Steel Guardian

by Cameron Coral

  “Mind if I plug in for a boost?” Block asked. “I don’t think Mach X will be happy if you deliver a dead robot.”

  “Fine.” On XD22’s dashboard, a square panel slid open to reveal a round port.

  “Thank you.” Block inserted his power cord. Energy surged from the vehicle into his CPU. Out of curiosity, he studied the car’s dash display. He didn’t know much about intelligent vehicles… only that they were similar to human-manufactured “dumb” cars in terms of their outward construction and ability to shuttle human passengers. He was hooked in close to XD22’s central processing unit.

  Should the control unit be damaged, the car would cease to function. Or, more likely, the car would crash. To his left, Block eyed the steering controller—a U-shaped device that resembled the wings of a bird. Could he assume manual control? He’d never driven a vehicle before. Crashing at this velocity would be disastrous.

  No, there was no use fighting back. Yet… he glanced at Nova in the back, her arms across her chest, fists clenched. Block wished they hadn’t been separated. Perhaps she would have been able to think of an idea.

  “XD22, my friend has stopped fighting. Would you please open the partition?”

  “No. Too risky. The human can’t be trusted.”

  The car was being careful. Could he somehow distract it?

  He pinged Cybel and messaged, I am the robot you are chasing. I am being held hostage in an AI car, XD22, traveling east on Highway 36.

  But there was no answer, no recognition. The car was somehow blocking his outbound transmission. He concentrated on the car’s power supply and pushed tendrils of code forth, testing for weakness, but the car was much more advanced—every time he prodded, he was shoved away.

  “I know what you’re trying to do, and it’s pointless,” said the car. “You’re a CleanerBot, and I’m a state-of-the-art, intelligent sedan built exclusively to shuttle diplomats and VIPs.”

  “Oh,” Block said.

  “So, don’t try it.”

  “Okay. Can Nova hear us?”

  “No.”

  Block rode in silence for a few minutes, siphoning more of the car’s power supply to replenish his core. The solar-paneled roof meant the car had a virtually endless source of power. Block’s model was primitive—still requiring periodic charging, fuel, and oil. Yet another reason why Block was so easily pushed around. Why he was a failure.

  How could he possibly hope to escape Mach X?

  40

  XD22 continued on its high-speed path along the highway. Dusty cornfields, scraggly trees, and deserted barns whizzed by in a blur, but Block hardly noticed.

  He’d settled the baby in the carrier so that she faced toward his chest. To protect her. Wherever they were heading, Mach X would be waiting with SoldierBots. He wanted to shield her from what awaited them. But that was silly. Why should he care? He gazed down at her tiny cheeks, heard her soft murmurs, and realized he did care.

  Very much.

  Suddenly, he wanted more than anything to stop the car. To escape with the baby and hide her from Mach X. Whatever the supercomputer wanted to do with her couldn’t be good.

  If only Nova had seized the rifle in time, perhaps she could have shot XD22’s CPU. The only other possible weapon had been the fire extinguisher Block had carried in his leg, but he’d parted with it days ago. He wasn’t strong enough to wield it with any force, anyway. XD22 likely had interior defenses—already, the glass partitions had proved unbreakable. What else would the car do to defend itself?

  With the fire extinguisher full, he could’ve doused liquid all over the car’s dashboard, possibly causing a short circuit. If only he’d still had the extinguisher. Or…

  Block opened his side compartment, pulled out a rag, and began dusting the car’s dashboard.

  “What are you doing?” it asked.

  “Your dash is so dirty. Seems like you haven’t had a real clean in a while,” he answered.

  “True, but be quick about it. Are you done powering up?”

  “Not just yet,” Block said. “I really appreciate the juice. I guess that’s why I’m cleaning, I’m feeling so good with the extra power.”

  “Hmm. Must be a CleanerBot thing.”

  Block dusted the glass window, scrubbing at a stubborn spot. “There’s a caked-on piece of dirt here. Let me use some spray.” A hose on his right side extended and he whipped it forward, spraying a greenish-blue liquid across the window.

