Astro boy the movie (the novel)

Chapter 18

Outside the Ministry of Science, a small group of reporters sat patiently in folding chairs, waiting for the press conference President Stone had promised. One of the president's aides walked up to the microphone in front of them.

"I'm sorry, guys," he apologized. "I'm getting word that President Stone may be slightly delayed."

Suddenly, Peacekeeper Stone smashed through the doorway. The reporters gasped in shock. Their president was a twenty-five-foot-tall monster!

Stone tapped the microphone. "Is this thing on?"

Terrified, the reporters screamed and ran, knocking over chairs in their panic.

"What? What are you doing? Come back!" Stone demanded.

He stomped after them. Everything he came into contact with was absorbed by his huge body-cars, buildings, billboards, telephone poles-it didn't matter how large. Stone grew bigger and bigger every minute.

Eight small aircrafts equipped with missile launchers zoomed down from the sky and advanced on Peacekeeper Stone. His eyes flashed.

"Let's rock and roll!"

Astro flew off, unaware that Peacekeeper Stone was attacking Metro City. He was happy to be alive. His only thought was to try to escape the president's soldiers.

As he soared past a cloud, he heard a familiar squawking up ahead. Mr. Squirt and Mr. Squeegee were lazily flying in front of him.

"This is the life, buddy," Mr. Squirt said to Mr. Squeegee. "Smooth sailing."

Astro zipped past them so fast, they began to somersault in the air.

"Whoa!" they cried.

"Sorry, guys," Astro said, circling back to meet them.

"Oh no!" said Mr. Squirt. "It's that crazy kid who tried to mug us."

"I didn't try to mug you and I'm not a kid," Astro said. "I'm a robot just like you guys. What are you doing all the way out here?"

"We got tired of the rat race," Mr. Squirt answered. "We dropped out."

"We're trying to live more natural, you know, like real birds," Mr. Squeegee added.

Boom! Boom! Boom! The sound of the explosions in Metro City reached them.

"What's that?" Astro asked.

"New Year's? The Playoffs? Mother's Day?" Mr. Squirt guessed. "You know what humans are like."

Astro focused his robot vision on the city. He could see the smoke and explosions. This was no celebration. Something was wrong-and he was sure President Stone had something to do with it.

"We've got to do something," he said.

"What? About the humans?" Mr. Squirt asked. "We're robots. It's not our problem."

"Yeah, forget about them," Mr. Squeegee agreed. "What did they ever do for us?"

Boom! Boom! Astro frowned as more explosions rocked Metro City.

"Sorry, guys," he told the robots. "I've got to go help."

Astro took off with such immense velocity and force that in seconds he looked just like a burning dot speeding back to Metro City.

"He's right," Mr. Squeegee said. "According to the rules of robotics, we gotta go help."

Astro quickly reached Metro City and tried to figure out what was going on. He flew past a digital billboard stating that the downtown area was closed off. He landed below the sign. Whatever the trouble was, it was probably close by.