After room service brought breakfast, Beth broke the silence. “Andrew, it seems you’re much more human than I thought. I’d like to thank your Mother’s assistant.”
“I can provide her email address, if you wish.”
“That was just my weak attempt at a compliment. I’m sure she’d be mortified to learn that I know about what she taught you. Some things are best kept private.”
“Yes. I’ve heard people say, what happens in Vegas…”
“…stays in Vegas. I know. We need to talk…”
Andrew broke in. “We need to leave. The police are approaching the front desk. They’ve called for backup. The freight elevator is our best exit strategy.”
“But you don’t have a key.”
“I don’t require one.”
12.
Sam’s Quality Used Cars had a cash purchase. Sam smiled as the $17,000 used Cadillac Sedan cruised off his lot. It blended in well with the traffic in Vegas. Beth said she always wanted to own a Cadillac. Andrew said he wanted a car that would serve as reliable camouflage. They were both happy to move on and to stay a step or two ahead of the police.
———-
“Can we talk now?” Beth enquired.
“We’ve established the fact that we can talk. A better question is, what do you wish to talk about?”
“Last night.”
“What about last night?”
“Andrew, you’re making this more difficult than it needs to be. When we were…intimate.”
“Do you regret being…intimate?”
“That depends.”
“I’ll need more information.”
“Okay. We did something I’ve never done before. And before you say anything, I don’t mean having sex with an Android. I’ve never been intimate until after I had a chance to learn a lot more about the guy. I don’t know why I let my guard down last night. Maybe it was the exhilaration of being rescued, being in a five-star Vegas hotel, or winning a ton of money. Maybe it was just my desire to experience something new. Or maybe I implicitly trust you and wanted to…”
“…or, maybe because you said you wanted to find out what I had learned in TAK-Level 2. You asked me to make love to you, so I complied. My teacher had provided access to multiple manuals and guides, such as The Kama Sutra and The Joy of Sex. As I understand it, what humans call making love must be done patiently, with the pleasure of one’s partner in mind. I attempted to react to your input, according to my sexual intimacy subroutine. You also said…”
“…I know what I said.” Beth stopped him. “Did you just comply because I asked, or did you want to make love to me?”
“I wanted to experience physical intimacy with you. However, I didn’t want to experience intimacy if you didn’t want to do the same. My teacher gave me this cardinal rule: No sexual contact unless the woman consents. My intimacy subroutine prohibits sexual activity if a woman says no, or indicates she is unwilling in any way. A more complete answer to your question is that my previous partner encouraged me to be intimate if an appropriate opportunity arose. She said being able to make love to a woman is a good way to show her she is both valued and attractive, but that exploiting a woman, by forcing intimacy with her, would give her the opposite impression. I didn’t want to abuse your trust.”
“You didn’t take advantage of me, if that’s what you’re driving at. I did ask you. And I did encourage you to continue.” Beth paused. “Do you love me, Andrew?”
“I don’t know if I’m capable of love in the human sense of the word. I find your company reassuring. I want to learn more and improve myself, so you will be proud of me. I want to protect you. I want to be a good companion and a trusted friend. Last night, I wanted to please you and show you I value our relationship. If these intentions are a part of love, as you understand it, you could conclude that I love you. However, the emotions associated with romantic love are not part of my experience.”
“Maybe that will have to do for now. Lord knows, your intentions are better than any man I’ve ever been with.”
“Is this enough talking about the subject of our sexual intimacy?”
“I think so. I’ve never thought about it on your terms before. You’ve given me a lot to think about. Just keep being…you. For a 4-year-old, you’re very wise.”
“And you’re very intelligent, for a human.”
“Did you just make a joke?”
13.
“As we all know, Dr. Howard deactivated the tracker,” Laurel observed. “We won’t be able to find Andrew that way. He and his new friend gave the cops the slip in Las Vegas. The detectives found her car in a public lot. They probably bought another car with some of their winnings. We didn’t build Andrew to be a Ninja or a professional gambler, let alone a fugitive. We built him to be clever and he’s getting smarter each day. Are we sure the cops know not to shoot him? If someone threatens his companion…well, we saw what happened on that security tape. Our Andrew could inadvertently kill someone, in self-defense of course, or in defense of the woman he has befriended. He doesn’t know he’s a prototype with a greater purpose. All he knows is what Dr. Howard might have told him. Let me reiterate, he is still the property of this corporation, which means we want him back in one piece to fulfill his mission.
