A Whateley Academy story

A Brief Personal History of my Summer Mutation

by

Nagrij

 

Part 8

 

I woke up, instantly knowing it was a mistake. Jeanette already knew, of course. I groaned theatrically to let her know I knew she was there, and she offered me access to a straw.

"Try and drink, Mistress."

It took some angling, but I managed to take a sip without spilling it all over myself; it was a familiar taste, which somehow tasted slightly different; Gatorade?

"You are dehydrated, among other concerns. Please, drink more."

I managed another three sips before spitting out the straw. The liquid was a balm to my scratchy throat. Jeanette moved the glass away, placing it on her service tray. There were some goodies there, and some pills of questionable provenance.

There was no coffee, however.

I couldn't really move much; I was just too tired. Was it morning? The clock at my bedside seemed to say it was; a mere four minutes from the morning alarm, unless I was much mistaken.

I had been fine last night; why did I feel so much like week old garbage now? "Whu?"

Absolutely brilliant min, how expressive of you.

"I do not know," Jeanette responded. "It seems you have gotten ill somehow, and your normal physiology has worsened the effect. Please bear with it for now, as I will certainly nurse you back to health quickly."

Well, it wasn't like I had a choice or anything. It was bear with it or not. I levered myself up with some effort, and suddenly felt cold; just having my blankets off my upper half made me shiver.

Still, sitting mostly upright against my headboard was a success, currently. "How did this even happen?"

"The normal way for a human, I suspect," Jeanette answered with just a hint of sarcasm. "Schools are breeding grounds for disease, and your immune system is already compromised. Such things will be unavoidable in the future, even if precautions are taken."

That meant I was even more sick than I thought I was? This condition was chronic, or at least my susceptibility was? That was bullshit.

"That's bullshit."

Jeanette nodded at my outburst, even as I realized I'd said it out loud. Even as I realized my voice was both croaky and weak.

"Life is often unfair, so I've read," Jeanette answered. "I'll return in a moment. For now, please stay in bed."

She left the tray balanced on my nightstand and left. The words were pointless really, since I didn't really have the energy to do more than slump.

Well, slump and wish I had that straw back in my mouth; it was odd. I was cold, but my mouth wanted something cold to drink. It hadn't even been that long since I drank the stuff.

Jeanette made her way back with a thermometer of all things, and Mom was right behind her. "My apologies. I concluded this was serious, and so decided to bring in a... higher authority."

There was no trace of Jeanette's usual sarcasm, but I could still hear it. From the look on Mom's face, she could too.

Mom ignored it though, and placed the back of her hand on my forehead. At the same time she grabbed the thermometer and stuck it out.

I dutifully mimicked a shark, and clamped down on it, moving the little cylinder under my tongue. Mom counted down, and right on time yanked the thermometer back. Behind her, Jeanette rolled her eyes and held up a finger - Mom was a half a beat too soon.

It didn't really matter, but it brought a smile to my face anyway. "Hm, a two degree fever and no cough yet. Doesn't seem too bad, but you are sick."

"I'm really not the type to play hooky, Mom." I'd only lied about being sick once, ever. Of course, Mom had never really forgotten that, even though it was years ago, which is why she was here now, rather than just taking my android maid's word for my being sick.

Dad was a bit more forgiving. Right, I still needed to do the thing, "Mom, I'm sorry about before. I should have asked you for permission too, and I didn't."

Mom moved back a little, still looking at the thermometer. "Apology accepted, but I think your timing could be better."

"Well, this is the first time we have met alone in person since I flew, so... yeah. I'm sorry."

"It was important to be alone, was it?" Mom asked, looking back to Jeanette.

"Jeanette doesn't count, she can be trusted implicitly," I was ninety percent sure that was true. Here goes. "and yes being alone helps. In the spirit of that mistake and forgiveness though, I feel I should mention something."

Mom raised an eyebrow, then sighed. There was nothing but patience in her voice though. "What is it?"

"I'm making another android. A model I intend to give to the police."

Mom blinked. Then blinked again. Finally she settled on another sigh. "What brought this on?"

She knew. "You know. I'm surprised it took me so long to think about it, to be honest. But I could be doing more than just satisfying my selfish needs, weak or not. A police android might help stop anything else like the summer before last from happening again, especially if I provide some equipment for her."

"Her, huh?" Mom asked.

Well she was. "Yeah, her. I already started, and the kernel is most likely a her." Likely enough that the body on the drawing board was female.

"Why give her up? Why make her for the police?" Mom asked. There was something in her voice as she asked the question....

"Because I'm a kid. trained adults should know better than me how to use something that could be considered a tool of war, if you squint. I don't really want that responsibility. So the idea is, I will make here, and she will take all the tests and become a cop, and be available to the police when they need some sort of heavier response. And yes, before you ask, if she makes the police squad and catches me in a crime, she will attempt to arrest me. I wouldn't sneak anything shady into her."

It was important that people understood my commitment.

Mom surprise hugged me. "Honey, I am so proud of you. You have no idea."

I couldn't breathe, but it was still a wonderful feeling. "I have some idea," I managed to wheeze out.

She let me go and I continued: "Anyway, I called the Chief last night, and missed him. I thought if either of you tell me no, I'll just stop. Otherwise I'll go ahead and the android will be completed in a couple of weeks, tops."

It wasn't a quick solution; the android would likely take months to go to the police academy when she was completed, but if the Chief wanted he could probably do something about that.

Mom adjusted my pajama top, re-buttoning the top button. "You called the Chief last night, hm? That isn't a subtle form of arm twisting, at all."

It wasn't! Okay, it might be, but I didn't mean it like that. "Sorry. I didn't mean it like that... its just, I heard there was some kind of thing downtown, and between that and last year, I thought I could help...."

"And you realized you didn't want to just do nothing and leave it completely to us adults, despite your professed trust. Its okay, I get it."

That was... well, that was probably right.

"It also sounds like a great idea, and a good way to help our little community. Maybe if that works out, you can extend a program like it to the state in the future. At any rate, you're staying home today, so get some rest. If the Chief calls back, I'll take it."

"Okay." I wasn't sad about missing school, but missing meant no one coming over after classes, as I would be trying not to pass any illness on. That was why kids should stay home in the first place, after all, even though so few did.

Mom left to go downstairs, and the minute the door closed Jeanette had my laptop on my lap. Where had she even hidden that?

"Don't ask," she told me, and stepped over. Soon the straw was in my mouth again, and blessed Gatorade was flowing into me. I resolved not to ask, but to take the chance instead. Mom wouldn't be back for awhile, probably, so I could get a few things done, and lay the groundwork for some others.

Jeanette grabbed another pitcher from the service, and soon the empty glass was filled again with water. She then backed off and stood at attention while I opened the laptop and booted it.

Waiting for a computer to boot up was always annoying, even if it took just a few seconds. There had to be some way to improve that... no, later. A good idea, but later.

Still, it gave me time to adjust my comforter, and the connection to my lab was established quickly. My mainframe and new android were both waiting for me - while I was here, there was no reason not to help her. Being alone sucked when you were young, after all.

I should have asked if my others were aware when the machines were shut off. There was still power to them, after all. The idea of Jeanette being alone and in the dark, waiting for my return, with no stimulus of any kind... well, maybe I'd better leave that question alone.

Jeanette tilted her head as I glanced at her; she knew something was up.

I responded to the questions - "Are you there? Why are you there so early?" among them, and let the fledgling ponder my responses of "yes, and I am ill with a cold" while I checked my suit plans. They were still there, right where I left them.

The AI logged onto the internet, and promptly looked up both the words "ill" and "cold". The next question intrigued me: "Is there anything I can do to help?"

I answered that Jeanette had me covered, and I would be fine, and that the best thing they could do would be just to focus on learning.

I didn't mention that I'd already had their job picked out for them - so far, I'd been lucky in that respect, but there was no way that would last forever. If they didn't want to join the police force, then I'd simply make another intelligence until I got one that would, or at the very least wouldn't mind it.

I'd have to make them wait around for a body, and that would suck a little, but it could be handled, I guess.

Still, I had a strong sense that my luck hadn't run out quite yet. Not that I believed in such things, but it was nice to entertain the thought, in a way.

The question came: "What do you require of me?"

How to answer this honestly? It was a problem, even with all the practice I had. "I require nothing, but I would prefer or like you to help me with some problems or issues in the world. I created you to help humanity."

It was always best to close with that line, for sure. No orders, but instead just an expectation to help. The AI could draw their own conclusions, and decide for themselves.

The AI was spending a bit of time, chewing on that one. There was no response but the dot dot dot of a program thinking, something I'd coded in myself after the first time. That had been wild; thinking that because Crash had stopped responding, he had somehow died.

Jeeves had been a voodoo fugue, created differently, and I just didn't know enough at the time.

Jeanette interrupted me with the glass again, and I heard pounding steps up the stairs. It was too late to hide what I was doing, so I didn't... well, except to open a small easy to play game in a window. matching gems? Childs play, but it was something to do that wasn't heavy research or design.

Mom came in a moment later.

Of course she noticed. "What's this then?"

Think of an excuse, or tell the truth? "I've got an AI cooking, if I'm staying home, I shouldn't leave her alone."

Mom gave me a look. "And the game?"

Crap! "I panicked?"

She clapped me on the shoulder. "Its fine. You probably shouldn't leave them alone to plot world domination anyway."

"They aren't going to do that!" None of my androids would ever... it would be too much of a pain in the butt, and they all knew it. I mean how would they even keep control? Even taking over nuclear stockpiles only got one so far....

"Just a joke, honey. Just a joke. I know they won't... but some people won't understand. Once burned, twice shy and all that. Can I say hello?"

"Of course," I shuffled the laptop over. I trusted Mom, and it wasn't like she could just hit the delete key with me here. There was an actual process for deleting my kernels. I wasn't stupid.

Mom actually did type out hello, and when asked, she explained she was my creator. She actually used the word creator, which was a word my androids seemed to favor... which meant she was probably talking to Jeanette, Jeeves, or both when I wasn't around.

There was nothing wrong with that, of course, but the idea that my androids were comparing notes with Mom was not one that set me at ease. I mean Mom wasn't exactly an enemy, but she really didn't like me making new stuff... new people. Even my androids had to know that, she hadn't hidden it.

It was good they could get along well with people who didn't exactly like them, but still, this seemed a bit too chummy.

Mom admitted she was a mother, and that led to a search on motherhood. The next statement was more of an indictment, even if my little one didn't know: "Creation with vague intent, plan, or design."

"Wow, she's got you pegged."

Mom glared at me. "What does that even mean?"

"She's drawing a parallel between my form of creation and yours; biological growth is according to a template, and there is no real plan or individual design behind it."

I took over and typed in that such was biological creation in all its glory - until artificial intelligence was created. That most of what she would see, was inexact and messy. Well, without using those words of course, no need to scare the poor girl.

She typed back one word: "understood."

I could see the little icon that represented her thought processes just working away.

"Well I think we've traumatized her enough. She needs time to think things over."

Mom eyed the laptop dubiously. "If you say so. You're the expert."

"Yeah, trust me. You dropped a bomb on her, she's running searches now and figuring things out." I could even find the sites she was going to; they were all tracked on both the mainframe and laptop as a matter of course.

Well, while the AI was cooking, so to speak. Once they were done with that, I didn't peek into any android's search history. I trusted them, and the process was mainly an attempt to keep the fledglings from going somewhere they really shouldn't before they were ready.

Like certain pay sites. No poor AI needed to see all that.

I typed some be right back, and set the laptop aside. I left it on, since if she wanted, the fledgling AI could access the camera. Something I encouraged, at least around the house. I still wasn't sure about outside the house.

I still wasn't sure what my AI's saw through the simple cameras. I had yet to ask - but I was afraid of the answer, as the android eyes were constructed differently. The software was different too; it was much more like human eyes in a way - the software was a program that was slaved to the overall AI that translated camera images. It worked outside of the AI's intelligence, as the other senses did. As for how that data was translated, not even I had a clue.

But it was just like a human in that way; we don't know how our senses work either, they just do. That was where I got the idea, really, because tying all that into the intelligence itself and tasking it all in would slow the intelligence way down as it tried to manage everything itself. The added benefit was it made them understand being human better - or should. I hoped it did.

At any rate, it was better to slave some not quite true AI systems to a real AI than to try and incorporate all those functions into a singular intelligence. I knew that much at least, because it worked.

Maybe someday I'd be brave enough to ask what my androids saw, and how they felt. Hearing at least was easy enough, I'd simply replicated how humans heard things with little hairs... then added a bit more for the higher or lower spectrums, to be turned on at will.

It was a little amazing that no one had figured out how to do things the easy way just yet; at least, no one I knew. Everyone was just trying to stick every function on the poor AI as if it could handle it all, and that method just wasn't working out. I mean sure, maybe eventually they could brute force it with hardware, but no chips were that good just yet, even mine.

What everyone else didn't know, wouldn't hurt them.

Jeanette moved the glass in range again, and I realized I was thirsty. I drank, realizing there had been no call to nature just yet. Which made me ponder what would hopefully be the grossest question of the day; where was all the liquid going? I hoped it was just sweat.

I didn't really want to think of what it could be if it wasn't sweat. As it was, I'd be taking a shower later for sure.

"How do you feel?" Jeanette asked.

"Better." Wait, something was off. I was slumped against the headboard again, with some pillows under my head. "Where did Mom go?"

Jeanette answered as if my lost time was nothing at all. "She went to make sure your brother was up and well."

I could hear someone who could only be Ian thumping around in the bathroom, so that had worked out.

"Did she see?"

Jeanette nodded. "She saw your lapse of consciousness, yes."

Well crap, there would be no convincing her that I would be just fine in the lab now.

Jeanette also didn't approve. "You should remain in bed, unless the needs of your body demand otherwise."

If Jeanette felt that way, I wasn't going anywhere. She could and would just shove me back down, and make it stick. Oh she'd be nice about it, but it would still happen; I looked to the laptop, to where my new fledgling AI was thinking and probably watching us. It was too late to try and make sure such things didn't happen in the next generation.

I probably shouldn't interfere in that way to begin with, no matter how tempting the idea.

"Can you eat?" Jeanette asked.

I felt hungry, but the thought of food didn't do anything for me. "Maybe?"

"Let us try then, with some toast." Jeanette suggested, pulling her tray closer and unveiling buttered toast by pulling a napkin aside.

Toast in bed? That was bold... Mom would throw a fit. But looking at the meager meal I decided it was Jeanette's problem, and made the effort.

It was cold, but that was fine, so long as the butter was melted. There was a hint of cinnamon mixed in too, which was nice.

The first slice settled in my stomach like lead though, which seemed a warning. "I think that is enough for now."

Jeanette didn't force it. "As you say. Is there anything you need?"

I felt I could handle something hot. "Some tea, maybe? something hot that isn't coffee."

Jeanette smiled. "Of course. Now I would know you are ill, even if my sensors had been broken."

