Code: 213

Ultimate

Those red eyes...
The same color as Nila once had. I don't even realize that I start to back up. "I- I didn't mean to" the robot stutters out. The robot stuttered. "What did you do?" Keira asks, but we all know the answer to that question. The small alleyway is filled with the sound of hoverdroid engines. "THE ULTIMATE! IT TOLD ME TO DO IT! IT WASN'T ME IT WAS THE-" before another sound could be let out, gunfire from the hoverdroid above us rained down on the android. I freeze in place as I watch the androids body fall to the ground. The hoverdroid sounds louder and louder and I realize it's landing.

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Keira and I sit in silence in the back seats of the hoverdroid. Neither of us have spoken a word since chasing the android down. The engines are loud but I can make out a couple words spoken between the pilot and the gunman.

Pilot: "..... is the ............ something....... happened"
The gunman seems to nod in agreement.
Gunman: "the fact ............ buying ...... beyond..."

Soon enough the hoverdroid lands at the IPD station. The gunman helps us out of the hoverdroid and the pilot takes off. He leads us through the large burgundy doors. The smell of fresh coffee and paper hits my nose. At the station, there's two police officers who I assume are waiting for us. One of them tall with short brown hair and the other only slightly shorter but bald. "ID please", the tall one says. Keira shows him her ID first, then I show him mine. The bald officer steps up to me and asks me to follow him. I follow him down the long corridor, my boots clicking on the mahogany floor. Eventually, we turn left into a relatively small room with one table, two chairs, and no windows. "Anastasia Hansen" the officer begins. "My name is Officer Melcast and I'm going to ask you a few questions about the events that occurred today" he states. "Where's Keira?" I ask. "She's currently being questioned by Office Fetcher". I assume that's the tall one with brown hair. The questioning begins.

Officer Melcast: Do you know the name of the android that you ran into this morning?

"No" I reply bleakly.

Officer Melcast: When did you encounter the android?

"When my friend and I were leaving work" I say to him

Officer Melcast: Why were you and Keira leaving work at this hour?

"Our workplace is in the Issaquah area. We were told to leave early".

The Officer hums in response while frowning at his paper. "You're free to go" he states blandly. I get up and walk out the door, hoping to meet Keira at the entrance. While trying to find my way back to the front of the station, I find myself lost in the maze tall corridors. I stumble upon a room that's cracked open. I know I shouldn't be looking but I can't help it after noticing multiple files open on the computer in the room. I push the creaky door open and look at the files:

Case #3
3/14/2093, Homicide by Android
Elaine Vargas

Case #7
4/28/2093, Homicide by Android
Jonathan Bartley

Case #12
7/9/2093, Kidnapping by Android
Laurent Agnello

It was only the 29th of October today. These had all happened within the last year, the first dating back to 11/17/2092. I hear faint footsteps coming towards the small office. I slip into the electrical closet to the right of the computer. Officer Melcast and some other officer I haven't seen before step into the room.

Officer Melcast: Why was the door left open?!

???: My bad officer, I meant to lock it-

Officer Melcast: "my bad" isn't going to cut it. You'll have to take this up with the Sergeant. Anyways, about the cases.

Officer Melcast: They think in a fit of anger the 'droid hit her over the head with a metal pole.

It occurred to me they were talking about the case on the news this morning.

???: In all the previous cases the androids have mentioned something about an, "Ultimate". I think this case has something to do with that.

The officers continue their conversation on their way out the door. I release a breath I didn't know I was holding in. Carefully climbing out of the closet, I decide to scribble on a piece of paper the cases and their details. I sneak out of the office and continue trying to find the front office. Eventually I stumble into the main office, seeing Keira talking with Officer Fletcher. "Finally!" She exclaims. "Yeah-uh I got a little lost". We walk out the the station and talked about the questioning. The officers had asked us the same questions and we gave the same answers. I bid Keira goodbye as she gets into her car to drive home. I walk down to the bus stop, assuming the Light-rail is still closed. I sit quietly on the bus, lost in my thoughts on the entire way home.