Entry 30

“John!” I cried, holding him tightly. “John, are you alright?”

“I’m fine, though a little damaged,” John answered. “Carlee, how are you? Have they treated you alright? They haven’t hurt you, have they?”

“No,” I answered, pulling back. I wiped the tears off my cheeks and looked at John. I could not help but smile now that I knew he was alright. “They put me in a holodeck and made me think I was at home. I thought it was real, though it was weird that Algebra II was being taught more like you would teach it.”

“It’s because they would have used my memories of Algebra II to create it, since you know nothing about Algebra II,” John said. “Are you sure you’re alright?” His eyes scanned me as if looking for bodily injuries. It made me wonder if John could see more than any human could. Maybe his eyes could X-ray me and check the status of my bones.

“I’m fine,” I insisted. “It’s you I’ve been worried about. I didn’t think I would be able to find you.”

“I didn’t think I would ever wake up again,” John answered, fear briefly entering his eyes. It was rare John showed fear, but I could imagine that an android would fear death. Most humans held the comforting thought that their soul would go to an afterlife. But did androids have souls? Or were they simply turned off forever? “Thank you for finding me, Carlee.”

“Well, I did not do it alone,” I said. I glanced at Ven. “John Earhart, meet Ven Barker.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” John said automatically, as he studied the older man suspiciously. Ven did not deem John worthy of a response. He looked at me.

“Say your goodbyes, Carlee,” Ven said. At his words, I edged away from him and closer to John. My brother got the hint and stood, blocking Ven from me.

“There will be no goodbyes, Mr. Barker,” John responded. “Thank you for returning my sister to me.”

“Carlee, if this is your plan, this is stupid,” Ven said, still not addressing John. “Your android has no ship, no way of getting you off of this planet. The moment your android is disconnected from the main frame, the Security Cognizant will be notified. It will track you down. There is nowhere on this planet you can go that it cannot find you. The moment you walk out of this room everyone will see that it is an android and know that something is wrong. Its synthetic skin is peeled back and it’s barely wearing any covering. This is not how androids are moved about. People will know something is wrong and try to stop you.” He looked at John contemptuously. “Do you, little android, think you can fight the Security Cognizant and its forces and the entire Society?”

“No,” John answered simply. “I have no intention of fighting anyone. I presume you have a ship?” Ven rolled his eyes and glanced back towards me.

“Carlee, we’ve had this discussion,” Ven said. “We’re leaving the android.”

“No.” I rose to my feet but stayed behind John. He could protect me from Ven. Ven may have been taller than John, but I was positive than an android was stronger than any man. “I’m not leaving without my brother.”

“Can’t you see it’s not a person?” Ven asked, a perplexed expression covering his face. “Carlee, when we got here it was off. I had to turn it on. Like a machine. Its skin is peeled back, and it’s not bleeding or dead. It’s clearly not human. How could you feel any attachment for it anymore?”

“Do you really think that is what makes John my brother?” I answered, as confused by him as he was by me. “It was never the idea that John was human, flesh and blood, that made me love him. Can’t you understand Ven? He’s all I have. I need him. He’s my brother.”