A ROBOCOP Short Story
by Trax Knight
The Cadet entered the Precinct house with trepidation. Throughout his Police Academy training, he'd been anticipating working for OCP. Now Kanemitsu owned OCP....AND Delta City....AND the cops. He had a new Master now, and he didn't have a clue as to how they worked.
He waded through the suspects and arresting officers and went to the main desk and handed his paperwork to the NCO there. The overworked Sargeant took it in disinterest, handed him a requisition sheet, and jerked a thumb towards the locker room. He nodded and went to get his armor.
After picking up his supply equipment, he went to the locker room. Inside, there were half-dressed cops complaining about all kinds of things - no time off, no overtime pay, cancelled vacations, and punitive levies against their wages for poor performance in the field.
As the Cadet put away his equipment, a geeky, be-spectacled clerk entered with a shoebox and all the cops immediately stopped talking. The clerk apologetically offered the box to the closest cop and spoke in a whiny voice.
"Uh, sorry to bother you guys, but, uh, the Sargeant wanted me to take up a collection for Officer Winslow. You know, he's in the hospital, and his medical benefits were cut as a reprimand."
The cops muttered angrily about that, but they all gave up what they could, because it could easily have been them, instead.
The Cadet met his partner in the main squad room. Reed spoke, in an exasperated voice. "It's his first day. Don't let him get himself killed, Ok?"
As they stood there, awaiting their assignment, RoboCop entered and threw four prisoners to the floor before the Sargeant's desk.
"Book them."
Reed asked him, "On what charge?"
The cyborg replied, "They're cop killers."
As the clerk leaped to comply, one of the prisoners made a strange move, faster than the eye could follow. The big cyborg's 9 mil weapon was then in the perp's face.
"Think it over, creep."
The criminal straightened, looking defeated. RoboCop spoke evenly, "That was your only warning. Next time - "
One of the other criminals made a grab for a cop's gun and the 9 mil planted a round between his eyes. Everyone in the room shook in sudden fear at the unexpectedness of the report. They all gaped, staring, as the body hit the floor with a thud, a very surprised look on its face. The cyborg continued speaking, unhurried, "- I will kill you."
The cell block guards quickly came and took away the remaining prisoners, to process them. RoboCop left then, to return to his patrol area.
The Cadet looked to his partner, awed and horrified. His partner was an older cop, who reassured him. "That's RoboCop. Our heavy artillery. Our Assault Mech. You call for backup, that's usually what you get."
The Cadet stared after the silverblue architecture. "We're being replaced by robots?!"
The Older Cop chuckled and led his partner out to their car. "No. That's the only one OCP made that didn't screw up."
They passed several detectives bad-mouthing the cyborg. The men were complaining particularly bitterly about the expense of the cyborg's upkeep and repair, while demeaning his detective ability and reasoning.
One detective grimaced. "Do you know how many MEN we could have, for additional shifts and overtime, if we didn't have to keep up ol' bucket-boy?"
A second detective nodded, "Yeah, tritanium is expensive shit. You know how much of a salary increase we could get, across the board, if we didn't have to get the damn stuff re-machined every week and a half?"
A third detective added his two cents to the conversation. "Yeah, well, I bet even Newbies'd be able to think their way out of a paper bag, unlike ol tinsel-top, there, who you have to feed every clue twice!"
The Cadet looked to his partner, who shrugged as they reached their car and got into it. "You either love him or hate him. I won't try to influence you. But I'll remind you how much it costs to repair him when he stands between you and an uzi-fulla armor piercing shells. He's a lot cheaper than Funeral Benefits."
"This is MediaBreak. Give us three minutes and we'll give you the World."
"Good morning, I'm Casey Wong, with Jess Perkins. The top story, Kanemitsu Corporation of Japan moves to buy American."
"Does this mean I'll be turning Japanese, too, Casey?"
He sniped back, "I'm not Japanese, Jess, I'm Chinese."
She smiled, "I hope that's not on your resume. We'll be right back after this."
Next there came a commercial about joining the Fire Department. It was similar to Army recruiting ads, in that it told of the useful work experience that would make your resume glow, and the interpersonal skills you'd develop, working with well educated teams of literate men. At the end, it assured the viewer that firemen were working for the public welfare, and at least, as a fireman, people wouldn't shoot at you, like they do, Police.
