Alive
Book 2
Pt31
1
T minus 4 hours, 7 minutes, 36 seconds… 35 - 34 - 33…
She struggles to rise, face flush from exertion, hair tied into a tidy ponytail which trembles as she tries to stand. Her hands grip the armrests, body shakes as she pushes herself from the wheelchair; eyes darting to and fro as if seeking help.
But she says nothing. And no one moves to assist.
"It's all in her mind" Henry had assured David in a confidential whisper as they'd made their way through the hall to the room. "Lethargy induced by chronic depression," he'd explained.
Psychology is not one of David's strong subjects, so he accepts the explanation. There is so much he wishes he could say. But he cannot. So he says nothing.
Monica had been so near, yet so far; just ahead of them, in her wheelchair with Martin walking dutifully by her side. The family had opted out of a trip to the cafeteria and decided to head to their temporary lodgings. David had readily agreed, seeing what condition She was in.
But now, as Henry and Martin just stand there watching her try to get out of the wheel chair and onto her bed, David finally grows impatient. He wants to keep a detached façade, doesn't want to spark Henry's suspicions by seeming overly attentive to this woman who is not supposed to have any relationship to him. But his heart aches for her.
He can't stand by and watch anymore. He steps forward. But Henry quickly intercepts him with a hand to his chest.
"Let her do it," the man whispers, flashing an empathetic smile. David complies with a reluctant nod and Henry turns again, to stand and watch as Monica fights with her own body.
"You got it, Mom," Martin says, encouraging her. Then he turns a dark glance in David's direction.
David notices Martin's glare from the corner of his eye, but does not return it. Their confrontation is inevitable, he knows this. But now is not the time. He still has to prepare for tonight, and he only has…
4 hours 5 minutes and 12 seconds… 11 - 10 - 09…
A chuckle escapes Monica's lips as she finally manages to stand. It's a self-deprecating sound; almost apologetic. But she does not ask for help, makes no complaints; turns no recriminating gaze on the men around her. She releases long sigh as she sits on the bed and studies the room. Her new home. For a short time at least.
It's a spacious converted office space on the upper level on the south side of the building, a floor below Hobby's study. Two floors above David's own room.
Why here? David wonders. To keep them separate; to keep him away from Monica, lest he reveal something? Or did Henry grow suspicious and request this distance? But how could the man suspect the impossible?
Or had Hobby put them in this room to keep Martin close by; to better keep an eye on the boy? David glances around the room, wondering if any unseen digital eyes might be watching. But he decides that would be a step too far, even for Jenna.
"It's beautiful," Monica says, dreamily, as she turns to look out the window. The sound of her voice breaks David from his dark pondering and he follows her gaze to see the drowned monoliths of Manhattan, their westerly walls aglow with the violent red of sunset.
"Yes, it is," David says. "Tragic, but beautiful in its own way."
He wants to run to her, sit beside her; to speak with her, tell her who is really is. But he knows that cannot happen; will likely never happen.
"Good thing you like it," Henry tells her. "We're gonna be here for a while. At least until this situation is dealt with." He glances at David as he says this. But the look in his eyes is unreadable. David responds with a shrug.
"We've got a plan… a good one," he says with false confidence.
"I feel better already," Henry says with a smile, and then turns to help his wife get comfortable on the bed.
David takes this moment to return Martin's dark look. But his brother has already started unpacking the suitcases and does not notice.
"So, what are they like," Henry says as he fluffs Monica's pillows. David turns a questioning eye on the man. Henry raises his hands, taps his fingers on his head.
"Oh, the implants," David realizes. "Well… they're helpful, but a bit of a distraction." He is minimizing. He doesn't really want to think about his Familiar. It always wakes up when he does.
"You know, I was considering getting plugs myself," Henry says as he helps Monica slide up the bed to the headboard. "But then Alan said-"
"Don't," David says before the man can finish. The finality in his voice makes Henry laugh.
"That bad, eh?" he replies.
