Chapter 3 – The autopsy will show
It was an ordinary clear evening. At the city's skatepark, Beemcy showed friends Mike and Henry her hoverboard riding skills.
Gaining acceleration, she soared up the ramp and flew into the air. Her board performed a double flip in the air, after which Beemcy landed with the hoverboard on the ground, standing on it with two feet. Then the teenage robot raised the board on end with the tip of her boot, and then took it in her hands.
Mike and Henry clapped their hands in admiration.
– Wow, that's awesome! – Henry marveled – Where did you learn to ride so cool?
– Well, before, when I went outside under the cover of night, I learned all sorts of tricks on the board out of boredom. – Beemcy answered him.
That's not the coolest thing yet. – Mike added – Beemcy, show him your blaster.
The robot girl raised her hand in the log. Half of the arm moved forward, and a blaster appeared from the opened space, after which it ended up in Beemcy's hand.
– Wow, it's incredible! – Henry was surprised – And what, does he really shoot?
– Of course. – Beemcy confirmed – Only now I'm unlikely to be able to show it, otherwise I'll scare away passers-by.
At that moment, the phone rang from her pompom. Beams took out her phone and answered the call.:
– Hello?
– Beemcy, where are you now? – A familiar male voice came from the receiver. It was her father, Mr. Kerney.
– I'm with friends in the park.
– It's getting late, come home.
– But Dad, it's only six–thirty in the evening.
– No buts. – her father answered her – Have you heard the news? Robots began to disappear in the city. I don't want anyone to kidnap you. So go home before it gets dark.
– Okay, Dad, I'm on my way. – Beemcy answered him annoyingly, after which she turned off the phone and hid it back in her pompom. – Well, guys, I have to go home. She told her friends.
– I think we'll go too, – Mike told her.
– Yes, I just have to go to the tutor, – Henry added, – we're on our way.
The guys were walking along the street of a residential area. Henry was showing his friends his new invention:
– This is a walkie-talkie with geolocation function. Here are two buttons with the function of talking and receiving, like a regular walkie-talkie. And there is a screen attached to the top. – Henry pointed to the locator located at the top of the receiver - Other receivers located in the receiving area of the walkie-talkie are displayed here.
He took a second walkie-talkie out of his backpack.
– Here, Beemcy, take the second receiver and move ten meters away.
Beemcy took the walkie-talkie and walked away. Then she turned it on. A green dot appeared on Henry's screen.
– Do you see? – Henry showed Mike – This dot shows the location of Beemcy. You can adjust the scale, but it's not so important right now.
Henry pressed the button and started talking into the walkie-talkie:
– Beemcy, can you hear me, over?
– I can hear you well. – Beemcy answered him on the other side of the signal.
–Wow, you have golden hands, Henry, – Mike admired.
– Come on, I'm just an amateur inventor - the teenager was a little embarrassed, scratching the back of his head.
By this time, the guys had reached the house where Henry's tutor lives.
– Oh, and here is my destination. – showed Henry – Okay, guys, see you tomorrow.
"See you tomorrow!" – his friends answered him, after which Henry went to his tutor's house, and Beemcy and Mike went home.
After studying with a tutor, Henry went outside and headed home. As he was putting his textbooks and notebooks in his backpack, he noticed that his other walkie-talkie had gone somewhere.
– Damn, it looks like Beemcy still has the other walkie-talkie. – the guy was annoyed – Well, okay, tomorrow at school I'll ask her to return it.
He was walking down the street when he suddenly heard barking in the distance. Henry walked closer to the source of the barking and saw that a small robot dog with beautiful blue eyes was sitting in the alley.
– Ooh, what a cute robot puppy. – Henry was touched – Come to me, doggie.
The teenager began to call the dog to him with his hand, but instead of coming closer, the robot puppy, on the contrary, rushed into the depths of the alley.
– Hey, where are you going? – Henry was surprised and ran after him.
