Virus
Chapter Eight

Just then, the doorbell rang. After exiting the Vnet, I had spent some time shooting virtual energy blasts at virtual targets. Quickly dismissing the holographs, I ran to open the door. Lance and Kira entered the room, which caused to wonder whether I should tell them of my fate or not. Seeing the grim expressions on their faces, I decided to procrastinate. Maybe tomorrow…

“You might- scratch that- you will want to see this,” Lance pointed at the newspaper he carried. “More people have gone missing- a team of surgeons in a nearby surgical center.” He took a deep breath. “Also, they’re cleaning out my neighborhood. My parents aren’t believing me- of course the neighbors have some sort of vacation, funeral, wedding, whatever. But it’s not true. They’re looking for someone, Eva. And I’m scared that they’re going to take me as well.”

“Also, I’ve discovered something about the missing people,” Kira remarked. “Every single one of them had a surgery sometime before they disappeared, time until disappearance ranging from a couple of days prior to the incident to roughly half a year. Something tells me this isn’t a coincidence. Something is happening, Eva, and that something took your parents.”

Okay, time for the moment of truth. “I think that something might be after-”

Suddenly, there was a loud knock at the door. When we didn’t respond, it was kicked it with a ‘poof’ as it hit the carpet. A SWAT team entered the room. “They were some of the people who disappeared,” Kira breathed from her hiding spot- he had all scrambled away to some nook or cranny as the door was kicked in. “But the SWAT would never do this without a reason…” Suddenly, the SWAT began to speak, and I knew that all hopes of concealing my identity were lost.

“Come out, little robot. You have what I want… you have what I NEED… and no one, no one, withholds something from the Amalgamation. Prepare to DIE!” the SWAT team leveled their weapons around the room, and I knew that it was now or never. I altered my time perception to the maximum possible, and everything around me slowed to a crawl. I morphed the cannon, then let loose five short stun bursts- I had no intention of taking any lives unless it was an extreme case. I quickly morphed out and slowed time perception back to normal. Hopefully, my friends had only seen a strange blur, if they were looking at me at all. Peeking over the cabinet I had ducked behind, I schooled my face into a shocked expression as I took in the sight of the five bodies now lying on the welcome mat. Welcome home, I thought, not without a sense of dry humor.

Well handled, Eva, A.V.A spoke. I bet the others didn’t see anything that would lead to your cover being blown. You truly are an exceptional student.

Thank you, I replied, then began to ruminate about what I should do next.

“What. Happened. Seriously though I thought we were going to die or something and them there were these blue flashes of light and them just BLAM FLASH BANG PEW BOOM and now they’re unconscious.” Kira rambled.

Lance thought a little longer though. “What did little robot mean? What is the Amalgamation? OH! Maybe it was the so-called little robot that saved us- but why?”

Not wanting to be suspicious in my silence, I decided to contribute. “Maybe the bodies hold some answers… we could investigate.” My true nature could wait… but I also felt bad withholding something from my best friends. Eventually, honestly won out in this internal struggle, and I decided to spill the beans. “Wait, guys! About the little robot, and what I meant to tell you earlier…” I paused and sucked in a large mouthful of air. “The truth is, I am the little robot. Watch.” And I took the kitchen knife and plunged it into my arm.

Lance tried to shove the knife out of the way before it reached me, but he was slow. The knife hit my skin and exposed the flexible wires that had been hidden out of sight for long, too long. “Eva wait what are you don’t OH MY GOD WHAT JUST HAPPENED EVA WHAT. JUST WHAT.” Kira yelled.

“Don’t look at me… I had no idea until A PACK OF CRAZY DOCTORS TRIED TO KILL ME THIS MORNING AND STUCK LARGE KNIVES INTO MY BODY OK?” I exploded. “Sorry.” I amended, putting the knife back into its holder. “It’s been a rough week.”

“Well, that’s one heck of an understatement,” Lance remarked. He was obviously trying to play it cool, but it wasn’t working- I knew him well enough to know that deep down he was even more scared than I was, and I was scared a lot.

“So. Crash course. Chop.” Kira snapped. “You have some explaining to do. First- what surgery- and second WHY ARE YOU A FREAKING ROBOT I’VE KNOWN YOU MOST OF MY LIFE AND YOU CHOSE TO INFORM US NOW?” This was not typical Kira, but she deserved an explanation. That is, after I yelled back at her.

“I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE SURGERY WAS EITHER MY PARENTS SCHEDULED IT BEFORE THEY DISAPPEARED AND AS FOR YOUR SECOND QUESTION I DIDN’T KNOW UNTIL TODAY OK??? HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO MAGICALLY KNOW ALL THE ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS JUST BECAUSE I JUST REALIZED I’M NOT COMPLETELY FLESH AND BLOOD IT ISN’T MY FAULT THAT I WAS BORN THIS WAY OK???” I screamed back. Tears were threatening to stream down my cheeks, and it took all my willpower to restrain them. Ha. #EvenAndroidsCanCry just took on a new meaning…

“Woah there, stop yelling at each other,” Lance warned. “Seriously, though. Stop.” WE both turned to glare at him. We might’ve been furious at each other, but deep down me and Kira both knew it was a misunderstanding, and the enemy of my enemy is my friend, after all.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING, TELLING US TO CALM DOWN! THE ONE TIME WE CAN ACTUALLY SCREAM, AND YOU TRY TO TELL US TO CALM DOWN ARE YOU SERIOUS NO!” we yelled back at Lance, snickering. We had blown our steam off and were friends again.

