that hid intriguing machines and other oddities awaiting public discovery. They rounded corners as Mr. Johnson jerked Maria’s arm as the hurried down the maze of passageways.
One of the scientists peered into an eye scanner then discretely typed in a password, when the door rushed open to invite them inside. They entered then fanned out, making room as Maria looked at all the lab equipment that was laid out. She had only been here once but she knew it well. This was the room where her father worked. This is where he used to spend all of his time.
The scientists huddled around a large machine in one of the adjoining rooms. They spoke softly as they glanced at her through the glass walls.
“No human can tamper with someone’s ACPC.” one pointed out as she edged closer to the open door.
“Antonio was always very secretive. I heard rumors that he had a daughter but what if she is an android.” another proposed.
“Then his talents are more widely spread than anyone would ever assume for I doubt that an android of her caliper has ever been made by any robotic company. He must have made her himself.” answered a third as they all glanced at her over their shoulders.
“Um they would like to scan your brain, but don’t worry it won’t be scary or anything” Mr. Johnson explained before taking her hand as she nodded, for she had her brain scanned many times in the past. The procedure seemed routine.
He led her into a small room when the kind scientist entered with a portable hooded MRI. He rolled the device beside her then lowered the hood over her head and told her to remain still. He left to confer with the other scientists in the other room as he looked at the results gathered by the machine.
She sat in silence as she peered at the walls of the large tube. She already knew what the scientists were going to say before she heard their stunned gasps, for the abnormal structure of her brain was not news to her.
“I have never seen anything like this. I don’t even know how to interpret it. I need to do another test. This is not definitive enough to draw any conclusions.” reported one of the scientists as the hood was lifted and the machine was carted away.
“Um they want to read your thoughts, not because they think you are a criminal or anything, but because they still do not know rather you are healthy,” Mr. Johnson told her as she nodded stiffly, wandering how any of this was related to her attacking Omar.
Her father’s colleague entered with an odd cap which he fitted of her head, brushing away her hair near the points where the metal contacts were pressed against her bare skin. He turned on the machine by a manual handheld device as Maria became impatient, wanting to return to the others. He looked down at screen that he held in is hand, listening in on her thoughts but she completely blocked him out, causing the screen to go blank.
“I want to go home,” she yelled crankily as the scientist stared at the screen puzzled.
“I can’t even gage the activity level of her brain.” he stated as she took off the cap, flinging it onto the ground.
“I want to go home!” she repeated a little louder as the machine turned off suddenly.
“Is there a power outage? Why aren’t the backup generators working?” he asked looking down at the dark screen but his confusion only deepened as he took notice of the well lit room around him.
“You promised!” she reminded him as he nodded.
“Um stay here I need to talk to Mr. Johnson briefly.” he said then followed Mr. Johnson out the room, closing the door behind them.
Maria got up then walked over to the door with her patience waning. She held onto the doorknob when she heard the others talking about her on the other side.
“Antonio must have altered the girl’s mind to make her more resistant to the disease.” one stated as Maria listened attentively with her ear pressed against the door.
“But he did a lot more than that.” another scientists agreed.
“Yeah I told you there was something odd about her but what do you think I should do?” asked Mr. Johnson fearfully.
“She could be a threat. We need to contain her.” one of the scientists stated as Maria backed away slowly as her large eyes began brimming with building tears.
A Dangerous Runaway
The door opened as Mr. Johnson reentered the room. Maria took a step back as tears fell from her eyes. He reached for her hand as she shied away holding Snickers close. The kind scientist stepped in front of Mr. Johnson as if to protect her.
“Do you want to stay in your father’s room.” he asked as she nodded meekly.
“Then I will take you there.” he offered as she followed him out the room. He opened a door as she rushed inside eagerly looking around. The foldable bed in the corner, that her father always complained about being too lumpy, was stashed away. She touched it with her fingertips thinking it was rather push like Snickers cotton filled body that contorted within her arms. She made her way to her father’s desk where papers were messily scattered about and a quantum computer sat with its sleek screen blank and its full sized pressure sensitive keypad still holding traces of the natural oils that her father left after he typed the information that he collected to be analyzed by its complex processor. Beside it was a simple high definition hologram displaying a picture of her family.
They were dressed formally as they stood stiffly with exaggerated smiles. Her father was in his best suit which was adored by sharp creases and her mother’s favorite tie. Her mother was in a lovely dress that revealed her curves yet retained a sense of modesty and class. Maria herself was nothing more than a toddler, her dress was made of soft velvet and her smile was natural as her large eyes beamed up at her parents.
The hologram was stagnate, professional, unlike many at her home where the images raced about happily, their voices lost as their lips formed silent words. Emotion was etched in the shifting facial features as they reacted to the world around them, racing around in an endless loop, their happiness forever preserved within the shimmering film.
This hologram portrayed her family as unmoving figures. Their smiles seemed staged and their eyes were vacant. Their postures were unnaturally stiff and their faces held no recognizable emotion. Her parents seemed like accurate physical representations of themselves, like androids made in their likeness. Her mother’s resemblance to the android, Lisa, was remarkably similar. It was an echo of her mother’s presence for it mimicked her mother’s image causing her to briefly forget that she was gone. For a second Lisa could pass for being her mother and her feelings of contentment would return as if her mother never left, as if her mother never died. That must be the reason her father bought her. He wanted to pretend briefly that his wife was still alive before her robotic nature reminded him anew how he failed to save her. He wanted to relive the time he had with his wife. He wanted to reverse time. He wanted to cling onto a moment that he knew could never get back.
She touched her mother’s face, her fingers passing through the intangible holographic image. She wanted to reverse time. She wanted to return to the house that encompassed her entire childhood. She wanted to see Lisa’s face from across the room, distance blurring false aspects of her nature as memory enhanced her features so they reflected her mother’s more closely. She wanted to daydream about spending time with her father after he returned from work. She wanted to go home. She wanted to pretend that none of this ever happened and she was no going to let anything stop her from doing that.
She walked over to door. She turned the knob slowly then peeked around at the scientists who had formed a large group as they discussed what to do with her. Many had their backs to her and the others seemed solely focused on the one speaking. She needed to make a run for the door she thought as she snuck out the room, keeping to the walls. When she reached the door, she commanded it open with her mind. The heavy door clicked before it rushed aside when the scientists turned in her direction. She sprinted out the door and down the hall as the door closed shut behind her.
She raced pass stun scientists who clung onto th
eir reports as before backing away. She sped blindly around sharp corners soon losing her bearings in the similar passageways that formed an inescapable labyrinth. Snickers swung wildly in her grasp as her heart pounded loudly, consuming her thoughts within its thundering beat.
She skittered to a stop when she saw a robo-guard step within her path. Its stocky frame of bare metal was structured like a humans but she knew the strength it could exert was far beyond any man’s. Its many cameras were well concealed but two red lights were set in the place of its eyes. Its sleek body was spray painted in place of clothing. Its seamless face lacked a mouth but a loud speaker in its neck made its intentions clear.
“Unattended children are not allowed to wander without supervision.” it stated in a booming voice as she glanced over her shoulder to see the scientists and Mr. Johnson chasing her.
“Maria, please see reason.” Mr. Johnson yelled as the robo-guard advanced.
“Stop them!” Maria yelled as the robot froze with its thick metal arms held stiffly at its side. She slipped around its rigid body as the scientists tried to follow her. The guard came back to life as they passed then rushed at them with raised arms.
Maria slowed as her pursuers” angry protests faded. She needed to find an exit. She needed to find a way back to the lobby. She looked up when she