Free The Android Chronicles Book One: The Android Defense by Marling Sloan Page B

a
moment.
    “Oh, they’re ready. You
ought to see the leader of the Super Soldiers. He’s this pile of
muscles with a huge anger management problem. We call him Captain
Mercenare. How do you like that, eh?”
    He listened
again.
    “I’m with you on that. It’s
time to show the world that power doesn’t belong in the hands of
humans anymore. It belongs in the hands of the humans who control
the androids.”
    Damian laughed.

Chapter 23.
    The gray day over Hollywood
Boulevard was cold and drizzling, but that did not stop huge crowds
from surging all around it, screaming their excitement or else
their protests as twelve Adventis androids stood on top of a long
raised stage in front of the Roosevelt Hotel.
    Hordes of police officers
stood around the stage, keeping the crowds at bay. Damian, Carlie,
and Lina stood on top of the stage as well.
    Damian was being interviewed
by the host from the Sci Fi Channel. He wore a flashy gray suit and
dark blue tie. His handsome face seemed to be even more striking
with the numerous cameras turned onto him.
    “This is the day all of us
get to see the future,” Damian was saying. “The day everyone will
be talking about for years to come.”
    Carlie scanned the faces in
the crowds. They were all watching the androids in wild
fascination, especially Brigite, who winked and danced seductively
on her side of the stage. The other androids were moving around as
well, waving to the crowds.
    “What do you have to say to
those protestors who are saying that the androids are going to
steal jobs from humans?” the host said.
    Damian shrugged.
    “I believe humans and
androids can find a way to benefit from each other mutually,” he
said. “We at Adventis are working on finding that way in the
shortest time possible, believe me.”
    “Nicely done,” Carlie said
to herself. “Diplomatic.”
    She glanced at
Lina.
    “What will we do if it
starts raining?” she said.
    “All of the androids are
weather-resistant,” Lina said. There was a superior tone in her
voice. “I’m surprised you don’t know that, Carlie.”
    Carlie refrained from saying
a very rude word and returned her attention to her iPad.

    Luke leaned back on the
couch in Damian’s office, watching the launch ceremony on the
television screen. He quickly became bored, however, with Damian’s
endless interview. He pressed a button on the remote control and
the screen turned to a video image.
    It was a live camera feed of
the androids and the technicians in every room in Product
Development. Everything seemed to be going as usual. Technicians
were hovering around androids in each room, modifying them or
maintaining them. Then the camera image showed a picture of a room
which was splattered in blood.
    Luke sat forward on the
couch.
    He stared at the screen as
Captain Mercenare’s face came into view of the camera. He picked up
the broken body of one of the technicians and flung it against the
wall of the room. Then he left the room.
    Moments later Luke heard a
loud, siren-like alarm ripping through the entire building. He
raced to Damian’s elevator and hit the button for the fortieth
floor.

    The launch ceremony was
going tremendously well. The crowds had grown and now surged around
the stage with the androids and the stage for the musical
entertainment.
    Carlie was standing next to
Damian who was deep in conversation with the mayor of Los Angeles.
She glanced down at her iPad and her eyes widened in horror at the
message that had flashed on the screen.

Chapter 24.
    Captain Mercenare had left a
bloody trail behind him as he rampaged through Product Development.
He had killed three technicians and severely wounded five others.
Technicians as well as androids were screaming and running
desperately, trying to get out of his way.
    “Martin, what are you
doing?” one of the X-droids named Bernessa shouted at him. “You’re
not programmed for this!”
    “Shut up,” Captain Mercenare
snarled. He grabbed Bernessa, lifted her