Dawn found them far to the northwest, driving through what had been classified as the state of Washington. No one cared anymore. For centuries it was considered badlands, the only interest the old city of Olympia. A Communications center and tower had been built there, along with a connection to the central data storage matrix for the northwestern half of the country. Hand easy on the wheel, Greer reached into his pocket, pulling out the handheld communicator. He'd hesitated using it out of worry Reapers could somehow track their location, even with Echo's assurance the device was clean.
His thumb hovered over the knob, but finally, he flicked it on, listening to the static crackle. Easing his foot off the accelerator, his eyes went to the channel dial, turning it slowly. Faint voices rattled over the airwaves like rocks clattering downhill, their signal too weak to lock in on. Frowning, he turned the device off and set it down, rubbing a tired hand over his face. In the seat next to him, Echo stirred, then yawned, and Greer sighed patiently.
"Good morning, Vera."
"Hi," she stifled another yawn then glanced sideways at him before looking around. "Where are we?"
"Nearing Olympia."
"Why?"
"It's somewhere we have to be."
"Why?"
"You wouldn't understand."
"Try me."
"You're a robot, and we need you for-"
"I am not!" Even as she said it, though, Vera stopped, remembering the night before. Looking down at her hands, she frowned, lifting them to examine the digits more closely. Rhaner noticed.
"What?"
"These...these look like my hands, but somehow, they aren't." Hurriedly flipping the visor down, Vera tore the cover off the mirror, staring at her reflection wide-eyed. "That's impossible...it's not possible."
Facing Greer, her expression was horrified.
"Those aren't my eyes!"
"What do you mean?"
"My eyes are brown! Who's eyes are these!?"
"I'm sorry," he responded honestly. "I can't answer that because I just don't know."
"Who..." breathing hard, struggling to accept the undeniable evidence, Vera bit her bottom lip. "Tell me again...what happened to me?"
"I don't know. Not really." Rhaner glanced at her. "I bought a storage unit that contained an Echo Class android. She's running a subroutine that makes her think she's Vera Wagner, and she dreams, or hallucinates, about her life as Vera. I...I think she killed the president, but why, or what happened after that, I just don't know."
"If it's really three hundred years in the future, and a robot assassinated the president of the united states, it would be a matter of public record what happened to his immediate family, wouldn't it?"
"Should be." He spared her another glance. "Unfortunately, my learning never included what happened to the president's wife. I don't know what happened to her. I can't say why the Echo ended up in an abandoned storage unit instead of scrapped."
"Okay," she said it, but her lips trembled, tears forming in her eyes as Vera carefully smoothed the fabric of her pants. She was trying not to let hysteria overwhelm her. Feeling sorry for her, knowing Vera was not human but unable to reconcile that with the utterly broken look on her face, Greer slowed the ATV to a stop.
"What are you doing?" Her voice was soft as she looked at him, eyes bright with unshed tears.
"We need to talk about this."
"About what?"
"Kai and I...we need to disappear. We need Echo to do it."
"And now you have me?" Fear bloomed in her expression. "What are you going to do?"
"Nothing. There's nothing I can do because I don't understand the malfunction. If Echo isn't here to help, that means, well..."
"That you need me to agree to help you."
"Ham," regarding her with compassion, he grinned lopsidedly. "Will you?"
"I don't understand how."
"Do you know what's in Olympia?"
"No,"
"A government data storage facility. We're going to break in, and you're going to take out the northwestern sector of census records, including all bio scan storage, wiping us from the system. By the time they get it up and running again, we'll be long gone."
"Exactly how am I supposed to do that for you?" Skeptical, her brows drew together. "I don't know anything about databases and breaking into locked facilities."
"You do, you just don't realize it. You're an android, Vera, with all the capabilities of one. You just need to learn how to tap into that part of your programming."
Her lips formed the protest, but the words never came. It was true, she knew it was. Turning away from his expressive eyes, Vera let her gaze roam the sloping hills and dry grass. Every time this Greer Rhaner spoke to her, the instinct to listen was so powerful she had to push it away with all her will. He was a stranger, spinning a wild story that she was starting to believe.
If he was lying, what had happened to her, to Howard, to Lewis? Vera didn't have any answers that made sense. Clenching her fingers, she looked down, seeing beautifully shaped nails dig into her palm. They were leaving an indentation, and it should've stung, but didn't.
"Vera?"
Reluctantly lifting her eyes, she met Greer's.
