Chapter Seventeen
The cyborg captain knew it was time. AD-214 had been living in the woods for too long, waiting idly for something to happen. It wasn’t comfortable for him to be still all the time, watching and waiting, listening to the reports from PD-4 without knowing what he could do about them.
A new snippet of news had come over the television that caught his attention. It wasn’t even much in the way of information. The stations were letting their audiences know when to listen to their broadcasts. It gave him a plan.
Amanda was scheduled to give a press conference in three days. There was no indication as to what the press conference was about, but anything involving Amanda was guaranteed to be important to him. The location was as interesting as the time of the news conference. It was going to take place in front of the military hospital where she was staying.
AD-214 was uncomfortable with the idea of her being in the hospital. He knew it meant she was still firmly under the control of Cyborg Sector, an organization he would never fully trust again. Considering all the information about her in the news, he was certain she was alive, but that didn’t mean she was doing well. He had noticed she didn’t have her customary brilliant glow about her during the interviews with the newswoman.
He had hoped the press conference would take place outside. It would still be well-guarded in an area with easy access to cyborg clones and other military officials, but if he made his way to the location, he would have a chance to see her in person, and perhaps find an opportunity to get her back.
AD-214 sat up in the cave, taking care not to bump his head on the low ceiling, and relieved PD-4. The young soldier yawned and gratefully took his turn to rest.
The stars shone brightly overhead in the night sky. The two cyborgs only dared to build campfires during the day, and the one they used to cook an early dinner had burned out long ago. There were no lights from the city here, and it was easy for the cyborg to pick out each star. He didn’t know their names, but looking up at them gave him a feeling of connection to something. He wasn’t sure to what he felt connected. It made him feel the same way he did when he thought about his memories. There was something bigger than himself in the universe.
He wanted to reach out and understand it. But he couldn’t do it on his own. He needed Amanda.
Opening up the shared compartment of the network, he began to summon the remainder of his troops. It was risky giving out his coordinates. Some from Cyborg Sector might know how to tap into their systems, but he had no choice. He needed the help of the other cyborgs in his unit.
He didn’t get a response until he mentioned Amanda by name. Signals began flashing in from all directions, giving their estimated times of arrival. Blue Squad had scattered far and wide in their flight from pursuing military forces, but they were swift on their feet. They wouldn’t be easy to spot traveling through the night. AD-214 hoped they would all make it safely to him.
It was less than thirty minutes before he heard a soft rustling in the brush. The captain charged his plasma gun. The squeal was piercingly loud in the quiet woods, but the noise served a purpose. If the newcomer were an enemy, they would understand he was armed. If it were one of his men returning, they would know they had found the right location.
“It’s me,” called a familiar voice from the bushes. “ND-45.”
“Come out.” AD-214 lowered his hand but didn’t release the charge from his weapon. He waited for the other cyborg to emerge.
The hard gray eyes of ND-45 glistened in the starlight. He was the cyborg who hadn’t wanted Amanda with them. He had accused her of betraying Blue Squad and would have killed the human if the captain hadn’t stopped him. AD-214 was surprised to see him show up so quickly.
“Are the others coming?” the weapons specialist asked.
“Yes,” the cyborg leader confirmed. “They should all arrive within twenty-four hours.”
The two soldiers stood silent, assessing each other. Eventually, AD-214 spoke up again. “Are you here to save Amanda? Or do you intend to convince the others that they should kill her?”
“I’m here to get her back,” ND-45 replied, chin up and proud. “I was wrong.”
“What changed your mind?” The captain thought about his words after he said them. They had come to his mouth readily enough, but they didn’t make sense. How did one change his mind? The information in his system could be analyzed and understood, but did not change. A soldier could not simply do as he wished. Then again, the soldier standing before him claimed he was suddenly analyzing the same information and getting a different result.
“She can fix us,” ND-45 replied, his words short and curt.
AD-214 studied the soldier. Circles hung below his eyes, and his uniform hung loosely on his thin frame. He realized that most of his soldiers had probably been by themselves, without the benefit of someone to stand guard while they slept or help obtain food. “Where have you been?”
“Underground. I went into the city when we scattered, and I managed to find a series of underground tunnels. There were people there, but they aren’t like the people above. They’re dirty, and most of them are drunk. At first, I thought they would turn me in, but those people didn’t even notice my presence. I went up in the evening to scavenge whatever food I could find.” He frowned. “Most of it tasted awful.”
It was clear that the weapons specialist had been living in poor conditions, but AD-214 didn’t know where his loyalties lay. “What do you think Amanda will do for you?”
ND-45 licked his lips and looked at his commander hesitantly. “I don’t want to remember anymore. The things I see in my head won’t let me rest. Every time I close my eyes, I see something different. Most of the time, it’s the same scene. There are doctors all around me, cutting and sawing at my legs while I’m screaming. I can feel everything.” He looked down at the ground, and AD-214 knew he was experiencing a terrible memory again.
“Other times, it’s something else,” he continued. “None of it makes sense, but together they tell me that who I am and what I’m doing now are different than before. When I taste the food in my mouth, I know it could be better. I lie down to sleep, and I imagine myself in a more comfortable place. I want everything to be as good as my ideal visions.
The cyborg captain nodded. The experience of AD-214’s memories didn’t feel like this, but he understood what ND-45 was trying to say. The visions made him question everything he did. “What if she can’t get them to leave your mind?”
The weapons specialist scowled. “Then I will have to try something else.”
There was nothing more to say. The two waited for everyone else to assemble.
By the time the sun was about to set the next day, everyone who was still alive had arrived at AD-214’s campsite. They had lost half their unit, leaving only ten remaining besides their captain. They were small in number, but they would have to suffice.
When everyone had eaten and rested, AD-214 began discussing strategy. He had PD-4 share all the information about Amanda. Blue Squad stayed up long into the night, each of them taking turns sharing what they came across during their time out in the world. They rapidly revised their plan according to the new information.
An unspoken subtext to the conversation was an implicit acknowledgment that Amanda belonged with them. The clones should never have captured her and imprisoned her in a military hospital. They spoke of how the young scientist understood them and how she seemed to care for all cyborgs.
“She isn’t like the other researchers,” PD-4 murmured from his place to AD-214’s left. He stared into the campfire, which they had been confident enough to build now that everyone had arrived. “She’s not like Dr. Feldman, and I think she was afraid of the clones. We have to get her back. She’s worth the risk.”
The men around him agreed heartily, and they made their plans to arrive at the military hospital in the morning. They would retrieve Amanda, no matter what it cost.