“Friends?” I offered Kira my hand.

“Friends.” She shook it. “But you still owe us an explanation.

And so, I recapped the events that had happened over the course of the day, ending with an abbreviated version of the Vnet. “So… There’s another personality in your head, you’re a synthetic, and you now know how to wield a sword? Cool You know, totally no reason to be worried about, right?” He laughed bitterly. “You know, had I not seen the knife-arm thing I would have you go to the hospital for schizophrenia and extreme hallucination. And yet, here we are.”

“Anyways, although you can fake post-surgery illness, and I would love to stay, I have homework, so see you tomorrow!” Kira remembered. The three of us chatted for a while, but eventually departed to our various homes. However, half an hour later, Lance reappeared. He was breathing hard, obviously having had run the entire way to my house.

“I’ve… alerted Kira… as well… my parents… are planning a trip… had an orthodontist appointment… fortunately soccer game saved… me… they’re weird… now… too.” Lance panted, taking in large gulps. “Kira… should be coming any moment now.”

Just then, Kira joined us. She was closer to my house, and therefore had walked the distance and was not as winded as Lance. “So… why are we here again? I have homework, you know.” Lance and Kira both acted causal around me, but if I augmented my hearing I would hear that their heartbeats were faster than normal, regardless of what had happened this afternoon. Still, it was nice to at least have a hint of a normal life, when really there was none. So, I gratefully accepted the chance to pretend.

“Lance’s parents have scheduled a… vacation. After having an orthodontist appointment.” I replied. “Since people have been vanishing around the street, they seem to have been next. But why?”

Kira sighed. “Isn’t it obvious? They want to get at you. Up until now, they didn’t know where you live, and therefore couldn’t send a SWAT team to take you down, because if they guessed wrong the organization would be uncovered. Therefore, they’ve pinpointed the location of Lance, in hopes that if they take him, they either get a valuable sleeper agent or destabilize you, leading to a higher chance that you’d make a mistake and reveal your location.”

“Wow, that’s deep,” Lance spoke, not without a smidge of sarcasm. “Can we get back to saving my parents now?” We all agreed, and plans were made to meet over at his house with the cover being that we were studying for the upcoming social studies test. However, as we walked over to Lance’s house, it was mysteriously dark. Kira knocked, but no one answered. The door was unlocked, so the three of us crept inside, feeling like strangers- this was not the house I had known over the years of us being a trio. “They’re gone…” Lance breathed. “The Amalgamation took them.”

“We don’t have any proof,” Kira condoled him. “They could be out to a friend’s birthday, or something similar.”

Lance’s voice was ragged as he responded. He looked like he was on the verge of crying. “Then what is that?” Someone had taken a spray paint can, and, right over a picture of Lance’s cat, Theodore, was written the phrase- There is more than one way to win… I always exact me revenge, Eva. Always.

“The Amalgamation was here,” I stated. Someone had to get the fact out.

But why? A.V.A asked, shocking me. It had been awhile since we had last spoken, and therefore I had almost forgotten about her existence. Amalgamation must have his motives. Oh, and, in your right calf you will replace three communication devices. Give two of them to your friends and they will be able to hear my voice, if I wish so, as clearly as you are right now.

I retreated into a dark corner- Kira and Lance were still staring at the wall. I may have accepted that I was not human, but I wasn’t ready to be proud of it. I pressed on my left calf, and it hissed open. Quickly grabbing two of the devices that was stored there, I pressed it shut and the seam disappeared. “A.V.A- I told you about her- wants me to give you these. This will allow here to communicate with you without me having to translate.” The devices were shaped like bracelets, and although they visibly hesitated, in the end both Kira and Lance opted to put them on.

Hello, testing, A.V.A’s voice resounded in my head. I saw Kira’s eyes open in shock, and I guessed that it had worked. Now, let me help you in your search. Judging by the handwriting, and cross-referencing with known information about the disappeared, the culprit was Eric Rogers, a 17-year-old human male.

Wait, you have Internet access? I asked A.V.A. I had figured out how to speak with individual members of our unofficial team, to avoid pestering everyone with an onslaught of questions. Then, I had another idea. Maybe, we could use the devices to communicate silently, telepathically. This had the potential to be a lot of help, and I didn’t want to miss such an opportunity. Lance, Kira, do you hear me? I thought.

Yes, why not? Lance thought back. Success. Wait what how am I doing this? Apparently, it was possible to mind-communicate simply by wearing the device.

Loud and clear, came Kira’s reply. The option to speak this way will come in handy. But for now- “- I will resume using conventional speaking methods.”

“What does ‘will come in handy’ mean?” Lance inquired.

“Well, to track down and defeat the Amalgamation, of course. My parents have been planning a trip to Europe-” she glanced at our nervous expressions, “- for years to be soon. I am to stay with Eva. Our parents were talking it over, and they still do not know that Eva’s parents are missing. Therefore, I shall join you two, three including A.V.A. I am sure we will be able to replace a way to restore everything in a month.”

Your parents are leaving you for an entire month! A.V.A exclaimed. I am sorry if this offends you, or seems too personal, but that does not seem like proper parenting.

“That’s because it isn’t,” Kira stated, not without a look of grief. “My parents are great, but they simply don’t care as much as others. However, I’ve been living with this for a long time- this isn’t something new. Anyways, I will be joining you.”

“Well,” I responded, “welcome to our unofficial team.”