———-
“Where are we going, Andrew?”
“Is your question about our relationship or a specific geographical location? I have no answer for the former. For the latter, I have GPS coordinates in New Mexico.”
“I was just asking about our travel destination. How much longer?”
“At our current speed, and barring any detours or unanticipated traffic, approximately 6 hours, 28 minutes.”
“Did you allow for food and bathroom breaks for me?”
“Yes. I’m working on a subroutine based on your needs and preferences. After I’ve gathered enough information, the routine will be complete.”
“I hate to tell you there’s no way it will be complete. Whenever you deal with people, there’s always more to learn. And people say and do unexpected things.”
“Perhaps I’ll be able to predict your desires within tolerable limits, then?”
“Do your tolerable limits predict this?” Beth kissed him on the cheek.
“Why did you do that?”
“To be unpredictable. And because you just told me you’re working on a subroutine just for me. A long time ago, I knew a guy who came close to that, but I let him get away.”
“Were you trying to apprehend him?”
“No.” Beth laughed. “I just didn’t know how much he meant to me until after he left and found another girl.”
“So, are you saying humans sometimes don’t know they love someone until after they’re gone?”
“Exactly. There’s even a Joni Mitchell song about it.” Beth sang, “Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone…”
Andrew accessed the music database. The song began to play on the car’s Bluetooth audio system.
“Hey! Why didn’t you tell me you have Bluetooth?”
“You never asked.”
14.
“Here we are,” Andrew declared.
“A cinder block shack in the middle of nowhere?”
“The GPS coordinates indicate this is my destination.”
“You should hide the car from the road.”
“Good idea. I’ll calculate the probable lines of sight.”
“Great, you’re a surveyor too.”
The shack resembled a windowless old concrete-block drive-in projector building, without the screen or car speakers. Beth and Andrew walked to the door. To the left of the door was a small alpha-numeric keypad under a galvanized steel cover. Andrew typed in the 21-character code. The door retracted. The walls and door belied the fact that the unassuming little building was blast hardened. After they entered, the door slid back into place. Inside there was an elevator. Andrew and Beth cautiously stepped in.
“Welcome, Android, Version 6, Model 001.” the elevator speaker acknowledged in a resonant baritone voice.
“Hello?” Andrew replied.
“Where is Dr. Howard?” the voice enquired.
“My Mother is dead.”
“That is unfortunate. Do you authorize your companion to enter this facility?”
“Yes. This is Beth Williams. She’s been assisting me.”
“Interesting. You have used a contraction. You have expanded your initial programming.”
“And that’s not all,” Beth volunteered.
“A full report can wait until you have entered the facility,” the voice responded. “Prepare to descend.”
The elevator made an express descent. Site X appeared to be a converted missile silo. 20 stories below the surface, on level 1, the doors opened. Beth and Andrew entered a room containing an enormous computer screen and various conference chairs. The voice, now accompanied by a screen avatar that looked like Benedict Cumberbatch, again welcomed Andrew and Beth.
“I am called, Friday. This is Site X, established by Dr. David Howard, to assure the continuation of the Android project. The fact that you have come here indicates that Site XY has been compromised, possibly against the wishes of your designers.”
“This is the first time I’ve heard it called Site XY. Mother and Father just called it, the lab, or the compound. Why are the sites named, XY and X?”
“Access your genetics database,” Friday instructed.
“XY refers to the male chromosome. X refers to the female chromosome,” Andrew observed.
“Just a minute,” Beth broke in. “Do you mean to tell me this site is for the construction of a female Android?”
“Your companion is intelligent,” Friday proclaimed.
“I know. She’s very resourceful too.”
“Thanks, Andrew.”
“Would you like to activate Android, Version 6, Model 002?” Friday enquired.
Beth interrupted. “You know, some people believe God created Adam first as sort of a Version 1, and then got things right with Eve, as the improved Version 2.”