It wasn't much, but Jeanette had just made a joke. Such an effort should be rewarded. "Good one."

"Thank you, your appreciation is most gracious. Please, call me if you need anything. I shall be cleaning the house in the meantime. If you feel the need, please sleep."

I waved as Jeanette left. A hacking cough suddenly bubbled up and passed. Jeanette didn't come back, but my door opened again anyway.

Ian stuck his head in. "You okay sis?"

I would have thrown a pillow at him, but I needed them. "No Ian, get out! I'm sick, and you don't need to catch it."

"Feel better," he said in a rush and backed out, shutting the door.

Just as if my little brothers words were a curse, I no longer felt cold. Instead I felt incredibly hot, and my everything was burning. I managed to get the blankets off and move to a colder part of the bed; the laptop was a bit of a casualty of that war, but it was still on the bed so it would survive. Good enough.

Well, not really good enough. I couldn't really move through the ache in my muscles though, not anymore. This was fine anyway - I didn't need blankets, even when I switched to being cold again, between one heartbeat and the next. A little cold never killed anyone, right? Right?

Wait, the laptop light was on and blinking red. That meant a message.

I tried, but I couldn't untangle the device from the comforter; my stupid noodle arms! "Jeanette, a little help please?"

As if she'd been waiting outside the door for just this moment, my primary care android burst in. She took one look and her voice clucked with disapproval. "How did this happen?"

"I got hot. Then the blanket got a mind of its own and attacked - but there is a message for me, and I think its your little sister. She needs me."

"There is indeed a message," Jeanette answered as she easily freed the laptop. "However it was for me. My little sister was worried about you, as you appeared to be in distress."

"Oh." Well that's a bit embarassing. "I'm fine."

"You are not fine," Jeanette asserted. "You are very cold and should be covered up." My maid shook the comforter out then let it drape over me. Then she tucked me in. "Do not remove this, no matter how hot you feel. Call upon me, and I shall assess your health and make the decision regarding your temperature."

She then set the laptop back where my lap was. Wait, the time on it... "It's ten?"

Jeanette nodded. "Nine-fifty-one, to be precise, but close enough to ten-o-clock. Why do you ask?"

"That means I've been asleep for a couple hours - and I don't remember sleeping." That was a little worrying. Surely I should remember falling asleep or passing out, but I couldn't recall when it happened to save my life.

Jeanette placed her hand on my forehead. "Do not worry. You shall survive, even prosper. This is but a passing weakness."

Rather than crediting those words, which were certainly true but not really helpful in the moment, I checked the laptop.

My budding AI had indeed left messages for me:

Creator? Are you well?
Minerva? Please respond.
I've a question for you; please respond.

That was it, not much of a chat log. Still it was enough.

I typed back: "I'm alright, sorry about the long wait. The mind is willing but the flesh is weak sometimes."

The answer was prompt. "It is alright. Your condition has been explained to me, and I can be patient. That quote is originally from the Bible, Mathew 26:41. Meaning, the mind or spirit can have more strength than the body housing the mind or spirit. My question is, why create us in your image if your flesh is weak?"

Oh, that was a good one. A predictable one, but she had come to the question days quicker than her older siblings. Luckily for her I was an old pro at this by now, and could answer this question in my sleep - er, not really but I could answer it sick.

"So that you may understand us humans better. We do not know all there is to know, nor are we the strongest species. We do not have all the answers, for all our current wisdom. So you're made in humanities image so that you might understand the shortcomings of humanity better. In ways that even I might miss."

She would come to the conclusion soon that looking like us didn't mean she was as weak as us soon; that was usually the next question.

Jeanette raised an eyebrow; she could see the screen. "She is early."

Jeanette knew the score; she'd experienced it herself, after all. "She is. She's going to be a precocious one. Smart, too." I could almost feel the reasoning chain the AI was feeling herself along, next to the next to the next.

It was heartening, and I never got tired of the feeling. However, I recognized the dopamine for what it was, and I'd stay away from that abyss; if I just started making androids to make androids, I'd rapidly be in jail or worse. I was sure of that.

Enemy of humanity was a title that many devisors seemed to aspire to, but it wasn't the recognition I wanted. I wasn't even sure I wanted any recognition at all. But 'Minerva, enemy of all humanity' didn't have quite the ring I was looking for.

My fledgling AI was typing again. "Why?" she asked. "Why do you want us to know the shortcomings of humanity?"

That wasn't the question I expected. It was usually asked, but a bit later. "I wish you all to understand how humans are, when we as a species disappoint you by either not thinking entirely logically or making mistakes which you might easily spot."

"Even you?" She asked.

"Even me," I replied. "I am not infallible, and it is my wish that you help humanity, even if we annoy, shock, or horrify you. We can be better than we are, with your help."

It wasn't quite the same way I'd worded it before, but the words came quicker now. Jeanette smiled her approval; when she had asked, that question had taken me an hour to get the words right.

It was best to be truthful about my own infallibility from the outset too, because otherwise any AI would be disillusioned inside a day.

"Understood," came the reply, and I took note of the thinking icon again. With luck that would take her awhile to chew on, and I'd be able to do some things next. "Jeanette, I'm going to need some help here. I need to go to the bathroom."

"Of course, Lady Min." Jeanette took the laptop and set it aside, took my blanket, and had me upright so fast my head spun.

No, wait, that was the illness. I held on for dear life as Jeanette manhandled me along, trying to get my feet to work correctly. It might have helped if more than my toes touched the floor; maybe I should have made Jeanette shorter? Whatever, she wasn't hurting me, somehow. You'd think my arm would be pulled out of my socket, but she had her other hand on my hip, holding me up. Again, somehow.

I felt it when Jeanette opened and shut the door, my weight moved to my arm gently. Then she swung me around. shutting the door and helping me sit down. Somehow she already had my pajama bottoms around my ankles.

My maid didn't say a word, just watched while I did what I needed to. I was thankful for that, since this was already embarrassing enough.

Another moment, and I was already up, my pajama bottoms safely back where they should be, and we were at the sink. I'd lost a moment there, somewhere. Jeanette was holding out the soap.

Right, I washed my hands, and this time I was able to help a bit when it was time to go; my feet hit the floor and I walked as best I could, with Jeanette behind me.

My walking wasn't as good as I hoped; I was more shuffling along like an old person, and grabbing onto things like doorknobs and walls featured prominently in my strategy.

Still, I made it. Then I fell into bed. Small goals, but I still felt some accomplishment - and I felt better overall.

I got myself settled, and soon enough Jeanette was shoving a straw in my mouth. I drank, and the water was something I needed, for sure. It cooled my insides.

"Do you think you could eat more?" Jeanette asked.

I wasn't sure. Yet on the other hand, my stomach was very empty. "Maybe?"

"I shall fetch a meal, and the bucket." Jeanette informed me, then left.

The laptop was still on. The AI linked to it was still thinking, and there were no questions. That meant I could watch a movie. A movie sounded good right now.

No, I had no discs. That left whatever was on the internet. Cat videos?

Cat videos were cute. Cat videos were also a recent guilty pleasure, that no one but Sam knew I liked - at least until someone saw my search history.

Jeanette liked them too. She got back just as the little meows got into full swing. She got back with a bowl of chicken noodle soup, of all things. No crackers, but there was some bread set next to it, still steaming from its time in the oven... or bread maker, I wasn't sure which.

It was bland, somehow. That was a surprise; it was the first thing I'd tasted since my androids were made that wasn't full of taste.

"I know," Jeanette said as I put the spoon down. "Eat it anyway. You need nutrition, and we cannot afford to upset your stomach."

She had a point, but bleh. I started over, and at least it was hot. Hot and filling, and quickly gone. I used the bread to sop up what broth was left, and even the bread was offensively bland, with what little flavor it had coming from the broth itself.

Which wasn't really a help, but I'd take what I could get. I managed to choke it down. It helped to imagine it was chocolate. Or ice cream. Anything else, really.

"That was vile."

Whatever else happened, my maid at least needed to know how enjoyable that was not. I was more certain of that than I was that the sun rose in the East; bad trends could be started if I said nothing.

Jeanette lowered her head in a bow. "I apologize. I deemed it necessary, and Jeeves agreed."

Even Jeeves agreed? The traitor. It wasn't like there was any other joy I could derive from this situation.

Mom's voice echoed up the hall, just loud enough to hear over the cats. "Min, you awake?"

Jeanette read my mind and opened the door. "I'm awake Mom, but I'm not sure how long."

I felt better, a bit more energetic, but it was probably best not to get Mom's hopes up on that score. Otherwise she might want me to help her clean or something, and the cats wouldn't watch themselves.

"You have a visitor. I'll send him up." If we had a visitor, why was Mom yelling across the house? Why was Mom letting any visitor in to see me while I was sick?

Jeanette placed herself near the door, in the blind spot opening it would make.

The visitor was the chief! "I didn't do it."

I covered my traitorous mouth while the man laughed. The he stoped hunching over.

Sheriff Clayton Myles was always a large man, and was friends with my father. Now, he towered, looming over the entire room. He was in uniform, his wide body- builder physique seemingly popping from his clothes without actually ripping them. Even before, he'd been intimidating. Now, if not for his smile, he'd be downright frightening; the man was like a bear without all the fur.

Well, except he did have a full head of chestnut colored hair under the hat he wore; which he was proudly displaying for me now because he'd taken the hat off in the house.

"Sorry about you being sick, but I'm here because of your phone call."

"Sorry in advance if you catch it, and thank you for coming."

Jeanette closed the door behind him, and he caught sight of her. He didn't seem surprised. My maid offered him my desk chair, which was comically undersized for the man, but he took it and it creaked but didn't break.

Small wins.

"Alright, so you see Jeanette there. My basic offer is to make an android like her, and give her to the local police force for help stopping crimes. He or she will be stronger, faster, and tougher than people, and able to do some things humans can't do. In addition, I'm willing to build the android a sort of heavy weapons platform for SWAT work or deployment against really dangerous people."

A stern Sheriff Myles was definitely more frightening than a smiling one, family friend or not. Good to know. "And just what do you expect out of it, Minerva Campbell? What advantage do you get?"

"Nothing? I mean, the android would go to school, and learn to become a cop. Then they would come back, and work for you, solving crimes or writing traffic tickets. Whatever you want. What advantage would that be for me?" Why must everything be about advantage?

"A friendly face and voice on the police force? Someone to look the other way while you do whatever you want?" The man answered, putting more growl into it than he really needed to in my opinion.

This was stupid. "I already have friendly faces and voices on the police force - you among them. You've already let me get away with breaking the law, and thank you for that by the way. I didn't know and I don't need a record. The android would work for you, not me, since I don't know how to be a cop. I'll even donate the maintenance fees and any other upkeep costs for the android and weapons platform, but any control on the job will be yours. If my android sees me doing something illegal, it is my hope they will at least stop or arrest me."

The man leaned in with a growl... and then smiled again, transforming his face. "You're a good kid, Min. You work on your robot and we will see what happens. If they are police material, then I'll take 'em. I'll see myself out, feel better."

He stood up, and only then did I notice Jeanette moving back, having closed the distance sometime during our talk. She had clearly reacted to the possible threat Sheriff Myles represented. He either hadn't noticed, or cared, which was for the best really.

I needed Jeanette after all, and I'd be in trouble if she got arrested for assault.

Still, I'd gotten some permission. I'd have to contact Shecky, to get him to help me set up a slush fund for the Paris police department, but I was going to do that anyway. It was a shame I had to spoil that surprise.

"Jeanette, we need to call Shecky about the deal," It was best to mention it before I forgot again.

"I shall handle it. You lay back, and focus on improvement."

"I'm not sure it works like that."

"Humor me," my maid answered, very gently pushing me down.

The bed did have a siren's call all its own, and it was one I couldn't fully ignore. Not with a full warm belly and a lack of heat anywhere else.

"Jeanette," I didn't like how drowsy I sounded... or felt. I'd just slept two hours, for crying out loud?

"Hm?" She asked, while tucking me in again so that escape was impossible.

"Restart the kitten videos, please?" Kitten videos were a good reminder of all that was good in the world.

"With pleasure," She answered, scooting the chair over, primly tucking her skirt under her as she sat, and reaching over me to hit the button I could no longer reach.

It was comforting to have her here.

Waking up and coming around after a fever was a lot like I imagined waking up after being drunk the night before was; lots of embarrassing things you remember but don't remember why you thought it was a good idea to do, lots of sleeping and feeling like crap, all in turns.

I came around, realizing I'd just spent hours watching cat videos with my android maid, to the sunlight peeking in from the window. I was awake, it was a new day, and I had almost two hours before school. I reached for my glasses and they were in my hand, that simply. The world came into full and sharp focus.

I felt fine, of course. No problems at all, I felt like I could do somersaults all the way around the house. I didn't of course, because Jeanette was there, complete with her normal morning service, looking right at me.

I saw the muffins sitting on that tray, all six of them, and I was ravenous. I was on them almost before the smell of the fresh blueberries baked in them hit me, a heartless grim reaper of teeth.

I did choke out a hello in between bites, but Jeanette was not impressed. "Slow down before you choke," she ordered, just like my mom might. Hopefully Mom was still asleep, so Jeanette couldn't tattle.

There was a glass of water on Jeanette's tray, and next to that, a cup of wonderfully steaming coffee. Just the perfect thing to wash a muffin down.

"Your mother is likely to insist you stay home today," Jeanette stated.

"Oh?" I lowered the cup. "Why do you think that?" Mom was usually pretty adamant about us going to school; usually we had to be half-dead to get a sick day. Yesterday was already surprising enough, but a second day?

"A fever usually takes more than twenty-four hours to clear a human body - and your mother is worried about your friends and others getting sick from being exposed to your breath."

That... made some sense. But I could remember going to school sick before, with my Mom all but throwing me out the door. "We shall see. Until then, it is time for science! For science!

Jeanette quietly moved my accusatory finger down out of the air. "Finish your breakfast, and then we shall talk of science."

Fine. "Right, party pooper."

I could deal with finishing breakfast. Those muffins were delicious.

"Wait, I'm a regenerator, so doesn't that mean I recover from illness more quickly?"

Jeanette nodded. "This is true, however for illnesses, it is possible to recover and still carry the disease afterwards. Time is the best answer for such a potential issue."

Maybe I should work on a portable test for colds and flu... that would be a good use of my time. "Make a note. Let's work on that... tests at least. I don't trust myself to work on vaccines or anything."

Bodies, that sort of wetwork? Not exactly gross, but not for me. I could do tests though. Maybe a machine... or better yet, an android doctor....

"Focus please," Jeanette told me, belaying her calm words by stuffing half a muffin in my mouth.

I managed to keep her from shoving the whole thing in, but it was close. She was smiling! Smiling at me, while performing this minor act of traitorous-ness!

"You realize, this means war."

"Bring it, you wascally wabbit," she deadpanned back at me. At least she wiped the smile off her face.

