| Chapter 7
"Oh crap!"
Ron ducked out of the window and spun, staying on his feet. He saw the robots were spread out, the closest one no less than 100 yards away. He raised his shot then remembered it was empty.
"Give me the other shotgun. Hurry!"
Valerie passed the gun through the little rear window. Ron took it and spun, spreading his legs out to have a good base for balancing. The closest robot was landing on the back of the truck while another had started its descent. Ron shot it right in the head as it reached for him. The robot spun and fell off the truck. Ron aimed at the next one, missing this time. He shot again, the pellets from the shell ripping the side off of the robot's head but it kept coming. He shot it two more times in the chest and it fell to the ground. The last robot would be on Ron in a few seconds.
He bent down and grabbed a couple shells, but just as he have finished shoving the first one in the robot landed in the truck bed. Ron dropped the second shell, pressed a small button loading the shell into the chamber, and raised the gun. He aimed for the chest but as he pulled the trigger the truck went over a huge bump and shot merely grazed the top of the robots head. Wires hung out like hair and some smoke was coming out of it, but the robot was still in commision. Ron reached into his lab coat and pulled out two of the .45s. With one in each hand he took aim and began to fire.
The robot kept coming for him, even though the shots from the pistols were tearing holes through his head. The robot grabbed Ron and pulled on his leg sending him crashing to the floor of the truck bed. Ron kept shooting thankful for whoever had put loaded magazines into the ammo drawer of the facility. The robot was pulling Ron towards him. Ron aimed for the Robot's neck instead. He put four rounds there until black liquid came pouring out covering the robot's chest, and then it let go. It took all of Ron's strength to get his leg free of the robots grip. It laid still but Ron wanted to be sure it wouldn't get up so he shot the last of the bullets into the Robots neck until the head rolled away. Ron put the guns down and walked to the back of the truck. He grabbed the side to anchor himself, and then reached around the back lifting the handle to drop the tailgate. It dropped down and Ron moved back to the front of the bed. He pushed with all his might, but could only get it to slide a few inches.
"I'm going to need some help back here!"
Valerie made it through the rear window easily with her slender frame and Ron couldn't help but notice how graceful and beautiful she was as she looked down at the smoking bleeding robot tucking a piece of her dark hair behind her ear. She looked over at him.
"Thanks Ron. I don't think I could have handled four of them with only a shotgun to swing at them."
He hoped his face wasn't as red as it felt.
"No problem. I'm glad I could protect you, uh, us."
Okay now I know I'm blushing, Ron thought.
Valerie leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. Ron's world was filled with warmth and tingleys. All of his adrenaline from the fight drained out of him with Valerie's kiss like muscle aches in a hot tub.
Somehow, he thought, this is the best day of my life.
"Alright, well, let's get back in the truck. It's a little more comfortable than trying to stay on your feet with all these bumps.
"Uh, yeah. Sounds good," Ron said, barely able to get the words out. His head was in the clouds.
Ernie stopped the truck. The two hopped out and got in the cab, and they kept going. Valerie snuck her hand into Rons and leaned against him. His heart swelled with pride. No one spoke for a while after all the excitement. They listened to the snapping twigs under the tires and the constant rumble of the old engine pushing them through the forest. Eventually the bumpy ground gave way to a trail and then to a dirt road. Ernie broke the silence.
"You know they're going to come after us. We can't go anywhere they'd expect us like one of your houses."
"So what do we do?" Ron said.
"You guys hungry?"
"I am," Valerie said.
"Hopefully I will be," Ron said.
"There's this place I always used to go way before I worked here. They won't know about it. It's a bit of a drive, but we should probably get pretty far away from the city before we stop anyway."
"Sounds great." Valerie said. "I'm starving. After the stuff they fed us in there I could go for a plate full of french toast."
"Why can't we just call the cops?" Ron said.
"NS has all the local police in their back pocket. They pay a sizable amount to keep them from inspecting the facilities or giving out information about them to anyone. One scientist quit and tried going to the police. He ended up in jail. Besides, you got a phone on you? Not that you'd get service for miles." Ernie said.
"No, the robot crushed it. Great, so we're just screwed. They're going to find us and ..." Ron stopped when Valerie pulled her hand from his and grunted in pain. He looked over to see her holding her stomach.
"Are you okay?" Ron said.
"I'm fine, I just feel weird inside. I'm just really hungry. Don't worry about me, we've got to figure out what to do next," Valerie said.
"For now, we drive," Ernie said, reaching to turn on his radio. Folsom Prison Blues by Johhny Cash spilled into the cab from the dusty speakers. Valerie patted the beat on her leg. Ron looked out the window and sighed, worried for Valerie and wondering what he could do to help her. The old truck drove down the dirt road on bald black tires kicking up dust behind its battered and scratched green panels.
