Rectify Injustice (The Exceptional S. Beaufont Book 6)

by Sarah Noffke

  “Stay back!” Sophia warned.

  “Sophia Beaufont is no friend of ours,” it said, continuing forward.

  Oh, hell, Sophia thought, confirming that her actions had appeared nefarious to the robots.

  She glanced over her shoulder to Jen, who was up against the door. “Why can’t you get through?”

  “The River-bots have locked it,” Jen explained, putting her hand to the wall. The action had unlocked it before, but now it remained solid, the door not sliding back into the recesses.

  “You don’t have an override function?” Sophia asked frantically, swishing Inexorabilis and trying to discourage the River-bots from coming any closer.

  “They are the override,” she said, indicating the robots.

  Sophia sighed. “Are you serious? You put them in charge of everything?”

  “They were reliable,” Jen said in a rush. “Much more so than humans, who make mistakes.”

  Shaking her head, Sophia paused to appreciate the irony in the fleeting moment. “Yet, they’ve taken over and rebelled because you took the flawed humans away from them.”

  “What?” Jen asked, shock in her voice.

  The advancing River-bots were dangerously close. Fighting them would only make them more distrustful of Sophia. She made the potentially hazardous decision to sheathe her sword.

  “What are you doing?” Jen demanded. She looked like she might take the sword from Sophia, her eyes crazy with worry.

  “I’m not fighting them,” Sophia stated. “They will only attack if they think I’m going to hurt them. They aren’t going to stop until you give them what they want.”

  “What?” Jen’s gaze was darting around wildly.

  Sophia spun around as she felt the cold metal of the closest River-bot. It grabbed her from behind and hauled her off her feet. She didn’t fight the creature. Instead, she looked at Jen Hendricks.

  “They want their humans back,” she said with conviction in her voice.

  “What?” Jen questioned. “Humans?” She shook her head. “No, they messed up everything. Our human resource issues were miles long. Productivity and behavioral problems. You name it, humans were becoming the real liability of this company. I fixed all that.”

  To Sophia’s surprise, the River-bot just clutched her in its iron grasp and held her unmoving. Beside it, the other robots formed a semicircle around the CEO.

  “You didn’t fix it,” Sophia argued. “You simply created a bigger problem. There will be problems in every organization. It’s inevitable. Trying to erase human error is like trying to erase the human population.” She swept her gaze at the warehouse where the River-bots stood at attention, none of them working as they watched those on the balcony. “You can’t have robots without humans. They miss them.”

  Jen shook her head. “They are machines and need reprogramming.”

  Sophia’s eyes darted to the claw marks on Jen’s neck and wrist. “Is that what you’ve been doing? Reprogramming the ones that rebel?”

  “It’s all that needed to happen for the last several months,” Jen explained. “Just a flaw in their systems.”

  “A few months?” Sophia asked. “You’ve been patching up this problem for months? The River-bots have been growing more anxious. They knew you wouldn’t give them their humans back and you would reprogram them. They have been hiding their human behavior while planning this rebellion.”

  “Human behavior?” Jen questioned with disbelief.

  “Yeah, you didn’t see it because you wouldn’t come onto the warehouse floor after getting attacked and realizing there was a problem with their programming,” Sophia explained, having worked it out. “You knew something was wrong but wouldn’t face it.”

  “Humans…things are better without them,” Jen argued.

  Sophia shook her head. “You think things are better, but think of all those people you eliminated who needed a job. The River-bots are magitech. They are part human and need the connection. You can’t discount that. Even if River isn’t as successful or efficient, there are some things that are more important.” She dared to look at the River-bots who seemed perched and ready to attack, their red eyes glowing. “Advancement without consideration of far-reaching effects isn’t progress. It’s negligence.”

  Jen considered this. She was no doubt a genius and a savvy businessperson. She ran a company that had changed the world, and what she decided next would be life or death for her and possibly Sophia.

