Robots of Avery Five.

Chapter 9

Sadie held her rumbling stomach and dropped on her couch. She didn’t know if her hunger overpowered or enhanced her worries.

That was it for her.

She had thrown up in front of her boss, who would waste no time to call the Human Federation and send her back to Eerie.

Work was only a few minutes away, but it had taken her hours to get home. While flying, she imagined what her life would look like, and it wasn’t a life where she saw her baby suffer.

With her heart in her throat, she stumbled toward the kitchen and grabbed a sphere of water. After chugging the liquid, she lifted up her arm, and a very well-dressed lady with red hair appeared in front of her.

“How may I help you?” The woman grinned and placed her hands on her hips.

“I need to schedule an appointment,” Sadie sniffled.

“Right away. What day is more convenient for you?”

“Tonight.” Sadie heaved. 

“Great, are you able to come to the women’s clinic at six p.m. this afternoon?” The nurse’s hologram smiled. 

“Yes.” Teardrops poured down her face.

“Okay, what type of procedure will we be performing? If you don’t know, say ‘a general visit.’”

“I would like, I would like to end a pregnancy.”

“All righ—”

The well-dressed lady’s body flickered; Alexander yanked Sadie’s arm and canceled the order. The girl was silent for a second, not knowing how she hadn’t noticed his presence before.

“You’re making a mistake,” she said.

“And you are crossing the line. That’s my baby.” Alexander pointed at her abdomen and punched the counter. “We made that together.”

“And I told you I can’t do this!” yelled Sadie.

“And you won’t. I need you to take care of her until she’s born. After that, I’ll take her back to Earth with me.”

“You do know that my belly will grow, right? There’s no way to hide this. Everyone will know.” The clone jostled to get away. 

“I have a plan. Tonight, you’ll see one million SB wired into your account. That’s so you can quit your job tomorrow. After my daughter’s born, I’ll ask my father to send me five million for an investment. That should be enough for you to move to another planet, and keep quiet for the rest of your life. I will also provide you with zRNA. It’s a new product. It should take care of your resistance to the Met pill.”

Sadie’s breath went back to normal. She rested her hands on the kitchen island and started giggling. Alexander tilted his head, watching her behavior until her expression shifted abruptly.

“It’s not every day you turn into a millionaire,” she said cockingly. “It feels nice to think about it.”

“You think I’m lying?” Alexander sniggered and raised his arm. “I’ll wire one million right now.”

“Stop,” her pitch lowered, making him obey. “You’re so used to getting what you want, that you don’t even understand how deep we are in this mess. Today I threw up in front of my boss.”

“What? How?” He stepped closer to her. Purging the contents of their stomach was an issue of the ancients. 

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The clone stopped caring for what Alexander thought of her. She was determined to make him wake up and see her reality.

“She tried to r**e me.” She articulated every word clearly.

“What?” A confused Alexander pushed his neck back and dropped his jaw. His brain decoded the words repeatedly.

The girl played with her shaking fingers and tears escaped her eyes. She looked in front of her, realizing that saying it out loud hurt more than she had predicted.

“And now you know why I’m a respected assistant in Avery and not a disgusting clone in Eerie,” she took heavy breaths. “She owns me, but that’s over because I wasn’t complaisant. After I puked the white sand in her office, I’m sure the Aver police will be here tomorrow morning. I can’t let a child be born in a world I don’t want to live in.”

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Alexander processed the information. Rage inundated his chest, feeling powerless for the first time in his life. He had seen the world where Sadie was born and he was right. They claimed the raffle was an escape to freedom, but it was slavery. He was sure there were others in similar situations, although his main worry was the mother of his child.

“Sadie.” His hand reached for her cheek.

She walked to the opposite side of the kitchen and faced the counter with her arms crossed in front of her. “Please, don’t. I thought I didn’t care for your judgement, but that lie is as big as thinking I had a chance at being happy.”

“Sadie.” He trudged after her.

Wanting to touch her, he stood behind her and placed his hands on the counter. The warmth produced by her body and the flowery scent of her hair reminded him of the best night of his life. The tender way in which she kissed every part of his body took him to another galaxy; one where his deepest fears vanished. When he carried her in his arms and became one with her, it balanced the weight of his world. “I need to know something, and I need you to be truthful.”

“Have I not been truthful enough?” She turned around in the enclosed space.

“You said you had never been with another human before me. You lied about that,” he said.

The girl bit her nail and tugged her hand under the opposite elbow.

“I’ve never been with another human willingly,” she said. 

Cold air became a tornado in the Earthian’s stomach. 