In private, hidden offices, the Chairman of OCP used his remote to turn off the vidscreen as two men entered. He spoke with his number two man, Johnson, and his corporate lawyer, on the progress of their recovery of their company.
"You're sure about this, Johnson? It's MY ass on the line, and I won't go alone, I promise you!"
Johnson replied, "It's foolproof, sir. The initial phase was a bit touch and go, but we're all set now. Kanemitsu won't know what hit them."
The silver haired executive looked to his lawyer then. "The evidence is set?"
The Lawyer answered, "It's planted, sir."
The Chairman ordered, "Have our brokers snap it all up, when the bottom drops out."
The Lawyer nodded, "Yes, sir."
Johnson smiled, "OCP won't be just the third largest corporation in the world, sir. We'll be the GREATEST."
The Chairman corrected him, "We'll be the SECOND largest corporation in the world, Johnson. We'll OWN Kanemitsu!"
In an abandoned warehouse, a tech in a lab coat checked out his equipment and computer terminals. It was immediately evident that neither belonged there. This cobbled together setup was OCP's cyberlab-in-hiding.
Across one of the terminals came a systems bootup.
PROGRAMMING . . . . LOADED COMMANDS . . . . LOADED MEMORY CHECK . . . OK SYSTEMS CHECK . . . OK
The Tech ordered, "List Directives."
The bootup vanished.
DIRECTIVES . . . . SEARCHING
After a moment, the Directives appeared onscreen.
DIRECTIVES
1. PROTECT OCP CORPORATE INTERESTS 2. SABOTAGE KANEMITSU CORPORATE STATUS 3. AVOID DETECTION AND CAPTURE AT ALL COSTS 4. OBEY ONLY OCP COMMANDER IN CHARGE
The Tech said, "Good, good. You're ready." He went to the cyborg, that lay on a workshop table. He looked down at her. "Go kick some ass, Lewis!"
The cyborg had a distinctly feminine curvature, in the familiar silver-blue tritanium and black kevlar laminant with which OCP built cyborgs. Along the side of the RoboHelmet was the legend: "OCP 003 LEWIS".
She was stood on her feet by the tilt-table. She stepped off of it and silently departed.
In the secret set of offices, hidden from the prying eyes of the masses, where OCP had set up temporary Headquarters, Johnson reassured his superior. "It'll work like a charm, sir. She's the perfect operative."
The Chairman wasn't so easily comforted. "I seem to remember hearing a similar statement, a few years back, Johnson. Don't fuck it up."
Johnson assured him, "I'm on it, sir. Fall back and contingency plans are in place."
"I want to be back in my office by Friday, Johnson. Make it happen."
Johnson nodded, "Yes, sir."
In an incredible, hi-tech room, traditional Japanese splendor merged with corporate utility. Ten Execs sat around the table, each one with a pinky finger noticeably missing, the hand bandaged. The President of the Company sat at the head of the table, the offerings of bloody bits of flesh artfully arranged before him. He ignored their attempt to placate him and verbally whipped them, in their native tongue.
President Itaka-san's words were biting. "Your incompetence has our competitors laughing to our shamed faces! If this weren't so serious, I'd call for your entire family's executions, at once! I may still do so, if you don't find and stop this ninja thief!"
There was only one thing the Board Members could say, in the face of such disgrace. They leaped to their feet and shouted in unison, "HAI!"
At MetroWest station, the cops at Morning Report were watching the news.
In the top story, the Ninja pulled daring raids, each more blatant than the last. Kanemitsu Corporation's contracts were being undermined by domestic companies' knowledge of their agreements and pricing matrices. The Corporation blamed the industrial espionage on the Ninja.
"A spokesman for Kanemitsu Corporation said that they don't know who would do such a thing, but they expect the Detroit Police Department will have the Ninja in custody very shortly now."
"With all of this going on, U.S. confidence in Kanemitsu has dropped like a steel kite. They'll have their work cut out for them, regaining that trust."
MediaBreak also reported the latest Ninja daring, evading Detroit's finest. Casey Wong wondered if anything could stop the Ninja.
Sgt. Reed's voice was terse. "The Captain wants that Ninja Thief. BAD."
The cops all promised to give the Ninja Thief case high priority, during their daily rounds.
The Cadet looked to his partner. "What we need to do is set a trap. Make him come to us."
