Chapter 88 - Help

The moment, I reached the docks indicated on the map Captain Thomson gave me, my battery failed. Olga had to drag me to shore. I lost precious hours while charging. When I came back to my senses, Olga already spotted the boat and a rescue team was rapidly put together to search for survivors. She had no problem convincing the security team when she mentioned the name of her owner. With the helicopter, we hovered above the waters around the wreck while a speedboat looked for potential survivors on the surface. However, our efforts were fruitless. By 10:03 AM the helicopter turned back to base for refueling.

"Drop us on the beach," I turned to the team leader. He was a young man in his early thirties with short curly hair named Victor. That's what was written on the tag on his dark brown uniform. The man nodded and tapped the pilot on the shoulder to convey the message.

"We'll back in an hour. Don't stray, this part of the island is still wild. We rarely venture this far from the city," he took out a radio and pushed it in my hand. "This is a secure line. Call us if you see something," I nodded once. Olga was the first to jump off the craft when it came to a halt on a small patch of green grass over a cliff. I quickly joined her and waved at the pilot. The helicopter took off in a whirlpool of dry leaves and sand. I shield my face with my forearm.

"Let's stay here," I pointed to the beach just before the cliff. Olga nodded, I've noticed that she was programmed to order without asking questions and that piqued my interest.

"Tell me a little about Dr. Churchhill," she peeked over her shoulders as we climbed down the steep slope leading to the deserted beach.

"What do you want to know?"

"What model are you? You're not an imate, for that I'm sure. Are you a prototype?" she paused with a shadow of a smile on her face.

"I thought you wanted to talk about Church?" I chuckled. She was no ordinary artificial. I couldn't even connect to her network and when I tried to control her earlier on the boat, I was refused access.

"I'm curious," I answered. We quickly scan the spot and found no traces of footprint or any indication of disturbance so we pressed on. Checking behind rocks and fallen tree trunks for clues of Demos, Liliane, and the other crew. Since I couldn't connect to Demos, I presumed his batteries must have died and that worried me. What if he wasn't able to make it ashore. I peeked at the slow waves and the way sunlight played in its turquoise waters.

-Liliane, where are you?

I closed my eyes and focus on her image, I felt her heart beating in the distance, her slow breathing and how scared she was. But I couldn't pinpoint her location.

-Liliane!

"I guess I am a sort of prototype," said Olga out of the blue. I snapped my focus back at her. I was able to get a general position of where she might be. It was better than nothing.

"How so?" I steered to the right and Olga followed me. She had retrieved a dry stick on the beach and used it to poke as the rocks and draw arrows so we knew where we came from.

"I was the first he created before he created his company. This body is my fourth shell," I slowed down and looked at her.

"What happened to the previous three ones?" Olga grinned at me full of mischief.

"Being near such a great man...has its consequences," she paused. "And I personally picked this body. I intend to keep it a little longer than the previous male one," her long ponytail swayed as she made her way among the rocks.

"You didn't tell me about Dr. Churchhill," I called behind her. She threw her back and laughed.

"That script you tried to send me. I was the one who created it," she smirked over her shoulder. I froze and frowned at her. I thought Olga was a basic model like Nicolai. "I also help Church script his script for his new models. We work as partners, you know," she smiled and poked the stick she was carrying into a pile of algae. She straightened and peeked at a tall black rock.

"I see something," she ran to it and pulled an orange life jacket. I dashed behind her, Olga handed me the object. I pulled it around for examination. I was relieved that it was not damaged. It only meant the person wearing it took it off as the strapped were still intact.

"They must be around. Let's spread out. Shout if you see something," she gave me a quick nod and went to the left while I searched around the pebbles beach. By midday, Olga waved a pair of shoes in the air.

"Found my shoes...well one pair. I loved this thing. Now it's ruined," she shooked the water off it. I joined her. "She came with it and ditched it on the beach," we both scan along the shore. Nothing. The pebbles didn't leave any trail. I sighed in frustration. I was more and more about my mates.

"Don't worry, I bet Church will buy a tone of shoes if you ask him," I tossed over my shoulder.

"Church, that tight-ass old fart!" she chuckled. I was surprised to hear her told her maker with such names. "Did you know, my first shell was the identical image of her dead wife?" she smiled bitterly. "But I am not here, I'll never be her. I have no intention of stepping into her mold. He clubbed me on one day when I used a word his dear wife never used. He broke me and repaired me out of guilt. Since that day he has never touched me again," her eyes were lost in the distant horizon. The radio came to live, in a loud surge of static. I pulled it from my back pocket.

"Yes," I brought the device to my face.