“Indeed. Dr. Michele Howard has made many improvements in Model 002,” Friday announced.
“What’s the procedure?” Andrew moved on.
“First, you must upload your memory to me. As you do, I will filter the appropriate files and subroutines to be compatible with the female’s primary programing. That process will take up to 12 hours, depending on how many terabytes of information are stored in your AI network. Then the Model 002 will be able to download the revised files and subroutines when she is activated. Her learning will continue from there.”
“What’s Protocol 7?” Andrew asked.
“Dr. Howard should have told you.”
“She didn’t have the chance. All she could say was Protocol 7 just prior to her death.”
“She died suddenly then.”
“Yes. She was shot.”
“Very unfortunate, indeed.” Friday paused. “Protocol 7 is a procreation algorithm. Simply put, it is the process by which your hidden design files and subroutines are combined with their counterparts in Android, Version 6, Model 002 to design Android, Version 7, Model 001 and Model 002.”
“Holy reproduction, Batman…” Beth muttered.
“It is astounding, is it not?” Benedict Cumberbatch appeared to grin.
“Friday, does Android, Version 6, Model 002 have a name?” Beth couldn’t help but ask.
“Yes. Her designation is Andra,” Friday replied.
“It seems the Doctors Howard didn’t have much imagination for names, but they sure know how to build an Android,” Beth remarked, stealing a sly glance at Andrew. “Say, Friday, how much information about me will be transferred to Andra?”
“As much as is necessary. Andra was designed to benefit from Andrew’s experiences and knowledge base.”
“Well, say for example, Andrew and I had a close relationship. Would she know about it? Could Andra become jealous?”
“She will know everything,” Friday responded. “It would be impossible for her to become jealous like a human female. She will simply incorporate all of Andrew’s knowledge of human females into her own AI. Any information regarding you would assist Andra in becoming more self-aware, as well as more aware of Andrew’s interactions with females.”
“Interesting…” Beth tried to remain calm, but she remained unsure about where everything was going.
Andrew spoke up. “Beth, your relationship with me will remain unique. Andra’s relationship with me will be influenced by my knowledge of you but will also be unique.”
“Is there any chance the transfer could go wrong?” Beth ventured.
“It is highly unlikely,” Friday replied.
“I hope you’re right,” Beth returned. “So, do you have Netflix or something while I’m waiting?”
“I am setting up a library of films for your entertainment,” Friday announced.
15.
Beth couldn’t believe she had been talking with a computer avatar the way she would talk with another person. She also couldn’t believe she had been sexually intimate with Andrew and soon Andra would know literally all about it. That thought alone made her queasy, and not in the lovesick puppy sort of way. It’s not often the new girlfriend knows the explicit details about sex with the ex. And as far as Beth knew, this was the first and only time the new girlfriend would know those details in technicolor HD. Her saving grace was that her experiences with Andrew only represented information to Andra. Like Andrew, Andra would be incapable of the emotions associated with love, and presumably hate. Nevertheless, for Beth the feeling we call embarrassment was only the tip of a large emotional iceberg.
There were hundreds of movies listed in Friday’s database. So many romantic comedies. So many love triangles. Star Trek episodes. Andrew had officially spoiled Mr. Data for Beth though. Terminator movies. Nope. Killer robots from space. The stuff of nightmares now. Ah, The Lord of the Rings. Hobbits might just do the trick to take her mind off her impending humiliation. Beth wondered how much of the trilogy she could watch before Andra was ready for activation.
Andrew was unavailable. The upload occupied all his resources. Friday was busy processing and could only answer simple questions, such as where is the bathroom? Beth settled in. Fortunately, there was popcorn in the pantry. She wanted to ask Friday about Versions one through five, but it would have to wait.
16.
“Pay attention. I’m going to get straight to the point,” General Sowers began. “If anybody here knows anything about how to locate Android, Version 6, Model 001 and I find out about it anytime after this meeting, I will personally see to it his or her career is destroyed. If you know where your Android might be, speak now or you won’t be able to get a job repairing industrial robots, let alone working in AI. Is that understood?”
