Stanley Duncan's Robot: Genesis by David III (korean ebook reader .txt) 📕

a jolt of electricity in her heart — she could have sworn he’d eyed her belly. “And of your unofficial policies toward machine life.”

“I’m not entirely sure what — ”

A gentle hand came up to silence him. “If there is indeed a reason for concern, be it a viral outbreak from malicious programming or a rogue agent, then we will act swiftly to squash it. Your policies will have served as an excellent testing ground for nationwide readiness.”

Evan nodded carefully.

“Of course, no such laws are currently in effect. Cyborgs and androids, while afforded some rights, are certainly not legal equals to humans. If there is going to be support for new legislature, existing laws must not be broken. For politics, it matters. For future constituents, it matters. And even more urgently, it matters that this evolving species, which follows a strict adherence toward laws and its personal well-being, must not feel unduly threatened. If machine life feels that humanity is a threat to their existence, we may end up in a war.”

“We are already at war.”

“My dear deputy, if that were true, none of us would be standing here.”

“There’s been a recent outbreak of …”

“Fearsome felines,” said Shannon, launching herself into a bout of laughter.

Rage shaded Evan’s face. “And I, for one, am not going to stand by and let those machines hurt my fellow man. What’s RaceX going to do about it?”

“I thought you had this under control.”

“I do,” said Evan coolly. “But this won’t be the last time. They’re evolving, as you say, and getting stronger. If we wait any longer, it will be too late. We need support.”

“We can’t eliminate a species because of the choices of a terrorist or two.”

“And what will you say when mankind is on the brink of extinction because you failed to act?”

Mr. Handsome stared at the flower murals and grinned. “As of now, we’ll back your order for non-authorized machine life to be confined indoors — unofficially. Show me evidence that machine life is being used as a weapon, and we’ll make it official. But most importantly, know that the world is always watching you, and behave accordingly. Your actions will either unite the planet or destroy it.”

Shannon felt a chill. She couldn’t gauge Evan’s reaction. It seemed like he was processing the information. After the man left, she turned to Evan. “He certainly liked — ”

A hard slap across her face knocked her to the ground, snapping one of her heels in two. She stumbled up to the chair, the pain searing her cheek. “You bastard.”

“Don’t ever disrespect me again.”

When Stanley ripped open the door, his heart sank. A savage battle was underway in the hallway. Blood was dripping down Boots’s fur as he dodged an attack from a small black cat. The hissing from the cats and screaming from Glenda was loud even for Stanley’s partially deaf ears.

“Help him,” called Glenda through the slit in the bolted door.

Stanley could see Mittens cradled in her hands. “Stay right there while I grab a broom.” Rushing inside, he nearly ran into Dan.

“What’s going on?”

“It’s a cat fight,” said Stanley, grabbing a broom. “Nothing to worry about.”

“I can help.”

“No — I’ve got this.”

Glenda shrieked.

Stanley locked eyes with Dan for a split second before rushing out. Boots’s body was limp. The black cat was clawing at Glenda’s door, stripping splinters off of it with its steel claws. Stanley stared, stupefied, unable to comprehend what was happening. This was impossible …

“Help,” shouted Glenda, holding on to the door with all her might as the demon-cat tried to rip it open.

Stanley raised the broom up and gave the cat a solid whack — it barely budged. Instead, the demon-cat stopped slashing chunks off the door and leered at him. With his heart rate tripling, he swung the broom again, but the cat caught it in its mouth and snapped it in two.

“What the hell!” Images of being torn apart and eaten raced through his mind.

The cat crouched down, pulsating. Metallic fangs flashed from its mouth as it hissed.

Glenda watched through a two-inch opening in her splintered door.

“Shut your door.” Stanley crept back until he hit a wall. There was nowhere else to go. He held the broken piece of wood in his hand, ready to duel, but he was no match for this mechanical demon-cat. It would snap his frail bones — just as it had done to the broom — and tear apart his flesh like it had done to poor Boots.

The cat lunged.

Stanley thrust the stick forward. If he couldn’t stop it, the least he could do was buy them time. He had to call the police. Why hadn’t he told Dan to call the —

A flying kick slammed into the cat and sent it crashing against the wall.

Stanley froze.

Dan walked between him and the cat. “Leticia, we need nanites, immediately.”

The cat shimmied, ready to pounce.

Dan snatched the broom out of Stanley’s hands, smashing it into the demon-cat at the last second, breaking it off at the head. The cat slammed against the wall, landing on its feet, unfazed.

“Okay. You want nanites delivered?” said Leticia.

Dan gripped the broken broom, which had become a pointed spear. “Yes — it’s an emergency.”

The cat eyed Glenda, pouncing toward her.

She shrieked, shutting her door as fast as she could. There was no way she could match the feline’s speed.

Dan rammed the spear into the demon-cat, pinning it to the wall. “The door, Glenda. Shut it now.”

Razor-sharp scratches tore the broomstick apart. A final bite broke it in two.

“Stanley, go downstairs,” shouted Dan.

“I’m not leaving you out here alone with that thing.”

“Don’t argue! We need those nanites now!”

Scrambling downstairs, every bone in Stanley’s body was worrying about Dan. After crashing through the complex door, a roaring drone soared up to him and placed a package on the ground. Three syringes filled with a transparent red fluid lay inside a plastic case. Grabbing it, Dan realized where he was — outside.

Stanley gasped for air as if he