"It's also hard to prove I'm capable when even I think it's impossible."
*
"Call failed. Retry?"
How many times had I retried? How many skip voicemail and redial had I done? I'd lost count, but I couldn't give up.
The first ten minutes of waiting in my living room, I kept calm, collected. After twenty minutes, I felt that pressure in my chest. It was uncomfortable, suffocating. Once a full half passed with no contact with my little sister, I felt as though I couldn't breathe.
Something was wrong. She wasn't safe.
"Javi. Javi!" Mary tried to stop me, but I was as hard-headed as a droid as I was in my human life; my mother had told me that. And once I had my mind set on an idea, there was no turning me back. My computers had found a possible-yet horrendous-scenario that revolved around Wendy.
"Mar, those androids out there killed a man. Do you know what that means?" I'd shut down the power supply for my charging pod and turned off all of the house appliances. I wanted the home to be as docile and absent as possible.
"It means we have to stay put," Mary said, pulling at my arm as I shut off the kitchen's lights. "We can't leave."
"Is that what they teach you in Bionics school?" I scoffed, rolled my eyes, and pulled my arm free. "I can't stay here and protect myself. I need to protect her."
Mary watched me as I hurried across the living room and shut the curtains. With a tap of my wristband against the home security panel, the house confirmed its alarm setting.
And with a sturdy, firm grip, I grabbed the front door's handle. "If you want to stay here, fine, but I can't. Unlike those bots outside, it's against my code, and I won't stay back without knowing she's okay."
Her emotions flickered. Or was it my sensors? There was a span of twenty changes in less than five seconds, and I couldn't keep up. Looking back at her, I pulled my brows together, deep in thought. And shook my head. "You're afraid," I said, glancing back at the door. "That's okay, Mar. I'd never put you in danger. But Wendy's at that school and I know droids started to malfunction there. So, just sit tight and-"
Mary rushed over to the side of the couch and clasped her bag shut with a slap of her hand. Hoisting the strap over her shoulder and across her chest, she looked at me with wide, yet determined eyes. "I'm going with you." It took three long strides for her to stand in front of me. "I know... things are different, but Wendy's my sister, too."
Instinct told me to smile. My computers instructed me to move. But memories told me to thank her.
I lifted my one hand, cupped her chin, and pulled her close so our foreheads met. I felt the breath she took. Heard the sigh. My gaze locked onto her as I nodded and brushed my thumb along her lip. "Thank you," I said.
My actions didn't startle her. She leaned against my touch. And the moment I drew back, her hand reached out for the handle. Together, we pulled open the door.
|||
The air felt thick, heavy. The sun, hidden behind a sudden row of grey clouds, no longer warmed the streets. Mary hid behind me as I stepped out onto the front lawn. She squealed when the droids turned to look at each other. Looking back at her, I shook my head, mouthing, "It's okay."
They couldn't sync with me, meaning we were safe. As long as they didn't see us.
Taking Mary's hand in mine, I pulled her across the cut grass and behind a car parked just feet from the house. We dropped against its side. Hiding.
Looking over the car's hood, I watched the android with the gun. His curls covered his face as the wind blew and his hand, still clutching the weapon, was pressed close to his hip. I could see his finger dancing alongside the trigger.
In my head, I pulled up my communications and made the silent command: Call Wendy Carter Morales.
"What are we going to do?" Mary whispered as the call dial echoed in my head. "They're everywhere."
Ring. Ring.
"They can't sync," I said as I looked over the other end of the car. The androids down the street were still. Frozen. With their heads tilted up towards the sky, I wondered what waves they received, because they weren't mine. And I was sure they weren't any other common droid. "Can the broken androids connect normally?"
Ring. Ring.
"No." Mary dropped back down beside me, clutching her bag against her chest. "They can't do anything. Nothing would work."
I looked back at her as my call went to voicemail. "You mean to tell me the bots that attack aren't just broken?" I asked.
Without looking at me, Mary shook her head.
"What aren't you telling me, Mar..." I grumbled. Internally, I attempted to redial. Communications pulled up fast. Wendy's caller tag, too. My devices were ready to select when her name appeared in the corner of my vision.
Wendy called me.
"Incoming call."
Call accepted.
"Lost Girl?" Dropping as low as I could against the car, I turned away from the androids and looked back at the house. My voice was just above a whisper. "Are you okay?"
"Peter." Wendy's voice was quiet. Trembling. Terrified. I heard the sniffle, and the whimper laced with small tears. A heavy feeling came over me as she spoke. "Peter, I'm scared."
I squeezed my eyes shut as I listened and fought off the sparks that tried to react as programmed. This wasn't the time to have emotion. I needed to think. Clearheaded. Smart.
I forced my eyes open and turned to look back over the car. They were still oblivious to our location. "Where are you, Wendy? Are you still at school?"
There was a rustling sound. A nod. I glanced at Mary as Wendy gave me her silent answer. "Okay, you're still there. Are you somewhere safe?"
Silence again. I ground my teeth and glanced down the street, checking my options. "Wendy-" I needed her to answer me. "-are you somewhere safe?"
"Three of the teachers were hurt really bad, and I think... I think Mr. Lanso is dead." Wendy's voice cracked as she tried not to cry. "Other androids came in and just took over..."
"Other androids." I scooted over towards the edge of the car. My fingers spread across the hood as I kept my balance. "These weren't the ones you texted me about?"
"I'm scared," she said again, and my vision blurred. Focusing on the other end of the block was suddenly harder to do. "Javi, I'm scared... they're looking for me."
"You?" For a moment, I saw two plans of escape. One was simply to run, dodge all of the droids in the street. I knew I could do it, but not Mary. They'd hurt her, or worse... kill her. Option two was to locate Mary's car. "Why are they looking for you?" I asked Wendy. "Did they say anything?"
Mary's hand touched my arm, and I looked back at her. I prayed she could read my thoughts. Mouthing the word car, I pointed at her and waited. It took her less than a second to figure out what I was trying to ask, and she glanced back, behind her. Her car was across the street.
"I don't... I don't know." There was more rustling. More whimpers. I could hear Wendy shuffle across a floor. I ground my teeth again as I listened. "The regular androids just stopped moving... and then the other ones came in. One of them grabbed a mic and asked for me by name." She hiccupped and started to cry. "I don't want them to kill me, Javier."
Sparks went off in my chest. It burned. It ached. And the breath I took in was pained as I focused on a means of escape. And rescue. In one quick motion, I grabbed Mary's hand and pulled her with me. Still hunched over, we hurried over from one car to the next.
"No one's going to kill you, Wendy," I said as I stopped just feet from Mary's blue sedan. The android in the street turned his back to us fully, eyeing the other droids ahead of him. Pulling Mary's hand, I motioned for her to follow. It was our only chance.
Mary was fast, pulling her driver's side door and hopping inside the car in one motion. I swiftly moved across the front until I reached the side, and jumped in, too. Quietly closing our doors, we looked forward at the Androids. They didn't turn to us, hadn't heard us. Most kept their eyes on the skies.
"Javi," Mary whispered my name and trembled, her hand hovering over the ignition. "Where am I going?"
Wendy's whimper made me see red-literally. My vision was rimmed with the color, a filter overlayed on the sight in front of me. Sitting up straight, I turned my head and looked over at Mary, catching her fearful expression. But in my eyes, she was red, too. "Harris Elementary. Now."