Alive
Book 2
Pt16
1
The sky had become cloaked in brooding clouds. The wind kicked up, hissing through the trees as a thin cold drizzle washed over the forest. David wiped his damp hair from his face, flinching as a hint of coming autumn bit crisp on his cheeks. He fought to keep his balance as he climbed a hill, slick with mud and dead leaves. He was checking his pod for coordinates when he slipped, stopping his fall with his free hand, feeling it buried to the wrist in fresh mud.
"Damn it!" he mumbled, pulling himself free and wiping his hand in the brush. If he'd had more time he would have prepared better, brought more than his flight suit and the few changes of clothes he had left in the Vayu. Too late for that now. At least he had secure access to his credit account; access his Father didn't know of and couldn't interrupt should the man try to bring him home by cutting off his money.
And he'd also thought ahead enough to steal the Neutralizer.
His father underestimated his abilities with the device. Designed for use by Mecha bodyguards and security, and strictly regulated, it was the only weapon artificials were legally allowed to use against Orga. And even then only when another Orga life was in danger. In Stun mode the device would render an assailant disorientated for 15-30 seconds, enough time for a bodyguard to get their client to safety. In Hostile setting it would knock an assailant unconscious so they could be cuffed and proper authorities called. Any bodyguard who use the device could expect to have its RAM thoroughly analyzed after such an occurrence. Even a defensive, non-lethal attack on an Orga was a serious matter. And of course there was the possibility of accidental death. Depending on the health of the target and the strength of the neutralizing charge, unintended fatality was a real danger. Any Mecha that even accidentally expired an Orga would be shut down, no matter how justified its actions.
It wasn't fair. But it was the law. Such injustice was the usually case with Mecha. The faint trace of old resentments surfaced, but he pushed them away. He was Orga now. There was nothing he could do with those old emotions.
He had parked the Vayu in a gully a quarter of a mile away from the target zone, in a place where he'd seen no active net connections that might lead the Gatekeeper to the crafts location; or anyone else that might be looking for that matter. And he had his mysterious host to consider. Whoever the cloaked man turned out to be, he wasn't expecting David this night. It was better that the mystery man not know 'the boy from between' had a hasty escape should he need it…. As well as the other defensive measure, tucked in the back of his pants.
He'd done a quick but adequate job of covering the Vayu with branches and leaves, and the darkness would help obscure it from scrutiny. If anyone found it, it would be completely by accident. And if they tried to open the canopy, they'd get a nasty surprise. David was sure they'd survive the protective electric shock, even in the rain. But they would not be likely to mess with anyone's abandoned Stratocruiser again.
By the time he reached the crest of the hill, the rain had started falling in earnest. He found firm footing and gazed out on the cluster of dark houses ahead. This place looked awfully familiar. He checked his pod again; to make sure he had followed the coordinates correctly. He had.
The night lay heavy on the forest, but even though he had approached from a different direction the last time he was here, David recognized the withered old house beneath the ancient tree, whose branches grasped the roof like a gnarled claw. Through the pattering of rain drops he could make out the distant thump of Crash drums.
A dark chuckle fell from his lips. He'd had a feeling he'd wind up here again.
2
"Animal here?"
David's voice caught the boy at the gate completely off guard. He hadn't seen David emerge from the shadows; hadn't heard him approaching, his footfalls being so light and cloaked by the trickle of rain on the wet ground. The hapless guard turned so abruptly he almost fell over and David had to suppress a laugh. By the looks of his tattooed face and the metallic 'shield' implants on his jaw and shoulders, he would not take being mocked lightly.
"Tell him Blue is here," David said, stifling a chuckle.
"Who the hell are you?" the boy said, puffing up his shielded shoulders as he regained his composure.
"I just told you that," David said. The boy sputtered for a moment, trying to gain control of the situation.
"You can't just walk up on me like that, fool!" he said. "And what's with the jump suit? I ought to blast your shiny ass!"
"Well, that's no way to greet a guest," David replied calmly.
"I wasn't told about any 'guests'," the boy snarled. "But I know about a fool whose about to catch some serious frag if he don't explain hisself."
'You mean 'himself'? was what David was about to say. But he noticed two figures emerge from the dark of the porch and rush to the witless boy's side. David took different tack.
"Flesh for flesh," he said quickly, flashing the CJ sign with his hand. "I'm only here to see Animal."