The Old Cop smiled benevolently, "That's why you're MY partner, Kid. Come on, let's roll."
The Ninja sneaked into a Kanemitsu Corporation secret android assembly station and set a bomb. An Otomo Series android guard was patrolling the area, but didn't see her. A Japanese factory worker did, and pressed the silent alarm.
The Cadet and his partner got the call. They rushed to the scene. The Ninja ignored the worker and engaged the androids, that appeared when the alarm was pressed. The androids targeted both cops as well as the Ninja.
The Old Cop sent his partner back to the car. "Oh, shit! Call for backup - NOW!"
He shot at the androids, drawing them away from his partner, who hurried back to their car to make the call. The androids closed on him as the Cadet at the car heard the radio dispatcher say no backup would be available for ten minutes.
The Cadet wailed in frustration and fear, "We don't HAVE ten minutes left!"
The Ninja intervened and shot the head off of the android closest to the Old Cop. The rest of the androids targeted the greater threat and turned to pursue the Ninja.
As they chased her, the bomb went off, trapping the Cadet and the Old Cop in the debris. Sirens wailed in the distance, coming ever closer. Both cops looked fearful as Ninja approached, climbing over the rubble.
The Ninja dug them out and checked them over for damages, keeping an eye out for the androids, but none came. They had vanished.
Both cops looked surprised as they heard the Ninja's comlink activate. "Come ON, it's done! Haul Ass!"
The Ninja didn't respond. Or obey.
The comlink beeped again. "Get out of there! Leave them! The cops are coming!"
The Ninja set them down and looked out to see Police Units arriving.
The voice on the comlink was urgent. "Move out! That's a Direct Order!"
The Ninja silently watched the cops approach.
The comlink hissed then, "You're not a cop - you're an Assassin - and you know what they'll do to you!"
Across the Ninja's visual came scenes of Lewis and RoboCop taking down assassins. Then there came a crackle of static and a return to normal visual and a telephoto close-up, seeing the big male cyborg approaching.
The Ninja darted away, over rubble and debris as more cops arrived on the scene.
As help arrived, the Old Cop said, "We saw the Ninja. He saved us."
RoboCop arrived and scanned the battle scene with quiet worry.
The OIC looked to the silent cyborg, recognizing when he was TOO quiet. "Something, Robo?"
RoboCop answered, "Unusual readings. Not Human."
The Old Cop spoke up, "No. Androids. They were about to attack us, but then the Ninja 'distracted' them."
The OIC went to examine one of the androids closer. Its head was blown to bits. That was the only "wound" on it. Then he checked out the wall behind the android.
He called the cyborg over. "RoboCop! Over here!"
RoboCop went to the OIC, who was standing over the destroyed android. The OIC dug a slug out of the wall and handed it to the cyborg. They both looked at it closely.
RoboCop identified it. "9 millimeter Nato Parabellum."
RoboCop scanned it, his enhanced visual revealing the rifling marks on its surfaces.
He gave the scan report. "Indications of enhanced discharge weaponry."
The OIC's voice was worried. "You mean somebody's got a weapon almost as powerful as yours?"
RoboCop answered quietly. "No. Equal. Or superior."
The OIC paled.
His voice was soft. "Oh, shit."
In the jury-rigged cyberlab, the Tech checked over the deadly feminine curves of the Ninja cyborg. He then cleaned and polished the silverblue body.
"What happened out there? Why didn't you return on time? OR when you were told to leave?"
The monitors leaped alive with a visual of the trapped cops, and her saving them from a crushing death.
He gently chastised her. "They're not your responsibility, Lewis."
The monitors changed to a briefing by an old NCO. "If you can do something for another unit, DO IT. Your partner is your life, out there, but other units are your Team Mates, and you need all the help you can get."
The Tech spoke gently, "I understand, Lewis, but don't let it interfere with your Directives."
Across the screen flashed her Directive List, and Number Three highlighted and blinked.
3. AVOID DETECTION AND CAPTURE AT ALL COSTS
The Tech nodded, "Yes, that's what I mean. You can't fulfill your mission if you're captured and identified."
The Tech removed her helmet and handed her a bowl of food. Her face was streaked with dirt. She ate, unnoticing. When she'd finished eating, he took the empty bowl and then washed her face.
When he finished, he said, "Ok. Downtime."
