Princess of AMBER

Chapter 13

"Just do the thing and don't ask me why." I gave back to her silly question. "Could you do it now?"

"Uhm... I need to see, what is inside of you, to know, what I can do."

      I gave her a warning look and took off my shirt to give her access to the panels on my back. Before I turned to her, I glared hard in to her eyes: "Just be careful. One slip of your fingers or any suspicious movement from you, and you will regret to ever been born! Understand?"

     She nodded couple of times, her eyes filled with a slight fright. Her reaction to my threat this time was different, it appeared that she considered her further actions without her usual cocky attitude. Seemed like she really believed, what I said I would do this time.

"Uhmm.... OK. ..... You look different than before. What happened, while you were gone?" Natalie asked quietly.

"Nothing happened! And what makes you think I am different? I am clearly the same as I was before."

"Y.... you look so serious now. Like you have lost all your ability to show your emotions. I know you are angry about something. Are you sure that nothing happened? Maybe I could run a checkup through your system?"

"Shut up and do the thing I asked you to!"

     She was right. I was still mad. Not about my separation from Kyra anymore, but rather at the whole world itself. All emotions were still in me, I felt them clear as a day, but it felt that something broke in me after a conversation with William. Maybe something happened with my emotion reflecting programs. I don't know. I still kind of feel the same way as before, though.

     I felt a sting of pain going through my body, as a panel on my back opened. Something warm made it's way down my bare back. Every time it was opened, it felt worse, than before. I have to get rid of that switch system. That is my most vulnerable part in me. If it can be removed now, than nothing as simple as that, will threaten my existence.

"Oh... my god!" I heard Natalie let out a shaky breath. "Oh... my. The skin have been starting to overgrow the edges of the panel along with a blood vessels in it. ... I will go to get something to clean this mess. Just wait a minute."

     I heard her leaving the couch in to her laboratory. Blood... I totally forgot about that new aspect in me. I could not see, but I felt, my whole back was covered in it, a stinging pain accompanying it. It was bearable, but annoying side effect of having living cells of human kind in me. An unbearable thought crossed my mind. Would I be able to live without the side effects that SEB virus gave me or it would affect my life, if something goes wrong with it? I understand that I am still a robot and technically I would be able to do it, but.... I know that for humans blood is the most important life support aspect as well as their brains, but for me? I wonder.... Maybe Natalie would have some knowledge of it?

      She came back with a piece of medical cloth in her hands. Starting to wipe my back clean, I felt a stronger stinging sensation. The newly formed muscle tissue twitch under my skin by the contact.

"Ssshhh.... I just need to disinfect the teared up skin." Natalie attended my wounds with gentle strokes. " Uhmm... Luckily the controls are in separate compartment, it is not affected by the virus yet. It will be quite easy to remove it. A different matter, if the blood and muscle tissue would have intertwined the inside of control system as well." She talked more to herself than me.

****

     After few hours of work, Natalie lied her tools back in to her toolbox. She have also removed the sensory button on my lower neck, which used to open the panel itself. My back was sealed off to never be opened again. Soon the skin will grow over the edges and I will not be reminded of my greatest weakness.

"Bryce? There is something else I want to talk to you about."

"What is it?"

"It concerns a living tissue in your body. I will need to observe you, before I can make clear assumptions, but your body might need something to sustain the living part of you. I mean, some kind of food. For us - humans, our bodies need a constant delivery of nutrients to keep it functioning. Luckily you have got a most important asset for the transporting them. Blood. I see it already have acquired the function to transport the oxygen for other parts of your newly formed body - muscles. But I am confident of the fact that soon you will need something more to keep them alive. I see that a virus is steadily progressing. You will not be able to live just as a robot only. You will have to learn how to live as a human being."

"And what do you suggest?"

"Like I said, I will keep an eye on you and if my theory is true, than we will try to deliver some nutrition through your blood and will see, how it will affect you farther down the line."

"OK. I am fine with it. Right now I need some rest." I scooted to the edge of the couch and motioned Natalie to give me some space. She stood up and left me to sleep. I closed my eyes, hearing her collect all her equipment and leaving me alone, as she disappeared in to her laboratory.

****

     This time we walked through different tunnels. Though, everything seemed the same, the scenery, the sounds. Our new target was MELAXO. Natalie told me, that this company is focusing on military robots. They are heavier built, more agile and smarter in some aspects. Most of them go to police work, or to some security providing companies. She pointed out, that they are smaller built than me and I should not be worried about meeting one of them. She was confident in her assumption, that I would have an upper hand. Another aspect of the company is their employees - they all are humans. And no activated robots roam the premises. This might be easier than being in CyRo.

     We reached a much brighter tunnel, with line of lights illuminating the top part. Under our feet was a railing system. I assume we were nearly at the surface.

"How do you know about every possible way to get in?" I was puzzled of this fact. She was smart, but there was no way she could remember every part of the building's maps and layout of passageways.

"I have been working in these companies myself at the time. I know every part and corner in their factories. These are the biggest robot manufacturers in this city and the most hated by me. I just want them to see and feel the same, of what I felt those years ago. Their dreams being crushed and destroyed by somebody else."

"So you are going after specific companies right now?"

"Yeah. Every one involved in my ideas rejection will suffer the same fate."