"I use them because I need to," David explains. "Otherwise I would have never put them in."
This makes Henry's curiosity grow. He is about to say something when Monica interrupts their exchange.
"What is that noise?" she says, waving her hand in a lazy circle around her ear. "That rumbling sound. Do you hear that?"
"The lions," David replies quickly, grateful for the change of subject, and for a chance to speak to her.
"You have lions here?" Monica blurts, eyes wide in genuine confusion. "Real lions, or robot lions or something?"
David can't help but chuckle. Henry laughs. Even Martin turns a half-smile on David; but only for an instant before he goes back to unpacking.
"The Watson Towers," David explains. "Giant fountains in the likeness of lions. They're in front, so you can't see them from this room."
"Giant fountains shaped like lions," Monica says pensively, like she's trying to make sense of the idea. "Why?"
David is puzzled by the question. He'd never asked why.
"Umm…They were built by the man who designed the building…?" he offers with a shrug. "There's probably some symbolism but I'm not sure what it might be."
"I see," Monica says, obviously disappointed by the answer. "Do they make that noise all the time?"
"You'll get used to it, honey," Henry says.
"I barely notice it anymore," David offers. "It just blends into the background after a while."
He stares at her, letting the sight of her warm him inside, still not believing she is really here. It's disconcerting, her presence; disrupts the fragile balance he'd managed to achieve between his emotional ties to her and Tamara. But at least he won't have to worry about either of them now. They'll both be safe here. And that's all that matters.
David notices Henry watching him expectantly. He comes out of his trance and clears his throat.
"Ok, then," he says, rubbing his hands together as if to say 'my work is done here'. "So, you can order your meals over the in-house server, and they'll send up a service bot with your food…. oh, and they've got organics too, if you're interested. The Fettuccini is one of my favorites. Made with real eggs and organically grown vegetables."
"Sounds good," Henry says, still eyeing David curiously. Is it because of the implants, David wonders. Or is it something else?
"I remember you now," Monica says suddenly, shaking a finger in David's direction. His heart jumps. Martin stops what he's doing and turns a suspicious eye on him.
"You're Martin's friend, right?" she continues. "The boy who made me that wonderful cup of coffee at our house last week?… Or was that last month?"
Martin rises before David can answer.
"What do you want for dinner, Mom?" he says, "I'm gonna call the cafeteria." Then he turns a sour eye on David. "She needs to rest," he says in a flat voice. "Bye"
David flashes a friendly smile, but his eyes tell another story. Henry observes their icy interaction with silent curiosity, but says nothing.
"Sure," David finally agrees. "See you later." He heads for the door, but turns before he leaves the room, and raises a finger for emphasis.
"I don't know if Alan… uh, if Dad told you, but there is no outbound net traffic tonight. All communications are blocked and will be strictly scrutinized by security." he says. His eyes are set firmly on Martin.
"He told us," Henry responds.
David feels the man's stare but does not take his eyes off Martin. After a potent silence, he walks out the door, leaving Henry mystified.
He'll see them all again. He'll see Her again. He's confident about that.
But he won't be the same.
2
3 hours, 53 minutes, 40 seconds… 39 – 38 - 37…
Stuart opens the door. David is surprised to see the man clad in a lounging robe and rubbing his eyes, as if he'd just been awakened.
"David?" Stuart says, suppressing a yawn. "I thought you'd be getting ready for tonight."
"I am," David replies. "But I need to talk to Mandy… just for a minute."
Stuart shrugs, steps back, makes a sweeping hand gesture for David to enter. David steps into the apartment.
"Sorry it took so long to answer," Stuart says. "I was dosing off and didn't hear you knock."
"I should apologize for waking you," David replies. "I wasn't planning this visit but I guess I …"
David stops, loses himself in thought for a moment. Stuart waits patiently while the boy figures out whatever he's trying to say.
"Actually, I do want to apologize to you," David says, speaking as if it just occurred to him that the man deserved one. It had.