* * *
As they pulled up to a diner that looked as old as Ernie's truck, Ron was relieved for one reason and sad for another. He was glad they made it to their destination because his back and butt were sore, but he didn't dare move for the other reason. Valerie had fallen asleep. Her delicate face lay on his shoulder. Her beautiful hair that smelled like a field full of bright flowers lay down his left arm. The warmth of her body against him was the most amazing feeling of connection Ron had ever felt. He wished he could sit like that forever, but there was the screaming pain in his back.
Once Ernie killed the engine the truck shook as it puttered out like a washing machine ending its cycle, and Valerie woke with a start.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep on you like that. I can never stay awake on long car rides."
"Oh, don't worry about it. You must have needed the rest," Ron said.
Valerie yawned, and Ron thought that somehow even her yawn was attractive.
"Yeah, I guess so," she said. "Where are we?"
"We're at Joe's. It's in the middle of nowhere and is the best diner you'll ever eat at in your life," Ernie said as he swung open his door.
"Good, I'm starving," Valerie said.
Even Ron was hungry now that his nerves had been brushed away with Valerie's nap on his shoulder. The building, with its peeling yellow paint, was not well taken care of, but it was soon evident that the customers inside were. As soon as they walked in an older woman in a bright yellow gown with a white apron and a butter melting smile greeted them. Ron thought she was sort of like the building she worked in. While her exterior had grown old with wrinkles and gray hair, a youthful joy shone from her plump face with the rosiest cheeks Ron had always pictured Mrs. Clause having. She made Ron feel welcome and safe.
"Ernie, why it's been so very long since you've come by to have our special."
"Hi Miss Joe. Yeah, it's great to be here. It has been too long. How are you?"
"I'm fine as always. And who are these fine folks? Family?"
"No, I'm afraid I don't have any family. These are my friends from work."
"Well isn't that nice. I know you folks must have traveled a ways if you work with Ernie back in the city so lets go find you a table and fill your tummies. Follow me."
Ernie noticed a large man sitting on a stool at the counter giving him stink eye. Ernie had never seen him at the diner before, which was odd because everyone else was a regular. As they walked past him he spoke up.
"Where's that coffee refill? My food's gettin' cold and I don't like to eatin' eggs without hot coffee!"
Miss Joe just kept walking.
"You can leave if you're going to talk to me like that. I'll bring it to you as soon as these people are seated."
He had no reply. He stared for a few seconds, then turned slamming his fork down into his eggs.
She lead them to a booth with yellow cushions and a yellow table. It was old and worn but clean. Ernie sat down first, Ron slid in across from him and Valerie sat down next to Ron. Valerie passed him a menu and as he felt his fingers graze hers he knew that he would go through all of it again just to sit next to her and have a meal. It wasn't exactly a date. They were on the run from people and powerful robots the law would do nothing about, but that wasn't going to stop Ron from enjoying every single moment of sitting next to Valerie at a restaurant no matter what the circumstances. The waitress gave them some time to look over the menu while she gave the rude man at the bar a refill.
"I'm going to use the girls room, I'll be right back."
Ron watched her go and then looked over at Ernie.
"You've got a strange expression on your face kid. I'm pretty good at telling what people are up to you, but right now I can't tell what's going on with you."
"What do you mean, I've had the worst day of my life. I'm terrified."
"Looks to me like you're having the best day of your life."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"It's pretty clear she likes you to you know."
Ron looked down, closely studying his menu.
Ernie tried to stifle his laugh making him snort a little, which made him laugh even harder. Ron's cheeks were getting red.
"Hey guys what are you laughing about?"
Ron turned away as if he was looking out the window so Valerie wouldn't see his face.
"Oh we were just saying how are glad we are you took out that robot back in the locker room. That was pretty great."
Valerie laughed but it was a small nervous laugh. The kind that jumps out a little too quick, with an eagerness that shows it's fake.
"Yeah that scared me. I'm glad we got away, but it all just happened so fast, like someone else was doing all the thinking for me. My body just kind of moved and before I knew it the robot was on the ground. I'm glad Ron here knows what he's doing with those guns. I just about peed my pants when they came down, and then they landed in the truck. I was about to climb through the window to try to help you but then you took care of it."
A few of the locals near their booth looked up for a few seconds.
"I'm glad you didn't have to. Let's not talk so loud, we shouldn't draw attention to ourselves," Ron said.
"That's not possible in a place this small. Besides, we drove for hours and we're out in the boonies now. People probably just assume we're talking about playing video games or something anyway. I think the NS robots will go look at your house's first because they think we're stupid. We're safe here for now," Ernie said.
"You never told anyone about this place?" Ron asked.
"Nah. I never got along too well with those scientist."
"So where are we going to go after this?" Ron asked.
"Right now I just want to think about breakfast," Valerie said. She flinched and grabbed her side.
