The Caste - On Hold, major edits and title change.

Chapter Four

Corvus made it back to the slums five minutes before curfew, as announced by the female Compubot on the large live screens that graced the brick walls of the old buildings in the slums. The trip home was an unnerving journey; the Enforcers followed him as he walked to his slum area. He could feel the eyes of the Elite that had watched him at the dock burning a hole into his back as they walked.

As Corvus opened the wire gate to go into his area of the slums, the Elite Enforcer grabbed his arm by the elbow. "In a hurry are you, boy?" The Elite smiled.

"A little bit, sir. I have five minutes until curfew," Corvus said, trying to twist his arm away from the Enforcer's grasp.

The Elite smirked at him, his fingers dug harder into Corvus' arm. The coldness of the Elite's fingers grated down into the bone of Corvus' arm, and he realized the Elite's hands were metal. Corvus shifted his arm towards the beam cascading down from the street light. The Enforcer's hand glinted in the brightness, and Corvus could see the telltale sign of cogs. This was not just an Elite Enforcer, it was a Chrombot.

They are doing it tonight... they are going to exterminate us all tonight.

"After you, boy." The Chrombot took his hand away from Corvus' arm, holding the gate open for him. He smirked at Corvus again, and Corvus realized he was caught in a trap.

"There he is!" Ardelia's familiar voice broke the silence. She ran towards Corvus and the Chrombot with Camlin close behind her.

Corvus was never as glad to see Camlin as he was at that moment. Camlin was tall and muscular and had an intimidating air about him. Corvus had seen many Enforcers back down from Camlin in the past. Camlin made him feel safe.

As Camlin and Ardelia approached, the Chrombot turned his attention towards the two of them.

"Ardelia Sladek," The Chrombot said, running the encoder over her bracelet.

"That would be me. Didn't I fix you last week?" Ardelia smiled. She looked angelic in the glow of the street light. Ardelia was a vision of sweetness, with eyes the color of night, and a cherubic face. Her aqua and black ombre hair hung in curls around her shoulders, and victory rolls adorned the top of her head like a crown.

The Chrombot ignored her, grabbing Camlin's arm. "Camlin Barret."

"That is the name my sainted mother gave me upon my birth." Camlin pulled his arm away from the Chrombot.

"Your hair is the wrong color. It is supposed to be brown, not blue," The Chrombot told him, comparing his records with the man standing before him.

"I also shaved today and wiped my ass twice," Camlin scoffed. "I dyed my hair a mere two hours ago. That isn't against the law now, is it?"

"You failed to report the change."

"Well, I am reporting it to you now, moron. You do have the ability to update records, don't you? Or have the geniuses that programmed you forgotten to add that simple function." Camlin showed no fear in his defiance.

The Chrombot smirked as he updated Camlin's hair color into his profile. He looked back up at Camlin and Ardelia when he had finished. "You two can go, Corvus stays here."

"Why? He is here before curfew, and you scanned us," Ardelia protested. "You have no reason to hold him."

"It's not up to you, Ardelia Sladek. Run along," The Chrombot ordered.

"Really now, bud? I upgraded you last week, remember? I know what you look like with your shell off..." Ardelia said.

"You will address me as Elite Enforcer #175. Yes, you did upgrade me last week, but we are not buds. That word, 'buds', does not compute in my data bank as logical in the context you are using it. I am certain that word is not valid, as I am neither a rose nor any other flower. You and Camlin hurry along to your quarters."