“When I was in Eerie, I added my name to a waiting list,” she continued. “Word was that humans were paying clones to do all kinds of jobs for them. Whatever job a robot could do, a clone could do better, and we would get to escape an awful life in Eerie. That’s when I met Mr. and Mrs. Stone. They seemed nice at first. They told me they had been in an aircraft accident that left Mr. Stone paralyzed from the waist down. Sometimes he wore a nano-mite suit to help him walk, but he never regained feeling. They said they needed extra help, so I figured I would be their maid. When I got to Avery that became far from the truth. Ms. Stone bought me because her husband couldn’t perform his night duties. It was his idea to get a clone girl.”

“How can the Aver government allow this?” asked Alex. 

“The government only listens to legalized humans. I’m just a puppet.”

“Did you convince her to let you live by yourself?”

“No, she became obsessed with me, so her husband got jealous. He wanted to send me back to Eerie, but Ms. Stone convinced him to let me study and work at her company. How confusing it is to have to be grateful to someone who hurts you.”

Alex closed the gap between them and placed his hands on her neck. He was embarrassed by the things he had said about clones in the past, and wished Ms. Stone met the same fate as the hunter he had killed.

“I will take care of you and I will take care of this baby,” he said. “Ms. Stone will be paid for her silence.”

An agape Sadie became lost for words. Her breathing was apparent now. “How can you be so sure that she’ll accept the money?” 

“She will.” Alex pulled her waist closer and landed a kiss on her lips; something he had been wanting to do since that special night. 

But the man let go of the clone as they heard restless footsteps.

“The hunters are looking for me.” Kimiora paced around the living room while wiping her palms on her pants. “They were in the old café. You should have killed the other two. I heard they selected Don’s daughter as their new leader.” 

“Did they see you?” Alex feared the hunters might have followed her home. “Where’s the gun?”

“Cam has it,” Sadie ran downstairs toward the rooms. “I’ll go get him.”

“They didn’t see me,” said Kimiora. “But I won’t be able to go back for more food. I need to meet with the farmers.”

When Sadie and Cam propelled back upstairs into the living room, the front door emitted a loud bang.

“It’s them,” Kimiora gasped.

“Give me the gun.” Alex shook his fingers at Cam.

The robot obeyed him and gave him the weapon. Alexander aimed the firearm down the hallway when they heard another bang.

“Wait.” Sadie stood in front of the barrel.

“Moonlanding.” Alex whispered and pulled Sadie aside. “Didn’t you see what this thing did to the first person who stood in front of it?”

"Technically, you were the one who pressed the trigger,” said Cam.

“Sorry,” Sadie whispered. “It’s better if I open the door since, you know, I’m the one who lives here.”

“No way.” Alex raised the weapon again at the door.

“She’s right,” said Kimiora. ”Maybe they’ll leave.”

Sadie pushed Alex’s arms down. “I don’t want you to use it if it’s not necessary.”

Alexander turned to Cam and Kimiora, then back to Sadie.

“We’ll be right under the stairs.” Alex nodded. 

Sadie held her growling stomach while watching them go downstairs. She heard another bang and plodded toward the door.

“Who’s on the other side?” She spoke to the frame.

A rectangular piece was cut into the door, showing the person on the other side. She was unaware Sadie was watching her.

Sadie swallowed, closed her eyes, then waved her hand at the entrance.

“I guess you want to talk about what happened,” she told her boss. 

Without a reply, Ms. Stone invited herself into the house and Sadie followed her back to the living room. The sound of the woman’s high heels made Alexander place his finger on the trigger.

“Finger off the—” said Cam.

“Shut up,” Alex whispered. 

The middle-aged woman sat on the couch and crossed her legs. She unwrapped a yellow scarf from her neck and positioned it over the armrest.

“Alexander isn’t home, I’m guessing.”

“No.” Sadie glanced at the stairs. “He’s on a date.”

Ms. Stone snickered, lifting her chin at every object as if all things in the house were beneath her. 

“Sadie, I have to be sincere. After today’s incident, I wanted to call the police.” 

Sadie held her breath. 

“I thought about how the connection we have would disintegrate, and how we can’t erase our own history,” continued the woman. “You are my weakness, I must admit.”

“You’re not reporting me to the Federation?” 

Ms. Stone simpered, and patted the cushion beside her. A command to which the girl responded like a pet. 

“Of course not. I too was young once. I wanted to try it all. I’ve had a fruit or two amid exploring my humanity.” The experienced woman twisted one of Sadie’s locks around her finger, then bit her lower lip. “I’m getting a divorce. When I get my half of Mr. Stone’s assets, I want you to move back in with me.”

Kimiora frowned, unaware of the context. Alex closed his left fist on the wall. 

Sadie jumped away from her boss, feeling her organs collapse and bounce out of place. “Thank you for the offer, but I have to decline.”

