Silicon Dawn (Silicon Series Book 0) by Massa William

Author:Massa, William [Massa, William]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Critical Mass Publishing
Published: 2015-04-24T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

FOG CREPT DOWN the city streets. The sound of a fire engine cut through the night, and flashing lights pierced the mist.

Adam had decided to walk back to the motel instead of hailing a cab. Driving through the metropolis wasn’t like exploring it on foot. Details easily missed in a moving vehicle now jumped into sharp focus. There was an old man walking his dog down the glistening street, a taco truck servicing late night workers, a line of impatient partygoers biding their time to get into the hottest new underground club.

Some of these sights were familiar from the colonies, while others were new to him. Observing these details of city life put the horrors of the recent murders in perspective. The Earth was a place of contradictions.

Adam had been walking for close to an hour when he stumbled upon a majestic gothic church. His finger brushed against Neeson’s crucifix, still sitting in his pocket, as he took in the twin spires rising from the mist. Curiosity piqued, he entered the house of God.

He’d seen chapels and congregation chambers back on Luna but never anything like this. Why did his creators devote so many resources to an idea that couldn’t be scientifically verified? The question both perplexed and fascinated him. If man worshipped his creator, did it mean he should worship mankind?

As he stepped into the church, his sensors registered the faint hint of incense. Candles flickered, painting the space with warm shadows, while his footsteps echoed on the stone floor. The statues of the saints seemed imbued with an eerie life of their own.

Adam took in the stained-glass windows, each panel of which depicted a different scene. He recognized them as what Neeson had called the stations of the cross. Adam studied the images of Jesus, the purported son of God, bleeding as he struggled to keep the cross balanced on his shoulder. Strange how an instrument of death could become a symbol of hope to so many people.

Adam extricated the pendant Neeson’s wife had gifted him at the funeral. Before he knew what he was doing, he had slipped the chain over his neck.

He still couldn’t quite understand this religion, but he understood how much faith had meant to his old partner. He would wear the crucifix to honor his fallen partner while he continued to unlock the mysteries of the book that had inspired such devotion.

Adam strode down the nave of the church, basking in the tranquility and peace of his surroundings. Incoming footsteps shattered the perfect moment, and Adam turned toward an approaching priest.

The man’s initial astonishment gave way to wide-eyed wonder as he became aware of Adam’s true nature. Before the priest could say anything, Adam’s enhanced senses registered incoming footsteps. Emanating from both the choir and the altar. As Adam scanned the choir, muffled pops cut through the stillness of the church.

Someone was firing at them.

Adam’s programming took over immediately. First priority was preserving innocent life. He dove for cover, dragging the stunned priest with him.

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