Princess of AMBER

Chapter 20

       The front of the police station was busy. Groups of people were gathered, making a scene in front of the double sliding glass doors. It was nighttime and all the present policemen were robot ones, but now they carried guns with them.  I could clearly see, that people were not in friendly mood and the armed policemen gave them a little thought of backing off and reconsidering their actions. They were not criminals, just regular citizens, but very angry ones.

     The person I was looking for was not there and I felt little bit disappointed. I wanted to see him. Just a little glance would be OK for me. Maybe he was somewhere inside, but the horde of people denied the view. I was hiding myself behind a corner of a building nearby. I was safe.

       At the moment I decided to leave the scene. A couple of gunshots came from a police quarters and screams of people erupted from a crowd.  My head turned back and I saw humans backing off. A gun pointed up in the air between them. As the more people cleared the way, I noticed a policeman standing in the middle. Black clothing covered his body. His whole appearance was different from others. Confident, little bit arrogant, his stance steady and firm. It was him - Sergeant Cole. I recognize his face. He makes everybody shut their mouths. He says something and puts his gun back in his belt.

      Cole eyes the surroundings and then our eyes lock. He stares at me for the minute, but then takes his attention back to people surrounding him. It was strange. I am sure he recognized me, by the way he looked at me, but did nothing to come to get me. I will not provoke the fate any longer. I leave my spot and decide to head back to the hideout.

      Its been few days, since I stepped my foot in underground system. The darkness cloaked me, as I navigated the path that lead to Natalie.

     I opened the door of her living space. She was not there. After a couple of seconds Natalie barged in, coming from her laboratory, almost knocking herself out from the collision with me.

"Where the hell have you been?" Natalie scolded me breathless.

"Nowhere in particular. Just wandering around the city."

"You are insane, right? You have no understanding, of how dangerous the situation is out there?"

"I did not see anything out of place." I said nonchalantly.

"Have you been living under a rock? You have been out there for couple of days and don't know nothing about the situation in Amber?" She tried to calm herself. "Our little missions were a success. Both CyRo and MELAXO are closed. They discovered the infection yesterday. So there is little or almost no company in Amber that provide 'healthy' robots. I will not deny, that I am happy about that. Everything worked out well. BUT now people are going insane. They are ready to kill anybody, who poses a threat to them. Human, robot, everyone. The only ones they trust at the moment are police forces. And especially for you, it is extremely dangerous to be strolling around. If they find you, they will dismember you on a spot. Be happy that they don't have their hands on weaponry, yet. Only ones that are allowed to carry ones are policemen and some other security companies. Mostly robots. They have enough brain capacity to not use their guns on humans. They are not infected. As long as people don't have access to them, everybody is relatively safe."

I dismissed her long talk. I did not care at this moment about any ordinary human beings comfort.

"Can you give me your 'spider' robot along with SEB virus?"

"What do you need them for? Our job is done. No need to complicate things any farther."

"I need it. There are some more you are not aware of. Just give me the virus!" I demanded harshly.

"No, Bryce! That is enough! I will not give you anything!"

"Than I will help myself."

    I pushed her roughly aside and walked in her laboratory. I had a slight clue, how the containers holding SEB virus looked like. I took few jars of it and a sleeping spider, which was placed on a table. Without a second glance I left her standing in her own room, shock filling her face. It appeared, she had no more words to say. After closing the door right in front of her face, I walked back through the dark tunnels to take a next step in to my plan.

****

     It was broad daylight. Police forces have managed to clear the constant crowds of misbehaving people in their main quarters. Few human  were attending their work, but my goal was set entirely on police robots, but most importantly on Sergeant Cole.

     I walked in the police station, as casually as possible, holding my head low. I still did not want to be spotted by the robots. I found one very naive looking young police worker and walked up to him.

"Uhm.. Could you tell me where is a nearest hotel? I am new to a town and I need a place where to spend my night."

     While he was explaining the location of nearest hotels, I dropped the balled up spider on the floor. It rolled down under the chairs. For a moment it is a perfect place. I did not hear anything, of what the boy said, as my hole focus was on accomplishing the task. I walked out and took the same hiding spot from last night. I have plenty of time. I will wait and watch what will happen.

      The tiny robot should activate itself after few minutes. I just don't know, what will be the reaction from robots inside that building.

      I see one android walk outside. There is a brief moment, when robot stops completely. Than he is back on his track. Did he got it? For a second, he looked to be completely switched off. Did it work? Did he get the virus? The uncertainty is killing me right now.

      A gunshot, than another one comes from the station. Few people run out the building terrified. As I can't take hold of my curiosity anymore, I decide to walk past the glass doors, to at least see something. I am complete moron at this moment, but I have to know.....

      As I pass by, the door opens and inside I see ..... Cole pointing his gun at the other robot. On his head my virus transporting machine is fixed his position strongly. Than in one leap, the spider leaps on to Cole. Crawls over him and stays for few seconds on the back of his head.

     As sensing my presence, the tiny robot releases him and runs out the station. I quickly walk in to the alley right on the corner. The robot have followed me. I pick him up and put him in my pocket. He cuddles back in to a ball. Luckily no one noticed where he went, but the most important thing was, that he got hold of Cole. Now.... just a waiting game....

   I am little bit surprised, that this tiny robot recognized me. I thought this will be the last time I will have him, but luckily, he was smart enough to escape the danger and return to me. Without his SEB infected mind, he would be gone, destroyed by one of the bullets in police station.