"Okayyy," Stuart replies, setting his hands in the pockets of his robe, and tilting his head in curiosity. "What did you do?"
"I played with your daughter's heart," David explains. "It's occurred to me that I might not be as adept in matters of Orga as in those of Mecha. I guess I misunderstood my own emotions. I'm sorry if I hurt her feelings."
"Welcome to the Fraternal Order of the Fumbling Male," Stuart says with a chuckle. "Been there, done that. No apology necessary."
"We… uh, Mandy and I, we were together," David explains. "Or at least I thought we were. And then, out of the blue, Tamara shows up and… It just got messy. We… I mean Wizzy and I, we have a history."
"Yeah, I caught that," Stuart says. He sniffs; rubs sleep out of his eyes, stares at David silently for a moment.
"Young hearts are an endless enigma," Stuart says. "They'll figure out the Unified Field Theory before they crack the code of teenage courting rituals. Until then, as the old saying goes, 'shit happens'… right?"
David tries not to laugh but the words are so strange coming from this man's mouth, he can't help but smile.
"That said," Stuart continues, "I think she's the one you owe an apology… or at least an explanation."
"That's why I'm here," David explains.
As if on cue Mandy suddenly erupts from her room, twin braids, now florescent red, flowing behind her, sparkling gloss fresh on her face. She has buds in her ears, toying with her pod as she heads for the door, so doesn't see David.
"Headed out, Dad," she says, without looking up. "Got to meet Blue and the Swin…"
She finally notices David and stops. Raises a curious brow. Pops the buds from her ears.
"You're here," she says.
David makes a dramatic show of patting himself on the chest and legs.
"Wow, you're right! It is me," he replies. Mandy sneers.
"I thought we were supposed to meet in the cafeteria," she says.
"I should have called," David replies in an apologetic tone. "The Swinton's decided to dine in their room. Mommy's a little out of it."
"Mommy?" Amanda says.
Oops.
"Uh, I mean Moni… Mrs Swinton is not feeling well. I guess all the excitement of recent events has brought on another depressive episode."
"Poor woman," Stuart says with a sigh. David nods an obligatory agreement.
"Is Ice here?" Amanda asks.
"Mandy," Stuart says, a scold in his voice. Amanda rolls her eyes.
"I mean Martin," she says, reluctantly correcting herself. "He's here?
David is happy that she's happy. He knows his half-brother is somehow involved in this mess, but at least Amanda won't be alone.
"He's with his parents," David says. "But can we talk a minute?"
"We can talk on the way," Amanda replies flippantly as she starts heading for the door again.
"On the way?" David asks, racing to catch up with her.
"To the cafeteria? D'uh?" she says. "You know, where we were supposed to meet? I do like to eat every now and then."
David waves to Stuart before he closes the door. The man winks, and silently mouths 'good luck'.
3
3 hours 12 minutes, 16 seconds … 15… 14… 13…
"Why can't you tell me?" Tamara says. Again. She's becoming annoyed now.
David doesn't respond. Pretends to be absorbed in putting on his boots. He really just doesn't want to say no again. But he knows she won't let it go.
"I already explained why," he replies finally, in a more impatient voice than he'd intended.
"Don't get snappy, Mister," she fires back, arms crossed, eyes piercing black singularities. "It's just us here and I want to know what the hell you're getting into. I'm not gonna text anybody about it. I don't even have anybody to tell."
She's pleading now. He hates that worse than the anger. He doubts she's ever sounded like that with anyone else but him. It's not her. But it is what she's becoming, living here in this tightly controlled environment. All the things she's seen and been through… the things she's done.
"I killed him… I killed my father!"
Yes. There's that to consider. He has to protect her from herself. So he has to be successful tonight. He has to return to her.
He gazes at Wizzy thoughtfully for a time, as if he might be considering letting her in on his intentions. But in the end he just sighs.
"You couldn't tell anybody even if you wanted to," he says "Outbound is shut down. So it's not a matter of trust. There are things I have to do that you won't understand… I don't even know how to explain."
