Brigite looked confused.
“Why would you want to raid a … oh.”
“You lucky androids can’t feel hunger,” Jake said. “But I’m definitely feeling it right now.”
“I have to admit I am too,” Mandelie said.
“There’s a grocery store down the street,” Trista said.
Luke turned to Mandelie.
“I can go get food for all of you,” he said.
“No,” Mandelie said. “You can’t go there by yourself. I’ll go with you.”
“I’ll go too,” Jake said.
“Fine,” Luke said. “Mandelie, Jake, and I will go to the store and bring food back. Brigite, you and Trista stay here.”
“Alright,” Trista said. “But if you three aren’t back in two hours, we’ll come looking for you.”
Luke looked around cautiously as he pulled the sedan into the parking lot of a brightly-lit, but apparently deserted supermarket. Grocery carts were strewn everywhere, some of them with bags of food in them, as if people had left them in a panic.
He parked the car and he, Mandelie, and Jake got out.
“The doors are open,” Mandelie said. “That’s a good thing.”
“Let’s not waste time,” Luke said. “We’ll go in, get what we need, and get out.”
They walked quickly and quietly into the store.
Jake immediately ran to the chips and candy aisle and began filling his arms with bags of candy.
Mandelie grabbed a grocery cart and began throwing food into it haphazardly, as well as bottles of water.
Luke looked back towards the doors of the store, keeping an eye on the silent parking lot.
“Hurry up,” he said.
Jake joined them and threw his bags of candy into the cart.
“I’m all done.”
“Let’s get out of here,” Mandelie said.
The three of them froze when a police car pulled into the parking lot. It came to a stop and two police officers got out.
Luke, Mandelie, and Jake ran into an aisle and ducked behind a stack of cracker boxes.
“They’re cops,” Jake said, in a low voice. “Maybe they’ll let us go.”
Luke said nothing. He was watching the cops with narrowed eyes.
The police officers looked up and down the aisles carefully. As they drew near to the aisle where the three of them were hiding, Luke turned to Jake and Mandelie.
“They’re androids. Adventis androids.”
Jake looked pale.
“When I say so, run to the car and don’t look back,” Luke said.
Mandelie felt her legs shaking.
The two android policemen walked up to the stack of boxes.
“Run!” Luke said.
He jumped up over the stack of boxes and slammed bodily into the two androids.
Mandelie and Jake raced towards the front of the store and out into the parking lot. They jumped into the car.
Mandelie looked into the store, where she could see Luke punching one android in the face, while the other one had him in a chokehold and was pulling out his gun.
“We need to help him!” she said. “Start the engine!”
“I don’t know how to!” Jake said.
Mandelie did not think. She ran back into the grocery store, grabbing one of the carts. She charged at the two androids and knocked them off their feet.
She grabbed Luke’s hand and pulled him up. The two of them raced out of the store and into the car.
The two android policemen rushed up to them. One of them jumped onto the car, as Luke started the engine.
The sedan barreled into the street, with the android policeman holding onto the top of it.
“Drive!” Luke said to Mandelie.
She grabbed the wheel and Luke pushed himself out of the window. He climbed onto the top of the car and grabbed hold of the android’s leg.
The android whipped back and punched Luke in the face. Luke did not let go. He grabbed the android’s face and tried to push him off the weaving car.
The android reached up and put his hands around Luke’s neck, trying to break it.
Luke reached for the gun in the android’s belt. He grabbed it and shot the android in his forehead.
The android sagged. Luke picked him up and threw him from the car.
Then he jumped back down through the window.
“Adventis made police androids?” Mandelie said, her voice unbelieving.
“Yes,” Luke said. “Our situation has just gotten a lot worse.”
Chapter 38.
Jason Miles stumbled in the wake of the Super Soldier dragging him along, unable to see anything. The white-haired man and Mercenare were walking down the stairs from the roof ahead of them.
They arrived on the floor of Damian’s office.
“There are humans in there,” Mercenare said. “But they were doing such a good job of keeping themselves hostage that we left them alone.”
“Now you may open the doors,” the white-haired man said.
Mercenare took out his gun and blasted the doors with bullets. They crumbled into dust.
He and the white-haired man stepped over the broken pieces of wood and into Damian’s office.
Lina, Ledia, and Tony were backed up against the wall, their faces filled with terror.
“Good evening,” the white-haired man said. “I trust the three of you will all give us good reasons to keep you alive.”
“What happened?” Trista said in alarm when Luke, Jake, and Mandelie returned, looking disheveled and grim.
“We got attacked by a couple of android cops,” Jake said.
“Great,” Trista said. “More good news.”
Luke sat down on the ground heavily. He looked exhausted.
“I am going to put myself in a sleep state,” he said to Mandelie.
“Do it,” Mandelie said.
Luke closed his eyes. Jake looked at Mandelie.
“We’ve still got to get some food and water.”
Mandelie pulled a bag of candy out of her pocket and threw it to him.
“I don’t know how that got there, but you’re welcome to it.”
“Let’s split it three ways,” Jake said.
