Bionica: The War

The Girl Who Survived

Athalia Cylee was an expert at evading the robots. She wasn't exceptionally strong, but the thing that did her credit was her incredible brain. A photographic memory and strategic way of thinking served her well. She'd fought them off for at least a year now, ever since she moved to New York at age ten. Her body was entirely authentic, without any metal to show that she'd been caught even once. The robots weren't a major threat to her. In fact, she saw avoiding them as child's play. She'd even given them a nickname. Because of the engine-like sound that indicated their presence, she called them Motors.

It was just another day in run-down Brooklyn. The black mask over Athalia's nose and mouth kept her from getting radiation sickness as she walked through the streets up to a shop window. She hit a buzzer and the metal radiation-proof door slid open and shut right behind her.

The unkempt man behind the counter looked at her and smiled a toothless grin. "Ah, if it ain't young Miss Cylee," he said. His voice wasn't quite raspy, but it possessed an eerie quality. His right eye was brown, his left blue. Both had a mischievous light in them. He stood over a display case of all kinds of breads. "And what can I give ya t'day?"

Athalia took off her mask and folded her arms over the display case, letting her chin rest on top of them. "That depends," she said. "What can I tell you today?"

The man thought a little bit. "What's the deal with Cassius Tronyx's opposers?"

"Them?" Athalia thought out loud. She thought everyone knew of them. "They're growing stronger. They've got a conspiracy theory that says Icharus Steele designed the exoskeletons specifically to create the Motors."

"Motors?" asked the man, his left eyebrow raised. The exposed blue contrasted with his dirty face, making him seem even creepier.

"Well, that's what I call them," said Athalia. "The robots. Anyway, the other side says it was just a malfunction. But that doesn't explain why there are more and more of them running around on the streets."

The man leaned forward, his pale skin white as snow against Athalia's almond hues. "Who's t'say that Steele ain't buildin' 'em himself?"

"To create a fully functional automaton would take more time than it's been since the first of them appeared."

"But they have them assembly lines, hmm? Don't they?"

"Workers are scared to death. None of them will come out and put anything together."

The old man backed off. "Good, good," he said, sliding open the display case. "Here," he said as he handed Athalia a warm loaf. "I think y've earned this for yer trouble."

Athalia nodded and took the bread. "Thank you, sir," she said, though it was odd calling someone like that sir. As she headed out the old man put his hand on her shoulder.

"One more thing," he said. Athalia turned around. "I hear tell they know who ya are. They know where ya live. They'll be comin' for ya soon 'nuff. Y'may wanna think about that."

Athalia nodded at the man as he opened the metal door for her.

_______

That night Athalia waited up until midnight and put on her darkest clothes. She'd decided that she had to get out of Brooklyn, and she had to do it quickly. She packed all her things, which didn't amount to much, into a blanket and tied it to an old broom handle. It would serve as a weapon if she were to be caught. She'd get out through the west side of the borough, then make her way to New Jersey or someplace like that.

So she started. Hopping up on a trash can, she grabbed an awning and hoisted herself onto its stretched-taut cloth surface. Her lightweight frame created no danger of falling through the fabric. She gained a grip on a windowsill and pulled herself onto it, then repeated the process until she was on the roof of the building. Staying low, she slunk across the rooftops until she heard a metallic voice.

"I have detected a heat signal coming from the rooftop."

A Motor.

Athalia moved as fast as her legs would carry her. The voices grew further and further away, but she could still hear them. "Are you certain?" said a second voice.

"Affirmative," said the first.

"Initiate tracing programs," the second said. "Find the life form."

By now Athalia was rocketing across the rooftops faster than she knew she could. She refused to have her record broken by getting caught. So she abandoned the plan and ran without looking where she was going. Soon enough she came to a river. She quickly descended from the roofs and started to swim as hard as she could, not giving herself time to get tired. When she got across she simply continued running.

Finally she stopped behind a building overlooking the river. She could see the lights from the Motors' eyes on the other bank. When they turned around and headed back, she realized she'd been holding her breath. She let it out and turned around to find guns at her chest.

"Who are you?" said a male voice. Athalia was silent. What if they worked for the government? The man nodded as Athalia felt a blow across the back of her head. A ringing started in her ears.

And she saw nothing.