Simulation: A Pop Travel Novel

by Tara Tyler

  “Where did those robotic monsters come from? And what’s their objective?” the Chief asked, voicing what the Colonel wanted to know. “Is that Senator Cooper and Representative Wells under that helicopter?”

  While everyone was distracted with the fighting, the Colonel opened his QV to see what was going on through Wells’ eyes. The scene was miserable chaos. Those invisible, jumbo-sized droids were giving the Colonel a headache. But no matter, his police droids well outnumbered the hulking things. And any menacing droid activity would only strengthen his cause.

  Then he saw him. Detective Cooper.

  After Agent Harper freed the detective at his house, Crews had Echo pop to the nearest travelport. The Colonel had been furious, but knew that was a possibility. Things were difficult, but still under his control. He checked in with Echo, who now sat in the Colonel’s limo, watching the battle through both simulations’ eyes.

  “Echo, what’s going on? Who else is up on that roof?”

  “The simulation agent is in the corner by the satellite dish and Senator Cooper and Mr. Wells are under the helicopter. They are being protected by your androids, but the larger droids…”

  “I know all that, confounded robot! What other humans are on the roof? Have you seen the human Agent Harper? Or any other humans? And that detective, Mr. Cooper. I think I saw him up there. Did you?”

  “Yes, sir. I don’t know about the human Agent Harper, but the simulation agent shot a woman cloaked in invisible camouflage when she tried to leap across from the other roof. She fell to her death, sir. Detective Cooper is trying to reach Senator Cooper, but the police droids are rebuffing him.”

  “Good. What about our hidden androids in the city, are they mobilized?”

  “I will check on them now, sir.” After a few seconds, Echo reported, “Sir, I regret to inform you the hidden androids in the city have been deactivated.”

  “What?”

  The spectators turned to the Colonel.

  “Excuse me,” he said to the nosy morons, and turned away, huddling over his QV. How could they have found out where…? Rajul. The little weasel. Well, the Colonel still had a few eggs to crack. The dropped ones were messy, but he had servants for that. He shook his head. His simulations were both cowering like human fools. Was that in their programming? To save themselves by burying their heads in the sand? His police droids were just as useless, firing electroshots and lead bullets aimlessly, hoping to hit one of the bigger robots. They were like blind archers in a castle siege.

  Then the Colonel raised an eyebrow. They were in a battle. Resorting to his military experience, he hatched a new plan.

  “I will do something about those onerous, oversized party crashers.”

  Cooper knew flying a helicopter was much different than flying a plane, but it seemed like it would be much easier to do. It was easier in video games. Plus Dawson was smart and quick. If anyone could teach himself to maneuver a helicopter under these conditions, it would be him.

  “I can try.” Dawson hopped into the driver’s seat. “It won’t start.”

  Remembering Geri shorted it, Cooper thought about the personal force field and camo. All they needed was time to recharge and a reboot. Hopefully it’d had time to charge. “Look for a reboot button.”

  The chopper started up. “Got it.”

  Wells stood, ready to join Dawson. Before he got in, he shouted a command to the police droids.

  “All PF Squads, random-fire putty bullets.” Then he gave Cooper a wicked smile and joined Dawson in the helicopter.

  Cooper had no idea what putty bullets were, but knew they couldn’t be good for the super droids.

  The police droids started firing small globs. Wherever they struck, they stuck, spreading out like thick glue. Not only did the putty bullets expose the super droids’ locations, it also seeped into the cracks and crevices of their bodies. A couple more of them exploded.

  Now that some of the super droids were visible, sim Geri could see her attackers. She pushed her own police droids out of her way and threw a couple at the super droids as she rushed over to the helicopter, which started to lift off the ground unsteadily. Dawson was still getting used to the controls.

  One super droid caught her arm, spun her around, and punched her in the face, sending her flying. She landed near the edge, skidding to a halt, but quickly recovered. As she sprinted toward her attacker, she twisted her finger and aimed it at the super droid’s head. Instead of an electric shot, she fired a deadly red laser at it, slicing it diagonally on her way by. Then she easily leapt up and away, over the circle of droids and into the helicopter, before the damaged super droid exploded. Her weapons were much more sophisticated than her lowly helpers.