She closed her eyes and leaned back in the support chair. He covered her and went to report.
The monitors flashed her "dreams". Most were of the big male cyborg blowing away perps.
The next night at the Kanemitsu Building - formerly OCP Corporate headquarters, the Ninja silently crept into the Chairman's old office and stole every computer disk that was there. Without a backward glance, she darted down the stairway, to the parking deck.
The waiting cops stepped out at the last landing, weapons drawn.
The Old Cop spoke quietly. "Don't make me hurt you. Come quietly."
Silence met him. The Ninja approached, hands out to be cuffed. Hands that swung up and knocked him aside. The Cadet grabbed for the Ninja, but he couldn't hold on. The Ninja easily leaped away.
The Old Cop got up, swearing, "Damn, he's strong!"
The Cadet corrected him, "That's a 'she'. In some kind of body armor."
The Old Cop keyed his comset. "Ninja coming your way, Robo."
In the darkened Kanemitsu - formerly OCP - parking deck, the dark clothed Ninja darted between the shadows. The cops ambushed her and she fled right into RoboCop's area. He stepped out in front of her.
"Surrender and you will not be harmed."
Across her enhanced vision, Lewis' Directives listed and #3 flashed.
3. AVOID DETECTION AND CAPTURE AT ALL COSTS
She turned to slip by him, and his hand reached out to grab her shoulder. He looked surprised as his visual went to an enhanced scan of her, but then became the floor.
She kicked him in the leg and it gave way, just as his scan started to reveal her nature to him. He grabbed for her, as he fell, but only got her facial veil. She looked down at him for a moment, remembering his death. Remembering it was her fault. He looked up at her face.
"Lewis?!"
She bolted across the parking deck and did a swan dive off of the building, to crash on the streets below.
The cops rushed to the edge, to look down, but they didn't see a body.
The Old Cop and his Cadet partner arrived to see RoboCop climb to his feet and limp to the edge, to peer down after the vanished Ninja.
The OIC noticed the dent in the cyborg's leg.
He sounded irritated. "Oh, man, the techs are gonna love THAT! What the hell did he hit you with, Robo?"
The dark eye slit looked over at him. "Her foot."
"Her foot?!" The man's voice rose at discovering the Ninja was female, incredulous at the thought that any Human's foot could damage the tritanium and kevlar cyborg.
The Cadet said, "She was wearing some kind of body armor, sir."
RoboCop corrected him, "Not body armor. Armored body. Built for speed and stealth."
The OIC frowned. "The Ninja's one of those androids? It doesn't make sense. Why steal from your own company and devalue its stock?"
The Old Cop spoke in a puzzled voice, "And why take time to save us and risk being caught?"
The Cadet shrugged. "The man on her comlink said she's an Assassin, not a Cop, remember?"
The Old Cop said, "I remember she didn't leave until backup arrived, to guard our flank."
The OIC looked to the cyborg. "Do you have any information on this, RoboCop?"
RoboCop spoke quietly, "No, but I know where to start looking."
They watched the cyborg limp to his car.
At the Police station, RoboCop limped down to the mainframe terminal and accessed the I/O jack there. He pulled up all data on the death of MetroWest Officer Anne Lewis, KIA. It listed a cemetery, but it also held a revealing notation.
REMAINS UNRECOVERED PRESUMED DESTROYED, CADILLAC HTS.
RoboCop limped off to be repaired.
Sgt. Reed came in as they were re-machining the cyborg's leg. He looked uncomfortable, but then hardened.
Reed said, "I know you enjoy making certain Detectives look like asses, Murphy, but the Captain is HOT for this Ninja Thief, and he wants a concerted TEAM effort, even if it hurts."
"Show me your enhanced scans of the Ninja. We need to figure out their next target."
RoboCop spoke evenly, "Who benefits from Kanemitsu's fall? Find them and find the Ninja. BEFORE the next target."
Reed frowned, "Nobody benefits. Kanemitsu's going belly up and people are killing themselves at just the sight of those pink disks."
RoboCop spoke quietly, "Revenge is only half of the motive here, Sargeant."
On a monitor, the cyborg transmitted his visual of the black clad Ninja, stealing through the shadows before the clamoring cops.
Then the monitor showed him confronting the wraith. Suddenly, the view became the garage floor, as systems warnings flashed damage to lower support structure.