One of the other boys, a dark skinned CJ with prematurely haggard features, regarded David with a look of malice.
"Never heard of him," the dark boy replied.
"You must be lost," said the other.
"Move along," said the witless guard, confident now that he had backup.
"You're wasting time," David said. "Just tell him Myron's friend Blue is here, and I have an important message. He'll know who I am."
The three cast silent looks of indecision between one another before the witless boy spoke again.
"Blue?" he said, scrunching his face. David wondered why everyone thought that name was so strange.
"Sounds kinda Shiny to me," said the other.
"What you want with Animal?" asked the dark boy.
"If I could tell you that, I wouldn't need to see him, would I?" David replied. The logic seemed to confuse the three for a moment and more silence passed.
"Tell Animal, I've come from The End of the World," David said, hoping the phrase might mean something to them, and might expedite the situation.
The witless boy guffawed.
"End of the world?" he said, laughing. "What kind of bullsh-"
But he was interrupted by a hand grasping his shoulder. The dark boy, an older teen with metallic implants on his knuckles and the scars of old battles on his face, pushed the other aside and looked David over hard. His expression suggested he had heard those words before.
"Follow me," he said at last.
3
Animal raised an impatient hand to interrupt David's story.
"Ok, I get that you finished the game, but that doesn't tell me why you're here," he said.
David had been trying to explain how he came to be at this place, without giving too much away in front of the three guards. They now stood in the doorway, glaring at David as if they were going to stomp him the minute they got the chance. As far as they were concerned, he'd tricked them by making them think Animal was expecting him.
David was still unsure what to say to whom. The cloaked man's instructions had not been clear. He started to speak again, but Animal shushed him.
"The game gives explicit instructions on how to proceed," Animal said, fixing David with a potent gaze. "There are procedures we have to follow for our safety! No one has ever been sent to this location by the game. No one!"
"That's because no one has ever let the Loverbot live," David said. "Everybody kills it for points, trying to get to the next level. I didn't."
"And that means…?"
"It changes the game,' Animal," David explained. "Takes you to an alternate conclusion."
"So?" Animal blurted. "It still doesn't explain why you're here!" He was moving from impatience to anger now.
"The game sent me here!" David replied quickly. "I found a secret level and met the cloaked man, and he told me-"
"The cloaked man?" Animal said. There was something in his eyes that David could not decipher. "That's just a game character," he said. "He doesn't talk. Just tries to kill you. You're supposed to frag him to get the pass for next level."
"Not in the alternate conclusion," David said "The cloaked man appeared, gave me coordinates. I put them on a flash and loaded them into my Stratocruiser and-"
"Stratocruiser?" Animal interrupted, incredulous. "You have a Stratocruiser? You?"
"It's not mine," David lied quickly, realizing his mistake. "It just that I-"
"Your Sugar Daddy gave it to you?"
David sighed. "No, nothing like that," he said.
"So you stole it?" Animal interrupted again. "You came to my place in a stolen Stratocruiser. Are you a complete idiot? Please tell me you left it offline."
"Of course, its offline," David shot back.
"Really? How do you know? People have backup alarm systems, you damn fool! You'll lead the cops right to me!"
"Ok, it's mine!" David blurted.
Animal fell into silent confusion. The dark boy whistled low under his breath.
"Relax," David continued. "It's mine ok, and how I got it is irrelevant. What matters is the cloaked man did appear at the end of the game, he did speak to me and left me coordinates to me to this location."
"I've been recruiting with that game for years, "Animal said. "Thousands have played it by now. No one has ever seen that level before. No one has ever been sent here. Why you?"
David hesitated. He wanted to say 'because I am the only one in the world who would have known the pass phrase'. But he couldn't go that far.
"Because… I'm different," he said finally. "Unique."
Animal shook his head as if he wasn't sure what he just heard.
"Oh, I see," he said with a dark chuckle. "Well pardon me, your highness. Apart from being an obnoxious brat with your own Strato, what the hell make you so damned different, Pork Chop?"
"Pork Chop?" the witless boy at the door repeated. The guards began to laugh; all but the dark boy, who was still staring at David with hard eyes, seeming to sense something big was about to happen.
David glanced over his shoulder at the three. Not because he was annoyed at being mocked, but because he wasn't sure if he should speak freely in front of them.
"You'd better explain yourself," Animal said, his voice now low and full of menace. His suspicion was becoming dangerous. It was time to up the ante.