"Guys I'm not feeling so good. I hope breakfast will help. It's mostly in my stomach."
"Do you want me to see if they have any antacids or anything?" Ron said.
"No thanks, I'll just wait for breakfast."
"She's usually pretty quick to come back. That guy at the bars must be giving her a hard time. What a jerk. I don't know how anyone can be mean to that sweet old lady. Even if she was a mean old lady, she brings you the best breakfast you've ever had. We do need to talk about what's next though. Perfect, here she comes."
As Ernie finished his order Ron thought of something and leaned over, talking in a whisper.
"I don't have my wallet."
"It's cool man, I've got a running tab here. We're good."
"Thanks dude I'll pay you back."
"Yeah me too," said Valerie.
Ernie waved his hands towards them.
"Really it's no problem. Now hurry up and order I'm starving."
They ordered in a hurry and once Miss Joe left Valerie slouched down and grabbed her stomach again.
"You okay sweetie? Looks like we need to get you to a doctor," Ernie said.
"I wish I could just go home," Valerie said.
"I know you do, and I'm sorry, but we've got to figure this out. We're safe here for a little while, but I don't know how much longer that will last. Those Nanotech Solutions fellas like to keep a tight lid on everything that goes on in their facility. Seeing as they thought it was necessary to put me, one of their loyal employees, in lock up so I couldn't get out, and how they pretty much kidnapped you guys, shows us that they're going to do anything to keep their secret from getting out. Whatever this stuff is they've figured out is a big deal. Some kind of huge technological leap in science and biology," Ernie said.
"Yeah the guy I shot, right in the stomach, didn't even have a wound by the time we got to the facility," Ron said.
"There is one guy who might be able help us, but I don't know much about him or where he is," Ernie said.
"What's his name?" Valerie said as she reached inside her pocket. "Oh yeah, they took my phone."
"That robot crushed mine," Ron said.
"There's not much to look up, I don't even know the guys name."
"Yeah, but I bet we could find it out pretty quick online," Valerie said.
"They've got internet back there," Ernie said.
He pointed to the corner where a dusty old desktop computer sat rigged up with a coin slot.
"They still make those things?" Valerie said.
"Not everyone has internet on their phone, especially not in these parts. Most people don't even have a cell phone."
Valerie and Ron's jaws dropped.
"How do they live like that?" Valerie said.
"Live like what?"
Miss Joe was back with their food.
"When you've got food like this, who needs technology?"
"You said it," Miss Joe said as she set theirs plates on the table.
The conversation died down as they ate, their voices replaced with the clinking sounds of silverware stabbing french toast, eggs, and pancakes. The soft crunching sounds of crispy bacon and hash browns being gobbled up. Miss Joe came back to check on them.
"Goodness me! You all must have liked what I brought you. Anyone need more?"
They all shook their heads gratefully.
"Ernie was right about this place Ma'am."
"Call me Miss Joe, go on."
"That was easily the best breakfast I've ever had. I've got to come back here."
"That's what I like to hear young man."
"Yeah, what he said," Valerie managed, and Ron noticed she was holding her side again.
"I could go for a coffee Miss Joe."
"Alright. You too? Joe's joe is the best you know."
"Sure thanks."
"Yes, thank you," Valerie said.
"Are you alright honey?"
"Yes, I'm fine. I think I just ate a little too fast is all."
"Alright well you let me know if there's anything I can do sweetie."
"Thanks Miss Joe, I will."
She left to tend to get their coffee.
"Hey are you alright?"
"I'm fine. Lets go find out who this guy is that can help us."
"Might be able to help us," Ernie corrected.
"Whatever. So we need change. Think you have any in your truck?"
"Yeah, I'll go get it. Be right back."
"Whatever happens, I won't leave your side Valerie."
"Thanks Ron, I appreciate that but I really do think I'll be fine."
Once they had their coffee they went to the tiny computer desk in the corner. Valerie sat putting in change Ernie had scrounged from his truck.
There was a loud screeching sound.
"What is that?" Valerie said.
"It's getting online. You guys have never heard of dial up?"
Their blank stares gave him the answer.
"Okay, moving on. Looks like we're online. Do a search for Nanotech Solutions."
Valerie typed in the search box and hit enter, then waited for the results to show.
"Ah, this is taking forever," Valerie said.
"Yeah no kidding," Ron said.
The screen loaded.
"Okay, now scroll down and look for a news article on the split. The main guy left. His colleague Dr. Mansfield started engineering the nano tech to enhance the body, not just heal it. He thought that was taking it too far."
"Click that one. Founder leaves Nanotech Solutions," Ron said.
"And loading again. Seriously? How can anyone stand this? I would have been halfway through the article by now on my phone," Valerie said.
"At least there's a progress bar," Ernie said.
Then he and Ron leaned in to read the article.