Chapter Twenty-One: Return to Clockwork Island
After leaving LeDorada the heroes began to sail towards Clockwork Island, wondering what they would find there on what was supposed to be a destroyed island.
"It's strange Friday there of all places, Clockwork Island has been long gone," Seth spoke.
"Maybe it wasn't destroyed?" Kyler suggested.
"What do you mean? Has the island been long abandoned since Faraday's death? Isn't that why the island exploded, a reactor of his going off?" Seth asked looking to Connor who was at the helm.
"Well Faraday was a smart man, maybe his successor faked the island's destruction to protect Faraday's inventions from being used for war?" Connor suggested.
"Hey Gabriel, how close are we?" Kyler asked.
"Your ship is drawing closer to your destination, it also seems to be near your next ally," Gabriel spoke looking at the map table where the card floated.
"Wait there's an ally on Clockwork? Could it be Friday? What the card Gabriel?" Connor asked seeing the Tarot Card appear before him seeing a lineup of soldiers, the card focusing on the back of the head of one.
"The Soldier; a weapon made for war, this hero once traveled among the stars, searching for a new purpose for his new freedom," Gabriel spoke.
"Among the stars? You mean like he was a bodyguard for celebrities?" Seth asked confused what Gabriel meant.
"Maybe he is someone I met then?" Kyler said trying to recall anyone he had met who fit the description they heard.
"He said celebrities Kyler, not over dramatic TV luchadores," Tercero spoke while leaning on the wall into the captain's quarters getting a glare from the Hero of Strength who then flipped him the bird. (luchadores = fighters)
"Do you think he used to be part of the Patrol?" Roscoe asked thinking if that was what Gabriel meant.
"That a possibility, though I haven't seen many of the Patrol turn on Tirich that easily, most are too afraid to disobey him or Reaver," Connor spoke handing the card to Seth who examined it.
"Weird armor the soldiers are wearing in this card," Seth remarked looking ahead to see a destroyed island in the distance.
"There's nothing left," Jaya remarked with a sad look, "poor Faraday would be so sad to see his hard work all sunk into the sea."
Hearing his phone go off Seth saw it was Friday calling them, "Well that's a first, he's never directly called us before."
"Put it on speaker," Connor spoke watching Seth answer the phone and set it to speaker.
"Thank you for answering my friends," a man's voice spoke, "I haven't been forthright with you, you see my name isn't really Friday."
"Who are you?" Connor asked seeing as they drew closer to the island the water of the oceans appeared to look weird, like it was hitting something.
"We will get to that soon, please, enter the through the hologram and proceed to the main gate," Friday instructed.
"Hologram?" Tercero repeated looking to the edge of the ship to see the point pass through something that made it seem like their ship was slowly vanishing.
Entering through the heroes all looked up to see they were inside a massive dome created by several floating drones attached to wires that all lead towards the very much still standing Clockwork Island that has a massive tower that pulsed with electricity.
"Bloody hell!" Kyler gasped heading to the front of the ship, "It was never destroyed? But how?!"
"Those drones," Seth spoke seeing each one using projectors to crate the dome that created the illusion the island was destroyed, "I bet they created the images of the island's destruction! I am also willing to bet they're also radioactive on command to keep scientists from the island."
"So, Faraday's successor succeeded in protecting the late Professor's inventions? I wonder what changes the island underwent," Jaya spoke seeing the ship reach the docks.
"The current successor must be Friday, whoever he is, let's go see what he wants," Connor spoke docking the ship before walking onto the dock.
Looking around the first thing they noticed was how clean the island looked, the grass had no weeds and was evenly trimmed even the stairs they walked on looked new.
Ascending the stairs they reached the ticket area where they saw it had gotten a makeover as well, the booths were now circular buildings and the once fence gate was now a clean white wall hiding the glimpse of tomorrow behind two large doors.
Hearing a noise, the group noticed a gear shape logo on the ground that opened up and slowly rising was a silver and blue metallic humanoid shape android with green eyes.
Looking at the group the android smiled before bowing, "greeting visitors, and welcome to Clockwork Island, I am Huxley and I will be your guide."