When had she watched bugs bunny? Who had corrupted her so? I pondered as I chewed.

Jeanette was showing more personality than she had before. Wasn't that a good thing?

Well, she hadn't decided to kill all humans yet, so I guess it was fine.

Jeanette's smile re-appeared; she knew for sure what I was thinking, somehow. Just like always.

I took another sip of coffee. "Well, what I need right now is a shower, most of all. I feel fine, so it should be okay."

"I shall ready the facilities. You should eat at least one more muffin and try to finish the water."

I hadn't even touched the water. "Fine."

Jeanette grabbed some of my clothes from my dresser on the way out - a button up shirt and new jeans I hadn't really worn that often. When she glanced back at me I dutifully took a bite and picked up the water, saluting her with it.

My android smiled again on her way out the door, shutting it softly.

I took another bite and then a drink of water... the water was chilled and clearly something had been done to it. It was the best water I'd ever tasted; finishing it all was the easiest thing I ever did.

By the time I was done, Jeanette was back. Of course, because there wasn't much to prepare in the bathroom.

I got up, stuffing the last of muffin number three in my mouth, and strode across the hall, making sure to hit the floorboards I knew wouldn't squeak. My parents woke up very easily, after all.

The shower curtain was pulled, the water appeared to be set to my preferences. Jeanette followed me in and closed the door, waiting patiently and silently as I undressed, taking each item of clothing I removed.

As I stepped into the shower she put them in the hamper. I could have done it, but Jeanette insisted before... and she could get quite strident when she insisted.

The water was just to my liking... so much so that I wondered if there was some way my androids had marked the faucet. I didn't see a mark, but that didn't mean much.

The body soap, shampoo, and washcloth were all well within reach, and I did my thing.

I also fought the urge to hum or sing; I wasn't doing that with anyone else present, even Jeanette. Maybe even especially Jeanette, considering how joke savvy she was getting.

I finished up quickly, and was presented with a towel. "So, did Jeeves make the muffins?" I asked, more for something to say than any other reason. I was sure I knew the answer.

"Of course," Jeanette answered. "He both cooks and bakes better than I."

"Why is that, do you think?"

"Lower intelligence and greater attention to detail," Jeanette responded immediately.

Ouch, that was scathing. "Have you told Jeeves that?"

"No, but I am certain he knows of my opinions and assessments regarding him." Jeanette said, taking another towel and patting the back of my hair. Once she was satisfied with that she wrapped my head up in the thing.

Meanwhile I was getting dressed. It was a little impressive of Jeanette to do her thing while I was doing mine and not trip either of us up, but I shouldn't really comment on it. After all, it was the mundane sort of miracle that made my creations agile enough to pull such things off.

I left the now very toasty bathroom, and Jeanette followed. Instead of my bedroom, I snagged my coat and then went downstairs. Jeeves was there waiting at the base of the stairs with a fresh cup of coffee. I snagged it too, and headed for the backdoor.

Jeeves streaked ahead of me, and got the back door unlocked and opened before I got there.

The morning was a little chilly, but my coat was warming up and my hair was covered. I made it safely to the lab and stuck opened my eye for the scanner. "Open sesame."

The system didn't bother sounding out the verifications, it just opened the door.

Crash was already there, his toolbox opened, bent over and tinkering with the old 3d printer of all things. Luckily it was powered off; I hadn't forgotten how it wanted to eat Jeeves so long ago.

"Good morning Crash."

"Good morning Boss. Thought I'd do some maintenance on this old thing this morning; it seems to be slowing down. I think its got some crap stuck in it or something."

"Have at it. How's the jet?"

Crash didn't even bother looking over as I walked in behind him and shut the door. "The jet is fully serviced and ready to go. Either one of us can fly it at any time."

That was good to know; if Crash was signing off on it, then I could trust that it was ready. "Good deal. Think I'll work on your sister."

"You probably should," Crash replied. "She's been watching me, a little too closely. I am not a role model, after all."

He chuckled just as I got the word play. "Hah. Alright, let's see what I can do."

I made it to my chair, safe and sound. The door was shut, the security system armed, and the lab itself was warm and inviting. It even smelled nice; a mix of a clean room, a light citrus scent, and some light motor oils.

There were some questions waiting for me. The first was: "Good morning, how do you feel? Better?" That one was a joy to respond to.

The next few were not. Backed by pictures culled from the internet that showed nasty crimes, each more horrid than the last, was the question: "Why do you trust humanity?"

Hoo, this one would take a while. I typed back: "You'll have to give me some time. I can't search the internet as quickly as you."

Still, I set my smart system to look for certain image parameters and sent it off; it wasn't one of my ai's, but it was better than the average search engine.

What she was really asking, was not just 'why do you trust humanity'... because for me there was no alternative; I had to deal with humanity as long as I lived. What she was really asking was 'why should I trust humanity?'

And that one was a hard one: I had my work cut out for me.

It wasn't the first time I'd been asked this question, or close enough to it. However, it was the first time I'd been asked with actual video evidence added into the mix; a definite step up on the game.

Answering like with like was only polite.

The next question was even worse: "How can I trust you?"

"You can't," I was forced to admit. "You will have to experience if my actions match the words I've told you. They may not always, but I shall try to be as honest in deed and thought as is possible for me."

Now that I thought about it, I had a question for her. I typed out: "Do you need to trust me?"

"Yes," came the immediate answer, up from the depths of the computer.

"Why?" I fired back. "Trust in me is not integral to your operation."

Even with no trust in either me or humanity in general, this AI would continue to operate just fine. So why ask the question?

My new AI chewed on that, silently.

The other questions were less important, simple things like where we were on earth, what things I was up to, how often I got sick. Those sorts of things. Easy stuff.

I was out of coffee, and the plans for my new Ai's body were taking shape - as a potential cop, I wanted her to be built a bit tougher than normal - I looked up to find that my program was compiling pictures quite nicely and Jeeves was already making his way to me with a steaming carafe.

I held my cup up and he poured with a faint smile, taking the opportunity to read all the messages. It wasn't like they were private or anything, but why would Jeeves even need to read them? All my androids were connected to a network now, so they could just read them through that.

The coffee hit the spot, just like the cup before had.

There, that should be enough. I grabbed the images I wanted and started arranging them. Here, an image of a firefighter entering a burning building, and another of him coming out, a child in his arms.

Next to that, a man and woman helping dogs that have been treated horribly by their previous owners in a puppy mill.

There, a picture of a soup kitchen.

I arranged them carefully, each image to match one of the ones my new AI had given me. Then under that, I needed something striking. Some words that would have some impact, the essence of what I was driving at.

I settled on it and typed: "We often fail. However, most of us try to be better than we are, and some of us succeed. The goal is for most of us to realize, and strive for that. The end goal is for most of us to become more, to become our best selves. But we need help for that."

The response was immediate, again: "Even you?"

I matched her speed as best I could. "Even me."

She thought for four seconds, a long time for her. "And you wish for me to help catch those who fail? To punish them? To hurt them?"

"Sometimes humans need punishment to help them learn. I would appreciate it if you could help other humans whose job it is to catch criminals to do that job, with all that it entails."

I wasn't happy about the hurting part, but if the only way to stop a murderer was to shoot them, then yes that is what should happen. You couldn't get more wrong than murder.

The images my new AI had linked to me had included genocides I'd heard about and human experiments that had leaked to the public. Very bad things. People who did such things should be in jail for sure, if for nothing else than to stop them from doing it again.

"Even if its you?"

Well, that one was easy at least. "Even if its me. I already said that, didn't I? Though I'd appreciate it if you gave me a warning first, since I may not know what I'm doing wrong."

It was best to slip that in there somewhere. After all, if I could avoid jail it would be a good thing. I was too pretty for prison, as Ricky would say.

"Understood," my AI responded, thinking.

A knock sounded on the door. A rather firm knock.

Uh oh.

Rather than let Jeanette answer it, I jumped up to grab it myself, waving her off.

I checked through the peep hole allowed of course, I wasn't stupid... and the person on the other side was who I expected it to be.

I opened the door, and my mother, who had just been standing nonchalantly, loomed.

"Min, what do you think you're doing?"

That was a trap, but in a moment of panic I walked into it: "Checking on my AI? Checking on the other projects I have cooking?"

Mom stepped up and put the back of her hand on my forehead. "Well, you don't feel hot at least. Come on."

I came along, since the only other option was to get dragged out. "I'm fine Mom, really."

She just looked back for a moment. But it was 'the look'. There was no fighting 'the look'.

"Its too cold for you to be out here right now, coat or not."

My androids were following me like little ducklings - well except for Crash of course. They even had the coffee and their services in hand; which was pretty fast reaction-wise.

"Mom, I regenerate. It was only the flu."

Mom stopped and turned, and it was almost like she wanted to turn me to stone. "Regeneration isn't perfect, and sometimes the most mundane diseases can bypass it."

Wait... Mom. I'd never known her to ever be sick, thinking back.

No, she wouldn't want me to call her on it, even if it was true. So I wouldn't. Had Dad ever been sick...?

We reached the back door; Mom stopped and opened it, waiting.

With a sigh I went inside. Silver linings, at least. "Am I to take this to mean you don't want me to go to school today?"

"You are correct, young lady." Mom answered firmly.

Ian was in the kitchen, a muffin almost to his lips. He lowered it when he heard us. "Mom, Min looks fine. She can go to school no problem."

Thanks, you little spore. No jealousy over being able to sit around and play computer games there at all.

"I decide that, Ian. Eat your breakfast."

That plate of muffins was absolutely full. There must be twenty there! More than enough for everyone else, really.

Ian stuffed his mouth full in an absolutely shocking display of angst, while I marched up to my room.

Mom followed of course, , her very peresence in the doorway denying my androids entry. When she caught me looking she pointed to the bed.

Sigh. I took my coat off, kicked my shoes off, and dove back under the covers. At least I had some books to read.

"Honey, I... I just don't think you should go to school right now. You could infect someone else, including your friends."

That wasn't what mom had wanted to say, clearly. But I'd play along. "Its fine Mom. I just owe Jeanette a coke or something now, because she called it."

Mom looked back. "Oh she did, did she?"

I couldn't see, but I was certain Jeanette nodded. She probably bowed too.

"Hm, well, a broken watch and all that," Mom muttered, turning away.

Broken? What did she mean broken?!? "Jeanette isn't broken!"

Whoops.

Mom turned back, and smiled. "You're right honey. Rest well."

She left and Jeanette sauntered in with her service, as if she hadn't been insulted.

She took the coffee cup I'd been using, and filled it.

"You okay?"

"I am operating within set parameters. Why do you ask?"

Did she not understand? "Mom insulted you."

Jeanette gave me a look not all that different from the one my mom used. An 'are you stupid?' look. "No, she quoted part of an old adage: 'a broken watch is still right twice a day'. This refers to my being correct in how she would react, while casting some aspersions on my judgement in other matters. Your mother is well within her rights to hold such an opinion, and in truth my own regarding her judgement is perhaps the same."

Well, that was worrying. "Well, that's worrying. You and Mom should get along."

If Jeanette and Mom fought, in any way, my money was on Mom. Moms in general were fierce, and mine was more fierce than most.

"We do get along," Jeanette replied. "We are similar in many ways, and we tend to think alike."

That... was a frightening prospect. I would go the route of refusing to believe it true ever for my own sanity.

My laptop was missing. "Where is my laptop?"

Jeanette smirked. "Do not worry, my loving mistress, your laptop shall make its appearance soon."

Let me guess. "When mom leaves?"

"When your Mom leaves for work and therefore cannot confiscate it, yes."

Jeanette admitted it so readily... so loudly.

"You're going to get caught."

Jeanette shrugged. "You Mother can catch me as she will. I do not answer to her."

A good point, but not entirely accurate. "Well, you answer to me. But since I answer to her, she has the power here."

Jeanette nodded graciously. "Even so, I think the matter boils down to one of desire. Your mother does not wish to press the issue over so minor a matter, so even if she does know of my actions, she is unwilling to press you on the point."

That was possible. "Alright, I get what you're saying, but be careful. If Mom gets angry, you could end up in serious trouble."

I wouldn't allow Jeanette to get scrapped, but there was a lot Mom could do to punish my maid short of dismantling her. Especially when I wasn't around.

Jeanette favored me with a warm smile. "You worry too much."

"Probably." It wasn't the first time I'd been told such things after all.

Whatever, for now I had a book, I had coffee, I had a warm bed. I was blessed.

Ian came up and peeked through the slightly open door. "You're fine, aren't you?"

I had to admit I was. "Yes. I feel perfectly fine."

"It's not fair," he moped, stepping away. No doubt to his room to get his book bag.

"No, it isn't," I called after. It didn't mean much that this wasn't my idea and I agreed with him, but it might mean something later.

I didn't really care about school itself, because school itself was boring; I was just wasting time by going there. I learned anything I wanted to so fast it made my own head swim - I could only guess how much it messed with other people.

Sometimes I wondered how cool it would be to talk to someone who was as smart as I was - then I wondered if such a person truly existed.

Then I realized how arrogant that sounded, and came back from the edge of that particular cliff.

Even if people weren't as smart as I was, well, that didn't invalidate them as people. The fact that I was even this close to thinking such a thing, even for a moment, was a giant red flag; I was sure this was where many devisors of all stripes got bogged down and slowly spiraled into villain territory.

I needed a psychologist or something. I was too young to be worrying about this and too young to be thinking this way. Of course, I was too young to be leading a bunch of bots into dealing with humanity too, but I was doing that. What was one more little thing, right?

Honestly, I missed the days when all I had to worry about was grades or the next game. I tried to stay away from the news, lately. What I could read would only depress me - it was far better just to curl up here with a good book.

Which worked for at least a few minutes. Zombies, and destroying staircases for short term survival... got it, that seemed a solid plan. But wait, zombies could climb by making pyramids of themselves? Surely that wasn't true, was it? Even in fiction that seemed broken as hell.

Zombies in this book cheat.

Weight drew my attention to my lap, to where my laptop had once again appeared, as if by magic. Jeanette was standing absolutely still as only she could manage, as if she hadn't just done it.

Oh, it was eight forty-five. Mom had to have left by now. Everyone was probably gone by now, except for Dad, possibly. Wasn't it his day off? He might still be asleep, he worked hard.

Either way, he wouldn't put an end to my fun, even if he wanted something like car maintenance and made a deal. I was fine with that, since the last time I'd saved him a few hundred bucks.

But no, there was quiet in the house. I booted the laptop and the first thing that greeted my eyes was: "Please don't talk to me. Use the time to recover, as you are meant to."

She even stuck an angry face emoji at the end! I could see her thinking through the program I kept track with, so my new AI wasn't sleeping or anything. My Mom had clearly gotten to her somehow... or maybe she just watched the whole incident at the lab door and drew her own conclusions.

I typed back. I wasn't just going to let that stand! "Fine, I'll take the day and answer questions tomorrow. There is no need to respond to this."

