Chapter 1 – A house with mechanical phenomena
– Be careful, don't tear the sofa. - A man's voice was heard on the street.
The newcomers, the McAllisters, are busy unloading things from the truck. They moved to the coastal town of Sunport recently. For a long time, the family owned a farm in the countryside, but one day their land was bought for the construction of a factory. The McAllisters, of course, were not very happy about this turn of events, but they were not sad for long and decided that this was a good reason to move to the city and start a new, carefree life – without chickens, cows and the smell of manure.
Mike McAllister, the eldest child in the family, was fussing next to the truck. He helped carry the boxes. While carrying another one of them towards his new home, he crossed paths with his younger brother Nick.
– Well, next week is the first day of school at the new school. Are you worried?
– What else! – Nick exclaimed – I'm sure I'm going to be the coolest in my class. These urban ones aren't as cool as everyone says. But I am cool, and with my coolness I will win their hearts.
– Well-well, Cool. – Mike grinned – Take this box, since you're so cool.
As Michael approached the truck to get other things, he saw a middle-aged man with brown, neatly styled hair, dressed in jeans and a green sweater and with glasses on his face approaching them.
– Oh, so you're our new neighbors. I am glad to welcome you to our city.
– It's a pleasure. I'm Michael McAllister, and that's my brother Nick over there.
Nick turned to them, waved, shouted "Hello" and walked towards the house.
– Well, I am very glad to meet you. My name is Norman Kerney, I'm your neighbor. My house is right next to yours. See that two-story house on the left? This is my home. So if you want to come in for tea, you'll know where to go. Although, I would not advise us to gather at my house. My place is sometimes not tidy, you know. After all, I am interested in robotics, and I have here and there, so to speak, objects of intense activity. Ha-ha-ha, well, you understand, the objects of intense activity.
Mike stood there, puzzled by the failed pun.
– However, it doesn't matter. – Norman Kerney snapped in embarrassment – Where are your parents, young man?
– They went to the store to get a film for furniture. They are afraid that the movers will tear dad's favorite armchair with crocodile leather upholstery.
– Well, it will be nice to meet them when they arrive. Well, I have to go. Have a nice housewarming party! – Kerney told them, already rushing about his business.
Mike waved back at him, took another box from the truck and went to the house. After meeting with his brother, he shared his thoughts with him.
– Hmm, a strange man, isn't he?
– You've heard that he's into robots. – Nick answered him – He's probably some kind of scientist who's crazy about all kinds of mathematics and physics, like other scientists. They're all weird.
– Hmm, maybe. – Mike wondered.
Sunday night. As he made his bed in his as-yet-unfurnished room, Mike thought about tomorrow's first day of school at a new, large, unlike the village school with a bunch of new people with whom he could make friends and find common interests. After setting the alarm for the morning, he went to bed and covered himself with a blanket.
– Good night, Nick.
– Good night. – his brother replied.
Mike was lying with his eyes open. Thoughts of a new life still haunted him, it was unusual for him. The city noises seemed loud even with the window closed, and the fact that there were other houses outside the window, and not just trees with meadows and fields, was surprising. Endless stone jungle. The teenager kept glancing at different corners of the room, at neighboring houses, cars and trees. Suddenly, his gaze fell on the house of their unusual neighbor Norman Kearney. Its roof was unusual. It had a triangular shape, resembling the half of a honeycomb. And panoramic windows with frames consisting of hexagons were inserted into the ends of the roof, emphasizing the overall style of the building. There was a light burning inside this room. It must be cool to live in a room with windows like that, Mike thought.
He was still thinking about the delights of living in such a house when he suddenly noticed in one of these windows a silhouette that looked like a human, but had no resemblance to Norman's physique. It was taller, and there were what looked like two pompoms on his head. The mysterious person was walking with his arms outstretched, as if arguing about something. But as soon as it looked towards Mike's window, the lights in that room were turned off.
"What was that?" the guy thought. He had already assumed that he had imagined it. But how? Michael saw with his own eyes a stranger in Mr. Kerney's house. Although Norman himself said that he was divorced and lived alone in his rather big house.
– Did you see that, Nick?
But in response, silence.
– Nick?
Nick didn't answer, he was already fast asleep.
"This is weird," – Michael thought – "Very weird."
He spent the rest of the time thinking about what he saw, until finally he fell asleep too.
