Toby walked further into the building, stepping over chunks of plasterboard and ripped shutters. He wrinkled his nose. The acrid stench of wet burnt wood hung heavily in the air, and Toby felt his stomach roll nauseously. He looked around trying to get his bearings. The half-demolished building bore virtually no resemblance to the studio Marty had shown him around earlier.
A small black object on the floor caught Toby’s eye and he stooped to pick it up. It was the Toymaker’s mask, the shiny black leather gleaming in the darkness. He looked at it briefly then rolled it up and put it in his pocket.
He spotted a solitary stone wall protruding from a mound of rubble at the other end of the studio and felt a rush of excitement, recognizing it as part of the Toymaker’s set. He made his way to it, carefully picking his way through the slippery rubble. After a brief search he discovered the Toymaker’s console, partially obscured by a section of roof masonry. He wiped the dusty console with his sleeve and saw it was still working, all the multi-coloured lights glowing in the gloom. He shoved aside the masonry and it smashed to the floor.
Outside the studio, Caitlin heard the crash and turned anxiously towards the entrance. “Toby, are you okay?” she called. She listened intently for a reply but all she could hear was the continuous drip of water. “Toby?” She peered into the gloomy building, annoyed with herself for letting him go inside.
A gust of wind whistled through the fortress gates and Caitlin turned, surveying the deserted courtyard. It suddenly seemed very quiet after all the screams and explosions. She glanced around the courtyard and her eyes fell upon Eve. She gazed at the robot, frowning. Was it her imagination or had she changed position since the last time she’d looked at her?
Caitlin scrutinized the robot. Her arm now seemed to be slightly lower, her hand pointing to the ground. She stared at the razor sharp blade jutting out from Eve’s wrist. It tapered down to the tip of her little finger, effectively turning her entire hand into a meat cleaver.
Caitlin shivered and turned away from the robot. She was just getting jumpy. It was natural after everything that had happened today. She glanced over her shoulder again and saw that Eve’s hand now seemed to be angled towards her, the stain on her blade maroon in the dying light.
“Toby where are you!” Caitlin cried. Her voice sounded shrill and brittle to her ears and she realized she was near to panic.
“Nearly finished”, Toby called faintly. “I’m just turning off the console now.”
Caitlin turned to the Trooper Robot lying beside the gate and saw it was now dormant. “It worked”, she called. She gave Eve another apprehensive glance then stepped into the studio. She looked around for Toby and saw him at the other side of the room, hunched over the Toymaker’s console. She started to walk to him then heard the crunch of footsteps behind her. She wheeled round.
There was no one there.
Caitlin glanced around uneasily and her eyes fell upon a shady figure crouched behind a chair in the control room.
“Who’s there?” she called, a little shakily.
No answer.
Caitlin slowly approached the silhouetted figure. She grabbed the arm of the chair and swung it around.
A black glistening skeleton lurched towards Caitlin, empty eye-sockets staring at her blindly, teeth bared in a rictus grin.
Caitlin opened her mouth to scream and she choked it off, realizing it was only the burnt-out Show-Runner She slowly exhaled, relief flooding through her. Shaking her head at her own nervousness, she turned away from the blackened robot.
Eve was standing directly behind her.
Caitlin shrieked and recoiled, falling into the charred skeletal arms of the Show-Runner.
Toby bolted out of the gloom. “What is it, what’s the matter?” He saw Eve and bellowed across the studio. “Eve, deactivate!”
Eve froze.
Toby approached, cautiously skirting around the silver android.
“She was going to attack me!” Caitlin cried.
Toby studied the robot with a frown. “Eve, take one step forwards”, he ordered.
Eve obeyed, stepping smartly towards Toby.
“Prepare for combat.”
Eve adopted an aggressive stance, her silver hands straightening as if preparing to deliver karate chops, the two concealed blades unsheathing with a menacing shing.
“Disengage”, he ordered and Eve’s blades retreated out of sight.
Toby walked around Eve, puzzled. “She seems to be working normally now.”
“Toby, let’s get out of here”, said Caitlin. “This place is giving me the creeps.”
Toby nodded and they both made their way towards the shutters. Caitlin realized Eve was following them outside and looked at the robot uneasily. “Can’t she stay in here?” she asked.
