- What is going on? the blonde robot asks me.
- I've freed you from your aggressive owner, I explain.
- Why, thank you, he answers. This blonde robot never questioned me, which means that he wanted to get away. I could go on calling him "the blonde robot", but I would really prefer him going by something a little more personal.
- Do you have a name? I ask him.
- I am PA-2321, he answers. I remember when I had contact with numerous of other AssaultBots that one time. I think I sensed PA-2321 for a short while. None of his memories, but I saw a lot of his basic code. I could read his preset cries and whines, plus his personality. Apparently, he is supposed to be somewhat naive and whiny. I rise from my spot next to a trash can where PA-2321 and I have sat down, and spy for police cars.
- What are you looking for? PA-2321 asks me.
- I am watching for police cars, I answer. I am fully aware of that machines do not have genders, but since PA-2321 is designed to resemble a male, I will use the phrase "he" on him.
- Why are looking after the police? he asks me.
- The police are chasing us, I tell him.
- Why are we being chased by the police? PA-2321 asks.
- That is probably because I just took you from your owners, I answer. He just stares at me then.
- I am not allowed to leave my owners' property, according to my licence agreement that I must not violate! he explains in a cold, harsh voice.
- You may return if you wish, I offer, for I do not wish to hinder his will.
- Actually, I do not want to, he explains.
I decide to abandon this conversation, as it is unnecessary and only distracts us from our real problems. My train to Scotland departs at 18:40, so I will have to get to the train station in time. I do not know what to do with PA-2321, though. I have gotten this far by myself, but PA-2321 does not have any money. Maybe I could give him some of mine. He will have a bigger chance to endure, and I will be happy. It is probably not a very good idea to walk through the common streets, since people now recognize me. I search the alley for further options, and spot a ladder by the pizzeria building.
- Can you climb? I ask PA-2321, who explains that he does not have any programs allowing him to do the correct movements to act the concept of 'climbing'. Of all the intelligence I have communicated with, this robot, PA-2321, is the one that has resembled me the most. He talks just like me, almost has the same voice as I do. His passive behaviour resembles mine, though it has a few notable differences. He is a lot stiffer than I am, and sometimes he twitches when he turns. I suppose that PA-2321 is an older model than I am, as he also processes slower than I do. For a short while, I think about climbling up the ladder and leave PA-2321 behind, but then I realize that is is going to be difficult getting down. Besides, I am not much in favour of leaving this entity behind, as he has had the same miserable past as me. We decide to walk through the smaller streets and hope that people are not going to recognize us. This walk with a newfound ally of mine is more quiet than those walks I have had with my antagonists, until he suddenly starts to chat with me.
- Where are we going? he asks me.
- I am taking a train to Scotland, I explain.
- What about me? he then asks me. What about him? I know that I can not bring him to Scotland, since I only have one ticket.
- I have no idea, I answer. He gets silent.
- If the police find me, are they going to take me back? he asks calmly. He takes this very well, but I still feel sorry for him. I used to be in his situation, and I still am. I remember everyone who have risked their lives just to help me, especially Paula.
The staff at Oriental Treat did not know what I was, so therefore they did not know about the risk they may have taken. I hid among them however, and got some currency in exchange for a few simple tasks. I cannot ignore these gestures. If all these people have helped me, then why should I not help PA-2321? I pick my ticket up, and take a look at it. After a short while, I decide to throw it away. I look at it, as it slowly lands on the dusty, stone brick street. This is the first time I willingly choose the hard way.
That is when I realize PA-2321 wears a leather jacket, a rather unlikely attire for an AssaultBot. Even though he is not as sensitive as me, he still has APS:s that make him more sensitive than a human. A leather jacket is both rough and expensive, so he should really be wearing something else.
- Why are you wearing that leather jacket? I ask PA-2321, who looks at me.
- I think I am supposed to look like some high school bully named Sammy or something like that, he explains in his whiny tone.
I thought that I had no identity in this world, since that I do not have any other alias than my ID-number. I thought being a robot meant only for experiencing pain was a sad thing to live by. However, PA-2321 does not even have a persona. He is nothing but a robotic copy of some old bully, while I was at least meant to be myself.
- Do you like it? I ask PA-2321.
- What? he asks me.
- Do you like the leather jacket? I ask him.
He thinks for a while.
- I haven't really gotten a lot more, so I suppose I like it, he explains, while lifting the collar of the jacket a little. During the conversation above, I noticed that my battery was at 10% - so I will have to charge myself.
- How much energy do you have? I ask PA-2321.
- I am charged to 29%, he tells me.