She starts to object again, but apparently thinks better of it.
"Asshole," she says instead.
He lets it slide. Stands to look in the mirror. Now he really does look like one of Jenna's crew. Form fitting, flat black. Seamless. Signal amplifier slung across his chest. Neutralizer hung on his belt like some kind of steam-punk gunslinger.
"How do I look?" he says.
"Like something out of a damned cartoon," Tamara says, throwing herself on the couch.
David chuckles. Lays his body across hers. She resists a moment and then wraps him in her arms and pulls him close. Nibbles on his ear.
"You can't leave me in this place," she whispers. "Driving me crazy."
"You were crazy when we met," he whispers back.
"I must be crazy to stay here with you," she says.
They fall quiet for a time, relishing in the feel of their bodies together. Soon he feels himself stirring. He can't afford that distraction now.
"I had a talk with Amanda," David says, breaking the silence.
Tamara pulls back, eyes him silently for a moment.
"And?" she says.
"And she says she's over it," he replies. "I told her about how far you and I go back... well, I told her what I could get away with, anyway. And I think she got it. Said she doesn't care anymore; and that she was over it and already moved on."
"She ain't over it," Tamara said, chuckling. "She ain't never gonna be over it. Don't know what it is about you, boy. You ain't much on first impressions, but you do have a lasting impact."
"Martin is here," David replies. "She has a thing for him, so… maybe?"
"This is last thing you should be thinking about," she replies.
"On that we agree," David says.
They fall quiet again, until David sees his Familiar jump into his mind's eye. It's waving its arms as if trying to flag down a passing cruiser.
"Parting is such sweet sorrow," he says. "But I have to go. Mario is waiting."
He rises to leave but then stops, lost in moment of consideration. Then he makes a decision, and takes one more thing with him.
"What the hell do you need that for?" Tamara says, confused.
David cannot answer at first, because he is not really sure. It's just another moment of his new Orga intuition. Irrational. Inspired.
"Umm… it helps me relax," he says finally. Then he turns to go.
Tamara jumps up, grabs him by the shoulder.
"Hear me, boy!" she says. "You get yourself killed and I'll kill ya."
He laughs.
They kiss.
He leaves.
4
2 hours 06 minutes, 26 seconds… 25…24…23…
He sees himself again, through the eyes of the Mecha he now controls.
'Who is this peculiar boy in black?' he wonders. It's not the first time he's pondered this question. He still has no answer.
"David? You still with me?"
He breaks from his thoughts and looks at Mario. They're in the main lab. Mario sits at a keyboard. A twin set of 500 series prototypes, stand side by side at the opposite end of the room. The bots stare blankly into the space before them. They are clad in form fitting black, looking like little Ninja assassins awaiting commands.
"Yeah, I'm here," David finally replies. "Sorry, I was just… just acclimating."
"Ok, well, acclimate faster, kid" Mario says. "Nobody has ever tried anything like this. I want to make sure you can pull it off."
"I don't have to do that anymore," David replies quickly. "I got a girlfriend now."
It takes Mario a moment to get the joke. He cracks a half smile.
"Ooookayyy," he sighs. "That was a bit TMI."
Mario starts typing quickly. Stops. Checks a monitor. Swears under his breath and starts typing again. David can see everything he's doing as patterns of light flashing in his minds eyes. He watches as Mario isolates the units, separately encodes each port. Mario is unaware he can see this.
"Alright," Mario says, clucking his tongue as he scans the monitors. "Why don't you give 'em a test run."
David peers at the display that hovers before his eyes. Mario was in a hurry so it's a rudimentary design, a slice of amber light divided into sections; a column for each of his new familiar units. David highlights a block around the display and thinks a command. His new familiars react. He moves them forward. Moves them back.
Mario hoots and claps his hands.
"Yes!" he shouts, pumping his fist in the air like his team has scored a winning point. "How's it feel?" he inquires, excitedly.
