Tucker spotted a couple of boxes he found interesting.
They took everything back to the Omni where Nate and Sam waited inside.
It was evident that Tucker wanted to drive the point home to his friend and did so with dramatic flare when he set the head on the table with a thump.
Sam jumped back.
“Believe me now?”
TWENTY-TWO
There was a lot of talk when they returned from the urgent care.
Rey knew Sam understood what Tucker was saying about what had been found there. Still, like Finch, he was finding logical explanations because what Tucker was suggesting just wasn’t feasible in only seventy-five years. Knowing the state of technology when they left Earth, sure there were robots and possibly they advanced after they left, but to the point where they used artificial intelligence, thought on their own, sought out and killed all people was pushing the limits of believability.
Even for Rey.
But it was still the explanation that made the most sense even if it wasn’t probable.
Tucker had found boxes in the storage area by the diagnostics room when he went back.
There were three.
One was open, the other two were sealed, and despite how hard he tried he couldn’t find the missing box. He knew there was one because the cartons were marked, ‘One of Four,’ ‘two of four’ and so on.
The outside of each box was also labeled, VP-175—Tucker and Sam wanted to know exactly what that was.
Sam was the engineer and dove headfirst into things. Rey figured it was to disprove Tucker’s science fiction theory.
After at least two hours of them playing with a tiny square object they found in the open box, trying to figure it out, get it to work, Rey gave up and, like Finch and Nate, went to bed.
It wasn’t that it was late, but tomorrow was going to be a long day because in the morning they were heading to that farm.
More so than the boxes, the high school, urgent care, or town, if a farmer lived there then he or she would be the best source of answers, and for that, Rey couldn’t wait.
The Omni didn’t have much room for sleeping. They were set up for flight, eating, and medical. As far as sleeping, each crew member had their inflatable quarters.
But not everyone felt like setting theirs up.
Not that it was difficult, it wasn’t. Finch had erected the outdoor shower stall, which connected to the ship’s water supply. Though the water pressure wasn’t strong and it was timed for four minutes, it was roomier than the one onboard, less claustrophobic.
Rey took her night shower, hoping it would relax her. It did.
She went on board to find a spot to rest.
Finch was asleep in the pilot’s seat with his feet extended to the co-pilot chair and Nate on the bench seating in the dining quarters.
She debated on just stealing Sam’s inflatable quarters since his was the only one erected and he seemed preoccupied outside with Tucker. But with the way they were talking back and forth, Rey knew she wouldn’t get any rest, so she retreated to the medical bay to crash on the cot.
She found a small bottle that Curt had stashed away in the cabinet under the sink and poured a small night cap. After fifteen minutes of tossing and turning, and trying to block out Sam and Tucker’s voices, she finally fell asleep.
It wasn’t for long, at least she didn’t think so. She was awoken by Tucker’s juvenile sounding “ow” along with laughter.
“Too tight?” Sam asked.
“Uh…”
“Let’s try it again.”
It went quiet, Rey closed her eyes.
“Your pulse is elevated,” a strange male voice said.
“Ow,” Tucker said.
“Still too tight?” Sam questioned.
“Yeah, just a bit.”
“This should do it,” Sam said. “Hand out.”
“I do not understand why I must keep checking your pulse,” the male voice said again. “Is there something you are not telling me?”
“Better,” replied Tucker. “I think you have it.”
“Have what?” asked the man. “What is better? Are you better, Mr. Milner?”
Rey sat up, swinging her legs over the cot. What the hell? Mr. Milner?
“A little, yes,” Tucker said.
“I see that this must be an emergency?”
Rey made her way from the medical bay.
“Mr. Milner, would you like me to biopsy that discoloration on your forehead?”
“What? No. That’s fine.”
Nate was still asleep when Rey passed him. Wires were running across the floor of the ship to the outside, so she followed them.
Sam had two computers set up on a table, but the wires didn’t extend to them, they extended to the partially human-looking robot that was sitting on one of the metal storage boxes.
It was dark and the area was lit by dim lights. The mechanical being was white and gray, reminding Rey of a thinner version of the storm troopers, with the exception of the face. It looked even creepier than when she’d found it on the floor. Its eyes moved left to right, blinked, and the plastic face contorted in a mock facial expression.
“Uh, guys?” she called, stepping outside.
“Oh, hey, Rey,” Tucker said. “Just in time. We’re almost ready to unhook him.”
“Yeah,” Sam said. “We don’t want him to rely on those bracelets. He has to reply to responses.”
“Can you do that?” Tucker asked.
“Yep,” Sam said. “Just need to program him to ask for information.”
“Will he know I’m not Mr. Milner?” Tucker asked as he placed the bracelet back in his bag.
“He will after I reboot him. Which I will. I’m wiping him fresh and we’ll start again.”
“You guys…you did this?” Rey asked.
Sam nodded. “We did.” His finger tapped a key. “It’ll be about fifteen minutes. Then Buster is ready to go.”
The robot.
“Buster?” Rey asked.
“Yep,” Tucker replied. “Thought it fitting since he technically is busted. He’s missing the lower portion of his calves and feet. So he can’t really move. He tries. His little limbs go back and forth. I don’t suppose he was meant to be a big fella. Maybe five feet.”
“Okay so…wait,” Rey said. “Earlier today you said robots
