Episode Nine: After his narrow escape from a shotgun trap, Magnus finds himself outed as he watches his stolen vehicle drive away from the scene. After a lengthy statement to the police, he is allowed entry into the home to begin his own investigation. Magnus had trouble finding any pictures with two girls, however one hidden under a chair held more answers than he could have ever hoped for. Veronica was the girl, and her twin, had a robot serial number. Could she have been a cyborg? Episode Ten awaits! (or back to Episode One or Episode Nine)

Veronica, Age 12, R0N-N13, Upgrade 12.

That line stuck in my head like it had been etched in. A girl and a robot? Was the Veronica I dealt with a robot? So many unanswered questions. As I rode the cab from the Radlem residence I couldn’t help but think. I remembered using a wireless transmitter to get used to connecting to networks before I became a robot. They wanted me to get used to it, especially as my body declined. I began to consider that perhaps Veronica had undergone the same treatment I had. But she looked so real! As the cab pulled up in front of my office, I could see the tail lights of my car sticking out from the back alley. Had she come to find me? Only time would tell. I needed to make a backup so I logged in to my computer remotely. Although my computer wouldn’t be very secure considering she’d be there too. I made it look like I was fumbling for my money as if I was drunk and logged into my old server still up and running at the police station. The upload didn’t take half as long as I thought and I paid the cabbie. As I stared at the front door to my office, even as a robot I got chills up and down my imaginary spine.

I walked calmly up to the door and drew my gun, I glanced in through the window to see that the back office light was on. Maybe while I was rooting around in her house, she decided to come to mine. I eased my way into the front door, closing it softly behind me. Even I was impressed at the amount of stealth I was performing. As I got to the back office door, I stopped for only a moment. I could hear my pulse racing, despite not having one. I guess the brain fills in the gaps. Spinning around I aim the gun directly into the room and find no one there. Hmm, that’s strange. Why was my car-

“Hello sleepy head. Sleep Mode is over.” As I focus on the person before me only one word comes to mind. Shit. I stare death in the face once again as Veronica sits in front of me, face to face. “You’re not like the others. The robot police officers are morons, but not you. You’re crafty, smart, and very inconvenient.” She points a familiar hand cannon in my face and I feel my every circuit tingle. “Look Veronica, I just got this face, so I’d like to keep it.” She stares me in the eyes. “I can see you got some upgrades, probably to avoid being seen by me. Whoops, not so good on that front. I was beginning to wonder what human was following me.” I find her speech interesting, what human was following her? I must be talking to R0N-N13. “Look, I understand you’ve been through some strange times being a robot and all.” Her reaction isn’t quite what I had expected. “A robot?” She leans over and kisses my cheek. “I’m no robot, I’m one hundred percent human. But I assume you met my sister.” I stared at her and switched to my heat sensors. I always forget I have other damn lenses, so useless sometimes. Her body heat registers just as a human’s and she has no cybernetic implants.

“Hmm, interesting. But I had found a picture marked Veronica and R0N-N13, how do you explain the serial number?” I watch for her reaction and she plays it cool. “She was my organ donor. My father had taken an interest in nanite robotics when he was very young. After he realized his only daughter would succumb to some disease I don’t even remember, he built a robot and gave me the ability to back up my mind to her. We were then raised as sisters and he used nanite technologies to give her tissue to replicate my own.” I sat deep in thought and suddenly it made sense as to why I never saw her mother in any pictures. “Veronica, did your father ever tell you what happened to your mother?” Veronica gave me a sharp look and pressed the hand cannon against my forehead. “That bitch left shortly after I was born. She didn’t want to give me up for adoption but she didn’t want to support me like my father did.” If I could, I’d have swallowed hard as my next words would be either my demise or I could gain an ally.

“Veronica. To repair your tissue and make organs to match, they couldn’t have used your already diseased tissues. They’d have needed fresh ones. I believe your mother never left you at all, but she supported you with her life, perhaps even against her will.” Veronica looked me straight in the eye and I could see the fires of rage fuelled by my words. As she began to squeeze the trigger, I grew thankful I had a backup somewhere out there.

Hope everyone enjoyed today’s episode, it has been fun writing these and even more fun rereading them. I would love to hear feedback on how the story is going and favourite moments now that we’ve reached ten episodes! Thanks!