LAND of the FREE

by Michael W. Huard

  Sinaye caught sight of the elite robot watching over the conference and recognized him as one of the more expensive types, one Y-Wood had invested much time and technology into. He was a fighting, yet thinking masterpiece and needed to be watched very closely.

  "Ahhhh," President Marcou noticed her interest in his mega bot and gave everyone a quick rundown on his prized machine man. "I'm sure all of you have noticed Omagus over there? He is a very special creation of the Corporation, a smart, fully capable thinking war machine in the truest sense of the word." The president then pointed to the super-bot’s physique. "His body shell is indestructible and his ability, via microchips wired into his brain, makes him the best of the best in all forms of combat, safety, first aid, and anything else you might need. All of you should feel very safe here this evening." The world-leader then sipped his martini once more, and smiled to the panel.

  Everyone inside the room now just stared at one another as time seemed to come to a halt. Resin was infatuated with the new arrival, and Marcou was still glaring at the little Australian lawyer. Old silver-hair was getting frustrated with the lack of progress, and everyone else could think of nothing more than hoping this would all come to an end, sooner rather than later and without any trouble.

  Chapter 21

  Back in his hidden spot, Lomax was finishing what he started.

  He did everything he said he would. The women needed his help as they progressed with their plans. That one door was his hardest test. He removed the traps, opened the locks, and just as he was trying to remove the final alarms, a flashing red symbol appeared on his laptop screen. His cover and location had been blown!

  He jumped from his chair as a sudden warning echoed all around him from outside the building. "THIS IS A Y-WOOD CORPORATION SECURITY SYSTEM WARNING."

  He grabbed all he could, ran to the floor latch, and dropped down to where stairs awaited him. Before he could even get down the first step, drones outside were issuing more warnings.

  "YOU HAVE USED UNAUTHORIZED TACTICS, DO NOT MOVE." The warning continued to repeat itself over and over. Lomax knew the Ruthys would be there at any moment. He looked at an old, beat up fire escape across the room. Perhaps he could slide down into the rear alley and escape undetected. He dashed over, opened the small door, and climbed down to ground level as fast as he could. No drones were shooting. They were up there, but there was still no sign of any shots coming his way.

  He made a run for it down the alley, but just as he was about to round the street corner, two Ruthys stepped out in front of him. The all black, ruthless, robotic killing machines both pointed long laser rifles directly at his face. "Drop to the ground, civilian! Hands behind your head and stop moving, or you will die!" commanded one of the Ruthys. A drone flew overhead; it was the size of a small house. Made of aerodynamic silver and gray materials, the thing lifted its long machine-gun arms into a ready position, now also pointing at Lomax. He was surrounded.

  Lomax thought of Raegan, and how she was so strong, so beautiful, and so rare. Their time together had been like heaven on this diseased earth. Then he thought of Johan, his little boy, his world, his son. Lomax could not drop to the ground; he would not go out like that. Without a second thought, he turned and ran the other way. He managed a few speedy steps and had just started to round the corner when shots started to fire out. Many shots. They hit him in the back. He fell down, burning in pain. Dragging himself to his hands and knees, he started to crawl, he needed to get further away.

  The Ruthys came jogging up behind him, the sound of their metallic footsteps pounding in his ears. "You have disobeyed an order, civilian. You have threatened the Y-Wood Corporation." Lomax was badly hurt, but he looked up and tried to explain to the robot killers that he actually worked for the Corporation. He reached into his backpack, trying to find his badge of namesake to show the two Ruthys. The monsters thought he was attempting to locate a weapon.

  They shot him, over and over. Lomax was dying on the street. He was dying in this un-united State of America. As his eyes closed, ever so slowly, he pictured his wife and son in the sky above him. They looked to him like everything had gone well, like they had succeeded and that the world would now be a better place. He so badly wanted to reach out and touch them, hold them, to feel them both just one last time. His vision was beginning to fade. The black robots looked down at his bloody body trying to cling on to life. He had one last breath in him, and he used it wisely as he spoke to the robotic soldiers looming over him. "Fuck you!"

