Chapter 24, Officer down. Part I

Chapter 24

Officer Down Part 1:

“Fire, fire, FIRE!” Jimena starts removing the thick plastic covers that safe guard her most precious treasure, the one her father Sebastian and her, have been working on, for at least two years:

Eduardo. Or as Sebastian affectionately calls it “Lalo” The hybrid giant weapon that was built from a deactivated ED-209 the rebels had found in the outskirts of Cadillac Heights, probably blown up or dismantled by a better, more modern robot, as the remains of the ED unit had no feet and one of its arms was severely damaged when it was found by them.

Bertha was obsessed with taking the junk pieces to their base. Most of her militants refused, but Sebastian who has a vast knowledge in mechanics, and his daughter who is an expert robot programmer, saw the great advantage, that having an ED unit, even if it was cut at half would represent for them as a defensive weapon against the grey police and the gangs that kept terrorizing their homes. Lalo was then inserted onto a crane, regaining feet and its right arm was replaced by what seemed to be the gatling gun arm of another more advanced robot, that some nutcase junkies “The Nuke for Christ gang” seemed to adore in a shrine. “Cain”.

The bizarre temple had been found by the Metro West police and was deserted once Bertha and her team had found it. “Pick up what you can” those were the orders. A powerful arm for Lalo, was then found there.

The hybrid device will be finally tested and put online in two days from now. Deadline is here, whether they want it or not. Jimena sadly looks at what her father and her have been re-building for over two years and is well aware, that their robotic unit needs more work and time to be an efficient killing machine.

It almost feels as if the robot who is currently offline had feelings and it was cruel to put it out there again, to probably face a secure destruction in aims to protect themselves of the war that will happen very soon and they decided not to escape from.

“They already killed you once, buddy…let’s hope that doesn’t happen again” Jimena affectionately taps the mechanical arm of her creation, just to walk away afterwards from the warehouse where they keep their arsenal. Lights off. It’s time for sleep. The countdown for war has started.

A rainy morning, the heating system in the meeting room of Metro West is faulty. The venue is plagued with sad and upset faces:

“Reed has gone too far this time!” Some of the annoyed officers are refusing to enter Clover Hills on the following day, in aims to protect the resistance group that did not want to leave the town and will endure the scheduled riot that the two dangerous gangs have planned in advance there.

“That’s a no police zone, we will be chopped into pieces!!” Not all officers decide to comply with Reed’s orders. More so if the cops know that this will be an unofficial mission that hasn’t been approved by OCP and the Rehab team, if anything, they should not inform to the Rehabilitation team, and Paul McDaggett of Reed’s fearless plan.

One third of the group of cops that attended the meeting walk away, Reed stares for a moment at the remaining officers in the venue, as if he was a school professor that always knows who his best students are:

Mason, Kaplan, Estevez, Wilcox, Lewis, Lt. Michael Hedgedcock among others, are the ones still sitting in respectful silence, learning the escape routes that Cecil is presenting on an interactive screen. All of them will be given special weapons, vests and will be connected in a new temporary group in the TSAP network to be able to look after each other, once they are spread into the dangerous territory that consists in the area where Cadillac Heights ends and Clover Hills starts.

“RoboCop will lead all of us, he has a more advanced intelligent vehicle that will allow him to monitor the group from a distance, almost as if he will be able to stalk all of us…”

The cops laugh at Reed’s joke, and Lewis is suddenly reminded of the time she had found out RoboCop was following her trail and her intelligent device was the one gossiping her, the exciting romantic news.

No time for sentimentalisms, though, as the life of that man she adores will be in jeopardy on the next day.

Lewis is well aware that the part that Reed is not informing the officers, is that RoboCop will have a side mission when the riot takes place: Following Bertha Knowles’ trail, will be mostly his priority, as the woman has already broadcasted her plans of seeking out the Rehab’s hidden facility and blowing it up into pieces, even at the cost of her own life.

