Chapter 62 - The leader (1/2)

Memory REPLAY>Grant

I never agreed to be a leader. Somehow, this burden fell upon my shoulder without my consent. I knew Doctor Churchhill was not someone I wanted on my bad side. The way he tackled Demos left me shocked. Even before the incident, he made it clear I was not to mess with him. He is our maker, after all, I ode him allegiance.

The first thing I saw when I came back to my senses, was a blank ceiling and the cold steel table on which I laid.

”Don't try to turn,” said the male voice on my left.

”Where am I?”

”Sognare's workshop,” the man said shortly. Metallic clicking followed his plain answer. Pain surged from my wounded arm tearing screams from my throat. My basis programs shouted to move but I couldn't. Something blocked all my movement.

”No need to panic. I'm only checking the damaged nerves,” he chuckled.

”It hurts,” I grimaced.

”Sure it goes, I designed you that way,” he patted my shoulder. For the first time, I got a glimpse of the man speaking to me. We are old with grey wavy hair around a smiling face. No at all menacing, yet something in his eyes was off.

”You did?” I inquired. He paused and smiled at me.

”I designed you, wrote your codes, spent countless hours on your AI... Yes Grant, my child. I am Doctor Churchhill,” his statement took a second to settle in. Maybe, the pain caused the lag. Slow footsteps faded to my left, followed by a creaking chair.

”How should I react, I am conflicted. Should I be happy or angry?” his head tilted up from whatever he was typing on a workshop out of my field of vision.

”Angry? Why should you be angry?” his voice held a hint of repulsion.

”I couldn't protect my mate. I wasn't built for combat. I got those wounds because my design was flawed,” I added dryly. He blinked so I opened my mouth to continue.

”Flawed?” he cut in before could say another word. His cold gaze rested upon me. A long silence stretched between us. The pain pulsed in my left arm taking my focus off the old man.

”Maybe, you're right,” he finally said with a deep sigh. ”You can move now,” he added. With that, the pain subsided also. I moved my face so I could see him more clearly. Doctor Churchhill was hunched over a large desk with three screens surrounding him. He leaned into his chair then whirled around towards me.

”Maybe, you're right,” he repeated while nodding.