Kensi and Dom were talking about the perks of being a Third compared to a regular robot. Dom had just revealed the fact that Thirds can get pregnant, too. Dom was on one side of the room, while Kensi was on other side looking in a busted mirror.
"I can't believe I'm capable of giving birth." Kensi said.
Somewhere between the sewer, and the warehouse Kensi got back into her usual attire: red hot pants, brassiere, boots, and full length gloves.
"Quite the revelation, isn't it? That's the whole purpose of the Third types. You can step beyond the bounds of conventional robots just by getting pregnant. Mommy Kensi. Hmm." Dom said.
"Not funny. It's too weird." Kensi said. Then she turned to look at Dom. "But you, what's your role?"
"I'm still trying to figure that out. "What's the point of creating a male kid? The C.P.U. showed my serial number as the last Third made. The final model off the line." Dom said.
"Not quite. We can breed now." Kensi said.
"Now I understand why the Thirds were made to seem so human, not just in appearance but emotionally, like the murdered singer and that novelist. They weren't just machines they had souls. It take more than the right plumbing to procreate. Yes, sir, the perfect receptacle for human babies." Dom said.
During his speech Dom had made his way standing some distance behind Kensi next to support beam. Dom starts chuckling. Something set Kensi off. Either his speech, or his laugh, but Kensi got anger and attacked Dom.
"What's so funny, huh?" Kensi asked throwing punch.
Dom caught Kensi wrist, and threw her against the beam. Placing both hands on her shoulders, pinning her between him and the beam.
"Jerk." Kensi said just short of a growl.
"Tsk-tsk. What's the matter? Have I touched a nerve?" Dom asked. Dom leaned and whispered in Kensi ear. "Maternal clock ticking? Maybe you'd like Detective Deeks to set your alarm."
When Dom mention that Deeks was going to get her pregnant, Kensi threw a punch aiming for Dom's face, but he jumped out of the way. Dom started laughing, but was cut short when Kensi spoke.
"Shut up!"
Dom stopped laughing instantly. He watched as Kensi wrapped her arms around her waist, trying to block something from getting to her.
"I was just kidding." Dom said.
"Dom, do you know why they made us?" Kensi asked.
"I don't, but I'll bet Granger does." Dom said.
"Or D'Anclaude. He must have some part in this." Kensi said.
Kensi and Dom stood in silence for a few minutes before exiting the warehouse. Making their way to the mainframe.
M.A.M
Back at the station I make my way to Hetty's office to be brought up to date on the current events of the case since I was in the hospital. They do things strange here on Mars. If you get injured in the line of duty back on Earth you get three months off to recuperate, but I'm thrown right back in the meat grinder after I got out of the hospital. But I knew it was going to be bad because I got word that the case had been closed. Hetty was sitting down when I walked in.
"How are you feeling Mr. Deeks? Have you made full recovery?" Hetty asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine. It takes time getting used to these new body parts." I say.
"Ironic, isn't it?" Hetty said.
"What?" I asked.
"Little by little you're becoming like the robot you hate so much." Hetty said.
This as good as any place to segue way into the case. I think.
"Let's get down to business, shall we?" I asked angrily. "Why is the investigation of the Thirds over? That doesn't make any sense."
"Maybe it does." Hetty said.
"Bullcrap." I say.
I caught a glance in Hetty's eye that she didn't like my last statement.
"But we have to follow orders in this department." Hetty said.
"Tell me, was the decision forced?" I asked.
"I'll tell you what it is." Hetty said standing up. "It's an order that you're going to follow. The Third investigation is over because the murder was apprehended."
Hetty turned to look out her window, but I continue.
"Even after we've discovered that Thirds are robots that can actually conceive. Why stop here?" I asked.
"D'Anclaude's under full guard." Hetty said.
"Yeah, right." I said.
"He's over at Shenora General Government Hospital." Hetty said. "I can't accept the contradictory repot that you filed."
"But, Hetty." I said.
"Our job is to investigate and arrest technological criminals. Don't forget it. That's all I have to say for now." Hetty said.
