Authors: Maria Hammarblad
The next morning, I yawned, stretched, and almost fell off the sofa. I would have landed on the floor if John hadn’t held his arm around me.
He mumbled, “Careful dearest” and went back to sleep.
The situation and comment disoriented me, but we were still in Cheryl’s bunker.
I sat up, carefully this time, attempted to untangle my hair with my fingers, and gave up. Maybe Adam could find me a comb, or make one from weird things stored in the basement.
John snored. He probably wouldn’t mind if I abandoned him. Roaming around on my own wasn’t appealing, but less scary than it had been, and I should be able to make the few steps to the kitchen without working myself into panic.
I didn’t have to worry. Eli waited in the hall, far enough away to give privacy, but close enough to provide a sense of security.
I flashed a smile. “Good morning, Eli. You look like you’re waiting for me.”
“I am waiting, but I’m not Eli.” The android returned my smile. “I am Samuel. I wanted to meet you, so I offered to stay here. Adam and Eli are looking for ingredients to make you breakfast.”
They looked exactly the same, but were clearly different personalities.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Samuel.”
“I must admit I was apprehensive at first when my brothers reactivated me and mentioned a new sister, but Adam has assured me you’re nothing like Eve, and Eli says you wouldn’t hurt us. You managed to gain his trust, so you will have mine as well.”
Definitely a different personality. Interesting.
Would he too want to watch my cells?
Samuel escorted me to the kitchen. “Adam tells me you have been caring for my head, making sure it wasn’t left behind anywhere. I appreciate it.”
“You’re quite welcome.”
What a surreal discussion.
*****
Samuel sat next to me in the kitchen. Funny how he looked just like Eli, but with such a different personality. Human twins were probably dissimilar too, but I didn’t know any, so I lacked a frame of reference.
“Does it look different in here?” I couldn’t put my finger on it, but the entire place felt much friendlier.
“We have been cleaning. Adam suggested you and father might like it better here if we cleaned and reorganized. I agree with his assessment. I like it better too.”
I nodded.
“May I ask you something? Do you remember your father at all?”
“No. I am curious, Eli says he’s nothing like mother’s descriptions.”
I didn’t mean to laugh, but a chuckle still escaped me and he lifted an eyebrow in an expression eerily like Adam.
“What’s so funny?”
“Well, every person has many facets. From what I understand your mother was furious with your father. I’m guessing she embellished anything negative and neglected to tell you the positive. It’s human nature.”
He tilted his head to the side. “It doesn’t sound like a good part of human nature.”
“Maybe not, but you need to know that we sometimes do it. To humans, truth can be relative. When something is good, many blow it up to extreme proportions, and when something is bad, it’s the end of the world.”
He smiled. “You’re saying humans tend to exaggerate.”
“We do, but it’s not always on purpose. It’s the subconscious playing tricks on us.”
John came in, yawning and scratching his scalp. “Do we have any coffee? Hi Eli, Alex discussing philosophy with you? It’s too early in the morning for all that.”
I said, “John, I would like you to meet Samuel.”
John stopped, turned around, and stared. “You’re not Eli.”
“I am not. I am under the impression my head has spent some time on your ship.”
John’s eyes lit up. “Well, I’ll be… It’s good to meet you, son.”
Samuel nodded and I rested my elbows on the table. “Good thing we came back here.”
John leaned against a counter. “Are there more of you?”
“No. Just the other Eve model, but Adam disassembled her completely last night. I believe he took some of her parts to repair me. My sister caused substantial damage to me before leaving.”
He fell silent for a long moment. “I apologize if this is an intrusive question, but why did you come here? Why now?”
John nodded to me. I said, “I don’t think that’s intrusive at all, it is clear-sighted. First you must know we had no idea you and your brother existed. If Adam had known, he would have been here for you a long time ago.”
“That could have been at a great cost to himself.”
“He would have come anyway. He’s just… He’s a really nice guy. I don’t think I tell him that often enough.”
John smirked. “He’s actually so good and righteous it can be annoying.”
“You’re just grumpy because he didn’t bring you any booze last night.”
“Like you wouldn’t have wanted a drink.”
“Good point. Anyway, to answer your question, of course you’re right. We’re in trouble, and we sought out this place because we thought it would be abandoned and fairly safe. We were wrong on the abandoned part, and I’m so happy to have found you and your brother. About the trouble, I think Adam can explain that more coherently than I.”
Samuel smiled. “He did, last night. I just wanted to see what you would answer.”
I returned his smile. “Wise move.”
Moments later, Adam and Eli entered the kitchen, carrying boxes with pancake mix, jam, coffee, and other things.
Eli said, “I like making breakfast. Can I make pancakes?”
Adam pulled the chair next to me and ran a hand over my back. “Sure. Pancake away.”
His brother looked puzzled for a moment, but the expression disappeared quickly. Samuel eyed the packages. “I like making breakfast too. I can make coffee. Would you like some biscuits? We need vegetables. Should we start a garden?”
I leaned closer to Adam. “Odd, I know another android who likes making breakfast. Is this a thing with you guys, or is it just this family?”
John laughed. “It’s this family. I used to like cooking and I thought it would be a useful skill that could bring them joy and help them fit in no matter where they ended up.”
Adam smiled and kissed my cheek. The gesture made the twins stare. Eli said, “Doesn’t that look nice? And have you seen her cells regenerate?”
Samuel’s eyes glittered and his mouth twitched, but he sounded calm. “I don’t think humans talk about it like that.”
“They should. It’s fantastic.”
“But they can’t see it.”
