Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Zeta Project'. I do not own any of its characters. It's just a fanfiic.

I own Annie's Carol's characters.

As English isn't my native language, I want to thank Antje for her editing help on this chapter.

The Hero

by Iglika

Chapter 3

Two hands grabbed me, firmly, but carefully, the next second I was over the surface, held by Zee and I could take my breath.

"Where is Carol? Where is my sister?" I cried.

"I'll find her!" he answered fast.

We were so close to the coast already. He squeezing me with his one hand only, he extended his arm, gently putting me on the ground, where the other girls and women were saved already, and I saw in the darkness how his silver body dived in the water again.

A few seconds later he swam toward us with my sister in his arms. She coughed and shivered, just like me. We both hugged, crying.

The bus shook for a second time, obviously because the green-haired guy had tried fighting again. The people inside began to scream – the bus was heeled over and began sinking…

Zee turned back and swam, as fast as he could, toward the bus. I saw how he dived again, then…the bus began to float toward the bank where we were!

Zee pushed the bus till it lay on the ground. Then Zee climbed up the roof and began to help people get out. They all shivered, being completely wet.

Ro was the last one from the women and the girls whom Zee freed. She didn't go to the coast though, she remained beside Zee. When he dragged up the last man, he entered the bus descending inside through the hole. He wanted to be sure that everyone was outside. Ro didn't move, she waited for him. She hugged him fiercely at his return.

The white-green light flashed again, his human appearance restored. He took Ro in his arms and he jumped down to the ground.

All the people looked at him, some of them thanked him, but he was so shy, he answered with an embarrassed smile, even avoiding their eyes.

We all sat on the bank. Those who were with friends or relatives hugged each other, trying to bring a little bit warmth. It was summer indeed, but it was nighttime and after the cold water of the river, the night wind chilled us to the bone.

I knew the police had cameras all over the magway, so help and ambulances would come soon.

But in contrast to all of the other people around, somehow Zee and Ro weren't inclined to wait, although Ro was totally wet as well. It was as if they wanted to be sure, once again, that everything was all right and then leave. But why? And if they wanted to leave, why had they stopped?

They were in front of the mother with the baby. As all of the people here, the woman tried to warm her child, holding it close, but her clothes were wet, the baby's clothes were wet, and the baby was crying.

Zee and Ro threw glances to each other again, as they had so many times this evening. I just liked the way they exchanged glances – a sign of deep attachment and perfect harmony.

Zee sat beside the woman. Ro did the same.

He looked openly straight to woman's eyes. "I have an inner source of heat that can warm your baby till someone comes to help you."

The woman said nothing. She nodded, doing what she had done a couple of minutes ago - she handed her baby to Zee. He dropped down his human appearance for the second time. Something like two panels opened in the middle of his metal chest and some yellow-orange light began radiating a tender heat.

I was so close to him that I sensed his inner heat as some gentle warm breeze. Zee carefully took the baby in his arms. The little one stopped crying, sensing the comforting warmth. The mother came closer, looking with a thankful smile at Zee, then slowly she began to caress her child on the head.

Some minutes later the baby calmly slept in Zee's silver arms.

If I was completely captivated by Zee's human appearance, his robot form attracted me even more.

I was thankful Zee was too busy with the baby. He didn't pay attention to me. Ro stared up, above the rocks, where the magway was, so she didn't pay attention to me …

And I was able to scrutinize Zee.

His silver body was as some knight's armor.

But the most amazing things were his hands and fingers. They were so beautiful! Despite the fact that they were metal and strong, they had the elegant line of the long fingers of an intelligent, artistic human. He held the baby so carefully, so gently, as if his hands were human.

What he thought right now, holding a human child in his hands?

And why his cat-shaped white eyes were so sad now? Yes, there were sad, they had changed their position and now they were somehow turned down, betraying a feeling of intense sadness.