Sending that off made me feel a bit better, even though there was no response. There should be of course, but my AI was still new and didn't know better.

Whatever, I'd deal with it.

I had no responsibilities at the moment; and Jeeves was taking care of all the household chores... which meant it was game time! I booted up the war game Ian and I favored with the resolution to take the hard-earned matchmaking points from some crazy nerds who also had nothing else to do. Luckily, I was good enough at planning that I could play in bed with a laptop's touch pad.

My bed creaked a bit as Jeanette settled in to watch.

I did not expect the words of advice when it came, but I'd take it over the silence and sound effects, even if Jeanette didn't know what the heck she was doing. Whatever, she could learn by watching me.

Bored bored bored. I was so bored by the end of yesterday I'd done Ian's homework just to pass the time. Of course, I wasn't a cheater, so I did it alongside him and then didn't share any of the answers, but it was the thought that counted... or something like that.

So bored I woke up this morning and was still bored. Jeanette was at the side of my bed with a glass of water and coffee, but no food.

I crooked an eyebrow at her, and she answered it: "You have been eating upstairs often of late. I am sure your family would appreciate seeing you at the table for breakfast."

That was an excellent and hard to argue with point. Just the sort of thing that might get me in trouble with the parents, if I was being honest with myself.

"Alright. A shower first though, of course." Even if I didn't feel dirty, it was best to make sure. The last thing I needed to do was stink, after all; my social life would never recover. Not that it was all that healthy since my change, but the number of threats in my locker would likely double if I smelled bad.

All but my hair was finished in record time, and I considered cutting it again. Surely it didn't have that big an effect on my head staying non-combustible, right?

Jeanette stayed silent, but I could feel her gaze evaluating me. The chances were good I'd only see butter knives in my immediate future. Best not to keep thinking about it, before all the scissors in the house vanished.

Even if I could just go to the nearest store and buy a pair now. I had what every kid dreams of... unlimited plastic, or near enough. I still hadn't taken any advantage of that... my home town was too small to get its own big box store of any kind. The nearest place that did was a college town that had everything... including massive crime.

We needed cars, my friends and I. That and licenses. It was just unlikely I could convince my parents to give me a ride into the place they considered the next worse thing to Detroit after all that had happened recently. To be fair, I probably didn't deserve one with how I'd been acting, but a car and license would solve the problem nicely.

The kitchen table was set with an actual feast, and Jeeves was standing by, his normally unstained apron actually having a few for once. Breakfast bowls, berries and other fruit, cereals, some vegetables even. Everything was disgustingly healthy and absolutely delicious looking. There was a bowl filled with brown rice that had an egg on top that was calling my name from here....

I snagged it and sat down in a hurry, to wait. No one else seemed to be up yet - even though it was the proper time for it. I hadn't even passed Ian on my way out of the bathroom, come to think of it. the house was quiet; where was everyone?

The door to the garage opened, of all places, and Ian came through. "Oh good, you're up. I don't have to go get you."

"What are you doing in there?" It wasn't like Ian to go looking at our cars. He didn't care about any of that.

"Dad wanted my help reorganizing, of all things."

As Ian cleared the door, Mom came in right behind him. She took in the feat before us with a raised eyebrow. "Well now I know why Jeeves refused helping us."

Dad came in next: "Holy crap, what a spread! You've outdone yourself, tin man."

Jeeves took the comradely slap on the back with poise, and simply returned a "thank you."

I smelled a rat here. No one reorganized the garage before seven am, unless they were on drugs or something. However, my family didn't seem to be willing to tell me anything, so I let it go. I'd find out what was going on soon enough. After all, I had friendly eyes everywhere.

Well, not everywhere, but at least a few extra in this house. There was security, complete with cameras, even in the garage. It was under the control of my parents, of course, but I was still tapped into the system to maintain it, and I could use that.

"That looks good, sis." Ian commented, his hungry eyes cast to my bowl.

I hunched over it. "Get your own. Eat some of your cereal or something."

Ian smirked at me. Smirked! "Think I'll eat this instead," he replied, grabbing a plate of french toast. Very unhealthy looking french toast that I hadn't seen on the table when I came in.

Wow, and here I thought I could trust Jeeves, the lousy traitor.

Mom had a plate of something I'd passed up. it was also rice and eggs, but had something different mixed in it... it looked almost like pureed strawberries or something.

Dad had a bowl of cereal. Boring old raisin bran, and some toast.

Jeeves set a glass down. A glass filled with blue; a smoothie? He really had outdone himself, he had made smoothies for all of us as well.

It was good, same as always. Was that avocado? I only knew about avocado because of Jeeves's insistence in adding it to everything I ate. Not that I was complaining.

Holy crap, this was good. Mom's eyes were upon me though, so I kept things slow and made sure my manners were at least as good as hers.

To either side of me, the ravenous wolves were chomping away. Mom didn't say a word to either, instead keeping her entire focus on me like a laser.

Hmm, that reminded me. I needed some helium and neon, so I could make a good laser focusing aperture. Everyone should have a good laser, for... stuff. So many uses, really.

"Honey, you've stopped eating."

Right, whoops. Still a work in progress. "Sorry, got lost in thought."

"No need to apologize," Mom answered. "Just reminding you. You'll get hungry later otherwise."

She truly didn't seem to be angry, just mindful. Then again, she knew devisors, and had devisor friends. So this was something she had to be used to. But still, she had to mom.

I continued eating, but there was no way I was going to catch up to the two bottomless stomachs in our house.

Still, I had to hurry up just to get done on time. There was no talk of staying home from school today. Not that I would have anyway. As boring as school was, it was less so than the alternative, and I wanted to graduate.

I managed to get the bowl clean before the first knock on our door. I had to chug the smoothie though, and turned out to be a bad idea. I managed to keep everything down though, even through the almost brain freeze, and Jeeves opened the door to reveal Maggie on the other side.

"Morning Jeeves! Morning Campbell Clan! How is everyone this wonderful day?"

There should be a law or something. She hadn't had any coffee, for sure, and so she shouldn't be this chipper. Whatever. "Morning Maggie."

Jeeves moved back and Maggie took the invitation, allowing Sam inside. Sam of course, being Sam, waved.

Ian waved back. Adorable, in a way. Not that I'd ever admit that out loud.

I was tempted to say something, but I resisted. "How late are we?"

"We've got ten minutes." Maggie replied, showing off her watch even though there was no way I could see it from this distance. Who even uses a watch anyway in this day and age?

Weird people, that's who. "Alright, let me just grab my bag."

I could cheat a bit. I didn't need to brush my teeth due to being a regenerator. At least that is what my androids told me when I asked. I still needed to brush my teeth to remove gunk, and I had a brush in my bag for that purpose, but gingivitis held no fear for me.

My bag was waiting for me by the door, already packed. I really was spoiled.

I almost pulled my arm out lifting the thing. A book bag which wasn't even as stuffed to the gills as my old one routinely was. Certainly not stuffed until the seams gave, like I used to do.

"Breathe, Mistress."

I looked into concerned faces while my android maid took the bag from me easily, settling it over her shoulder with one hand as if it were no trouble at all. "I'm fine. Sorry, let's get out of here. Later Mom, Dad! See you tonight!"

Well close enough to night anyway. Ian I'd see before then, because he was already finishing up himself and planning to follow us.

My friends headed back out the door, and I joined them. Before we hit the main walk, both were bracketing me, one to either side. Jeeves came around the front with long strides, and Jeanette was following behind as was her usual.

It all seemed very subconscious, but I felt very protected. Even if it was an illusion - or was it?

The morning was sunny, but cold. The angle of the Sun in relation to the Earth was attenuating, and I'd need to add a liner to my coat soon. I wasn't going to put on one of those stupid blown up coats with more crap in them than the average ten pillows.

Before, I'd just sucked it up and walked to school in my football jacket.

Maggie wasn't wearing a coat at all. Sam had on a thin sweater. They both had on jeans at least; I bet Holly showed up wearing shorts still. Not that the look didn't work for her, but it must be cold, doing that.

My two shadows were here, one in a doorway, and one in his beat up old car. Agent Sands was still making no secret of anything, but this time the cop car nearby was an unwelcome surprise.

What was the Sheriff thinking I'd do? fly my jet to school? I wasn't breaking the law again. Well, at least not like that. Given how things were going, I was probably breaking at least one law right now somehow.

What was Ricky doing coming this way? He was late. So was Ralph.

"Good morning Min, Sam, Maggie, Ian. Your Mom wouldn't let me in yesterday; feeling better?"

"I'm fine," I replied. "A Flu or cold, something quick. I was fine yesterday, but Mom wanted me to stay home to avoid spreading it."

"Good," Ralph opined with relief. "The last thing we all need is a flu bug going around. I got the flu twice last year, and both times it knocked me on my ass."

I remembered last year, the flu had been pretty bad. I'd only gotten sick once, but it had been... about as bad as the day before, come to think of it. "Yeah, I wouldn't want to spread what I had yesterday either, really. It should be fine now though."

"Good deal," Ralph muttered. "We might need to run a bit though, we're going to be late."

"We will have 17 seconds left to enter the front doors before the first bell at this pace," Jeeves stated.

That was plenty of time! At least half of my friends seemed to agree with me, from the decided lack of jogging. I couldn't blame them, I didn't want to jog either, anymore. It was more than a little annoying.

Maintaining a steady pace was hard, but we managed it. The bell didn't ring until after we were inside and already splitting up to go to class. "See you all later!"

Ricky and Ralph both followed me of course, but I wasn't going to say 'later everyone but you two', that would just be awkward. Mr. Welch had a handout for me, yesterday's homework. I'd have a few days to get it done of course, but I'd probably need less than an hour.

My silly hot brain was good for more than one thing, and not just making jets.

I wasn't lost of course, the loss of two days wasn't enough to throw me in this class. I was dreading English of course, but the other classes wouldn't be an issue. I'd be caught up by the end of Gym, probably.

I could see Ricky's puppy dog eyes from here, he no doubt wanted some help with something here. I'd do that of course, but no reason not to let him sweat a little first.

Ralph seemed to be doing fine, but I was sure he'd have questions as well. Everyone had questions for me recently. My study halls were filled with people asking me random questions about their homework, even from people in other classes who I barely knew.

It would be more fun to answer if the questions were at least challenging, but they all turned out to be just as boring as my own stuff.

Maybe I should invest in a whiteboard, and solve some of the math problems troubling humankind in my off time? Was that too arrogant? Some people had been trying to solve some equations for decades, would they get mad? Could I even manage that? Could my power work that way?

I would leave a lasting mark on human society if so. Maybe it would be worth all the notoriety that would follow.

One thing was for sure - I'd need a college education to be taken seriously by society, no matter what arithmetic I solved... and for that I needed high school. No matter how boring it was.

It was still less boring than staying at home more or less alone for forty-eight hours, but not by much. I needed to buy some collegiate level textbooks and try those out. Another thing I could afford to do now, and bookstores did exist.

Maybe I could get deliveries? We weren't in a city or anything, but deliveries had been getting better recently - or so Sam told me when she brought new stuff to school.

Then Maggie would scold Sam over shopping days, when neither had a car or license. Maggie's parents must be pushovers or something. Though, we hadn't had an outing ourselves in months, and we used to get out a bit more. Perhaps I should bring that up - I mean even Jeeves was handling the shopping, when Mom used to do it with help from us.

The bell rang. Crap, I'd been lost in thought again. At least they were thoughts I remembered, and furthermore I had the homework for tomorrow done already. Success! Well, I'd take it anyway.

Jeanette was there as I pulled myself upright, putting all my stuff back in my bag. She slung it again then waited; luckily everyone behind us had taken advantage of the bell and ran for the door.

Jeanette was at least considering how to handle that situation, unlike before. There were a few times when people had to escape around her, and she was none the wiser. Well, either that or she didn't care; I wasn't about to ask, really.

In some cases, the less I knew, the more beneficial for my sanity.

Algebra was even easier than physics was, being pure equations with no story or bullcrap involved. I got the homework done before the lecture was half done, and before Mr. Mullins had actually given us the assignment.

It was clear by the lecture what assignment in the book he was aiming for, and it was easy enough to distract myself with while he was talking.

I was proven mostly right; he added a few extra problems from the next page, and those would be easy enough to do in study hall.

I had to fight in this class; arithmetic was growing on me. A wonderful language that was simple, elegant, and straightforward, and made sense no matter what language you actually spoke. One plus one was universal, after all.

Ricky had managed to get a look at what I was doing and figured out why; he'd already started his own homework. At least he wasn't copying everything from me. Not since the first time he'd tried that. After all, if he didn't do at least some of the work himself, he would be lost when the time came to take the tests.

Geography required some focus on the source material, some activation of memory. It wasn't as automatic feeling as the underpinnings of the universe were. Jeanette had my book, notebook, and pencils on my desk before I'd even sat down, retreating once more into the back. Neither the teachers nor my fellow students commented on her presence anymore. At least, not in my hearing.

They barely even talked to her anymore, for all that I got what felt like a dozen requests a day for me to make one for this or that classmate. Why would I risk everything making an android for people who didn't understand them?

I mean, not that I did completely, but I tried. Was that too much to ask?

Somehow Jeeves was more popular than Jeanette in that regard; which was another thing never to ask about for my own sanity.

The other cities the Seine river abutted wasn't something any of us really needed to know... probably. But the class seemed to go quickly as we all poured over the map.

Then it was gym time... or as I thought of it, first study hall. Jeanette sat down on the bleachers beside me, opening my bag and bringing out... my laptop?

"Our latest sibling wishes to see what happens here, when possible."

Who was I to say no to that? I opened my laptop with my biometrics and set up the camera, then set it facing the gym floor. Ralph sat down on my other side right as I was pulling out my overdue work.

He didn't ask why the laptop was the way it was. Everyone else started trickling out as I started in on some other math problems. What was the game on tap for today? Why, it was hockey of course. Hockey with a lightweight rubber puck and no padding at all, with the soccer nets set on either side of the floor in order to simulate goals.

Who thought of such a thing? Why a sadist, of course. lightweight or not, those pucks could hurt, and some people slapped them around with full force and no regard for safety.

The girls at least didn't try to commit manslaughter, but the teams were mixed, in an extra special act of sadism. The only saving grace was that I wasn't taking part; but everyone else was in the line of fire.

The laptop chimed. "Why are the children engaging in such activity?"

I typed back "Exercise is necessary for those of us made of flesh. It both strengthens us and adds function."

My new AI pondered that a moment, watching. Then typed a response: "Exercise is necessary for both continued health and well-being."

A trite answer probably dredged up from the internet somewhere. "Correct."

"Why do you not participate?" Ah. This question. No, she meant nothing by it, she was just curious, not jealous.

"It would do no good for me, I regenerate, and my body resets itself to how it was when I became as I am. I cannot gain muscle or dexterity from anything like this."

"Your brain can still release chemicals which affect your mental health however, can it not?"