  ***

  Meanwhile, back at Y-Wood's National Headquarters, Sinaye's turn in the legal battle had come. She stood and began. "In this, the present day, the quest for intelligence in all machines has reached a crescendo which few could have ever imagined. Y-Wood has simply brought intelligent robots to life at the highest ever level of functioning in the era of mankind."

  No one in the meeting room seemed to disagree. Sinaye continued, "AI, or artificial intelligence, is the science of making a machine do something that would require the intelligence of a man or woman."

  The three west coast lawyers in attendance wondered what the woman was up to. Sinaye continued. "The bottom line is, robotics is fascinating. We, as humans, still have the ability to think on a whim and to improvise without too much thought. We can dream all we wish, we can still create, and be the artists of our own imagination. Robots can't do that. So, to expect them to be perfect, even if they're highly intelligent, is an area which scientists like myself are still working on. To be honest, we're not quite there just yet."

  Everyone in the room knew where she was heading now. Old Brock pushed her on. "Okay, we see your points here. Go on."

  Sinaye then sat down and as she did, president Marcou could not help but stare as she leaned forward and exposed her huge breasts. His new associate, Resin Cador, was a sly dog indeed. Cador hadn't missed it either; he smiled and winked at his boss. Marcou snarled back at Cador; a look which Cador knew was telling him to get serious, and to get back down to earthly reality. Marcou then winked back at his assistant, reassuring him all was cool. Both these two men were losing their minds.

  Sinaye, oblivious to the goings-on between the two men, was not done talking. "What we're discussing here today is the aspect of who was right and who was wrong with specific bots that do certain things, right?"

  The entire room murmured an agreement.

  "Almost all types of bots in existence, those who perform medical applications, surgeries, operate in volcanoes, on the moon, deep under the sea, down in the dirtiest of sewers, as soldiers, and even as bomb handlers, are not different to humans, except for what I just stated before. They lack the ability to improvise, to think and create on the spot. Do you see what I am getting at?" Again the room nodded in agreement. "The bomb handlers came with a guarantee to prevent terrorists, or anyone else, from setting off a bomb anywhere near the bots' vicinity."

  The dark-haired beauty now brought her hands together, one on top of the other, with her elbows on the table and rested her chin on the top of her hands. She waited, paused for a moment or two, and then jumped back up from her chair to drive her final point right home.

  "The bomb handling Y-Wood robots are truly a much needed safety precaution against any bombs going off nearby. When classified information, which would have only been taken in by the bots if it was authorized by said individuals who had been cleared by the council . . . " Sinaye stooped for a second, " . . . am I losing you all, or are you with me? Let me make this final point . . . unable to improvise when of one of your cleared representatives from California told them a bomb was going off several blocks away, and then gave them instructions to go and deal with it, the bots would have had to think off the fly. But none of them could, and none of them did. They did what they had been instructed to do, locate the threat, the real threat they had just been told about by a proper source. They went to the new destination and disarmed the real bomb." Sinaye nodded to President Marcou.
"And, there you have it."

  The chamber broke out in conversation, all except Cador, who now knew exactly where the newest arrival, his sexy dream girl, was going with all this. She was kicking some serious ass!

  Now with a somewhat sassy attitude, Sinaye spoke again, "I don't see any negligence on the bots' part. The issue was, somehow, someway, a person or persons got clearance to order such a change of locations, and the bots only did what they thought was right. Their guarantee was to stop a bomb, and that they did, just not the one which turned out to matter the most in that particular situation."

  With that, Sinaye opened up her hands and spread them wide, "This case should be ruled in Y-Wood’s favor," she boldly called out, "that’s my expert opinion."

  The fat virtual judge on the wall looked like he had heard enough. President Marcou was impressed; the three Californian's, not so much. However, all in the room knew she had made a whole lot of sense. Cador just continued to stare at her. How could one woman be so hot, yet at the same time, be so amazingly smart? He was in love!

