Conduit

Ch. 14

Frank and I stood in the garage as the Kelly's Retailers androids were unloaded from the truck. With three 757 guards at their sides, I watched them, a little uneasy with who escorted them to the other Lyons floor. I rolled my fingers into fists. "They know we're not disposing of them, right?"

"They do," Frank cleared his throat, "or they should."

Should. Right.

I looked at Victoria, and with my head, motioned toward the guards and the androids. Her gaze slid over in their direction. "Do me a favor, Vicky. Can you follow them, please?"

"Of course," she said with a small smile. Her hand peeled out of Reggie's as she headed in their direction, and he quickly moved to follow her.

I put up my hand and stopped him. We locked our eyes. I'd noticed for days now that he and Victoria were attached to the left hip, but he couldn't be at her side now. It wasn't safe for him. I knew if it were up to Katherine, he'd be set to be dismantled in a heartbeat. "Stay with me," I told him. "We'll go upstairs in a minute."

Reggie didn't argue, nodding as he stepped back against Frank's car.

A slow breath left me as Frank cleared his throat. "So, with what you saw out there, are you able to make this update or fix what Katherine wants?"

"By tomorrow?" I blinked. "That's impossible. I'll need more time than that."

He nodded, understanding, and looked at the floor. His bottom lip slid between his teeth as he bit down. "She needs something that would prevent what went on today. I don't know what you can do, but I think, for both of our sakes, you should try to do something."

Both of our sakes? I sighed and looked up at the garage ceiling. "I know she doesn't get it, but I know you know by now that an update isn't going to fix this, Frank. You saw evidence out there with your own eyes. The androids are mad, and they have every right to be."

His gaze lifted as he met mine. "I know..."

"Do you?" I chewed on the insides of my cheeks.

"I do." Frank's hands went above his head as he growled in frustration. I knew by the sound of it, and the look in his eyes, that the feeling wasn't toward me. If someone was constantly breathing down my neck to do something now, I'd be frustrated, too. I knew my current situation was the same, but it'd only just begun for me.

What he felt hit the air, so much so that I knew Reggie felt it. The larger android rubbed his hands together as he looked at the two of us, then he looked at his feet. I wish I could read his thoughts; I knew there was a storm in his head.

He saw with his own eyes what the world had to offer androids when it came to people. What kind of look was that for androids?

Frank put his hands over his face as he pushed off his car. "Look, I understand that this issue is global and beyond Lyons at this point."

Oh, he's getting it. I nodded. "So, then you understand there's no magic fix for this."

He lowered his head. Defeat radiated from him. I felt it hit my chest, seep into my bones, but I had to shake it off. I had to figure something out. "Um, Frank, earlier today—"

"At Kelly's?" Frank eyed me.

I quickly shook my head. "No, no, before that. With Logan, I—"

"Look," his brows shot up as he sighed, "it's not any of my business who you talk to. Logan, despite his rule-breaking, is a good employee."

Good employee. That was the only compliment he could think of, huh? I snickered and passed my hand over my neck. "I wasn't going to talk about him like that."