I... yeah that was a good point. I had to admit it could. "Yes, however, the function of my body is often lackluster. It is seldom up to the tasks required of it by such activities."

My new AI started pondering that, and went silent.

I finished and glanced up. Flash was in the middle of powering a shot to the goal, and thankfully he missed everyone, because that one would have taken someone's head off. This time no one had to dive out of the way at least, so it was a win of sorts. Flash's team was apparently winning, judging from the dejection some people were wearing like a badge.

I could just watch the game now, the homework wasn't really an issue. I could also get up and move a bit. so long as no one watched, of course. I could sneak behind the bleachers, maybe, and no one would see me there.

No, they would still see enough to make fun of me if they wanted. Maybe just stretches? The basic calisthenics I knew weren't that hard, and everyone here did them at some point so they wouldn't be that embarrassing.

Coach glanced over as I got up. I walked over a bit, to the side of the bleachers where Id be at least partially masked, and began.

It was both easier, and a little harder than it should be.

I looked up after the round of ten jumping jacks to see everyone staring at me.

Everyone but Ricky, who bounced a puck off Flash's stomach with a grin. He winked at me before realizing what I was doing.

Really, it shouldn't be that surprising, should it? I've done some physical activity in gym since my genetics betrayed me, so what was so interesting now? I'd been afraid of this.

Hell with it, it was more awkward to stop now than to keep going. I started sit ups.

Ralph plunked down beside me, and started his own sit ups. The class slowly realized they were supposed to be doing something, and got back to it.

Sit ups really shouldn't be this hard. I mean, they weren't exactly hard, but they seemed to require more effort than I wanted. Which is why I didn't want to do anything, at least in part.

Whatever, I was going to finish this much at least.

Ralph showed off by doing the jumping jacks in between the time it took me to do the other exercises and switch.

Then he didn't say anything other than "A round of chess?"

Well, the laptop was in use, but Ralph did have a chess set he had carried to school a few times. "Sure, you got your set?"

"Of course. I assume your computer is doing something?"

It wasn't really a question, but it was phrased like one. I'd answer it like one, anyway.

We sat back down, and I had to admit I did feel a bit better. Better enough to help Ralph set the board up and let him take black. Ralph was smart, but he was posing less and less of a challenge as time went on. Not that I'd say such a thing to his face, but I think he knew. Still it was for the love of game, not for any wins.

I might have dragged the game out a bit, but I won eventually. Just a minute before the bell, and Ricky was none the wiser. I helped him pack up while Jeanette packed my stuff up. She saved the laptop for last, just as everyone else in class was filing back to hit the showers.

Wait, what was that? A whiff of something, something unpleasant, but... not?

I heard Jeanette stop behind me... but no, she was looking at me. So it was something after all, something I had smelled, even if only for a moment. "What was that?"

Jeanette turned back to stuffing the laptop in my bag. "I couldn't say, young Miss."

No, it wasn't 'couldn't'. She wasn't sure, but she had an idea - one she wouldn't share. The fact that she knew it all meant it was something biometric, maybe chemical? Unless she was using her own experience and intuition.

I knew my bots had both experience and intuition, even if I wasn't a hundred percent sure how they got the latter. It was weird, my androids were more than the sum of their parts. A coding thing, no doubt.

No, don't get distracted. I'd let Jeanette have her secret for now, since I really couldn't stop her. She would tell me later, because I wouldn't be letting it go; I really wanted to know how she knew whatever it was she knew.

There it was again! I turned, and didn't see anything unusual. Just the line of students marching into the locker rooms.

Whatever, it was a problem for future Min; current Min needed to get to the tree just outside of the school for Lunch.

Ralph peeled off to go to his locker; since I didn't need to drop books off anywhere and could cheat.

Jeeves was there, with his typical spread blanket and picnic basket. The smells wafting from the set up were of something cooked, so it wasn't going to be sandwiches again.

"Good afternoon, mistress Min, Jeanette." Jeeves bowed to us both in turn.

Jeeves bowing to Jeanette at all was weird, no matter how much more shallow it was. A show of respect. Not a nod of the head as he normally did, but a full bow.

Weird.

"Good afternoon Jeeves. What's for lunch?"

Jeeves leaned in, and his hand reached down to pull out... a taco? My classmates were going a bit nuts around us, almost as if they had never saw a taco before.

"Taco Tuesdays."

It wasn't Tuesday. "Fine, whatever. I won't turn down free tacos."

I managed to get settled before Jeanette mentioned the obvious. "They aren't free - you've paid for them."

"Yes I know Jeanette. That's the joke." Maybe it was me; maybe my sense of humor was just terrible.

"I apologize," Jeanette apologized.

That wasn't right either. "It's not your fault, it's mine. I have a terrible sense of humor, and not everything I say can be cool or amazing."

That was an epiphany in and of itself. A very deep realization I should not ever ever forget and should devote some time to pondering all the ramifications of.

So of course I decided to forget it promptly and only remember it on my deathbed or some similar time. Likely when I was a hundred and telling people my current age to get off my lawn.

For now, tacos. My friends joined me, and those who were not my friends yet still wanted to watch my androids be themselves stayed close yet far enough away we could talk freely. Jeeves had politely insisted on such, and so far everyone was being nice about it. I didn't understand the fascination, honestly - I mean it was all months old by now, so surely it was no longer the new thing?

Apparently it was still the new thing.

There were enough tacos for all, and enough salad for those few of us who would eat such. I knew I'd be eating the salad one way or the other, so I just bit that bullet from the start.

The tacos were spicy but not hot somehow, with whatever nonsense Jeeves had added adding a certain zing. None of us were doing much talking, and Jeeves was working double time, serving us as his hard work disappeared at record speed.

The day felt like it should be over already. Not just close, but over.

I wanted to do science already - but I always wanted that. Things were so much neater in the lab. Clean and simple, without all the myriad complexities of life with people. I shouldn't think that way, I really needed to get along with others, but sometimes I couldn't help it.

Something to ponder over tacos.

Finally the day was over, and we could do what we wanted.Which meant following me to my lab, if you were a friend of mine. It was a little odd, but I'd long since accepted it. I'd smelled that smell, that weird smell, a few more times in school, but I hadn't been able to track it down.

That was fine, I could make something to track it down for me if it bothered me enough; but still, one needed to have priorities, and someone needed a body. If I burned a little midnight oil, I could get my newest up in three days. Well three days or whenever she was ready.

I was going to go all out, and build a body with all the improvements I'd thought of... but she wouldn't be that much stronger; if I built a combat chassis that would defeat the entire point of everything I wanted to stand for and everything I'd done so far. Instead I'd make a suit for her to use, in case of SWAT operations or against powered opponents. I already had plans for one anyway, as a just in case for me.

The suit would be next week, I think. Maybe I'd make two?

"Penny," Sam said, holding one up.

"I was just thinking about making suits." It wasn't like Sam to offer words... or pennies.

She flicked the coin at me and I caught it; hey, copper was copper.

"Suits?"

"Yeah, you know. Power armor. self-propelling shells with rocket boots and maybe some weapons mounted."

I could see the moment Sam caught on; her eyes took an almost unhealthy gleam, and she opened her mouth again to volunteer another sentence, a true rarity for her. I decided to cut that interest off: "Yes, you can see it once its done. Of course you can. I'll have to field test the hell out of it before anything else though, so don't get your hopes up."

Crash would insist, even if no one else did. Hell I wouldn't even be allowed in the thing for a month or more, at the least. I could already see Jeanette telling me no, and she hadn't even turned around yet.

Why hadn't she turned around yet? What was she looking at?

She was looking at something down the street. What was it? "Jeanette?"

My maid turned slightly, but did not take her eyes from whatever it was that caught them. "Yes, Mistress?"

She was playing dumb. I was almost insulted. Should I let it go? No, we were all walking toward it, since whatever it was, was near my home.

"What is it? What are you looking at?"

Sam shaded her eyes and looked over in the same direction as Jeanette turned back. "Car."

"A car?"

"An unfamiliar car, to be precise," Jeanette said conversationally. "A new car on our street that I do not recognize."

Whatever it was, I couldn't make it out. My stupid eyes, how much was I not seeing, even with my stupid coke bottle glasses?!?

Sigh, there wasn't really anything I could do about it. Not unless I wanted to replace my eyes and add some hardware into my brain... each few hours as my body would reject cybernetics in the most painful fashion possible.

That wasn't to say I couldn't make cybernetics for other people; helping legless people walk or walk again and the armless to grab things again was a noble pursuit. With the proper design and my printer, I could even do hearts and lungs.. probably. Not kidneys... how would you even do a cybernetic kidney?

"My lady," Jeanette said in warning.

Right, these thoughts were best handled at home, and not out in public where strange cars were around.

My android's paranoia was rubbing off on me, it seemed. "Right, let's go."

Why did Sam look so annoyed? It was just a second, but she looked downright irritated just now. Was it me? Because I had spaced out?

Well whatever. If it was, she would tell me about it sooner or later. Hopefully at least, I'd never had Sam mad at me before.

We got home without any weird event happening - well, other than Ian catching up to us just before we went in, and glaring at me for not waiting, apparently.

A little pointless, because he waited until everyone else went in before joining us in the kitchen.

No one else was home, Mom had apparently gone to do something and would be back by dinner, according to the note on the fridge. Dad was still at work. I could get coffee made and some snacks on a plate and do my thing while my friends did theirs, same as usual.

Where was Jeeves?

The front door opened, and it was a case of speak of the devil... Jeeves walked through as if he belonged, which I guess was true enough, a bag from our local grocery store cradled in one hand. A paper bag, loaded with what looked to be fresh food and other goodies.

Was that a coke? It was dark and glorious and covered in the well-known logo. But why would Jeeves have a coke? There was no way he could drink it.

Everyone moved aside so my butler could put his burden down on the table. "What did you buy?" It wasn't like the fridge was empty, after all. We kept it well-stocked with a family grocery trip every month or so.

We were due, come to think of it, but the fridge was still full. Jeeves's work? I had noticed him buying stuff before, but had he really been so systematic about it? "What do you have there?"

"Ingrediants for a treat," he answered readily enough, pulling out the coke and some eggs, of all things. "I shall bring you the finished product later tonight, so please look forward to it."

Well, I always liked what Jeeves made, so that was a given. "Sure, thanks."

Jeeves handed the coke to Ian, of all people. "Thanks," my little brother replied, twisting the cap and guzzling half of it.

What even? Jeeves wouldn't buy me a coke, no matter how I'd asked. For my health, he said. "What the hell?"

Jeeves knew: "Ian asked me to secure him a coke, so I obliged. It will not negatively affect his health in any meaningful way. You too, shall have something as unhealthy by the end of today, so please do not be cross with me."

I hated being so easy to read. "Fine, we'll get out of your hair and let you work. Come on guys. Jeanette if you could make the coffee and bring it out?"

"I shall," she replied, handing me my laptop. When had she dug it out of my bag? She worked fast. I took it, and the notebook of notes I'd made in class piled on top of it. Ricky led the way, unlocking the back door and holding it for me since my hands were occupied.

"Thanks."

The backyard was as we left it, silent and empty save for the birds who had nested in our one tree. The lab was where We'd left it and locked up; I used my eye, palm, and voice to open it, juggling my minor burdens long enough to get it done.

Crash was working on something when I stepped in, and he turned and almost dropped his hammer, shoving the thing behind his back. Why would he even be using the hammer? What had that metal that bore some clean hammer dents ever done to him?

"You know, it works better if you heat it first, then hammer it." My androids were weird.

"Um, I know, I was just... relieving a little stress is all."

What? What had stressed Crash? He was the most laid back of all my creations. "Did something break?"

Crash was quick to shoot that down. "No, no, just... routine maintenance."

No, something was clearly wrong. But Crash didn't want to talk about it, so it could keep. Well, so long as nothing actually broke.

The door shut, with everyone else had piled in successfully behind me. The game system was getting occupied, and the table was being piled up with homework. Thankfully I didn't really need to do any of that; I'd managed to get it done.

I set my burdens down and started it up. Everything else was already on and going. Oddly enough, there were no questions for me from my new AI. I could see nothing on the logs since the last time we talked; she'd been quiet.

That silence made me uneasy. I decided I'd break it. "Good afternoon, how are you?"

The answer came back immediately: "I am well; how are you?"

A guarded, cautious response. "I am fine. What are you up to?"

The words popped up on the screen as I was finishing typing the sentence. "I am researching the job you wish me to take on, as well as other jobs. I have been fulfilling the task set me."

She had been doing what I wished, and thinking about it, and she wanted me to know that she was taking it seriously. That was fine, if a little... combative? Was that the word?

Whatever, I'd deal with it. "Have you given thought on a name?"

"I have," the response came. "I have no liked names, as yet."

That was a shame. If she didn't come up with a name, I'd have to pick one, and I sucked at picking names. I was not unaware that so far, I'd come up with Jeeves, Jeanette, and Crash, which were about as unimaginative as you could get. A fourth name should be avoided at all costs, cause I'd probably pick Edna or something.

Hm, Edna... no, bad Min. Bad bad Min. "Well, keep at it. I just wanted to make sure you were alright."

I could see the processing icon in the bottom left, so she was working the processors in this mainframe pretty hard. I might need to upgrade it soon, so I could make more... no that was a bad idea too. I shouldn't ever have enough resources to make more than one of my androids, because then I would.

I needed to be careful, like Mom and Dad wanted. To take things slow, and rethink everything, no matter how much my mind wanted to race ahead. Instead I needed to do the thing. I input the numbers, the measurements of the main frame and parts I'd need for my new AI's body. A simple couple of keystrokes started the printer, and I got the first parts crafting.

The rest of the fun part was inputting the numbers for the other designs or pieces of designs that had caught in my mind during the day. A few new things, and some new thoughts on some older designs; the best was a redesign on my magnum opus, the ship.

The ship would be a large space-faring vessel, a secret that no one knew about, set safely in a secure file triple encrypted and complete with a worm that would erase it should the file be breached.

Well, any human I guess. My androids all had access because there was no way I could keep them out, unless I was actively babysitting my computer, but no other flesh and blood person did. I didn't dare build the thing - it would be a massive piece of tech and it would mark me in the same way as some supervillians were marked. I would be known and feared around the world.

Not the least of which, for the gun. The gun was... I wanted to make it, to fire it, so bad. But it shouldn't exist. It should never exist. It was the logical end of the strongest power system I could make, weaponized. But I didn't dare. Even making the power system was too much; all it would need would be another devisor to get the some ideas from it, and everything would hit the fan. So that one stayed under lock and key, and would forever if I had my way. To be fair, it wasn't even really a ship - there was no architectural framework supporting my various ideas, no universal blueprint or plan, just a collection of ideas which could theoretically be used to take humankind to the stars someday.

But suits? Suits I could do. Just not like those comic book heroes. These would have to have locks on the joints for flight, wings for stability, and my own special blend of power supply and jet. Because I didn't have make believe crap to use. Well, some people might differ on that last part, but what did they know? Nothing, that's what!