  President Marcou stood and announced, "Well there you have it. Our fantastic lawyer has spoken and she has heard your thoughts. We have brought in a top scientist, one not affiliated with Y-Wood, well, at least not yet, and she too has given you what I think is plenty of well-informed and detailed information. Plenty of her reasoning proves that we are not at fault." The CEO of Y-Wood looked around the room, still expecting some resistance.

  Zaey addressed the visiting lawyers. "Do you have a specific case you wish to present to Judge Tartilla and the rest of us today? Or do we need to wait till tomorrow?" she asked.

  Omagus, who still watched every single movement in the room, was very intimidating to say the least, especially now with various hologram numbers and codes dancing about his shiny metal body and head. He stared them all down with a serious and menacing look.

  The three lawyers looked at one another and then around the room. Ella Von Stybeck, the female with botox lips, butt implants, and skin tight clothing made her case yet again. "The contract reads that if a bomb goes off, or is about to go off, anywhere in the vicinity of said owners, the robots would protect their owners and disarm the bomb." She looked to the scientist and added, "Yes, they were tricked, they were led astray, but that's not the owner’s problem. That should not change the guarantee, and the fact we lost many lives that day, many of the best people from the entire west coast region . . . The contract was not adhered to, and we feel, even if a robot can't think outside the box, the guarantee should still stand." Her companions nodded emphatically in agreement as they awaited the Y-Wood team’s response.

  President Marcou had no intention of ever paying the visitors a single penny. Resin Cador, despite being fairly new to his role, already knew this himself. This was all part of the assistant's grand plan. Their plan! This workable legal battle with a law team of the two ladies, both desired as intimate companions, was all part of the process. Both men shared the same thought at the same time, without a single word exchanged. If Omagus needed to clean up, so be it.

  The projected image on the wall now asked for closing statements from both sides. Zaey gave the Corporation's side, and it was a brilliant finale. Brock Jones for the California team did his best too, but his was not so good. He was intimidated, even for someone of his experience. Once both sides were finished, Arn Marcou stood up.

  The big boss announced, "I think our fine judge here on the wall has heard plenty tonight. What say you Honorable Judge Tartilla? Would tonight be reasonable to hear your word on an outcome, or shall we be adjourning until tomorrow?"

  Cador knew what the answer would be before it was given. The hologram spoke up. "I shall give my verdict in less than an hour. I shall return soon," he added as his image faded before them.

  Everyone in the meeting chamber took a deep breath. More drinks were poured, and cheese, fruit, bread, sushi, and other delicious delicacies were presented to the table by red and black, round-headed serving bots who rolled in and out of the room.

  The chatter in the room was minimal, but most tried to talk a little, just to stay calm and be cordial. It was not so much about the case in hand, but anything to pass the time.

  In no time at all, the virtual judge had returned. His verdict was for Y-Wood. They would not pay billions of dollars back to the west coast companies who had purchased their anti-bomb bots. The three lawyers on the losing side were obviously disappointed and frustrated by the outcome. But none of the three screamed or kicked up a fuss. They thanked the president and all the others in the conference room and prepared to leave.

  President Marcou shook all their hands in turn and offered his thanks for them taking the long trip out to Boston. He softened the blow some with an announcement. "I have personally taken the liberty to pay for your lodgings nearby for the evening, and I know it's hard leaving your families for such a long trip, so I have also written out a nice sum of traveling expenses to each of you. Lastly, we have a special cleaning bot, our newest dirt-picker-upper, which we are gifting to each of you for coming out and visiting the company. You will never need to clean your house again," he chuckled as a large bot came around the corner carrying three large boxes. "Enjoy the rest of your evening," he added as he helped usher the visitors to the elevator.