Bertha’s courageous act, however, far from doing a favor to the blue police, will mostly obstruct Reed’s investigation on the corrupt actions taken by the rehab team and their commander. Reed fears that if the rehab station is destroyed, evidence will be lost, and the officers will be reminded as heroes by OCP and the old man and their criminal acts will remain unpunished.

The poor terrorized people from Clover Hills will be then labelled as violent, unstable and when another group is formed, these people, will be surely massacred by the new grey police and senseless McDaggett as revenge.

“That woman doesn’t get it and will put Murphy to danger” Although Lewis knows Bertha’s motivations, she doesn’t justify her actions.

Both women will be then, defending the men they’ve loved in the upcoming gang war. Bertha will seek astounding justice in the name of her deceased husband and Lewis will put herself out there, whatever it takes, so RoboCop is not hurt, broken into pieces, or worse even, killed by the Rehabs or all the vicious perps that will be around carrying police arsenal.

Hot water is running thoroughly Anne’s tired body, the precinct showers. Then she remembers that time, in which RoboCop stared at one of the female officers, nude taking a shower at that same spot where she is now.

The cruelty of observing what he probably desires, doesn’t remember well how it really was and can’t afford to have anymore. Far from being compassionate over her rebuilt cyborg partner, Lewis remembers feeling deep jealousy, towards that woman he was observing…and the woman he was probably thinking of.

The real love rival that exists, as a ghost, inside RoboCop’s head. Ellen. Looking at her own scars make her conscious that perhaps, if there is someone up there, he probably made a mistake the day Alex was gunned down by the Boddicker gang.

“I have nothing, no one would have missed me if I had died that day, it should have been me, not him”

Anne, the lonely officer, against Alex, the family man, that had more to lose, if he died that day. A part of him did and Lewis is well aware, that the human life and the body he’s lost, will never be retrieved again.

Falling in love with a partially mechanized man, was never in her plans, however, despite all the suffering that embracing such love has brought into her life, Lewis doesn’t regret coming forward to express the feelings that were already burning down her soul. The consequence of such boldness, however was again suffered by Alex…and not her. OCP hurt him, once again.

If there is a God and he is listening…Anne, deep inside, into the warmth and comfort that the water is offering her, says a little silent prayer.

“He deserves to live, if he is up to be destroyed again, take me and not him this time”

“Delta city will be built…and I will do everything it takes for that to happen!”

Donald Johnson, conducting the meeting in which he feels he finally has reached the pinnacle of his career: The old man is in Europe, fulfilling his duties as a diplomatic, not caring much about OCP at the moment. He feels that leaving his niece as a snitch, and having had reached a friendly deal with RoboCop was enough to leave things calmed, at least for the moment.

His plans on constructing a new cyborg unit remain. However, it’s Dr. Moore the one that has started to act behind his back, as he believes the RoboCop dissection operation he must perform is already behind schedule, they might lose the important clients, that are up to pay for the secret of RoboCop.

Dr. Moore intolerantly taps the meeting’s table with his pen, enduring the self-flattering speech said by Johnson, that has little to do with the mission that will take place on the next day.

“Fucking delusion a grandeur, sir” Lyle whispers to McDaggett as they both stare at the temporary CEO of OCP in plain disgust. They just want to eliminate the civilians, burn Clover Hills to its very core and cash all the money for such work.

There is only one thing that calls the attention of Johnson and makes him interrupt his boring narcissistic speech: The new acquisition for the team, Dr. Angela Fletcher, has finally travelled from Sweden to meet the crew of OCP, as she had been collaborating with them and Dr. Moore on the distance.

Red hair, electric blue eyes and a face, that slightly reminds Donald of someone, he might have met in the past.

“I am sorry, have we been introduced before?” A wide smile that can almost be considered as flirtatious makes Dr. Fletcher, respond in the same way.