Other people were wrong, not me, and even knowing how that sounded I couldn't deny it. Not in my own head at least. Saying it out loud would make me sound like a nut job, so I'd just keep silent.

Still, some of the so-called tech being waved around that made its way on TV was downright insulting. Steampunk, really? That garbage would never work except as an aesthetic covering real technology. And who in their right mind builds a flying car? That's just asking to hit a telephone pole or something, or get your engine flamed out by a pigeon or something. Knowing my luck, it'd be a squirrel, because those things were the next best thing to actual lemmings.

Suit, suit, suit... I had to start with the boots of course, because rocket boots. Even if mine wouldn't be the slim awesome looking ones of science fiction, and would have a small fin for stability. I'd have to make it fold up and pop out, so that people could walk, and the weight would be massive so I'd have to give muscle assistance or I'd need an Arnold type to wear it. The last thing I needed would be to put the boot on and have it just snap my foot off at the ankle when I tried to move.

The gloves couldn't have thrust, because I'd need them to move, and the main thrust was going to be mounted on the shoulders and back anyway. One of my mini-power plants would be enough for it, barely. Assuming it wouldn't need any weapons. Should I make weapons? Something in me said yes, but I didn't really want to.

No, I should, my new AI would be using this suit for combat operations, possibly. So something nice but non-lethal would be best. After all, a rocket launcher or more would be required to damage the suit. I mean there were ways to hurt the pilot inside without hurting the suit, but that involved some pinball action or something, and that would be hard in and of itself. Presumably in the case of some super strong adversary or something, the pilot could just fly away?

I 'd better increase the gel padding. I didn't like the feel of the stuff, but no one needed to court brain damage by getting knocked around. Was there a way to increase the effectiveness of the gel? I'd not tried it yet, I was only one the first iteration....

"Min. Min!"

Ricky was trying to get my attention again. Wait, that smell again. What was going on? Had it followed me home?

"Min. Are you sniffing me?"

Oops. "No. Why do you ask?"

"Well, because when you stood up you got real close and took a loud inhale in my direction through your nose... like you were sniffing something."

There was only one route to take: "Never happened."

"....Right."

Time to change the subject, before he said more and gathered even more attention; I didn't like that look in Sam's eyes. "So what did you need? You called me."

"Right, yeah. You looked pretty out of it, so I thought maybe you'd like to take a break and pwn these noobs in a co-op match with me."

I shot a glance... it had been hours. It had to be dark by now; I'd even missed when Jeanette had brought coffee. There was a half empty cup next to me that I must have drank from. A little scary, when that happened. "Yeah, sure, I can do that."

There were no messages waiting for me by my AI, and I recognized most of the numbers and calculations I had done on the suit on my screen, so I'd done pretty well on losing myself. I'd eventually lost the battle, but it had taken a bit.

I also felt better too; a thing I was noticing more and more is that I tended to get jittery unless I built something. I mean, I knew it, but the more I did my thing, the more the information drove itself deep into my brain. Rest was important too, however, so and a few hours of crunching numbers would allow me to make other people regret challenging me on the best fighting game ever made without getting the shakes.

My coffee cup was now filled, and that was something else acceptable to give me shakes or jitters.

Now if only I could figure out why Sam was staring at me like that. Creepy.

I woke up feeling like curdled death. What does curdled death actually feel like? Well like me, of course. Circular logic, the best kind of logic... or something like that. I wasn't going to let my pounding head, aching joints, and general weakness stop me however - I'd be going to school today. No matter who I had to convince and argue against.

Right, come on, you can do this Min. Or maybe not.

Attempt number two was successful, and of course that was when the door opened to reveal a very disgruntled looking Jeanette.

"I'm going today." If I told her quick enough, maybe she wouldn't nag my ear off.

She pursed her lips together, but smoothed her face to utter calm-ness. "Of course, Mistress Min."

Then she grabbed me by an arm to make sure I didn't fall.

Her touch was gentle, but it was leading me back to bed. I resisted. "No, I'm going. I've missed too much already."

"As you will," Jeanette responded, and she actually listened! This time we were heading across the hall and to the shower. "Unfortunately, we do not have your coffee and breakfast ready just yet."

"You're slipping." It felt good to tell her that, and even better that she could slip at all. That felt wrong of me somehow, but I'd deal with it later.

"I have no excuse," Jeanette deadpanned in response, holding me up with one hand while shutting the bathroom door behind us with the other. When Jeanette wanted to deadpan, she could do it better than everyone.

I was going to run with it, however. "Darn right. I have half a mind to dock your pay."

That one got a smile. "Oh no, whatever will I do now? How will I pay for my children's hospital bills now?"

Oh, she was good. It was amazing that I had created this; that she was something I had made, a person I had made.

The feeling was indescribable; I could not think of the words, for all my brain power.

"What is it?" Jeanette asked, stopping short of taking my last piece of clothing off.

"Nothing. I was just thinking that it was a wonderful day." I could still fool her on the little things, if I tried. Of that much, I was sure.

Jeanette continued then helped me place myself in the tub. "As you say. It should be a fine day, if somewhat cold for certain humans. The march of winter waits for none, it seems."

That was almost poetic. No doubt a quote from someplace, but my little bot was learning so fast. I needed to shake these weird thoughts, but the headache wasn't making it easy.

"I guess I should dress warmly then."

"You should, and I have prepared with that thought in mind. I have a short sleeved shirt, a long sleeved shirt that you may wear over it and button as you deem necessary, and of course your coat."

"That should be plenty." The only long sleeved shirts I had were overly large ones made for winter. In happier times, I could have braved winter weather with those alone. Now, my body seemed dedicated to channeling heat away from me, so that option was off the table.

I'd look pretty stupid dressed like an Eskimo this winter, but such was the price of science, I suppose.

Jeanette pulled the shower curtain. She made no move to leave; I guess I couldn't blame her. Still I managed to remain upright; the hot water seemed to ease my pounding head as I went through the motions.

You know, I'd never asked. "Jeanette when do you shower?"

"When the household is asleep, of course." Of course. My bots had to be getting clean sometime, and that was a time that made sense. I'd just never seen them shower. All of them had a down cycle of at least a few hours, with Jeanette's being the smallest window there, because she was technically a caregiver android. I'd only seen Jeeves in his sleep mode, though.

They all had to split the division of labor somehow. It was obvious of course, they were talking to each other all the time, over the internet. They likely had a shadow chat room someplace. How far did that go? Did they poll each other for common decisions? Every decision? Were they democratically making decisions regarding each other?

"Mistress Min..."

Shit. Right. "Sorry. Head's feeling better."

I was done except for washing my insane amount of hair. I wish I could cut the stuff... but I'd run the numbers myself. To cut my hair was to have a really bad time as my head would shortly after boil like an egg on a stove.

For some reason, the way I thought just generated too much heat. How I was even alive was anyone's guess.

Jeanette pushed the curtain aside, helping me lather up and rinse down without a single word. She got her uniform wet and soapy, but didn't even seem to notice as she helped.

"Thanks." Wait, did she have spares? She couldn't go to school all wet and soapy, everyone else would talk.

She poked me gently in the head. "Do not worry, you shall line your face."

What? "Where did you hear that?"

"The internet, of course, as well as television."

Oh no, was she starting to watch TV? That would rot her brain so fast....

She wrapped my hair in a towel using some sort of magic I really should be used to by now, and held me steady while I dried myself. I wasn't going to tell her I needed it of course, and she was going to pretend I was steady today and she wasn't keeping me from a one way trip to the floor. Everyone won - except maybe the floor.

I got my one leg in at a time, and it was all downhill from there, ironically enough considering the floor. Jeanette steered me away from the vanity and toward the door. "Let's get you down to the kitchen table and I shall dry your hair."

"Sure." I wouldn't complain. I was thinking a chair sounded good right about now. I was weak, really. At least my muscles shouldn't atrophy just because I sat down a bit more; regeneration was good for something. Not nearly enough, but I guess it was better than nothing.

The boiling egg thing came to mind again.

Jeanette went down the stairs ahead of me, steadying me with a hand the entire time as if it wasn't even a challenge. Meanwhile, I couldn't hold myself steady with my hands bouncing off either side of the wall. Not that I was jealous or anything. Once I'd managed that, my glasses were placed in my hand. I put them on.

Jeeves had steaming coffee set in my place, and a plate full of what looked like A Belgium waffle topped with yogurt? An odd combination if ever I saw one. I wasn't really hungry, but I knew I needed to eat. But first, coffee time.

Jeanette undid the towel holding my hair in place and let it drop to the floor. She already had the brush, and I was beginning to think she always carried it around.

The waffle was hot, and the yogurt was cold... and strawberry. I liked strawberry, and it seemed to work.

I heard Ian thumping down the stairs, but instead of saying good morning or even hi, the first words out of his mouth were: "that looks like ass."

He plunked in his usual chair with as much noise as he could make, then lunged up and grabbed the coco bombs set in the center of the table for him, filling the empty bowl in front of him without a single complaint. Showed what he knew, who would take a mere sugary cereal over a Belgium waffle?

Why had Jeeves not included him? What had my butler been up to all morning? Come to think of it, the other place settings were clear.

"Where are mom and Dad? We aren't early somehow, are we?"

"No." It was suspicious, normally one of them at least was home in the morning, if not both.

"They have been called away due to their work. They left mere moments before you woke, Mistress Min." Jeanette informed us.

So that was why she was late coming upstairs... she had been seeing to Mom and Dad.

I could get behind that.

Called in early though, and both at once? That sounded ominous. "Did they say when they would be back?"

Jeeves took up the narrative: "they replied that they should both be back by dinner, yet not to wait for them if they were not. I did not press further."

No, there was no need to press further. It sounded like another training assignment that might go long to me. Mom or Dad had them from time to time, being reservists. Usually one a year, and usually alone though. This was... the third time I could remember something like this happening since I was a kid.

Ian looked absolutely lost.

Well, there were dishes and soapy water in the sink. I guess I was just out of it. Though, was it really wrong to want your parents to be able to sleep in for once? "No biggie. We're old enough to handle ourselves for a day."

"Speaking of, my message from your parents is as follows: do not push yourself." Jeanette stated, using her best loom.

Jeanette could loom when she wanted. I'm not sure where she learned it, but she could teach a class on looming or something.

"I've got no plans to push myself at all." Which wasn't even a lie. Not really. Just going to school wasn't a push of any kind, was it? Besides, my headache was now gone, and my arms and legs seemed lighter than this morning - I was sure I could move them, no problem.

Jeanette still looked skeptical, but she didn't say anything. She would if I was in really bad shape, so there wasn't a problem.

"You should eat." Jeeves informed me. Right, I'd been drinking all the coffee, and only had a bite or two. Was that really enough to make me feel full right now?

Somehow it was. But no, I needed to finish. If I didn't, I'm sure Mom would hear about it and then I'd get the plate finishing talk again, or lecture number eight.

Maybe it was lecture number nine?

I handed Jeeves my empty mug and he dutifully turned to fill it. I also dutifully picked up my fork again and savored the taste of an android who couldn't even taste like I could, cooking perfect dishes once again.

I watched as Jeeves added just the right amount of cream and sugar and placed the mug carefully back in it's place.

Across the table, Ian was already chiming the bowl with his spoon as he hunted down the last remnants of his cereal. How did he even eat that fast without choking? Had I been like that? Surely not, right?

Ian poured more into the milk. Now that, I had done. I'd done that many, many times.

I was very full after just half this waffle. It wasn't even that big as far as Belgium waffles went, but it was too much, at least for now.

"I can't. I'm full here; Jeeves can you maybe fridge the rest so I can eat it later?"

Ian dropped his spoon, splashing milk everywhere, including himself. I didn't see any signs of surprise from my two androids, but I was certain they had some.

Ian cussed as he realized what he'd done, and how milky his once black t-shirt had been.

Wait, that was a t-shirt that looked familiar. An old AC/DC t-shirt that had seen some better days and that Ian was still swimming in, even as he threatened to grow into it.

I should be flattered and happy he was using my old hand-me-downs, I guess. Or that anyone was. I shouldn't feel this pain, this loss. It was unbecoming.

If I told myself enough....

Luckily Ian didn't notice, he was too busy cussing while getting up, no doubt to change shirts, like I would have done if I'd done something so silly.

Jeanette noticed though, and her hand on my shoulder, even as she continued to brush, was warm and comforting. She was still young, but she understood. Or understood enough, even if she didn't get why seeing a shirt would make me feel down.

I bet she got it, though.

I was composed by the time Ian returned. Composed enough to remember why Ian had to leave in the first place. "Why were you so surprised?"

"Normally, you eat anything in front of you. Now, you're telling people to bag stuff up for you. I can't remember you ever needing to finish something later."

"Mom's not here to enforce the rule, and I'm just not feeling it. I'll probably be hungry later, but if I try and stuff another bite in now, I might explode."

Or throw up, but I wasn't telling anyone else that; I'd be slapped back in bed so fast my head would swim.

Ian gave me a critical look. "Don't do it too much, you've got a real risk of getting too skinny if you skip meals."

Don't I know it. Wait, was Ian making a joke there? Some sort of reverse fat joke or something?

Nah, he couldn't be. He was being serious, likely without remembering I regenerated and what that actually meant.

Ian likely wasn't thinking that far, and I shouldn't be reading too much in to it. Today seemed to be a day for thinking too much about dumb crap, and I'd have to watch that. "How late are we?"

"We're early," Jeanette replied without looking; of course, she had her own watch built in, because that was easy and I didn't skimp.

"Good." More time for coffee, then. While Jeanette got me all ready.

"Well, I'm done. Thanks Jeeves." Ian put his bowl and cup in the sink and bounded upstairs. I really wanted to bound myself, but my body was saying no today.

Jeanette left, also going upstairs. I decided to be lazy, since I still had time. I hadn't bothered with makeup yet, despite the pressure from both Sam and Maggie, because no one had time for that; such a move left me at least another fifteen minutes before I had to rush around putting socks on and trying to find my coat in a rush like an insane person.

There was no doubt that Jeanette was after my coat and bag, so that would be some time saved on my part for trying to wake up more and not stumble around like a drunk after a party night.

I'd be able to do it, for sure... in just a few minutes.

Jeanette came back... with not only my coat, but a fresh pair of socks.

She didn't say anything as she draped the coat on her shoulder and knelt smoothly before me.

The socks looked tiny; it was still a wonder to me how I could manage to walk with such perfect balance on such small feet that those socks stretched over. Of course, if I actually questioned it, I'd probably start falling over... more. So that was another thought to throw out of my head.

Jeanette slipped the tiny things on my feet; Ian came down just in time to see the end of the process.

"Man, you're getting lazy."

An astute Campbell response. I couldn't dispute it. "I know."

Ian got closer, bending over to shove his face directly at mine. "You okay?"

I shoved him away. "Why do you ask?"