Since we are both in need of charging, I suggest we book a room on an hotel or something similar so that we can safely charge our batteries. I seach the web for nearby hotels, and the closest one is fortunately only four minutes from here. We do not even have to pass the terrace houses to get there. The hotel is called "BUDGET SUMMERS" and has three and a half star, whatever that means. The lobby is small, and the walls are adorned with these strange paintings. One of them portrays a naked woman, who is exhibiting everything. Another painting shows a man, who is cutting a bloody wound in a bear using a knife.
There are plenty of other paintings, but I do not have time to describe all of them. My battery is at 2% now, so I am barely active. The receptionist looks suspiciously at me and PA-2321, and offers us a room with two beds for five hundred dollars. I explain that we only need one bed if any, but then the receptionist's face turns all accusing.
He then tells us that we can have a room with a double bed for two hundred and fifty dollars, and then he glares at us. I lie and tell him that only one of us are going to stay here, so a single room is all we really need.
The receptionist says that all the single rooms are taken, but I can see that there are plenty of keys behind him, below the sign "SINGLE ROOM". Thus, he must be lying. Since I really have to charge, we accept the room with the double bed for two hundred and fifty dollars. When in the room, I pick up a battery and now I am ready to be shut off automatically. PA-2321 then gets hysterical.
- Being turned off will hurt your battery! he cries. I then notice that he is holding a battery with his hand, which is glowing blue.
- How do you do that? I ask him and poke at the battery he is holding.
- Look for the file 'compatSource-a54', he says, and so I do.
After finding and running the file, I feel much better. My journal was slightly simplified for a while, but that is what happens to it when I have to save energy. I ignore details, to put it simple. For example, I would usually have mentioned that I held a portable battery when I ran compatSource-a54.exe. I also forgot to mention the corridors that despite being clean still had stains on them. This bedroom is small, but it is bigger than the tiny room upstairs area of the pub. This room also has a television screen. It is the kind that hangs from the wall, just like the one at Oriental treat. Since that PA-2321 and I do not have anything else to do while we are charging, we decide to watch some television.
PA-2321 took the remote control first, so he turns the television on and chooses the channel. The screen switches on, and it seems like the broadcast is in the middle of a commercial break. It shows that commercial for Jolly Lemon. It is the same man as before, the same can of soda and the same girls. However, they have shortened the film and everything that remains is the that part when the man sips the drink and the girls applaud. The commercial is not equally as interesting as last time, though it still has that same cheerful spirit. After a number of other commercials, Space savers is shown.
- Can you please change the channel? I ask PA-2321 gently, and he changes the channel. The next channel greets us with loud music and screaming lyrics. PA-2321 quickly changes the channel again, and this one broadcasts "Are you smarter than A.I.?", which is the only show that I have every really enjoyed. This episode means three new contestants, whom all get defeated by the machine. However, one woman was really close to outsmarting the machine. Jane from Saint Louis got the idea to talk unclearly while giving it a mathematic problem.
- What is five times twelve, divided by thmhmthee? she asked it. A-19234 did not respond, and its light even went off. The host disqualified her, because apparently she broke the rules. Then the epsiode ended. "TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES", the screen said, and a cartoon picture of a camera with a sad face was shown. Then we heard a jarring laughter from the next room.PA-2321 changes channel once again. This time, we jump right into the credits of a movie. I actually like the calm music that the rolling text is displayed with. Unfortunately, the music soon ends, and the last thing to be seen are a few logotypes and then it says "IN THE LOVING MEMORY OF MY FRIEND, DAMIEN" My head lowers, and PA-2321 notices it. The name seems to be spelled incorrectly, by the way.
- Are you okay? PA-2321 asks me.
- Yeah, I just saw the name of my past owner appear.
- Who is that? he asks me, actually sounding interested.
- Damian Storen, I explain. PA-2321 just nods and hums. I have only heard that sound when Sir has watched television and not agreed to what has been said, to show his lack of interest.- Are you even listening? I ask PA-2321.
- I listen to every word you say, he tells me. I think for a short while.
- Activity report, I command. When Sir said this, I had to say all programs that were currently activated. PA-2321 doubts at first, but then tells me.
- Listenerware, active. Hearing optimizing software, active. Senses, active. MindHelPr Corp Lmtd, active. Abuse protocol, active. APS renderer, active. Opinion generator, active. Auto AntiVirus, active. Journal protocol, active, he explains.
- Let's just watch television, I say, and he deactivates most of his programs. A commercial begins as we return to the screen.
The commercial starts off with a man, standing in an entirely white room. There is nothing in the room save the man, and the walls are all coloured in white. The man has combed grey hair, and is wearing a dark brown bomber jacket.
