RUN FOR YOUR LIFE

CHAPTER 39: WHO ARE YOU BUNNY?

Chapter 39: WHO ARE YOU, BUNNY?

ILANG beses kong kinurap ang mga mata ko ngunit walang duda na kamukha nga ni Brenda ang android robot na nasa harapan ko. Kung titingnang mabuti ang kanyang mukha, tila totoong tao nga ito!

"This is what Elpidio Moran is worried about. Ayaw niyang malaman ng iba na ang pinakilala niyang anak ay isa palang android. Made of the finest silicone which made her skin seems real. Ang motors din na nasa katawan niya ay gawa sa most advanced and lightest metal," sabi ni Triangle.

Umikot ako sa kabuuan ng robot. Hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala sa nakikita ko. "No, kumain siya 'di ba? She ate the food―" Ayaw ko nang isipin pa ang pagkaing dinuraan nila.

"Yup." Triangle bent over at may binuksan sa dibdib na bahagi ng robot. Some food spilled over. Hindi iyon mabaho kahit mukhang bulok na. "Of course, Brenda is an advanced robot which can mimic every human action—even eating and drinking. Her artificial intelligence is on another level too."

Puto, totoo ba ang lahat ng ito? All this time, I'm competing with a robot for a spot in the Royals?! Ops, robot with an A.I. which is on another level! At puto ulit, nasampal ako ng robot?!

"But Brenda likes you!" sabi ko.

"Her internal sensors allow her to establish an emotion over someone. And I figured out Brenda is designed to like me—I mean, someone whose features resembles me or my brother. Iyon ang nakita ko na naka-program sa kanya. Not a deliberate design but the descriptions to trigger her emotions are exactly me considering other factors. This robot is very flexible and its actuators are of all kinds including ultrasonic. Believe it or not, wala naman talagang pakialam si Moran sa kanya."

"Pero bakit?" Ang hindi ko maintindihan ay bakit gumawa si Elpidio Moran ng isang robot at pinakilala ito sa buong Capital na anak niya? Ano'ng gusto niyang palabasin?

He shrugged. "Iyan ang hindi ko alam."

Pinaglalaruan lang ba kami ni Moran? Ibig sabihin ay hindi naman talaga kay Brenda ang dog meat project dahil sa kanya talaga iyon. Maybe he wanted to use her as scapegoat if ever the project fails.

Gayunpaman, isa lamang hangarin ko at iyon ay ang mga matatanda sa Foster. "Return this robot to him."

"No," he replied firmly

Biglang umakyat sa ulo ko ang lahat ng dugo ko. "No?"

"No."

Kung ayaw niya, ibig sabihin ay hindi mababago ang protocol! Hindi ko matutulungan si Iris at ang iba pa! Out of frustration, I pulled him by the neckline of his shirt and pinned him on the wall. He was taken by surprise kaya hindi agad siya nakapalag.

"Don't be selfish, Triangle!" naiinis na wika ko. Can't he just let the robot go and get the shitty protocol of Foster be changed?!

His eyes met mine. And I saw that he is really firm with what's his decision. "No. Call me selfish and everything pero hindi ko ibabalik sa kanya ang robot."

I'm this close to punching his face due to anger and irritation. "That's not yours!"

"And this isn't his too!" sagot niya.

Bahagya akong napaatras at binitiwan siya nang mahimigan ang galit sa boses ni Triangle. It was anger along with pain and sadness.

He slid his body down the wall and sat on the floor. He bit his lower lip and prevented his voice to crack.

"Fourteen years ago, Trapezoid Bermudo completed a robot which he named Android IX in this same room. He was the best scientist and engineer that the Capital recognized. Dalawang tao lamang maliban sa kanya ang nakakaalam ng tungkol sa laboratory na ito at kay Android IX."