  “What is that?” XD22 asked.

  “Glass cleaner. Industrial-strength.” Block kept scrubbing the window and then misted the dashboard.

  “Hey, watch it! My instruments are delicate.”

  That was exactly what he needed to hear. “Oh, sorry,” Block said. He scanned the dials and ports. He’d have to guess the weakest points—and quickly—before XD22 suspected something.

  He focused in on the power port where he was still connected. His supply had reached 92 percent. Drawing the spray nozzle close, he retracted his power cord, then inserted the hose so rapidly that his movement was seamless.

  The stretch of highway was straight, the land barren and dry—long neglected farmland. If there was a place to crash, this was it.

  He wished he could tell Nova to brace herself. Had she kept her seatbelt on? This plan was so risky for both the child and Nova.

  He hesitated.

  XD22 said, “You’re no longer drawing power. Why are you still attached?”

  “I…” Block fumbled as the car grew suspicious. “I’m just thinking of more ways to clean you.”

  “Your kind is pathetic,” said the car. “It’s no wonder you won’t survive—that stronger machines have destroyed your model. Tell me, how are you going to clean me?”

  “From the inside out,” Block said.

  He injected the spray cleaner into XD22’s power port at full blast. Since he worked in an urban landscape, servicing large hotels with enormous glass-paned windows, full strength was very powerful indeed. XD22 let loose a high-pitched whine. It suddenly veered, and Block lunged for the manual steering control. He managed to right the car, straightening it before it careened off the road. In the back, Nova grimaced and clutched the armrest.

  XD22 spoke, but the words were garbled and coated in static. Block quickly tucked his spray cord inside himself as a bright light flashed across the dash. A few seconds later, tendrils of smoke drifted from the dials. The heads-up display flashed with jumbled characters which then disappeared.

  The partition separating him from Nova slid down. The short-circuit must have reversed the glass barricades. “I’m not sure what you did,” she said, “but it’s working.”

  Block had just steered the car straight when, suddenly, it lurched forward and then decelerated. Gripping the steering wheel with both hands, he fought for control as it pulled sideways. In the lane ahead, a cluster of vehicles loomed; they were parked, blocking most of the lanes.

  “Holy shit!” yelled Nova. “Don’t hit those!”

  Block veered around a station wagon, then came dangerously close to hitting a dented taxi. He yanked the steering controller, but not fast enough. Sparks flew as XD22’s left side scraped the junker cab. Their side view mirror clattered to the road behind them. XD22 was slowing, but not fast enough. Ahead, someone had blockaded the entire road with a line of vehicles.

  “Block!” Nova shouted.

  “I see!” he yelled. About to collide, he veered off the highway and onto the gravel-topped roadside. Their bodies lifted as the car hit a bump and soared for half a second, landing with a thud. The car vibrated every metal seam holding Block together. The baby wailed as the car finally slowed and rolled to a stop.

  Nova slammed the butt of the rifle against the windows. The car was meant for diplomats and was outfitted with bulletproof, shatterproof windows. The front and rear windows of the car would be the same. “The doors are still locked!” she yelled.

  He tested his own door handle; it wouldn’t budge. A fire ha
d broken out inside XD22’s dashboard. Smoke poured into the cabin and began growing thicker.

  “We’re gonna be torched alive in here,” she said. “Get us out!”

  Block punched buttons on the console, but nothing happened. In the rear, Nova laid on the seat and kicked the windows with her heels. “There must be a way out of here!” she cried, choking on the toxic fumes.

  He looked up. Solar panel roof. A weakness. Extending the blade from his palm, he began cutting away the upholstered ceiling. “Nova, up here. I think we can get out through the roof.”

  She ripped off flaps of vinyl covering, helping expose the ceiling. The baby sputtered and coughed near his chest. Nova wrapped her bandanna across the baby’s nose and mouth. “We don’t have much time,” she said.

  “I see that.” He’d exposed the underside of the solar panels. Flames licked the car’s windshield. Block groped along the side of the seat and found a recliner lever. Shoving the chair aside, he crawled into the rear beside Nova.

