As stated in the summary, this story follows an AU version of "The Wild Robot Escapes" the second book of The Wild Robot franchise. There will be differences between the two, but I will try to follow the book as best as possible.

You all are not ready for the rollercoaster I have prepared for you, enjoy!

…

Volume 2

Chapter 16: Task Acquired

She missed her son, Brightbill.

There was nothing worse for her than being forced to leave the island she had called home since being activated…to live a life she did not want to be apart of. The robot, however, knew it was meant to be…she, in many ways, belonged alongside humans and robots…to work for their masters…all other considerations secondary.

Being away for months made Roz realize just how important everyone was to her, but let's face it: she always knew. Her heart knew this…

Still, it wasn't like she could go back to her old life that easily. The Makers in the city repaired Roz…programmed her to be a farmer alongside countless other Rozzum units…in a facility high above ground called: Hilltop Farm. They had imprinted an electronic tracker inside her circuitry. Essentially, the alarm bells would go off and any escape attempt would be easily foiled and ultimately: she would be destroyed.

Despite the fact that against all odds, Brightbill managed to find her thanks to other migrations, she missed him. In some ways, however, everyone was okay…the humans left the island alone…Brightbill was where he belonged…and so was Roz.

But being homesick ate her from the inside…

And so, over several weeks…while simultaneously maintaining the farm alongside the other Rozzum units and human workers, Roz plotted…her computer tried to come up with various ways she could slip away…

Even if she was programmed to belong in Hilltop Farm…her heart said she belonged with the animals on the Island. Her life was meant to be with them.

She had to escape. That was her task, and a Rozzum always completes its task.

…

One faithful day, on a particularly hot day…Rozzum 7134 was summoned by her superiors to the administration building.

A human assistant, holding a translucent PDA, walked up to the machine…looking up at them with a smile, "Rozzum 7134, Mr. Shareef requires your presence at the office." The woman brandished her arm whilst holding her computer close to her chest with her free hand. Roz nodded, not saying a word…not disobeying the command given. Her thundering steps echoed throughout the field as a farm drone wisped past both of them from above…then a farm hovercraft that sprayed pesticide on the trees in the far distance. From time to time, around 2:30PM precisely on the weekdays Roz would see a black hovercar flying in to park on the rooftop of the building. Why did it do it, maybe it was Mr. Shareef's personal carriage?

The trip toward the office was very short, yet it felt very long for Roz. Inside her computer brain she was nervous…she didn't know exactly why she was being summoned. Could it be that they are on to her? Could it be that they are going to confront her on the matter? M-maybe they saw Brightbill and the others…maybe both of them weren't careful enough. If a robot could sweat, Roz would surely be right now. Still, in actuality: her appearance was neutral…emotionless, as her manufacturer always intended.

She had actually never been inside the admin building…so this ought to be interesting for her in some respects.

They entered…being welcomed by steel walls, but on those walls were paintings or other decorations to give the interior some life. Furniture filled the place too. Roz soon understood what it all meant as she and the human worker climbed the stairs to get to the second floor: this was a house.

Sure enough, the human opened a twin door…and from Roz's taller vantage point, she saw the man she was programmed to obey and respect…the man in charge of Hilltop Farm…the owner of the farm.

Mr. Shareef had been talking with another man dressed in a fine suit and upon seeing Roz…he immediately ceased conversation and limped over to her.

Mr. Shareef was a man past his prime, in his early fifties…slightly balding…wild mustache and wild eyebrows…the prosthetic modifications on his damaged leg were the one thing allowing him to walk. In many ways, his aging, damaged, body gave the notion of a vulnerable man, but his face said otherwise…he looked stern, and one breath could send Roz into the scrap yard for good.

The assistant soon waited outside as the man moved closer, "come on in, Rozzum 7134." She did not hesitate.

He looked at his newest Rozzum unit…admiring just how perfect she looked…Roz's new body even shined under the right lighting conditions.

The man across from Mr. Shareef examined her from afar, and like a robot…remained still in place, he did not move until the owner beckoned him to join his side. Both humans now examined the robot before pulling away, "do you know why I summoned you?"

She looked down at him and considered the options, "I am unsure why you summoned me, Mr. Shareef."

The old man circled her…inspecting her, and soon the stranger did as well…circling her like vultures preparing to feast on a fresh corpse.

"This is Special Agent Kinard Mosley, he is investigating an incident."

Incident? Roz thought…does it have something to do with the island?

It turns out, that's exactly why she was there.

The agent stepped up; he had his hands on his back. Roz studied his youthful appearance: tall, slim, and handsome…his sleek blonde hair, carefully combed to perfection, no facial hair…not even a faint stubble…his piercing blue eyes staring at her as if intelligence yelled from him without a word being said, "we found a Rozzum unit recently. They were on an island…it had been there for more than a year. Rozzum 6262…"

If Roz had a heart like the animals, it would have stopped right there, and unfortunately, she had a slight adverse reaction to this news. Mr. Shareef didn't notice this subtle jerk from Roz, but Agent Mosley was TRAINED to spot it.

