Human Code

22 || T W E N T Y - T W O

"I never aimed for perfection. I aimed for acceptance. A simple, 'hey, you're one of us, too.'"

*

My father had always been my voice of reason. Growing up, I knew I ran to him for everything. Even after my recreation, I'd talk to him when my head was in a bind. And if I ever needed advice, a simple go ahead, it was now.

"Javier, where are you?" he asked, his voice muffled on his end of the phone.

I couldn't hide my smile as I stood. Grabbing Wendy's hand, I pulled her up to stand with me. Her green eyes locked onto mine as I led her back down the hall to Mary. I couldn't let her hear what I needed to say to our father.

"Javier, please tell me you're okay."

My hand ruffled the top of Wendy's head before I looked at Mary. The tears in her eyes had changed. They weren't filled with guilt, but worry. And not for herself, but for me. Each of her emotions was picked up by my computers. I touched her face, stroking her cheek with my thumb.

Don't, she mouthed.

My smile weakened.

"And your sister? Wendy? Is she with you? Mijo, are the two of you okay?"

My forehead pressed against Mary's as my dad continued to panic. I could hear it in his tone, the love shifting from relief to fear. My call wasn't meant to terrify him. I wanted to talk to him one more time. "We're okay," I whispered as I glanced down at Wendy, placing my hand on her shoulder to keep her close between Mary and me. "Wendy's okay, we're with Mary and Will. You remember him?"

My father stuttered for a moment as though he tried to remember. "I do... the boy from the grocery store."

"Right." A sigh slipped past my lips. "They're here. We're here. We're okay. And you, dad? Are you okay?"

There was a nervous laugh, mainly filled with relief. I could hear it in my father's tone. "I'm okay, mijo," he said. "I found your mother, too. She's okay... she never made it to her conference this morning and found shelter nearby."

I took in his relief and rolled with it. The corners of my lips lifted into a small smile.
"Good, that's good to hear," I said. And then my smile faded. "Dad... I need you to do something for me."

"Mijo..." The word left him in one breath. Lifting my head, I listened to him mutter to himself. Keeping my gaze focused on Mary's calmed the pressure on my chest. I knew my sensors would work like mad if I didn't. "What is it? Are they there? The police. Did they get you?"

I took a step back, separating myself from the two people who held my heart the closest. "No, Dad," I dropped my voice down to a whisper. "They tried, but we got away."

"They tried!" My father's shock rang in my ears as I turned and made sure Wendy couldn't hear me. Just one glance back, seeing her looking up at Mary, proved she couldn't. I whispered her name to be sure. But that scared my father even more. "Javier! What did they do to you?"

"Dad..."

"Once this passes, mijo, I swear we'll take care of it, okay? They need to know they can't treat you like that. They can't."

I stared down the empty hall. I could feel the static coming in through the walls and ceiling. I knew Rory was close by, but where? And when I found him, what would happen to the droids outside? My mind took the minute to race.

"Your mother and I... we were wrong. We should've let you stay home with Wendy. You both would've been safe. This... these fights outside, the androids... Mijo, when I get to you, I swear to you we will never treat you differently. Never again."