Update #4, Thursday. I guess I am taking a Marvel's Agents of Shield-like schedule (burn!) and taking random, unannounced breaks. While I don't know the individual steps I'm going to take to tell this story, I know the broad strokes. Not the best strategy for writing I know. As always, feedback and sharing is always appreciated. I do plan to update the story at Wattpad as well... eventually.
Thursday
The warehouse
was an empty husk, oil stained, and covered floor to ceiling with dust from
years of disuse. A track of footsteps led to the center of the vast space to a
plastic cube to which cables snaked into from the four cardinal directions. A
blue light would glow and then dim from inside and a dark form would move here
and there concealed by the semi-transparent walls. Carl Orf’s Carmina Burana played boisterously.
The second
man’s heels echoed as he crossed from the side door to the cube’s single door. The
man inside looked up; a welding mask covered his face. With a wave of his hand
the music dimmed.
“What is
it?”
“You wished
to be informed as soon as we located the target.”
“You found
him? For sure this time?”
“It’s a
small town near the Canadian border. The residents have begun to talk about
robots walking the streets. Additionally, his name was mentioned on Facebook two
days ago.”
“You’ve
become careless Albro.” The man turned back to the metal hulk he’d been working
on, tipping the welding helmet up, to better survey his work. “And carelessness
killed the cat.”
“Curiosity.”
“What?”
“Curiosity
killed the cat. The saying is curiosity killed the cat.”
“I’m fairly
certain its carelessness. It certainly killed my pet tiger on my seventh
birthday. Why did you have to eat the cake little Khan?!”
“He was a
beloved pet, sir.”
“He and the
other six Khan’s were all dear to me for the short times they were with me.
They, like my good friend Albro, left me. Now alone, I’m just man and his will
to survive. Rising up to the challenge of a rival.”
“Survivor?”
“Never
watched it.” The man reached out to caress his newest creation. “Soon
Maximillian, you and I will be rising up, back on the streets, and no one will
ever remember Albro Swift; because they’ll only remember Calvin. Reuben.
Hanson.”
Hanson’s
face reflected in the dark red visor, it’s red eye sweeping back and forth,
ready to serve it’s master.
* * *
“I want to
bring to order this meeting of the Royal Order of Free Ladies.” The buzz in the
small roomed died down as the assembled women turned their attention to the
wizen and astute leader of the pioneering, yet solitary, chapter of ROFL.
“First, Ms.
Wilhmhurst will bring us up to date on her committee’s ventures.”
Ms.
Wilhmhurst stood up with the aid of her walker. “The Search Committee would
like to inform the esteemed members of this order that our correspondence with
the royal families of Belgium, Luxemburg, and Sweden have all returned with
cordial, yet direct disinterest in sponsoring our order. These were, as you are
aware, the last of the European dynasties to respond.” There was a low murmur
from the group. “There is hope however! Just today I received an email from a
Nigerian prince. The search committee and I would like to put forward a motion
to contact this prince and begin a discourse.”
“All in
favor.” The motioned was unanimously carried. “Please keep us informed Vivian.”
“I wish to
speak Ms. Chairwoman!” The group’s newest member stood; nearly erect and still
graced with her original hair color.
“The chair
acknowledges, Ms. VanLoose.”
“There is a
dark menace my friends in our fair town. You’ve seen it walking down the
street, its intent and purposes masked by its inhuman façade. And it is not
alone! There are others, two of whom rolled through my herb garden and gravely
damaged my rose bushes just the other day.” Ms. VanLoose scanned her audience
to ensure the look of fear was on each of their faces. “What madness allows
these monstrosities to roam freely through our fair town? I for one, will not
rest easily knowing they are out there.”
“You’ve
spoken of these things before Rachel and it seems the threat has increased
instead of decreased as we all hoped. Perhaps our town’s elected officials and
police force need to be reminded of their duties. I motion, with Ms. VanLoose’s
permission, that this order place all its energies on removing and banning the
mechanical monsters forever.”
The motioned
carried with great excitement.
* * *
“Did you
feel that?”
“Feel what,”
Jefferson asked.
“It was as
if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced.”
Albro looked visibly shaken.
“You’re the
one that taught me to play. So, the robber blocks those two settlements and
your city from getting any wheat on a six, right?”
“Yes.”
“And I get
to take a card…” Jefferson plucked a sheep out of Albro’s hand. “I take this
lovely sheep of yours and magically combine it with brick, wood, and wheat to
make a settlement… which I place here. I also now have the largest army.
Checkmate?”
Gronk. Gronk, complained the robot that had
formerly owned the largest army and was now in third place.
“10 points,
you win.”
“And our
deal?”
“You won… so
I will go to the movie tomorrow night… for a half hour… and T1N will be there.”
Jefferson
smiled as he leaned back, legs out stretched and hands laced behind his head. “That’ll
do.”
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