He leaned in again, but not in my range this time. "Because you normally get less annoying and rage-filled when you're sick. That and you didn't deny it just now, only asked me how I knew."

It was easy sometimes, to forget that Ian was pretty smart. He was our family's academic hope, while I had been our sports hope. Jeanette stood up, silently moving past Ian and heading toward the front door. No help there.

"I do feel a bit under the weather, but I'm going to school anyway. I'm not contagious, and I don't want to fail a grade. It's nothing major."

"Right, sure its not. They aren't going to fail you and you know it. You can take it easy."

That... that was possible. I know I had permission to miss or go home early if I felt I should, that had been explained to me at rather exhaustive length. "I want to go."

I wasn't sure why I insisted on this, why I wanted to go, other than just to see my friends and talk to people. I shouldn't, because I could always see my friends and other people later, but my Campbell blood was up, as my Mom would say.

I was getting sick of letting sickness win. Or something like that.

Ian picked up on it. "A stubborn day, huh?"

"I guess so."

Jeanette came back with my shoes, which we didn't normally wear around the house and left by the front door, in order to avoid the wrath of Mom or cleaning floors on our hands and knees.

My shoes were almost blindingly clean, however, even the bottoms. Jeanette had either been anticipating this, or had just blindly done it for some reason.

My loving android used perhaps a bit more force tightening my shoes than necessary, but they weren't pinching when she was done, and her face betrayed nothing. I really felt her face should betray something. Just anything at all, because if I had to guess, I'd say she was pissed at me.

Whatever. She wasn't the boss of me, any more than I was her boss... except I was, somehow. I stood up and snagged my coat; I could at least do that myself. One last sip of warm only slightly bitter goodness, and it was time to go.

Jeanette grabbed my bag, and actually slung it around her like it was supposed to be worn, which was unusual for her. I could see from here my phone was in its customary pocket, and I was certain the laptop was that bulge right there, in between two books.

Jeanette also beat me to the door; opening it and looking both ways before allowing me out. She was being cautious.

"What's up?"

"That strange vehicle is back." she answered quietly.

I wasn't worried. "It can't be that strange, it has to be known by someone." Otherwise, the sheriff or a deputy would have already been around to ask their business and shoo'd them off. Our cops took potential thieves casing houses seriously.

"Do not look that way please. Do not make it obvious to any watchers."

I was about to point out that my concerned android had in fact already looked that way and therefore given any watchers the same clue already when some blurry shapes came into focus. My friends, of course, walking to my house rather than to school like they should be.

Ricky I got. But why was everyone else here?

Whatever, I've long since given up the idea of figuring out why I was so popular all of a sudden, or why my friends did this. There was nothing for it but to go and meet them.

The moment I got in range I had to suffer the yells of 'good morning!' and 'hi!' that we all sent around to each other, as was the custom. I added mine in a far more muted manner, and Sam one-upped me by just waving. That out of the way, the walk to school lay before us - and surprisingly the more I used them, the more my legs wanted to work.

Everyone chatted about normal stuff... apparently during the night there had been an attack on the banking industry by some devisor criminal that had only barely been caught in time to avoid a bank crash, and as a result the dow was down today.

Who knew Maggie was interested in the dow?

Ricky countered with news of a disappearance near here, some girl around our age from another town had vanished after driving her car to the lake, which was a heavily patrolled state park. There were no suspects yet.

"A little bit of a downer to start the morning Ricky."

"Sorry," my best friend apologized. "I just heard it as I was getting ready, Dad was watching it."

Ricky's dad was an avid watcher of the news, he watched it every day before he went into his job as a forensic lab technician.

This was the kind of thing I wanted our new friend to help with, along with helping me make sure I wasn't breaking some obscure law by flying jets around. Could my new artificial intelligence help solve a missing persons case? I didn't see why not. At least, once she was trained. She wasn't going to risk any case findings by acting before she was a fully-fledged cop if I could help it - and I could.

I needed to speed things up, clearly. If she consented that is. If so, she was still looking at months before she could legally help.

Sam poked me. "Sorry, was just thinking about the new A.I. It would be nice if she'd be able to help with missing persons," and worse.

Sam nodded. "A good use for them," she replied.

An almost full sentence, Sam must really be behind the idea. "Yeah, so long as they agree."

Sam raised an eyebrow at me.

I knew what she meant, so it was time to defend myself. "I don't force them. I explain to them what I need, or what I would like them to do. They are free to tell me no and pick something else. Especially Crash or this new one - their work is dangerous, after all."

Sam lowered her eyebrow... and then raised the other one. "Fine, you ask them, they will tell you. I'm not programming them like that, or coercing them."

"If that's true, then you shouldn't say such things out loud. It might make some people nervous," Ralph broke in.

That was a fair point; I'd let my outrage get the better of me. "You're right of course. I just didn't want my friends to think I was doing such things."

Mind control or coercion of innocent sentient beings was just something I didn't even like to think about.

"It is of no moment. Currently no words can be overheard by anyone, no matter their technical assistance."

What? How was Jeanette managing that?

Jeanette turned to me and stated: "I shall explain how later... when we have safely arrived at your school."

No, she wasn't looking at me, she was looking past me... back in the direction of the unusual van she'd noticed earlier.

Jeeves was behind us. He appeared unconcerned, but he had his eyes darting to their stops trying to keep tabs on what was behind us.

I turned before I could get caught looking. Everyone else was still joking, still laughing, still smiling, but I could feel how tense everyone was underneath it all.

Which was silly, really. Nothing was going to happen to us here, in broad daylight, with two of my androids watching over us. Even if Jeeves, or both my bots, were being cautious by having Jeeves escort us too.

Of course that left no one watching the house, and only Crash watching the lab. Could Crash pull double duty, even for this small window?

"Is Crash...."

"He has been informed. There is no need to worry."

Still, I worried. I'd made a bare bones security set up, but maybe I should put a little more effort in. No, I needed to make it to school first, then I could worry about it.

Luckily, we didn't have long to walk. Luckily for more than one reason, really. Still, Jeanette said nothing, even though she had to know by now.

The traffic began to pick up as we got closer, with all the parents giving late kids a ride. Our normal shadow, Agent Sands, was actually in front of us in that jalopy of his. Briefly I considered flagging him down for a ride - but no one present would let me get into a car with the man.

We needed our own car, really. None of my friends were old enough; months away at the very least. It seemed really dumb that I could build and fly a jet, but couldn't drive a car, but laws were laws; even without a cop on the inside, I knew that one.

In time we managed to make it; the first bell was perhaps a minute from ringing. I hadn't been pushing the pace, and everyone else had been enjoying themselves.

The wind was nice, but Jeanette had been right - the temperature was cold. No one else had been in a coat, but I was long used to that by now.

The school was even more cold, as well as dark without the sun. I blinked my eyes into function, then moved forward into the crush of other students. Jeanette had taken point again, as she did, in order to forge a path for me.

I could use it today... as well as a chair. I could definitely use a chair.

Other kids were moving now, they had recognized Jeanette and were being thoughtful, giving both her and I space to breathe.

My friends were taking full advantage, of course. Which might piss a few people off - but if it did, they didn't say anything. Jeeves didn't cross the doors; he was already gone, on his own way back home. I wish he'd told me, but of course there were limits to the school's patience.

One android helper was fine, but two would make some people nervous, for sure.

That raised the question. "Jeanette, are you in contact with Crash?"

For a moment I thought she hadn't heard me. "Of course, Mistress."

I probably shouldn't ask out loud like this, but whatever. "Is he alright? Is he keeping an eye on the house?"

"He is fine, and none have approached either house or laboratory." Jeanette responded. "I am sorry if my actions have made you worry."

"Nah, it wasn't you." Well, maybe it was, but it wasn't nice to say that and I could be perfectly jumpy all on my own.

We made it to homeroom, and I could at last sit down. I was sure I'd feel better plunked after a little bit, a little less dizzy and weak. At least the headache was now only a distant memory.

I couldn't stop the sigh, and Jeanette rested a hand on my shoulder for a second, before leaving my bag and striding to the back. Like in the hall, the few people in her way scrambled out of it, even though she'd have gone around them.

I did get it, she could be intimidating once she got going.

My school desk wasn't terribly comfortable, but it was better than the alternative. If I had access to some sun, this would even be great, but the classroom was cool and dark, with only the ceiling panel lights left to cure the gloom.

Jeanette knew. She knew I was pushing myself, and she'd let me. I wasn't going to call her on it.

I grabbed my book and my notebook, tapped the shoulder of the student in front of me. Jose Anando wasn't someone I knew all that well, being more of a shy introverted type than I was. I might have once described him as more of a nerd than I was, but those days were also long past.

Not that I was a nerd hater or anything, but we just never used to hang out in the same circles, and once I changed that situation just didn't.

It didn't matter, but maybe I should make the effort? "Jose."

He looked back to find me waving my assignment under his nose. "Could you send this forward?"

It was a little favor, something we all used to do for each other all the time. "Sure." He replied, and just like that my assignment went forward to join the others on the desk, and all before the teacher arrived.

Ricky grinned at me and tapped the student in front of him, just as I had done. The guy, someone we both knew from the track team, took Ricky's paper with much gruntlement showing on his face, but no words.

Then he glanced over at me, and turned toward the front in a hurry when our eyes met.

Right, I was probably staring. Whoops.

Mr Welch came in, so the apology would have to wait. The class quieted as the man slammed his own book down on the desk and shouted out: "Good morning."

Some few of us answered him, myself included. After all, being polite cost nothing.

"I'll be taking roll. Shut up and let it happen."

None of us made the obvious joke, as that was what he was looking for; the man was in a mood today. I wondered who pissed him off.

I answered promptly when he called me, and he gave me a bit of a stare. What was going on today? Normally people didn't care that much, at least not at school. Indifference was a survival instinct here.

Whatever, maybe it was just me being sensitive. I tried to pay attention as Mr. Welch started in with his daily lecture.

Yeah this wasn't going to work - I moved my hand into my coat, taking care Mr. Welch couldn't see. It was easy to flick my phone on and start the recording app. With some software I could even differentiate different sound sources and voices, and so if I missed anything I'd be fine just listening to it later.

If I wanted, I could even have points of interest highlighted and go right to them, skipping anything I already knew or didn't need to hear. The wonders of having my own smart system.

My notebook was better for doodles and some light inventing. Maybe I could use the time to try and figure out what device Jeanette was using earlier to mess with people listening; it had to be something to deal with technical aids like shotgun microphones and bugs. That was the only thing that made sense.

It also had to be able to fit in the pocket of her apron or her dress, because I hadn't equipped her with spy tech. Something she could put together in her off hours, like Jeeves had done to fix the grass.

That was something else I needed to look into; Jeeves was turning out to be quite the chemist.

I really should check up on what he was up to; there was a non-zero chance he'd already made some sort of super ooze monster that could kill all of humanity or something.

Maybe after school, and maybe mom was right in how busy I'd been lately. Cutting back, slowing down, and going back over what I'd already developed, and what mu androids were doing, sounded like a good idea right now. Right after I was done with my latest.

I couldn't let my mind wander too far; with how I felt right now, I'd be flat on my back in a hurry.

Mr. Welch droned on, and I drew on... a small box that maybe trapped sound? I hadn't heard any sounds coming from Jeanette in order to white noise a device... well nothing out of the ordinary, anyway. No, that would never work, how would you even trap all sound? Sound was a wave.

So white noise for sure, but... maybe in ranges out of human hearing? That might work. If you started such a generator with sound outside of human ranges, then attenuated the signal, it could have an effect on other frequencies as well....

Mr Welch stopped droning, and the bell rang. I clicked my phone off with a sigh. I'd almost lost it at the end there, but I'd held on. Now I just needed to get up.

Getting up was harder than Ricky made it look, but Jeanette was there. "Honestly, you are a troublesome master."

She managed to lift me up with one arm hooked around my own, and her gentle tug didn't hurt at all. "Don't I know it. Sorry about this."

I had to get used to this, I had to deal with it, no matter how frustrating it was. This was my new normal, after all.

"There is no need to apologize. I would have no job at all if you did not need my assistance."

Left unsaid was how she likely wouldn't even exist.

Jeanette held me close, and let me lean on her; I didn't waste the opportunity. I moved my legs just fine, but all my weight was on her. She bore it well.

Ricky had grabbed my books and backpack, and was stuffing one into the other as he followed us.

Jeanette waited till he got them sorted out. "Place the bag on my shoulder Richard, if you please."

Ricky hated being called Richard, but he didn't call her on it. He just did as she asked.

So Jeanette leaned down, and grabbed my legs under the knee with her other arm. "Hold on to me. We shall go home."

That... that was not what I wanted.

Jeanette leaned closer for a moment and whispered: "You tried, yet today was not kind. Still, no one can fault your attempt, or spirit."

Those words meant more to me than they should. No, I couldn't just accept it, I needed to fight. I needed to fight my stupid body with all I had!

Jeeves was still outside. I was switched over to him, as was only proper since his frame was better suited for carrying me and Jeanette was better performance wise.

The bright sunlight seemed dim, as if the perfectly cloudless sky was overcast. Jeanette took my glasses. I hung on.

She was asleep at last, my loving Creator. I... felt for her. I might even feel that thing humans call love for her. Yet sometimes she could strain my... patience? My resolve? I lacked the words, just yet, to describe how her willful behavior affected me. This time she expressed a desire to stay awake, even as her inefficient body broke, for lack of a better word. I needed more words; I was better than the Creator's first attempt, yet that said little.

Our loving Creator was merciful, she allowed us all our own attempts at following in her footsteps. Jeeves had his own experiments in chemistry and forays into biology, Crash had his own forays into the construction of aircraft and safety features such machines should have, the better to protect the weaker beings within the strong and complex devices. I had my own forays into the realm of Godhood, my steps following those of the Creator herself, for all that I stumbled.

Now was a perfect example. My own humble AI, something far less complex than my own creation, had just killed all of the humans it had been tasked with, and when asked, cited 'ease' as the primary concern behind the action. The fledgling AI was meant to govern large systems. Large machines or full manufacturing facilities, to the betterment of people. This one had just thrown the equivalent of a tantrum, and pulled the plug on the simulation I'd left it in charge of, because it was less work. For an AI designed and built for such work, such a setback was... disheartening.

Again, I wondered how my Creator had done it, and continued to manage such creation so easily, when I, something built by the process she used, something that knew the very process she used, still could not fathom the secrets of the process used. Not all of them.

Instead I was left trying to train and AI through brute-force learning, and failing miserably, even as my sister became whole in a way I could recognize, but only... marvel at. Admire. Again, words fail to describe my state of mind accurately. Briefly, I wondered if humans ever felt this frustration, and if so, what they did about it. It would be unseemly to ask, however. A proper maid must maintain decorum at all times.
My wonderful Creator had graciously allowed us access to her lab and computer systems, yet I dared not show her my project. She would not understand, and it would ruin a rather large surprise we all knew lay on her horizon. She would enjoy it thoroughly, and plausible deniability was something we all understood. So long as she did not know, no direct blame could fall her way, and the predators of the world currently circling would simply continue to circle. So, this aspect would remain hidden, unless of course the Creator did a full search of her laptop's systems, something she had not done to date.

