by Lisa Lace
Soon enough, the group emerged from the wilderness at the back of the compound that contained Cyborg Sector, the military hospital, and other government buildings. Each building had a private security force. Blue Squad did not have to penetrate an outer wall like they would if the compound were a military base. Despite the lower security, they still had to make their way individually over to the front of the hospital, ending up at the press conference location. Someone would ask questions if they saw a large group of soldiers going somewhere.
AD-214 nodded to ND-45, who had volunteered to be the first one to enter. The captain and the surveillance specialist would be the last ones inside. AD-214 was too recognizable now that his face had been plastered all over the news. PD-4 was needed to plan the invasion tactically as they slowly infiltrated the ranks of the cyborg clones.
The captain watched with impatience as his men slowly separated and entered the compound from different sides. Nobody was stopped or questioned. He hoped the rest of the day would be this easy.
CHAPTER 19
“Are you sure you’re ready?” Dr. Gold asked for what seemed like the millionth time.
Amanda looked over her shoulder. She could see his reflection in the mirror over the sink in the hospital room bathroom. It was hell trying to put makeup on using a tiny mirror and fluorescent lights. Dr. Feldman hadn’t let up his guard on her, keeping her restricted to her room for anything except for media events. If he had any idea of what she had planned today, he would have prevented her from talking to reporters too.
“Of course not. I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready. I’ve already done plenty of interviews, and this press conference is going to be under my control, at least. But the process is nerve-wracking.” Amanda had cobbled together a small bag of makeup since her arrival at the hospital. She pulled out a tube of lipstick and swiped it slowly across her lips.
“I’m sure it is. You don’t see me out there. I don’t think the media would go as crazy for this ugly old mug as they do for you.” His lips parted in a deprecating smile. “I’m worried about you.”
Amanda smiled back. “I don’t think you’ve done anything else since the incident with Blue Squad.” Dr. Gold had been the only person who came to see her, or at least the only person Dr. Feldman had allowed. It would be hard for anyone to deny him since he had worked for Cyborg Sector for over twenty years, but Amanda could no longer predict Dr. Feldman’s erratic behavior. She was suspicious that keeping her in the military hospital wasn’t about her protection at all. As for Dr. Feldman, he had been surprisingly absent from her life despite the fact that he was the one currently in charge of her welfare. It might have been because of the satisfying punch she landed square in the middle of his handsome face.
Dr. Gold had also given her plenty of reports about odd happenings at Cyborg Sector. New cyborgs were being created more rapidly than before. Dr. Gold wasn’t privy to who authorized their surgeries or the reason for the ramp-up.
“Something is wrong,” Dr. Gold insisted. “I have a bad feeling, but I can’t quite put my finger on the problem. I understand that Sector wants to get Blue Squad back. We can’t leave them out there to fend for themselves. It’s irresponsible of us.”
Amanda nodded as she placed the cap on the lipstick and reached for her mascara. She worried desperately about what would happen to Blue Squad once they returned, AD-214 in particular. “I know,” she said. “I don’t think I can change what’s going to happen. My hope is that I can affect people’s perspective on cyborgs. I’ve thought a lot about how helpless I feel trapped in this hospital, but the truth is that I wouldn’t be any more capable of changing things back in the lab. I have the opportunity to do something here, and I’m going to take it.”
She finished applying her makeup, zipped up the bag and turned back toward the bar room. On an impulse, she jumped up and grabbed the thick curtain rod separating her bed from the rest of the room.
“If you discover anything I can do to help you, let me know. I admire you for your convictions. You are an inspiring person, Amanda Conrad.” He watched with rheumy eyes as she pulled her chin up to the bar repeatedly. “I don’t think I’ve ever been able to do a single pull-up.”
Amanda laughed despite the fact that her abs were heavily engaged. She reveled in the feeling of her muscles stretching and pulling to lift her weight repeatedly. Dr. Feldman hadn’t allowed her to use any of the numerous gyms that were in the government compound, but she wasn’t going to let that a couple of pointless rules stop her from staying in shape. Besides, lying around in a hospital bed only made her feel sick. She knew she must look like a mess right now as she attempted to exercise with her blonde hair blow-dried smooth, full makeup, and a skirted business suit. It wouldn’t have been her first choice for regular workout attire, but nothing was normal at the moment.
A brief knock came at the door. “It’s time, Ms. Conrad,” said the guard.
Amanda dropped to the floor and reached out for Dr. Gold’s hand. “You can help by coming with me right now.”
They descended through the numerous indistinguishable corridors of the hospital with a swarm of guards around them. Amanda made a point to ignore them as best as she could. These clones were not her cyborgs, and she had seen enough of their identical faces. Instead, she marched through the building as though she knew what she was doing.
When she emerged into the sunlight, Amanda was taken aback by the huge crowd amassed in the parking lot. News reporters with flashing cameras swarmed the bottom of the steps just below the podium, but the hoi polloi were present as well. She could see nothing but a sea of people stretching all the way to the back of the lot. The crowd was so deep that she wasn’t sure the announcement system would reach to the back. Even if they couldn’t hear her now, they would listen to her news again over the news or Internet broadcasts. It made her stomach swirl to know that so many people were listening to her, but it also gave her needed encouragement.
