Artificial Mates - Chapter 145

The tall grass waved in the faint light coming from our complex. Somehow everything around us was peaceful. It made the whole tension of our situation unreal. Grant walked ahead of me, his silhouette cut against the dark gray sky. A light cloud hid the half-moon and most of the stars.

“It’s beautiful,” I murmured more to myself. He looked over his shoulder at me, to get my tone.

“It is,” he answered while nodding. The grass crunched under our feet, we were surrounded by the multiple sounds of the night. I was silent since I was scared of voicing my fears. I was sure he was feeling the same. We walked for another couple of minutes then the lights of the construction site appeared ahead between two square shapes. I let out a deep breath. Just as we climbed the little slope overlooking a parking lot next to the tall windowless apartment building, Grant spoke.

“I can’t decypher Olga’s message—it’s frustrating,” his shoulders sagged. He turned around to face me. “They are waiting for me to find a solution to this,” he opened his arms gesturing to the space in front of him. “Right now, I have nothing,” I walked to him and place a reassuring hand on his forearm.

“It’s ok—”

“It’s not!” he shouted stepping away from me. His face was completely hidden in darkness.

“I-I want to help you. But I’m not strong, I’m not good with guns, and I’m not a genius. I’m only a lab technician,” his head lifted up.

“What did you just said?” I frowned at him. Was he so engrossed in his issues he was listening?

“I’m not strong?” he stepped closer.

“No, the next part,” I wasn’t sure where he was going but just went with it.

“I’m no genius—I’m a lab technician?” I felt annoyed stating that I was useless. He clapped his hands together and then grabbed me by both arms.

“That’s it,” he laughed. “That’s the solution,” he talked eagerly. I didn’t get it but sure—I laughed along. He opened his screen, it hovered in front of him, illuminating the bare ground around us.

“Take a look at this and tell me if you see something,” I narrowed my eyes at the chunk of codes from the screen. I shook my head after a second.

“I don’t know, nothing is standing out,” he gave me a tight smile. I knew he was desperate—our situation was desperate so I gazed back at the codes. I focus on the time we spent with Olga, the codes we used for the water system project. Went through the different random letters and numbers. Then one set of letters and numbers jumped into my face. I pointed at the group.

“This is—” my voice trailed off. I sighed. “I’m sorry, Grant I wished I could tell you that Olga said she’d find a way to get rid of Atlas by plugging into the system or something,” I waved my arms around. He lowered his head and sighed.

“If Atlas intercepted the message and tempered with it, it will never display properly. Its hashing value would change, destroying the message because the private key would not recognize the public key. There’s also a big chance it’s just a trap,” he didn’t let go of me as he said it. “Figuring thing out along the way can only lead to failure and a lot of deaths,” he looked me straight in the eyes, two faintly glimmering dots in a shadowy face. “I don’t want to be responsible for the aftermath.”

-Grant, Liliane what are you doing standing over the ridge?

I turned to the lit parking lot at the waving figure. Grant followed my gaze. I could recognize this figure from a thousand others. It was Demos, a little further were a group patiently waiting. Grant rapidly went to meet them with me dragging my feet.

“Is everything ready?” Grant addressed Nicolai. The group gathered around him.

“Is it true, did Olga send a message?” Grant nodded. I didn’t feel quite in my place with them, the way they flock away Grant made me uncomfortable. They way they looked up at him like he was some kind of savior was rather disturbing.

“Yes, she did send a message that Jil translated—” I stopped listening when Grant started outlining their plans based on a lie. My mind drifted to the distance. Demos sneaked behind me and made me jumped when he wrapped an arm around my shoulder.

“You’re frowning,” his deep voice came out faint. Barely a whisper. “Don’t you trust him?”

“I do,” I said rapidly. “I’m just scared,” I admitted. He held me close to him with one arm. Alter’s voice rose up turning my focus back to the group.

“I volunteer to enter the sub-level. I’m quick and strong if you can are able to clear a way down there then I’ll do what it takes to follow Olga’s plan,” he turned to his companions with a smile. Could machines have blind faith? If yes, then this was truly a cult. They cheered and clapped when Grant finished. I felt disconnected. Scared. Demos pulled me away when they were getting ready to go.

“Liliane, you’re not coming with us,” he nodded at the nurse and one of the s.e.x-bot moving toward us.

“What do you mean—I’m not coming?” the two stood next to me.

“They are going to take you to a safe place,” he tipped his chin at the newcomers. I grabbed his arm and forced him to face me which was quite difficult. His copper eyes fell upon me. Heavy with emotion. “There’s no way I’m letting you come with us,” he gave quick glance at Grant giving direction to Nicolai.

-Not when I’m not sure about the outcome. I want to you live, I want you to survive—whatever happens. Do you understand me?

When I didn’t answer he shook me by the shoulder. My vision blurred with tears. He couldn’t possibly answer me to walk away? Not when I just got him back.

“Liliane, I want you to promise,” as I response I threw myself into his arms. Hands gripping and clinging to him. There was no way I was going to let them go. Not now, not ever.

“I can’t—” my voice broke. “I can’t keep that promise—I’m sorry,” I cried.

“Demos, we are going?” called Grant. I gasped and looked up at him. Wasn’t he going to say goodbye? Was he also going to walk off like it was nothing?

“You know this needs to be done,” said Demos. My fingers grip the fabric on his shirt.

“No—” I choked on the rest of the sentence. “Why—?” I searched his face. I didn’t care about chivalry or the right thing to do. I didn’t care about dead people or justice. They were my everything.

“I’m sorry you think this way,” Demos shook his head. “I do care about those things,” he pulled my hands away from him. Then just walked away. I sunk to my feet, the nurse and the other girl caught me before I hit the ground. I wasn’t aware of what was going on around me. My eyes were fixed on Grant’s gentle face and Demos’s back as he walked to join him.

-We are coming back, promised Grant with a nod.

They hopped into the vehicle they used to charge. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from it. The engine roared to life.

“It’s a lie,” I whispered. The nurse frowned at me.

“What is?” I turned to face her, tears streaming down my face.

“This whole thing—the plan—the message from Olga! It’s a lie, he didn’t decode the message,” we watched the lorry disappear into the night.

“This could be a trap?” asked the s.e.xbot—she wasn’t Olympia, I didn’t know her name.

“Do you want to find out?” I glared at her. She frowned at the ground.

“I should inform Nicolai,” she lifted her head and nodded. “I can’t connect with him, they are too far already,” I struggled out of their grip.

“We should follow them,” I announced. They both looked shocked. It sounded crazy even to me. And I wasn’t thinking straight, right now. “But we need a plan, first,” I smiled.