Mike's studies at the new school started pretty well. He managed to make new friends and buddies, know a lot from the life of the school and the Sunport in general. For example, one of the presidents of the United States was born here, and one of the residents of the city is listed in the Book of Records as a person with the most perverted taste preferences in the world. And, strangely enough, he even managed to find out more about my mysterious neighbor. As it turned out, Norman Kerney is not the last person in town. With his scientific work, he was able to earn fame in Sunport and even a little beyond. A brilliant scientist, a strange eccentric, an unrecognized genius worthy of more than designing refrigerators at his job – reviews about him were varied. And one of his classmates even has a father who works in the same department as Kearny.
– My father often crosses paths with him at work. – his classmate told Mike – Mr. Kerney even comes to visit us sometimes, and he and Dad discuss different topics of their work and not only. He seems to me to be a very serious and sometimes boring person, but on the whole I like him. However, one day at dinner, my father told me that he noticed unusual things in Mr. Kearney's behavior. He became more good-natured and thoughtful. And for some reason, he often became interested in the issue of parenting.
– Parenting, you say? – Mike asked, interested.
– Yes, that's right. And personally, I noticed that it happened just after the fall of the comet.
– What comet? – McAllister was even more surprised.
– Haven't you heard? – About two months ago, a mysterious comet fell in Sunport. There was a strong flash and a crash. However, the source of these phenomena has not been found.
– Hmm, interesting. – Mike wondered.
– You know, Michael, I have an idea what happened to Mr. Kerney.
– I'm listenning. – Mike listened to him with interest.
– I have reason to believe that Mr. Kerney has been... abducted by aliens!
– What?
– Yes, judge for yourself. A mysterious comet that was never found, and almost immediately after that, Mr. Kerney began to behave strangely. I'm pretty sure it's the work of aliens. They arrived on their ship, which everyone mistook for a comet, and while they were on Earth, they kidnapped Norman, and left a disguised humanoid in his place. And he's already giving himself away. I'm sure this alien is hiding something. He probably has a flying saucer in his basement.
– Are you serious now? – Mike chuckled.
– Yes, no jokes. The cards are coming together. It's just like in the sixty-seventh issue of "Cat Landing", there was exactly the same topic described. Who knows, maybe the aliens kidnapped someone else and replaced them. Perhaps they are already among us at school.
– Yeah, you should read your comics less. – Michael answered him incredulously.
However, there was some wisdom in this stupid conspiracy theory – Kerney is not exactly who he pretends to be.
A couple of weeks passed, and Mike didn't notice anything unusual. From this, his suspicion even began to weaken. In fact, why is he so suspicious of his neighbor? He's an engineer, after all, so maybe he made some kind of mechanism that day that Mike mistook for a human. A clouding of the mind caused by changes in everyday life, so to speak.
On Saturday afternoon, Mom sent Mike to take the pie she had made to Norman as a friendly neighborly treat. The guy went to the front door of his house and was about to press the bell button when he suddenly heard strange words from inside:
– Don't argue with your father. It's all for your own good.
With your father? But Mr. Kerney doesn't have any children. Mike was a loss. However, he still rang the bell to hand over the pie. Norman opened the door and, as if nothing had happened, answered:
– Ah, Michael McAllister, good to see you. Is this a pie for us... oh, I mean, for me? I am very grateful. Give my big thanks to your mother for this wonderful pie.
Then he closed the door.
That day, the teenager's suspicion flared up with renewed vigor. He really wanted to find out what this scientist was hiding at home.
And this chance turned up very soon.
One day Mike overheard his mother talking to Norman as he passed by, and he told her that he was going to another state on Friday evening for a refresher course. And Mike realized that it was time to act – under the cover of night, he would sneak into Mr. Kerney's house and finally find out what he was hiding. But he couldn't do it alone (and, in general, he didn't want to). Therefore, the next day Mike was already assembling a team.
Late Friday evening. Mr. Kerney had already left, and Mike, along with Nick, who had followed him, was waiting for his friends near the scientist's house. And so, fifteen minutes later, Henry Steiner, Mike's classmate, a nerd, a genius of exact sciences and a fan of robotics, arrived at them. He was a fan of Norman Kerney, and when Mike offered to "visit" the house of the object of his imitation, Henry, although hesitating, not without joy agreed. He walked with a bag on his back, carrying in it some devices for the successful conduct of this operation.