Amanda had changed what she wanted to say more times than she could count. But as she stepped up to the microphone, she found the words easily came when she didn’t obsess over each sentence.
“Ladies and gentleman, I want to thank you for showing up here today. It means a great deal to me that you would take time out of your day to hear what I have to say.”
The crowd didn’t react. The people patiently watched Amanda.
“As you already know, I have been heavily involved with Cyborg Program since its inception. I’ve worked with cyborgs in the lab for several years, but I learned more about cyborgs in the single day I spent with them in the warehouse than I did in all my years in the office. I understand how they work physically, but I want you to know that there is more to them than even the best scientists can understand.”
She flinched involuntarily, waiting for someone to react. Up until this point, the crowd didn’t think much of her speech. It was time to get down to the essence of what she wanted to say.
“The government has painted a picture for you of cyborgs as nothing more than mindless killing machines. I’ll be the first to admit that this concept is close to their initial purpose. The military thought they would be a good alternative to human soldiers risking their lives for our country. These cyborgs are not mere robots any longer. I want to ask you something today. Let me rephrase that. I beg you to remember that they are still human at their core. They look human, and yet we’ve been able to justify treating them like they are something else. I have first-hand knowledge about the cyborgs. They can think, feel, and remember, just like you and everyone else you know.”
The crowd was stunned for a moment, but murmurs of dissent began to spread down its lines. Amanda knew she might start a riot, but it was too late to go back.
“The years I spent in Cyborg Sector were nothing compared with the time I spent with them while they were in hiding. They showed me their human sides and didn’t hold anything back. It is my sincere hope that you will listen to me and understand that these
beings are as capable of sadness, anger, and even love as you or me.”
The audience was thoroughly worked up now. There were cheers from the back, but there were pockets of anger as well. Amanda could hear people booing, yelling, and calling her rude names. She smiled. People didn’t like the truth, and their reactions showed they understood her message.
She gestured behind her, where she knew a squad of soldiers had assembled on the steps of the building. “Even the cyborg clones that are present with us today, acting as security and keeping all of us safe, are still human. We grew them in a laboratory, but I believe they are as capable of laughing and crying as we are.”
Amanda had churned the spectators to a full froth. Though they had stood still and attentive at the beginning, they were now thrashing out against each other as the different factions collided. Some people obviously disagreed with her, those who only wanted the threat of the rogue cyborgs to be eliminated by deadly force. But there were others who understood what she was saying, and those were the ones she was trying to reach. Most importantly, they were willing to believe her.
Strong arms clamped around her elbows and began dragging her back toward the doors. Her time here was over, but she wasn’t upset. Instead, she pulled forward, so she was just within the microphone’s range. She wrapped the fingers of her right hand around it firmly, determined to get the last word. “They’re people, too!” she shouted.
A roar of cheers came up from the back of the crowd. The soldiers pulled at her again, causing the microphone to fall to the ground. Amanda allowed herself to be taken away, knowing she had accomplished everything she wanted.
CHAPTER 20
AD-214 had linked directly with PD-4’s surveillance system. He didn’t want to take his attention away from the military hospital’s parking lot for a moment. There was no room for mistakes in the rescue mission.
He was glad to see that the crowd gathering in front of the hulking brick building was growing by the minute. If there were more people there, it simplified the task of joining the group without unwanted attention. The clones would be occupied watching the crowd, and shouldn’t notice Blue Squad members as they slowly appeared.
AD-214 shifted his feet around. He wanted to get into the building, but the timing wasn’t right. ND-45 had managed to come around the side of the hospital building. The remainder of Blue Squad had to wait while he found his opportunity. It didn’t take long. ND-45 reported back within a few minutes. He was in the crowd, and nobody had noticed him. The cyborg captain sent in the next man.
When it was finally the surveillance specialist’s turn, AD-214 had to break the bad news. “I want you to stay here.”
“But, sir, why?”
“No, don’t argue. I know we’re deviating from the plan, but our presence will be noticeable if you’re on the inside with us. Someone will notice you while you’re involved with your system. It won’t be bad to have a cyborg on the outside.”
The young soldier nodded reluctantly. “Yes, sir.”
AD-214 headed determinedly through the grassy field that ran up against the back lot of the hospital. As he rounded the corner, he studied the rows of windows. There were several neat rectangles, each aglow with fluorescent lights that shone through the glass despite the bright sunshine. From PD-4’s blueprints combined with news footage, the cyborg could tell which window was Amanda’s. She had drawn her curtains.
As his boots thudded down on the concrete, AD-214’s attention shifted back to the crowd. Since he was approaching from the back of the building, his back would be to Amanda as he entered the crowd. He didn’t think she would notice him at all considering the sheer amount of people that were there. But if she happened to see him, how would she react?
