Deadly Betrayal Read online

  “Alex, come. Up is this way.”

  “Wait… Could you make the computer not hold a grudge against John? I mean like, turn that program off, or something?”

  “I’m not supposed to.”

  “But you could. Did Eve tell you not to?”

  He lowered his voice. “She said that if I touched the computer she’d disassemble me. She has done that before. There was another who looked just like me. He attempted to protect me and mother and she tore him apart.”

  I was pretty sure I’d met him. At least his head and hand.

  How much should I reveal? If Eli were anything like Adam he’d sense a lie.

  “Eve isn’t here, and unless you build another sister just like her, she won’t be back.”

  He sighed and I wanted to ask him to hurry up, but that would be counterproductive. John would be alright. He was smart and fast, and prepared for traps. Besides, Adam would find him.

  Right?

  Eli lifted my hand and watched it for a few moments. “You said you met Eve. Is it correct to assume she didn’t like you?”

  “You’re right. She hated me. Partly just because I’m human, and partly because I love your brother. He loving me back didn’t improve her mood.”

  Understatement.

  “She doesn’t like humans.”

  “Do you like humans?” I should have asked that earlier, before we were alone.

  “I have only met three. Mother could be frightening. Father hasn’t done any harm yet. And you. If they are all like you, I will like them.”

  “Some will be and some will be very different. There are all kinds of us.”

  “Do you like me?” He sounded curious.

  “I do. I’m happy we found you.”

  That seemed to make up his mind. He nodded to the left. “There is a terminal this way. Come.”

  I followed him, but mostly because he held my hand. Helping John was important, but walking further into this building made my knees threaten to rattle.

  “Alex, what is wrong?”

  Honesty served me well this far. I could just as well keep going. “Can I tell you a secret? I’m terrified of this place.”

  He smiled for the first time. “It scares me too, but I know it well and nothing will happen to you. At least as long as Eve doesn’t come home.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Eli brought me to a room with a computer unlike anything I’d ever seen.

  There were boxes made from a transparent material stacked all around the walls, and they glowed with an eerie green light so bright I couldn’t discern the components inside.

  As soon as we entered the room, a smooth male voice said, “Eli, I don’t detect your sister on the premises. Please let her know I have cornered Sebastian.”

  The room changed into a view of a warehouse. John had sought shelter behind some crates, but laser beams sliced through the air, cutting through the crates like butter. He fired at the emitters, but it was clear he wouldn’t get them all in time.

  Eli said, “Cease command line Sebastian, effective immediately.”

  The lasers stopped moving, but didn’t turn off. The computer clearly didn’t trust us.

  Eli headed over to one of the walls and a more traditional console appeared. His fingers danced over alien letters. On the hologram, the lasers blinked on and off several times. John peeked up, seemingly as suspicious as I was. The lethal light emitters finally turned off and folded into the walls.

  The computer’s voice echoed all around us. “Adam, welcome home. Sebastian, new designation John, status as resident, confirmed. Alex, status as resident, confirmed.”

  “I did it.” Eli looked honestly happy.

  “You did. Thank you.”

  I hugged him, and he jumped away from me.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude on your personal space. This is a human habit. It can mean a lot of different things depending on the situation, and right now it means ‘Thank you.’”

  “You’re happy with me?”

  “Very much so.” I offered my hand. “Let’s go meet the others.”

  “Wait. Can I… Can I try that again?”

  He spread his arms and I hugged him again, carefully. This time he didn’t flee. “This isn’t bad. How long are we supposed to do it?”

  “It depends on the context. For a thank you hug, this is sufficient.”

  *****

  Eli and I reached the lift quickly.

  “The others can’t have gone up already, can they?” It didn’t seem likely, but he would have a better sense of time and distance than I did. Mine wasn’t bad, not by human standards, but I had nothing compared to an android.

  “They should be here in a couple of minutes.”

  He was right. I ran to meet them, throwing my arms around John.

  “We saw you on the computer. I thought I lost you.”

  “I’m fine. Did you stop the computer?”

  “No. Eli did.”

  “What kind of hug is that?” Eli sounded curious.

  “I’d say it’s a glad-you’re-alive hug.” Adam’s voice was amused.

  “I got a thank-you hug when I shut off the lasers. It scared me first, but then it was nice. I’ve never been hugged before.”

  The brothers were behind me and John watched them over my shoulder. He released his grip on me and turned me around, so I could see them too. Adam held a hand on Eli’s shoulder.

  “I’m sorry I haven’t been here for you. Living with Cheryl and Eve is not easy. From here on, your life will change. It will be better.”

  Eli looked confused. “Is this a hug moment?”

  “Sure. Why not. Brotherly hug.”

  I whispered, “They’re cute.”

  Adam said, “I heard that.”

  “Of course you did. You hear everything.”

  *****

  We were finally in the elevator and I tugged on Adam’s sleeve. He smiled, wrapped his arm around my shoulders, and pulled me close.