"I'm different because…. because I'm from 'between'."
Animal didn't react at first. But after at moment he took a step back. Something new came into his face. His glare was replaced by a look of dawning realization. It was the kind of look one might make seeing an amorphous mist slowly take the shape of a human. Even if you have always believed in ghosts, you are never quite prepared to see one.
"What?" Animal said at last, hesitant, unsure.
"You heard me." David spoke softly but with new confidence. "I am the Boy From Between."
The words hit Animal like a slap on the face.
"From between?" The witless boy said, laughing. He was immediately silenced by a shout.
"Shut the hell up!" Animal barked, instantly becoming the commander. "Zieg and Chase, you stay" he said . Then he pointed at the witless boy. "You get the hell out there and stand your post!"
The boy wasn't witless enough to miss the sudden change of mood. He headed quickly for the door, but Animal called to him before he walked out. The boy stopped and turned, fear in his eyes.
"You didn't see or hear a word that was said here. Understand? Nothing!" Animal said, his eyes intense beads of threat. "Say it!"
"I-I-I didn't s-see anything… or hear anything," the boy sputtered, now aware of the gravity of whatever the hell was going on. He took a last glance at David. David returned it, knowing the kid was wondering just who this strange Shiny was, and probably wishing he hadn't mocked him.
"Go on," Animal said. "And no one else gets in here tonight or I'll feed your ass to the Masher with the fibes!" The boy dashed out into the drizzly night.
Animal turned his attention back to David. There was something like awe behind the man's usually stoic expression. He regarded David like a mythological beast that had somehow sprung to life before his eyes.
The other boys stood by in stony silence. There was no more humor in their faces. They were soldiers now, awaiting orders. Neither was sure what was happening, but both knew better than to ask.
"The boy from between," Animal whispered pensively. Reverently. It seemed like his last lingering shred of doubt about the Trinary Conspiracy had been torn away. "The Man told me that someday this might happen, but…" he stopped and rubbed his head. "But I never thought I'd live to hear somebody say those words."
"The Man?" David said.
Animal hesitated a moment, then seemed to realize the pointlessness of keeping secrets from this particular boy.
"The man with the plan," he said at last. "He saw it coming from the beginning. Figured it all out. The Trinary Directive. The sentient Mecha and their plan for world domination.. Without him, there'd be no resistance."
"And the spiders?" David said. Animal shrugged.
"Yeah, that was all part of it. The game and the spiders and the net snoops. It was all part of the search for …" he sighed. "Well, for you I guess."
"And what do they want from me?" David said.
"Dude, I'm just a soldier. But if you're really who you say you are then… "
Animal didn't finish that sentence. He turned and began to pace indecisively, rubbing his forehead like he'd developed a sudden headache. After a moment he knelt at his laptop. Then he stood up again, shaking his head and wringing his hands. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pod, started to text something…. Then changed his mind and put it back.
"Can't use anything unsecured," he said, speaking to no one. "This is big. Too big. Way out of my league." He was pacing a large circle around David as he spoke, as if he was afraid to get too close. Finally he grabbed his jacket from the bedroll and slipped it on.
"You tell Myron about this?" he said as he knelt to put on his boots.
"Haven't even seen Myron."
"You tell anybody at all?"
"Who would I tell? Nobody would know what the hell I was talking about."
Animal stood again and pretended to tuck in his shirt as he slipped something into the back of his belt. David knew what it was. He wasn't worried about it though. He had his own 'backup'.
"You'd better not be playin' me," Animal said. "This shit is for real."
David didn't respond. He didn't have to. His eyes said it all. He glanced confidently back and forth between Animal and the two CJs, not sure what they were expecting of a legend.
"So," he said with a shrug. "Where we going?"
4
The club was almost empty. Slow night. A few Crash kids were on the stage, beating drums and grinding out a cacophonous din with poorly tuned, homemade guitars. It was awful. But the smattering of kids crashing on the dance floor seemed oblivious to the bad notes, and were enjoying themselves.
David noticed their reaction as he followed Animal into the club with the two CJ guards on their heels. When the kids saw Animal it was like a rock star had entered the room. Royalty. They stopped dancing. They pointed and whispered, flashed CJ signs over their chests as he passed by. The man returned the salute flippantly and continued his determined stride towards the back of the club. So Animal was 'someone' here; had some kind of rank among the young revolutionaries. This rather surprised David. The man didn't live like celebrity. He was obviously not exploiting his position for money, or sex. He didn't bask in their adoration; actually seemed perturbed by it. The two CJ boys with them however, puffed up their chests, obviously proud to be seen in the company of someone held in such high regard.