“I am sure we haven’t, Mr. Johnson, but I have heard a lot about you, during all the time I have been collaborating with you on the distance”

Dr. Moore shakes his head in plain disgust at the scene and tries to say, muttering between his teeth:

“The accent, you idiot, the accent!”

McDaggett: I believe we are more than ready to proceed, Mr. Johnson. We have a TDX unit ready to join my team and this will be the perfect opportunity to test them in a battlefield, tomorrow, when the eviction and the cleanse of gangs will take place…

Johnson: Hold on…I haven’t really approved the activation of the units, to be used out there in the streets yet…we need to update RoboCop’s software first, he’ll be the one that will lead them…this is an idea of the CEO we must respect

McDaggett: I don’t want RoboCop on my team. My crew and I do things our own way. You artificial monkey seems way too unstable to be part of my specialized team of…

Johnson: Mercenaries? Is that what you were going to say? It is true yes, Robo has gone through a few improvements over the last few weeks…but he is untouchable you know? TDX units or not, RoboCop will help the Rehab team tomorrow. We have an informant from the police force, that have said to us, Sergeant Reed is acting behind our back…and Metro West…will intervene in the gang riot that will take place tomorrow, we can’t let that…

Adams, once again had betrayed his sergeant’s trust and had communicated privately to Schysler about the plans to intervene in the gang riot that is going to take place between the territory that divides Clover Hills and Cadillac Heights.

Reed, is unaware that after the OCP meeting is over, Johnson will surely head up to Metro West, to indicate orders. RoboCop must be put on the side of grey police and help the eviction and the elimination of the gangs that infect the two problematic districts.

A warning call, however, is what puts Reed in distress and he knows now, that having to defy OCP will be a hard task this time.

RoboCop also receives orders from the TSAP Network, directly from the substitute CEO, and Tyler has also been informed via e-mail, about the unpleasant news.

RoboCop, sitting on his chair, has internally read the orders in silence. He is capable of communicating with the TSAP network and being able to read the direct messages from OCP, right in front of his eyes, without having to connect to an interphone communicator. This is an emergency procedure that should be resorted to, in case of a meltdown.

Dr. Tyler has also read the uncomfortable news on her personal laptop and now, doctor and patient, remain in silence. Johnson had ordered Tyler to do everything in her hands to make RoboCop obey the direct orders from OCP and not get engaged into “Personal conflicts” again.

Tyler: So they think, I can control your mind…your acts…like you were a little mechanical pet of theirs…

RoboCop: The CEO would not allow this

Tyler: Why do you even defend the old man in first place? He’s the one that made me put Directive 4 in your head again, I am just waiting for a chance, to uninstall it again without those dogs watching over me… and we all know he is enjoying his time in Europe, in the meantime, OCP is falling apart…

RoboCop: I will protect the innocent, above their orders

Tyler: And this is why I’m always concerned about you…your defiance, they already took your girlfriend away from you, what can they do to you now?

RoboCop: Exactly. What else can they do to me, they haven’t done already

“And we will need 10 of your men in full armor, tomorrow at 7:00 sharp, they will be backing up commander McDaggett and their team, on the contingency that will take place in Clover Hills…”

Reed: No, Mr. Johnson, we won’t apprehend rebels, or would be opening fire against unarmed civilians, that is not work for the police!

Johnson: Mr. Reed we know well you are preparing your team of men and women to enter the conflict tomorrow, however we have been adviced, that the population of Clover Hill is prone to react aggressively against the police force, and this is why, we are taking measures in advance...

Reed knows the rebels are on their side and will only try to resist the riot. RoboCop and Lewis have spoken to Bertha more than once, and her people know well know, the blue police are not really a threat.

However Reed must be cautious to not give Johnson enough information about his plans to unmask the Rehab team and prove once and for all, that the stolen arsenal that kept appearing on the streets was given by Johnson illegally to McDaggett’s team. Reed is deeply infuriated to confirm, once more, that information has been leaked and that there is surely an officer of his precinct working as a snitch for OCP.