“No, I want to give her a full overhaul in the workshop. Something’s happened to her and I’m going to find out what.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
HOMICIDAL ROBOT
As soon as Toby stepped into the gloomy robot workshop he knew there was going to be trouble. Everyone turned towards him, their expressions ranging from mistrust to outright hostility. Toby saw that the roboticists had formed two distinct groups, De Coza, Roadkill, Uzi-Rider, Typhoid Mary and the Scannell twins standing at one end of the room, Marty, McBride, Kennedy, Thumper, Bubba and Billy-Bob at the other. They had all been arguing, and judging from the way their voices suddenly stopped when he entered, they had been arguing about him.
Toby walked further into the workshop, Caitlin nervously following. The room was dark and claustrophobic now that the robot statue had sealed off the entire entrance and the air was heavy with stale perspiration. Dumpmaster, the Tooth Fairy, Blast Furnace and Hogzilla had all returned to their respective recharging bays, their heat making the room even more oppressive. Toby approached De Coza’s mob and the Scannell twins regarded him with quiet amusement, their reptilian eyes watchful.
De Coza saw Eve walking behind Toby and Caitlin and jumped up angrily. “That killer stays outside!” he yelled, jabbing a furious finger at Eve. “Keep it outside!”
“Okay, okay”, said Toby, taken aback by De Coza’s aggression. He signalled to Eve to wait outside and the robot backed away, stopping at the threshold.
De Coza opened his mouth to protest and McBride impatiently waved him to silence. He stood up and addressed the group. “Listen up, we’ve got ourselves a situation”, He turned to Marty. “You wanna tell them the good news or shall I?”
Marty looked at McBride blankly, still in shock from the sudden turn of events. “The ship’s gone”, he said in a quiet monotone. “And we’ve lost our only means of communication.”
There was an angry babble of voices, everyone shouting at once.
“Won’t the ship radio for help?” Thumper said, trying to make his voice heard above the hub-hub.
“I don’t know”, Marty mumbled.
“What d’you mean, you don’t know?” De Coza demanded.
“She took some damage”, Marty replied defensively. “She might have capsized for all I know.”
“How about using the equipment in the studio?” suggested Bubba. “If that control desk is still capable of transmitting a signal…”
Toby shook his head. “We’ve just been in there to deactivate the Toymaker’s robots. The Show-Runner’s totally destroyed.”
“Maybe we could override it and work the desk manually?” Bubba persisted, turning to Marty.
Marty shrugged noncommittally.
“Cell phones”, said McBride. “Anyone manage to smuggle one onto the island?”
No one answered.
“The security guards all had walkie-talkies”, said Coach Kennedy thoughtfully. “Maybe if—”
“They’re just shortwave”, interrupted Marty. “We’re miles from anywhere.”
“What about the network back at LA?” said Toby. “Surely they will have seen what happened when…” He trailed off uncomfortably.
&n
bsp; Marty shook his head. “The Show-Runner would have cut the signal as soon as your robot went ape. We’ve got a seven-second signal delay in case of profanity, technical hitches or whatever. As far as the network’s concerned, the signal just went dead. They probably just think we’ve got a major technical malfunction.”
De Coza kicked the workbench in disgust. “That’s just great. So we’re stuck on an island with a homicidal robot?”
Everyone looked uneasily at Eve silhouetted in the doorway. She cut a menacing figure, her green eyes glowing in the darkness, her hands poised at her sides like a gunslinger ready for action.
Toby felt the charged atmosphere in the room and knew the animosity was directed at him as much as his robot, as he was the one who created her. “She’s not homicidal”, he said, trying to keep his voice neutral. “The way she acted… I think she was sabotaged.”
McBride shook his head impatiently. “Look, it doesn’t matter if it was sabotaged or not. The issue is that it killed a man.”
“It matters to me!” Toby retorted. “When I get off this island I’m going to be accused of manslaughter!”
De Coza took a step towards Toby. “You’re harbouring a killer.” He paused, turning to the others. “It’s got to be destroyed.”
There were murmurs of agreement from around the room.
“You can’t do that”, cried Toby.
Bubba polished the grime from his glasses, peering at Toby short-sightedly. “Bill Hacker’s dead, Toby”, he said reproachfully.
Billy-Bob nodded. “We have to think of our own safety until we get rescued. God knows how long we’re going to be stranded here.”