But their bluster was short lived and their disappointment was obvious when Animal told them to wait as he led David through a door in the back of the club, and into a clean, well-lit storage area. A few more CJs were in there, male and female. All of them muscular and grim looking. They were leaning against packing boxes, passing a vapor pipe and chatting. They jumped to attention when Animal entered and flashed salutes. Animal started to pass them by, but then stopped.
"Don't be misting that stuff in here," he said. "And this is the band's last song. If it goes one for more than five minutes, pull the plug and tell 'em they got another five minutes to pack their gear or we'll keep it. We're shutting down early."
"You got it, Shadowman," said one of the men.
An annoyed look came into Animals face. "What did you just call me?" he said, his voice low. The man realized his blunder and lowered his head apologetically.
"Sorry, I meant, sure Animal," he muttered. David realized it was the bouncer that had kicked he and Myron out of the club the night of their fight. The man was big, imposing, yet obviously intimidated by Animal. Scared actually. David pondered that for a moment before Animal tapped his shoulder and they continued towards a cargo elevator at the back of the storage room.
"What was that about?" David asked as they waited for the lift to arrive.
"Rules, Blue," Animal replied. "Anonymity is a priority. Online nicks are for online only, even when you're with your own. I've had to tell that idiot three times already. Next time I'll make sure he doesn't forget."
David decided not to ask how he'd do that. He could easily imagine.
The lift took them down past two underground floors of aged farming machinery and stopped at the third. They disembarked into a dark hallway, at the end of which there was a doorway guarded by two large CJs. A man and woman, clad in black with the symbol of the Trinary Conspiracy on their shirts. These two were downright scary. Huge, inked bi-ceps. Short cropped hair. Stoic faces. Both carried openly displayed weapons at their sides.
Neither saluted as as Animal approached.
"State your business," said the male guard.
"I have something for the man."
The Man? David thought. There it was again. Like it was a title.
The guard shot David a disapproving look.
"What the hell would he want with that?" he said
"I believe he prefers the ladies," said the woman. They both laughed. They were not intimidated by Animal. But he was not intimidated by them either.
"Don't be a douche, Harold. This is important," Animal said. The guard bristled at mention of his name.
"Hey, I'm just doing my job, Animal," Harold shot back.
"Yeah, and who got you that job, musclehead?" Animal turned to David. "Tough guy here used to make a living ripping Shiela bots off delivery trucks and scraping them for parts, before I turned him into something useful."
"Blow me, Animal!" the man said, his face reddening.
"I prefer the ladies. Now let him know we're here."
"Don't tell me how to do my job, dammit!"
As the two argued, David noticed a small lens at the very top of the door. Was someone watching? As if to answer, a deep disembodied voice filled the room.
"Let the boy pass."
The argument stopped instantly. The guard relented, flustered and embarrassed at letting Animal get the best of him.
Animal stepped forward, taking the opportunity to explain himself.
"I apologize for not contacting you first, sir," he said quickly, speaking to the camera. "But there's been an important development that I think you should -"
"I know why you've come," said the voice. "I'll handle things from here."
"But this is not a typical recruit," Animal said. "We should talk so I can explain what-"
The voice interrupted him again.
"I know who he is," it said. "And I know where he's from."
A confused look came over Animal's face. David knew they were thinking the same thing. How could he know?
"You've done good, soldier," said the voice. "You may leave now."
Animal hesitated a moment, mouth moving like he wanted to object. He glanced at David with something that might have been concern. But then he sighed and put his hand out. David faltered, and then understood the gesture. He put his hand in Animal's and the man grasped it firmly.
"It was an honor meeting you," he said. "All this time, and it was you all along." He shook his head in self-recrimination. "Pork Chop. Damn. Who would'a known?"
David wanted to ask exactly who they thought he was. But Animal was already headed for the elevator. He too was a soldier. He too followed orders.
Harold was suddenly all business. He approached David.
"Got to search you, brat" he said, grabbing David by the arm.
The Neutralizer! David could not let himself be searched. He pulled away.
"Get your hands off me!" he said with much more bravado than he felt. "I didn't come here to be molested by some steroid freak!"