– Ah, there you are, Henry. And where's Martin? Mike asked.
– Martin's not coming, he's sick. – Henry answered him.
– Damn, and who's going to be on the lookout now? – Mike was annoyed – Okay, let's improvise. Did you bring your miracle ladder?
– Of course, here it is.
Henry took his bag off his back, put his hand into it and took out a metal box shaped like a pizza box. He put it on the ground and pressed the red button on the side. In an instant, the box opened and a ladder came out of it.
– This is my latest development. It is able to move apart by seven meters and withstand a mass of up to one hundred and fifty kilograms.
Henry pressed the button again, and the ladder disappeared inside its metal box.
– Very good. – Mike said – Well, let's move out. Just be quiet so no one notices us.
A group of guys carefully approached Mr. Kerney's plot, making sure that no one saw them (however, almost no one was on the street at that time, so such neatness was unnecessary). They moved along the front of the house to the backyard. Henry activated his telescopic ladder and placed it against the window on the second floor, after which Mike climbed it. When he got to the window, he quietly asked the guys downstairs:
– Hey, does anyone have a glass cutter?
– Why do you need it? – Henry asked – Maybe the window isn't closed.
Mike tried to open the window, and it really was not closed. The guy blushed a little with shame.
Climbing into the house, he made sure that everything was clean, and shouted at the guys from below:
– It's all clear, get in.
Nick immediately climbed the stairs, and Henry was a little embarrassed.
– Maybe I should stay here and stand guard instead of Martin? I'm worried.
– Come on, Henry, it's going to be all right. – Mike began to persuade him – Besides, you yourself wanted to see the house of the great scientist from the inside.
– Yes, it's true. – Henry agreed with him – Okay, I'm going up.
He climbed the stairs. Finally, the three of them found themselves on the second floor. They were standing in the middle of a small room. In the dark, it was difficult to understand what kind of room it was, but when they felt the tiles under their feet and groped for the toilet, they realized that this was a bathroom. Carefully approaching the door, Mike began to open it, trying not to make a single creak. Who knows what (or who) awaits them on the other side. Then the three of them took turns coming out of the bathroom.
They found themselves in the middle of a long corridor. In the middle of it, on the left side, there was a staircase to the first floor, and on both sides of the stairs there were branches of the corridor. There were windows at both ends, so it was easier to see something. There were five doors in the hallway, including the bathroom door, from where the guys came out. The teenagers' attention was attracted by a door at the other end of the corridor. It was slightly ajar, light was coming out of the crack, and music was coming from the room, similar to synth-pop with a cross between rock. A tape recorder was playing in the room. But who listens to music? The owner has left. Mike decided to come closer and look through the crack.
– Guys, I'm scared. – Henry began to worry – Maybe we'll stop this? Shall we go home?
– Down with the panic, – Mike told him.
Before he could say it, he collided with a coffee table that got in his way. The vase that was standing on it fell and broke.
The music stopped. The tension among all three of them increased noticeably, and Henry began to panic.
- That's it, we're finished. I told you it was a bad idea. Now they will catch us, arrest us and put us in jail. And the end of my scientific career and dreams. And in prison, by the way, it's not sweet, and the convicts will be…
– Calm down, Henry, pull yourself together, – Mike began to reassure him – They won't put us in jail. We're just kids, and we didn't do anything terrible. We lust broke into someone else's house. We're not going to steal anything. Besides, who's not naughty at our age, right, Nick?
– Yes-yes, it's nothing. – his brother agreed with him.
Henry calmed down a little. The guys began to wait for the outcome of events. But about twenty seconds passed, and no one left the room, and the tape recorder started playing music again.
– You see, it's okay, no one heard us, – Mike said, turning to the other guys.
However, he saw that this time both Henry and Nick's faces turned to stone, and their eyes stared as if something terrible was happening behind Mike's back.
– Why are you guys staring at me like that? Did you see a ghost or something?
Just as he said this phrase, a bright light lit up the corridor. Mike was stunned, his heart sank into his heels. He slowly turned back and was horrified by what he saw.
In front of him stood a two-meter-tall robot with a large round head and large glass eyes. He stood with his arms folded on his chest, and his gaze could hardly be called kind.