Toby could feel the mood of the room turn further against him. Even Caitlin was quiet, not coming to his defence. Suddenly he could see his future before him. The rescue, the enquiry over Bill Hacker’s murder, the media circus over a robot killing such a well-known celebrity, the public baying for blood, and then finally the blame falling squarely onto him. Eve was the only piece of evidence he had that proved his innocence. He had to do whatever it took to protect her.
Toby drew himself up to his full height and walked over to Eve. “Let’s get something straight”, he said, addressing the room like he were a defendant on trial. “The only thing standing between me and a life behind bars is this robot. I insist that no one goes near her until her memory has been analysed for signs of tampering.”
There was a moment of silence and for a second Toby thought he had managed to sway the crowd. Then De Coza hawked up a gob of phlegm and spat it contemptuously on the concrete floor. “I’ve had enough of this”, he growled and started walking towards Eve.
“Don’t take another step, Mr De Coza”, Toby said coldly. The unmistakable crack of authority in his voice made everyone in the room look at him in surprise.
De Coza froze. “Are you threatening me?” he asked incredulously. “Threatening me with your man-killer?”
“I’m just advising you to leave my property alone.”
“Two can play at than game”, laughed De Coza. “Wanna see who wins in a head to head?” He turned towards the shadowy interior of the workshop. “Dumpmaster!” he bellowed.
Dumpmaster sprang out of her recharging bay like a greyhound out of a trap. She stomped towards Toby, claws and fangs gleaming…
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
MEXICAN STANDOFF
Toby stared in panic at Dumpmaster hurtling towards him. “Eve, protect!” he yelled.
Eve sprang into action, placing herself directly in front of Toby.
The effect of Eve entering the packed robot workshop, her blades extending was immediate and dramatic. Everyone panicked, ducking under benches or running to their own robot for protection.
Roadkill, Uzi-Rider and Typhoid Mary were the first to their robot, surprisingly swift considering how hungover they were. “Prepare for combat!” Roadkill screamed. Hogzilla immediately adopted a protective stance, the chainmail covering its body stiffening like the hackles on a frightened animal. With its armour-plated chassis and savage spikes it now resembled a steel Triceratops.
McBride was the next to get to his robot, diving behind Blast Furnace’s crimson bulk. He yelled at the robot to ready itself and the two fireman’s axes unsheathed from the robot’s body, its water cannon pivoting towards the other robots. The red flasher mounted on Blast Furnace’s head started to spin, the accompanying siren deafening in the echoey room.
The Scannell twins darted behind the protective flank of the Tooth Fairy as she prepared to defend herself, her drills, scalpels and scalers unsnapping from the tips of her steel appendages. The robot’s twin orthodontic lamps flared brilliantly, and she scuttled towards the other robots, clenching her massive tooth-studded fists.
Toby heard the metallic swish of scalpels, blades, spikes and axes being unsheathed all around him and cowered behind Eve, using her as a bodyguard. He saw that De Coza was doing the same, ducking behind Dumpmaster.
The five fighting robots advanced until they formed a circle in the centre of the workshop, processors whirring furiously, calculating attack and counter-attack strategies. Each robot was unwilling to make the first move in the confined area as they were denied the space to utilise their weapons properly, but aware that the odds of survival would be greater if they dealt the first blow. The din increased in volume as each robot tried to intimidate the others, Hogzilla revving its accelerator, Blast Furnace blasting its siren, the Tooth Fairy smashing its enamel knuckle-dusters together and Dumpmaster bellowing aggressively.
It was the ultimate Mexican standoff.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
QUARANTINED
Caitlin, Marty, Kennedy, Bubba, Billy-Bob and Thumper were all crowded under the workbenches inside the circle of robots, waiting for the first one to make its move. The screaming cacophony increased in volume and pitch until Caitlin couldn’t stand it any longer. Before she knew what she was doing, she leaped out from her hiding place and jumped onto the work-bench.
“This is crazy!” she screamed. “We’re not going to last five minutes on this island if we carry on like this!”
No one answered and she suddenly realized what terrible danger she had placed herself in. From her vantage point she could see she was in the centre of a ring of spikes, blades, axes, cutting-tools, all vibrating with suppressed violence. She felt her legs wanting to buckle under her, but she forced herself to stay strong.
