Robots of Avery Five.

Chapter 16

In the market, under a large tarp, an eight-limbed machine poked, stapled, and cut patterns into fabric. The machine itself had rusted edges, and the top was full of scratches. In its heyday, one could imagine it was a glossy white. Still, the sharp lines and geometric figures of its designs caught Sadie’s attention.

“You have such beautiful hair,” a woman curled her fingers in front of her. “Darker fabrics will make it pop. Feel the quality of these pants. It only costs 4 grams of saffron.”

Sadie approached the pair of grey, black, and white pants that had been hanging from two hooks. Her fingers felt the soft and elastic texture.

“Wow.”

“Wadda ya say?” The woman unhooked the pants and hung them on the girl’s forearm. “We have a changing room behind the sewing machine. Try them on.”

Before saying a word, Sadie turned to her left and her right, looking for Cam. The AI-consort frowned at another robot behind a kiosk. Humans fed it fruits, then positioned metal cups between its legs and ordered it to pee on them. Robot pee must have tasted very good because there was a long line of humans going for seconds.

“Cam.” Sadie snapped her fingers at him.

The AI-consort picked up a basket beside him and he walked back to his master. The girl raised the lid of the basket and counted two bottles of saffron. She pulled out one of 5 books she had brought with her from the library and opened a bookmarked page. Seeing that she had bought all the ingredients for her new recipe, she closed the book and smiled at the woman.

“Could I also give that blue jacket a try?” She pointed at a long table full of clothes.

The woman smirked at Sadie’s good taste.

“How do I look?” Sadie exited the changing booth, lifted her heel and rested her body weight on her right hip.

“You look hot,” winked Cam.

The clone girl cackled at his response.

“Is that accurate?”

“I don’t know. I only said it because I’m programmed to do so,” Cam shrugged. “As an AI, I don’t have a sense of style. I hear beauty is the only thing humans could never put in a mathematical formula.”

“I know, but it is nice to hear I look hot, even if it is from a robot.”

Cam put the grocery basket on the dirt road and sauntered toward her. He wrapped one arm around her waist and brushed her locks away from her face.

“Something about this new outfit is making me want you—”

“Cam,” she pulled herself away from him, “it’s time for us to—”

The high pitch sound of a siren made everyone, except Cam, plunge their palms onto their ears. They looked around to see if there was any danger near them as people brought their heads toward the ground.

“Avers, you are under arrest.” Two men stood behind Sadie, holding knives.

“I didn’t steal the clothes. I will pay for them.” Sadie’s stomach trembled.

The lawmen grabbed her forearms, prompting Cam to throw one of them across the sewing tarp. People began scattering like ants. The other thug didn’t waste any time and stabbed Cam on his rib cage. The robot watched the knife as if it had only been a small inconvenience. He pulled it out and pushed it through the man’s eye.

“Watch out,” Sadie pointed behind him.

Another lawman came at him from the tarp, but Alex punched him in the jaw and Danielle kicked his stomach.

“Alexander, it appears the farmers don’t like us anymore,” said Cam.

“Yeah, I might have given them a reason.” Alex wiped the sweat off his forehead and showed Sadie his palm. “Let’s get outta here.”

The clone girl nodded without question. She picked up the grocery basket, and they all bolted behind Danielle in the volcano's direction.

“Wait, Kimiora,” Sadie stopped in the middle of the road.

“Kimiora’s gone!” Alex went back for her and yanked her arm.

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They sped into the crop fields without looking back as the propelling of farmers came closer behind them. From within the volcanic fumes, a long, arrow shaped spaceship descended toward them. A ramp was quickly released and Danielle jumped on it before it reached her height. Cam mounted Sadie on his shoulder and pulled himself up without catching a breath.

Danielle stuck her arm out, grabbed Alex’s elbow, and hauled him onto the ship. They dropped on the metal ramp, panting and staring at each other.

“I told you I'd get you outta here,” she said.

They watched as the everlasting-summer city of Isaac became smaller into the distance.

“Danielle,” a man with dark skin and a short beard carried the hunters’ leader in his arms and spun her around. He lowered her down and took her lips, ignoring the newcomers. “Let’s go home, baby,” his voice was radio deep.

“No,” Danielle took a step back, “Crasher and Santa, we have to go get them. They’re still down there.”

The man gave her a half smile and moved aside. A hatch opened and two middle-aged soldiers entered the loading deck.

“You always think ahead, Poochie,” she smirked and stuck her tongue back into his mouth.