The female guard laughed. But Harold looked like his head was about to explode. Swearing under his breath, he grabbed for David again.
"That's no way to treat a guest," the low voice said. " Just send him in."
Harold stepped back, disappointed at not being able to rough the brat up. The large door slowly hissed open and David stepped into the shadows beyond the threshold, his only reassurance being the Neutralizer he carried in the back of his suit.
5
It had been a long time since David pined for his old abilities, but now he really wished he could see in darkness as he once had been able. The room was pitch black. And large. Only the faint air flow, and the reverberation of David's feet on the cement floor gave any idea of the dimensions of the place. He could hear something whirring in the body of the building; perhaps air conditioner or filtration system. But there was nothing that would indicate any machinery in the room. No monitors or LED displays.
So how had 'The Man' been able to see him on camera? Perhaps he was somewhere else, watching from some other location.
"Hello?" David said.
His voice reverberated in the darkness. No answer. Not even a breath. Was this a trap? He positioned his hand near the Neutralizer in the back of his flight suit.
"I've come too far to play hide and seek," he said. "Show yourself."
Then came the first hint of illumination. Slowly the ceiling lights came to life, turning the utter blackness of the room into a dim glow. David saw he was correct; the room was indeed large. Huge. An empty storage room of some type. But not completely empty. There was someone ahead of him, atop what looked like a small platform. Yes… it was a man, in a chair. A dark cloak was draped over his shoulders and his face looked like… a robot?
"What the…?" David stopped when he realized his error. It wasn't the man's face he was seeing. It was some sort of device. A scanner he realized.
""Don't waste your time," David said. "I'm flesh."
The man dropped the scanner into his lap. But David could still not see his face. It was obscured by the giant lapels of his cloak. So it was the man from the game. The Cloaked Man. But not the cartoonish, animated version. No glossy oversized shoes, just simple flat-black military boots. No burning red eye beamed from behind the obfuscating lapels. Just a chin beneath the shadow of his Fedora hat. When he spoke, his voice was soft, non-descript; neither the merry chortling from the game, nor the dark commanding voice he'd heard in the hall. It was a mortal's voice.
"Did you know there are Mecha who can trick scanners now?" he said.
"I wasn't aware of that," David replied.
"Oh yes," The Man said, conversationally. "They've become very devious, these sims. The trick is accomplished by interfering with the spectrum feedback analyzer which tells the scanner what material it sees. I won't bore you with the details, they're very complicated and scientific, but one can never assume anything about anyone anymore, can they… Mr Holt?
David didn't flinch. So he knew the pseudonym? Big deal. But how did he get it?
"I've made no assumptions about anything," David said. "I just followed the coordinates given me."
The Man nodded his head to acknowledge this.
"Now would that be the same David Holt who just led State Air Patrol on a wild chase in the skies over Delaware? Not very discreet, are we?"
David wasn't in the mood for this. It was time to lay the cards on the table.
"So you can scan police transmissions. Not impressed. Is this why you wanted to find me? To play mind games? Let's talk about Nanofighter's video. Let's talk about The Trinary Directive."
The Man set the scanner aside and stood. He placed his hands behind his back and paced two and fro a few times. His face was still obscured, but the hint of a smile was visible below the shadow of his hat.
"Oh yes, the conspiracy," he said with a chuckle. "That was a pretty clever one, eh?"
"Clever one…?" David pondered the words. "What are you saying?"
"Come now," The Man said. "We can speak freely. It's only us here. Well, us and my associate."
The Man nodded his head towards the wall. David looked to see another figure, draped in the same dark cloak, face hidden be the same large lapels, shadowed by the same hat. They were identical! Had he been there all along? David stepped back and angled himself so both men were in his field of vision.
"Don't be concerned," The Man said. "Neither of us mean you any harm."
"What did you mean by 'clever one'? David said. "Are you admitting something?"
"Do I really need to admit anything to you, of all people?" The Man said. "You know how this works; mix a bit of truth with a lot of myth, stir it all up in a hot stew of fear and hate. And voila! You have a conspiracy. Something the weak can blame for their woes. Red meat for savages to gnaw in the terrifying night."
"So it's a lie," David said.
"A Noble Lie is what I believe Plato called it."
"That's a bit lofty. I don't think you fit those shoes."
"I believe he wore sandals."
"Enough already! Who are you?"