I exit Hetty's office and make my way to an elevator. I'm disgusted. I'm beginning to doubt the reason why I transferred to Mars in the first place. On the elevator ride down I stop and think. I look at my right arm and I hear Hetty's voice in my head again.
Ironic, isn't it? Little by little, you're becoming like the robot you hate so much.
I hear the elevator ding when it reaches my stop, and I exit. I don't even stay at the station I leave and go run down some other leads. Or more importantly, I keep investigating the Third case.
M.A.M.
Across town Kensi and Dom are standing outside the building containing the mainframe for all the robots consciousness.
"That's where all my memory was backed up and stored. I'm saved for posterity. And if we're all murdered, you know-" Dom said.
"Will you give it a rest?" Kensi asked.
Kensi pulled off her visor and stared blankly at Dom. Dom stared back at Kensi a beat. Dom smiled, mumble something, and stuck his tongue out at Kensi. Kensi and Dom entered the building and made their way through its hallowed halls for a while until they found their door. Not they weren't expecting it, but the door was locked. Dom hooked his computer to it and was attempting to hack the password for the door. All that could be heard in the hallway is the beeping coming from Dom's computer.
"Ha! Bingo!" Dom said.
There was a heavy noise, followed by a beam of light that fell on both Kensi and Dom. It turn out to be a security bot.
"Hmm?" Dom said.
"Warning: Only authorized personnel are permitted within the memory bank." The bot said.
"Oh." Dom said glumly.
"Please vacate this area at once." The bot continued.
"We're lost. Which way is magnetic north?" Kensi asked making her way over to the bot.
"There is no department by that name. You must vacate with in ten seconds or-"
Before the bot could threat Kensi and Dom with death Kensi reached for the bots throat, or the equivalent of a throat, and sent a high amount of electricity into the bot, disabling it.
Dom was impressed by Kensi display, whistling at how effortlessly she dispatched the bot.
"Granger was quite a designer. He created the ultimate woman who could kick butt, and raise children." Dom said.
"He designed you too." Kensi said looking over her shoulder at Dom.
Dom chuckled. "Yeah, but I can't get pregnant."
They turned, leaving the bot in the middle of the hall, and entered the mainframe room. The room was huge: it was a circular room with a giant platform in the middle. Kensi and Dom stepped onto the platform, and stood in silence for a time; Kensi was scoping out the room, while Dom was looking for a way to access the mainframe.
"Hmm. That's it." Dom said as he knelt down in front of a grate two feet in front of him.
Kensi looked at the grate as Dom finished kneeling in front of it. Dom opened the grate, with a grunt. Dom knew what was coming next. He reached into the panel and pulled out a cord. The cord is used to transfer information between the mainframe and a personal computer.
"Here's goes. I hate that this is the easiest way." Dom said psyching himself out.
Dom lined the cable with the top of his sternum, and drove it into his chest. All throughout the room Dom's groaning was the only sound that was being made.
"Hey, will you hurry up?" Kensi said grudgingly.
"Hey, I'm doing this for you. It hurts like crazy, so shut up." Dom said indignantly as he found the right depth for the transfer. There were a few droplets of sweat on Dom's forehead.
Kensi changed her attitude real quickly. Kensi had relaxed her muscles, and she had an apologetic look on her face.
"I need to know about myself. Who am I and why?" Kensi said.
"Hmm. I'll look." Dom said.
There was a moment of silence as Dom was searching for Granger's file.
"Kensi?" Dom says.
"Huh." Kensi says.
"Help me out. My virtual monitor." Dom said almost robotic like.
That would because most of his consciousness is currently being used to run the search. Kensi thought.
"Yeah?" Kensi said.
"Open it from my navigational system." Dom said.
Kensi looked for the buttons to access the monitor, and pressed it. Kensi gasped as the monitor came to life. The screen was blank for a moment.
"Good. I've located the still image file. Hold on. Just another second." Dom said.
The screen was blank until Dom accessed the picture. In the picture was of a group of men and women standing around a sign that read: Conception Generation X labs.
