Glitch (boyxboy/android)

Chapter 34: Cruel

"Call your dad!"

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"What have you done?" Leo cries as he crashes to his knees next to Cameron. Cameron is twitching erratically, with sparks shooting from the charging port. Leo grabs hold of the silver baton and pulls it out, it clatters onto the ground with Cameron now rolling on his back.

It's now that Enzo, Harley and the rest of the group rush over to the scene, all in shock at the tragedy they were witnessing. Anna just stands watching, a smile plastered across her face in satisfaction. "You know how it feels now Leo. You know how it feels to have all you ever wanted, taken away from you." She laughs at her own sadistic words.

"You...you evil bitch!" Leo shouts at her, now cradling Cameron in his arms, the words rolling off her like water, unaffected.

"Anna!" Everyone looks to see Hope and Chloè, trying to restrain their friend and pull her away from the scene. "I'm sorry." Hope says, looking at Harley before acknowledging everyone else. 

"Get off me Hope!" Anna protests, but Hope persists, managing to drag Anna into a blue car along with Chloè, before driving off. 

There is now a small crowd of onlookers forming around the scene. 

Jojo now kneels down next to Cameron, "What happened?" He asks hurriedly. 

"That baton, that stupid baton, she's damaged the port." Leo cries, now rocking Cameron in his arms as his jerks and twitches become less and less. "Please, please stay with me." He holds Cameron close now, tears falling into the synthetic hair.

Leo looks over to Jojo. "Can you do something? Can you fix this?" 

Jojo looks panicked, he gazes upon Cameron trying to find the right words to say, but knows deep down there is nothing he can do to fix this. "The port is damaged, even if I tried to create a new download it wouldn't accept it...I'm sorry."

"No...no, there must be something." Leo shakes his head refusing to believe it. He pulls Cameron around to make eye contact. "Please, Cameron, it's Leo, I'm here...please come back to me."

But then the shaking, the jerking stops and Cameron becomes still. The air becomes tense, painful as everyone knows what has happened, but is too afraid to admit it. "Cameron?...C...Cameron, wake up...wake up WAKE UP!" Leo begins to shake Cameron in a panic, but there is nothing. 

"Leo?" Harley says a little warily, but Leo doesn't acknowledge the call. 

"Cameron, you can wake up. Just wake up please!" Leo is falling apart, tears streaming down his cheeks. 

Harley now squats down to Leo's level. "Leo, I think he's gone." He rests an hand on Leo's shoulder. 

"No, no, he can come back, remember, he's a computer, he can be repaired." Leo says, the hope in his voice too painful to hear.

"No Leo, I'm sorry...like Jojo said, he's damaged, beyond repair." Harley says, his voice shaking as he says the words. 

Leo looks at a lifeless Cameron in his embrace. He slowly lets him fall to the ground...he is gone.

"Call your dad." Harley says, looking up at Enzo. 

"But he's at work." Enzo says a little anxiously. 

"This is important. He needs to come here, if you explain a little, I'm sure he will come." Harley insists.

Enzo nervously pulls his phone from his pocket and calls their father where he works as a chef.

After a few moments, Enzo is able to speak to his father . "Dad, Leo...he needs you....no dad I can't really explain it, please...we're at the community hall, just come, please." Enzo ends the call and there is silence once again.

Around 15 minutes of quiet, awkwardness and gentle sobs pass by before the faint sound of a car can be heard approaching in the distance. 
"It's dad." Enzo declares as the estate car pulls up near the group. 

Their dad is seen exiting the vehicle and hurrying around to where Leo was still knelt on the floor, next to Cameron. He squats down next to his son, placing his arms around his shoulders and pulls him in for a hug. Leo begins to cry uncontrollably on his father's shoulder. "Shhh, I got you." He says in a soothing tone.

He looks up at the group surrounding them. "What happened?" 

"The...the tutor, Cameron...he...he had an illegal download but it made him better dad!" Enzo can't seem to get his words in order. 

"Dad." Leo now pulls away slightly from his father. "Cameron was real, his soul was real and I loved him and now Anna..." he cannot finish his words as he once again becomes too emotional.

His father looks at Cameron motionless on the ground. Unsure of what he is hearing and what to do about it, but then it becomes clear. Leo needs him right now and he will do all he can to help. "Look at me Leo." He says in a soft tone, with Leo raising his head a little to meet his dad's gaze. "Help me take Cameron home." Leo nods and wipes his eyes, slowly getting to his feet.

"I can take it from here,'' he gestures, wanting to relieve the friends of their duties. 

"I'm gonna go with dad, but I'll call you ok?" Enzo says to Jojo, who nods back, slightly waving. 

Cameron is laid carefully in the back seat of the car, his head resting on Leo's lap. With Leo combing through Cameron's hair lovingly. 

Their father turns to Enzo and sits in the front seat next to him. "So the tutor was real?" He questions, making sure he heard right. 

"Not at first, but something happened and now this..."

Their father looks at Leo in the rear view mirror, looking so fondly at Cameron's face. Then he looks back at Enzo in confusion. "Wasn't Leo supposed to be at the prom?" 

"He was, but there was an audition, Cameron said that mum made him miss it, but Cameron made sure he went regardless." Enzo looks at his dad, he can see the knuckles of his fist whitening.

"Ok..." he says under a breath. "I think it's time we spoke to your mother."