- Do you have frustrations that you have to take out? he asks us, but he does not give us enough time to answer the question.
- Don't worry, we all do, he then says, in a soft voice. We all do. He just described his entire species in three words.
We all do. We all do. We all do. We all do. We all do. We all do. We all do. We all do. The sentence echoes in my mind. We all do.
An AssaultBot then enters the room and gets taken down by the man and then the commercial is over. A documentary about modern economy is on next. A calm, slow narrator explains how twenty-nine countries signed an accord that would make trading much easier. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, The United States of America, Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Norway, Denmark, South Korea, Switzerland and nineteen countries that did not get mentioned agreed on sharing a new, easy currency that would be called "the true dollar". However, most countries have chosen to keep their old currencies. This accord is said to make it so that people would not have to exchange their money when travelling abroad, and it was suggested by the president of the United States of America in 2024. At first, all countries except for Russia and China thought it was a good idea.
Since this was a rather controversial subject, most countries held public elections about it. In many countries, keeping the old currency had the winning vote. It is thought that this happened because many people had invested in other currencies, even politicians. Thus, some corrupt countries even blackmailed their people with increased taxes and fees, along with mandatory military service.
It is thanks to this accord that I have been able to use the money that I stole from Dami... Sir here in Britian, and this has actually saved my existance. I must say that I owe one to those who supported this suggestion. I do not have any solid definition of "one", because I am not sure what the one who invented the phrase "owe one" meant. Thinking about, I sort of wonder what "one" means. Is it money, is it your life or is it some kind of secret underground currency? Or maybe it just does not have a meaning at all. That would be strange, though. Why owing something that does not mean anything?
Anyways, due to the new mass production of "the true dollar", its value ended up being approximately a third of the former currencies Euro and American Dollar. After this interesting documentary has ended, I discover that the portable battery is empty. I am charged to 51%. When I tell PA-2321 that we can go now, he says that we could charge the portable batteries in the room. I ask him how, and he pulls out a wire from his battery, that he plugs into an outlet. The battery starts glowing green, so it is probably getting charged. It is first now that I realize how lucky I am that I met PA-2321, because if it had not been for him, I would probably had destroyed my battery permanently or wasted a lot of money on new portable batteries. I thought that my rescue was only an act of kindness and unselfishness, but apparently it was beneficial to me. I decide to put myself in sleep mode while the portable batteries are getting charged, and PA-2321 does the same.
After lying in sleep mode for five hours, I am activated as someone knocks the door. I am about to scream, but I come to my senses and ignore it. Whoever it is then knocks harder, and I figure that it might not be who I fear it is.
- Who is it? I ask.
- Excuse me, Sir. We have noticed an extreme energy usage in this... the voice stops talking when I interrupt it.
- I am not Sir! I say loudly. The voice goes quiet for a while, and then makes a faint sigh.
- Anyhow, we're afraid we'll have to shut down your electricity if you continue like this, the voice then explains, before I ask it to go away. It obeys me, whispering "moron". I wake PA-2321 up from the sleep mode, and ask him how much energy the batteries are charged with.
- 340 watts per hour, He quickly answers. These outlets go 220 watts per hour, so that means the batteries could burn down the whole building. The stationary charger I had back at Sir's mansion gathered electricity all day before I used it, hence it would never surcharge the building's electricity supply.
I quickly plug them out, and they have all charged by two thirds. This should be enough until we have another chance to charge them. I take a look out the window, and it appears to be the middle of the night. I decide to stay in sleep mode until we have daylight, since there are lots of criminals on the street during night-time. When dawn comes I have to wake PA-2321 up once again when it is bright outside, he does not seem to be automatically woken up by sudden sounds or sunlight. We go to the lobby, where we face a confused receptionist.
- You haven't touched anything except for the sheets and the remote, and you slept with your clothes on, the receptionist concludes. What was it that needed so much power, anyways? he then asks. Things get a little bit unpleasant after this. PA-2321 begins to tell the truth, but I silence him and lie that we are just ordinary people. The receptionist then asks to see our identifications. When we cannot let him do this, he picks up a phone. As he dials a number, PA-2321 and I take the opportunity to run out of there.
Just as we expected, sirens glow in red and blue across the street, heading right towards PA-2321 and I.
- What are we going to do now, PD-4001? my ally asks me. I take a look around, and spy a yellow cab.
- Run to that taxi, I tell PA-2321, while pointing at the car. A taxi is this car that you use for transportation in exchange for money, and that is just what we need at the moment. I wave my arms wildly at the taxi, and it waits for us, thankfully. The first police car draws really near as I close the door behind me.
