Ghost in the Machine

Is That a Joke?

"Echo?"

"What is it, Greer?"

"I think you were sleeping again."

She looked around, realizing time had again elapsed without her realizing it. Verifying her internal data storage, the android calculated an hour had passed of which she had no memory.

"I believe you are correct." Standing, she turned to face him in the dark, sensing an elevated heart rate and blood pressure. "You are troubled."

"I'm with a robot that dreams," he retorted softly. "Of course I'm troubled."

"Do you wish me to depart from you?"

"That's not what I meant." Taking a step closer, he reached out, touching her arm. It was cold. "All of this is a little...unusual."

"Yes."

"About earlier,"

"Yes?" Her head turned sharply. "Something approaches."

"Scavengers?"

"No...it is in the sky, approaching swiftly." The steady whump whump of helicopter blades broke the silence as she spoke. A military grade chopper appeared in the sky. Greer and Echo ducked out of sight, running to where Kai was stirring. The boy had been awoken by the loud motor.

"What is that-?"

"Quickly son!" Rhaner half dragged half carried the boy into the trees, pressing close to the ground among the brush. "Quiet now...no sudden moves."

"Did they find us?" Kai whispered, fully awake now.

"I don't think so, or we'd know it. But they are looking."

"Do you think that bird has infrared capabilities?"

With searing light, a beam shot from the helicopter, the spotlight driving away all shadows from the area they lay in. Greer swore. Blinking against the blinding glare, he started in surprise to see Echo walking slowly out into the open, her long hair whipped into a flurry of black mist. She was looking up.

"On the ground!" The voice from above was sharp. "You have three seconds to comply!"

Like the images from a dream, Greer watched in slow motion as the android lifted her arm, palm open, facing the chopper. A brilliant flash of blue light pulse from her hand, sending direct ripples of light up into the night sky. It was instantly silent and dark. Hanging for a brief moment, suspended on nothing, the helicopter tilted slightly before plummeting toward the earth.

"Run!" Echo was suddenly at their side, pulling them both to their feet. "Run!"

The Rhaner's did not need further urging. Legs pumping, they raced into the trees, putting as much distance behind them as they could before the chopper hit ground. The explosion was loud, shock waves of heat and powerful air currents slapping into them from behind. Kai was hurled forward, landing on his face, somersaulting several times before rolling to a stop, groaning. Greer hit on his shoulder, feeling the joint pop as he tumbled headlong into a sturdy pine. His forehead cracked against the trunk, sparks of light exploding in his mind as he went limp.

Echo landed on her feet in a crouch, clothing singed but undamaged. She went to Greer first, assessing the injuries swiftly. Pulling him upright, she left him leaning against the offending pine tree before going to Kai. The boy had not moved but was still groaning. Instead of touching him, Echo scanned his body first. There were multiple fractures and several breaks, but no internal bleeding and no brain damage. She gently rolled him over.

"Kai,"

"Echo...?"

"You are injured, but you will recover."