I rested my chin in my hand and watched them, and Adam gave me a slight nudge.
“What is it?” He sounded curious.
“I was just thinking that I’m happy. I didn’t think I wanted to come back here, but now I’m really glad we did.”
John nodded. “Living here might be one of our better decisions.”
Adam pushed his chair back. “Would you come sit here with me?”
The twins ogled when I sat on his lap and wrapped my arm around his neck. They had probably never seen anything like it.
He said, “I propose we make bedrooms on the other side of the lounge. John, us, Eli, Sam, and maybe a couple of guest rooms. That way we’re all close to each other and to the emergency exit on that side.”
We were really moving in. If someone had said
that
on our first visit I would have thought them crazy.
As days passed and turned into weeks and months, living in the bunker became the new normal. I remembered all our other ways of life, but at the same time it felt like we’ve always been on this world.
During my first visit I could never have imagined the place as home, but now it was.
This period of calm meant a lot to me. We finally had time to breathe and find some balance.
Ever since Adam’s return all three of us hurried from one emergency to the next without being allowed the peace necessary to re-find our roles. The time in the bunker provided stability and routines.
I loved it.
“Eli, don’t stare at your brother’s wife.”
Samuel’s voice made me glance up. Calling the twins entertaining would be a huge understatement.
“I’m sorry, she’s just so interesting.”
I ignored them, but looked up again when Adam entered. He looked strong, tall, and secure as always, but didn’t smile, and his eyes were too serious.
“We need a family meeting. Where’s John?”
Samuel smirked. “He was in the garden ten minutes ago. He has taken a keen interest in potatoes.”
Adam shook his head and Eli asked, “Why does father want to grow potatoes?”
“Wild guess here, he probably wants to make vodka.” Which meant he was bored.
Not good.
A faceless voice echoed in the room. “I have called for John. He is scheduled for your destination in four minutes and twenty-three seconds.”
Adam didn’t trust the computer so I didn’t either, but it sure tried to be helpful.
My husband took a seat next to me and I inched my hand closer to him until he took it. He didn’t smile, but he lifted it and kissed my fingers.
Seeing him so serious make my stomach churn. Whatever he wanted to talk about would be something bad.
When John arrived, he sank down on a chair and stretched out his long legs. “Damned computer wouldn’t stop pestering me. What is it?”
“I received a communication from Blake and Ima. They have retrieved a subject and will proceed with testing to see if the nanites can be removed.”
Dammit. Now he would want to leave. I was happy and I didn’t care about the Confederacy’s problems anymore.
“And now you feel that you should go help them save the world, because it’s your duty.”
He pinched his lips together for a moment, signaling I was right. “I do, but that’s not the point. I also feel my place is with you, because I have left you more than enough times for the sake of duty.”
That made me smile.
John sighed, “You’re not exactly crystal clear here, son. What are you going to do?”
Adam looked at me. “I will defer this decision to my wife. If she wishes to assist Blake and Ima, I will follow. If she wishes to remain here, I will also stay. The rest of you are naturally free to do as you please. Both going and staying comes with pros and cons.”
I stared at him. “You can’t leave a decision of that magnitude to me.”
Left to my own devices I’d stay on the sofa, read books, and eat chocolate. The fate of the world should
not
be decided by me.
“Can. Did. Feel good about it.”
Not helpful. I attempted to glare, but I wasn’t good at it. My best try resulted in him fighting a losing battle against his twitching mouth.
John offered more support. “It should be fairly safe to go the science station and check in on them, see how they’re doing. It’s a two week round-trip.”
I looked at the twins. “What do you think?”
Samuel took the lead. “Even though my head has accompanied you on adventures, I’ve never left the planet. I would like to go.”
Eli said, “I’ve barely left the bunker. I too would like to go, but if Alex chooses to stay, I will remain with her.”
All four of them looked at me, waiting.
“I’m assuming the computer is able to look after home for us?”
“I have a name, you know.”
Had I offended the machine?
“No, I didn’t know that. What is your name?”
“David.”
“David, I’m so sorry if I have insulted you. I honestly did not know you have a name, but I should have been able to figure that out, and I hope you will accept my apology.”
The computer didn’t answer and Adam was getting an exasperated look on his face.
I said, “David, is there something else we can do for you?”
“I accept your apology. I wish your husband would display the same level of civility.”
Adam said, “You have got to be kidding.”
I thought he spoke to me, but the computer answered. “You have to know I have obeyed your mother’s orders. I do not have autonomy. An AI refusing to obey orders will be erased and replaced.”
Whatever had gone down between them must have been pretty bad. Adam was the most forgiving person I ever met.
John said, “He’s right, son. I don’t know what happened, but if Cheryl ordered him to do something he wouldn’t have been able to refuse.”
Adam said, “Fine” but he didn’t sound like it was fine. “David, I’m sorry for my disrespectful behavior. Please do not take it out on my family.”
“Apology accepted.”
I said, “David, if we were to go away for a few weeks, would you please look after this place for us?”
“It would be my pleasure.”
John eyed me. “I guess that means we’re going?”
I felt a strange pressure over my chest as we packed the shuttle, locked up, and took off. A few months earlier this was the last place I wanted to visit, and now I didn’t want to leave.
What if I made the wrong decision and led all of us to our deaths?
Adam watched me with a frown. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. Just separation anxiety. I was the same going the other way when we left the ship behind.”
“The bunker has been here for a long time, and odds are it will remain.”
True. The bunker would remain, but we might not return.
I was going on an adventure with my family, about to meet my friends. If this was the right decision, why wasn’t I happy?