One of the men grunted at the sight of Alexander. He stomped toward him and buried his right knuckles into his eye.

“Moonlanding,” Alex lost his balance, but held on to a tube on the wall. He blinked twice and propelled toward the man.

Poochie blocked both men from colliding with each other.

“Hey, hey, hey. Santa, control yourself.”

“This yabnuk ruined the whole mission.” Santa shook his index finger. “We were gonna get sunny side back and avenge Don’s death.”

“I’m sure Danielle has a good explanation about why he’s still alive,” Poochie looked at Danielle.

“Alexander is with us. He didn’t know about the hydrogen bomb,” replied Danielle. “Yagoda manipulated him like he did us.”

“Can we go home now?” said Crasher. He had short blond hair and teeth just as yellow.

“Slight change of plans. We’re making a trip to Avery."

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"These rooms are so small." Sadie took two steps from one end of their assigned sleeping quarters to the other.

Cam looked up as he sat on the bottom mattress of a bunk bed.

"Would you like me to take out the food basket to free up more space?"

Sadie remembered about the contents of the basket and sat beside Cam. She slid the container toward her feet and lifted the lid. In it, there was a crystal jar that had white balls dipped in a sweet syrup.

"I have a feeling I won't be making that recipe anytime soon." She shrugged and ate one of the balls.

The girl crossed her legs and picked up any random book from the bottom of the basket. As she had been bored for the past few hours, she gave no importance to the title and opened it to a page with a bent corner.

There was a picture in it —it was Carter Monk, Cam's creator, but he was much older. He seemed to be talking to a group of men and women at an event. The men wore tuxedoes and the women very long dresses.

The scientist's darker complexion made him stand out within the image, creating a glossy effect. He was much taller than everyone else and his shoulders were incredibly broad. His arms were huge but his belly was flat under his jacket. His body turned toward a woman. Their grinning expressions showed a pleasant conversation.

Then, she noticed under the woman's wrinkles and dark brunette hair, there was a familiar face. Sadie jumped off the bed.

"Moons of Avery have fallen!"

The woman looked like an older version of herself. She read the description under the picture to confirm her suspicions.

"Dr. Carter Monk arrives at the Earthian gala where Dr. Li Jie of Singapore and his team present the new and improved version of the revolutionary metabolic pill...After decades of separation, the owner of the Aver robotics empire reunites with his best friend to celebrate another step in human evolution and the end of poverty...On the left, Dr. Monk is received by Dr. Singapore's wife and business partner, Helen of Singapore..."

Sadie put the book down and stared at the plain wall in front of her.

"It's surreal to see who I was. Look at me, Cam." She lifted the book again and pointed at the older version of herself. "Look at the pearl necklace around my neck. The diamond on my finger is so big and that dress... solar-flair, it's sparkling all over."

She observed the other guests in the picture. Nearby, a man with narrowed eyes and dark silk hair was shaking somebody else's hand.

"That must be him, Li Jie. He looks so happy; everyone looks so happy. I don't understand, why would I cheat on a man who gave me everything? A family."

"Maybe you thought someone else was more attractive. Humans find it very hard to control their own hormones," replied Cam.

"No, Cam, human beings are more complicated than that. No one in their right mind would risk being cloned and would leave her family just because she found someone else more attractive." Sadie gasped and turned her head back to the picture. "...the owner of the Aver robotics empire reunites with his best friend. His best friend. Helen of Singapore was Carter Monk's best friend. He went to Earth to see her, not her husband. Carter Monk was, obviously, against the Federation, therefore against the metabolic pill. Maybe Helen was, too."

She shut the book close and threw it on the mattress. She tried to pace around the room, but the place was so small, she had no choice but to tap her heel on the ground and hold her cheeks.

"Ugh," Cam opened his mouth and rubbed his eyelids, "the amount of cortisol you're secreting is making my eyes water."

Sadie shoved her hand in the basket and grabbed another white fruit. She didn't take time to swallow as she barely chewed any of it.

"My original self cheated on her husband with Carter Monk."

"You," Cam positioned her shoulders to face him, "are way too stressed out right now."

He massaged her neck.

"I am." She closed her eyes, feeling her muscles relax.

"Just let it all go," he whispered softly.

As she exhaled, he lowered his hand toward her chest and spread his fingers under her blue jacket. He brought his head forward and grazed her lips. She frowned and opened her eyes, then her ears became curious about the sound of metal behind her.