“My name is Cargio Lataun,” the white-haired man said to Lina, Ledia, and Tony. “I am the president of the Society of the Future.”
The Super Soldier ripped the blindfold from Jason Miles’ face and pushed him roughly towards the other three captives.
Lina caught Dr. Miles and steadied him.
“Cargio,” Dr. Miles said, breathing hard. “These people are innocent. Let them go.”
“You’ll do well to be quiet, Jason,” Cargio said. “The revolution has only just begun. There will be many more deaths of so-called innocents before the night is over.”
Mandelie drifted to sleep with her head on Luke’s shoulder. Trista and Jake had fallen asleep as well, Jake stretched out on the floor. Brigite was dozing with her head slumped.
Luke opened his eyes. He gently shifted Mandelie aside and laid her down on the blanket.
He got up silently and walked to room 1.
He opened the door and looked in at the Mind Portal box. It stood silently against the wall.
Luke placed his hand on the lid. He tried to open it.
After a moment, he took his hand off the lid. He stared down at the box with narrowed eyes, his thoughts running furiously.
“You don’t know what you’re doing, Cargio,” Dr. Miles said. “The Society will never be able to forgive itself for these crimes.”
“We are not the ones who need absolution, Jason,” Cargio said. “Humanity needs to repent for their selfishness, for their greed, their petty wars and hatred. They need to finally face the consequences of their divisive actions. If they cannot govern the world with reason and intelligence, instead of ignorance and hate, they will be wiped from it. Our Society foresaw this a long time ago. Now we are bringing humanity face to face with its future.”
<
br /> The Super Soldier grabbed Lina and forced her on her knees.
“What are you doing?” Dr. Miles said in fear.
“Demonstrating the lost cause of humanity, Jason,” Cargio said.
He placed a gun in Tony’s hand.
“Shoot her,” Cargio said. “Or we will kill you.”
Tony’s face was white.
“No,” Dr. Miles said.
Lina struggled, with terrified eyes, but the Super Soldier held her tightly.
Tony looked at Lina. His finger moved to the trigger.
The bullet hissed over Lina’s head as Dr. Miles threw himself on Tony and knocked him to the ground.
Cargio laughed.
“Oh, Jason. Perhaps it is you who is the lost cause.”
“You would have never started this future without me,” Dr. Miles said. “It was I who created the first android. Your monsters are pale shadows compared to Luke.”
“And where is Luke now?” Cargio said, his voice taunting. “I’m sure he’s lying somewhere in a ditch.”
An android dressed in a police uniform entered the room. He said something in a low voice to Mercenare.
“Sir,” Mercenare said. “The android named Luke has been located.”
“How fortuitous,” Cargio said. “Bring him here. Luke will see his creator one last time, before they are both destroyed.”
Chapter 39.
Mandelie felt Luke shake her awake gently. She opened her eyes and looked at him.
“What’s wrong?” she said. “It’s still night.”
“It’s nearly dawn,” Luke said. “I have figured out the purpose of the Mind Portal. Come with me.”
A little confused, Mandelie got to her feet and followed Luke to room 1.
She stood beside him in front of the long box.
“Okay, what?”
“The Mind Portal is not a way for humans to prevent the android attack from happening,” Luke said. “It’s a way to fight it. It’s a weapon.”
Mandelie stared at him.
“Look.” Luke placed his hand on the lid. It opened slowly.
The inside of the box was a hollow space, but there were indentations that indicated where a person would lie in it.
“How did you get the lid open?” Mandelie said.
“When I put my hand on it, I scanned the inside of it,” Luke said. “This box is made from android technology. I was able to find the area of the box that caused the lid to open. And I was able to find out how the box was meant to be used.”
“How?” Mandelie said.
“It triggers the destruction of androids,” Luke said. “Once the second part of the weapon is put in its proper place.”
“What second part?”
“Me,” Luke said.
“I don’t understand,” Mandelie said.
“Your father had a plan when he created me,” Luke said. “He knew that the Society would look for a way to create androids, to make their vision of the future happen. So he took the first step. He created the first android. He knew that the Society would not be able to resist using me as a blueprint for all other androids. And then your father created a way to destroy those androids. The Mind Portal. Once I am secured inside the box, it will trigger a program inside each android. A command causing each android to explode.”
“Then … what will happen to you?”
“I must start the chain reaction,” Luke said. “My destruction will cause the deaths of the other androids.”
Mandelie shook her head.
“No,” she said quietly. “There must be another way. What about Brigite?”
Luke looked away from her.
“That I haven’t figured out yet.”
Mandelie grabbed his shoulders.
“Hey. I can’t accept what you’re telling me. My dad would never make a weapon that would cause the death of good people. And that includes androids. Maybe you’re close to the way to use the Mind Portal. But there has to be another way, other than the one you’re telling me.”
She looked up into his eyes.
“I can’t lose you, Luke.”
“Then you do feel something for me,” Luke said.
Instead of answering, Mandelie kissed him.
A flood of police cars pulled up before the laboratory. The doors opened and nearly twenty android police officers got out. They surrounded the building.