"I won't force you. I'd like your help."
Shifting, she turned to look at the sleeping form of the teenager in the backseat. Kai was bundled under a blanket, his skin slightly pale. What would happen to him if she said no?
"Where is his mother?" She asked instead, surprising them both. Rhaner sat back, staring steadily at her.
"Mina died. About seven years ago."
"What happened?"
Pausing, Greer let himself remember the events that he kept mostly in the dark. The grief wasn't as powerful as it had been, but the sting of it still made his temples throb.
"Her car malfunctioned on the way home after work and took her off a cliff. It hit the bottom a hundred feet down and exploded. There was nothing but the metal frame and her skeleton left. They said...they said it was a faulty connection in the guidance system, a glitch that made the car believe she was not on the road. Automatic steering correction engaged,"
"That's terrible," putting a hand on his, Vera's eyes were soft. "I'm sorry."
"Thanks. For a long time, I thought it was a freak accident, malfunctioning Tech. That's why I don't use any of that stuff. Now?" His gaze hardened. "I'm starting to think this is all connected."
"Why?"
"Mina was a high-level security clerk in the military core. The Reapers, they're not after you, Vera, they're after my son and me. I think maybe it's because Mina knew something...something she wasn't supposed to. Maybe they think we know too."
"That's a leap, isn't it? Hasn't she been gone a long time?"
"Yeah," he admitted slowly. "It is. But I'd rather be wrong and alive, then ignore the possibility and end up dead."
"Do you have any idea what it is they want? What they think you know?"
"No idea." Shrugging, Greer sighed, rubbing his face again. "If we can get to the mainframe, it won't matter. We'll be off-grid and safe."
"Will you?"
"What do you mean?"
"If the government is really after you because they want something you have, or believe you know something you shouldn't, they won't stop hunting until they have proof positive you are dead."
"There's an encouraging thought," he grunted, scowling. Vera pursed her lips sympathetically.
"Sorry."
There was a moment of silence, then he slid a look at her.
"So...did you kill the president?"
"You are going to be late." It sounded different now, the smooth, honeyed voice coming from her lips. Howard Wagner frowned, staring at the stiff shoulders and motionless form of his wife.
"Excuse me?"
She turned and he gasped, astonished at the blank expression of her face, and the blue fire burning in her eyes. Head held at an angle still, she took a step toward him.
"You are going to be late, Howard."
"Vera, what are you doing?" He backed away so fast he tripped and stumbled, catching his balance on the back of a chair.
"You will not be allowed to harm your wife again."
"Vera, come on!" Suspicion formed in his eyes, then turned to terror as she suddenly appeared right in front of him, her fingers latched tightly around his throat. Fingers banded into a throttling grip, she lifted him from the floor by his neck, polished shoes kicking.
"Vera..."
Her fingers clenched, something in his throat snapping, and Howard Wagner went limp, his bulging eyes lifeless. Electric blue irises swirled back to brown, and Vera dropped him with a scream, clamping a hand over her mouth as she backed away. Pounding feet outside indicated the security detail had heard, the door bursting open as armed men swarmed into the room. Time froze as they saw the crumpled, motionless body of the president laying at Vera's feet. The lead agent slowly approached; his expression guarded.
"Ma'am? What happened?"
"I...I'm not sure. I just...just...is he dead?"
Kneeling, the agent gently placed two fingers over the crushed neck then glanced up, lifting his weapon as he spoke into a communicator piece in his lapel.
"The President's been killed, request emergency backup now." Hard eyes narrowed at her. "Remain where you are, Mrs. Wagner."
"You think that I-?"
"Don't move!" It was a gruff shout as the agent closed in on her. Vibrant blue eyes snapped to life, the agent not having enough time to shout a warning before he was bodily lifted and thrown across the room. The other agents reacted instantly, but the android was a flash of light, a blur of movement as she tore through them. Hurled into the bedroom, one crashed into the vanity mirror, hitting the ground in a shower of splintered wood. Another shot across the living room, smashing into the drywall hard enough to nearly disappear in the dust and debris.
Bodies tossed aside like pillows, the android fled the suite, running down the hall past the surprised staff and back up security agents. Making the far corridor before the pursuit began, she spun on her heel and slammed the double doors closed, gasping. Conflicting thoughts and emotions were churning in her mind. Above them all, one took shape and she latched onto it. Lewis! Lewis would know what to do.