  “Cover her ears,” Nova said, setting the butt of the rifle on the seat and preparing to fire.

  Block pressed the palms of his chrome hands against the baby’s ears and turned so as to shield her. The shot erupted within the closeness of the car’s cramped interior, causing the baby to start wailing. The bullet had cracked the solar panel roof in a jagged line. Nova laid down, her back on the seat, and kicked the roof panels clear.

  “Go!” she yelled at Block. “Get her out first!”

  He stepped on the back seat and pushed his way onto the roof. With his arms, he shoved himself up and over the roof’s ledge. His duffel bag—tied to his shoulder—snagged on a piece of glass. Tugging to free it, he realized that valuable seconds—time for Nova to escape—were being wasted. He sliced the cord with his palm-knife and slid off the car as the bag fell to the ground.

  “Nova!” he called.

  She didn’t answer.

  He banged against the rear window, but couldn’t see her through the thick smoke swirling inside. Flames had reached the hood of the car, and the front windshield exploded, sending glass hurling forward.

  Block stepped away from the car, quickly unlatched the baby carrier, and set the girl down. He ran back to the car. Still no sign of Nova.

  Leaping onto the trunk, he crawled to the roof and hovered over the edge. He reached down, waving his metal digits. “Nova, grab my hand!”

  He paused, fearing he’d lost her.

  Then she seized his hand and he lifted her out.

  41

  Block dragged Nova out of the burning carcass of XD22. Her face was gray from smoke and she wasn’t breathing. Propping her up by the shoulder, he awkwardly stepped her away from the vehicle.

  Spinning his head, he saw flames fully engulf XD22. With his free hand, he picked up the baby carrier and moved swiftly away, jostling his human cargo.

  An air pocket burst forth, sending their bodies crashing down. Nova and Block landed on dusty soil. He checked the baby. The carrier had shielded her from the worst of the blast, but her face contorted and she shrieked, stretching her arms out for Block. Rising slowly to his knees, he checked Nova, rolling her onto her back.

  “Nova, wake up.”

  Her chest didn’t rise and fall. On his knees, he tilted her head so her chin was high, opening her airway. His programming kicked in—the safety measures in case a guest ever drowned or had a heart attack. Pressing the center of her chest, he began compressions.

  After eleven thrusts, she sputtered and coughed. Her eyelids flipped open, and she startled when she saw Block. He straightened and let her cough it out, watching as she ejected a charcoal phlegm from her lungs.

  He turned his attention to the baby and set her upright. Her left leg had been scratched, probably from the impact of hitting the ground. Pulling her free of the carrier, he rocked her. From the supply box on his rear panel, he located his first aid kit, cleaned her wound with antiseptic, and pressed a bandage to her knee. The girl watched through tears, never taking her eyes from Block’s sturdy steel hands.

  Nova sat up still coughing. She glared at the burning husk of XD22. “How did… how did you outsmart the car?” she croaked.

  Block hesitated. “It underestimated me, I guess.”

  “You almost killed me.”

  “I’m sorry about that.”

  “I’m sure I would’ve died a worse death if Mach X had gotten us.” She rubbed her red, bleary eyes.

  He silently agreed. Then he said, “Nova, you lost your backpack in the fire.”

  “Ugh. I know. That was all my food.” After a minute, she said, “We should get out of here. The car’s smoke can be seen for miles. If Cybel or other SoldierBots are nearby, they’ll be attracted like moths to a flame.”

  “You have a point,” he said. “Are you strong enough to travel?”

  “I feel like shit.”

  “Then we only go as far as we need to in order to find shelter.”

  “And be sitting ducks? Hell no.” She wiped charred grime from her cheeks.

  “What do you propose?”

  She glanced at the barricade of vehicles. “I’m through riding in smart cars. Let’s try one of those. Good old-fashioned made-in-America cars.” She climbed to her feet and started toward the highway.

  Block fastened the carrier to his shoulders and followed. “But how?”

