I. 2231...
Abba made her way through the rolling darkness of the abandoned scientists facilities, the only dispersion was scant amounts of light showing every now and again. She came upon a row of metal doors when suddenly she remembered her crystal lighter. The woman flung her bag around, pulled out a cylinder and pushed down in the center. A noise that was a cross between whistling and chiming filled the air as white light fluttered across the walls.
She smiled big and raised the strobing object to examine the endless expanse of metal. A door marked in her native language read Top Scientists Quarters in bold black beside one of the iron shafts. Abba yearningly ran her fingers along the surface and sighed. Her eyes closed as she pictured her father. It was then that she heard Tress's voice winding around with the silvery tune of her crystal lighter. She quickly pushed the black center down. All musical noise and ivory brilliance left as Abba used her ill-gotten card to enter the room.
"I know you took that entry card from Trina without permission!" His voice was speaking in more then just one set of volumes. Yet, despite it all, she continued to pursue her plans.
The space that spread before her was dimly lit towards the center, creases in the walls let in light from clouds that normally blanketed the sky. Robocity robots had acted to keep all the remaining atmosphere alive, but it still usually remained darkest in the worst parts. The ceiling was visible, a type of tan white material, and cubicles of boring off white Abba had never seen before divided the sprawling room. Flat screens, Abba also saw, were in every open area. Screens were just rumors she had heard about. She had never seen anything at this level of poverty. Feeling increasingly concerned the woman hurried for the back part.
"Gungatung." She read her last name beside a small room with a screen in it.
Delighted that this must have been where her grandfather had worked, Abba entered.
She wasn't sure where to begin.
"I guess you must be sad," the woman prompted the black flat screen. She then walked up and ran her hand along it's side. "You know the Iron Giant? I considered him my father. It is hard to believe, but he left when I was very young to go back to the past where my birth
father lives. You see, Science Screen, we don't know how to make 'birth'. Can you help?"
It didn't reply.
"Are you needing of metal? Do you run by solar or wind power as other things do? You are so old." She stroked it's side again. "Here," Abba pressed her hand down and ran it across a thin row of black dusty keys. "A good… uh-uh-ACHOO!" A musty explosion that spread fast propelled her back into the wall where she caught herself none too soon.
"Backup files… activated." A female voice that sounded like her mother – like Gold – spoke. Abba even said that name "Mother," as it said: "Genetic verification needed." A beam of blue light scanned the room. "Accepted. Operation Android Marketers activated.
Backup plans. Activated. Source of iron needed, memory box needed, Genetic samples of Rockwell Maine, of 1957, needed. Project [pending…] Project [pending…] [Pending…]."
Abba's eyes scanned the glowing floor rapidly for answers until she had it.
This, she lit up excitedly, this is what she needed for the continuation of the human race!
"Abba!"
As soon as Tress entered the room, the Ominish [pending…] flashed one more time across the screen. Then, everything went dark. It didn't matter how many times Tress tried to get a reaction from her, Abba knew her ancestors wanted her to do this even if her best friend did not. The man escorted her out of the room. He was unaware of her stewing thoughts.
'An iron source, that is the first thing I will need.'
II. 2000...
Hogarth was aghast. "Gold? You're… you're alive?"
"She's been with me for almost forty years now," the Giant said.
His equal-sized friend took a few rumbling steps forward. "It's good to see you again."
"I-I don't believe this, how did you survive!.?" Hogarth turned to the Giant. "I was so afraid you had spent all these years by yourself." He walked into the hand she offered.
"It should have been the end of me, but I wasn't about to let him come here alone."
Gold-tinted coat not withstanding, Gold resembled the Giant just as Pygmy and his clones did… except for her eyes. In them was a calmness that was so distinctively maternal and womanly. Her emerald beams seemed so nurturing that he instinctively opened his arms.
"You want a hug?" She said point-blank.
The lack of surprise or emotion in her voice awakened him.
"Uh… uh, no, um, I was just… err, indicating that you've really grown and…"
Gold then turned to the Giant who nodded to her knowingly. She turned to her old friend and used the entirety of her arms to bring Hogarth closer. He stuttered, apologized, tried to explain quickly that he wasn't that strong and that she was bigger now. Hogarth could only brace himself… as she delicately gave him a gentle embrace. He was stalled for time.
But time never stalled for him.
"I'm so glad you're alive." Hogarth told her, laughing nervously.
"As I am glad you are alive, too."
Gold set him down and turned to the Giant, a switch went off and the robot went into an odd care-giving mood Hogarth had only seen from the Giant in his most wiggest times. It was as Gold pulled out what looked like an oil canister from a bronze panel that Hogarth saw the Giant had frozen up on one side of his body; he knew rigor mortis when he saw it.
"Giant, what's happening?" Hogarth went over to place a hand on his friend's ankle.
"He freezes up," Gold sent him a look to stay back. Agitation flared in the man's chest.
"I can see that." He snapped.
The Giant looked upon him in sad acceptance.
"Hey it's all right," Hogarth urged, "You can still show me how to metal fish."