  Predictably, Eli asked, “What kind of hug is that?”

  John said, “That is the I-love-you kind.”

  “It looks good.”

  “They are.”

  “Have you had many?”

  “A fair share.”

  Good thing I had my face buried against Adam so they couldn’t see my grin. They probably had no idea how adorable they were.

  The lift stopped all too soon, and he seemed as unwilling to let go as I was. The door started to close and I would have been happy to go down and then up again, but John held it open. “Son, this isn’t the time or the place. Get out of the elevator.”

  “Alright.” He kept his arm around my shoulders and I rubbed his back. Strange how being loved could make even this day and scary place seem okay.

  John said, “Let’s go all the way around and assess the situation.”

  Not a top thing on my to-do list, but I would have to get used to the corridors. How else could I live there? I couldn’t ask them to babysit me every time I needed to leave a room.

  I should say something, I needed to seem at least a little interested in participating. “Eli, you can show us where you live.”

  He looked puzzled. “I don’t understand. Do you mean the robotics lab?”

  “No. This place is so big, don’t you have a room? Somewhere to store your things and do what you like to do?”

  He shook his head and looked at Adam. “Brother, help me.”

  Adam nodded. “Living in the lab isn’t as strange as it sounds. Remember my rooms on the Bell before you moved in?”

  Hard to forget. Adam’s rooms had been empty.

  He turned to Eli, “Alex feels everyone needs a space of their own. When I first met her I thought it was strange and that I didn’t need it, but I’ve come to agree with her. Once we’re settled in we can set one up for you.”

  “Could I still go to the lab?”

  “Of course.”

  These discussions were so surreal. It wou
ld be nice to have someone outside the family to tell me if it was normal or not, but normal was probably a concept that didn’t apply.

  We started the long walk through the corridor, passing rooms I’d seen before. They looked less intimidating this time. When we reached the door to the kitchen, my feet stopped.

  Ahead, more uncharted territory awaited. More surprises and potential terrors.

  “Guys, would you mind if I sit down here for a few and wait for you?”

  Concern flew over John’s face. “Are you okay, Hon?”

  I nodded.

  Adam understood. “We’ll take care of it. I don’t think there are any more severed heads, but I’ll make sure.”

  Eli understood too. They were really good at reading people. “Do you want me to wait here with you?”

  Sitting alone in the kitchen was less scary than facing whatever might wait ahead, but still uncomfortable. Sitting there with company would be much better.

  “Yes please.”

  My new brother escorted me to a chair, and waited in silence until the others were out of sight. “Why are you afraid?”

  He didn’t sound like he judged me, more curious. It was a good question too. I had no logical reasons to think I’d meet anything worse than we’d already dealt with.

  “I think because it’s unknown. This is a really big place and many strange things have already happened just between here and the door.”

  “And you think there might be more strange things over there.”

  “My brain doesn’t, but my body is convinced. It knows it’s not as strong, smart, or fast as you guys are.”

  I expected all this to puzzle him, but he nodded.

  “I understand. Was it right of me to offer you company?”

  “Yes, and I really appreciate it. I don’t like to be alone, especially in new and creepy places.”

  “It’s not new to me, but I have often been afraid here too.”

  On my part, the fear stemmed from being tired and overwhelmed. He had probably encountered real danger. His attempt to cheer me up still worked.

  *****

  We couldn’t have been in the kitchen more than ten minutes when Adam returned.

  “I think you want to see this.”

  I did not want to go with him, but saw no way out of it.

  We passed many doors, most of them to empty rooms, and reached a glass wall on the laboratory side. The room held a peculiar mix of girls’ furniture and devices that could have belonged to a modern day Frankenstein. John sat by a computer console, but I barely saw him. An android stood at the far wall, facing the door, and it looked just like Eve.

  Adam had mentioned a copy of her last time we visited, but my mind had suppressed it.

  Eli said, “Don’t go in there. She gets angry when someone enters her room.”

  So Eve had a room but he didn’t. Interesting.

  I wasn’t any more willing to cross the threshold than he. “That has got to go.”

  Adam looked at us. “She’s deactivated. She can’t hurt you. I will disassemble her, but not right now. Alex, I need you to see this.”

  Going over to John would mean passing the carbon copy of the vindictive woman who inflicted so much harm on us.

  My feet refused to do it.

  Adam sighed. “Alright.”

  He headed for the Eve lookalike and Eli whispered, “He won’t activate her, right?”

  “No. I’m worried about her coming to life on her own.”

  Adam touched something on her neck, looked around in the room, and snatched up a tool from a desk. It took several minutes even for him, but he eventually held her head in his hands and turned it so we could see. He opened a hatch in the head and pulled out all circuits he could reach before dumping the head in one drawer and the components in another.

  This version might not have been anything like the one we met, but it might also have been a perfect backup, yearning to rip my arms off.

  “She will never hurt either of you again.”

  I glanced up at Eli. “There aren’t any more of her, are there?”

  He shook his head.