Mike screamed in horror:
– AAAAAAA! Don't, don't kill! Spare us, fearsome security robot! We didn't steal anything, we're just going to leave now!
However, it didn't look like the robot wanted to harm them in any way. Instead, he broke into a smile and laughed in a girly voice:
– Hee-hee-hee! You're funny, man.
Michael was perplexed that this robot turned out to be friendly, despite the fact that they broke into his house.
– So you don't want to kill us?
– What kind of nonsense is this? No, of course not. Why would I do that?
Mike looked at his interlocutor in more detail. It was a robot girl, apparently a teenager like them. Her skin (if that's what you could call the metal body of a teenage robot) was painted white. She was wearing a yellow pointed top, a long skirt of the same color, similar to the folded wings of some bee, metal boots with yellow-brown stripes and orange gloves. Instead of a navel, a hexagonal bolt was screwed in, and two pompoms stuck out on his head – just the kind Mike saw that day through the window.
The robot girl extended her hand in greeting:
– My name is Beemcy.
Mike, still stunned, held out his hand in response:
– Uh, my name is Mike. And this is my brother Nick and my friend Henry.
Nick couldn't get a word out of his amazement, and Henry waved the Beemcy softly, breaking into a shy smile.
– So you're really a real robot? – Mike asked.
– As you can see, yes.
– So you live here, Beemcy? – Michael asked her – At Mr. Kerney's house?"
– Yes, I live here, and Mr. Kerney is my father.
– Father? Mike was surprised at the same time as the other guys – But he said he didn't have any children. And I haven't seen you before.
– He's hiding my existence. He says that "my technology is too advanced for humanity" and people are not ready for this yet. Dad keeps promising that he'll tell about me soon, but it's been three months now, and he hasn't told anyone yet. It totally sucks.
– And what, you can't even go outside?
– Only at night, when no one is watching.
Mike felt sorry for Beemcy, and then he asked:
– Listen, Beemcy, would you like to take a little walk with us now?
– Take a walk? – the robot girl asked joyfully, but then she was seized with doubts – But what if my father finds out? He's going to be angry.
– He won't find out, it will be our joint secret. Yeah, guys?
Nick and Henry nodded their heads happily.
– Cool! I'm so happy! Thank you, boys.
Five minutes later, the company was already descending the stairs back to the street. However, Beemcy did not need a ladder, because she has jet engines. The guys were walking down the street and discussing a lot of questions about each other – where they came from, why they broke into the house and all that. Henry had recovered from the shock by then and was already hanging around Bimsy, admiring her.
– Wow, that's amazing! I've never see of this before. You're the most advanced robot I've ever seen. You can even fly.
– Yes, jet engines are built into my boots. – Beemcy satisfied his curiosity – However, I prefer a quieter hoverboard.
– Wow, do you have a hoverboard? Henry was even more delighted.
The guys walked without stopping their conversations. The boys were really glad that they had met such an unusual girl, and Beemcy was glad that she was finally able to communicate with other people.
After making a circle around the area, the guys returned to Beemcy's house and began to say goodbye to her.
– Well, see you tomorrow? – The robot girl asked.
– What do you mean, until tomorrow? Your father will be here tomorrow.
– He won't be here until the evening, and we'll go for a walk in the afternoon. Dad won't know anything, it's our secret. – Beemcy winked at the boys with her CRT eye.
– We're all for it. – Mike winked back at her – Well, see you tomorrow, Beemcy.
"See you tomorrow, Beemcy", Henry and Nick exclaimed at the same time.
The next day, after having breakfast and doing some housework, Mike, Nick and Henry were already on their way to Beemcy's. They went to the door and just pressed the doorbell button, as at the same moment the door opened, and the girl, who had been waiting for them outside the door all this time, exclaimed:
– Oh, hello, boys! And I've been waiting for you. Well, shall we go?
– Well, then we can go downtown. – Mike suggested.
– With pleasure!
And they went for a walk.
The guys were walking along the sidewalk. Beemcy looked in all directions with curiosity. Multi-storey buildings casting shadows, shops with neon signs whose light is barely visible during the day, cars passing by her and sparkling with their chrome details. All this fascinated the robot girl.
– Wow, and in the daytime the city looks even more beautiful in the glare of sunlight. – She admired.
