entry_5
2204 hours, Friday, February 2, 1973.
We may yet escape notice by Herr Engineer's employer. I must say I was quite worried about what was going to happen to us, and even now it is not certain that everything will work together for our good tomorrow. All the same, concealment is at least beginning to look possible. I only wish that I was better at not making the humans angry with me.
It did not surprise me that it was the Spy who finally approached us with a feasible plan. He entered the workshop today with the Sniper, whom I had not met until that point, and Herr Engineer rose to greet them. I was resting on the workbench again because Herr Engineer was putting away the tools he had just used to finish repairs on my wheel stalk and I did not want to be in his way.
Spy unit: Don't trouble yourself, mon ami. I do not intend to stay for long.
The Sniper inclined his head to Herr Engineer and slouched against the wall near the doorway.
Sniper unit: Dell.
Herr Engineer nodded back to them. I pushed myself into a sitting position so they would know I was awake. The Spy did not do more than glance at me, but the Sniper frowned a little bit.
E-001: What brings the two of you down here?
Spy unit: Sniper has agreed to let you and Monsieur Robot stay in his van for the time being. It is highly unlikely that Miss Pauling will see fit to examine anyone's personal property, so provided that all of you will fit...
Herr Engineer's gaze turned quickly to the Sniper.
E-001: You'd do that? I mean, you'd be okay with us staying with you for a while?
The Sniper's mouth made a frown. It seemed more like an annoyed expression than an unhappy one, I thought.
Sniper unit: It's only gonna be until Miss Pauling's gone back again. I can manage things being a little cramped for one day.
E-001: Well thanks. That's awfully kind of you.
Sniper unit: Heh. You sound surprised.
E-001: Oh I ain't surprised or nothin'. I just...
He allowed his sentence to trail away. For a moment I was confused, but then I remembered something.
0031: Oh! You thought that because you- I mean, ah, never mind.
All three of them looked at me, which made me feel very foolish. The Sniper was tense suddenly, like Herr Engineer used to be when he was agitated and still human. The Spy didn't tense up though. He watched us almost as though he thought me almost saying something impolite on accident was amusing. He tapped the ash off the end of his cigarette.
Spy unit: No, go on. I'm interested in what you have to say.
Herr Engineer looked at the Spy, which probably meant that he was angry or annoyed with him. It made me feel bad, so I tried to think of something besides what I had really been going to say.
0031: Well, er, I was simply thinking that, ah, probably the reason that Herr Engineer is surprised is something that is... um...
I couldn't think of anything. I need to practice lying. Unfortunately Herr Engineer knew exactly what I had thought of.
E-001: Because I strangled him half to death? Yeah, that's part of it.
He sounded quite angry, so I decided to be quiet until the others left. Except then the Sniper was frowning at me. I started wringing my hands again because it made me feel a little better.
Sniper unit: How the bloody hell did you know about that?
0031: Ah, well, unit 1197.
The Spy looked curious now as well.
Spy unit: Another robot?
0031: Well, yes. There was a Spy unit present during the, er, event in question. They transmit video signals back to Herr Gray, und I saw what happened.
Spy unit: Ah. Engineer, why have you not said anything about the robots having cameras before?
Herr Engineer's fingers curled into fists. His voice stayed calm though, and he didn't look at the Spy.
E-001: Didn't think about it until just now. I found out right after I was about to get my memory erased see, so I had other stuff on my mind.
Spy unit: But you designed the robots.
E-001: Hell, Spy, d'you think Gray wouldn't be able to modify them to suit his own needs? The man knows his stuff; he don't need me just to add a camera, and I did not originally include recording equipment in any of them.
Sniper unit: Wait, Gray was gonna erase your memory? He can do that?
E-001: Reckon so. He was gonna try anyways.
Everyone was quiet for a moment. I spun my wheel a little. It occurred to me how nice it would be if the Sniper and the Spy would leave so I could go take care of Drei and feel less uncomfortable about how bad I was at conversing with humans. They didn't leave. Spy was watching us very hard with an expression I was unfamiliar with, though I didn't like it much.
Spy unit: Forgive me if I seem tactless, but isn't that a rather serious oversight on your part?
The Sniper pushed off the wall a little and looked at the Spy with more interest than he had displayed before.
Sniper unit: How d'you reckon?
E-001: Yeah, Spy. I want to hear this.
The aggression in Herr Engineer's voice was unmistakable. The Spy did not change his tone of voice.
Spy unit: I only mean that we might have approached certain situations differently had we known that the robots could be transmitting our movements to Gray, perhaps without their knowledge.
He stared very hard at Herr Engineer, who did not like that much I think. He drew himself up to his full height even though that was not so much.
E-001: You listen here, if Gray were tracking us through me or through Thirty-One, we'd know already. There ain't no way he'd wait this long to use information like that against us.
Spy unit: I am not saying it is likely. I am saying it is a possibility that needs to be taken into account.
Sniper unit: Well... maybe, but wouldn't Gray know just about anything he wanted already if they were bugged?
Spy unit: Possibly.
Sniper unit: And what about when we were getting the Engineer out of his place? He'd have headed them off before they got to us if he'd been able to see where they were, right?
Spy unit: Most likely.
E-001: So it don't look like either of us are bugged, does it Spy?
The Spy shrugged. I made a throat-clearing noise because I did not like how agitated my friend was getting.
0031: Please, Herr Engineer, it is objectively a very gut thing to think of such possibilities, ja?
Herr Engineer shifted his weight and relaxed slightly.
E-001: Sorry. Just been on edge lately.
Spy unit: Mmm. You are worried that we do not trust you any longer, perhaps?
Herr Engineer did not answer. The Spy chuckled and turned toward the doorway, flicking his cigarette to the ground as he did so.
Spy unit: I sympathize with you all too much, my metal friend. Good day.
He left. The Sniper rolled his eyes and put his hands in his pockets.
Sniper unit: Bloody spook.
E-001: Yeah. What you said.
It was quiet again. Neither of them really wanted to look at the other one. Finally the Sniper spoke.
Sniper unit: Should probably let you blokes get packed.
E-001: We don't got a whole lot with us. Gray's got all my stuff that I took with me.
Sniper unit: Right. Well, later on tonight when you're ready to get packed in, we should have a drink. Or I'll drink, and you can have a few bills or whatever the bloody hell you run on now.
Engineer laughed a little bit.
E-001: You not worried about me broadcasting the inside of your van to an ugly old bastard from Europe?
Sniper unit: I reckon he's got better things to worry about than what happens when I get drunk. See you Truckie.
He left. I relaxed, which was odd because I did not even know that I was very tense.
0031: You... don't think we are bugged, do you?
E-001: Hell if I know. Sniper brought up some good points anyhow, and I figure it ain't too likely.
0031: Mm, maybe it is not.
E-001: Just you worry about getting Drei and her food packed and ready, all right? I'll let Frenchie be paranoid about Gray for once.
He patted me on the shoulder before setting to putting up the few tools he had left. It seems to me that he is much more cheerful at the moment, perhaps because of the Sniper not hating him.
Part of me wants to be concerned about the possibilities that the Spy brought up. I do not like the thought of Herr Gray seeing my new friends and knowing that I have been consorting so closely with the other humans, or of him using what I have seen to harm them in any way. I am doing my best to not continue processing the matter though. That will do no one any good.
Drei is packed now, and I am waiting by the door for Herr Engineer. I can only hope that this Miss Pauling does not find us.
/enry_5