Steel Siege by Coral Cameron

Author:Coral, Cameron
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-01-03T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 13

BLOCK

Block wiped down the stainless steel countertops inside Dr. Emery’s lab in a solitary, repetitive routine: spray antiseptic, scrub in swirling motions, and toss the paper towel in the trash. The medical lab was enormous, at least four thousand square feet, with eight large metal tables lining the room. Their tops held beakers, vials, test tubes, bottles, and surgical instruments inside disinfectant machines. A child-sized hospital bed rested in one smaller area that was surrounded by plexiglass. NB-15 told Block it was the surgical cube where operations were performed. Above the bed, a purple and orange mobile hung from a hook in the ceiling. Nylon straps fixed to the floor and walls held the bed in place.

NB-15 paced next to tables that held computers and large screens, letting Block do all the cleaning prep, as they waited for Emery to arrive. Things were going Block’s way. It was almost too good to be true. Doctor Emery had invited him to the lab, and he was getting closer to Wally’s ward. He’d brainstormed ways to sneak onto Wally’s floor, but he couldn’t make it past the automated security checkpoints and scanners. There was always a sensor near an elevator or in the stairwells. Even a simple walk down a hallway tracked him. The cameras watched all the time. Sneaking in was impossible. He needed more time to prove his worth, gain the doctor’s trust, and get access to the children through her.

“I don’t know about this.” NB-15 leaned against a tall workstation where a microscope sat and flexed his new leg back and forth, kicking out like a marionette. “They put it on too fast. It wasn’t the quality that NB-264 is usually known for.”

Block paused his cabinet drawer handle polishing and inspected 15’s new leg. It was a shinier, darker blue than the rest of 15’s more faded chrome. An hour before, in the repair station, another NannyBot had supervised the repairs and welded the new leg onto where a shard of metal had sliced off 15’s leg mid-thigh. “It looks good to me.”

“Are you sure? The welding job was sloppy, and the colors don’t match well.” 15 pushed away from the table and lifted his left knee, attempting to balance on the new leg. “The spring tensors are off or something. It’s not as tight and coiled as it used to be.”

Block said nothing and turned back to the third metal handle he’d been polishing. It was the nooks and crannies that often got overlooked in cleaning. 15 should be grateful to have a new working leg at all instead of griping about it. Block’s entire body had been welded onto his core frame, and yes, it was strange to operate with new appendages and even function differently, but he’d shut up and put up.

“I’ll have to go back and demand a replacement,” 15 said.

A shrill beep sounded, and Block stood and looked for the source. A video screen on a monitor showed Doctor Emery approaching the lab’s outer doors where she let the biometric security AI scan her face.

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