Passersby also looked with interest in the direction of Beemcy. Someone was wary, someone was surprised by such a technological robot, marveling at what progress had come to, and someone was delighted by the beauty of its metal body, shining in the sun.
The guys went into the park and fed the ducks. However, Beemcy threw bread crumbs so hard that they whistled like bullets and scared the ducks with their high speed.
Then the teenagers went to a cafe where they ordered milkshakes. Beemcy decided to try it too. The waitress, who had not yet left the table, doubted this idea:
– Uh, ma'am, are you sure you want to...
Before she could finish her sentence, Beemcy was already sipping a milkshake from a straw and, as expected, she was short-circuit.
– Beemcy, are you okay? – In a panic, Henry jumped up to the robot lying on the floor.
Robot girl gave a convulsive thumbs-up sign that she was fine.
Then the guys went to the mall, where Beemcy liked a beautiful brown shoulder bag.
The guys were returning home in a great mood, discussing everything they had seen today. But when they reached Beemcy's house, their joy was noticeably diminished. Mr. Kerney's blue van was parked outside the house, and Mr. Kerney himself was standing on the yard path leading to the front door. As it turned out, during the advanced training courses he showed such high knowledge that the commission was convinced that his qualifications were already at the highest level, and the scientist was able to come home early. Mr. Kearney stood with his arms folded in his chest, and his face expressed obvious dissatisfaction with his daughter's unauthorized departure.
– Oh, that's not good. – the girl commented on the situation quietly.
– Beemcy, aren't you ashamed? Who gave you permission to leave the house during the daytime? I can't even imagine how many people have found out about you. For this, you need to be sent to house arrest for six months.
– Dad...
– No "dad". I've told you a thousand times that humanity is not ready for the kind of technology you're made of. What if the secret services find out about you? How am I going to justify this?
– You're only thinking about yourself! You're afraid of what they'll think of you. And have you ever thought about me? Even though I'm a robot, I have feelings too. I'm tired of sitting in four walls, I want, like a normal teenager, to have a personal life and friends! That's I'll run away from home, then...
– Don't you dare talk to your father like that, BM-12!
– Listen, Mr. Kerney. – Mike stood up for her – Beemcy is a cool girl. We love spending time with her so much. And, as true friends, we want her life to be interesting and trouble-free. Despite the fact that Beemcy is a robot, she has all the emotions and feelings that a human has. Look at how happy she was when she came out. So give her the opportunity to enjoy a full–fledged teenage life, and give us the opportunity to make a new friend.
–Yes-yes, – Henry agreed.
– Yes, she's just great! – Nick exclaimed – The best robot I've ever seen!
Mr. Kerney stood silent. His stern gaze gradually changed to a thoughtful one. He put his fist to his chin, thought about something for five seconds, and then answered:
– Perhaps you are right. Beemcy really deserves a full life. – He turned to the robot. – Forgive me, daughter. I was really hesitant. I should have told people about you right away. I want you to be happy, and I'll do anything for that. From now on, you can go out and have fun with your friends. Moreover, I know the McAllister brothers, they are my neighbors, and they are quite good-natured.
– Thank you, Daddy! You're the best! – Beemcy hugged her father.
The guys were also glad that they were officially allowed to spend time with their new robot girlfriend.
– But you, young man, wait. – Mr. Kerney did not point out Henry Steiner – I do not allow you to be a friend of Beemcy.
Henry was taken aback.
– I won't allow it until I check you against my new training manual, which I bought while I was on the course. I like to follow the rules, and my daughter's friends have to meet international standards.
Norman took out of his pocket a thin laminated book called "Become a qualified father in 10 minutes!", opened it and stopped at the chapter "Friends of your teenager".
– So, what do we have here? – Mr. Kerney began to look for the right item – Aha, thin, pale, stooped. Mgm. Signs characteristic of nerd... Good! – Norman snapped the book shut in an instant – You're a good fit, young man. You can be friends with Beemcy.
Henry was delighted and jumped up with happiness.
– Dad, can my friends come to visit us? – Beemcy asked.
– Hmm, why not. I just cleaned up before I left. – Norman Kearney gave the go–ahead – Let's sit down and have tea.
The joyful guys followed the scientist towards the Kearny family home. Everything ended peacefully and amicably. Today turned out to be a great day.
– Dad, will you give me money for a bag?
THE END