Mechanical Gods (lgbtq+)

Chapter Twenty-Six: Core Emotions of Complexity

     Tyler followed Amanda to the elevator with Toby at their heels. She made no mention of what they were going to do, and he didn't quite like resting his fate on Amanda's hands given her track record. Gregg was already waiting for them by the elevator, looking like he just woke up and hardly didn't want to be there, but his presence was at least a welcomed one. When he thought they were going to Sub-Level One, Amanda instead pressed Sub-Level Three; the storage level.

     "What's down there? I mean, It's just those defective android models, right?" Tyler asked.

     "Yes. And then some. The lab's too small for what I am trying to build. Obviously, Mr. Reese gave me permission to build down on Level Three. There are too many empty spaces down there. We can use the training area but there are too many eyes. And it's a less controlled environment due to it being pre-built," Amanda said nonchalantly.

     "I'm sure the security folks won't mind. They seemed to follow you blindly anyway, and they probably won't ask if you kick them out of the area."

     "And where would I put them after that? After all, that's where they sleep. Anyway, aside from the science team, Echo, Monty, and Bernard, the rest don't know about Aiden's existence. Hardly most of the security team knew what they are really guarding in here," Amanda said.

     "Oh, great. I'd hate it if I was guarding a potential homicidal android only for it to kill me..." Tyler mumbled sarcastically.

     Amanda bit her lip. "It's already proven that your android is a potential homicidal android." She pointed at his chest to where his bruises were. "You can still feel its wake. And now you go off learning how to be a good soldier boy."

     Tyler rolled his eyes. "Echo's teaching me."

     "And she's not too pleased about that, either. I mean, with her having to stay here and not with Gideon up in New York. She's always a good little bitch following his tail," Amanda huffed.

     Tyler had a feeling the two women didn't get along. He noticed little things before but thought not much of it. Well, until now. "I didn't know she was pissed."

     "And look what she gave you. That little physical test. Just a waste of time, really. You can't learn the muscle memory of trained soldier, or karate in a week. That takes at least months. Time in which you have no patience of, as I am aware."

     "You don't know me," Tyler said, gritting his teeth.

     "But I know human physiology and how humans think."

     At that time, it was Gregg's turned to interject, coughing like a bug had latched down his throat. "Come on, Amanda. Lay off the mind games," he said, shooting apologetic glances toward Tyler.

     "I wasn't playing anything," Amanda shrugged. "I'm only showing him the reality of his situation. You deserve that much. Now, let's talk about my plan."

     Tyler shook his head. He was already lost on what she's on about. She was planning something, and that was already a cause for concern. Tyler was still adamant about her still contributing to the plans after what she pulled a few weeks ago. He almost lost Aiden and it was something Tyler couldn't forgive right away.

     And I also pulled the same thing, Tyler thought about Itsuki and Himari's video files. Though he'd like to think it's different than what Amanda pulled, and while hers was calculated and on purpose, his was by accident. The grim memory lingered longer against his protest, but when the elevator doors opened to Sub-Level Three, he quickly shook them away.

     Amanda prattled on about human psychology and the drive of choices that humans craved like a sacrament since humanity cast the first stone to kill another, or to carve a future for better or worse. She went more into the scientific jargon of it, but in essence, that was what Tyler got from her spiel as they navigate the labyrinthine hallways of the third sub-level. She even said a word that had at least thirty words and more consonants than vowels, making it harder to even repeat it back.