Left Handed

17

"What arm?" I asked. "This one?" And I lifted my good hand and flipped her off.

I regretted it instantly but didn't let it show. That was dumb. Here was someone with a little empathy and I was already busy making them my enemy. Great.

Sarah just smirked and shrugged. "I can help you," she said. "Get you out of this shit. But you're going to have to play nice."

Right. I have to play nice. Because that's what they did, taking me hostage in the dead of night. (Yeah, yeah, it was during the day, I know). I think I rather escape than play nice. It all came down to Frrrzbo, as usual.  I had to know what they knew.

"Alright," I said. "What do you want to know about my disability?"

"You blew a hole in that barn but when an expert looked at it, he couldn't determine what your gun was made of. So. My question is, where is the gun on your arm and how do you activate it?"

They didn't know about Bo. I relaxed. The arm was an afterthought to the power of Frzzzbo's computing capabilities. I was also certain he migrated to Earth internet the moment he got a chance which was probably the moment he got activated. So that little gun on my arm was the smallest of all the secrets.

"I don't know how I did that," I said and hung my head, doing my best to look dejected. "I don't have the arm since very long. I don't know what it can do."

She seemed to believe me. Sometimes it's better to say part truth than whole lie.

"Let's start at the beginning. Who gave you that arm? Discounting any weapons systems, it's the most advanced piece of robotics we've ever seen," she said.

"It all started with a car mulching my arm. I got the prosthetic arm at the hospital. I think my surgeon had Amazon Prime."

She slapped me. It was so fast, I couldn't even move my head.

"No more jokes," she warned.

"Please, I just want to call my mom," I said. I squeezed my eyes shut until a single tear rolled down my cheek. I knew she knew I was faking but I also saw that she rather I pretended to be sad than get mad.

She scratched the back of her head, then looked at the tinted window on her left.

"Give me a sec," she said and left the room.

I hoped this would work but it seemed pretty unlikely they would let me call someone after detaining me for a hole they can't explain. On the other hand, they could listen in to my conversation and use it to trip me up.

After some minutes the door opened and Sarah came back in. She placed a mobile phone in front of me and said, "Go ahead. One phone call. You don't tell her where you are. You don't tell her about anyone you saw here. You don't tell her about the two agents that detained you earlier. You do tell her that you're doing good. Do not make me drag her into this. We know exactly where she is right now."

I cheered internally but my face remained completely impassive. I took the phone and opened Reddit. I went to r/dankmemes on New. Under a Sad Harold meme I wrote, "Frrrzbo".

Then I called my mother. It rang three times. I moved the phone from one ear to the other. She better pick up. It rang another four times. I felt my ears burning. It rang another three times. Holy shi-

"Ortega," she answered, because I didn't know that. It's not like I called her private cellphone number. Parents.

There was a very short, almost inaudible beep, then, "Hey, Tracy. Let's get us the fuck out of here." Needless to say: Frrrzbo had intercepted the call. It worked.

"Hey mom," I said, casually. "I just wanted to let you know everything is okay. I made some new friends in Mahon and I'm hanging out with them."

"Nice acting. Listen. I've located the arm and I've located you. We're going to wait until it's nighttime, then I'll fly the arm to you. You wait. Don't do anything. Don't say anything. It's gonna be fine." He sounded serious. That made me a little scared.

"Okayyyy. Love you mom," I said and made a kissing sound.

"Ugh. Yuk," Bo said, then disconnected the line. Maybe it's alright after all.

I looked at the black screen of the phone for a few seconds. Then I placed it on the table and slid it over to the woman. I hid my stump under my good arm and buried my face in the crook of my elbow. Then I began to sob softly.

"Come with me," Sarah said. It looked like the reality of my age started to sink in with her.

I followed her out of the interrogation room, across the gangway to another door. Good. I was worried Bo wouldn't find me. A sailor opened the door and I went inside. It was a cell. Small, uncomfortable looking cot in the corner, a wash basin and a toilet. All squeezed into a tiny room.

"Someone will bring you some food. I'll talk to you tomorrow." The door locked after her.

As promised, someone brought food. I wasn't hungry at all so I left the tray in the corner of the cell. There was juice so I sipped on that. It was mango-looking orange juice.

Then I lay down on the cot and waited. I tried to sleep but a nervous knot formed in the pit of my stomach.

This was bullshit. I realized that I had to stop relying on Frzzzbo. There was only one way. Get big enough, rich enough, powerful enough so that I would become untouchable. Like Robin fucking Hood.

It's hard to keep track of time with no motion as a reference. I think I was in that cell for two or three hours but it could have been twenty minutes.

Then the shouting started.