"Well,… it doesn't hurt," David says. The truth is he feels a bit disoriented, doing two different things at the same time. Like when he was learning to coordinate his hands to play his lute.
"Well, that's a good sign, I guess" Mario says distractedly. He taps a keyboard a few more times. "Now, comes the real test. Try to isolate them."
David mentally highlights the first column. Sends mental commands. The first boybot steps forward, waves its arms, then steps back into formation. David focuses on the second column. The next boybot does as commanded; steps forward, squats and then jumps. Then steps back in line. He makes the bots repeat this. It gets easier each time. They move faster each time.
Mario is holding his hands to his temples, staring at David with a smile as radiant as a child on Christmas morn.
"How are you doing this?" he exclaims.
"Check this one out," David replies with a wink.
Mario turns to watch as both boybots step forward in unison and begin gyrating like a couple of backup dancers. Their feet hop to inaudible beats, their arms flail about like drunken teenagers. David makes their hips sway to and fro, contorts their faces as if they are lost in the rhythm.
"No way! No way!" Mario yells and begins to laugh.
David knows he can do more. He closes his eyes as he focuses his attention. He doesn't need to see anyway. His familiars are seeing for him. Their feeds are in his brain. He begins to feel as if they are acting on their own, so he relaxes. Stops trying to control them and instead imagines that he is them. That's when he isolates the units… and they began to dance on their own, separating and moving away from each other as they dance around manically.
Mario becomes mystified, starts chanting under his breath, "Oh my god! Oh my god!". There's something hysterical in his voice, like Dr. Frankenstein screaming at the awakening of his tragic experiment: 'It's alive! It's alive!'
"I didn't think this would work," Mario admits. He stumbles for words a moment, and then grows serious. He begins to pace in a circle, massaging his temples as if to make sure he isn't dreaming.
"We're making history here," he says, pensively. "I mean, this…" he turns to face David, "…this is breakthrough stuff, kid! This is the kind of thing that brings in huge defense contracts! Huge!"
"No it isn't," David replies in a flat tone. "And I'm not a damned kid." His familiars stop dancing as if they'd suddenly lost their happy thoughts. They step back into their positions, faces set back to their default expression.
Mario's smile falters. He doesn't understand David sudden shift of mood. He starts again, hesitantly
"Ok, I shouldn't have called you a kid. Sorry. I just meant that… I mean… This technology, David. This is something the DOD would really, really be interested in…" But the lab tech stops speaking as David starts to approach him. Mario backs away when something in David's gaze disturbs him.
"No, they won't be interested. Because they're never gonna hear about it," David says. His voice is flat, his face emotionless.
"David," Mario starts hesitantly, "it's one thing to control a game character with preset actions and responses. Or your cruiser, or login to you bank or house security system. Anyone with familiar implants can do those things. But to control a complex system like a cyber child? And I just watched you control two of them! Two separate units! And they were each doing individual routines! That has military application written all over it!"
"You never learn, do you?" David says.
"Huh?" Mario replies, confused.
"Orga," David explains. "You never seem to learn from your own history."
"Learn what?" Mario is puzzled.
"Unleashing the power of the atom changed everything except the way men think," David says, sadly.
Mario takes a moment to recognize the quote. He rolls his eyes.
"Einstein was talking about the atomic bomb," he replies dismissively. "This is not the same."
"The DOD never learns about this," David says adamantly. "Not even Alan will find out what we did here. After tonight, everything is overwritten."
"Now wait, David," Mario says, his tone suddenly hostile, "This is Cybertronics property and you do not have the authority to erase something this big!"
"My father will not always be here," David replies, coolly, unperturbed by the man's outburst. "And when he's gone, I will be the ultimate authority at Cybertronics. I will make decisions on what is done.. and who is doing it."
It's an ugly hand, and David takes no joy in playing it. But what must be done, must be done.
Mario looks away, frustrated. But David's stare is unflinching, and after a moment the man nods.
"Then I guess you're ready to go," he says with a resigned sigh. "I'll have the Davids loaded into the – "
"I can handle that," David interrupts. "Got one more thing to do first."