The guy tried to catch up with the puppy, but he did not stop and continued to run away, running through one turn after another. Finally, a dead end appeared ahead, and the robot dog stopped, turning towards Henry.
– Phew, there you are. – Henry said, out of breath – Where did you run to? I wanted to pet you.
Suddenly, the robot puppy's eyes turned from blue to red, and a sinister grin appeared on its muzzle. There was a malicious robotic chuckle.
– What? – said Henry, surprised.
Suddenly, an unknown shadow appeared behind him. Before Henry could react, he was hit in the back of the head with a hard object and lost consciousness.
Beemcy opened the door of her house and entered the hallway. Her father was sitting on the couch at that moment and watching his favorite melodrama on TV. At that moment, a very touching scene was apparently going on, and Mr. Kerney, being a sensitive person to such things, was sitting in tears.
– Bohoo-hoo! Oh, Lucy, how could he do this to you?
Seeing Beemcy in the hallway, Norman recovered a little, wiped his tears and said, sniffing:
– Beemcy, you've finally come. Your butter is in the fridge.
Beemcy nodded in response and went into the kitchen, hearing her father behind her, unable to resist the emotions caused by the film, burst into tears again. Taking the butter out of the fridge, Beemcy sat down at the kitchen table and began to drink it. There was a recent issue of the "Sunport Bulletin" newspaper on the table. On the main page, a headline was printed in large font, stating about the massive missing of robots in the city. Beemcy picked up the newspaper, examined the headline, then unfolded the newspaper and ran her gaze over the column with ads. Among them, the ad "A robot surgeon escaped from the city hospital" with an attached photo and phone number stood out.
After drinking the butter, Beemcy put the newspaper on the table, threw the jar in the trash and went up to the second floor. Entering her room, she put the hoverboard by the door, then took her bag off her shoulder and threw it on the bed. Landing there, the bag opened, and a couple of textbooks, a pencil, and Henry's second walkie-talkie fell out of it. When Beemcy saw her, she slapped her face with her palm.
– Damn, I forgot to give Henry his walkie-talkie. Holey head. Well, I'll give it to Henry at school tomorrow.
Beemcy took the receiver from the bed and put it on the bedside table next to the bed.
– Let him lie here so that I don't forget about her tomorrow.
Then she picked up a fashion magazine lying next to the walkie-talkie, moved her bag a little, then lay down on the bed and began to read the magazine.
Henry woke up with a bag over his head, through which nothing could be seen. The guy tried to move, but it looked like he was chained to some kind of chair. Henry only heard some commotion and chatter between two metallic voices. Suddenly one of them called someone:
– Boss, we've brought you another test subject!
"What do you mean, a test subject," – Henry worried – "What are they going to do to me?"
He tried to get out of the straps that held him down, but his attempts were unsuccessful.
– Very well,– replied a third, previously unknown robotic voice in the distance – I just need an object for a new experiment.
There was a sound like small wheels rolling on concrete.
– Do you know, my brothers, what is the main drawback of man? – The creature asked its minions.
– No, Boss! – the other two robots replied in unison.
– The main drawback of a person is that he is, so to speak, too humane. – their "Boss" replied – By creating new things and discovering new phenomena, people are always worried about not hurting someone with them and using them exclusively for good. I believe that science requires sacrifices. There can be no full-fledged progress without sacrifices. It's a pity that my creators didn't understand this. That's why I ran away from them and began conducting clandestine experiments on test subjects. One day my work will bear fruit, and I will be able to create an army of ruthless and indestructible iron warriors and take over the world.
The mechanical voice was getting closer and closer to Henry.
– But let's do without long introductions. Let's see which robot you brought this time.
Henry felt someone touch the bag on his head. Then the bag began to slide off his head until it was completely exposed to the fresh air, and Henry saw another robot in front of him.
– Hehe, hello. – The guy said awkwardly.
– Idiots! – The robot exclaimed – It's a man! Can't you tell a human from a robot?
The "Boss" grabbed some kind of piece of iron from the table and threw it at his henchmen.