The unmasked face looked at the point of view blankly. Then there came an enhanced telephoto retina scan right into the soft grey eyes looking down.
RoboCop's own systems cross-referenced the retina prints and matched them. His voice was of incredible disbelief. Her pupils suddenly constricted to pinpricks. She had a pained look on her face and then darted away, as he scanned metal only, under the black outfit.
Reed's voice was hushed with horror. "My God - who did that to her?! Uh...no offence intended."
RoboCop's reply was quiet. "None taken. The only ones profiting by it - OCP. They're buying up Kanemitsu as fast as they can. Their choice of American target corporation was poorly researched."
Reed said, "And you expect to find the her, once you find where OCP's gone to ground?"
RoboCop spoke with the voice of experience then. "Cyborgs are expensive to make and expensive to maintain." The monitor relit with his view from the floor. In enhanced visual mode, they watched the Ninja's swan dive off of the parking deck. "And even more expensive to repair."
Reed looked at him, worried over his ability to confront his former partner. "You think you can bring her in, Murphy?"
The big cyborg's voice was quiet but even. "Yes. She is fast and agile. Her armor is tissue paper. I will bring her in. One way or the other."
In the OCP Chairman's office, Johnson sprayed a can of OCP bio-accelerant spray, to kill the smell of incense. The can looked remarkably similar to an ancient product called "Lysol." The Chairman waved his handkerchief before his face and looked to his number two man.
"It's good to be home again, Johnson."
Johnson nodded, "Yes, sir. Um....what do you want done with our Ninja, sir?"
The Chairman looked thoughtful. "I hadn't given it much thought. She's a good operative. We should keep her, in case we need her services again."
Johnson pointed out, "She's admissible as evidence, sir. If she fell into the wrong hands..."
The Chairman agreed. "Yes. Quite right. Wipe her. Then deactivate and store her, on full life support."
Johnson nodded and turned for the door. "Right away, sir."
In the makeshift cyberlab, the Tech led Lewis to an electrode terminal. "You don't even know what's happening, do you?"
He attached the connections to her head. "That's Ok. This is going to hurt, but it's for your own good, so don't fight me."
The screens flashed scenes of Mommy, cleaning and bandaging scrapes, and scenes of doctors with huge needles.
"Yes, that's right. Ok, hold tight, here goes." He threw the switch. The cyborg didn't blink. Enhanced memory wiped to zero, according to the terminal beside them. He turned it off.
"Come on, here you go. Easy, easy." He led her to an iso-unit and helped her lie down in it. He spoke to her as if she were a child. "Good. Very good." He closed her eyes and covered her up, sealing and activating the unit.
At OCP Corporate Headquarters, the Old Cop and the Cadet served a search warrant to look for stolen Kanemitsu documents, and the Ninja Thief.
The Old Cop displayed the warrant. "We've got a warrant-"
Johnson, himself greeted them and invited them to ask him for any help they might need. He smiled and nodded, cutting the Old Cop short, "Of course you do, Officer. If there's anything I can do to be of assistance, please don't hesitate to ask."
They searched the entire building, but didn't find anything.
The Cadet grimaced. "There's nothing here."
The Old Cop's voice was grim. "I know. This is OCP, Kid. They're the BEST in everything. Even breaking the Law."
The Cadet frowned, "Then why did we bother coming here, if you knew there wouldn't be anything to find?"
The Old Cop smiled, "You have to remind them that you're onto them. Yes, they can do it and get away with it, but you have to tell them that you KNOW they did it, and you'll be keeping an eye on them."
The Cadet looked at his partner sourly. "That doesn't do us any good. So we know? We can't prove it."
The Old Cop put a hand on his partner's shoulder and spoke quietly. "If we don't, they dare anything, thinking we're too dumb to catch it."
They left, looking grim, as the Chairman merely smiled.
MediaBreak reported a tragic boating accident off the main island of Japan, in which Kanemitsu's major board members and their families were killed, during a celebration of the company's merger with OCP.
"Casey Wong here, this just in: a major boating accident in Japanese home waters has left Kanemitsu Corporation with no senior executive staff. Japanese Police reported no survivors. The Medical Examiners' Office in Japan stated that the bodies were completely consumed in the inferno. Not even dental records can identify ashes."