  ***

  President Marcou was a little nervous. He had the little Australian woman in his domain, not yet on her own, but still, he had a chance to enjoy her company. She was not like the others; those he could control, those who were seeking his attention, his money, his super status. Today, he felt old. His life prolonged by almost an extra one hundred years was an achievement beyond anyone else, yet he was still refined with many body parts having been replaced. His sexual organ was not real, his hair, his hips, and even his knees had all been replaced. The question was, would she even look at him as a sensuous partner?

  He had to try. After all, it was a fucking honor to be with him! He was the leader of the whole damn world! He addressed both Zaey and Sinaye, and invited them to celebrate the Corporation lawsuit victory. His presence as a tall, rich, powerful innovator and world-wide super power had both Mystical Slayers' attention.

  "Ladies, I am so proud of you and how things went today. I wish for us all to celebrate and have an evening in which to relish our victory and to welcome you both into our Y-Wood family." The others in the room all stood, including Cador and Chancellor Tessa.

  Several robot security guards marched down the corridor just before either of the ladies could answer the president. The rhythm of their robotic boots was smacking in unison on the hardwood floor as the group went by.

  Zaey smiled and replied, "I would love to celebrate with you all." The CEO of Y-Wood smiled back. He was thrilled. Cador, in his tight, muscle-bulging suit, waited anxiously for Sinaye to answer. He marveled at her for so many reasons. For one, she was gorgeous. For a woman with such a small frame, she boasted the biggest real breasts he had ever seen. He could sense when a human, or anyone else for that matter, had had any work done via a special imbedded scanner in his brain, which really drove him nuts. He knew she was one hundred percent real. But, most of all, she was as smart as a whip; she was a scientist! He really loved that more than almost anything.

  Sinaye noticed his wandering eyes about her body, and nodded her head as to like the president's idea. "I don’t see why not. I would be glad to partake in a victory party!" She looked over to Cador, "Sir, are you still with us?" He was again lost in his thoughts, but quickly nodded his head and smiled to confirm he was.

  As planned, the secretary, Tessa, was soon to depart. The wine and various liquors flowed, and talk of the meeting had the four of them enjoying the after party. Cador was again staring at Sinaye and a few times was caught doing so. She was not the bubbly type; she smiled very little, and was often quite serious. He couldn't care less. The last thing he liked was a goofball, or a loud mouthed, attention seeking whore. Zaey, however, was more a
t ease and happily talked away. She was by no means loud or pushy, yet she did laugh at the guys' jokes and asked questions about the Corporation, in particular, this building. She was very curious.

  After lots of talk, stories, alcohol, and food, there was even a full discussion on how the Corporation had created water bottles which were actually peeled open and were environmentally friendly with no plastic involved in the production. This lead to a walk to the discovery area where this amazing bottle had been invented.

  The time had come for the evening to end.

  "Listen, both of you ladies are absolute gems," said the big boss. "I have an offer for you, since you are already here in Boston at our headquarters. Tomorrow we were planning on doing a photography shoot for the company. The idea is to let everyone know we offer models, real human models, for people to advertise their products with," he lied.

  Omagus, the guardian super robot looked at both the Q-Jin. He was scanning their minds once more and both women knew it. The girls had the power to conceal their thoughts through practice, so it was safe to not overly panic at the sight of the steel monster staring at them. It still made them nervous.

  Cador got a tad excited and added, "It would be so cool if you guys were to do this. I mean, look at you both! So smart and I bet sometimes overlooked for your natural beauty? It will be fun, just a few outfits and poses, and you will get paid big money too. We would love to have you both take part." He took a nervous breath and continued, "What do you think?"

  Before either answered, Arn Marcou added his thoughts. "We will take care of everything for you both, accommodation right here in-house, full manicures, pedicures, hair styling, massage, and anything else your heart desires." He envisioned himself massaging Zaey. Cador was, of course, thinking the same, about his hands being all over Sinaye’s killer body. Omagus read both their minds. The robot could not blush, so he just stood his ground, now in the knowledge this was going to get sexual.