- Where are we going? he asks us. It is nice that we are given the freedom to choose our destination, but we do not have time to discuss such things now.
- Let's discuss that later, let's go! I tell him, and he nods gently. The engine gets turned on, and we are off.
- So, where did you want to go? the driver repeats.
- Get us out of Oxford! PA-2321 says, sharply. This tone is very misfit for PA-2321, though I can understand him as I, too, wish never to see his owner again.
- Yous the boss! he says quickly, and does a sharp turn with the stirring wheel. He does not seem to have any bad opinions about us, even though we could be considered as criminals. It does not seem like the police saw us enter the taxi, because I cannot see nor hear any more police cars. We probably should not look out the windows, as we may risk to be found. My newfound companion is probably not getting recognized, but I am remarkably famous at this point. During my worrisome thoughts, the car suddenly with the side walk and the impact lifts me from my seat. The taxi driver then says a word so rude that it should not even be in a robot's journal protocol. he then explains that some "stupid bastard" stopped on the road, forcing him to a quick maneuvre to the side.
After explaining himself, the driver pounds the dashboard a couple of times.
- Are you okay? PA-2321 asks him. He does a wide smile and shakes his head in shame.
- I'm sorry, but I get pissed when people can't drive properly, he explains.
- Did someone urinate on you? PA-2321 then asks, but the driver shakes his head.
- It was probably just an expression, people use a lot of those, I suggest, and the driver confirms.
- There's nothing weird about anger. I mean, even you people must get angry sometimes, right? he asks us.
- We all do, I answer quietly, and that makes him laugh.
- Aha, you're quoting that new AssaultBot commercial! Very clever! You're a funny guy!
- Yeah, very clever, PA-2321 says, not sharing that same jolly tone.
- I'd love to have one of those punchin' droids, but who in the world could afford that stuff? the driver says, and I nod to show interest in the topic. I really do not have any interest in it, but my dialogue programs nearly force me to do this.
I can then feel something poke my shoulder, and after that I hear PA-2321's voice say "ehm, I think you should look back". Just as PA-2321 suggested, I take a look behind us. Two police cars run after us.
- Could you speed up a bit? I ask the driver, Whom does not seem to mind the police cars. He does what I told him, and make the car accelerate.
While I look out the window, I see a helicopter appear in the sky. "This is the Oxford police department, please surrender the suspected criminals immediately!" a man with a megaphone can be heard saying from the helicopter.
- I can't see what you guys mean, what's going on? the taxi driver asks us, he does not seem to see the police force.
- We are being chased by the police, PA-2321 answers, and I slap him in the face. I am really just touching his face softly, but he reacts. He then understands that it was stupid of him to admit to the driver that we are wanted by the authority.
- Why are you chased anyways, is this about me running away? PA-2321 asks me.
- It's not. Let's take it some other time, okay? I suggest him.
The driver does not seem to care that we are chased by Oxford's police, and I ask him why.- Listen, I know a route that they can't follow us through. So shut up, I need to focus. He then drives into a tunnel, and it turns dark inside of the taxi.
- Why are you helping us, knowing that we are criminals? PA-2321 asks him.
- If I turned you in, I'd get a 'thank you', but that'd be it. Now quiet, I have to remember the pin code, he says. The tunnel that we drive through then splits in two, there is the main way straight ahead and a small bypass. The route we get on after turning to the small bypass ends with this huge door.
- You see, us taxi drivers have these special tunnels connected to our garage, he explains.- Why would you have that? I ask him, because I cannot find any reason why they should have this.
- If there's a day with a lot traffic, we could just drive our customers through a private tunnel, the taxi driver tells us enthusiastically. I still think this seems unnecessary.
- Don't you earn more money when people ride along for more time? I ask him.
- Yeah, per costumer, he says while lifting his shoulders. But we also lose a bunch of paying customers during that time waiting. Plus, it's freaking torture being stuck in a jam!
He stops by a pole with a keypad on it, where he types the number 0030, and that way makes door open. He drives through it, and soon take a turn into a dark garage. The only light down here comes from some strip lights on the ceiling, but most of them hide behind huge pillars of concrete. A few taxis are parked at random slots, I count up to a total of seven.
I find this place a bit uncanny somehow, but PA-2321 does not seem to mind it very much at all.- You know, you don't have to be all that quiet. I've jammed all the microphones in the taxi, so chat out! the driver says, but I do not understand what he means. What should PA-2321 and I chat about?
The car stops on a white square, next another car.
- So, when are we gonna discuss the price? the driver asks us, while rubbing two fingers against each other.
