Mechanical Angel by Sara Shanning

Author:Sara Shanning [Shanning, Sara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-06-27T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

The Taunt of Loss

Back in the room Alel paced. The children gathered in the sitting area, three of them close together on the sofa and Dys and Alum in the chairs closest.

Sir Jax had made his intent clear. He would take them from her. Afraid he listened but needing to know all she could, she perched on one of the seats and regarded the small faces. “Tell me what happened in the Capital Exchange?”

“We don’t know,” Alum answered. “He left us with a man while he went into a private room with several others. We heard nothing.”

Frustrated, Alel stood and resumed her agitated trail over the floor. “I do not know what to do,” she admitted.

“You could send the birds,” Dys suggested. “Perhaps they could find out.”

“I don’t see how they can help. I know nothing of their capabilities. Even if they would be willing to go out and learn of the exchange, how would they tell me?”

“B33 might know,” Copper offered hopefully.

Alel shook her head. “B33 would notify Sir Jax. They all report to him.” Frowning, she looked around at the scatter of machines still in the room. Finishing their homes would reduce the possibility of being recorded and watched.

Dys came to her, taking her arm. “You needn’t worry, Alel. None in here will say anything to Sir Jax. They follow my command, not his.”

“How can you be sure, Dys? I know they are your pets, but you did not create them.”

The boy grinned. “I reprogrammed them! I’m quite handy with tools myself. B33 too. He won’t tell Sir Jax nothing.”

“Anything,” Alel corrected automatically. This was good news. It meant the room was safe, B33 was as sweet as he seemed and Dys had skills that could prove to be useful. “How does Sir Jax not realize what you have done?”

“He doesn’t care none about anything in here. They are more prototype than successful attempts. He sticks stuff in here he isn’t happy with.”

Alel ran her hand over Dys’s brown hair, feeling the smoothness of his scalp beneath. Curious, she lifted a section, surprised to see a seam along his hairline. He didn’t shy away from her examination, his blue eye trusting.

“You’re an exceptional young man,” she told him softly. She watched gratification bloom on his face and he surprised her with a hug. Alel returned the embrace, feeling the fierceness of protectiveness. She would not allow Sir Jax to harm Dys, or any of the others. Her eyes slid over the assembled creatures. She had just discovered an army at her disposal, if need be, and their general was loyal to her.

“Do you have a way to communicate with them, Dys?”

He shook his head. “I don’t have access to one of his computers he uses for that. I only stopped them from passing on anything other than the general stuff, if he was to download their databases.”

“If he tried, he would realize then.” If the machines gave him only partial information, Sir Jax would deduce something was wrong.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.