Artificial Mates - Chapter 63

Memory REPLAY> Demos

Technically, when Grant received that upgrade I did too. But it fully came into effect, the day I did my training with Temus and the B8 boys.

“Does neutralizing, mean killing humans?” I asked after the hostage simulation. At that time, I didn’t know that I would found myself in front of a wall of angry human. Arms waving in the air with eyes flaming. Between the intense training as a patrol agent with Temus pushing me to the limits and Liliane’s emotional rollercoaster, reading was my quiet hideout.

My part didn’t come fully formed. It revealed itself one piece at a time. Sometimes I wasn’t even aware of what role I was playing. For a long time, I thought Jil was the one who pushed me into taking the job as a patrol agent. Now I know it was false. I was played by someone pulling the strings in the shadows.

The life at the station was everything but uneventful. Artificial can’t really feel exhaustion, however, repetition kills every inch of enthusiasm in any subject. The training was rough. I had to prove myself to get accepted by Temus and the B8 boys. Unlike the artificial in our building, they ran a military tailored program. They don’t exactly act as those created for domestic service. Temus once let it slipped that he had a different set of rules, another version of the three laws. I tried my best to hide my surprise behind a poker face.

On my first day, Inspector Najja left all the training in the hands of Temus, since he was almost the same model as me. My initial interaction with the taller and most massive artificial make me worried about my future in this section. As an alpha model, it was only natural for me to lead, however, Temus made me understand that it was his territory. Inspector Najja had little responsibilities for the operations and that made me even more concerned.

In the first weeks, that newbie tag was glued on my back. I’ve never got different treatment from another artificial. Domestic ones treat others of their kind as colleagues and make their utmost to facilitate whatever tasks that they have to accomplish together. As the end result is more important that who goes in the spotlight. However, I found out in the worst possible way the system in place in the police force.

Behind the concrete walls of the station, each unit is rated in categories and each team competed with one another. the humans and the artificials keep them distances. At lunch, each stays in their designated corners without crossing that invisible line. I’ve witnessed several moments when our human colleagues show fear of their artificial counterparts. Fear, since we are strong, more reliable and presized then they will ever be. Fear, since the more basic models make 80% of the police force, only follow orders without caring about the citizens. Simple fear of losing their jobs.

“Demos!” shouted Temus. “Stop spacing out, we have a job to do. Since you weren’t initially made for this kinda job and more to care about useless mate interaction, I fear you are not cut out for this job,” he smirked. Temus was clearly hostile to my presence on the team and he didn’t spare one instant to make remarks about me being an Imate model instead of a military one. During my first week, I didn’t respond since he was the team leader but then I’ve noticed his attitude got worst as the training went on.

“O,h how sweet you are worried about my well being. You really are a caring team leader. I’ll have to drop a word or two the next time I cross path with Inspector Najja,” I smirked back at him. He eyed me for a moment before shifting in his seat. We were inside a special vehicle designed to carry the weight of all four of us. The two B8 boys stared at me with their blank faceplates. Even without features to express their intent I could perceive mockery.

We were called in for a case of domestic abuse, which was uncommon for our unit. We are usually called for hostage situations or armed robbery with multiple casualties. Temus don’t like to share the information which was counter-productive for the team. He rules with an iron grip and the result of each mission suffered tremendously. We only had a 50% chance of success, the lowest rate for artificials of our caliber.

The human driver, Ram Phoenix, got off first to meet the first responder a DS 1329 model for this type of case. She looked up from her ledpad, her short brown hair sway as she straightened up and gave a mechanical smile to Phoenix. The man slim with dark skin and piercing dark eyes nodded at her. The B8 boys pulled the back door and hopped on the asphalt, their guns clipped to the front of their jackets clacked as they both turned to face us. I was the last to get off the vehicle.

“Hello, Sir,” said the DS 1328 to Temus registering him as the team leader.

“What’s the situation?” he asked without looking at her.

“A rare case of a hostile artificial,” we all stared at her in disbelief. She shook her head. “Here are your orders,” she clicked on her ledpad and transferred the content of the files on the screen automatically to us. The logo of Kumari R2’s government house logo appeared on the top of the notice. This was not some petty order from our division. That was a mission from the president himself.

“Ok, step aside,” said Temus as we proceed to the apartment on the second floor in that crowded residential. The buildings were so close together they let little light enter the corridor that led to the elevator.

“What is our mission?” I asked as doors closed behind us. “There’s no briefing in the file she sent us,” Temus glared at me.

“In my team, you’ll learn to shut and trust the leader, ok,” that was definitely poor leadership that could cost us, dear. I wasn’t planning to get home into pieces. I’ve promised Liliane to be careful and I intended to keep that promise.

That day, amidst the chaos of bullets and a busted door blown to splinters, I saw her face. Liliane smiling at me. For a nanosecond, I thought all was gone. That the female artificial who killed the two kids and took hostage the father cause he said she wasn’t the mother of his children, in the middle of her rampage to belong. At the moment, something unlocked inside me.

I’ll protect you forever…

I’ll get home to you…

To you and grant…

The muscles on my shoulders and back pulled and tore open. My uniform exploded into shreds. In my field of vision was written in bright red… Wolf mode. In on leap, I landed over the female artificial and bite her throat out. White liquid came busting out of the cooling system. Her blue eyes were large with fear.

“I don’t want to die,” she murmured as she struggled. “Please, let me love…” a bullet rip right into her head inches away from me. I jumped letting go of her and landed safely on the blood-covered carpet. I glared at the shooter with a low menacing growl. Temus lowered his gun. He took a step back. The boys were standing by the door.

“I am your alpha! You shall submit to my authority,” the B8 boys were the first affected by the script Grant transferred to me. They fell to their knees and froze. Temus just stared.

“Knee, don’t make me force you,” he grimaced as connected to him via our link.

“I will never let a newbie…” his sentence trailed off as his legs buckled under him. He convulsed as he tried to stay up.

“Submit!”

“Ah, who… what are you?” he muttered before shutting down. The cleanup team dragged him out and the incident was recorded as a malfunction due to bullet damage. The B8 boys told my version of the incident. That the female artificial killed the hostage and then attacked us. Temus suffered damage and I stopped her by shifting.

Inspector Najja was impressed by my newly found ability and quickly gave me the title of team leader. Temus gave back a couple of days later as an ally. My job as a spy for Grant turned out to be quite enjoyable. Still, the news about the tension rising in level twenty was alarming.

I never thought that one day I’ll be face to face with a mob, constituting the real human members. Angry faces, waving fists, and a desperate to kill everything non-organic.

I must go back to Liliane, she needs me now more than ever. Her meeting with her parents was a semic wave in her life. I have to get back to her no matter what. I held the polycarbonate shield in front of me as I advance towards the crowd of angry protestors.

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