Machine

After decades of secret experiments, billions of dollars invested and several useless prototypes, the American army reached one of their biggest goals: creating a super soldier. In front of dozens of military, Shawn Tuck, the scientist in charge of that operation, stood next to his masterpiece, swallowed, and started his speech.

''Ladies and gentlemen, this is a historic day for our nation'', the place remained silent as everyone was paying attention to his words. ''We have created the ultimate soldier, one that doesn't need food, it's not afraid of anything, and even better, he can't die''.

He pulled off the white sheet that covered his creation, and the everyone, admired, started a prolonged applause. It was a huge machine with humanoid aspect, seven feet tall and its extremities were made of stainless steel. Its chest was covered by black Kevlar and both hands had holes to be used as cannons. It was unbelievable, at least until a couple hours before.

After a short time, the applause stopped completely and the place was silent again. Shawn looked at everyone carefully, nodded, and continued talking.

''As you can see, we found the way to adapt it to any combat situation: deserts, trenches, forests, mountains and even more. It has an internal system to warm up in cold environments, and another one to ventilate itself in the hot ones''.

The scientist pointed at the machine's feet, that looked like black combat boots.

''The feet were fabricated to grapple on any surface, doesn't matter if it is rough, slippery, dry, wet, or sandy. It can also walk through small places''.

Immediately, he pointed at his chest.

''As you may noticed, we covered it with Kevlar to reduce the bullet's impact on its body, also, the black surface is easy to paint for camouflage purposes''.

Then, he touched the right arm of the machine.

''Its arms were reinforced to resists strong impacts and carry the twice of its weight'', he smiled proudly. ''Instead of just making a soldier with the capacity of using fire guns, we incorporated them in its skeleton''.

Some amazed soldiers started to murmur along the room.

''Its palms possess holes big enough to shoot 48 caliber bullets, but they can also use smaller ammo. At the same time, we incorporated a combat knife in case it needs to engage in close combat''.

Finally, Shawn smiled again and urged them to ask all they wanted about his creation. There were murmurs along the place, and then a male voice made the first question.

''What if someone hacks our super soldier's system? That would go against our nation's goals''.

''That's an excellent question, but you don't need to worry about that, every single command is encrypted many times, so a hacker could spend years fighting just to control one part of our machine's body''.

''How do you activate it?'', a female soldier asked, while trying to be seen in the middle of the multitude.

''There are two ways, it can be manually from a checkpoint, or automatically if it detects an attack'', Tuck explained.

''Can I see it closely?'' Asked a young and thin soldier, with some aqua brands on his face.

''Go ahead'', the scientist allowed him to go in front, and the boy stood in front of the robot.

''It's imposing'', he admitted, poking its chest.

''You shouldn't do that, boy, it could...''

''C'mon, do you think that I can break it? I assure you that it resists this'', he raised his arm to punch it, at the same time that Shawn ran to stop him.

Everything went so fast. The robot's eyes opened, and when the fist was about to touch its chest, it took the combat knife and cut the boy's throat. The military, confused and scared, unfolded their weapons and started to shoot.

''No! God damn it, no!'' Cried out the scientist when his creation raised both arms and activated its incorporated guns.

In a few seconds, a storm of bullets went out of the machine, killing a lot of soldiers. Some of them, realizing what they had done, preferred to run for cover.

''Follow me, sir!'' Ordered the female soldier from minutes ago, grabbing his arm.

Shawn didn't resist. He followed her lead and kept his head down to avoid the bullets. The girl's thin body moved faster that his, but he was making his best effort to chase her. Finally, they got inside a small laboratory next to the room where the massacre was going on.

''Thanks for saving me'', he gasped.

''There's no time for formalities, sir, I need you to help me to disable that machine before it kill us all'', the girl answered, taking off her cap. Her long blonde hair fell down on her chest, and she whipped it towards her back.

''It's programmed to annihilate anything that represents a threat, when you started the shooting, its worst mode was activated'', he scratched his nape. ''It has a button to disable the electric energy of its body; however, it's impossible to reach without being killed''.

''What can we do?''

Before he could say anything, a huge explosion sounded in the place, followed by some horrified screams and shoots.

''I don't know, this is not supposed to happen'', Shawn started to feel dizzy, and sweat drops appeared on his forehead. ''Everything was going fine...''

''Sir, I need you to calm down and think, you're the only one that knows how to stop it''.

''I think you don't get it'', Tuck pointed at the door. ''What stands there is not a machine, it's a soldier''.

In that very moment, a corpse crashed against the entrance of the laboratory, covering it with his blood. The shoots were reduced from a lot, to some every few seconds, and finally they disappeared at all.

''Sir, I need you to think'', she shacked his shoulders. ''If it finds us, we are dead''.

''It found us, nothing escapes of its infrared look'', the scientist's voice adopted a madness and motion tone that scared the girl. ''It's coming for us''.

''Then I need you to...''

The phrase was interrupted when the machine tore off the laboratory's door and scanned them carefully. Now its appearance was scary, and none of them could dissimulate it. Hundreds of bullets pierced its body, fresh blood was covering its frame, and synthetic skin was burned, allowing them to see its robotic skeleton.

''This is the end'', Shawn said, looking down.

''It doesn't have to end here'', the girl was trying to not move, while the robot scanned here from head-to-toe.

''Of course it does, it's part of the plan''.

''A plan?'' She paled.

''When I was seven, my father died serving in one of your stupid American wars. He was supposed to come back home the day after, but his base was bombarded and they just found burned corpses. The worst thing is that army thought that giving me a stupid medal they could fill the emptiness of losing my dad in a war that they caused. Now, for justice, it's my turn to take your lives''.

''Sir, I can assure you that...''

''Shoot'', he ordered loud enough for his creation to hear it, and immediately, a bullet pierced her skull.

Her corpse fell at his feet, Shawn picked up her weapon, and palming the machine's arm, and they started to walk to the other room. It was time to take control of that place and turn on the other prototypes, then, they would continue with the plan: annihilating the whole army.