  Cooper couldn’t leave Dawson with both simulations. He had to go with them. “Andy Five, get me on that chopper!”

  One of the super droids came charging over, picked him up, and threw him in the opening.

  He literally hit the deck and tumbled into the folded up seats against the back wall. Not exactly what Cooper had in mind, but it worked.

  As the helicopter rose higher, Andy Five pushed through the perimeter of police droids, jumped up, and grabbed one of the landing skids of the helicopter, still following its primary directive to destroy sim Geri.

  Three of the smaller droids hung onto its legs, attacking it.

  With so much extra weight, Dawson had trouble keeping the chopper steady. Cooper clung to a seatbelt so he wouldn’t fall out.

  The super droid couldn’t fight with the droids beating on it, so it let go.

  It was a good thing too, since it exploded a few seconds later on its way down.

  The helicopter started to spin from the blast, but Dawson was able to get it back under control. He was an ace in a plane, and Cooper was relieved his helicopter skills were rapidly improving.

  Now it was just Cooper and Dawson versus two powerful simulations. He didn’t like those odds.

  The simulations made the first moves.

  Sim Geri squeezed into the cockpit with Dawson, and as Cooper dove over to grab her leg, Wells snagged one of Cooper’s arms. The strong simulation yanked Cooper around and flung him back into the other wall.

  Dawson jerked and dipped the helicopter, sending everyone off-balance again.

  Wells crashed into Cooper, pinning him to the wall. Cooper squirmed to break free of Wells’ immense weight, but it was no use. Then the helicopter turned the other way and Wells was able to right himself. He held onto Cooper’s arm, but before Wells could toss him around some more, Cooper used all his weight to push off the wall into the sturdy sim. Wells lost his footing and they both sailed back toward the cockpit. The huge sim’s head hit a metal bar and lolled to the side as he slumped to the floor. Cooper was able to escape his grasp and check on Dawson, who was ducking and deflecting sim Geri’s attempts to take control.

  Cooper knew Dawson couldn’t maneuver the helicopter and dodge sim Geri for long. While Wells reoriented, Cooper searched for something he could jam into sim Geri’s ear port to short her out. He found a piece of metal debris and reared back to stab her, but was jerked back and barely nicked her shoulder when Wells grabbed him again.

  Wells gave Cooper an evil grin and jumped out the side, taking Cooper with him.

  As he fell, Cooper yelled back up, “No! Dawson! She’s going to kill you!”

  Cooper and Wells hit the roof with a thud.

  He could only say one thing before he blanked out, “Andy…”

  Norcross, GA

  Wednesday, June 24, 2082

  s the helicopter tilted and swayed, the female simulation commanded, “Take us to this location.” She pointed at a spot on the map in the dashboard.

  “I can barely keep this thing in the air. And we aren’t going to get very far. Look around!”

  News and police helicopters had formed a perimeter around them.

  “Then get out of that chair and I will fly it.”

  “I think I’d rather
just land.”

  When the sim grabbed for him, he dipped the chopper. But the android stood firm. It kept a good grip on his arm.

  “I’m taking over now.”

  Before the simulation could pull him out of the seat, the real Geri sprang out from behind them and lasered the thing’s hand off. “I don’t think so!”

  The sim considered Geri, who blinked in and out of view with her camo losing its charge, then went into repair mode on her arm to assess its damage and salvage some functionality.

  While the android was occupied, Geri checked on Dawson. “You okay?”

  “Yeah, but who are you?”

  “It’s me, Geri. I’m in disguise. Try to land us back on the roof.”

  “Wow. Uh, quick question. What’s Cooper’s favorite movie?”

  “How the hell should I know? It changes every week.”

  “Nice to have you back, Geri. The roof it is. Better look out behind you.”

  “What? Aah!”

  The sim yanked Geri’s hair and threw her into the back of the chopper.

