Creature of Creation

Part 3 - Chapter Two - Welcome Home

When he removed the tarp, it scurried to the back of the cage and crammed its knees up under its chin. Its magnificent wings were folded tight and pressed close to its body. Its eyes burrowed into him. The rage in them was like a slap to the face. It was far from the fear he had seen that fateful night.

"I'm here to rescue you," he said. He fumbled for the keyring in his coat pocket. The sheen of sweat on his palms made them slip around too much.

A2 did not reply but continued to stare up at him. Even as he unlocked the door, it did not move.

"Come on," he said. "We have to hurry."

He tapped his foot. It wouldn't budge. He knelt down and tried to haul it out, but it held its arms so tight to itself he could hardly get a grip.

"I'm trying to get you out of here. If we don't leave now, they're going to kill you. Do you understand?"

Finally, it crawled out. He reached for its hand and it quickly pulled it away.

"Where's Clay?" It asked. Its eyes were now directed at the floor and its hands clasped together in the front.

"Clay?"

"Project... project E1. Did she come for me?"

James scoffed, disappointed she would ask for it rather than be happy to see him. Especially after all he had risked to come down here.

"No. There's been no sign of E1. Now hurry." James spread out the blanket and draped it over its shoulders to hide its wings on their journey, and nudged it forward. A2 jumped, then quickly fell into step. The fire he had seen in it just moments ago faded out. Its head hung low and its dark hair fell over its face. The end of the blanket dragged across the concrete floor as it shuffled down the hallway.

James allowed it to walk in the front so he could keep an eye on it. As much as he hated the thought, he didn't trust A2 not to bolt. He wanted them to be able to trust each other. That would certainly have to be something to work on once they got home. It would happen in time, he was sure.

He directed A2 towards the fire escape. Every sound, no matter how small, made him jump. The scuff of their shoes on the grated metal stairs reverberated with a tinny echo. At the top, James squeezed past A2 to open the door to the empty parking lot. It clutched the blanket tight against the cold night air.

Though his car was the lone one, he compulsively checked over his shoulder to make sure they weren't being watched or followed. He had also made sure to disable all CCTV cameras along their route. 

 James used his keys to pop the trunk when they approached the car.

"Get in," he said. He had tried his best to clear the trunk out in preparation for today, but it still contained a few old bags of bottles he had meant to take out to recycle. "I know it's not the most comfortable situation but it will have to do. I was going to deal with those bottles before work but I got so busy...." he adjusted his shirt collar. The skin on the back of his neck had suddenly gotten so hot.

A2 looked from him to the trunk and back again. "No."

He raised his eyebrows. In his entire career, Project A2 had never once said 'No.' Not to anyone.

"What do you mean no?"

It crossed its thin arms across its chest. The blanket fell down around A2's shoulders like a shawl. "I'm not getting in there. I want to go home."

"We are going home."

Its eyes flashed rage. "You know what I mean. I want to go back to the farm."