July 4th, In Mechcitys slums, 10 pm
Shit. Shit. Shit.
Where could that kid be?
The streets of Mechcitys slums were trashy per usual. Walter peered off his balcony his tiny gray eyes scanning the area. He noticed three cigarettes smashed into the ground by the stairs leading up to his apartment.
Could that kid have seriously been taken?
He walked down almost falling head-first into the concrete. He Barely caught an arm on the step of the railing. This surprise nearly gave him a heart attack. He clutched his chest, gasping for air. He was getting too old for this.
After the shock, he began following the cigarette and smoke trail, hoping to find the robot. He knew the place all too well. The old brick buildings and the small convenient stores emptied, only left with trash and useless stuff. Most people who lived here would make a living off of selling drugs, or other means of making money. There were fights people paid to watch here, clubs, bars, all you could think of that said "streetlife".
No laws, and no consequences. It spelled "trouble" alright? Which meant Dae could be anywhere in those bad places. Someone could try selling him on a black market, or worse taking him apart to find out how he ticked. This world and this part of the world were sickening, disgusting, and full of vermin.
Humans.
Luckily, Daedudulus Mneme wasn't human, right?
The only comforting thought, Walter smirked. But if that were the case, why was he crying?
An Ai artificial intelligence. A machine programmed to listen to its creator's demands. Capable of crying? Something only humans were capable of. It was a mystery. Was it possible he was programmed to function that way? But is that even possible?
Walter walked so long, place after place, searching all night for him. His old legs began aching. Then he finally stopped to rest outside a bar called Champions. The last place he ever thought of looking in. It was an old bar, it'd been around for ages.
Well, he stood up groaning and stretching his legs and arms. Maybe I should ask around, he thought.
"Hey, you see a young Asian man? About 5'8. He has a shade of purple silver eyes?"
"No, leave if you aren't buying any alcohol old man." The bartender grumbled, spotting a glass cup and setting it on the bar table. The bartender had a line full of people. It was the time the bar was packed at Champions. The place was so old. How was it still standing?
It had a line of ten bar stools all full, a couple of booths, and round tables. There were a lot of options for alcohol to pick from. As Walter began walking towards the door he heard a voice he'd recognized.
"No more!" It came again. "W-who are you? W-w...here is...mom?" It came from one of the crowded booths. It sounded just like that AI. No, it couldn't be. Walter's feet began moving quickly towards the sound, his heart was pounding.
"Dave!?" He slammed his hands on the center of the table, panicking. His voice was hoarse, and he noticed in front of him was a black tattoed guy, he knew.
"Wha-
He looked into their eyes, shocked to see Tj, Noah, and Tyler. But there was Dae. He was sprawled out on the chair, his head looking down, his cheeks beet red from alcohol, and his eyes too. He was far gone. How much did he drink?
"Mom." He mumbled under his breath.
"Oh, I get it now." Tj slowly drawled, turning to Dae and then back at Walter. "I see the connection here. You must be this kid's...mom?"
Tyler and Noah both snickered loudly. Knowing full well who the old man was. Walter glared not finding their joke amusing at all. He sighed in annoyance and moved an arm across the table to tap on Dae's shoulder. He barely looked up, his eyes kept drifting off.
"I-I wanna go home." Dae slurred. "I can't find it?"
"Come on, I'll take you there," Walter muttered, picking the boy up, holding him by the shoulders, and supporting his weight as they began walking off the teens laughed.
"Hope to see you soon again, Dave!"
Dave? Had Walter heard that right? Did he call him by that name earlier?
It was an accident.
On the way out he heard the teens still blabbering amongst themselves.
"I didn't think AIs could get drunk," Tyler commented, taking a swing at his whiskey.
"Ai?" Asked, Noah. "You don't mean..."
"No way!" Tj exclaimed.
Walter didn't want others to know. He hoped the news wouldn't spread so fast. But now it may be too late for that. The sky was black outside, and the stars were scattered like tiny lights of happiness.
"So pretty." Dae grinned gazing up at the stars.
"Come on." He yanked on the man's sleeve. He was still wearing the same clothes he wore yesterday. A white dress shirt, and gray pants. Why did Rod dress him so formally he wondered. But the realization kicked in. Dae was naked when he left the lab with him. Now he recognized the clothes as his.
"We need to get you some of your clothes." Walter scoffed.
They walked up to the steps of his apartment in silence. It was an odd comfort walking next to the strange Ai in complete silence. He unlocked the door and allowed Dae to walk through it first, looking back out of habit.
"What are you looking at?" Dae turned from three steps inside the apartment staring back at Walter still three steps at the entrance of his home. He always looked behind him before entering. What if he'd been followed? This place wasn't safe. It was full of dangers.
"Nothing." He shut the door and put the three chains he had on back in place. He had guns hidden everywhere in this house. One in his wardrobe, under his pillow, under the bed, in a cabinet in the bathroom, and others in his closet.
He wasn't tired. The old man did take a long nap. He noticed his beer can was all gone, and all the trash was gone. The place was tidy and spotless, and no speck of dirt anywhere. It was never this clean. "Did you clean?" He asked, slightly impressed.
"Yes, it was disgusting in here, sir. It was like a pig home." Dae replied, in a cheeky tone.
"What'd you say, boy?" Walter stretches a hand out to smack Dae hard across the living room
"Ouch. That hurt old man. I can feel pain, you know?" Dae stepped back, holding his swollen cheek. He sat down on the couch making a pouty face.
"...How are you so human? You're an Ai. I don't get it.." Walter gasped, sitting down next to Dae on the couch.
"No, sir. I'm not sure. I was made this way." Then unexpectedly he leaned forward and puked all over Walters's white t-shirt staining it in a mixture of red wine, and beer.
"I need to clean out my robot parts, you know..." Dae chuckled, slightly. "Also, you don't happen to have Ai fuels? I'm kind of hungry...for real energy."
"DAEDULUS MNEME!" Walter shouted so loud, Dae's ears throbbed. The senses Rod put in him made him have all six senses. He could feel, hear, smell, taste, and of course, see clearly.
"I'm going to just..go in the other room-" Dae pointed to the bathroom. He could lock that door, right?
To be continued...
Pray guys to whatever higher being that Dae is okay!!
Hope you enjoyed it! Have a nice day!
