Remote

Codex15111

Entranced by the 4-D Battle Bot game, he had not heard the interlopers. Both his mother and father sent terse messages to his communication link to meet them. He sighed, deleted the notes from his parents without reading them thoroughly, paused the game, and headed down the stairs.

He stepped into a living room full of strangers. Fierce yellow-and-red lights from the patrol cars outside flashed through the bottom windows. Fear left stains in the air as Codey stood immobile.

Three police cyborgs dressed in white armor flanked his parents. Their gold badges sat on their uniforms, notifying every citizen that they could do whatever they wanted. His mother stood exposed in her night whites while his father still wore his business attire from work.

Both had handcuffs securing their wrists behind their backs.

"What's going on?" Codey squeaked, hating how his voice betrayed him.

A synthetic twang met his ears. The cyborg put out a large hand. "Halt. Don't come any closer. Put your hands on your head."

Codey complied but tried to catch his parents' eyes. His father shook his head and lowered his chin to his chest.

"What did my parents do?"

"Silence. Stay still and be quiet unless you want us to Taser you into submission. Or worse, set the POOC on you." The police cyborg smiled maliciously. While retaining more humanity than some Phantoms, the modifications were obvious and ample. He was tall, brawny, and armor enhanced so that people wouldn't even consider running away or challenging him. Scarier still was the robotic animal by his side. A POOC or prime official operating canine was the nickname for the genetically modified police dogs. Codey guessed it was supposed to resemble a dog, but it was all fangs, claws, and patches of tough leathery hide. For an animal, its keen focus never left Codey, its stare alarmingly human.

While crime was minimal in New State, police cyborgs were employed for duties such as this.

"Your name?" A female Phantom demanded.

"Codex 15111." It came out in a whisper.

"What do you know of your parents' employment, especially Portia60367?"

Codey's dad moved almost imperceptibly.

Codey lied. "Nothing. Don't care about it. Would rather be playing Death Bait." His heart thumped against his chest.

The male officer moved close, and perspiration appeared on Codey's forehead.

"You're a good son," he sneered. "You'd tell us if you knew about any of the illegal activities your parents are involved in and what they had to do with the archives?"

"The archives?" Codey stuttered his words. His parents knew nothing, but someone else who borrowed his mother's clothes might be involved in whatever the Phantoms mentioned.

"Speak up!" the Phantom yelled before slipping behind him.

Codey jumped.

The POOC growled. The cyborgs snickered.

"Yes, sir." Codey lied again. "I'd tell. It's my duty as a citizen."

"How old are you, Codex15111?" The Phantom's whispered words were sinister. They tickled Codey's neck with fear.

"Eighteen, sir."

"At least you have manners, unlike your parents."

Codey watched in horror as the female cyborg closed in on his mother, who cried quietly. The two stared at each other for a long moment. In a deft movement, the cyborg backhanded her in the face. "Make this easy on yourself."

"Mom!" Codey huffed.

His dad attempted to move to her side until POOC barked, exposing sharp canine fangs.

"Only speak when asked a question." The Phantom moved in front of Codex, faces inches apart.

Codey felt a fist in his kidney and staggered to one knee, gasping for air.

"What should we do with him?" The cyborg towering over Codey asked. "Take him or leave him?"

"He's not on our list." The female Phantom cupped Portia's face. "So pretty. We'll have to change that."

Preoccupied with her prisoner, she had little concern about Codey.

His stomach churned as he watched the intimate way the officer stroked his mother's cheek. This was all his fault. He'd aided the rebels. He glanced to his dad, but the older man stood, head bowed, immobile.

Why wasn't he doing anything to stop this?

"Dad?" Codey had to get his attention. The word hung in the air.

"Don't speak unless you're spoken to!" The Phantom cupped his ear with a closed fist. Stars exploded in front of his eyes.

Tears leaked from his mom's eyes and drops slowly stained the carpet.

"Enough of this," said the third drone. "Let's get going. We have other prisoners to extract."

They pushed his mother and father out the front door. Codey picked up the arrest warrant they'd tossed on the ground by him and stared in disbelief.

This was his fault.

The patrol car door heaved open, and the officer's voice commanded his parents inside. They went without complaint.

Codey stood immobile as the patrol car, bright lights flashing, sirens blazing, retreated. He sunk onto the carpet. Alone.