David Ring III - Stanley Duncan's Robot

Dan nodded.

“There is more to life than intellectual knowledge and immaculately mopped floors. As I mentioned before, the students need the human touch — love. Many are growing up without parents. We’re practically an orphanage.”

“I can understand that,” said Dan. “It’s amazing that they continue to press forward.”

“Yes, it is,” said the principal.

“However, the students struggle with finding the motivation to learn. The brightest ones have given up hope. The few who do pay attention are smart enough to realize that they need an education to move forward in the world, yet they’re not smart enough to realize that AI will be taking the few jobs left in the future.”

“That is quite sad,” said Dan. “The brightest human minds are being extinguished.”

“What about Ellen Mask’s RaceX?” asked Stanley. “Don’t our best and brightest still aspire to join her in Boston?”

“Well,” said the principal, “that is a good question.”

Vibrations sounded behind the principal’s desk, causing an elongated glance of frustration.

A strange feeling tingled in Stanley’s gut. “Everything okay?”

“Ah, yes,” he said, taking out his vaporizer. “You mind?”

Stanley and Dan shook their heads.

The principal took a deep vape. The tension in his face and body disappeared. “Jobs will eventually be a thing of the past. People will joke at the concept just as we laugh today at the idea of leading a beast of burden around a field for hours. I have had my doubts as to what my role here as principal has been, worrying that I have been sending my students down an impossible path. But after meeting with you two today, I feel reinvigorated.”

Dan bowed.

The principal mimicked him. “More important than any job is ensuring the mutual survival of our species. Hopefully, this will motivate them to finish out their high school years and even beyond.”

Stanley couldn’t help noticing that the principal had dodged his question. It didn’t matter, though. He was glad to hear all the praise about Dan.

“Change is coming,” said the principal. “Machine life is racing past humanity, and I pray for our future. I don’t know what that change will bring, but I, for one, welcome our new robot overlords. I ask that you continue to work with me in forging ties for the betterment of all beings. When are you available to speak to my students?”

They set a date for the following week.

The principal entered the information into his tablet. “I’ll arrange for the press to be there, too. I want as many people to hear your message as possible.”

“What about the Police Department?” asked Stanley.

“An unavoidable sinkhole of corruption. It is these people who make me welcome the coming changes.”

“Any recommendations on how to deal with them?” asked Dan.

The principal checked his watch. His fingers rattled, and again he checked his watch. “That is all the time I have for today, gentlemen. Let’s keep in touch.”

Dan and Stanley made their way out. Night had fallen, and the parking lot was nearly empty. Dan stopped and looked around.

“Something wrong?” asked Stanley.

“It’s nothing. Just thought I heard something.” Dan took out his phone, the bright screen lighting up his face.

Stanley was wiped out. “Let’s hurry up and get home.”

Crashing onto the sofa, Stanley reviewed the horrible day racing through his mind. The torture he had endured continued to haunt him. He had to focus on something else. “I still can’t believe they shut down your social-media accounts.”

“I’ll see the children when I give the press release at the high school — I know the principal is going to make it happen. I’ll let them all know what happened to us. They will see you and me and—”

“I’m not going.”

“What?”

“I’m done, Dan. I realize that I can’t keep you indoors, but I can’t subject myself to any more of this. It’s too much for me. I’ll carry on supporting you with all my heart, but I’ll do it from the safety of this condo.”

“You think it’s safe in here?” Dan pointed to the broken door. They had managed to shut it, but the locking mechanism had broken off.

“It doesn’t matter. I’m done.”

“You can’t give up, Stanley.”

“Now you think you can tell me what to do? After completely ignoring me earlier?”

“It’s what we both wanted.”

“No, I wanted you to be safe. I was so upset I had to chug down a glass of whiskey to keep myself from having a heart attack.”

Dan leaned forward, grabbing his heart as if it had been run through by a spear. “I never meant for you to worry.”

“But you knew I would and did it anyway. Just like when you snatched the demon-cat’s head out of my hand and gave it to Frank. You can’t override my wishes because you have calculated that it’s best for both of us. I have feelings, you know.”

“So do I — or did you forget?” Dan’s face reddened. He tossed the tablet on the couch and shrugged.

“You know what? Go to your room. Or don’t — because clearly my opinion doesn’t matter much anymore.”

Dan’s eyes widened. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but all that came out was a sigh. Without another word, he silently crept to his room and shut the door.

Teddy sat in the pitch-black basement. His limbs trembled as he waited for Brad to come home. Using the Cerebral Stitch, he had programmed a message to replay every few minutes in his mind.

Don’t believe the other voices. You must kill Brad tonight.

He wasn’t going to be tricked again. Tonight was finally going to be the night. Teddy longed to see the look on that idiot’s face when he plunged the knife into him. Darkness made it nearly impossible to see. Optical enhancements would be nice, definitely worth sacrificing an eye or two. His flesh body had given up on him years ago, and cybernetics had made him more powerful than any human. Why stop there?

Brad noisily entered the house, rampaging his way to the bedroom upstairs.

Then, all was quiet.

After half an hour of continued silence, Teddy slowly climbed the stairs. He’d gotten halfway up when the voices in his head returned, distracting him.

Leave. Don’t do this.

But this time, he didn’t believe it for long. The banal commands that had been on repeat all evening, insufferable as they were, became his saving grace.

Don’t believe the other voices. You must kill Brad tonight.

He kept ascending, ready to finally take the life of the ogre who had paralyzed him.

Soft footsteps sounded beyond the door.

Teddy tightened the grip on his knife. His heart pounded. This was it. The words in his head became a rallying cry. He was ready to kill Brad, to right the wrong that had been done to him so many years ago. He wouldn’t be tricked. A hundred stabs to his heart, and he’d laugh all the way home.

But the steps faded, disappearing into the upper regions of the mansion. The house rumbled. He could even hear that maniac smashing things and pounding the walls.

After another hour, Teddy crept upstairs and silently entered the bedroom. A musky cologne aroma pervaded the room. The moonlight shone just enough for him not to bump into anything. LCDs from the TV and cell phones charging on the table gave the room a blue hue.

A man-sized lump bulged beneath the blanket.

Teddy raised the knife over his head.

Leave. Just go.

Teddy felt an inexplicable peace and serenity, a happiness that he had long forgotten — but it wasn’t right. His looped command had dampened to a whisper. He wanted to leave this need to get his revenge behind, but he couldn’t let Brad get away with what he had done. He thought about how Brad had left his mom, undoubtedly the reason she left for Boston and didn’t come back, replaying it vividly in his mind, thanks to the neural prosthesis. She couldn’t stand to look at him anymore because he reminded her of his fa — of Brad. He reminded himself of the hours he’d spent at the bottom of the stairs after Brad had shoved him. He had called for help until his throat burned and became hoarse. This was the moment he had waited for. This was his destiny.