Home is what we make it

Chapter 2

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Sumathi felt her world tilt and she woke up from restless sleep, the tiny head that was talking to the man that had chased her sounded panicked and that's when she noticed that the man was leaning forward heavily,

"What's happening?" Her voice came out raspy and laced with sleep but the tiny head seemed to have heard her,

"SU-M80! You have to pull the lever back! Bhairava can't do it!"

The use of her serial number made her snap to attention and she immediately pushed the man's hand away and pulled the lever with all her strength, the vehicle?ship? She wasn't sure, slowed down and she could see the ground coming up slowly to meet them, she turned her head towards the man only to see him unconscious, blood dripping from his lips.

The vehicle lands on the ground jerkily and she holds onto the seat in front of her, one of her arms curling protectively over the curve of her stomach. She moved her head to look at the tiny head to find it?her? also looking at her.

"Where are we?" The head's eyes narrow but it takes a glance at the man before it turns its attention back to her,

"From my calculations we've landed south of Shambala, days away from Kashi on foot"

They were days away from Shambala, maybe she could open the car and run, the man was unconscious but the tiny head wouldn't let her leave, she remembers how the vehicle had charged at Ashwatthama even without the man driving it, it seems like the head was one of those softwares that run the vehicles that they are own on their own.

"I...let's make a deal SU-M80" The head started hesitatingly,

"Sumathi"

"What?" The head turned sideways, like a human being cocks their head,

"My name is Sumathi"

Silence greets her sentence as the head stared at her without saying anything,

"My name is Bujji" the head said softly,

"Oh......Can I know what's the deal?" The head- Bujji stayed quiet for a bit longer as if debating her choices,

"I will let you out of the handcuffs and the chassis but you will have to administer first aid to Bhairava....please" Her voice got softer at the end and Sumathi felt truly surprised at the emotion in her voice, this was the first time she heard a robot's voice sound concerned.

"I....I could run away you know, I don't have to help" Bujji seemed almost defeated at her words,

"I know but I have no one else to help him. I can't reach into the chassis myself with my arms and.....we are very far from civilization and given your...condition..I don't think you'd fare very well on the outside"

Bujji's words were true, she would last a day before exhaustion or her thirst would take her, though given how often her child had saved her, she doesn't think that would be a problem but..

She takes a look at the man again and remembers how many hits he had taken from Ashwatthama, she is sure he must have broken something. She wasn't even sure how he was alive, Ashwatthama had killed people with less effort but somehow this man- Bhairava, her mind supplied-had survived it.

"And my chances of survival are higher with you guys? The second he'll heal, he will give me up to the complex, he might not even wait that long" Her voice turned bitter at the end, the fact that she has been hunted for the past month finally catching up to her.

" ...he won't" Bujji's offered hesitatingly,

"He won't??He whisked me away from Shambala for that very purpose! what makes you think that he won't?" Bujji seemed unfazed with her tone even as it grew sharp with barely contained anger,

"The change in your bounty will ensure it" Bujji's voice grew firmer, as if she gained confidence that wasn't present before,

"There was a change?"

"The conditions are now captured with force or maiming if necessary, death of bounty will result in death of the killer. The bounty is set for execution by the hand of the Supreme himself"

Bujji read off the bounty description calmly as Sumathi felt her heart seize in fear, she was set for execution by the hand of the Supreme. She remembered words that Raia had said, that Mariam had said, that the Supreme was a 200 year old demon who was waiting to kill the hope of humanity, her child.

Her hands curled protectively over her belly, seeking reassurance that her child was still with her.As if sensing her distress, her child kicked back and she felt her nerves settle. Bujji let out a gasp of surprise and Sumathi looked at her, wondering what that was about,

"I...I've only known from records that children in womb are active, I've just ... .never had the opportunity to see it in real life" Bujji offered her words like they were an olive branch, a very unlikely one though it was.

"They've always been very active" Sumathi offered back,

"Oh.."

Sumathi took a deep breath wondering if what she decided on was a good choice or not, she felt her baby kick her hand again and she smiled. It seems it might be the right choice according to them too.

"I accept the deal, how are we going to do this?"

"There is a fallen temple nearby with some of its arches intact, we should be able to use it"

" a temple? here?"

" Yes, this area used to be a holy place many decades ago, it was also used as a rebel stronghold for a couple of years before they abandoned it according to the reports" Bujji said, a little contemplatively,

"What's the name of the place?" Sumathi asked a little curiously,

"Badrinath"

Bujji said and Sumathi felt something snap into place like she was always supposed to come here.