  As Geri stumbled, the sim reached for Dawson again. Geri steadied herself and leapt at the sim, knocking it down.

  The sim fell, but jerked Dawson’s arm, and the helicopter dipped to the right.

  Sliding toward the opening, Geri almost fell out, but held onto the sim’s leg.

  It grabbed onto a strap handle hanging from the ceiling and glared. The sim knew it had to deal with her first, since she had become a real nuisance. It kicked Geri in the face, contorting her second-skin mask and shorting out her camo completely.

  When the helicopter leveled out, Geri let go and lay there in a daze.

  The sim continued with its objective. It reached into the cockpit, lifted Dawson out of the pilot seat, and threw him into the back. His head hit the wall hard, knocking him out. The sim took his place and charged into the ring of helicopters.

  A voice blasted from one of the police choppers, “You’re surrounded. Land the helicopter or we’ll be forced to shoot you down.”

  The sim responded by flipping around, putting the whirlybird’s tail in their faces, and flying toward one of the news helicopters head on.

  Geri pulled herself together and went for the simulation again. She turned on her laser ring and aimed for the simulation’s head. The ring’s laser didn’t have a long range, but she was close enough to singe the android’s hair and cut into its scalp. That got some attention.

  The simulation blocked the laser with its hand. Then it opened its palm and the skin coating slid aside to reveal a mirror, deflecting Geri’s laser back at her.

  The laser sliced into Geri’s shoulder before she got it turned off. She bit her lip and grabbed the wound.

  Lifting them higher, the sim then dipped to the left.

  Geri saw Dawson roll toward the opening, so she dove on top of him before he could tumble out. She strapped him down, then tried to sneak up behind the sim. She had to catch it unaware, but it seemed to have eyes in the back of its head. Geri went for a quick attack, zapping the android’s remaining hand with her laser, and ducked.

  The sim aimed its cut-off forearm and sent an electroblast at her.

  Geri’s shock proof micro-armor suit still worked and the electricity had no effect on her, but she fell to the floor to make the sim think she was unconscious.

  The sim looked back and assessed her two passengers, then nodded. With a quick dip to the right, she sent Geri rolling out the side.

  Cooper woke up with a super droid in his face, taking his vitals.

  “Get off me. I’m fine.”

  When the droid backed out of his way, Cooper saw Wells escape the grip of Andy Twenty-One with the help of some police droids and run for the access door.

  “Andy, stop him!”

  The super droid helping Cooper rose and took one jump, landing on Wells, flattening him.

  Then two more nearby super droids, as well as several police droids, dog piled on top. Somebody blow the whistle!

  “Andy Nine, bring me Representative Wells.”

  As the big super droids got up from the pile, the police droids were pushed aside. The last Andy picked Wells up by his ankles and dangled him upside-down in front of Cooper.

  Wells squirmed, but not for long. “You will regret this, Mr. Cooper.” Then he pointed above them. “See? Agent Harper is taking good care of your brother.”

  Cooper knew it was the old man speaking. At the mention of Geri, even the simulation, Cooper felt a shooting pain in his gut. But he’d been through tragedy before. He couldn’t let the Colonel manipulate him. He kept his head in the battle.

  “Hold him still.”

  Using his remote, Cooper aimed it in Wells’ ear. “You got this, Jared?”

  “Ten-four, good buddy.”

  The police droids stopped fighting.

  Before he could revel in his small victory, Cooper noticed the shadow of the helicopter dipping and swaying. When he spun around, he saw the chopper fly up, then dive left, then fly up again and dive right.

  His heart stopped again as he saw a dark-haired woman dressed in black tumble out. Geri? Could it be?

  He blinked. He couldn’t believe his eyes. Was it really her? Was it possible Geri had survived the fall in the alley—if she’d fallen at all—and recovered enough strength to sneak aboard the helicopter?

  And now she was falling again!

  Geri was ready for the dip. As she tumbled out, she grabbed the skid of the helicopter. Carefully reaching out to the other side, she dove for it. She snagged the other skid with one hand, but dangled for a few precarious seconds before she got a better grip and felt secure.