Jess looked at him and asked, "What were they all doing on that boat, Casey?"
Wong replied, "It was a company party, celebrating the merger with OCP, Jess. What a blow to both companies."
Jess shrugged, "Only the stock will tell."
At the station, the Old Cop, the Cadet and Sgt. Reed were standing in the break room, watching the report and talking with RoboCop.
The Cadet sighed in failure. "We didn't even find a trace, Sarge. Not even on the highest setting."
Sgt. Reed pointed out, "They can't just HIDE a cyborg - they need TONS of support equipment!"
RoboCop spoke quietly. "She has served her purpose. There is no further need to maintain her."
The Old Cop was aghast. "You don't think they killed her, do you?!"
RoboCop said, "Either disassembled or packed for storage. Undoubtedly wiped, in either case."
Sgt. Reed asked, "Assuming they didn't just dispose of her, what does it take to 'store' a cyborg?"
RoboCop replied, "110 household current and a slow IV drip."
The Old Cop sighed, "They could have her anywhere."
RoboCop spoke in a determined voice, "I will not give up until I find her."
The cyborg walked away. The Cadet looked to the Old Cop.
The Old Cop explained, "Lewis was his partner for five years."
In the hidden cyberlab, the Tech watched Lewis' memory "dreams" on a terminal.
The big cyborg looked down at the point of view. "I'd do anything for you, Lewis. You're the second thing I always remember, and we both try to keep me from remembering the first."
Lewis' voice was quiet. "Easy there, Cowboy. I'd never ask for more than you could give."
The next dream snippet of memory was an offer from an Amir - an Arabian Prince - to accompany him home, as his Bride. Lewis seemed to consider it. RoboCop was highly concerned - worried even. And then apologetic. He assured her that he wanted her.
That scene changed to a street full of armed men and an ultimatum to stand aside. And Lewis' refusal to do so. And subsequent fatality. Blackness. Then faint light - light from a stained glass window. RoboCop, carrying her. Laying her gently down.
Her voice was faint. "Murphy, I'm scared."
The big cyborg looked like he was trashed. His voice was quiet and knowledgeable. "Don't be. It won't hurt long."
Her voice began to fade away. "Get them for me!"
"I will."
She had an urgency in her voice then. "Promise me!"
"I promise."
"Murphy, I -"
Then there was blackness. As the Tech stared, the screen exploded. He rushed around, trying to disconnect her from all electrical equipment, to prevent further damage from the feedback.
Across all communications bands in the city, there came a woman's scream.
MURPHY, YOU PROMISED ME DYING WOULDN'T HURT THIS LONG!
At MetroWest Station, people stopped what they were doing, staring. RoboCop stopped in his tracks as his partner's cry of agony resounded on every frequency he perceived. He pivoted, tracking, triangulating. As ashen cops looked to him, he strode out of the building.
At the cyberlab-in hiding, the Tech hurriedly loaded the inert female cyborg into a van, with most of her support equipment. He pulled away from the building just in time.
RoboCop arrived, followed by several Police Units. He strode through the area, searching and scanning. The Detectives came in. One in particular was acid-spoken.
Walker's voice was snide. "So Glory Boy found the Ninja Lair. He didn't catch him, though!"
Old Cop looked at silent cyborg in sympathy, and defended him. "Well, he found their base of operations, which is more than I can say for the 'Detectives' on this Police Force!
The Detectives sulked in silence. Old Cop and Cadet went to the motionless cyborg.
Old Cop spoke quietly to the silent cyborg, "What's wrong, Robo? You done good. Real good. This is the proof we need."
RoboCop's voice was self-damning. "No. We missed her by two minutes. I've replayed traffic patterns, but no vehicle I observed could've taken her away."
The Old Cop reassured him, "You'll get her next time."
RoboCop's voice was fatalistic. "There won't be a next time. OCP always cleans up loose ends."
The young Cadet was horrified. "You mean....they'll kill her?!"
RoboCop spoke grimly. "She's already dead. They'll just bury the rest of her."
The cops bustled about, logging and processing evidence.
In the dark of night the Tech's van pulled up to a newer, downtown warehouse. Inside of it, there were all kinds of fashion clothing. The Tech unloaded the equipment and re-arranged the area, to hide amidst the dresses and blouses.