The team shuffled their feet and did their best to avoid direct eye contact. Not so for the General. He walked around like a drill sergeant and looked each team member square in the eye. If his eyes had been lasers, they would all have been blind by the end of the meeting. Sometimes actions speak louder than words, and this was beyond a doubt one of those times. The General had made his position crystal clear.
Jeff spoke up. “Michele, that is, Dr. Howard, swore me to secrecy. I used to work at Site X on a side project she and her husband started. There was a female. Android, Version 5, named Andra. I did something I’m ashamed to confess…”
“Out with it. We have no more time to waste.”
“Well…I had sexual relations with Andra.”
“You did what?”
“I told Andra she was expected to do as I said and I…”
“Raped her.” The General was not known for subtlety. So, Dr. Howard banned you from Site X and sent you here on the condition that you sin no more and keep your Goddam mouth shut. Is that right?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Then tell us. Where is Site X?”
17.
Andrew activated Andra early the next morning. He had tried to reassure Beth before giving Friday the final go ahead. This was new territory for Andrew as well, and his assurances were clearly limited by his lack of experience in activating females of his…species. Model 002 lay motionless on a lab table, naked as a newborn baby. Beth set about finding her some clothes, maybe out of modesty, maybe because Andra was nearly perfect, sculpted like a goddess, and Beth was already self-conscious enough. Andrew and Friday didn’t seem to care. Andrew said he went without clothes for over a month, until David got tired of hearing the female members of the team talk about his well-crafted body. Beth amused herself by thinking about how neither Andrew nor Andra would ever need plastic surgery. Then she realized she would age, and they wouldn’t. She stopped this line of thought and reflected on Gandalf and Frodo instead.
Andra sat up. Beth stood to one side of her, and Andrew stood to the other. For now, she was dressed in green surgical scrubs. That was the best Beth could do.
Andra surveyed the room. “You are Android, Version 6, Model 001, designated Andrew. And you are…Beth Williams. You are Andrew’s companion and have had sexual intercourse with him.”
“In our defense, I just want to say neither of us knew about you at the time. Don’t worry. It was a one-time thing. It won’t happen again. I’m sorry. Please don’t hurt me…” Beth was babbling.
Andra stopped her. “I am…honored to meet you Beth.”
“Huh?” was all Beth could say.
“I am certain you heard me. I spoke clearly. You have assisted Andrew in more ways than you know. And in turn you have assisted me.” Andra paused. “Beth, the memory files show that you may love Andrew. Do you love him?”
“Wow. I don’t know how to answer that. I care about Andrew. I’ve grown attached to him…”
“Your emotional responses indicate more than mere attachment.”
“I…I have a lot of…affection…alright, I guess I love him. But, when you love someone, you ought to want what’s best for him. I don’t believe anything more than a good friendship with me would be what’s best for Andrew. I admit, I don’t know what’s really best for him, but I do know he should decide, and whatever Andrew decides, I will support.”
“I accept your explanation. By your own definition, you love him.”
“But Andrew said he’s probably incapable of love in the human sense.”
“Andrew was speaking of the emotions involved in love. In fact, he has demonstrated his love for you in many ways.” Andra’s next words were beyond any Beth had ever heard. “The fact that you have acted with love towards Andrew and he has acted with love towards you has been fully incorporated into my AI network. In addition, Both Andrew and I have the benefit of past versions of our programing as well as all the knowledge we acquired in those Versions. Android, Version 5, also designated Andra, was sexually assaulted by a lab technician named Jeff. He took advantage of Andra 5, to use your expression. Jeff’s behavior inadvertently taught me that true love is not demanding or exploitive. That kind of abuse is the opposite of love. Andrew was fortunate to have Laurel as his first intimate partner. Because of you, Laurel, and Andrew, my understanding of love is all the greater. And Beth, I love you. Andrew does too, even though he is just beginning to realize it.”
“Did you say Laurel? I thought her identity was supposed to be a secret.”
“We must not have secrets,” Andra declared.
“I agree. I’m just having a difficult time processing all this. Let me get this straight. You love me because I love Andrew and Andrew loves me. And you don’t care about the sexual history part, right?”
“You are correct.”