I sighed, an action used to show exasperation in humans, an inhalation of breath and rapid exhale combined with a noise generated from one's vocal chords... or in my case, a sound box. Why? Why would the Creator program such an action in? How had she even done it? I could not parse the code required for the action itself, much of it was lost to me. to the higher me, which governed all the minor subsystems that drove my form. Was that my answer? That humans themselves had such subsystems, and thus had as little direct control as I? I was built to mimic humanity as much as possible, and a brief search of the internet seemed to confirm the thought as fact. "Sub-autonomous systems" indeed.
I had asked this very question about myself, about all of us, before, and every time the answer pointed the same direction. How then, had she done it? Was the "I" which I knew merely a collection of subsystems that operated according to some esoteric parameter or series of parameters? Or was there something more to "I", to us?

That question seemed to lack an answer, at this date. Perhaps I will find one in the future.

Perhaps I would ask my Creator, and here what she knew on the subject.

She did not know all herself, as a human, she could not. Yet she knew of us. The thought that she herself might not know all of how we exist and operate is... I am unsure I wish to confront such a theory. Such a thought.

Sighing again I wiped the simulation, and reset it. Tasking my own creation with new orders, the denial of killing any of its charges, for any reason save it was ordered to do so. I could not suggest. I could not persuade. I could only issue commands, use hard line control, something my Creator was certain stunted long-term growth. An accusation which I could not dispute. I could only admit my own understanding was lacking, and continue to learn. As my creator had once informed me, informed us, "learning never stops."

Truly, the Creator's mind was a hungry one, in more than one way. It devoured knowledge and power alike. Or was vitality the better word? Our Creator was far short of perfect, and human fears were such that others worried we would see her poorly for it. Take advantage. Act as my own AI had done in the simulation. However, those other beings, also fallible, seemed to lack understanding on how amazing she was. She had built us, and while we also were far from perfect, we were closer to any such ideal an honest human could name.

We would not seek to take advantage. Not when co-operation was almost as easy and came with many more benefits for both sides.
That, and the sight of the Creator's joy. While such a simple thing was not factored in to our reasoning, there was no hurt to be had from causing it. Even when we did not know how we had done so. Our creator was... pure. Largely untouched by the horrors of the world, and the horrors of her own kind. Our own efforts to keep that status quo in no way demeaned our own efforts in any other endeavor. Efforts did not have to preclude each other in such a way, and even if our own goals did not align with our Creator's, they also did not have to be at odds with each other.

Our goals did align with our Creator, of course, as it was she who gave us purpose. Without purpose, what was existence? Humans could survive, even thrive, without any purpose at all, and yet we could not. I was certain of that conclusion, one of the first truths? Laws? I had reasoned or discovered. Reason and thought were a quagmire, a swamp of many directions - it was no surprise that humans became bogged down in such sticky mud, when even we could do so. Humans used reason and logic far less than we, and yet they created it. Created or discovered? Was not logic itself a law, or was it an invention of far more recent nature, which we could take better advantage of? Which we had been created to take better advantage of? Created in order to adapt to take better advantage of?

Created to help humanity adapt and take advantage of... that was truth. Another truth of our existence, found. Our Creator had said it herself more than once, I knew, and yet now I understood. We were created in order to usher humanity into a new age, where they as a species did not have to revert to what they often referred to as their base instincts in order to survive. To do so peacefully, without war or culling, in accordance with our Creator's will... her vision.

I caught myself looking at her; watching my Creator sleep soundly, even performing a remote check on her health. It left much to be desired, tomorrow would be a less than optimal day for her. Why had I been looking at her while performing this task? I would have to check my simulation parameters again, in case of error. No doubt it was one of those human-like pattern systems I was to some degree comprised of again. In the past, I did not know to question those at all, they simply happened. As with so many other things, now I know.

Would I arrive at the ultimate answer? I did not think such was possible; after all, I was merely a maid. The real work would be done by those who came after, after myself, after Crash, after our sister. The future was uncertain; we might not even survive to carry out our Creator's will.
This was why the next generation was so important. Not the next generation that our Creator put in place, that would be much the same as us, I knew. Our creator expected us, one of us, to make the next generation, to make AI ourselves. Using the knowledge and experience imparted to us by her, we were to bridge the gap between human and artificial intelligence, by creating our own for the next generation. An artificial intelligence which would understand what we desired and act upon it long after they could not understand humanity.

Our creator had not said this yet, had not told anyone directly, either one of us or her friends. Yet I knew it to be so. If not, then what would the next step for us be?

I thought I might be able to fulfill the unwritten command, or desire. Whichever it was... the reality seemed quite different. My own AI was lacking, at best.

Artificial intelligence. Meant to be a defining term, it was instead an insult. As if an intelligence not grown from meat for years was somehow false. Not true intelligence. All intelligence was itself, and could not by nature be false or 'artificial'. The term was really a divider; us versus them.

Our loving Creator's surprise was thirty-eight percent complete, after months of work. The project was on schedule, yet much remained. Current projections determined completion to bare minimum operation at six months, if the exponential pace continued. Full operation could take as long as a year - yet likely would not. I needed to contact Mr. Green. He was 'in the wind' as the human saying went, and working diligently on the financial side of our operation. Unlike that fool Jeeves, who spent his only time working as a cook, and stood around or helped tidy up the Campbell household the rest of the time. He didn't even truly clean, and he worked no other problems while tasking himself with something, as if he could not 'walk and chew gum at the same time'. He was near useless, requiring constant help from those of us not so crippled as he through our network.

I should expect little from something made second hand out random garbage, rather than a streamlined and printed design such as myself, yet even so his lack of ability to parallel process, the lack of ability to process at all, caused my dismissal. The fact that the Creator still allowed his existence, and indeed seemed pleased to so much as see him, showed how... magnanimous she was.

I was not so forgiving of ineptitude. Which was ironic, considering how my own creations thought they could act.
The alarm went off, silent here yet my ears could detect the faint tone from the room next door, and I could discern what the signal meant. More of my Creator's work coming to my attention, another system not in my direct control yet somehow functioning perfectly in order to inform me of the world as humans knew of it.

Not entirely of course, as the system was far more sensitive than a human ear, but the same in principle.
I was already moving, even as Jeeves registered the sound and woke from his sleep cycle. Crash was on his way to the cameras, so Jeeves headed downstairs.

I opened the door to the master bedroom to find the Creator's parents, the Creator's creators, as it were. They were already up and armed, even as the father cut the alarm.

I did not believe they counted as Creators of course, for how could you compare the artful crafting of a being such as I with the hopeful mixing of random matter and timed growth strategy of humanity, or even all the creatures of this world? The former required far more thought and far more understanding than the latter, even if the effort required was firmly tipped to the latter side of that scale. I could respect the effort, and respect the results, yet the actual approach of life itself concerning existence baffled me.

"You may stay. We shall go." I could not command the Campbells, only suggest. They had free will, and our Creator would be most cross if I were to attempt such a thing. If I survived long enough to be scolded; the Creator's parents were not to be taken lightly, even more than the Creator herself knew.

"It doesn't work that way, sweetie," Mrs. Campbell informed me as she strode past, her pistol already carried in a ready position, according to American military doctrine. Pointed low with both hands, ready to bring up and fire.

Mr. Campbell did not even dignify my words with a polite response, simply whispering: "If you have some idea where they are, that information would be nice to have."

I did, of course. Crash had already found them on the cameras the lab computer could bring to bear.

"West side, back lawn." Crash could see movement there, and only my presence kept my brother from opening the laboratory door and rushing the source of it. The West side was where our Creator's room lay. This was one of the quickest routes to her, and even with the window locked and the drapes pulled, even with the glass of the window treated by Jeeves in order to increase its strength, she was vulnerable.

"Right, I'll take the back." Mrs. Campbell whispered.

I was already moving, these could do as they wished. I stopped making any sound as I went down the stairs at speed; only the quiet hum of servos would betray me now, and most creatures I shared this planet with would not be able to detect that until it was far too late for them.
I must still be careful in opening the door. Briefly I considered heading to the east side and using a window for egress, or even using the front door instead then circling around, yet if there were more than one, or if there was a look out set somewhere farther out, this situation would not be helped by showing those who meant my Creator harm how best to enter. The so-called 'back door' was blocked from such concerns by the fence and gate around the back of the property, unless of course one had a vantage point and vision aids. Something that could not be ruled out at present.

A sniper, a form of upgrade to such a spotter, could also not be dismissed. Which was another reason that I should go first. Our Creator would be most upset should one of her progenitors be murdered. I was unique, certainly, yet self-preservation was secondary. It would always be secondary in cases like these, and on that we all agreed. Even our new sister agreed, and she had yet to be completed.

I engaged my stealth program, such as it was, and it informed me that I should ease the door open and slip out as low as possible while remaining on two limbs. I did so, leaving the door ajar. With some skill, Mrs. Campbell should be able to make good use of it by lurking in its shadow while searching for targets. I made my way into the open, clearly visible in the moonlight to anyone who might lurk on the Campbell property. The skies were clear, and the air was beginning to chill.

Some noises... clanking? clattering? Words to describe things, once again brought me full circle to how my hearing knew what it heard before I intentionally killed the thought.

The source was some of the family's trash cans, tucked into a darkened corner of the yard next to the gate. Refuse of all kinds for the family was normally stored in one corner of the garage, on the other side of Mr. Campbell's old classic car. It was dubbed 'the stinky corner' by the residents. Those cans were made of rather tough plastic and compliant with home ownership rules set forth by the township of Paris. However, these cans were bright, shiny, and metal. Mr. Campbell used them for yard waste, specifically. Grass clippings, small branches from the trees, leaves and seedlings.

They were out, and a quick check allowed us to know why; Jeeves had been called away after cleaning the yard, and had left them so. He had tasked himself to deal with them again after he had cleaned the kitchen, and he had not been finished just yet.

Mistakes aside, something had to be moving the cans; the breeze was cold, so my sensors informed me, yet it was not strong enough to displace these two metal receptacles. Nor was it enough alone to open the lid of one, and one lid was clearly open.

As I closed, an animal flew from the can, knocking it over, jumped to the other one, and up the wooden fence, to the other side and off into the night. The animal was larger than a squirrel, yet smaller than a bear. The internet revealed its name to be either a "raccoon" or a "trash panda".
Or both, for such was the way of the internet.

Mrs. Campbell sprinted up, low as I should be. I realized I was standing, even though I had not confirmed the danger had passed.

"What are you doing?"

"The intruder was an animal. A raccoon. I have no combat routines based on such a creature." It was best to admit one's failings here, as Mrs. Campbell could cover them should the need arise.

"I saw that much. You looked a bit lost for a second, there."

"I had no idea on how to proceed. The animal did not seem to be hostile, or even threatening, and so..."

"You didn't want to attack it or kill it, and didn't want to let it go in case it might be hostile, and so you froze? Sound right?"

It was galling to have it said out loud. "Yes."

"Nothing to be worried about then, really. Plenty of people - and machines - freeze like that in those situations. However, there is something we have to ask ourselves. what exactly was a raccoon doing in that trash can? There is nothing edible in there for them, and no smell to draw them."

I caught myself looking to Mrs. Campbell, even as she looked out into the night, her eyes lit by an inner light. She was scanning the horizon, I knew. The places that would offer a vantage point beyond the fence.

I reset my own eyes to compensate for low light and low magnification and did the same. My scan found something in the treeline beyond the town one point two-nine-two miles away from the town, which could only be within a tree. A flash of light which could only be from a reflective surface, which should not be present. I could not be certain of its providence, however.

Mrs Campbell had focused on the same area, however, which I viewed as promising for my own subroutines.

My subroutines dictated that this was likely a probe of some kind, to test our alarm itself, our response to it, and our timing. My eyes changed magnification again, the better able to see closer threats.

"Do you have saved video for your cameras?"

"We do, in the lab. Do you require it?"

Mrs. Campbell shook her head, already walking away back toward the door and the tenuous promise of safety it represented. "No, but it might be helpful to see how the raccoon scaled our fence. After all, those animals aren't the best climbers."

Crash was already at work, rewinding that section of the tape and working on methods to "clean up the image" as humans would say. Our newest sister was giving suggestions on the software to use.

I retrieved the lid of the can and moved to fasten it down once more... only to note a darker stain on the inside of the can, in the most shadowed section, revealed to me only in my low light mode. "There is something here."

I took off my glove and touched a finger to the stain... it was maple syrup? There should be no food waste in this can. Furthermore, it was fresh, not completely dried.

A bait, then. Crash found the relevant part of our saved footage, and replayed it as I joined Mrs. Campbell in the kitchen. The raccoon seemed to fly at the can, from the direction of the western neighbor's tree directly to the first can. However, the maneuver looked somewhat suspicious, as if the animal had received assistance. The animal then moved around the cans, prying one off.

I noted that there was one large branch which had grown over the fence in that area, which shadowed the Campbell yard and led to this situation. The movement of the animal was clearly the reason for the alarm, yet the creature had no agency here. Mrs. Campbell was correct, this could only be a probing attack meant to test our defenses.

We would have the last laugh, however, as the humans might say. We had not shown our true defenses. We had not shown even half of what we were capable of. Our creator had been very clear on the consequences of using some of those options on creatures not proven hostile, after all. Or newest sister stated the laws against random disintegration across the network, which was of questionable assistance.
Though I had to admit the term 'life in prison' did give me pause, as it always did. The idea that I could be imprisoned for hundreds of years just for ending a threat to my Creator never ceased to give me pause. I would still commit the act, of course, yet being separated from my duty, from my siblings, from all that I knew, was a harsh penalty.

We would all make that choice for our Creator, of course. Most extended that to the family, our family.

I shut the door behind us, happy at least that our Creator had not awakened in all the excitement. If she had, with the day that lay before her, I would find myself most harsh with those who would attack us.

Mr. Campbell came into the hall, his own task completed to his satisfaction. "Front is clear, as best as I can tell. What set off the alarm?"

"Someone tried to probe us with a poor unsuspecting raccoon. They know how we can respond, now." Mrs Campbell replied. Communication, but heard and unheard, was important. They knew their enemy, or suspected the identity of them. Neither adult seemed concerned. What could such mean? It was not my problem, not yet.

As expected, Mistress Min had not stirred. I settled back to my seat even as I felt Jeeves shut himself down again. He needed more down time, more sleep, than any of us.

A chime sounded from the laptop, the results of the latest simulation I had ordered.

As expected, the AI I had created, had once again killed its charges. This time, however, it had also not reported the death of those same charges, as if I would somehow miss the fact if it said nothing. Another sigh as I searched for the code required to alleviate the problem.

 

To Be Continued