Kensi was silent for a while until she found who she was looking for, but what scared her was who was standing next to the person in question. Kensi gasped.
"That's my father, but why is he standing next to D'Anclaude?" Kensi asked. There was a moment of silence and then Kensi spoke again. "I don't believe it."
Dom started moaning in pain, falling over flat on his back, as the screen went blank.
"Dom!" Kensi exclaimed.
Dom was groaning in pain. "Darn it! I think someone's discovered me." Dom continued to groan in pain.
"You're logging off now!" Kensi exclaimed pulling the cord from Dom's body.
But it was too late. Somebody had indeed entered Dom's body through his search of the mainframe, attempting to override his consciousness and steal his body for their own purposes. Dom continued to moan in attempt to stop the person from stealing his body. When he stood up from the floor his hands went straight to Kensi throat, strangling her.
"Oh, God. Something's in me." Dom said groaning, and tears in his eyes. "Please help me."
Dom continued moaning in a feeble attempt to keep the intruder at bay, but his hands were still around Kensi throat. Kensi, folding her body in half, got the heels of her feet on Dom's thigh and abdomen and kicked him off of her. The bad thing was that Dom fell over the side of the platform. Kensi drew her gun as she was regaining her balance. The next thing that Kensi heard was cackling. Which was the signature sound made by D'Anclaude. It was he who had hijacked Dom's body.
"Little Kensi Blye went looking for knowledge and only found trouble. You can't stop the Third types from being killed my dear." D'Anclaude said.
Kensi realized her dilemma: it was a big room. Dom could attack her from any direction. Kensi scanned the room looking for any signs of Dom. Kensi didn't have to look long because she heard D'Anclaude, mixed with a little of Dom's voice, screaming as he dropped in on her, punching the spot where she was currently crouched at. The impact of the punched was enough to dislodge the panel. Kensi had her weapon pointed at D'Anclaude/Dom. When Dom looked up he saw that Kensi was point his gun at him.
"Shoot me I don't mind." D'Anclaude said. He started laughing again. "Pull the trigger. I dare you." D'Anclaude said once he had finished laughing.
D'Anclaude started laughing again, and Dom's body was going through the motions as if he was the one laugh, instead of D'Anclaude.
"So, you're not a human. Are you a Third type?" Kensi asked.
D'Anclaude stopped laughing and then spoke, but the voice was that of Dom.
"You won't find my name in the membership of that club for failures." Dom said.
"What are you saying?" Kensi asked in shocked surprise.
The voice to come from Dom's lips was D'Anclaude's again. "You make me wretch. Cheap imitations pretending to be human. There's no comparison to our superiority. I couldn't agree with humans more on one thing. All Thirds should be annihilated." D'Anclaude said.
All that could be heard throughout the room was D'Anclaude's laughter, for a split second you could hear a little of Dom's voice in the laughing.
"I'll kill you!" Kensi exclaimed rage coursing throughout her body.
Kensi turned her gun and fired five rounds into the computer port. She ran up to the port and dropped the butt of her gun on to the port severing the connecting between D'Anclaude and Dom. Next thing Kensi heard Dom's moans of pain, and then rushed over to catch him as he fell to the floor.
"Dom. No." Kensi said just above a whisper.
Dom was taking in deep breathes, smoke emanating from his body.
"That psycho's not the original." Dom said panting.
"Oh, my God." Kensi said.
Dom started groaning again.
"What's wrong?" Kensi asked.
"I'm going. I'll finally meet the real D'Anclaude. Get back!" Dom shouted as he shove Kensi away from him.
Just as Kensi hits the floor Dom's body bursts into synthetic flames. Kensi looked on in horror, her face twisted by its hold on her body. Kensi looks closely at Dom's body and she can see his skin began to disintegrate.
"K-Kensi, good-bye." Dom said his skin disintegrating from his face.
"Oh, no, Dom. No!" Kensi exclaimed.
Dom's body was engulfed by the flame, and Kensi screamed in horror. When the flame disappeared there was nothing left of Dom's body, just the scorch marks were left in the place where his body caught fire. There weren't even any ashes.