HUMANS (A Humans Novel) #Wattys2015

Chapter Fifteen

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Six Days Later

Following the cleaning of her wounds, it didn't take long for Adeline to be bombarded with a multitude of questions, the majority focused upon how she had come to acquire such brutal gashes on her back. In turn, she attempted to respond with acceptable answers in accordance to each enquiry. However, question time was temporarily over for Niska and Odi, for Adeline had questions of her own that necessitated to be acknowledged and responded to.

"Doctor Millican, may I speak to both you and Niska in private?" Adeline asked, leaning against the door frame leading into the kitchen for support.

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Adeline had chosen to sit opposite the female synth and doctor. He gaze was focused on the beechwood kitchen table. The words she was about to utter caused her to think of her dead parents, something which caused her great sorrow. Holding back her impending tears, she sighed and said: "Firstly, I would like to express my condolences regarding your wife. My parents used to talk about her very fondly. It was saddening to hear from Odi yesterday about her passing."

He considered her words for a moment. Adeline knew that he disapproved slightly of her presence in his home. However, he was only allowing her to stay under his roof because Odi wouldn't allow the female out of his sight. Since receiving his consciousness, he could now feel protective over thise he cared for, Adeline being one of them.

"Well, I should be expressing similar views about your own family. Your Father was a good man who shouldn't have died so prematurely. Please know that if either myself and my wife had known of your existance-"

"-I know but you didn't and that was purely my Father- and well Dr Elster's- decision to keep me hidden from becoming part of public knowledge. Had the medical world known of their latest creation, ethics preachers and medical professionals alike would have been reading our home as if I were Frankenstein's monster." she smiled slightly at her own comparison to the misunderstood monster.

"So," Doctor Milican cleared his throat. "aside from the overdue condolences, what is it would would like to discuss with me?"

Sitting up a bit straighter, Adeline nodded solemnly at the elder gentleman. Enough of the formalities, there was important business to attend to. "I am aware that Odi," just the mere mention of his name was causing her to blush. How embarassing! "has spoken to you both about a man named Grey Steel. Well, he knows what I am and what I have in my possession- the Cube, a emotion-providing device created by David Elster. Grey wants the Cube so that he can give his synths the pleasure of enjoying their...unsavoury acts. With this added trait, the original asking price would immediately triple and his work would become the most popular and one of the most deadly items in the Black Market."

"Which is why he is undoubtedly searching for you as we speak."

Adeline nodded once more. "Undobtedly, which means none of us are safe. He knows all about my past and who my Father and his colleagues were."

"That kind of information could lead him straight to my front door."

Her blushed deepened but this time out of shame. "Yes and I'm truly sorry for the trouble I've caused you already. When I ran away, I never meant for anyone else to become involved in my escape. In an ideal situation, I would have gone straight to the police but Grey is a powerful man with many people in his pocket. So, there was a chance that I would have been delivered straight back to Grey, had I approached the authorities. I didn't even want to enter London, he has so many business associates here who could take me back. Except I got injured in the forest I was escaping through, which was when I stumbled across your synth," more blushing. "whom helped me...with some persuasion."

"If you hadn't gotten hurt, what had been your initial plan? Obviously London was out of the question, so where were you planning to go?"

"To the docks in another area of England. I was planning to smuggle my way onto a boat but since I got injured...my only hope was to get to London and find somewhere temporary to hide. Then-"

"-Then you got sick." the doctor interrupted her narration.

"Exactly." Adeline was slightly relieved that her story was making sense and that he could follow it easily.

"What's your plan now?"

She remained silent for a beat. "After what I've experienced the last few weeks, I've come to realise that running from Grey is useless. As much as I'd love to smuggle my way onto a ship and set off for a far away country...I can't. Too many people are involved in my mess and I need to help keep you all safe."

"Adeline?" Niska whispered, confused by her friend's sudden change in plans. It had been arranged for her and Niska to meet Leo and Max, find Fred and Mia and then once reunited, go into hiding together, just as it should have been in the beginning.

"I wanted so much to run away with you, Niska but that's never going to stop Grey. He'll either find me without the Cube, or he'll find the conscious host."

"Odi." the female synth hissed. "Why don't you just take the consciousness away from him?!"

"Because what good will that do? Grey most likely knows I'm here and is just waiting for the right moment to attack. Even if I escape with the Cube as the only form of consciousness, Grey will still find his way here and who knows what he'll do to Doctor Millican and Odi. They'll most likely be killed and Grey, still looking for me!" her voice rose in frustration and anger. If only she had never gotten involved with Grey Steel. "There's only one thing I can do." Adeline's voice lowered a decibel. "I've got to find him and I've got to get rid of him, permanently."

"What?" a fourth joined the three adults in the room.

The hairs on the back of Adeline's neck stood en pointe and a shiver ran down her trembling spine. Turning slightly in her chair, she looked over guiltily at the blonde, male synth standing by the door frame. Oh no, she cursed internally.