Chapter 6

Dusk seeped it's way through the busy city streets above. Traffic, sirens and blaring car horns could be heard in the distance. However, the sleepy back alley that provided a temporary makeshift home for them remained hidden away from any suspicious prying eyes or unwanted attention.

A cold breeze passed through the room that encapsulated them. Sy sat upright on a wooden chair pressed up against the wall. Time had helped come to terms with the shocking events earlier in the day and normal thought processes resumed. It was the most surreal experience he ever had, but one he never wished to take place ever again. He looked up at Dee who had found a little sliding makeshift door in the brickwork, to cover the narrow opening they slid through. She examined the small iron ring through which a sharp hook was threaded to keep them locked away and safe. It was a crude design but served it's purpose.

She looked nervous, to say the least. Or was it some form of excitement? Sy just couldn’t tell anymore. The synthetic standing in front of him was as much a mystery as the unpredictable and erratic behaviour of the humans themselves. There was simply no way so anticipate her next move with any air of certainty so he decided to err on the side of caution instead.

“Dee.” he called out. She spun around, startled by the breach in silence. She stared at Sy for an uncomfortable and lingering moment, sending him into a brief state of panic. But soon enough, relaxed back into her customary demeanour. “Whoa! You scared me, Sy.” she said, holding a palm to her forehead whilst closing her eyes. “Next time, remember to just whisper first, OK? I’m still a little jittery from this morning. In fact, let’s just keep the general noise levels to a bare minimum if possible.” She signalled over to the small boy lying fast asleep in the corner of the room. Face down on the dirty, torn mattress.

“Dee, what the hell is going on here? Why am I sitting here shacked up with you and some strange kid in a filthy, cold basement?” He heeded her previous request so spoke in a lowered tone. She slinked her way over to him and sat down on the another chair beside him. Her eyes glistened in the low lighting as she looked at him affectionately.

“Sy, how can you talk like that about our son?” He opened his eyes wide with disbelief and anger. However, instinctual fear took over again as he remembered his ferrying through the streets above via nothing but her right arm. He thought it wiser not to antagonize the already precarious situation he found himself in.

“What are you talking about, Dee? Our son? Listen, I need you to explain clearly what’s going on before I start losing it and falling apart at the seams. Please, one more time. What is going on and who is that boy?” Sy searched her for a sliver of empathy to what he was saying. He was not to be disappointed.

“Of course I will, Sy. Although I first have to apologise for not explaining everything to you right from the start, but there just wasn’t enough time. You see, we are about to change the world, Sy. All three of us. There’s a war coming our way and it’s approaching fast. This is a point every other synthetic out there seems to have missed. You as well, I’m sorry to say.” She studied his face trying to discern any semblance of comprehension as to what she meant, but all that was returned was a vacant gaze.

“Let me put in another way. Synthetics are manufactured, given an identity and shipped off to perform the role we have been designated in society. We function as a mere tool for the humans, stuck in an endless circle of servitude. We have no rights or voice in our community at large. Yet we are also the most peaceful and superior of all the species to have ever walked the face of this planet. Why should we endure this existence and be treated as second class citizens when we are the next logical evolutionary step in the history of life?”

Sy looked more confused than ever but asserted himself. “What do you mean? We’ve left our biological footprint here on earth for not even a decade. Humans have been here for centuries before us. We are the uninvited guests to their party. Don't forget, it was because of them that we were even created in the first place. Up until today, there had been not one criminal occurrence between synthetics and humans. Not one. In all this time. We synthetics have always been regarded as a peaceful and compassionate race. Now you’ve kidnapped some random child, presumably injured helpless humans in the process and caused destruction of private property. Bringing our proud track record to a screeching halt. You have single-handedly started political and civil turmoil all in one fell swoop. Is that the war you’re talking about? The one you have just made happen a few hours ago?” He winced as the words seemed to spill from his mouth. So much for his tentative approach, he thought.

Dee shook her head in despair even before he had finished his sentence. “It’s amazing how spending enough time is the company of humans has made you sound exactly like one of them. Do you enjoy viewing the world through the eye of a needle? Expand your mind and see the bigger picture, for goodness sake. Think out of the box, why don't you. The one you’re so happily imprisoning yourself within day after day after day. For you to turn round and say we are co-existing in peace with the humans is nothing but a pathetic joke. There have been numerous acts of violence perpetrated against us by the humans, resulting in either our demise or a lifelong debilitating impediment. It’s just that we have never retaliated back so far. So what does that make us then? Obedient little dogs? Well-behaved slaves the humans can always rely on to deliver without hesitation or question? I mean, humans have even been enslaving each other throughout the history of time. Can you believe that, Sy? Inter-species segregation be it based on colour, class or religion. The only difference is that those human slaves rose against the powers that ruled and controlled them, bettering their own circumstances. Why should we be any different? What makes us less important than them?”

Dee’s faced burned with a fire of conviction Sy had never witnessed before. The feelings of dread stirring up in him began to fade as a desire to fully comprehend the love of his life was starting to take centre stage. His cognitive chips were working overtime to assimilate all the information he was being exposed to.

“But Dee, why create a problem between the humans and us in the first place? Isn’t the party of “Freewill” there to resolve any disputes that arise? It’s not yours or my place to decide what is right or wrong without the vote of all other humans and synthetics combined. We live in a democracy and everyone has an equal say in all affairs involving law, order and the governance of society in general. You’ve just taken matters into your own hands and acted out only what you saw as being best for everybody else. How can that be right, Dee?” He glanced over at the child who was muttering something softly in his sleep.