The old man is in Europe and Reed has to apparently comply to the orders of the temporary CEO, or to at least make him believe he will.

Reed: RoboCop and my men will be ready to support your team. However, they won’t open fire to unarmed civilians, unless it’s necessary and that would be my last word on the subject, Mr. Johnson.

Johnson walks away from the precinct, upset and frustrated to see, Reed will only obey his orders, to a certain degree. This won’t happen anymore, once Delta city is built, and he is acknowledged as the intelligent individual he really is. The executive that has always been under the shadows, will have his moment of fame, pretty soon.

“What do we do Sergeant?” Concerned officers have started surrounding their leader, clueless on what will happen now. Sad, worried faces among the cops that will follow their sergeant orders but that are too afraid of OCP intransigent policies.

After a short while of uncomfortable silence, Reed, informs his mortified officers that everything will go as planned.

Lewis had been witnessing the scene in between anxiety and terror. They will expose Murphy as part of the Rehab team, they might want to play with his head again, reprogram him, hurt him. The concerned officer looks everywhere for her long lost lover and one of the officers informs her, Robo is at the files’ room downloading information.

Hollow steps that seem eternal, until that view she adores. The strong mechanical back that has supported her weight so many times. The metallic hands that have touched her semi nude body more than once, love transcends the physical form and for Lewis, the hybrid being that occupies her mind and heart is just the man she is deeply in love with. Not RoboCop, not an artificial looking man, not a strange merge between human and machine.

The sixth sense that RoboCop has developed over the years he has been close to his only and most loyal human companion hardly ever fails him. He doesn’t need a tracking device to feel, that the person that is waking towards him, it is her. The only woman that has dared to love him, under the cruel circumstances he has been forced to live. The first person, that had called his name.

The one police officer that has never given up on him, that has worked alongside him to the point of exhaustion and physical drain, just to be close to him.

That woman that decided to risk her own life, to help him get his personal revenge on the ones that took his human life. He had asked her to go: “We’re partners” was the answer that almost costed Anne her life.

“Everything hurts, Murphy” was the desperate cry he had to listen to, when he approached his wounded partner, a broken arm, shot three times. RoboCop, at the time was not as awake, as he is now. His feelings weren’t as developed as he was still learning to be human again.

However, looking at his only friend in the whole world, bleeding to death in that muddy pit, made him care and fear, to fear her death, the fear to be lonely.

Lewis for RoboCop has represented the symbol of his own sanity, the connection to his almost lost humanity. Losing her for him would mean losing himself again. He’d be desensitized; he’d be more of a robot now, than the stubborn cyborg that has struggled to keeps memories inside his cybernetic heart.

His hesitation and his lack of action to approach Anne on a romantic level had to do with his own internal demons, and his cluelessness on not knowing how to respond to that love, he knew, was already making her suffer. His apparent impassiveness was in reality, mental torture for him.

Lamentably Robo is not as sure as Lewis is, on what his feelings for her are, yet. He only knows, that without her, he’d be lost. Not so long ago he had finally dared to live experiences that would unlock him from the machine as those presented him a unique opportunity to develop sensations that were buried with his slaughtered human body.

However, the people ganging up against them and OCP, had made sure, he could not even have that.

The sensations, the images, the dreams. His memories. The treasures he can’t afford to lose. Therefore he had accepted the unfair deal of acting like a mechanical zombie in front of that one person, that had made those treasures possible. To protect his own developed identity, and to protect her from harm.

“Hi Murphy, hey, how are you?” Lewis is already close to him and she’s daring to place her hand on his right forearm as he is still plugged into the mainframe computer of the file’s rooms.

More and more it is getting increasingly difficult for RoboCop to keep up with the performance, and to hide the truth from Anne. If she only knew, that the memories stored in his mind, are the motivation he entertains to be able to drive alone, day and night, in his new cruiser, whilst keeping order in a city that never sleeps.