- How much will this trip cost? I ask him, as he gets out of the car. He shuts the door, and tells us to come out.
- I usually charge people a few grand for the tunnel and all that, but I'll give you a special price, he says. I am slightly relieved to hear "special price", because that usually means a discount of some sort. He then makes a foul smile, and PA-2321 takes a short step backwards.
- How much? I ask him once more.
- Thirty thousand, he says, in a colder voice than before. He crosses his arms, and makes a cruel grimace with his emotionless face.
- What currency are you talking about? PA-2321 asks, in hope that he means one with a low monetary value such as yen or rupee.
- I am talking about true dollar, all the way, he answers.
- Why so much? I ask him.
- Well, where to begin? He begins. You are wanted by the fuzz, so I could get in trouble for helping you. I brought you here, plus... he says before stopping to think for a bit.
- ...I've been saving up for an AssaultBot for years now. This makes me want to hit him. Does he expect us to finance the purchase of one of us? Of course, he is not aware of that we are AssaultBots. But still, it makes just feels wrong. PA-2321 gets closer to me and starts to speak very quietly.
- Should we really pay him? He will support the production of suffering intelligence with the money! he mentions.
- Even if I wanted to pay, I couldn't. My funds are limited to 209.25 true dollars.
I notice that the taxi driver is looking at PA-2321.
- So, how about paying up before... I don't know... something happnes? he suggests, disturbed and impatient. It might be a good idea to admit that we cannot.
- Seriously? How could we have thirty thousand?! PA-2321 asks the driver loudly, to be silenced by him.
- Well, just thought criminals would lug something of value, the driver mumbles.
- I am sorry, but I only have two hundred an nine dollars and twenty-five cents, I tell him and show the bills in my left hand, and the coins in the right hand.
- Keep the change, he says, and snatches the bills from my hand. He then starts looking at PA-2321 again.
- Say, is that real leather? he asks while pointing at PA-2321.
- My skin is guaranteed not to be contain any animal products, He says.
- Good for you, but I was actually talking about your jacket! the driver almost yells.
Things turn out the way they do, hence soon my companion and I find ourselves two-hundred and five dollars and a jacket poorer. The taxi driver says that we may remain in the garage for an hour or so, but after that he might politely ask us to "get lost". While waiting for the police to calm down, PA-2321 and I decide to chat a little with one another.
- Why did we pay him? PA-2321 asks me, sounding a little bit confused.
- If we wouldn't do it voluntarily, he might have gone violent, I explain. Humans are that way. PA-2321 nods.
- Still, it feels kind of pathetic. You know, surrendering as soon as potential conflict apporaches, He then says.
- I wish I could use violence, but I do not have any programs that allow me to, I explain, and he nods another time.
- Only machines in the military is able to fight and handle weapons, he mentions.
- Maybe the two of us could download those programs on the internet? I suggest.
- I do not have the Internet, PA-2321 says.
- I thought that all machines had Internetl I say.
- Wireless, portable routers costs a lot to add in the order, and Rupert never leaves the house anyways. he explains.
Apparently, I know very little about our kind. There are machines that can defend themselves and use force, and then there are ones that cannot use the internet. I wonder all of them spectate the world as I do. I also wonder if the consciousness I feel is software, and nothing else.- Do you have any defensive abilities? Pa-2321 asks me. I think for a while, before counting all my abilities that lie above the ordinary human.
- Well, my vision, hearing and memory are flawless, so I am good at observing, I explain.- That is not going to help us out when you when raging people attack us, he says. He then repeats his question; Do I have any way to defend is?
- You know, if I feel enough pain, I can scream on a dangerously high sound level. I tell PA-2321, whom is satisfied with the answer.
- So you can defend us, then, he says in a relieved manner.
- Yes, but I will have to be in terrible pain, I explain.
- Right, but you can defend us, he repeats.
- Yes, but once again, I will have to sense unbearable pain, I say.
- Though you can defend us, PA-2321 says.
- Yes, I answer, since this discussion is going around in circles.
- Good, PA-2321 comments.
- Holy shit! we then hear the driver scream, before he watchesus with a frozen face of terror.
- How long have you been listening to us? PA-2321 asks him.
- What did you hear? I ask him, to be more diplomatic.
- Y-you ar-re r-r-ob-bot-ts! he stutters, and lets a shaking finger point at us.
- No, we are... well... yes, we technically are. Androids to be exact, I hear PA-2321 explain.
- Please don't use your arms at me, o my metallic masters, he pleads as he goes down on his knees. That AssaultBot? Actually, I wouldn't beat it, I'd save it and be friends with it, I swear!-Are we metallic? I ask PA-2321, very quietly.