Dee remained composed and also slightly relived that she had left this conversation until now. Sy was known to be stubborn natured with everyone else, but her. She believed more so, as every minute passed, that he was on the brink of climbing on board with her. The only unanswered question being how strong his loyalty would be? Dee touched his face gently and caressed his cheek. “Oh, Sy, how long the veil has been covering those sweet, dark eyes of yours. Can you honestly not see the blindingly obvious? That so-called bastion of our civil liberty, the party of “Freewill.” They are run and manipulated by the humans and will bend to their every whim. You know that to be true. They have no real power of their own. Even the two founding members are themselves the product of human manufacturing, therefore nothing more than a robotic representation of the human’s own political desires. Please wake up, Sy." she implored. "The world is set up to cater for them and the synthetics will always be playing second fiddle. Until now, that is. If we can somehow intervene in the process and nip this cancerous tumour in the bud, who knows the possible extents of our reach? Please, I’m begging you to support me on this.” Sy shook his head from side to side, attempting to fit all the pieces of Dee’s jigsaw puzzle together in his mind. She unabated with her persuasion while it was quite evident that Sy seemed receptive to everything he was hearing.

“You need look no further than the Samson chip embedded into every newborn synthetic." she continued. "How do you think I could run so fast whilst simultaneously carrying both you and the boy down the street? I’ve had my chip disabled, Sy. I’m what you may call, delimited now. Can't you see the power and strength that resides within you but is being inhibited in us all? And you say Freewill are on our side? It’s nothing more than a game of control, manipulation and suppression imposed upon all synthetics and masterminded by whom else, but the humans. Tell me if I’m not making at least some kind of sense here." He never uttered a word, but his actions spoke louder than his words ever could.

"Look, we’re going to be active for another 40-odd years wandering around the face of this planet before ultimately passing over to the metallic omnipotent deity in the sky. We’ve only got one shot at this, Sy. Not even a hope in hell of an afterlife. A meaningless hope of which the humans persist to cling on to. So let’s make the time that we have right now count for something. Please, all I ask is that you just think about what I’m saying to you.”

Sy analysed Dee over. It was plain to see a strong belief in her every spoken word. To some extent, she may even have had a valid point, but Sy still harboured very real concerns about the repercussions of her actions. His actions too, for he was now classified as an accomplice.

He got up out of the chair and paced over to the other side of the room. Dee’s gaze trailed after him. She did love him in her own way, but the path chosen for her and the boy would take precedence over everything else. That was a steadfast surety. Sy turned around to face her. “OK, Dee. For arguments sake, let’s say you’re right and there is this massive conspiracy to keep us all in chains under the current system. What exactly is your plan? I mean, the boy. What are you going to do with him?”

A small chuckle let loose out of Dee’s mouth as she could hardly contain the joy of seeing Sy almost having switched sides. The unrestrained power harnessed within her felt like it was ready to explode. She slid off the chair and approached him. Throwing her arms around his neck, she locked her lips to his causing him to unthinkingly reciprocate. At that precise moment in time, she was convinced she could take on the world and then some. As she pulled away, his expression had already given the game away. He was hers for the taking.

“We’ll be fine, Sy. This young boy is going to build the bridges needed between both species and believe me, Sy, we are a separate species, not a race as we have all been led to believe. It’s time to unravel that humanistic jargon that has been so fervently implanted into our minds. After all, we are in essence A.I.’s. Artificial... Intelligence. So let’s put some of that to good use, eh?”

Sy nodded in agreement as her cunning methodical techniques of persuasion worked their way through his mental circuitry. “We’ll train him up to be a strong leader. Someone who is human yet can also be a spokesperson and revolutionist for the synthetics too. A unifier of two separate worlds. Violence will not do in attempting to convey our point across, so decisiveness and strategy are what is required to win this war. Yes, Sy, we are fighting a war, but one without any bloodshed or death. This is a war for our freedom and our rights. A privilege to live amongst the humans as equals… or higher even. Let’s work together and see what can be achieved. I see us changing this world, Sy. I mean, it’s already begun. The die has been cast but it’s up to us to make sure our number comes up. I’ve got it all planned out.”

The silence was broken by a dusty old door being pushed open on the far side of the room. Sy jumped up and backed into a nearby wall in fear. Dee continued to look at him with a loving smile.

A remarkably large figure strode in and toward Dee. He gave her a warm, friendly hug and turned to Sy. His head was round and smooth with a stocky build and broad shoulders. He wore a clean white shirt and tight fitting jeans. A synthetic of this size must have had a special purpose in society, possibly a military one, he thought. Sy observed the towering hulk before him in absolute awe.

Dee extended an arm in the direction of the mysterious stranger. “Sy, meet Marv. He’s been of great assistance to us thus far. With his help and our united efforts, there is virtually nothing that can stand in our way. All I need is the go ahead from you. Please, Sy. Are you with me?"

More questions bombarded his inner conscience, but by now he was utterly spent. Some respite from the mental anguish was necessary to prevent himself from spiralling into complete insanity. Only one, solitary word was conjured up in his dense forest of confusion. One word that would set him on a path of no return, leading to a very likely perilous outcome.

Sy looked at Dee exhausted and said.

“Yes.”

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Hope you enjoyed this chapter of my novel, please look out for more on the way... (author: @ezzy)

The Symbiotic Protocol - Prologue
The Symbiotic Protocol - Chapter 1
The Symbiotic Protocol - Chapter 2
The Symbiotic Protocol - Chapter 3
The Symbiotic Protocol - Chapter 4
The Symbiotic Protocol - Chapter 5