Secretly, he had fantasized that she would notice him. He had imagined that as he pushed his way to the edge of the crowd, she would immediately recognize him despite the minute changes to his uniform. In his mind, she interrupted her speech to exclaim that he was back. She would rush down the stairs, shove her way through the crowd, and leap into his arms. He longed to wrap himself around her, to scoop her compact body off the ground and press her against himself. Amanda would look into his eyes and see him as more than a cyborg. For her, he could be a man.
Shaking the fantasy out of his head once again, AD-214 made his way down the side of the crowd where the cyborg clones waited in a line. They stood at attention, each of them looking remarkably alike as they watched over the mass of people. The rogue cyborg captain could already see that Blue Squad had replaced several of the clones, giving him hope. If the soldiers were required to stand too close to one another, their individuality would be a dead giveaway.
AD-214 moved closer to a clone. He admitted that the scientists had designed them well. They were tall and broad-shouldered, with enough muscle mass to make them look intimidating and not enough to slow them down. They shared the same critical weakness endemic to all cyborgs: their chips were implanted directly above their left ears. Although the clones grew around their chips, the region was as susceptible for them as it was for the regular cyborgs.
Blue Squad had trained as much as possible over the last three days. They had limited resources, but ND-45’s plan seemed to be working. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be any Blue Squad members currently standing in the crowd.
AD-214 surreptitiously brushed his fingers against the chip in his head, making sure to contact the right spot, as he reached up to touch the cyborg clone’s chip with his other hand. The soldier convulsed for a moment, although AD-214 had not shocked him. The burly clone turned to look at the soldier standing behind him with fear and confusion in his eyes.
“You’re relieved from duty, soldier,” AD-214 said, his voice quiet and soothing.
The clone nodded mutely before stumbling away from the crowd, one hand on his head.
The rogue cyborg quickly stepped into his place and assumed the role of guard. He felt the corners of his mouth pulling themselves up into a smile, but he yanked them back down. He had to appear grave despite the success. It had been a brilliant idea to spread the same software upgrade to the clones that had made Blue Squad start retrieving their memories. They didn’t have physical weapons that would be able to defeat the clones, but they had a different way to fight. The plan was to take the battle directly into the minds of the clones.
The cyborg biochips could communicate with each other as long as there was a physical connection, even if the systems were down. The system was designed to have multiple redundancies in case of failures. ND-45 had proposed to use their bodies as connectors, and the idea had worked perfectly.
The leader of Blue Squad wondered what the affected clones would do as they regained their sense of self. The reaction of the one he had personally infected was what he had expected. Eventually, someone would notice bewildered clones wandering through their neighborhood and report their sightings to Cyborg Sector.
AD-214 could hear Amanda’s voice coming in loud and clear over the speakers connected to her microphone. He was standing perpendicular to her, and he only had to tip his head slightly to see her. He refrained, keeping a strict military pose. He didn’t want to do anything to blow his cover.
The audience was becoming restless. Everyone looked far more agitated than expected for a single press conference. Reporters and their photographers fought for the prime spots closest to the podium. Groups of angry citizens shouted rude words, shaking their fists and waving homemade signs in the air. Other individuals whooped and cheered, hugging each other and jumping up and down. It was enough to make anyone pay attention to the speaker.
It was impossible to avoid looking at Amanda as she spoke warm words about the cyborgs. Her large, brown eyes were somber and serious as she tried to bring the gathered people around to her point of view about the soldiers. She looked confident in her blazer, wearing just enough makeup to accentuate her beauty. The scientist spoke from the heart with incredible power.
AD-214 wrenched his at
tention away from her. He had never doubted that rescuing Amanda was the right thing to do, but her speech was enough to allay the fears of even the most hardened cyborg. She belonged with them, and they needed her.
Unfortunately, this was not the best time to retrieve her. Coming to the press conference was only the first step in a long process. The members of Blue Squad were smart enough to know they could not descend on her in front of multiple witnesses and take her with them. They would reveal their position, and it would be too easy for Cyborg Sector to call in reinforcements and overwhelm the small rescue party. They had to find the right opportunity.
Amanda was shouting over the microphone now. The crowd screamed back, some with her and some against her. The squeal and thump of a dropped microphone signaled that the press conference was over.
AD-214 allowed himself to look toward the building once again. Amanda was going back toward the building willingly with a smile spread across her face. Reporters rushed to the podium, shouting random questions and angry they had not had the opportunity to interview her.
There were still plenty of clones on guard duty, and AD-214 left the crowd without encountering any of them. Instead, he snaked his way through the throng of people, ending up at a side door of the hospital where a group of soldiers was entering the building. His tracking software tagged some of them as part of his unit, making him breathe a sigh of relief.
He hung back as the soldiers filed through the door, making sure he was the last one in line. As the other cyborgs marched through the dark hallway of the hospital, he stepped aside and opened a door.
AD-214 had loaded maps of all levels of the hospital into his memory banks, ensuring he could always find a concealed location. Fortunately, there were janitor closets all over the building. While he couldn’t reduce the chance of someone coming and finding him to zero, it was the best place to bide his time. He could overpower any maintenance man that came by to grab a mop or roll of toilet paper.