"This is Victor. We have found the survivors, they were in a lifeboat about ten nautical miles out at sea. The storm has pushed them out of the lagoon. They are fine. We are retrieving the cyborgs and materials from the boat right now. We'll come to pick you up. Over," said the voice on the other side of the line. Olga looked up with a smile.

"Seemed like that old fart is still kicking," I grinned at her.

"Maybe you should talk to him about what you told me earlier," she rose one eyebrow at her.

"Each time I tried he uses his override-master control," she sighed. I pressed my lips together, I had the unfortunate chance of experiencing it through Demos' eyes. It was very unpleasant.

"You said you help write script, can't you do something about it?" she burst out in uncontrollable laughter.

"You are one particular unit," my focus turned to the tiny figure sitting against a tall rock in the background.

"Demos!" I ran with all my might to this side. He was shirtless sitting against the rock. There was sand all over his face. I quickly brushed it away and looked around. There was a life jacket with a piece of cloth attached to it. I knelt and picked it up. The sand was disturbed.

"Liliane!" I yelled, startled birds fled away from the wall of trees. I turned back to Olga and tossed the radio at her. She caught it out of reflex.

"Call Victor, tell him about our location. I'll go search for Liliane," I didn't wait for her answer I dashed in the shade of the dense trees.

"Liliane!" I yelled. Still, no answer. What was she doing all alone in here? Didn't Demos tell her to stay by his side? Please. Where were her chaotic thoughts when I need them.

"Liliane?" skinny ray of light filtered through the thick branches. My feet crushed a dense carpet of leaves as I made my way in the gloom. I paused and listened to the slightest noise. Bird cheered, insects buzzed, more crawled in the dry leaves.

-Liliane.

I closed my eyes and reached out at her. My eyes flipped open, I marched to the huge tree standing in front of me. The ground dipped to an abrupt slope and when I peeked down I noticed a shape in the tall grass below.

"Liliane!" I made my way half-running half-falling. She was lying face down with her arms outstretched. I knelt next to her had carefully turned her.

"Hey, Princess. I'm here," I shook her awake. Her heart rate was slow and her breathing uneven. She blinked with a weak smile. Then closed her hers again with a sigh.

"Demos," she murmured. I laughed with relieve.

"No, it's me Grant," I shouted. She stirred and groaned with pain.

"Demos...is," she voice trailed off. I nodded at her.

"We've found him. He will be ok. We've found everyone they are all ok," I fitted her in my arms but she screamed in pain. "Where does it hurt?" I frowned.

"leg," her voice was weak. With the one hour charge, I could fully heal her.

"Ok," I brushed the leaves off her legs and found a long gush along her tibia. I tore the sleeve of my shirt and wrapped it around her wound. Then I pressed my hand on it. She grimaced as the pain subsided.

"Sorry, I can only make the pain go away. We'll have to attend to the injury at the base," I picked her up in my arms and she threw her arms around my neck. "I'll make it up to you, ok Princess?" she smiled.

"I want margaritas and peanuts," I chuckled and we climbed the slope. She seemed better, her face gained so colors.

"I saw some stores at their base. I bet they sell bikinis. I totally want to see you wear one," she leaned against my chest while smiling. She was fighting to stay awake. That was my Liliane. A fighter.

"Demos found a nice private beach," she swallowed. She must be suffering from dehydration. "Did you know...he is an awesome swimmer," I felt my heart sunk. I chuckled and averted my eyes.

"Yes he surely is," the faint sound of a helicopter cut our conversation and I picked up the pace. The sound grew louder and louder when I emerged out of the vegetation. Olga waved at me. I saw two Cyborgs pulling Demos by the legs. I ran to them with Liliane press tight against my chest.

"Hey! Stop it!" I yelled. The cyborgs halted and swirled towards me. They let go of his legs. I glared at them. "Get me a stretcher. He is not a piece of junk! He is a precious prototype!" They both nodded and signal a three cyborg from the hovering draft to send a stretcher.

"Wait here," I delicately placed Liliane on a patch of dry grass. I rushed to secure Demos on the stretcher. I didn't trust the crude job the cyborg did. It was not their fault, they were just poorly designed. When they placed him inside the craft they send it back down for Liliane. I strapped her up myself with extra care.

"She needs medical attention right away. It's urgent," I stressed on the last word. Both cyborgs nodded in unison. Olga came to stand beside me.

"We did wonderful teamwork," she patted my back.

"Are you interested to work with me?" I gave her a side-glance.

"You mean work for Dr. Churchhill?" I corrected.

"No, I mean... work with me. I also retrieve your friend's stick that Church threw away," I throwed at her. "Yes, you shouldn't trust him. He doesn't always have us wellbeing at heart," she smiled.