H.A.I.U.

~16~

I sat down on the couch, panting. Haiu, despite being a cyborg, had horrible endurance and was panting like a husky in July. My toes looked pretty nasty, but I'm sure it's nothing some bandages can't fix.

Haiu held up the clay. "So...tomorrow we go, after we get rest. Right?"

"Sure." I shrugged, inspecting my torn up toes. Haiu glanced at my foot, then did a double take. "When did this happen?" he asked, grabbing my foot. I yanked it away. I was definitely not going to tell him it was because I was ticklish. He seems like the type who would tickle me for fun.

I did not like to be tickled.

"My pant leg got caught on a rusty pipe. My toes grazed it, but I'm sure they're fine."

"A rusty pipe?"

"Well, yeah. Is there a problem?"

"Rust...does not cope well in the bloodstream, to say the least."

"Okay, Mr. Doctor, then tell me what to do."

"Sit here and wait while I go get--"

"You aren't getting nothing. I can get it myself. In fact, I'll make bathroom do it."

He slid a hand down his face. "Sure, sure, fine. Go be dumb."

I ignored him. I limped to the bathroom, which asked what I needed and got to work as soon as I sat down.

Pain stabbed my toes, but I didn't even flinch. I was used to pain, especially pain worse than this. I think that's a bad thing, now that I think on it.

The bathroom finished whatever it had done to my foot, and I left without a thank you. Maybe I would say it another time, but right now we had to plan this out.

"So, uh, Haiu? What if they do DNA tests instead?" I asked, sitting down on the couch. He looked up from the floor. He was probably browsing the web. For what, I really don't want to know.

"I can hack into their systems to see if they change facial recognition, but I don't think they'll switch to DNA testing in a day. Too expensive, it'd have to be gradual."

"Okay. But, in the chance they do, what's our escape plan?"

"Bash the robots and run like hell."

That got a laugh out of me. It really did. I wanted to blame it on lack of oxygen, but I was just feeling in a better mood. I needed that run.

It was almost...fun.

"I think we have to be a little more careful. Wouldn't they find out where I live?"

Haiu's face fell. "They already do. The security people and stuff--we're wanted, and they know exactly where you are. They're watching us. Either that, or sending a whole lot of loaded cops here."

"W-what?" I asked. If I wasn't sitting down, I would have fallen. Haiu stood. "We have to leave. Now. Destroy any footage on your security cameras, and then...I guess hope that whoever is watching has poor memory."

His eyes glazed over, and I knew he was disabling and deleting the camera footage. When he finished, he grabbed my hand, grabbed the clay, and ran.

"But--wait--Dipstick! I need Dipstick!" I said, taking my hand away. Haiu shook his head. "You need to hurry. They could be here any second."

Oh, I hated this. I ran around my small house, looking. I found him in the top shelf of the closet. "Here, kitty." I muttered, reaching up. He leapt onto my back and stayed there. I carefully picked him off and met Haiu at the foyer. He peeked out the front door. "It's okay, nobody's there. Let's go."