  She was going to have to act fast. While the sim concentrated on maneuvering through the helicopter traffic, Geri stealthily climbed back in, positioned her QV at the simulation’s ear, and sent the backdoor password with the signal for it to sleep.

  The simulation slumped in the seat, but its arm hit something on the control plate, causing the helicopter to sputter as if the engine was failing.

  Geri dashed back to Dawson and shook him violently as she undid the straps. “We’re falling! Wake up! You have to fly the chopper!”

  Dawson came to and blinked at her. Shaking his head, he realized what was happening and leapt into the cockpit.

  Geri yanked the sim out of the seat and Dawson jumped into its place.

  He slowed the helicopter’s descent somewhat, so instead of plummeting to the roof and exploding, they hard-landed on some droids that broke their fall.

  But they weren’t exactly safe yet.

  Pulling Dawson out of the pilot seat, she dragged him away from the helicopter.

  “Hurry! If we landed on a super droid….”

  Boom!

  The blast knocked them into a pile of police androids.

  “… it will self-destruct,” she finished, and shut her eyes.

  Cooper rushed over to check on Dawson and Geri.

  Dawson was dazed but intact.

  Geri seemed barely alive.

  Nodding toward Geri, Dawson stood. “Take care of her. I’m fine.”

  “What about the simulation?”

  “Geri disabled it and it was still in the chopper when it exploded.”

  “Good.” But Cooper felt robbed of tearing the mechanical bitch apart himself. At least the real Geri was alive.

  Cooper grabbed the nearest super droid. “Andy Seventeen, take Dawson safely downstairs to an ambulance.”

  The super droid lifted Dawson and ran to the stairs.

  Wells kicked and twisted out of the grasp of the super droid holding him and raced after Dawson. Cooper trusted the super droid would handle him if he caused any trouble. But just in case, he called Hasan.

  “Hey, buddy. Look for Dawson to come out down there. A super droid is taking care of him, but Wells is right behind them.”

  “You got it, boss!”

  Now he could see to Geri, who was coming around.

  “I�
�m here, everyone! And the famous Detective Cooper is with me!” The flamboyant young man standing at the edge of the crowd raised his arms and bowed as if he were on a stage in a play. “We would like to have a few words with the Colonel. If you could please show us where he is.”

  The bewildered audience pointed toward the center of the crowd. As whispers spread through the spectators, they cleared a path for the newcomers.

  When they reached the Colonel, the young man bowed again.

  “Who did you say you were?” Crews knew, but refused to show respect to the pompous whelp. Did he have to be the center of attention at every catastrophe?

  Hasan raised an eyebrow at the Colonel and elbowed the person next to him. “Is he serious?” Then he raised his arms again and spoke loud and clear.

  “It is I, Hasan Rakhi. The Creator. And this is Detective Cooper, my… friend and protector. Go ahead, Cooper. Tell the Colonel what you have to say.”

  Stepping closer to the two intruders, the Colonel squinted and scrutinized them. He knew Detective Cooper was on the roof and easily recognized the simulation of him Crews himself had ordered. He also knew the clone android was fresh, which meant it had very limited data and adaptability. So they had stolen the simulation from his house as well. Could nothing run properly without his constant supervision?

  “Well, what is it? Speak up. We have a crisis going on here!” The Colonel dared Hasan to mess with him.

  Simulation Cooper spoke, “Your plans are foiled, Colonel.” No inflection or sarcasm. Further proof it wasn’t the real, insolent Mr. Cooper.

  The young woman agent stepped up next to Hasan. “Your fail-safe droids have been apprehended as well.”

  “Aimee!” Hasan hugged her, then straightened himself.

  “Yeah! You’re finished!”

  “I don’t know what these imbeciles are talking about. Chief, can we get some kind of protection to keep these types of disturbances away from here? Don’t we have enough to worry about?”

  The Colonel turned around to make sure his trained parrot, the Chief was listening, but the inept officer was jogging over to the front doors of the station with some paramedics.