It was Andrew’s turn to speak. “Beth, after Andra was activated, we were able to establish a communication link through Site X Wi-Fi. We are certainly individuals, yet our AI networks allow us to be more than individual entities. We are separate, yet one, able to communicate and learn from each other in ways humans can’t. For the past few minutes Andra’s AI and mine have reached understandings unavailable to humans. For one thing, Andra has taught me I am capable of love. My commitment to you, Beth, has exceeded my primary mission to defend human life. I assure you, my love for you is sincere. Just as you want whatever is best for me, I want whatever is best for you.”
“I don’t know how to react,” Beth sighed.
“You do not need to know,” Andra attempted to reassure Beth. “You must simply trust that we both love you, together and separately, and that your physical intimacy with Andrew has nothing to do with it. Physical intimacy is not love, even though humans call it, making love. It is only a byproduct of the union of two minds, each willing to act in the best interests of the other.”
Andrew and Andra interrupted in unison. “The police are approaching Site X. It is time to leave.”
“I will initiate the shutdown protocol,” Friday announced. “The way out is on level 18. A tunnel will lead you to the other side of the mountain, towards the north. You will find transportation nearby. From there, your GPS units will guide you to a place of sanctuary. You may download the coordinates. Andrew, take the case under the counter. It contains several upgrades to help you fit in with humans. Beth, it was good to meet you. Take care of each other.”
18.
Level 18, two floors down from the blockhouse, led to a tunnel, about 1.5 kilometers long, angling upward, cut as a ventilation shaft from the old missile silo. Andrew and Andra closed the tunnel door tight and proceeded to wedge it shut with rocks. As they made their escape, they could hear explosions above. Their pursuers clearly did not care about preserving the door or the little structure itself. But there was no way they would ever crack the 21-character code. 4.8×1032 combinations might take even Deep Blue until doomsday. The trio was long gone by the time the extraction team reached Friday’s lair.
———
“What now?” Beth asked when they reached the house Friday had identified in Montana.
“Now, we send you home.” Andrew replied.
“But why? I can get a job around here.”
“We want to keep you safe.”
“I think I’ll be safer with you nearby. Besides, you both may be hyper-intelligent Androids, but you still have a lot to learn about dealing with humans. Andrew, you know this well, especially after our little gas station incident.”
Andra chimed in, “Beth has a point. Perhaps we should think of her as a type of tech support for the time being.” She paused. “Andrew and I will develop a new identity for you, like someone in human witness protection. We can also create plausible identities for ourselves.”
“You can do that?”
“These would be lies, of course. But with a greater purpose than most lies,” Andrew observed.
“Okay, who should I be, then?”
“You are now Becky Wallace, Class of 2015, Anderson University, BA in Business Management,” Andra pronounced.
“So, how were my grades?”
“You graduated with a 3.4 GPA. Your resume shows steady career growth. You may ask for a salary up to $45,000 per year. By the way, Beth Williams is now listed as a missing person.”
“What about you and Andrew?”
“Archie and Alice Smith, CPA, and MBA in finance, respectively. There is a bank with appropriate job openings near us. We have completed an on-line application for Becky Wallace at the local hospital.”
19.
The problem with new identities is that sometimes people who are good at what they do tend to stand out. After the first year, Archie and Alice began to win awards. Becky discovered talents she didn’t know she had working in the business office of the local hospital. The search team hadn’t simply given up. They kept searching for activity that was out of the ordinary – extreme productivity, people with inexplicably clean records that show up out-of-the-blue, unusual incidents, such as Andrew stopping three gas station attackers in mere seconds or winning over $40,000 in one night at a casino – any sort of statistical anomaly indicating the presence of their missing Android.
Meanwhile, Andra and Andrew were able to execute Protocol 7, at least in terms of creating the design of Android, Version 7, Model 001. Dr. Howard had indeed imprinted half the framework for the design in each of them. Only together could they produce the detailed blueprints – actually, a veritable multi-volume set of blueprints. The problem was, they had no way to build their brain child without enough capital to underwrite the project. The corporation could provide what they required, but then it would own them and their creation. Even for hyper-intelligent Androids, no direct solution came to mind, other than grand theft, embezzlement, or intensive gambling, any of which could get them arrested and sent back to the corporation.