“Please…” she said, looking imploringly around the gloomy workshop at the roboticists hiding behind their robots, trying to make eye-contact with all of them:
Roadkill, Uzi-Rider, Typhoid Mary, their eyes bloodshot and bewildered.
De Coza, exhilarated by the confrontation.
The Scannell twins, their eyes gleaming with blood-lust.
McBride, unwilling to meet her gaze.
Toby, out of his depth but desperately trying to remain strong.
Caitlin realized that no one was prepared to back down and her heart sank. “We’re not going to last five minutes”, she repeated forlornly.
“I agree”, said a muffled voice beneath her. Caitlin looked down and saw Marty cautiously emerging from the workbench she was standing on, waving a grubby looking handkerchief like a white flag. “If I could make a suggestion?” he called mildly.
Marty’s ruffled appearance and reasonable manner somehow managed to defuse the tension in the room. McBride blinked, took a deep breath, then ordered Blast Furnace to switch to stand-by. One by one the other roboticists followed McBride’s example, deactivating their robots. Dumpmaster glowered at Eve, gave a final roar for form’s sake, then backed away. Eve’s blades retracted and she stepped back towards the door. Soon the room was quiet apart from the sound of the Tooth Fairy grinding its teeth like an anxious child. Everyone looked secretly relieved that the showdown had been averted apart from the Scannell twins who both wore the same cheated expression at being denied the spectacle of a young woman being torn apart in front of their eyes
.
“Thank you”, said Marty finally. “My suggestion is this; we quarantine Toby’s robot until we all get off the island.”
Everyone looked at each other, considering the idea.
“Where you gonna put it?” De Coza demanded.
Marty produced a key from his pocket and jangled it. “There’s a building further down the beach. It’ll be under lock and key and in total isolation.”
Marty looked at Toby, waiting for his answer.
“Okay”, said Toby, shrugging. “But I’m going with her. I’m not letting her out of my sight.”
“I’ll go too”, said Caitlin quickly, eager to get out of the oppressive workshop.
“If you insist”, said Marty, turning towards the door.
De Coza watched Marty, Toby, Caitlin and Eve walk out of the workshop, feeling like he’d somehow been outmanoeuvred. He turned to the other competitors and saw that they were already deep in discussion, making survival plans until the rescue ship arrived.
Unnoticed, he slipped out of the door after Toby and the others.
CHAPTER THIRTY
THE JUNGLE AT NIGHT
Marty lead Toby, Caitlin and Eve past the smouldering giant robot statue and out into the courtyard. Night had fallen with tropical swiftness, and even though it was still warm, the air felt deliciously fresh and cool to Toby after the hot claustrophobic workshop.
He followed Marty and the others through the debris-strewn courtyard towards the gates. The concrete floor was cracked and buckled from the exploding Thumpers and now resembled crazy-paving. He carefully skirted around a crater and realized with a start that this was the exact spot where Eve struck Major Hacker. He looked apprehensively at the ground but the only remains of Hacker among the rubble and burnt-out debris was his blackened helmet. The image of Eve’s hand slicing towards Hacker’s neck suddenly played through Toby’s mind and he shook his head, as if trying to shake the memory free of him. A bolt of pain shot through his head and he was almost grateful for it as it blotted out the horrific image of Hacker’s demise.
The group exited the fortress and Toby expected Marty to follow the path towards the beach. But instead he turned left and Toby saw that there was another footpath running up the side of the fortress and into the jungle. He followed the three silhouettes trudging ahead of him, the moonlight glinting off Eve’s body and the thick vegetation closed around him. The incline steepened and the sound of the sea below them grew faint, then was replaced by the chirruping of cicadas and the whine of mosquitoes. Toby glanced behind him, expecting to see the fortress below them and was surprised to see that there was no sign of it, just a knotted mass of creepers, ferns and trees. For the first time Toby fully appreciated the exotic environment he was immersed in. The jungle literally throbbed with sound. It was unsettling to think that every single noise that he could hear was produced by an individual creature, out there in the dark, unseen and unidentified. Small animals rustled in the branches overhead and larger things moved deeper in the jungle. It was now so dark he couldn’t see where he was putting his feet, and he found himself wondering about snakes and whether they would be poisonous.