"That will have to be later." Gold expertly applied the oil to different creases and slits. "I do not mean malice, but the oil needs a while to take affect." His eyes flashed up to her in appreciation and she touched his shoulder. This left Hogarth frozen himself, totally alone.
"It's okay Hogarth." The Giant forced himself to speak.
"Please wait my dear."
"I just get sea crust on my rust sometimes." He feebly joked through his stuck mandible.
The soft tone in his deep voice agonized Hogarth's heart.
"I'll see you later Giant."
Forgetting his own age, forgetting his bad leg, forgetting his weight problem and the other aches he had, Hogarth moved for the iron pane fifty-five feet up in the air. The sharpness of moving so fast and pretending that he was younger finally caught up to Hogarth and he stopped himself at the corner of limestone by the open tunnel. When he looked back there was no one but Gold and himself there. She appeared understanding towards their plight.
"He was really looking forward to seeing you, please try to come back."
Hogarth had to make sure his unmade-up mind didn't show.
"I will," he told her. When he turned around again an implausibly placed escalator greeted him. He boarded the rising steps and tried not to touch the sizzling wires. "I will be back."
This time the man meant it honestly.
"You will always have a home here, Hogarth."
Even as he knew she spoke with sincerity, he didn't believe her.
…
There was someone short, thin and in better health then he on Julie's front porch.
"Daniel?" Hogarth used a metal pole he had borrowed without permission to walk up.
"Hogarth?" The voice was aged but not unfamiliar.
"Robert!" He threw the pole aside, all but forgetting his health again, "Where's Taylor? Is her mother still alive? Is Ivan? It's been years, damnit!" Robert caught his arm to stop him.
"She's stable, as Julie told you yesterday. I've lost contact with Trisha and yes, your son is alive." Hogarth's unhealthy habits got the better of him again and he began losing balance.
"This isn't a move, Robert." He promised as the much older man helped steady him.
Robert chuckled a little. "I'm aware of that, Hughes."
"You know if things had gone more smoothly," Hogarth settled down on the third step. "I could have married Taylor. The Giant could have been my best iron man, then my Ivan…"
He stopped short of laughing or mentioning ring bearer.
"I still wish I could give you their aliases." Robert placed a hand on his shoulder. "But you know I can't do that." The look Hogarth gave him told Robert he was right in that regard.
"So you haven't come with my son or Taylor and you can't give me a scrap of info."
"You're a journalist."
"And you know this how?"
"See what you can generalize from unofficial transcripts of Dimelo having a second plan."
Hogarth's eyes grew wide but Robert offered him no proof of his claims.
"I can however give you this." In the waning daylight the man placed a stone in his hand.
"What the hell is this?" Hogarth asked, turning the rough ball of rock around.
"Ironstone. It's the raw material taken from the place in former Russia where Dimelo was able to trick the Soviet scientists, kind of a journey-to-center-of-the-earth type of shit Mr. Hughes, except that in 2000 we still don't have the technology to make a robot. This only leaves you with questions and ponderings, I know. Let's just say I took a detour in 2201 right before I met my niece in Iceland." Hogarth could not speak. He couldn't even think.
Robert, however, was all but unable to give him one last piece of knowledge.
"Maybe you should concentrate on what's in that pretty little house of yours instead of worrying about what's in the past. You've already had your fun. Those kids need you."
He spoke of Donna-Lee and her family, Hogarth knew he did.
"How does a fella upwards of seventy still move like that, Mr. Evans?"
"Exercise, Hogarth, working these old limbs of mine every day researching and such."
With nothing more to say or do, Robert left him for the woods. A minute later headlights switched on in the descending darkness. Hogarth watched as an old-time sixties vehicle of possible dark green or black pulled out onto the road. He looked up and saw the Rockwell lighthouse flicker on automatically before it began to rove – Instead of hopeful he felt lost.
III. Portland Maine…
Jane Smith was slowly coming to consciousness, her twitching fingers told the doctors so.
"Okay, Mr. Arnold." Linda the nurse entered the room paralleling mother and son. "Looks like your mom's gonna pull through, she's doing very well this evening. It's 8 O'clock on the dot and you know what that means…" she flipped on the light switch. "It's time for-,"
The room was totally empty.
Only a disheveled bed and a gaping hole in the glass window were there to greet her.
"Amanda!" Linda screeched to her supervising head nurse. "Dear God, someone broke in and stole him!" She continued ranting and raving to the elderly RN who so very patiently worked on her med cart. "Or, or worst! The legends in Rockwell are true. Oh God, I use to live near there. Oh dear God! Maybe the aliens got him, Mandy, maybe the ALIENS-,"
"Did you check outside the window?"
"No."
"Well," Amanda pushed her tiny glasses down so her bored eyes showed. "Please do."
…
Through the thick wall of trees a small figure raced at blinding speed. A glowing stick of blue inscription was held close by. Even as the sound of an alarm rose in the air from the long term care facility, the person moved out of the area in a quick and efficient manner.
To be continued…
~ Lavenderpaw ~