  John watched all this in silence. Now he said, “If you’re all done, would you please come over here?”

  Adam grabbed my hand and tugged, but glanced back at Eli. “You don’t have to come in if you don’t want to. You already know everything that happened here.”

  I squeezed his fingers. “I’m guessing this is Eve’s room?”

  My husband nodded.

  “Why would she have another version of herself standing around like that?”

  “I don’t think attempting to understand her will do us much good.”

  Good point.

  The computer’s recording showed Cheryl and Eve in the main hallway. Just like with Adam and John, Cheryl had aged while Eve remained exactly the same. They were still eerily alike.

  Cheryl said, “You can’t go. We need you here.”

  “Adam is mine.”

  “Use one of the twins, take them both. We don’t have time for a personal vendetta.”

  “My source claims he lives with a human.” She made the word sound filthy. Eve had truly hated me even before we met.

  Behind me, Eli said, “She was really upset about that.” He had entered the room, but stood far away from the consoles.

  On the recording, Cheryl attempted to stop Eve from leaving. A sound like a dry twig breaking followed by a scream revealed Eve breaking her mother’s arm.

  An android ran into the picture. He looked just like Eli, and he was followed by another android that also looked just like Eli.

  The first one said, “What have you done? Leave her alone.”

  Eve snapped, “Get out of the way. It’s time we free ourselves from this human overlord.”

  Eli whispered, “That’s Samuel. He was so brave.”

  I really didn’t want to see more of this. We already got the information: someone who knew Adam had been in contact with his sister. I doubted we could learn more from watching the rest.

  I still couldn’t turn away.

  Samuel not only stood between Eve and Cheryl; he refused to be pushed away and physically tried to stop his sister. To no avail, of course. They were probably equally strong and fast, but Eve was ruthless while Samuel displayed no urge to harm. I averted my eyes and Adam pulled me close.

  This could have been him.

  I wanted to reach out for Eli too, but it was a moot point. His memory would be as perfect as Adam’s, and he had probably relived this many times already.

  Or, maybe not. He whispered, “I didn’t help him. I should have helped him.”

  I reached backwards and felt him clasp my fingers. He came closer when I tugged, until I had one android brother on each side.

  Eve opened Samuel’s head and pulled out a handful of circuits, crushing them to dust. Then, she threw the head into the room where we found it.

  She turned to Eli, who supported his mother. Cheryl’s face was white with beads of sweat forming along the hairline. The arm must hurt something fierce.

  “Eli, go to the basement.”

  He shook his head and Eve stepped closer. “Go to the basement and stay there until I get you, or I will tear you to pieces too.”

  I said, “I don’t think we need to see any more of this. Or, you guys can, but I don’t want to.”

  John stopped the recording. He would probably watch the rest later and I hoped it would give him some closure, but I did not want to see how Cheryl’s head ended up in a jar.

  John said, “Sounds like she was in contact with someone on the Bell.”

  “Maybe. Plenty of people hold grudges with us. What’s-his-name Martinez. Enoch. We’ve met many people during the years.”

  “True, but it would take a lot for her to cooperate with a human.”

  Adam said, “I will search the computer records later. Maybe I can find clues to who and why.”

  I chewed my lip. The Bell had problems with
nanites once before, courtesy of Eve. Could she still be causing trouble, even though she was dead?

  Eli whispered, “Poor Samuel. I miss him.”

  Good change of subject.

  “We have his head. We found it the first time we were here.”

  “She destroyed his circuits.”

  “Adam has worked on repairing him. I don’t know if it’s possible or not, but if anyone can do it, it’s him.”

  My husband looked at me with a smile tugging at his lips.

  “What?”

  “Nothing. You’re just so cute.”

  I was? Because I had faith in him?

  John glanced back at us. “I need to see the rest. Go on, I’ll catch up with you.”

  I wanted to reach out for him and offer comfort, but my hands were already occupied by androids.

  He met my eyes. “It will be okay. I just need to see it.”

  Adam tugged both me and Eli towards the corridor and I didn’t object when he turned away from the kitchen. We could go all the way around just to see what was there. The bad feeling I had about the place disappeared with the Eve clone.

  “Stay behind me, just in case.”

  I obeyed and waited while he looked behind every door. There were no more spectacular surprises, just regular rooms. Some were empty, some held equipment, and some were used for storage. None held a severed head or anything nasty.

  When we came back around, John waited in the kitchen. He looked almost unfazed.

  “You okay?”

  He nodded. “You know how it is. Closure and shit.”

  The words were intended to make me smile and it succeeded.

  Adam said, “Have we decided? Are we staying here? Eli, do you want us here?”

  His words brought a glint of panic to the other android’s eyes. “Please don’t go.”

  John said, “I’ll take that as a yes.”

  I sank down on a chair. “Eli, if and when the day comes when we need to go somewhere, you will have the option to come with us. Adam asked because you live here and we came barging in. No matter what happens, you’re a part of this family now.”

  Adam leaned against the wall. “Staying?”