5
1 hour 13 minutes 7 seconds… 6 – 5 – 4…
The Blue Fairy had warned David about this mortal coil. It was a trial, She'd said; an endless conflict between light and shadow. And every step of the way he had only delved deeper into the confusing labyrinth of Orga life; entranced by the fundamental madness of this transient flesh. But, after all this, had he really accomplished what he'd desired?
'Mommy'… the being for whose love he had adopted the flesh…. was here in this very building. But she was sad and broken; a fragile shell of the women who had birthed him to sentience. Had he done right in seeking her? Did he ever really have a choice?
Love had compelled him. The most human and sacred of emotions.
Was there any point in his short and troubled Orga life when he would have given it all up to go back to what he was before? A lonely machine, praying to the withering remains of a child's fantasy?
"No," David whispers to himself. "I am what I am supposed to be."
And he was also where he was supposed to be. In a hallway of an abandoned subsection of the building. This area has not been used for decades. It is dark and musty, stinks of brine and decay. Salty humidity had corroded the pipes that once ran along the walls. It has been years since they transported fresh water.
Beyond him stands a large metal door. It might have once been the entrance to some type of storage room… perhaps a freezer, David thinks. The surface of the door may have been clean and polished. But now it is rusty and gray. The luminous display of its digital lock is the only sign that the room beyond it is being used.
David knows what is hidden behind this door. And now he knows how to open it.
His Familiar has been running password scans for hours, ever since he had located this room last night. It did not break the code, but has found a string that will act as a default to override whatever block has been placed. When the Familiar displays the phrase, David realizes it should have been obvious all along.
'Come away O human child'
David thinks these words. The Familiar sends them. The lock flashes red. Then amber… Then green.
David steps forward. Pulls the lever. In spite of its rusted surface, the door opens easily, silently. Alarms might have been triggered, but David doesn't care. He steps inside.
The room is cool, and large. The cloying scent of the sea does not penetrate inside. And She is here, standing in the center of the room, illuminated in a soft blue glow that emanates from the floor lamps around her. She is dry now. The grit and silt of the underworld have been washed away to reveal the worn and decrepit metal of her body. Faded paint and rust.
"What did you think you'd find, old man?" David says.
But Hobby is not here to offer an answer. He would surely not have had one if he was.
David approaches Her cautiously. Places a hand on her robes. The metal is cool against his skin. But it is unmoving. Not breathing. Not alive.
From this… a miracle? From this inanimate symbol of dreams and fantasy, was he born to the flesh? He now knows better.
"You were right," he whispers to the silent Saintress. "I was too innocent to choose this path. But, so were we all."
He waits for a moment, as if for a response.
But The Blue Fairy does not reply.
Because it is just a statue.
"I have to go now," he says. "Not sure I'll return. And if I do, I'm not sure who I'll be."
6
1 hour 0 minutes 10 seconds… 9 - 8 - 7…
The 500s are asleep into the cargo hold. The neutralizer is at his side. The other object, the one he took with him in a last irrational moment, lays on the passenger seat beside him. He stares at it for a time, still wondering why he brought it along. But he has no time to figure that out. Any minute now the police will begin their raids.
It's time.
David toggles the thrusters and the Vayu lifts off the roof and climbs quickly into the darkness above Manhattan. In seconds he is zooming over the Sunken Lady, racing towards the line of lights that sprinkle the horizon; what's left of the sunken empire of Man.
He will be flying in stealth, to hide his destination, but he wants to send a last message. He wakes his Familiar and the sky comes alive with colorful data flows. He sees flashes of gold and cyan and the incessant crimson beams that indicate 101s desperate search for entry into the locked digital portals of Cybertronics.
Any minute now the Coast Guard will temporarily shut down The Gatekeeper so no one will be able to track him. Including 101.
But before that happens David aims his Familiar at 101's encoded stream and sends a simple thought.
"Let's dance."
(cont…)