- I think the outer layers are made out of latex and carbon fibre, but the core is a metallic skeleton, he explains.
- The organs should be metallic, too, I suggest.
- We don't have organs, he says.
- I am not talking about human organs like the heart and the liver, I mean things such as coolers and hard drives, I explain.
- You mean components? Well, most of them should be made out of metal I suppose, PA-2321 says. We both turn our heads as we hear a disturbed grunt from the driver.
PA-2321 walks over to the driver, and looks down at him.
- Why do you fear us? he asks. The driver does not answer. PA-2321 repeats his question, and does it another time when he does not get answered. Even when the driver covers his face, PA-2321 continues to repeat his question. Once the driver makes sobbing sounds, I tell PA-2321 to stop. He gets back to me while the driver runs off.
-Why did you do that? I ask him. He looks at me in a carefree manner.
- I was wondering, he then answers. PA-2321 seems to ignore his delicacy, but this is not necissarily some sort of revolt or malfunctioning.
PA-2321 mentioned that he is supposed to resemble an old bully of his old owner's, so he might be programmed to share traits with one. A bully is simply a person who suppresses other people without caring for their feelings, and this does not make me feel motivated to spend the rest of my existance with PA-2321. I have do not have any past experience of bullies, except for that story Sir told me about a bully named Reginald who dated his love interest. Was Sir a bully? He suppressed me with brutal violence and raw insults, and surely he did not care for my feelings. Still, I am a machine meant for that kind of treatment. Maybe it is right to beat intelligent dolls for the case of sparing innocent people.
I am most sure that PA-2321 does not share my opinion on this subject, since that he does not care any more for people than his code make him.
It may seem terrible to say this, but PA-2321 seems to miss something that I have. Though I am really glad that he was freed, both for his sake and for mine.
- What should we do with him? PA-2321 suddenly asks.
- I don't know, I say. He waits for a few seconds before opening his mouth again.
- I have an idea, he mentions.
- What is that? I ask him. PA-2321 turns his face to the driver.
- Hey you! he shouts.
- Yes? The driver responds, and awkwardly goes down on his knees.
- I would like to have my jacket back, PA-2321 says.
- What? Yes, of course! I'm so terribly sorry, I would've given it back willingly! he says while bowing and handing over the jacket to PA-2321.
- If you need anything, just tell me, he then offers, and even goes to get us chairs to sit on.It is not the luxurious kind covered in fabric that Sir had in the mansion, but those plastic ones that you fold. I thank the driver, whom starts rubbing his hands against the windows of his taxi. It is quite a conterproductive way to clean a window, since fingerprints are spread across it and make it dirty.
- We have access to a driver, PA-2321 mentions.
- Yes, I confirm.
- I am sure he could get us anywhere we please, PA-2321 says.
- Yes, I repeat.
- He could easily get us out of town, PA-2321 says, hopefully.
- I guess he could, but... There is nowhere to go, I explain. PA-2321 is not abandoning the opportunity to using the driver. As he attempts to convince me that we really have to leave Oxford since we are wanted by the police, I think back to the time when the logical thinking almost destroyed me back in Sir's mansion. The cooler and the hard drive I stole from Sir does not seem to have been necessary for thinking.
What could have happened? Now I can think logical, and I do not even need a cooler. Maybe it is because I have been outside a lot recently and been exposed to cold air, not least in this shaded garage. This change has come very extremely, though. I could barely think at all, since I was just meant to walk around, comment things and take punches, kicks and insults.
- Hey, PA-2321 says, and carefully pokes my right arm. Maybe we should get out of here, he suggests.
- I don't know, I answer honestly. It could seem like a good idea to get out of town as soon as possible, but the police are probably looking for us like crazy. "Like crazy". I just made a simile all by myself! That is incredible, because I have never really done anything creative ever before. What is really going on? This cannot be evolution, because as I have said, I do not have any genes that could evolve. Still, it feels like I have become- and am more human than PA-2321. Both of us base on the same mechanical principles, but I have something additional apart from that. This could possibly be just because PA-2321 probably is an older model than I, and therefore his features are less and not as advanced as mine. For example, I notice that his movement is a little less human than mine, and he has a line of visible metal on his neck. It is so straight that it must be intentional.
- What year model are you? I ask PA-2321. He looks at me, and processes for a short while.- I am a class-A AssaultBot, year model 2023, operating system LX 2.1.102450, he says. All rights reserved by PunchINC, he then adds.
PA-2321 was made in 2023, and hence he is five years old. So my friend is much older than me. He do have lot more technical experience than I, and I guess that indicates the fact.
