Entry 31

“This is most unusual,” Ven muttered to himself. He pressed his hand to his left ear and said, “Blaue, wir haben ien Problem.” It sounded like German. My years of French were not going to help me understand whatever it was he was saying.

“Don’t worry, John,” I said softly to my brother. “I won’t leave you.”

“Who is he?” John responded. “Other than Ven Barker. How do you know we can trust him?”

“I don’t,” I answered. “He says he was sent by people who are against the Society of Anthropologists, that he’s freed many people like me. He says he is here to free me and take me to the human colony. But he’s very against androids. Seems to think you aren’t a person.”

“Well, I’m not exactly,” John answered. He turned and looked down at me in his stern big brother manner. “Carlee, if it comes down to a choice of you escaping without me or us both being captive, I want you to escape without me.”

“What!” I exclaimed, looking at him in surprise. “John, I’m not leaving you. Not ever.” Did he not understand the risks I took just to find him? For goodness sake, I had bit Ven. I had run head long, alone into the headquarters of the very people who wanted to hold me captive. After all that fear and uncertainty, I was quite ready to be in the comforting safety of my brother’s presences. I was certainly not going to leave him.

“Carlee,” John said. “You are more important than I am. I want you to be free…”

“Don’t be stupid, John,” I answered. “You’re going to let me go off with this man neither of us trusts and hope I can be free and safe? For all we know he’s going to sell me into slavery. No, you’re coming with me.” That silenced John. I did not really think Ven was going to sell me into slavery. He seemed like a decent enough guy, even if he was ridiculously obstinate about the whole android thing. However, my argument raised the point in John’s mind that I was not safe anywhere without him, which was exactly what I wanted him to think. I was not leaving him behind. Not a chance.

“Ok,” John responded. “But he’s right, you know. I don’t have any way out of this place, and I can’t think of any way we’ll escape the Security Cognizant.” I nodded, wondering about that myself.

“There was this other Cognizant who said he would be willing to distract the Security Cognizant,” I said. “I wonder if I can get back in touch with him and if he would still be willing to help.”

“What other Cognizant?” John asked with a frown.

“An informational one,” I answered. “He’s the one who told us where you are, and he knew who I was and who Ven was. He said he would be willing to help, that is he would be willing to distract the Security Cognizant.”

“Why would a Cognizant that works for the Society offer that?” John said. “That doesn’t make sense, Carlee.”

“Nothing in this place makes sense,” I answered. “We’re not in Kansas anymore, John.” He shot me an annoyed glance.

“It’s not exactly Oz either,” he said. “This universe is a dangerous place. People, androids, and cognizants don’t offer to help without getting something out of it themselves.” I should have been annoyed with John for thinking I was too young to realize that everyone has a motive. However, I was still too happy at having found him to be annoyed.

“Alright,” Ven suddenly declared in English. For the past few minutes he had been carrying on a conversation with himself – or whoever he was talking to through his ear – in German. “We’re taking the android with us.”