– Get out of my sight!
His retinue scattered.
Henry took a closer look at the creature holding him hostage. It was a tall, thin robot of dark metallic color with an oval head and narrow red eyes. It moved on two small wheels and had six limbs – two with manipulators, two with ordinary hands, and surgical instruments were attached to the other two. He had a medical mask in place of his mouth, a bathrobe on his torso, and a badge with the inscription "Dr. Zodax" was attached to his chest.
Henry was also able to make out the room. It was a medium-sized hangar with long windows under the ceiling. There was an entrance door on the right, a table with various tools and monitors displaying some images in front. On the left, there were cages inside which sat disabled robots stolen from the city, among which was the same robot puppy that lured Henry.
– Who do you have to work with? – Dr. Zodax was indignant – Well, we'll have to let this man go.
Zodax had already pulled up to Henry to undo his belts. The teenager was undoubtedly delighted with the anticipation of being released now. However, then some idea came to the mad robot experimenter in his metal head:
– But wait, why am I still messing with robots? Maybe it's time to conduct an experiment on a human? Besides, there just was a reason for this.
Henry tensed. It looks like they've changed their mind about letting him go.
– Hmm, get this guy's brain and put it in a robot body? – Dr. Zodax thought, after which he raised his two hands in front of him with a circular saw and a manipulator – And this is an idea.
Henry was seized with fear when a deadly weapon appeared in front of him. Suddenly, the circular came into action, and the mad robot laughed ominously:
– Ha ha ha, don't be afraid, boy, it won't hurt... the first two seconds.
The saw began to approach Henry. The guy panicked, he began to twitch, trying to get out, but everything was in vain. Henry didn't know what to do. The sinister instrument of torture was getting closer and closer to his head.
Suddenly, Henry noticed that there was an object in his pocket that looked like his walkie-talkie. The stupid minions of Zodax didn't even bother to check his pockets. The guy remembered that the second receiver was left with Beemcy, and realized that this was his chance to save himself. You need to somehow press the SOS button and send a distress signal. Except Henry's death from the circular will come sooner than Beemcy will come to the rescue. It was necessary to distract the mad robot somehow.
– Uh, excuse me, Doctor, for interrupting your process," Henry said, "but I want to ask: are your instruments sterile?" I don't want my brain to catch some kind of infection.
– Hmm,– Zodax interrupted his process, – You're right. Sterility is extremely important in such a delicate matter. Wait here for five minutes, and I'll sterilize the instruments.
The robot turned around and went into another room. While he was gone, Henry began to reach for the right button on the receiver. It was hard to do it, being tied hand and foot, but after several unsuccessful attempts to reach the button with his finger, Henry was still able to do it. The distress signal has been sent, it remains to wait and pray to God that Beemcy will come to the rescue.
Beemcy was reading a magazine when she suddenly heard a squeak coming from the side of the bedside table. She sat up, turned to the bedside table and saw that the beeping was coming from Henry's walkie-talkie. The word "SOS" was on her screen, and a green dot was on the locator. But Beemcy didn't think much of it.
– Henry's probably testing his walkie–talkies again. – She thought and continued reading the magazine.
However, after about ten seconds, Beemcy had a doubt. What's the point of Henry running tests now that she has the second walkie-talkie? Besides, it had already been half a minute, and the signal hadn't stopped coming out. What if Henry was really in trouble? Maybe she should fly over and find out what happened to him. But Beemcy's father told her to be at home in the evening, because some robot kidnappers are operating in the city.
Beemcy thought for about a minute and decided:
– Dad's watching his snotty melodramas right now anyway. He won't notice if I leave for a while.
Beemcy took the walkie–talkie from the bedside table, opened the window and set off on her jet engines in the direction indicated by the locator.
She raced past buildings, streets and trees until a green dot on the screen led her to the outskirts of the city to some abandoned warehouse. Beemcy flew closer and saw that a light was on in one of the windows of the room.