No matter how astonished my mind was that the tough guy I liked was actually a robot, my heart envied this blonde girl even more. There was something irresistible in the handsomeness of his human appearance and the way he was as cool as a robot. He wasn't a half human and a half robot, he was much more human than a robot despite his metal body. And he definitely behaved like a real person, he loved and that was unbelievable and so charming, but…why he had become so sad? What he was thinking now?

I wished to tell him something, something good and optimistic, I wished to help him, but I didn't know what to say…

Zee lifted his head to the magway. Apparently he had heard a noise we weren't able to hear. A noise whose meaning Ro knew, as she approached him.

He cautiously returned the baby to its mother, immediately closing his chest. He restored his handsome black-haired, blue-eyed individual appearance, he took Ro by the hand, and they were about to vanish.

"Wait!" I ran after them and they stopped, a little bit surprised. "Where do you going? The help is here!"

"Yes, but we really have to go," said Ro somehow nervously.

"But you're wet and cold like all of us!" I insisted.

"He'll take care of me," she said with conviction.

"But the police have to know that he saved us!" I didn't give up.

"I'm sure the police already know. And that's why we have to go," Zee said.

That sounded too contradictory to me and I shook my head as a sign that I still didn't get it. Zee and Ro exchanged glances and obviously agreed that they could trust me. Ro said quickly, "The national security is after us. They don't believe Zee is peaceful; they think he's a threat and they want to catch him for reprogramming. And they think I'm his accomplice."

"You can hide in my grandmother's house! I'm sure she'll be glad to help!" I said.

"Thank you, but we are trying not to involve other people," Zee answered politely. "But we really appreciate your good will to help us."

"Then promise you'll come to visit one day!"

"Oh, one day… yes, one day when we get his freedom," nodded Ro.

"Or if you need help! Please promise you'll call me if you need help!"

"It will be dangerous for you to…" Zee tried to avoid my offer.

"Promise you'll call me if you need help!" I repeated.

"We promise!" he smiled.

"But… all of my stuff is in the bus; I can't write you my address…"

"Just tell us, he'll remember," Ro assured me.

I told them my grandmother's address and I looked up at Zee. "You saved our lives. You're a real hero! And you're amazing human-robot!" But Ro made a strange expression and I asked, "What? Did I say something wrong?"

"Oh, no…" Ro looked confused, "Just…you're the first one who called him 'human-robot' and…it's true, he's really as much human as synthoid!"

"I'm glad you like it," I said, opening my arms for a hug.

Zee smiled again and he gently hugged me.

As I expected, his hug was as comfortable, soft and firm as his hands…

Ro hugged me too. Zee took her by the hand again, they said, 'Goodbye, Annie!' and hand in hand they ran toward the forest nearby.

Just in time. The strong light of a few hover cars illuminated the magway above us and even the bank of the river where we were.

Along with the police vehicles and the ambulances, there was a big NSA van that landed close. A team of agents jumped down, using some green devices to observe all the people around.

A tall agent about forty years old, with green glasses, probably their boss, said on a loud voice, "We know a synthoid has something to do with this incident. Any information is very important!"

"He saved our lives," said the woman with the baby.

The agent looked at her frowning, confident that she was wrong. He said even more sternly, "This synthoid is renegade and a threat. He travels with a girl, his accomplice. Where did they go?"

"That way," answered the mother of the baby, pointing at the opposite side of where Zee and Ro headed.

"Yes, they ran that way," I nodded, confirming her words.

I wasn't the only one who had seen exactly where Zee and Ro had disappeared. But not one of the people said the truth to the agents, no matter that they didn't know the real reason why Zee and Ro had to escape the NSA. Some of the people repeated my words, some of them just nodded; confirming in silence the same, but no one betrayed them. No one.

"Move!" commanded the tall agent with the green glasses. A few seconds later the NSA's van took off in the fake direction.

One day the NSA would know the truth about Zee.

One day the world would understand know the truth about Zee.

The truth about the hero, the human-robot, who saved our lives.

The end

A/N This story is based on a real event. Sadly in the reality everything didn't end so happily. But if Zee was there, I'm sure it should have been different.

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