D.O.L.L. (BoyXBoy)

Chapter Eight

Alicia looks at me and then Xavier. "729BDK852? Prototype 1? Him?" she asks in disbelief, pointing at Xavier.

I nod. "Yep."

She sighs and scratches her head. "To think the Prototype BDK1 is like that..."

"What? You know Xavier?" I ask.

Alicia frowns. "Yeah, he's famous." Then she laughs. "You named his Xavier? Normally, his name would be BDK but... you renamed him?"

I shake my head. "It was his choice. I didn't think of it, so he asked and I let him."

She shakes her head, smiling. "So, what can I do for you?"

"Can you find out what his shutting down code is?" I ask.

She frowns. "You want to shut him down? Why?"

"My dad wants me to," I say, shrugging.

She puts her hands on her hips. "N. O.! I am not killing a D.O.L.L. that hasn't even been alive for a day yet!"

"We're not killing him!" I protest. "We're just--"

"Just what? Shutting him down? D.O.L.L.s are like humans too! They go through temporary death when they charge, just like us when we sleep! You have no idea what it's like to have your life depend on a password! you have no idea what's it like to have a master! You don't know what it feels like to be abandoned or switched from owner to owner! You don't know what it's like to not be human!" Alicia stops, breathing hard. She had been waving her arms around madly.

Xavier appears behind me. "Rowan, is something wrong?" he asks. He holds onto my arm, looking much smaller than before.

Why?

I suddenly feel like hugging him.

Alicia sighs. "I'm sorry, Rowan. I'm really sorry. I guess it's because I haven't been asked to shut down a D.O.L.L. or a robot in so long. Not since they were first invented."

So that's why you became a robot specialist.

Xavier frowns. "My old master too me that robots were first fixed completely at least 20 years ago. Wouldn't you be 3?"

"Xavier, she's a genius. Even at--" I stop and frown. "How do you know how old Alicia is?" I ask.

"Rowan, my eyes can do a slight information san on whoever I look at," he explains.

"So that's why you knew my name already," I realize.

"Exactly."

Alicia stares at Xavier. "You address Rowan as Rowan and not Master?" she asks in disbelief. "You're ble to do that?"

He frowns, confused, and nods. "I've always been able to. I think. Probably. Maybe." Xavier looks distant.

"Amnesia?" Ali asks.

"I suppose. I don't remember."

Ali holds out her hand. "Rowan, let me see his programs. It would be awesome if he has amnesia. I mean, a robot having amnesia? C'mon."

Xavier clutches onto my arm. "Rowan, I-I don't want to be shut down. O-Or reset. Not again. Not anymore."

I hold him hesitantly an gently. "Y-You're going to be fine, Xavier," I say. "She's nice. She won't reset you."

He was silent for a moment and then he says, "Rowan, did you know you have garlic breath?"

I jerk away. I forgot this was a snarky robot.

"But I think I can trust you this time."