"Does that ring a bell, Rozzum 7134?"

"Negative" she lied. Fink had trained her well on the island to be deceitful. Unfortunately, by the tone of her voice…the agent caught this deception well just by how she delivered it.

Before a confrontation could happen, Mr. Shareef heard the frantic footsteps that he memorized all too well: the footsteps of his children rushing in from the hall to greet their father!

It was two young pre-teens: the older brother, Jad (who wore suspenders and a button-down shirt), and the younger sister Jaya (who wore a skirt and dress and had her hair tied into a bun.) From Roz's computer, she could tell both of these children just come from school…2:30PM precisely…so now she knew who always arrived at that time.

"Daddy, daddy! Can you push me on the swing!?" Young Jaya asked her father.

"Why don't you get your brother to push you?"

"She's always wanting you to do it! She's always a handful!" Jad groaned.

"And so are you" Shareef chuckled…deciding to join them, "well then, I suppose I can join you kids for a bit."

"Yay!" Jaya yelled, jumping up and down with her backpack still on her back.

He began walking out with his children…before turning back to see Mosley and the robot still together. The thirty-five-year-old agent smiled at the owner, "I just have a few more questions for your unit, and then I'll be on my way."

"If you like. Clara, make sure when they're done that you send Roz to the cows for the afternoon."

The assistant nodded, still clutching her PDA against her chest.

Mr. Shareef was gone…off to spend time with the family. His assistant left to wait outside the door…keeping watch every now and then.

This…this is when Kinard Mosley unleashed himself upon Rozzum 7134.

"So…you don't know anything? You don't remember what happened before you came to Hilltop Farm?"

"Negative."

He hid a smirk…circling her as her head kept scanning him. He didn't care, he was about to share something that would frighten her…

"So…you're telling me…that you don't remember what you did on that island?"

"Special Agent Mosley, I cannot answer your question, for I have no context on which to answer."

"Rummage. Does that not ring a bell…Roz?"

She snapped toward him. They knew…they must have taken Rummage apart when they took them off the island…took all the memories and examined them! They would know EVERYTHING that had happened from when she activated 6262 to when she was collected by Universal Dynamics. All the videos of Roz interactions on the island…the backup she made…it's all there!

Does this mean Fink and the others are in trouble!?

Sure enough, she snapped her body toward him…walking slowly toward him, "what have you done." She finally spoke in her natural, motherly, voice, although in a low, angry, voice. Her voice demanded an explanation…a tone that no robot in the world would ever emote unless it was Roz.

Mosley simply smiled at her, not the least bit intimidated, "so…somehow you know. Well, that's fortunate, for you see…I need your help."

"You will not get any help from me" Roz retorted.

"I would reconsider that notion, for you see…your friends on that island may have something that belongs to Universal Dynamics" he walked closer to her, ever so slightly…like a lion marching towards its injured prey for the final blow, "a data disk…do you know what that is?"

Her computer brain found the information on such a device and soon she answered, "I do."

"Then you know how important it is to us." A short silence followed as Roz computed her options for escape, "are you familiar with a Terry Bennett?"

"I am not" she narrowed her eyes at him as he continued circling her.

"He knows you, or should I say…his cousin knows you…quite well I might add" the man gave a slight scoff, "he was a close assistant for your maker…do you know who she is?"

Again, Roz's robotic eyes searched her database and soon found it, "Dr. Molovo."

"Correct. And if I am correct to assume…Mark Andrisen and Dr. Molovo were supposed to wipe your memory…did they not?"

Roz looked away…remembering the encounter before she was sent here. Still, she wouldn't dwell on it for very long…she needed answers, "why are you tormenting me?" She asked in a cold tone of voice.

"Because those two put something that was a part of you inside that data disk the day they were supposed to wipe you" he got in her face…scowling as he did, laying it all out for Roz, "whatever is in it, we need it…because it's a part of you…and if there's anything Universal Dynamics or any other organization in this world fears…it's a robot that thinks!"

She now understood.

"You may love those animals, you may understand love…but maybe you also understand what it means to HATE…and that, my dear Roz, is something Universal Dynamics cannot allow!"

"Is everything alright in there?" The assistant came walking in. Agent Mosley stopped himself…pulling away from Roz and readjusting his tie. Soon he changed his appearance to a friendly one before turning around, "yes, I have everything I need. I will be out shortly."

She nodded, again exiting.

Soon, Mosley looked back to Roz…who narrowed her eyes to him in defiance, "once I get my hands on that device, I'll be seeing you again, Roz…to finish the job once and for all. You try anything in the meantime…and your entire family dies. You think you can accomplish the task of staying on this farm?" He left…leaving a crooked smile that cut deep into the robot. She just stood there like a statue…unsure how to comprehend the situation that had just occurred.

"Task…acquired…" she muttered in defeat…looking down toward the ground.