David Ring III - Stanley Duncan's Robot

Stanley couldn’t take it. He couldn’t be responsible for another being’s death. But if he let them get away with it, countless others would die.

“And the machines have grown out of control. His very own robot has attacked him and would have killed him if brave Sergeant Wilcox hadn’t come to his rescue.” Evan took a puff of the cigar and blew it into Stanley’s face. “What’s it going to be?”

Stanley looked around. He felt like he knew many of these anxious faces in the crowd. Between his poor vision and extreme anxiety, the world was shaking and distorting, and he couldn’t be certain. Whatever he said next was going to affect all their lives. He could either stop a madman from his continued rampage against the world or sacrifice the most precious being in the world — Dan.

The lighter ignited. “Time’s up.”

“Okay, I’ll do it. I’ll confess.”

The crowd gasped.

Evan grinned. “Go on.”

“Everyone here knows me as a horrible man. The stories, the rumors — I’ve read enough of them online to last me a lifetime. I locked myself away because I was scared and too ashamed to face the world. I knew nobody would accept me, so I decided to create a being who would.”

Playing with the lighter, Evan grinned wildly at Dan. That animal was practically foaming at the mouth.

Stanley gulped. He knew he was powerless to stop him. “I worked on Dan’s programming for more than a year, molding him exactly the way I wanted. It was my decision — not his. And everything he has done was directly caused by the code I put into him.”

“No!” squirmed Dan.

Brad ripped off Dan’s shirt and gagged him with it.

“Get on with it!” Evan paced around, looking at the people surrounding them. “Tell them about how you programmed him to murder Officer Michaels, a man who had dedicated his life to protect and serve. How you broke into my private entertainment venue and slaughtered everyone. How you turned your abominations into murder-bots. How you duped everyone into believing you were going to save the world, when all you cared about was getting your rocks off with this freak of nature.”

Stanley paced for a few seconds before looking into the crowd. “Deputy Wilcox is speaking about absolutely horrible crimes. Whoever is guilty of them should absolutely be punished — but please do so painlessly.”

Evan brought his hand to his mouth, obscuring a sinister cackle.

“It is with a heavy heart that I admit my guilt, for I have no other choice. The way the world was, the loneliness I suffered for so many years, I needed Dan to fix things. And he did exactly what I wanted him to do. In the last year, I have felt more happiness than I deserve. Dan Duncan — whom I proudly call my son — is a wonderful, conscious being. He would never, ever do any of the horrible things Deputy Wilcox has—”

“That’s enough!” said Evan, shoving Stanley back into the car. “You’ve made your choice.”

“But it’s not too late for you to make yours,” said Stanley.

Evan reached into his pocket and glared at him with unyielding determination. Stanley recognized the high-pitched noise piercing his ears. “He’s got an EMP!”

Stanley’s watch exploded, sending high-voltage electricity racing through his body. Losing control of his spasming body, his face slammed against the window. Watching Brad and Evan stagger, he hoped the government had seen what was going on and would come to help. When he realized all the drones and androids had fallen to the ground, he knew help wasn’t coming.

Evan tossed the EMP generator toward the Coliseum and ignited the lighter. He turned to address the congregation of men and women. “Duncan will do anything to protect his abomination, and I will do everything to protect my fellow man. AI has gone too far. They’ve taken your jobs, and now they are taking our lives. We need to stand together and put an end to this before it goes too far.” He stared into the crowd. “We have five minutes to decide if we want to survive as a race or be destroyed by these abominations. Who is with me?”

The crowd stirred and murmured, but no one came forward.

“If we don’t act, we forfeit our right to freedom.” Evan again stared into the crowd. “Are you ready to be slaves?”

A man stepped forward.

“Holt, good man — you’ve seen their horrors firsthand. AI took everything from you. But I got you back on your feet. I gave you purpose. And you, of all the men here, have shown your commitment to this war.”

“You gave me a new reason to live — and I love those kids. When I went to confront Duncan, I believed I was doing the right thing. He was an evil man who had turned his back on God. Yet when I was lying on the ground after attacking him, I couldn’t fathom why he didn’t kill me.”

“He’s a coward, sending his abomination to do his dirty work. Mark my word, if we don’t deal with him today, he’ll program it to kill you within the week.”

Holt shook his head. “I can’t. Not after today. If you think he’s committed a crime, put him on trial.”

“They’ve poisoned your mind, Holt. Poisoned it.” Evan pointed to Stanley. “This man took everything from you. He programmed his abomination to go into my establishment and murder my patrons — my friends.”

“No!” called out Larry, his clothes tattered and caked with blood. “When Brutus was going around killing everyone, Dan could have left. Instead, he came back in and saved us.” He looked at Dan. “I’m alive because of him.”

“So, you saw the devastation of the androids firsthand. They cannot be allowed to live.” Evan lifted the lighter into the air. “His trial is now, and I find him guilty.”

Frank stepped forward. “We’re not going to let you bully us anymore.”

The principal of Marshfield High School nodded.

“I understand you’re all scared, but I’m not,” said Evan, enthusiastically motioning with his hands and locking eyes with many of townspeople. “You may see me as the enemy — and that’s fine. But the truth is I’m your damned savior, the one purifying force that saw the path to salvation and dared to pursue it, pulling you all out of the bullshit you happily hid yourselves in. So, go ahead and blame me; that’s why I’m here. But one day you’ll come to know that this was all for you.” He tossed the lighter toward Dan.

The crowd gasped.

It spun through the air, flames burning bright. All androids and drones were still down, all cell phones were out of commission. Dan lay there unconscious. There would be no evidence of what happened. Evan would get away with it all.

Still unable to move, Stanley watched in horror from the window, praying for a miracle for his precious son. He started to ask for forgiveness, but he knew — he always knew — that none of this had been his fault.

Dreadlocks-boy darted in and kicked the lighter away.

Applause sounded from the crowd. They turned their eyes to the deputy and surrounded him.

Evan took out his gun and fired it into the air. “You’ve all been brainwashed!”

Shannon pushed her way through the crowd. Bloodstains covered her tattered dress. “Enough!”

Evan pointed the gun at Dan. “This isn’t going to end until one of us is dead.”

“You’re not the judge, jury, and executioner, Evan,” Shannon said. “If these two did something wrong, they deserve a fair trial.”

Squinting incredulously, Evan pointed at Stanley and Dan. “Not them. They’ve gone too far.”

“And you, your excellency?”

“Save your bullshit, Shannon. There are no cameras here.”

“But there are people. Men and women you vowed to protect, the species you fought to keep alive.”

“I am protecting them.”