"Is that a cyborg?!" Kyler shouted pointing at the machine.
"Oh no," Huxley spoke with an amused look, "cyborgs have human components in their construction, I am all machine, I am an android."
"Incredible! I heard that Faraday made robots in his day but never did I imagine he could make an android to be so lively! It's like he has a personality," Seth spoke studying the machine.
"Oh, I do," Huxley laughed, "do not worry, all the Mark Infinity Colin Models are built with a fail-safe, we are forbidden from harming any living thing, and we also can't disable said fail-safe so no need to worry about using those weapons."
"Wait a damn bloody minute, are you saying you all have artificial intelligence?!" Connor asked in disbelief.
"We do indeed Connor Lionheart," Huxley smiled, "the Professor is very excited to meet you, it has been so long since we've had visitors to the island."
"How is any of this possible? Who could he be as smart as Faraday to improve his technology to this extent?" Seth asked aloud.
"You'll see, please follow me, no smoking, drinking, or obscene language," Huxley smiled heading to the gate where a red and silver Collin Android stood.
"Good afternoon Muxley," Huxley smiled with a wave.
"And a good afternoon to you too Huxley," Muxley smiled, while the two robots looked the same it would seem Faraday took the time to make them both very different in color tones, height, and even their voices were different, these androids were made with love and care.
"What happened to the old Huxley who used to be the tour guide? The Cyclopes one?" Connor asked hearing Huxley let out a chuckle.
"I am that old Huxley model," he smiled turning to them, "while my appearance has gained many upgrades the one that made me also added to my upgrade, Muxley over there thankfully was programmed out of his idiot mode."
"How rude! As I recall it was YOU who built and programmed me to be an 'idiot' so if anyone a true idiot around here it is you, old friend," Muxley said before the two let out laughs.
"I am curious how this was all possible," Tercero spoke seeing the two Colins take a handle on the two closed doors.
"Now then, ladies and gentlemen, we are proud to welcome you to Clockwork Island," Huxley smiled before he and his companion opened the doors.
"We begin with what is yet to come, astonish your senses, give flight to your fancy by stepping to the street of the future," Muxley spoke escorting them down a road with many clean white buildings, each house having large windows that would turn black for a privacy mode.
Each house was built with solar panels, and the green grass was also being trimmed by small round robots that precisely measured and trimmed the grass and any rock it picked up was shot out of its back and towards the road.
Coming out of the houses were many different colored androids, some were shaped like men, some women, and every last one had a unique build and height.
"By the blood of my ancestors, look at this place!" Seth spoke in awe seeing all the amazing technology.
Jumping back in surprise Roscoe was approached by an android dog that barked and waved a tail at him, "Eh what the hell?"
Going in a circle the two dogs sniffed each other making Connor laugh and look over to see inside a house where an android woman was making her bed that was floating off the ground.
"This is what a common Bowerstone suburb could be ten years from now, homes powered by the very sun itself, technology that will make the everyday man or woman's lives much easier, yes the future is in our grasp," Huxley smiled turning to the group, "do you have any questions so far?"
"I do, when do we meet Friday? Is he the one who made all of this?" Seth asked seeing Huxley turn to his companion.
"We shouldn't say yet, the Professor wants to meet with you all first," Huxley spoke leading them down the road where they could see in the gutters clean flowing water where fish swam through.
"How long did this all take to make?" Jaya asked.
"It's been a passion project of the good Professor; five hundred years sure do fly by doesn't it Muxley?" Huxley sighed happily at the fond memories.
"How many years?" Seth asked thinking he misheard.
"Uhhhh look hoverboard!" Muxley spoke pointing at an android flying by on a hoverboard as they approached the statue of Professor Faraday before walking around the large Gazebo.
Reaching the end of the town of machines the group reached the main gates into Faraday Industries.
"Shall we?" Huxley smiled opening the gates and leading the group across the bridge.
"Hey Huxley, how does the island defend itself from intruders?" Seth asked.