  Letting out a weighty breath, she regarded the River-bots, her expression shifting into one of regret. With tears in her eyes, she looked at the closest River-bots. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize what I was doing was harming you so much.” Shame was heavy in her gaze. “I never even thought of you as ‘you.’ Only its. Sophia is right, and you are part-human. I should have known that better than anyone. I didn’t want to believe it because then I would have to acknowledge what I now know to be true. You can’t live without humans. Just as the world has entered into the twenty-first century and can’t live without technology. We are intertwined now. Probably forevermore.”

  Chapter Eighty-Eight

  Chocolate never tasted so good as after a grueling battle where Sophia had nearly drained most of her reserves.

  She and Lunis sat on the top of the Seattle Space Needle, looking out over the city and Puget Sound as the clouds rolled across the sky.

  After they’d wrapped up at River Corporation, Lunis had flown them up to the top of the Space Needle. Currently they were hanging their feet over the side and dangling them like kids as mortals filled the observation deck below them.

  So, thanks to you, I think my new Doctor Who poster will take two days rather than one to get delivered, Lunis said, lounging on his back, his round belly soaking up the rare Seattle sun.

  Sophia, not finding the rooftop of the Space Needle as delightful as the views, scooted over until she was leaning back against her dragon. “You mean, thanks to us. Deal with it. I think the world should have to sacrifice a bit of convenience and immediate gratification for love and connectedness.”

  Lunis growled with satisfaction when Sophia wiggled back into him. She knew without him saying it he’d been worried several times for her safety when she’d been in the River warehouse with the robots. It was their life, though, and it never was going to get easier. If they were fulfilling their destiny, there would always be a danger. There would always be battles and conflict they would have to intervene in. She couldn’t think of anyone she’d rather fight alongside.

  Well, it looks like the employment structure of River will be changing drastically, Lunis said, his belly rising and falling, a calming motion for Sophia to experience.

  “Yeah, it’s not going to be what it was recently or what it was before,” she explained, having helped Jen Hendricks revamp the entire company structure. “It’s going to be something brand new.”

  That is evolution, Lunis agreed, watching seagulls streak across the waters of the Puget Sound.

  Sophia enjoyed the soft breeze that coasted up the structure of the Space Needle and tangled her hair. She had never been afraid of heights, which was probably a prerequisite for being a dragonrider. Right then it made her feel like she was the queen of the world, sitting high above her kingdom and dangling her feet over the edge, thinking of the good and true things she’d do.

  That was a very chancy move on your part, putting away your sword at River Corporation, Lunis said, his tone slightly scolding.

  She shrugged. “My instinct told me to. We can’t always fight.”

  Always, he repeated. That is the way of the dragons.

  Sophia nodded. “And the Dragon Elite, I believe. I don’t think it has to be my way. Or yours, depending on your style.”

  My style is yours, he told her. We magnetized to one another for a reason. More importantly than us, I think this is a sign of things to come for the new generation of riders and dragons.

  Sophia looked back at him, surprised. “You d
o? Really? You don’t think I’ll be the only anomaly?” She nearly laughed at her choice of words. She knew Hiker was perplexed by how she dealt with her missions, choosing strategy over force, but he was also impressed by her results. Hopefully the way she dealt with this mission would add to that reputation.

  No, I think we’ve set trends others will follow, Lunis began. There are many eggs to hatch, all a result of you becoming the first female dragonrider. They are being hatched in a modern world and will magnetize to modern riders. There’s a new balance coming to the Dragon Elite they’ve never had before, so how can we expect it to be what it was before.

  “This balance?” Sophia took a bite of her chocolate bar and relished its richness.

  Well, the Dragon Elite was always missing one important element that you fulfilled, Lunis said, closing his eyelids as the sunlight kissed them through the clouds crossing over the Puget Sound.

  “Oh?” she asked.

  Femininity doesn’t belong only to the females on this planet, Lunis explained. It is in all of us, and masculinity too. Now the Dragon Elite has both in representation. I only wonder if it will be balanced out in terms of leadership.