"Why, I'm The Man, of course."
"Stop being evasive," David said. "What is your purpose?"
"Didn't Animal tell you," The Man replied. "There's a war coming."
"So this is all about some war with Mecha? Why? They won't fight back. They can't harm us. Asmovian Law dictates that restraint."
"They represent other dangers. Dangers that go beyond simple physical injury."
"We have done this to ourselves. The robots are just a scapegoat."
The Man paused a moment, lowered his head in thought.
"You've read Nietzsche?" he said.
David didn't reply.
"I'll take your silence as a confirmation," The Man said. "Do you recall the infamous proclamation of Zarathustra as he descended from the Mountain? 'God is Dead'. Thus he spoke. And how the clinging masses quaked at this simple wisdom. How they roiled and burned in their misunderstanding. But he spoke not of the paternal deity of their cruel mythology. He spoke of Man himself; of the self-inflicted delusions in which he had imprisoned Orga-kind. "
"You're basing your philosophy on the works of a madman?" David scoffed.
"Orga frailties," the Man chuckled. "The higher we soar the smaller we appear to those who cannot fly."
"So, we're gong to waste time with quotes now?"
"Why so impatient? Is someone expecting you, Mr. Holt?… Or should I said Mr. Hobby, son of Alan Hobby of Cybertronics Inc?"
David could not feign calm this time. How did he know? The Man pretended not to notice David's alarm as he continued.
"The Orga mind is a frail thing, especially when exposed to unfiltered truth. But Nietzsche himself is irrelevant to our discussion. He is as dead as his philosophy. The new age requires new thinking. The Zarathustra of our times would instead say 'Man is Dead,' though he does not know it. It is not Orga-kind who has passed into obsolescence, but the 'old' man; the man who let himself be controlled by the very devices he created, like a Master prostrate before his slaves. He is our true enemy."
David pondered these words.
"So… you're going to war with… with Orga?" he said. "With your own kind?"
"You must be ready to burn yourself in your own flame; how could you rise anew if you have not first become ashes?""
"Enough with the quotes," David said. "There is no deep philosophical foundation to what you're doing. Plato's Noble Lie was a mythical framework for a hierarchical society. You just create falsehoods to achieve your selfish aims; lies that cause suffering. People will die because of your games You're nothing but a terrorist."
"I am a visionary," The Man countered calmly. "One who sees beyond the veil. Like your father once did. Like you do now, David Hobby… or should I say, David Swinton?
David blanched.
"Don't be so surprised. There is only one person who could have finished that game. No other could have known the pass phrase that led to the conclusion, because no others were there that night. The moment I saw your face in the hall, I knew it was you. It's so good to see you again."
"Who are you!" David demanded.
Slowly The Man reached for the brim of his hat. With a quick flick of this wrist he tossed it aside. The hat fell to the floor.
David gasped. He moved into a fighting position, pulling out the Neutralizer. He aimed it at the man who was standing before him. It was the man who called himself 'Grieg', the Field Commander who had interrogated him in the hospital; the man who could make him disappear into a cell for the rest of his life.
"And perhaps you've met my associate," Grieg said, gesturing toward the man against the wall. David turned to see the other man had removed his hat to reveal his face.
His breath froze in his chest. This was impossible!
"I saw you burn!" David yelled, aiming the Neutralizer at the apparition.
Lord Johnson Johnson smiled a mischievous greeting.
"Be serious, lad," he said. "Really think that gnat of a gun will do ya any good agin a ghost, do ya?"
"I told you about this one," said The Man. David glanced back at him and saw something he could not comprehend. The Man on the platform was no longer Jeff Greig. Now he saw Henry Swinton standing there, shaking his head and casting a disappointed look back at him. The man with Henry's face clucked his tongue and crossed his arms.
"I told he would be trouble," he said with a sardonic grin.
Understanding finally came to David. Slowly he lowered his weapon and stood straight, his gaze shifting between the two impossible faces. There was only one explanation.
"You two," he said in disbelief. He had never learned their names, if they even had any.
The men, or these things that had passed as men, began to laugh as their faces warbled and shifted into the generic features of the two morphing bots that had assisted in his escape from the hospital so many years ago.
"Sorry to have scared you so," said The Man who was not a man. "Just having a bit of fun. Perhaps our sense of humor could use an upgrade. But it is good to see you again, after all this time. We've been searching for years."
(cont…)