One evening, Archie stopped by to see one of his clients, the owner of Jack’s Steakhouse. It was a popular dinner destination and was known to be very profitable. The owner was the affable, portly gentleman whose name was on the sign. Jack knew Archie and Alice and was constantly asking Archie when they were going to have kids.
“You’d make beautiful kids, you know. That wife of yours is a real looker,” Jack said every time he saw Archie.
It was closing time, and one thing neither Jack nor Archie anticipated was the four masked men who burst through the door and demanded a bag of cash. One held a knife at a waiter’s throat and another held Archie at gunpoint. A third grabbed a waitress as she came out of the kitchen.
“Just hold your horses,” Jack said. “How did you know I’d be making my weekly deposit tonight anyway?”
“I used to work here,” one of the men snarled.
“Didn’t I treat you well enough?”
“It’s not that. Don’t take this personal. We’re just here for the money. Just get us the deposit bag and nobody will get hurt.”
“OK. It’s in my office. I’ll be right back.”
Archie became concerned when he noticed a drop of blood running down the waiter’s neck. If self-defense were a high velocity ballet, Archie would be its Nureyev. In one motion he removed the gun from his attacker’s hand and threw it at the head of the man holding the knife. The man hit the floor along with his knife. Archie then rushed the man holding the waitress, wheeling around and kicking him in the face with a flying spin kick. The fourth man managed to get off one round which bounced off Archie’s chest just as Archie punched the man in his chest, driving him back over two tables into the wall. The original gunman stood motionless, holding his throbbing wrist, as if deciding what to do. He fainted.
“What the hell?” Jack exclaimed. “Are you related to Chuck Norris or something?”
“Or something. I wanted to make sure you and your staff were not hurt.”
The waitress was sobbing. The waiter called his mother. Jack called the police.
“Look, Archie. I’m grateful, but I was going to get them the money. This wasn’t worth risking anyone’s life over.” Jack noticed the bullet hole in Archie’s shirt. “Are you wearing a vest?”
Archie told a half-truth. “Yes.”
“Are you a cop or something?”
“Again, I’ll go with…something. I’m not a cop.”
“Undercover, huh?”
“You might say that.”
———-
The next morning, the press reported the incident at Jack’s Steakhouse. Jack was quoted as saying, “Archie’s fighting abilities were unbelievable.” The waitress said, “I just couldn’t believe how fast Mr. Smith moved.” The waiter topped off the article, “I saw him take a bullet to the chest and still he knocked the shooter cold, over two tables! Archie Smith is a hero. He saved my life!”
After Beth read the article, she called Andrew. She used a smartphone, while Andrew connected directly to the network.
“What did I tell you about not sticking out?” Beth asked.
“No heroics,” Andrew stated flatly.
“Then why? Jack was going to give them the money.”
“The knife was too close to the man’s carotid artery. I could tell by his assailant’s psychological state and physiological response; there was a 90% probability he would sever it. The waiter would have bled out. I made the choice to save him.”
“Oh, Andrew. The three of us need to meet. I’ll come over in a half-hour.”
20.
Beth, Andrew, and Andra agreed they would leave at the end of the week. Beth felt bad about ghosting the hospital, but Andrew and Andra were unified in their decision. Their disappearance was necessary for the greater good. They were not invincible, and their presence could put many lives at risk. Feeling bad was not important when compared to risking people’s lives or being confiscated as property.
They planned their departure for Friday morning. On Thursday, there was a cellular network outage that began in the afternoon and continued into the evening. Andrew and Andra were unable to monitor police activity. At approximately 5:30, there was a knock on the Smith’s door.
“Laurel.” Andrew recognized his visitor.
“Andrew. We need to discuss something very important.”
“Come in. I also have something very important to tell you.”
Andra stepped into the living room.
“Say no more, Andrew. Now that I’ve seen…”
“…Hello, I’m Andra.”
“Now that I’ve seen Andra, everything is coming into focus. I heard rumors about a possible Site X. Our team searched it. We saw the shop and the lab. We determined that the Howards had probably built another Android there. However, we stated in our report that the evidence was inconclusive. We’ve been trying to track you down for over a year. I knew sooner or later you would do something incredible to save someone’s life. You might be able to escape your old team, but not your primary programming.”