  “You mean, in terms of getting Hiker to stop being such a manly Viking?” Sophia joked.

  He shook his head. No, I mean, I wonder if there’s a need for more leadership at some point.

  Sophia sat up, not having expected this answer. “Oh?”

  It stands to reason that one day there will be a lot more dragons and riders at the Gullington, Lunis continued. Although one leader is sufficient now, when there are more riders, it seems like we’ll need more leadership. One who is concerned with combat and another who is about strategy.

  This was the first time she’d heard Lunis speak like this. “Wow. I’m not sure. I mean, if you mean me…”

  You’re a natural leader, Soph. The men already follow you, although you have less experience and are much younger. It just proves to me that leadership is inborn in so many ways.

  Sophia wasn’t sure Lunis was right. She knew the Dragon Elite was soon to go through its own evolution. That was inevitable as more eggs hatched. Things were going to have to change because the Dragon Elite would soon need to rule in a world where the old rules didn’t apply.

  Just my observations, Lunis said when she didn’t reply. My observations from above an observation deck, so take them for what they are worth.

  Sophia finished her chocolate, her stomach asking for more. It was probably her magic needing a bit more to be fully replenished. “Your observations are always the best, Lun.”

  So what’s next? her dragon asked, sensing she was feeling restless after the short respite.

  “I think I need to pay Mae Ling a visit.” Sophia stretched to a standing position, enjoying how much better the view got as she rose to her feet.

  Because you have a craving for the best brownies in the world? Lunis teased.

  Sophia nodded. “Also because I’ve got a boatload of cases and not enough information on where to start.”

  Lunis shook his head. I don’t sympathize with your workload.

  She cut her eyes at him. “What do you mean? My workload is yours too.”

  He shrugged, which was always a funny thing to see her dragon do. It is, but I get to observe and consult while lounging and eating bonbons and watching my soap operas.

  Sophia laughed. “You don’t do any of that.”

  Giving her a wolfish grin, Lunis said, “You’re right. Usually I don’t lounge.”

  Chapter Eighty-Nine

  Wild horses galloped across the pastures outside of Happily Ever After College. A group of students stood close by, most looking fearful at the prospect of getting trampled by the parading horses, their tangled manes flying like flags in the wind.

  The thundering sound their hooves made as they circled the girls in their school uniforms nearly drowned out Mae Ling’s voice.

  “They can sense your fear,” the fairy godmother/professor said, shaking her head at the pupils. “If you want to tame a wild beast, you have to embrace the wild part of yourself.”

  She stepped in front of a black stallion racing in her direction, its head down and black eyes menacing.

  Without a care for her safety, Mae Ling kept her gaze on the students and held up a single hand to the racing horse.

  Sophia held her breath, watching from a distance. The students gasped loudly. One screamed.

  The small, unassuming woman didn’t flinch as the beasts roared in her direction. It seemed obvious Mae Ling was about to be run over. There would be no way to save her that Sophia could see.

  The fairy godmother kept her hand out, her expression stone.

  The black stallion whinnied loudly, but it produced zero reaction from Mae Ling.

  Inches from the woman’s extended hand, the horse came to an abrupt halt, kicking up soil and sod onto Mae Ling’s shoes. Instantly, the wild horse kneeled and bowed its head to the fairy godmother.

  A pleased expression crossed her face and she nodded to the animal.

  “Rise,” she commanded, and the horse followed her order, rearing and towering over her.

  Around the class and the instructor, the other animals continued to streak over the field, not going unnoticed by many of the pupils who were clinging to each other.

  Mae Ling lovingly petted the horse’s head before returning her attention to the class. “You see, nature always reflects back on itself. If you want to tame the wild, then first tame yourself. Once you do, then they will do your bidding.”

  She circled her hand and the black stallion transformed into a giant stretch limousine.