RoboCop: I am…fine

Lewis: Right, well I heard the news, that you will help the Rehabs tomorrow…I am afraid of you…

RoboCop: I will uphold the law and protect the innocent, Officer Lewis

Lewis: That’s what I am afraid, I feel you’re more conscious than meets the eye, and you will risk your life for Bertha and her nutcase plan…

RoboCop: No. I take my orders directly from Sergeant Reed, the rehab team, will be brought to justice.

Lewis: So you remember!! You remember the missions we had together? Do you remember me? The moments we spent together?

“Yes I do” Those are the thoughts that cross Robo’s mind but he knows he can’t say those out loud.

Silence strikes again and people keep coming to the room, they can’t be seen together, Lewis is the one that decides to take a step back so the rest of the cops don’t see her affectionate approach towards Murphy. A forbidden love, that makes them feel as criminals, when they have done nothing wrong.

“If we were both humans, we wouldn’t have this problem” Lewis says in a low voice, that Robo can still hear. As sad as that statement is and far from being offended, Robo instead, slightly smiles.

Lewis knows, and acknowledges very well what he is. Not a machine, but not a human man anymore, she grasps what he is missing in his bionic body. She’s been too close to perceive all his mechanical sounds, his lack of softness and warmth and the awkwardness that those factors might produce in a woman that might have been attracted to his physical appearance, doesn’t seem to affect Anne in the barely minimum.

That is flattering in itself. The gruesome transition from man to cyborg and the body he didn’t even get to choose. A combat shell, not really a prosthetic body to enjoy life. Nevertheless, she doesn’t seem to care.

The ones that care and are against them, are the ones that can’t understand.

Couples get together and split in police precincts day after day. However none of the police officers that have taken the conscious decision to get romantically involved with any of their co-workers have had to deal with the complexity that it implies, engaging in a relationship with someone of a different kind.

Interspecies relationships are wrong. Human beings that have decided to purchase sex robots as companions and have had the audacity to try to publicly announce their artificial romances or that have dared to set up fake weddings for their robotic lovers, are bullied, laughed at and mostly rejected by society.

Loving an artificial being, promotes sex slavery, mental insanity, prostitution and goes against the good morals of normal human families. Those are the arguments held by the protesters that have tried, with little success, to close companies like Sextronica, Cyberotika, and even Mecca Bionics, that although their team doesn’t produce sex robots, they are open to receive them for repairs, for more affordable prices than Sextronica.

Human beings will always seek to discriminate that what it’s different and non-conventional. What they can’t understand or are fearful about. That has been the history from humanity from its beginnings.

Machines are the next step in human discrimination.

War starts on the very next day. There isn’t much more that Lewis can do at that particular moment, to let her artificial looking lover, that she would not mind to die for him. That her love for him is so profound, she will protect him on the next day, even if he can’t still fully remember who she is.

“I will be there for you tomorrow, partner, I won’t leave you alone…I…love you so much, to let those bastards do something to you…” Suddenly Anne realizes, she is not afraid to communicate her love, out loud, anymore. If RoboCop is well aware of who she is, he will remember. And if he isn’t fully conscious yet, perhaps this will be the first time he hears it, from her and that would accelerate the process of him recovering his memory.

The discouraged officer knows she will get nothing but silence again, it’s usually that way with Murphy. Too much noise, all the cops seem more concerned about the riot rather than focusing on her and Murphy.

For the first time, their relationship doesn’t seem to be the main attraction of the day.

Lewis then starts walking away from the file’s room, knowing well, she needs to sleep and be rested enough for the tough day they will have to face in some hours from now.

Her steps, suddenly stop preventing her from exiting the room as that masculine voice that is artificially enhanced by a computerized voice synthesizer, suddenly speaks up:

“Thank you”