“Who said that was an offer?” Ms. Stone laughed.

Knowing Alex was listening gave the clone girl a bit of courage to say, “I should be the one going to the police, don’t you think? I should tell them what you’ve done to me.”

“You mean you should tell them I gave you a job, clothes, an education, a life?” Ms. Stone stood up and turned while pointing at different objects in the room. “You’re a dumb clone from Eerie. No one will ever take you seriously.”

Sadie watched the back of her oppressor’s head. The perfect straight hair, long neck, and spotless jacket were signs of a respectable woman of Aver society. But the girl knew what despicable things she had done behind the curtains. She preferred to be back in Eerie than to remain a slave. She snatched the yellow scarf and fastened it around the woman’s neck.

As her boss struggled to escape the fabric, the girl’s muscles hardened. Running out of oxygen, Ms. Stone’s feet ceased to keep their balance, and she collapsed. Sadie heaved, remembering every minute that caused her pain.

“Sadie.” Alex dropped the gun on the couch and forced the girl’s hands off the scarf.

Ms. Stone coughed and held onto the floor.

“Alexander,” she coughed. “Thank the stars you’re here. She tried to kill me.”

“You’re okay.” Alex held a petrified Sadie.

Ms. Stone noticed his disregard for anyone else. His fingers caressing Sadie’s lower back.

“Oh, I see.” She rubbed her neck and lifted her chin.

“The blackmail ends now.” Alexander turned to her.

“I refuse to believe, Mr. Singapore, with the reputation that precedes your family, you fell for a clone. Do you want her to be your pet? In that case, that won’t be possible. She’s not for sale.” 

“My relationships are none of your business,” Alexander barked. “Whatever you and your husband spent for her, I will double that amount.”

“This is not about money. I have everything I want. Well, not everything.” The woman took a few steps toward Sadie and lifted her hand. “Come with me unless you want to spend the rest of your life in the slums of Eerie.”

The clone squeezed Alexander’s shirt and blocked her tears with a long gasp. The Earthian could feel her whole body shake.

“That’ll be a solid no,” said Alex. 

Ms. Stone simpered, picked up her scarf, pressed her wrist, and a small board appeared over her arm.

“Well, let’s leave that to the Human Federation.”

The Human Federation. Kimiora’s hairs stood up at the words. She had always said before getting caught by the enemy, she would kill herself, but she wasn’t ready to die. She ran around the couch and punched Ms. Stone in the face.

The disoriented business woman stumbled back, but clung onto Kimiora’s blouse. The girl responded by smashing her knee. In the middle of pain, Ms. Stone raised her forearm to call the police.

“It’s too late, Sadie,” she said.

As a last resort, Alex picked up the gun and shot the matchmaker twice on the chest and once on her stomach. The waves of a powerful jerk pushed his body, but he could press one foot behind him to keep balance. 

A high pitch ringing resonated in everyone’s ears.

“Solar-flair,” said Sadie. 

Cam watched everyone bend over the floor to save their hearing. 

“What was that?” Alexander shook his head and tapped his ear..

“The hatch was built to suppress the sound and impact of a firearm.” Cam responded as if Alex wanted to learn ballistic science. “This is a small space with unfavorable conditions. An explosion releases energy behind the bullet—”

“Agh, you’re more annoying than the ringing in my ears,” yelled Alex.

Kimiora looked at the red splashes on her blouse. Her jaw dropped at the body bleeding all over the couch in an awkward position.

“I didn’t know what else to do.” Alexander’s lungs were louder than his words.

“You need to leave,” said Sadie. “I’ll turn myself in. I’ll say I did it.”

“You keep forgetting you’re carrying my child,” said Alex. “We’re all getting out of this planet before they find the body.”

“You’re pregnant?” Kimiora addressed Sadie. “How? You’re a clone.”

“I don’t know,” said Sadie. “I don’t care right now. They’ll find us.” 

“That’s not entirely true. Can your craft exit the atmosphere?” 

Sadie nodded and Kimiora began picking up items around the house.

“Go help Sadie pack up,” Alexander ordered Cam. “You’re tagging along.”

Cam nodded and hurried downstairs. 

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Sadie rotated the triangular control as the aircraft ascended into the stratosphere. Her heart jerked out of place, seeing a police spaceship speed up past them. “Anything on the news yet?” 

“No, nothing.” Kimiora swiped her finger on a digital board behind the driver’s seat.

Alex tapped his temple twice, recording a message. “...please, call me back when you get this. I’m sorry things didn’t turn out like we wanted, but you were the one who taught me not to run away from my responsibilities.”

He dropped back on the headrest and sighed, picturing his father’s disappointed face. A minuscule spot of blood was visible on his shirt and he turned pale. His facial muscles tensed and he began scratching the stain. The dark pigment had impregnated the fabric strands—a memory he couldn’t wash away.

