by Lisa Lace
The biomechanical processors were now active. As AD-214 sat up, the cyborg captain ignored the facial recognition software that told him he was surrounded by his teammates, sitting by the burnt remains of a campfire. Part of him wanted to be able to deactivate that part of himself. There was no need for constant identification of his communications specialist and the other men in Blue Squad. But he knew the recognition might be useful as they headed toward the military hospital.
ND-45, the weapons specialist, trudged out of the woods and toward the campfire. He held the ears of several rabbits in his meaty fist. “I’ve got breakfast,” he said in his usual dour tone.
AD-214 nodded gratefully and moved to stoke the fire again. When he had called his men to return, he didn’t think ND-45 would respond. The soldier had made it clear that he didn’t trust humans, including Amanda Conrad. But he had come to understand how important she was, and AD-214 was sure that utilizing his skills at gathering food was his way of apologizing to the rest of his squad. ND-45 sat down and began skinning the rabbits earnestly.
“I think we have everything ready to go,” PD-4 said nervously, as he sat down next to his captain. The young surveillance specialist had been restless during the night. “I tapped into a local weather camera placed right outside Cyborg Sector, which gave me a good view of the military hospital for the last several hours. It looks like they’re going to hold the press conference in front of the building. They’re already setting up a podium.”
AD-214 nodded. “And what about security?”
The young officer shook his head. “It’s hard to tell at this hour, sir. The only people I’ve seen are lackeys getting the stage ready and a sound guy in charge of running the microphones. I haven’t seen any extra security measures yet.”
“You can bet that will change before they bring her outside of those doors,” AD-214 warned. “Everyone gather around. I want to go over things one more time.”
His soldiers responded quickly, moving toward him. He motioned for them to sit on the various rocks and logs they had collected in their camping space. There was no point in wasting even the smallest amount of energy; they would need it later today.
“As we discussed last night, I have no doubt that they will be using cyborg clones at the press conference today. Cyborg Sector has yet to activate any other squads since our escape, and I don’t think they will. It’s too risky for them if they don’t know what happened to us. They need soldiers they can control without fear of any repercussions. Even though we expect resistance, we must remember the strength of Red Squad.”
AD-214 studied the faces of his men. In their expressions, he could see them remembering their brothers who had fallen in the attack on the warehouse. It was the first battle where cyborgs had fought themselves, and it had affected them deeply. Blue Squad had lost half its numbers and been forced to flee for their lives. Worst of all, they hadn’t been able to protect Amanda, letting the enemy capture her.
“We’ve planned as well as we can,” he continued, “but we have to be ready for surprises. We have to be able to think on our own, even if we don’t have any commands waiting in our systems for us. It’s going to be difficult. You aren’t used to operating like this, especially since we have to be covert. Most of you know how to fight openly. I have to warn you again that an all-out battle is only an option when everything else has failed.”
The cyborgs nodded their understanding, but AD-214 wasn’t certain they were all on the same page. How could he know if a free-thinking cyborg would make the right decisions? The scientists hadn’t programmed them for independent thought.
“Let me see your uniforms.”
The men lined up in front of him for inspection. Their camouflage combat gear had been modified surprisingly well considering that they’d had to pilfer their materials from nearby residences. AD-214 didn’t like stealing, but it wasn’t like they could find sewing needles and thread growing in the forest. His soldiers had only borrowed from homes that were unoccupied, with their owners busy at work or the grocery store. They only took what they needed.
The resulting modifications were a removal of the blue badges that marked them as part of Blue Squad. In their place were squares of red material. After some debate, they had also removed the identification numbers underneath the colored badges. It was possible someone might recognize the designation of one of the rogue cyborgs. Although they couldn’t replace their identifiers with valid call-signs from Red Squad, it was better than nothing.
They didn’t have the equipment to modify their individual features such as varying heights, weights, and appearance that characterized them as different cyborgs instead of clones. AD-214 and his men could only hope that nobody would look at them too closely until they had an opportunity to execute their plan.
“Does anybody have any questions?” the cyborg captain asked as he studied his squad. They looked tired, uncertain, and worried, yet there was a gleam of determination in their eyes that told him the plan would be successful. It had to work. They were going to get Amanda back, no matter what.
“All right, then, let’s move out. PD-67 will lead the way until we get close, but after that everyone will have to go on their own. Our communication systems will have to stay off-line. Make sure you know what you’re doing. Once we get there, there will be no time for uncertainties.”
The soldiers of Blue Squad nodded and fell into formation behind their leader. The navigation specialist easily led the way through the forest. They crossed through streams and skirted around bluffs, but they never ran into anything they couldn’t handle. PD-67 had planned the route carefully.
AD-214 felt a sense of trepidation rising in his chest as they neared the city limits. Would Dr. Feldman and Cyborg Sector be watching for them? What would they do if their scheme failed? They couldn’t fail. They only had one chance, and he knew it.
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 Nineteen
“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 Twenty
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 cr
owd, 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 change 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.