  “Oohs” and “Aahs” fell from the girls’ mouths. Sophia echoed their reaction as she approached, careful to give the frolicking horses a wide berth.

  “To transform creatures, you must first tame them,” Mae Ling instructed. “You can and should be able to tame any animal to do your bidding, but only if you practice.”

  Mae Ling snapped her fingers and the black limo became a horse once more. He shook his head, his mane flying around him before he stomped the ground.

  She pointed to the horses, still circling. “Each of you take one of those wild horses. Tame them by conquering your fear. I expect these grounds to be full of luxury cars within an hour. For those who fail, healers are standing by.” She indicated the front of Happily Ever After College, where three magicians regarded the class with cautious gazes.

  Sophia gulped, grateful she didn’t have to do most of her training as trial by fire. Wilder had thrown her off a cliff once to see how she’d employ her training. She later punched him in the arm for it, but he just smiled and admitted he deserved that…and much more.

  Most of the students seemed to share Sophia’s thoughts on this training exercise that could result in them needing to have bones and such mended by healers. However, she assumed most of them were probably more afraid of Mae Ling’s wrath than being trampled by the wild stallions because they parted from one another when the instructor clapped her hands and yelled, “Go on then. Get to taming.”

  As the students dispersed and began choosing horses, Mae Ling made her way over to Sophia with a smile on her face that lit up her brown eyes.

  “You’re hungry,” she stated rather than asked after running a cursory glance over Sophia.

  “Well, I had a chocolate bar a bit ago, but yeah,” Sophia answered.

  Mae Ling shook her head. “After expending that much magic at River, that’s not enough to refill your reserves.” She snapped her fingers and a picnic basket appeared on the pristine grass next to the black stallion, which was now calmly grazing like a tame horse and taking no notice of her.

  She gave the animal a hesitant expression before Mae Ling waved off the concern.

  “He won’t hurt you,” the fairy godmother told her. “If you want a place to sit, he’d make a great booth or a long table and chairs.”

  Sophia shook her head, having a hard time wrappin
g her head around sitting at a table that was actually a horse. It was apparently common with fairy godmothers, and since they didn’t seem to do any wrong, she should probably warm to the idea, she reasoned.

  Kneeling on the grass, she opened the picnic basket, the aroma of the best chocolate wafting from the container.

  She looked up, her eyes wide with excitement. “Freshly baked brownies?”

  Mae Ling nodded proudly. “That’s what you ordered, isn’t it?”

  “Well, I had a passing craving,” Sophia said. “I wouldn’t call it an order.”

  Mae Ling shrugged. “Same thing as far as I’m concerned.”

  Sophia sat tailor style in the grass next to the basket and looked up at her fairy godmother. “How do you know so much? I mean, I get there’s magic involved, but it’s more than that with you.”

  The other woman nodded understandingly. “It’s a connection fairy godmothers form with their charges. We may not be able to find where we parked our car or know our own shoe sizes, but I’m highly connected to you and know your fleeting and stable emotions. I feel them as if they were my own.” She indicated the girls in the distance, some of them successful with taming their wild horses and others fleeing, the beasts running after them. “If I train them right, they will have that with their Cinderellas too, but…” As she trailed away, her face was suddenly crestfallen. “I worry the next generation of fairy godmothers will have new problems.” She sighed, dismissing the notion with a wave of her hand. “That’s not why you came here. Please ask me what you will.”

  Sophia took a bite of one of the warm brownies, relishing the crispy edges surrounding the warm, chewy center. “Oh, my angels, that’s delicious.”

  Mae Ling nodded. “Naturally.”

  “Anyway, I was hoping you’d learned something about how to help Ainsley,” Sophia started, noticing the gooey fudge on her fingertips. She was about to lick it off when a napkin materialized in her lap. “Thank you.”

  Mae Ling began to take a seat, but when Sophia thought she’d land on her tail bone, the fairy godmother sank into a large, overstuffed pink velvet armchair. She sighed as though taking a load off was completely overdue.