"Excellent question, Faraday Industries has many defense protocols in place in the event of an attack, security cameras, motion sensors, signal jammers, cloaking devices, high voltage fences, even the Colin Models are built with the latest of defensive upgrades," Huxley explained.
"I guess what happened to Faraday in the past has made him more cautious," Jaya spoke seeing the massive factory ahead of them.
Once inside the group followed Huxley and Muxley through the factory seeing many new inventions being made, there was even a screen showing plans to improve Bowerstone.
"Now dear guest we ask that you keep an open mind, 'Friday' wants to meet you," Huxley spoke opening a door.
Inside a massive room with many screens covering the walls and roof the group saw in the corner of the room were the skeletal remains of the late Professor Faraday, attached to the skeleton's head was a helmet that seemed to be attached to a machine high above that turned on and moved.
"What the bloody hell?!" Kyler spoke watching the machine lift many arms that began to spin shooting a laser into the monitors creating a hologram of Professor Faraday who smiled at them.
"I am so sorry for deceiving all of you, you can't be too safe these days, I am especially sorry to you, Seth, Connor, I wish I could have warned you of Reaver's plans to attack on your base, all of you know me as Friday but my real name is Professor Faraday," the hologram spoke introducing himself.
"How in the world is this possible?!" Seth gasped approaching the hologram with the others.
"Many years ago, it dawned on me that, I, unlike my children, was human, every passing year I could feel the Reaper scythe inching closer, so I began to work on a way to download my subconsciousness into the computers here on Clockwork Island, I succeed, I could now look after my children, tend to their need, and continue to pursue my goals to make Albion a better place," Faraday smiled holding up his hand and making several screens appear with him, "I wanted to particular meet with you, Connor."
"Wait Friday...uh sorry Professor Faraday, why did you ask us to be here?" Connor asked seeing the screen around them show a live feed of all of Albion.
"When I saw your message to Albion people Seth asked me to spread a new hope that began to spread across Albion," he spoke showing the image of different cities where graffiti of the Resistance Guild Seal was spreading, "Albion have faith in a new hero they have faith with it's true Prince."
"Look there Westcliffe," Seth pointed to a screen seeing Kyler approach to see wanted posters of him on a screen and see the words 'We Fight with him' spray painted above.
"Now, for the reason why I summoned you all here, many years ago I promised I'd never allow my creations to be used for war, I still stand by that vow, however, there is someone here I wanted you all to meet who I believe can aid you on your journey," Faraday explained opening a door on the side of the room leading up to some stairs.
Before Faraday could explain more an alarm began to go off, "What the?!"
Pulling up a screen Faraday narrowed his eyes to see a Patrol Battle Ship entering through the hologram around the island heading towards the dock.
"The Patrol?! How? Shit did our phones get bugged?!" Connor asked seeing Faraday pull up a keyboard and begin typing making many numbers spin around him.
"No, all your phones are safe, wait... there's a tracking device!" Faraday spoke bringing up the island drone that locked on their ship, "It's there!"
"Someone bugged our ship! I bet it was that glasses-wearing shit Isaac!" Kyler growled cracking his knuckles.
"Couldn't be, why ask for our aid then bug us? Logically he would worry I'd kill his madre, the fault falls on me, someone must have recognized us on LeDorada and bugged the ship," Tercero growled.
"I am expanding the signal jammer ranger, I will not allow them to radio in our location, but that won't stop them from invading the island!" Faraday growled setting off an alarm, "Huxley, evacuate the town and get all the Collin's inside the factory."
"Those fences won't hold them for long! Hit the deck!" Kyler yelled seeing the War Ship fire its cannon hitting the factory and making the roof shake.
"That's it!" Connor growled drawing his sword, "Faraday! Get your creations inside now! Leave these bastards to us!"
"I can not ask you to do this for us," Faraday spoke seeing the other heroes drawing their weapons and following after Connor.
"After how many times you helped us Faraday, it is our honor to defend your legacy," Seth smiled running through the factory and back outside to see the Collins from the town running past them.
Inside the factory, another cannon fire would shake the room Faraday wanted to show them where a Cryotube light came on and the frost on the glass began to melt revealing a green armored warrior inside.