Could the death of a person be justified?

Searching for answers, Alex pulled on one of his zippers and took out the red packet. He wondered if his grandfather had been sending him a message all along. But in his mind of a child he hadn’t understood its relevance.

As the spacecraft entered the exosphere, the lights turned off and its controls began to spin.

“Oh no, no, no,” Sadie watched a glowing net crawl over them.

Everything came to a stop.

“What are we doing?” She put her hand on the driver’s window. “What made us think this would work?”

“They’ve found the body.” Kimiora struggled for air. A spaceship, four times bigger than theirs, drifted beside them.

“It’s okay.” Sadie tried to calm herself down. “This could be a routine checkup. They’ll scan our identities and let us go.”

Alex reached for the gun under his seat and placed it under his thigh. There was a suctioning sound and the roof overhead began to slide open, allowing them to see up into a tunnel.

“Hey, uh, guys, I’m not in the system,” said Kimiora.

“All humans must be registered with the Human Federation at the time of birth,” said Cam. “It’s the only way to get an arm communicator implant.”

“Yeah, speaking of, I don’t have one,” she said. 

“What?” Sadie’s neck stiffened. 

Alex observed Cam through the rearview camera. Not a single sign showed that he was a robot. He glanced at the end of the tunnel where figures moved through a gel-like substance.

He twisted his body toward the rear seat and ripped the front of Kimiora’s blouse.

“What are you doing?” she scream-whispered.

“Saving your life.” He made sure her breasts were fully visible. 

“Say nothing,” he added, unable to take his eyes off her hardened n*****s.

Two masked humans dressed in thick green suits began to descend toward them.

“Avery Five exosphere customs.” One of them pointed at a golden badge in the center of her chest. Her head stopped for a second, confused by Kimiora’s fashion.

The other officer scanned a red light around the passengers. A board appeared in front of them with four squares. Two of them showed Sadie’s and Alexander’s profiles and the other two were empty.

“The driver does not own the vehicle. She is a clone,” the officer addressed her partner. “And the rear passengers are not registered.”

“Oh, my boss owns the craft.” Sadie smiled and lifted her arm, showing them a registration board with a signature on the bottom. “I have her permission to fly Mr. Singapore to Bellaire moon.”

“We apologize officers,” Alexander smirked, reaching for Kimiora’s right breast behind him. “I recently got my first Ai-consort and I can’t wait to have some vacation fun.”

The pores of the girl’s skin became swollen.

Both agents stared at each other.

“We’ll need to see the proof of purchase.” The floating bodies were not convinced.

“Proof?” The Earthian felt the metal under his thigh.

“Or both Ai-consorts will have to come with us for a full scan.”

“I’m sorry,” interrupted Sadie. “We’re unable to provide that since it was a gift from my boss. Mr. Singapore is our most valuable client. His father is the CEO of Western Singaporean.”

One officer rolled his eyes and slid his jaw forward. “Spoiled rich kids,” he mumbled. 

“I’ve always wanted to own an Ai-consort,” chuckled the female officer. “Is it true they can accommodate their goods to fit your needs, if you know what I mean?”

“Oh yeah.” Her partner interrupted before Alex could answer. “My uncle has one. Hey, you.” He pointed at Kimiora. “Make your t**s grow for us, would ya?”

The smile faded off Alex’s face. Kimiora couldn’t hide a terrified look anymore. There was a timeless silence when the officer raised his fist, and a red light flashed around the tunnel.

Two machines with sparkling ends dropped through the gel and pointed at the passengers.

“You are in violation—”

Before a weapon fired at Sadie, Cam jumped off his seat and pulled one of the green suits in front of it. A lightning bolt struck the man and fried his face.

“Hostile—” said the other officer. 

Alexander yanked the floating partner’s feet and Sadie gripped her arm comm. Cam punched and kicked the weapons as they fired in different directions. Kimiora choked the officer’s neck as she struggled for her life.

“Push her up.” Alex glanced at human silhouettes behind the gel.

“Cam!” Sadie called the robot.

Cam let go of the weapons and floated back down to his seat. Then they pushed the officer up into the tunnel. Sadie punched the glowing net and the steering wheel turned back on. As the rooftop closed, lightning went through Alexander’s right shoulder blade. The electricity rushed through his nervous system, making his muscles expand and contract. The girls screamed, watching his body convulse.

“Alex!” Sadie cried at the paralyzed man.

“Sadie, he’s gone. Keep going. Don’t lose control.” Kimiora looked behind her at the blinking lights coming after them.

“Solar-flair, solar-flair.” The pilot gripped the controls as tight as she could.