One of them gave a signal and the androids leapt through the windows.
Glass flew everywhere, landing on Trista, Jake, and Brigite as they were grabbed by the androids.
Brigite screamed loudly before one of the androids struck her on the side of her head.
Luke and Mandelie burst into the room.
One of the androids pointed his gun at Luke.
“Don’t try anything,” he said. “Or else this X-droid gets a bullet in her head.”
Luke remained still as the androids grabbed his arms and dragged him out of the building, followed closely by androids holding the other four.
Cargio made himself comfortable on the couch in Damian’s office. He looked casually at his watch.
Dr. Miles, Lina, Ledia, and Tony were still seated on the ground, surrounded by guns.
The door opened and a group of android police came in, dragging Luke, Mandelie, Jake, Trista, and Brigite.
Mandelie gasped.
“Dad!”
“Mandelie?” Dr. Miles said.
Mandelie tried to run to him but the android held her tightly.
“So this is your daughter, Jason?” Cargio said, rising from the couch. “Well, well.”
Mercenare grabbed hold of Luke and walked him in front of the others.
“This is the android, sir,” he said.
“Good,” Cargio said. “I’m sure you’d like to take his head off yourself, Mercenare.”
“I’d be overjoyed,” Mercenare said.
Mandelie looked at Luke in terror as Mercenare placed his arm around Luke’s neck.
Suddenly there was a sound of breaking glass.
Cargio spun around and stared at the window, where a female android in a maid’s uniform was pulling herself into the room, grabbing onto a bed sheet. Her face looked slightly singed, but she looked otherwise as she normally did.
“You should know better,” she said. “Fantastic Domestics never fail in their duties.”
Luke took advantage of Mercenare’s distraction and struck him in his side. Mercenare howled in rage, losing his grip. Luke ran to Miranda.
“I’m sure you’ll explain everything to me later,” he said.
“There’s not much of an explanation,” Miranda said. “I’m fire-resistant. I just forgot I was. Behind you, sir!”
Luke spun around and punched a police android who was leaping on him. Mandelie, Jake, Trista, and Brigite had managed to get away from their captors and were kicking, punching, and smashing furniture over the heads of the android police.
Luke grabbed a fallen gun and began firing at the Super Soldiers standing guard over Lina, Dr. Miles, Ledia, and Tony. The soldiers jumped out of the way.
Luke pulled Dr. Miles to his feet.
“Good to see you alive, Dr. Miles,” he said.
“You as well, Luke,” Dr. Miles said. “You as well.”
Luke felt someone grab hold of his shoulder savagely. He spun around and ducked out of the way as Mercenare lashed out at him with a knife. Luke grabbed a chair and swung it at Mercenare.
Mercenare threw himself bodily at Luke and they both crashed to the ground. Mercenare grabbed Luke and began punching him repeatedly in the face.
Luke felt his vision growing dim. He felt around for his gun and fired wildly into the window glass behind Mercenare.
The huge window began to crack and crumble, until it disappeared and the air outside rushed in.
“I think it’s time for you to leave,” Luke said, locking eyes with Mercenare.
He used all his strength and flung Mercenare away from him. The soldier fell
through the window and disappeared.
Luke lay on his back, unable to move for a moment.
Dr. Miles had trained a gun on Cargio, forcing him to lie on the ground. Mandelie and the others had managed to destroy or drive out the remaining android police and soldiers.
Mandelie wiped blood from her face, where she had been cut by a knife.
She ran to Luke and sat down beside him.
“You’re bleeding,” Luke said.
“It’s just a cut,” Mandelie said.
Jake limped to Dr. Miles and gave him a fierce hug. Brigite forced Tony to join the other captive enemy androids.
“I’m on your side,” Tony said.
“Keep him there, Brigite,” Lina said. “If it wasn’t for Dr. Miles, that rat would have killed me.”
“Gladly,” Brigite said.
Miranda knelt by Luke’s side as well.
“Mandelie, this is Miranda,” Luke said. “The bravest android I know.”
“Right back at you, sir,” Miranda said, with a smile.
Mandelie got to her feet and joined her father.
“Who is this guy?” she said, looking down at Cargio.
“This is Cargio Lataun,” Dr. Miles said. “He is the president of the Society of the Future, and poor father to a young man by the name of Damian Foster.”
“I thought Damian never knew his dad.”
“He didn’t,” Dr. Miles said. “Cargio gave his son up before he was three years old. He had no desire for a child. I was in the Society at the time and I made myself responsible for giving the boy to a friend of mine. Years later, after I had left the Society, I felt guilty about what had happened to Damian and so I invited him to be part of my work. I tried to teach him everything I knew. Of course, you know what happened after that.”
“Does Damian know who Cargio is, now?”
“No,” Dr. Miles said. “He’s never known. I think it would break his heart – if he does have a heart – if he ever discovers that his father not only gave him up, but tried to kill him. I don’t have enough anger against Damian to inflict that pain on him.”
Mandelie looked down at Cargio in disgust.
“What a scumbag.”
The Android Chronicles Book One: The Android Defense Page 11