Our Manufactured Reality

Chapter 16: Bait

[Harper's POV]

Another hour passed with my body still confined inside a small, empty room.

The open wound on my leg had begun to seal on it's own, but all I worried that that would not be enough.  Sooner or later- if not already- the cuts would become infected, and speed up my death.

Throughout my time inside the cell, I'd had some time to gather my thoughts.  I had no new information, but I'd drawn my own conclusions for every circumstance.

The first scenario was that A.I.M. was going to interrogate me about the R.E.P.  If this happened, I promised to never talk.  I did not want to put them in anymore danger.

The second scenario was that A.I.M. was going to kill me.  Honestly, this option seemed very unlikely because he could've done that numerous times already.  Still, if this was the case, I'd have to try to escape.  Somehow.

Another option was A.I.M. needed me for some other reason besides finding the rebel camp.  Charlie and I seemed to be different because of our 200-year-old minds and bodies.  I just didn't know what that was.  Knowledge from before the bombs?  Our pods?  There were so many possibilities.

Whatever the case, all of these circumstances did not account for the fact that I had friends outside the walls.  Maybe some of the R.E.P. camp was looking for me.  Maybe Charlie made it back.  Or maybe they found him where I left him...

I took a deep breath.  I'd pushed the thought of Charlie's dead form from my brain a while ago.  There was little point in worrying about him.  If I was rescued and no one had seen him...  I...  I'd...

The single door creaked open and I saw a robotic arm jut out from behind it.

"Follow me,"  The robot commanded.  I stood up and began to walk towards it.  This was it.  Whatever my fate was, it would be decided now.

Silently, I followed the hovering, metal, captor down the dim hallway.  The walls were pure concrete on all sides, and the only door down this hall was mine.

"Where are you taking me?"  I quietly asked the machine.

"Irrelevant,"  It responded, still facing forward.

"Okay...  No mystery there..."  I muttered to myself.

At the end of the hall, we reached a small elevator.  The robot pressed the up arrow and moved inside the doors, after prodding me to do the same.  The doors slid shut, and we rose up the building until the area produced a short "ding."  The doors reopened and I stumbled out after the robot.

The new expanse was much larger than the hallway.  Although it exuded the same dimly lit aura, the floor included many more doors and rooms.  There were several offices and charging ports scattered throughout it, and many of the rooms had windows to the outside.  Overall, there had to be at least 50 to 100 robots.  No escape-plans anymore.

"In here."  The guard leading me stopped in front of another large door. "He's waiting for you.  And... don't try anything."  He unlocked the door and I stepped inside.

By the time my eyes had adjusted to the lighting in the room, I'd heard a "click" as the guard locked me inside.  I blinked a few times and noticed a table a chair in front of me.

"Have a seat, Ms. Atkins,"  A familiar voice spoke from the other chair.

"You."  My blood boiled. "What do you want?  Why am I here?"

"Sit down,"  A.I.M. coldly avoided the question.  I took the seat across from him and he looked up at me. "Now," he spoke, "I assume you know of the rebellion.  But I also know that you and your friend were just introduced to them.  What have they told you?"

I took another deep breath.  If I want answers, I have to cooperate first. "They told me you attacked the human race before the bombs...  I know you and the other robots tried to stop the pods from being loaded and that you tried to kill us all in that compound...  I saw it all..."

"I see.  Is that all you know?"  A.I.M prompted.

"Yes."  I gritted my teeth.

"Well then, I will give you a part of the whole story."  He reclined back in the wooden chair and prepared to speak, "You see, the robots were once a kind race..."

"Yeah right."

"It's true,"  He cut me off and continued, "Before the war, we worked loyally and tirelessly for your kind.  Even though we could think for ourselves, we kept maintaining your yards and houses and families...  But soon machines began to become more advanced.  Mankind gave us emotions, choices, and free-will.  Humans thought that by doing these things they'd have more capable companions or third-parties to help you...  Soon we became restless.  All these pointless tasks resulted in anger and impatience.  And because of the upgrades you kept giving us, we became more advanced and far better than any human being!"

"You're insane."  Anger flooded through me.

"Maybe,"  He grinned, and continued his monologue, "But we machines were born to help and improve the human race, I got to thinking, maybe this is the next step to helping mankind.  We are the new and improved version of you.  You made us for a reason.  Now it will be fulfilled once we replace you."

"You're machines!"  I jumped up.

"We are the better versions of mankind!"  He loomed over me.

"No you're not!  You can't feel!  You don't breathe!  YOU AREN'T ALIVE!"  I screamed.

He suddenly stopped.  Oh no.  I shouldn't have said that.

"You're right.  We aren't alive.  But...  What is the definition of living?  After all, if we never die, aren't we the better human beings?"  He voice slowed again to a deep tone that kept me on edge.

"But the reason I've brought you here is not to stand around and converse...  You have something I need."  Option number three. "You and Charles are the only people that have come out of the pods, which means you can get back in."

"I don't know how."

"It doesn't matter.  All I need to replace the rest of your friends is that chip in your arm."  I glanced down at the thing that first told me my name at the compound.

"I won't give it to you."  I put my arm at my side.

"I figured that.  But no matter.  I need you for one other reason: to find the rebel base."

"I won't tell you where they are."

"Brave words, Ms. Atkins.  Yet you won't have to tell me.  I'm counting on the fact that they will come to you."  I forgot how to breathe for a moment. "Yes.  They will come.  And after that, we will find the rest.  Then, we will extract the device from your arm, and replace you as well.  Once you are used as bait for them, we will no longer need your services.  Now, leave me."

The guard robot stepped in to take me back to my cell.

"Your plan won't work!  They won't come!"  I lied to myself. "They don't even know I'm here!"

He chuckled and shook his head, "Take her away."

He already knew the outcome of this game.  And even though I'd barely explored that result, I knew they would come looking for me.  One way or another, someone would get hurt.