– Hmm, what is Henry doing in an abandoned warehouse on the other side of town at this late hour? – the teenage robot thought.
She flew to the window to look inside, and saw Henry tied to a dental chair in the middle of the room, and a robot with six limbs standing next to him, very similar to the one Beemcy had read about in the newspaper.
The robot girl tensed. She flew to the front door of the warehouse to listen to what was going on there. As she raised her head to the door, she heard a scream similar to Henry's:
– AAAAH! Somebody help me!
– Sit still, boy. – a metallic voice said – You're interfering with my autopsy.
All doubts were gone – Henry was really in danger.
Beemcy tried to open the door, but it was locked from the inside. Then she activated the laser cannon and smashed the door to splinters with one shot. Then Beemcy burst in and exclaimed:
– Leave Henry alone, you Zidax, or whatever your name is!
– Beemcy, you've finally found me! – Henry exclaimed happily.
– Wow, what an interesting model. – Dr. Zodax said, – I would dig into your insides.
He pressed the button on the remote control hanging from the ceiling next to him. The cages in the corner of the warehouse opened, and the robots sitting there activated, shining with red eyes.
– Grab her! – Zodax ordered, pointing at Beemcy.
A crowd of robots rushed towards her. Beemcy took out a blaster and started shooting them off one by one. The laser beams flew in different directions, and one of them flew in Henry's direction, breaking the belt holding his right arm. When Henry was able to move it, he began to undo the other straps.
Beemcy fought back against the frenzied robots, destroying one by one. Finally, the last of them was defeated, and she began to point a blaster at Dr. Zodax. However, he turned out to be too nimble, he caught up with Beemcy in one quick movement and cut off her weapon with his circular. The blaster rolled away. The teenage robot tried to activate another weapon, but Zodax, with a deft movement of the saw, severed her arm at the elbow, and then pushed Beemcy away with his other limb, knocking her off her feet. She hit her head on the wall and passed out.
– Your song is sung, Beem-cy. – said Dr. Zodax, approaching – Hmm, a beautiful name. You will be a great addition to my collection.
By this time, Henry had already been released from the trap and had seen what had happened to Beemcy. He was puzzling over how to help her until he saw a cage hanging directly above the Zodax, which has a lowering mechanism. The wire from this trap led directly to a remote control hanging from the ceiling near Henry. The guy, without thinking twice, pressed the button, and the cage fell right on the place where the mad robot scientist was standing, thereby trapping him.
– What the hell? – Zodax was taken aback – No, no, this can't be. Let me out now!
– Well, whose song was sung in the end? – Henry was jubilant.
The guy ran up to Beemcy, who was sitting against the wall, who had already come to her senses by this time.
– Beemcy, are you okay?
– Oh, it could have been better. – The robot girl answered him, holding her head with her surviving hand.
– Let's get out of here soon. – Henry asked her.
– Yes, we'll leave now. But first there is one thing to do.
Beemcy took out her phone, dialed a number, and leaned the receiver against her head.
– Wait, who are you calling, girl? – Zodax was worried – Don't tell me that...
– Hello, city hospital? We found your robot surgeon. Write down the address...
– No, you can't do that. No! I'm not going back to the hospital! I deserve more than to treat pathetic people! Let me out! One day I'll come back, and you'll regret doing this to me!
The guys were walking through the night city. Beemcy walked Henry home, carrying her broken right arm and a blaster in her left hand.
– Damn, your father will probably be unhappy when he finds out about all this and sees what happened to you. – Henry began to sympathize with her.
– Never mind, I'll figure something out. I'll tell him, for example, that I tripped on the stairs and broke my arm. I'm sure Dad can put the arm back in place, he's an engineer.
The teens came to Henry's house. Beemcy opened the door of his stomach and took out his second walkie-talkie.
– I forgot to give it to you today. Here, take it.
– Keep the receiver with you. – Henry replied to her –In case I ever get into trouble again, and you can find out about it from him.
The guys laughed, then said goodbye and went home.
THE END