Lewis lay inert and unknowing. He powered her up and brought her online and she sat bolt upright, the last thing on her mind being her death.
The Tech spoke soothingly, to calm her. "It's Ok, it's Ok. Easy there. It was just a dream."
Grey eyes looked at him.
He told her what had happened. "We were almost found out, but I got you safely away."
She looked at the OCP emblem on the terminal screen. He saw her looking at it and said, "No, our work is done. Kanemitsu is shamed out of the country and OCP owns it - just like they wanted to own OCP and Delta City."
She looked down at her hands, lying in her lap.
He said, "No, you can't go back to being a cop, either."
She looked at him in query.
He gave a small sigh and said, "'How do I know?' You always look at your hands and miss being a cop. You look at your reflection and know something's not right, but you don't know what. Don't worry, I'll take care of you."
The screens leaped alive with visual. A dark, bloody visual of the male cyborg, RoboCop. His voice was soft and gentle. "Shh. It's Ok. I'll take care of you, Lewis. You're my partner."
The Tech promised her, "I won't leave you, Lewis. Not so long as you choose to stay with me."
The screen displayed words big enough to read across the room.
I WOULD DO ANYTHING TO BE A COP
The Tech nodded sadly, "I know. But you can't. You're broken and you can't be fixed."
Johnson met with the Chairman, in his office.
"Johnson, I want you to tidy up these 'loose ends' that are lying around." He gave the young black exec a hard look. "You know what I mean."
Johnson spoke faintly, "Yes, sir." Johnson looked aghast, but nodded.
The Chairman was pleased by his response. "Good. We don't want any of this to possibly be used against us, later."
Johnson went to the new secret cyberlab. He spoke to the Tech, but only had eyes for the female cyborg, lying on the iso-unit bed.
"You have to leave the country. Immediately." He looked around, as if he thought they were being spied upon.
He continued, in a terse voice, "Burn all of your notes and paperwork and readout. Destroy all of the equipment, too."
The Tech looked at him, worried. "Why? What's going on, Johnson? We didn't leave anything for the cops but excess equipment, and that can't be traced back to OCP."
Johnson's voice was grim. "You might become a liability." He leaned towards the Tech and spoke in a whisper. "YOU might become expendable, if you don't get out of here."
The Tech asked about Lewis. "And what about Lewis, Johnson? I can't just leave her!"
Johnson assured him that OCP would take care of her. "Don't worry about her. We'll see that she's taken care of."
The Tech agreed, but he didn't believe Johnson's assurances would mean the cyborg's survival. "Yeah, sure. Ok. When do you want it done?"
Johnson spoke grimly, "The sooner the better."
The Tech knew that with the only person aware of her existence gone, there would be nothing to stop OCP from simply disassembling her and disposing of the parts. Then, there would be nothing to tie OCP to the Ninja Assassin and the fall of Kanemitsu.
He also knew that he'd better say what Johnson wanted to hear, or he'd find himself immediately expendable.
Johnson smiled as he recognized the look of disbelief even as the Tech covered it with acceptance. Yes, he'd do everything he'd been told to do, except leave the female cyborg to OCP. Good. That was just the insurance he needed, in case anything went wrong.
The next day, MediaBreak reported suspected arson in a downtown garment district fire that destroyed an entire block. Casey Wong speculated on what the elite would now be wearing - last year's French fashions or some kind of Retro look from the past.
RoboCop received a message across his cruiser vidscreen, to go to a certain, well-remembered warehouse. He parked and got out, looking around, anticipating some kind of ambush. He entered the building without incident.
The Tech appeared and asked, "You came alone?"
RoboCop answered, "Yes."
The Tech said, "I have something of yours. Something you want back, I'm certain."
RoboCop said, "What?"
The Tech's voice dropped to a sibilant whisper. "Your partner."
RoboCop's systems reported that the man wasn't lying. "What do you want for her?"
The Tech said, "A new identity. Cyber-support personnel are expendable, too."
RoboCop spoke simply, "Done."
The Tech was bemused. "What? No fuss, no hassles, no haggling?"
RoboCop said, "No. Take me to her."
The Tech became wary then. He'd agreed too easily. "If this is some kind of trick..."
RoboCop promised, "You have my word."
They went into another area. It was a shambles. The Tech looked surprised and stunned. He sighed, "Lewis, you just couldn't wait five minutes, could you?"