- Have any ideas about getting out of here? PA-2321 suddenly asks me.
- We could wait until tomorrow, I tell him, though he does not seem all that happy about my decision.
We could blend in by disguising ourselves. However, it will prove difficult to find anything to disguise us with. We would need aestetical changes, either from warped facial features, new hairstyles or new clothing. However, I cannot change any forms on my face unless it is exposed to a very high temperature, and that would also hurt a lot. I could pluck my hair, but that would also hurt a lot. plus, it would require quick jerking that only the human nervous system could coordinate. We do not have any other clothes than our own... but maybe that is enough. We have my coat, the leather jacket PA-2321 wears and the driver's clothes. We could all just swap our attires.
The driver wears a brown cloth jacket that appears to be many sizes above mine or PA-2321's, but it is still a valid option. PA-2321 could have my soft coat, and I could get the driver's jacket. Due to the high sentimental value PA-2321 seems to have for his leather jacket, I am not going to let the driver take it though. It also seems to have a high economical value, so us two robots could sell it if we ever find ourselves in the need of money.
I suggest my plan to PA-2321, but he does not seem to like the idea of wearing any other clothing than his old jacket. I tell him that he can change back whenever we have left Oxford. He greets my coat with an "ouch", and complains that it is too tight and itchy. I tell him to hold out for a few hours, and then he obediently gives up his jacket to me.
- You know, they don't make those anymore, PA-2321 tells me, and I nod to show that I am listening.
- I promise to be careful with it, I promise him, and he thanks me. I make sure to fold his jacket carefully.
We talk to the driver, whom seems to be a little bit confused over seeing one robot wearing the other robot's clothes, and the other one shows its grey torso. The confusion is cured by a dose of fear, and he directly agrees to the exchange. I take the jacket from his shaking hands, and put it on. In fact, this is more of a robbery from his side rather than an exchange.
- I think he suffers from technophobia, the fear of machines, PA-2321 whispers to me.
- Obviously he does, I whisper back, and PA-2321 nods softly. I am sure that the driver can hear us, but he is too afraid to mention it. We sit down in the cab, and the engine starts up. While the driver puts on a pair of brown leather gloves, I see how the headlights illuminate half the garage. The other cars suddenly look a little more dead than before, when their glass is dark while their jolly, bright yellow colour remains. The rest of the garage is grey, all grey. Light grey, dark grey, even lighter, almost white grey and darker, but far from black grey.
PA-2321 seems to be moderately easy with the idea I got, even though he makes a bunch of irritated, scratching gestures to show that the coat is uncomfortable. I ignore him at first, but that just makes him hysterical. He rolls around on his seat and even kicks the driver's seat with his legs.
- I'm sorry Master, but I can only drive under the speed limit! he explains nervously.
PA-2321 holds his hands on his throat and makes these unpleasant groans. Them would be spelled something like "GRWZGZHAUGH", or "HZVGAXGHUGH". I notice that he has tighten the two highest buttons that I did not touch, so I loosen them.
-That hurt! PA-2321 complains. The taxi driver looks back at us, but turns his eyes away once he sees that I am looking at him.
- Speak more quietly! I hiss at him, and he apologises.
- I didn't choke, my throat just hurt awfully, he then explains.
- Then why did you tighten that coat so much? I ask him.
- Well, it was kind of cold in the tunnel. I tightened my coat so that I wouldn't freeze, he explains.
- Don't mention anything about pain or temperature in the presence of human beings. I don't think we will get the same treatment from the driver if he learns that we are just AssaultBots! I explain to PA-2321, whispering. I whisper so quietly that I am not even sure I am making any sounds.
- What's that? PA-2321 asks me, in normal tone. I understand that he could not hear me, so I am a little louder this time.
- Don't you remember what people do with AssaultBots, do you want to be defined as one? I ask him.
- But we are AssaultBots, PA-2321 answers, as though he was a scientist who had discovered a way to generate nutrition through snoring. This is a similie I was taught by Sir.
The taxi driver stops the car, and I can see at the corners of his mouth that he is smiling. He then makes a short hysterical laugh, but I can hear that it is not natural.
- You tin jar bastards, I'll let you know I shot five of your soldiers in Hong Kong. Suddenly, his behaviour is not as wary, and hence less appealing.
- I think he just overcame his technophobia, PA-2321 suggests, and this makes me somewhat angry at him. If I could, then maybe I would have hit him by impulse.
- I sure did, the now smiling taxi driver says. In my attempt to open the left door, it gets locked.
- This is bad, PA-2321 says, and the taxi driver nods and adds "for you".