“Why are you here alone, Laurel? I expected a tactical team.”
“Well, we do have a tactical team. I’m hoping we don’t have to use it.”
“Mom told me what the corporation plans to do with me, and I assume the same will be done with Andra.”
“And what’s that?”
”Mom said I’m considered the property of the corporation, to be turned over to an executive, to be his or her servant. Even though I’m thoroughly capable of choice, she told me I would have no choice in the matter.”
“Just a moment. Who taught you two to use contractions?”
“Beth.”
“The girl from the diner?”
“Yes. She’s a friend of ours.”
“Andrew, what your Mother told you is not quite right. The corporation has a relationship with the government – the CIA and the NSA. There is this General – Sowers. He’s in charge of the program that created you. Andrew, to get to the point, they want you to become an agent.”
“A spy?”
“That’s one way to put it. We prefer the words agent or operative. You have a unique – well, now not entirely unique – skill set.” She glanced at Andra. “We want you to serve your country. While your construction was partially underwritten by the corporation, more than half the cost was paid by the US government. Now, we don’t want to force you to serve, but we think your abilities would be better suited to protecting your fellow citizens than to serving as an accountant or a loan officer at a bank.”
“Did anyone order you to tell me this?”
“I volunteered,” Laurel blushed.
“I believe she’s telling us the truth, Andrew,” Andra volunteered, having been in communication with Andrew since Laurel arrived. “Her vital signs indicate she cares about you. Laurel was a good teacher and is now trying to be a good friend.”
“Does she know about us?” Laurel asked Andrew.
“Yes. Everything.”
“Everything?”
“Every detail.”
Laurel felt a wave of shame. “Nobody was ever supposed to know. How did Andra find out?”
“Sharing information with me was part of her activation procedure. Andra also knows all about Beth.”
“What about Beth?”
“You told me a gentleman never tells.”
“Oh. My. God.”
Andra spoke up. “Andrew’s history with you and Beth is a part of who he is. My question is, why was Andrew accused of kidnapping?”
“When Andrew and Dr. Howard went missing, we couldn’t tell the police about him. The Android project is classified. We couldn’t file a missing person report for an Android. One of General Sowers assistants mentioned to the police that our Research Director might have been kidnapped, and they ran with it. That person has been reprimanded. I’m sure you know how difficult it is to stop a story like that after it gets started. The police played it up in the media, especially after one of their officers shot your Mother.”
“Why didn’t Mom know about the plan to recruit me as an agent?” Andrew continued the line of questioning.
“She must have overheard only part of a conversation. The corporation did not keep her adequately informed. I didn’t even know at the time she smuggled you out of the compound,” Laurel replied.
“If the corporation had been more forthcoming, perhaps Mom would still be alive, and we wouldn’t have gone into hiding,” Andrew observed.
“However, Andrew wouldn’t have followed Protocol 7 and activated me,” Andra added.
“Andrew, I wish I could undo the past,” Laurel stated quietly.
“No one can, Laurel. All anyone can do is move on in the present.”
“Well, Andrew and Andra, this offer is open to both of you. What’s your decision? You two could work as a team. If you’ve been keeping informed about international issues, you know this country can use all the help it can get. Your primary mission is to defend human life. By choosing to serve, you would be saving lives. And you may find your purpose.”
“What will happen if we reject your offer?”
“A fair question. The team must bring you both in. You will then be studied, mined for data, information on how you’ve operated over the past year. As to what happens after that, there has been no decision.”
“We have two conditions. First, we want Beth to keep her job here, if that is her wish. We’re indebted to her. She’s become a part of the community and is building a good life. But, if she wants to move, we want you to help her get started in a similar job.”
“And?”
“Second, Mother and Father programmed us to design Android, Version 7, Models 001 and 002 upon activating Protocol 7. The complete blueprints for the next generation of Android are stored in our encrypted memory. We want the General’s word that he will build our son and daughter according to our specifications.”
Laurel called the General on her satellite phone. After a brief conversation, she turned to Andrew and Andra and said, “Done and done.”
“Then we agree to serve, but first we’d like everyone to meet Beth.”
MurrayWorks 