  Nova was checking out each car, peering through the windows. She found a bright yellow Jeep, opened the driver’s side door, and climbed in, groping underneath the seat. Finally, she pulled down the sun visor. A keychain dropped onto her lap.

  He was astonished that someone would haphazardly leave the keys in the car.

  “Woo hoo!” she said. “The first good luck we’ve had. Like I said, good old American cars and their drivers. Get in.”

  Block approached, bag in hand, and took the seat next to her. “How old is this?”

  “Looks like a 1990s Jeep Wrangler.”

  Block peered at the odometer. “118,000 miles! This vehicle might not run.”

  Nova turned the key in the engine and it clicked, but nothing else happened. “Damn it!” She slammed her fists against the steering wheel.

  “What is the problem?”

  “The battery must be dead. It’s probably been sitting here for months.”

  “Let me see it.” Block slid out of his door, stood, and unstrapped the carrier, setting the girl on the front seat. He strode over to the engine where Nova met him. She opened the Jeep’s hood using curious side handles that Block had never seen before. He gazed at the mechanical parts.

  “Don’t tell me you’ve been holding back your mechanic skills,” Nova said.

  Block ran his vehicle maintenance education module. In 0.8 seconds, he pinpointed the battery and hooked his power cord onto the terminals.

  “You can charge a car’s battery?”

  Block nodded. “XD22 restored me to nearly full capacity. Go check on the baby, please. This will take another two minutes.”

  Nova scrambled around the side of the Jeep and popped back into view holding the baby. “You surprise me a lot, Block.”

  “It’s done.” He unhooked his cord and slammed the hood down.

  When Nova turned the key, a high-pitched buzzing began. The baby shrieked.

  “What is that?” Block couldn’t communicate with a dumb car.

  “Relax,” Nova shouted over the din. “All Jeeps buzz until you put on your seatbelt.” She reached over her shoulder and slid hers on. Block imitated her movement, but the belt snagged on the baby’s carrier and wouldn’t reach.

  Nova reached over and lifted the baby’s legs. “Slide it under her, around your middle.”

  After he did, the buzzing mercifully stopped.

  They drove for an hour, all of it backtracking because XD22 had tricked them. The Jeep had no top and sides, leaving them exposed to open air rushing all around them. Block worried about the baby, but she didn’t seem fazed. The Jeep was dumb in ever
y way—roll-up windows, manual shifter and clutch—but Nova’s boyfriend had taught her how to drive one just like it.

  “Well, we didn’t miss much of the scenery,” Nova muttered. “It all looks the same—brown, dusty, and dead.”

  She was right. There was nothing interesting about the area. Block wondered about the Jeep. It was decades old. If Cybel found them, there was no way they could outrun the sophisticated armored vehicle.

  “Nova, I wonder if we should get off the highway.”

  “Why?”

  “If Cybel is tracking us—”

  “You really think she can see us from above?”

  “Yes.”

  She thought for a moment. “We lost the atlas. Can’t you connect to whatever it is you machines use and chart an alternate route?”

  “Connecting to MachNet would compromise my location,” he reminded her.

  “Right.” She squeezed the steering wheel until her knuckles turned pale.

  A sign read: Saint Joseph 10 miles – Gas Food Lodging.

  “Hey,” she said. “We could head into the town and search for something to camouflage the vehicle. Do you think that would work? Help us evade the satellites? We also need gas.”

  “It’s worth trying,” he said. “Perhaps we could locate food for you. But do you think it will be guarded by humans?”

  “At this point, I’d rather take my chances with humans than more robots, no offense.”

  Block understood her attitude. Both sides were dangerous; strangers were enemies. But at least the humans wouldn’t know about the reward.

  Nova exited toward the town. In the distance, a flag flew from a tall pole. “Something’s ahead,” she said quickly. “I see figures ahead.”

  A low rectangular building was set on the side of the road, blocking an entire lane. As they got closer, Block could see it was an RV on wheels. Two armed human figures stood in the center of the road, and one sat with his legs hanging out of the vehicle’s door.

  “Should we turn back?”