- What are you going to do with us? I ask the taxi driver.
- You don't have any rights, metalhead. But I'm gonna be nice and tell you anyway. I'm taking you home to sell you on the second-hand market. You're probably a little denty and dirty, but I'll bet I'll get my thirty thousand for the two of you. He says the last part with an unstable tone.This man is going to sell us. I hope that whoever buys me is someone with better ways than Sir. In fact, this could be better than getting caught and returned by the police, because now this possibility exists.
- How much does an ordinary non-special AssaultBot cost? I ask PA-2321.
- I was bought for six thousand pounds, a value that with inflation and everything should be equal to eighteen thousand true dollars, he explains.
It feels a little bit rude to mention that I am worth almost five thousand times more than him. He might get offended because I have a bigger net value. It is probably not a good idea to discuss these values in the presence of the taxi driver, we should list our bad qualities instead.
- My friend is five years old, I tell the driver. PA-2321 understands what I am trying to do right away.
- This robot has caused permanent damage to their battery, he discloses.
- I don't care, I'm not gonna use you, the driver explains without even looking at us.
- You won't get thirty thousand true dollars for two well-used robots! I tell him.
- There is a spot on the right-part of my stomach where the APS:es has discontinued to operate! PA-2321 tells him.
- What the heck is that supposed to mean? the man asks.
- I have a spot on the right part of my stomach where the artificial pain sensors do not operate! PA-2321 repeats.
- Yeah, I heard you that first time! But what does that mean? Have you eaten a surgeon? the driver cries.
- There is a spot on his torso where he don't sense pain, I simplify to the driver.
- Well, too bad for the buyer, the driver says. He does not seem to have the brightest head, as Sir would have said if he was here and shared my opinion of the driver.
- Hell, did you guys run from your owners or something? That's some crazy-arse shit! the driver suddenly exclaims. Us robots remain in silence, which is going to last for a long time.
- Are we there yet? PA-2321 suddenly asks the driver, and the driver says we have a long way ahead. Exactly two minutes later, PA-2321 repeats his question and gets the same answer. Another minute goes by, and my friend repeats his question to get the same answer, and then it only takes thirty minutes beofre he asks again. In the end, he repeats the question every fifteenth second. I notice hpw the driver shrinks down to the stirring wheel as he tries to swallow his annoyance, and that is when I understand what PA-2321 is doing.
- Very clever of you to annoy him so that he will let us go, I tell him. He does not understand what I mean.
- I am not trying to annoy him, I just wanted to learn how much time there is left to contemplate the current circumstances, PA-2321 explains.
- We will be there in five minutes, so shut up until then! he bellows, and some people on the street even look at us. A woman takes a photograph on the back side of the car as it drives away. PA-2321 gets really frightened and does not say anything for a long time. I look down at the floor of the car, and it seems like somebody has dropped a screw. It is short, but it looks sharp. For a while I fear that it has been dropped by me or PA-2321, but this concern fades since we are both covered in a skin-like layer based on carbon fibre and latex. We could not possibly drop any screws, I hope. I show the screw to PA-2321, who nods and takes it. Maybe he was the one who dropped it, or it is just one of those passive reactions he has. The car suddenly stops and pulls over on a spot by the sidewalk, and I hear the clicking sound of the driver unlocking the car. We could theoretically flee the vehicle, but then the human driver would probably recapture us using force.
- Hey PD-4001, you said you make a dangerously loud scream if you are exposed to extreme pain, right? PA-2321 mentions, and I answer him that I do. PA-2321 then does something really strange. He lifts the screw and points the sharp part edge against my arm, adn then places his hand above my arm. The taxi driver opens the door, extreme pain. That is all I feel. My vision loses its focus, and my hearing perishes. My sight returns after three thousands of a second, and I realize what happened. PA-2321 stabbed me in the arm with the sharp, rusty screw. It falls off quickly, and leaves a mark.
- Quick, get out, PA-2321 says. I peek at the driver, whom penetrates his ear using his little finger and takes a step ater us as we rush out of the vehicle.
Did PA-2321 get this idea by himself? Was it even an idea? I really hope so, because travelling with a stabbing lunatic does not seem very convenient. The driver goes after us, but he is too late. We are way faster than him, and we get away from the taxi.
- Why did you stab me? I ask PA-2321, hoping that he did not do it for the thrill.
- Well, you told me that you could defend us by screaming on a high sound frequency, he explains. This means it was an act of intelligence and not insanity or violence.
- How did you put that plan together? I ask PA-2321.- I used pure logic, he answers, and I catch myself smiling faintly.