Thirium 310

Chapter 2

October 7, 2038
2:13 am

Jericho's decreasing in size. Too many who make it shut down. They're too damaged. It's hard to steal from Cyberlife stores. They're so heavily monitored all the time. Don't even get me started on the warehouse. Security lurks in every corner.

I look into my bag hanging across my body, making sure that I still have the thirium I just stole. I steal as often as I can, it's hard but manageable. I can't get caught. I can't have my face out there in the world for detectives to look for. The thirium thief. These things are worth a fortune, plus they're manufactured from CyberLife, the largest company in the world. I'd be up there in their priority list for sure.

And once they find out I'm an android, a missing android. . .I'm a goner for sure. So I have to be careful, all the darn time.

I didn't get a chance to steal any parts. I was too close of being caught. I got the blue blood from the back of the store, but a security alarmed was triggered. I don't know by what, it wasn't me, but I had to get out of there before they started checking the entire store. It's protocol.

I decide to take a trip down memory lane, down to the street where it all started. As I walk up the suburban street, I wonder if the Amber's are still even living in that house. I don't think I could live in a place where such a horrible situation happened. I doubt they're still there.

I was right. I stopped on the sidewalk in front of their house and look in through the windows. It's dark inside. The house looks like it hasn't been maintained in quite some time. Makes sense, who would want to live in a house where two murders took place? But still, I wonder how Charlie and Clara are, or where they are. I just hope they're making it all right.

I leave the area and take a walk through the city, some time to think, to come up with a plan to help our people. And I think about the Amber's, and how most humans can be so cruel. So evil.

It's kind of good they weren't in the house. If they saw me, they might have recognized me and I need to keep a low profile. CyberLife is sure to still be on the lookout for me.

As I walk through a broken down neighbourhood, a door opens a few houses away. A female walks out, with shorts and an off the shoulder top on. Then she turns her head to look around and I see it. An LED on the right side of her head, she's an android. I scan her. A WR400 model. A Traci from the Eden Club.

When she sees me, she widens her eyes and starts speed walking down the street. She's not a machine, she's alive. I run up to her and put my hand on her shoulder, starling her. She grabs my arm and flips me over, landing on my back in the process.

"Take it easy," I say as I get up. She seems surprised that I wasn't hurt in the process. She thought I was human. Good. Even androids can't seem to tell the difference. As I stand and face her, she takes a look at me and stares at the pendant hanging off my neck.
"You-you're. . ." she trails off.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you."
"I know. You're that android they talk about. Celeste right?"
"Now they know my name?" I didn't want that to happen. If the human find out about me, they have a name, and it's a unique one too. I should have changed it.

"They speak about you a lot. I just didn't know if you were real," she says.
"Well here I am, in the flesh. Uh. . .sort of." She's not amused at my android joke, tough crowd. "So what's your name?" I ask her.
"North. I'm heading to Jericho, want to show me the way?" she asks, bitterly. I laugh and she sneers.
"You're all sunshine and rainbows, aren't you?"
She scowls at me. "I can get there on my own." I stop her from moving.
"Oh you probably can, but do you know where it is?" I ask, crossing my arms.
"No, but I can figure it out. I can take care of myself."
"Didn't say you couldn't." I already like her. She's feisty and has an edge. She could definetly make it to Jericho with no problem.