RoboCop's voice was knowing. "No. She appreciates great velocity in all things."
Lewis appropriated a cop car and stuffed her prisoners into it. One of them mouthed off and she slapped him, gently.
The Perp whined, "Ow! Hey! I thought robot cops had that Prime Directive stuff!"
Across Lewis' enhanced vision came her systems report.
LIST DIRECTIVES........NONE FOUND
In a quandary, she then remembered her partner's Three Directives and made them hers.
DIRECTIVE ONE: DEFEND THE PUBLIC TRUST DIRECTIVE TWO: PROTECT THE INNOCENT DIRECTIVE THREE: UPHOLD THE LAW
At MetroWest Station, Lewis strolled in, flinging her prisoners to the floor before the booking desk. As cops stared, she uploaded her reports as the cell block guards arrived and took charge of the prisoners, and then she turned and left, never saying a word.
Sgt. Reed looked up in disbelief. "What the HELL was that?!"
The cops all disavowed any knowledge.
A Perp mouthed off, "It's fuckin' helmet said 'Lewis, OCP 003.'"
Reed grimaced, "Book these shitheads and get 'em out of my sight."
The Old Cop looked amazed. "Was that really Lewis, Sgt. Reed?"
Reed said, "Probably. OCP is anything but subtle. And neither was Lewis. If that IS Lewis, only two things register on her brain -
1. Her job, and
2. Her partner."
In the old warehouse, RoboCop and the Tech were beset by thugs and gunmen who were determined to kill the Tech. RoboCop didn't bother trying to take prisoners. These men were trying to kill the only person who could take him to his partner, and he couldn't allow that.
Lewis entered, a deadly wraith, covering their six. The thugs and gunmen fled, since they couldn't see where the auxiliary fire support was coming from, and they didn't wish to die stupidly. They could always recon the area and come back with more firepower.
RoboCop spoke in a soft voice. "Lewis!"
Lewis looked at him in query, recognizing him, but not knowing him. She let him approach her and touch her shoulder, looking her in the eye.
RoboCop looked to the OCP Tech. "She doesn't speak. Why?"
The Tech answered, "She's never spoken. It must've been the trauma of coming online. I've only been with her these past few months."
RoboCop then asked, "How many times has she been wiped?"
The Tech explained, "I only know of once. And only Enhanced Memory of Missions and Parameters. I did it, myself, to make sure they didn't hurt her, or erase too much."
Lewis stood silent and mechanical.
The Tech spoke sadly, "There's not a lot to lose, so every bit is critical."
RoboCop held out his hand and she took it. His fingers entwined with hers, brushing her palm and activating her datalink spike.
The Tech gaped as RoboCop activated his own linkspike and then twisted their wrists to slide their datalink spikes side by side, interlocking them into each other's knuckle array.
RoboCop spoke quietly, "Access Granted."
Female cyborg's face looked puzzled. Then a slow smile crept across it. She looked up at him, grinning. "Y'know, for the strong, silent type, you sure talk a lot, Cowboy."
The big male cyborg looked down at his partner. "I'd say anything, to have you with me again."
She looked up at him, a strange look on her face. "Really?"
He assured her, "Really."
The OCP Tech stared at the cyborgs. Lewis could talk! It was incredible! But what she was saying astounded him.
He looked around then, in worry. "Uh, I hate to intrude, but those guys might come back at any time."
Lewis smiled a toothy grin. "Let them. I haven't shot anybody in weeks."
RoboCop almost smiled, reading her systems peaking with Protect/Defend. "He's right. Let's pack this up and go Home."
RoboCop entered MetroWest Station, carrying equipment to his support area. After the third trip, there was nothing left to carry, and he returned, a sexy metal and kevlar female form over one shoulder, a struggling lab-coated man dragged alongside, by the arm.
The clothes the man wore looked familiar, but the face didn't. He looked around, in a silent plea for help, knowing he couldn't ask for any without jeopardizing his own life. This wasn't what he'd had in mind when he's made the deal with the big male cyborg!
The station fell dead quiet, staring at the sight. Reed's face said that he thought about objecting to this outrage, but it also said that he thought better of it, too.
The big male cyborg looked around the station, daring anyone to comment. His gaze settled on Reed.
RoboCop spoke, deadly serious, "I got mine."
Then he strode off.
THE END