[Moon Child] Escapism

[Number One]

One did jump a little when she spoke to him. He turned and smiled at her, straightening and shrugging a little.

"Sixty-five got up before me and I think he came down here to explore. I'm sure he's around here somewhere..." he said, watching interestedly as she dug through the fridge. He looked behind him again, hearing something. He saw Sixty-five sitting in one of her couches, amusing himself with the softness of it. One couldn't help but smile. Sixty-five had never been in a human's home before. One had just barely gotten him out of the warehouse to keep him from being murdered. One turned back to Kylie.

"Told you," he said, nodding back to his friend. He cocked his head a little. "Would you like for me to make tea or coffee? Something?" he offered, wanting to be as helpful as he could.

[Kylie Alexander]

Kylie looked over at him and then found the other AI scooting around with a smile on his face. That, she processed, was the most odd thing she had ever seen in her life. She smiled and looked back at Number One.

"Sure." She responded pleasantly as if these two had known each other their whole lives. She bit her lower lip and looked back at the food she had. "Do you all, eat?" She frowned and glanced back at him and then smiled.

"You know, you really need to have another name. Number One just sounds so...mechanical, no offense!" She laughed lightly. He was easy to get along with and easy on the eyes. She was glad he hadn't killed her in her sleep and she was sure he was thinking the same thing.

[Number One]

One grinned at her, and began about making some coffee. He was very good at directions, and could find his way around any new place very easily. He glanced over at her and nodded emphatically.

"Yes, we eat. Quite a lot, in my case," he said, laughing a little. "Sixty-five won't eat much, he's a little bit of an older model and doesn't need too much. The other's may or may not...depending on how they feel this morning..." he said, pouring the coffee into the maker and closing the top, beginning to set it. After a moment, he finished and looked over at her, a questioning expression on his face.

"Oh?" he said, thinking about it a moment. "Number One...I suppose it would sound a litte strange to humans. Paul never gave me a name, he told me it would be risky to call me by a name in public, people might question his dedication to making us safe..." he said. "I wasn't supposed to feel anything at that time. But I did. He activated my emotion chip early, and then deactivated it right before the raid on the I.D.C. headquarters..." he explained. Then he laughed a little.

"Not that you care..." he said, grinning. "But I wouldn't know what else to call myself."

[Kylie Alexander]

Kylie stopped playing in the fridge to lean on the island in the middle of the kitchen and just talk and watch Number One. He was very interesting, simply because of the fact that he was not real. Well, he was real, but not in the flesh and blood sense. It was quite amazing and he was very unique.

"I love food." She said with a laugh. "But anyway, yes, Number One is very different. It doesn't really flow off my tongue that well." She laughed lightly and grabbed a banana out of her fruit bowl and began to peel it, taking a bite before glancing up at him with slit eyes.

"I wouldn't know what else to call you. You look asian, something asian would be in order..." She laughed lightly after a moment and sighed out. "Listen I am trying to give you a new name!" She rolled her eyes and looked back at her fridge, not opening it just staring at it as if this were David and Goliath.

[Number One]

One smiled a little and watched her eat the banana. He looked down at the floor. He didn't really know that much about names. He was privy to almost every other bit of useless knowledge, but the knowledge of names and why they were chosen was not hardwired into him. Most AI's never had names except for their numbers.

He looked back up at her, and then stepped over to the island, picking up and apple out of the same fruit bowl. He took a moment to wash it, before biting into it and chewing thoughtfully.

"Well..." he said, looking up at the cieling. He glanced over as Sixty-five finally wandered over to where they were. He moved behind the island to stand next to One, who offered him the apple. He took it with a smile and began to eat at it, watching Kylie inquistively, as if he were trying to judge what she was thinking just by looking at her.

"Tell you the truth, I don't know anything about names..." he said, shrugging a little. "I've never really understood the concept of naming someone. It isn't really unique. After all, there will always be a hundred other people with the same name."

[Kylie Alexander]

Kylie laughed lightly. Why was he so cute all of a sudden? Like innocent and just precious as could be? She wasn't wanting to dwell on it for too long for she just might like it. She shrugged and leaned on the island again and looked at the two AI's who looked so perfect. It was ridiculous. Suddenly she had AI envy! A smile formed and she shook her head.

"Names are our identity, as your number is yours. Except names have hidden meanings. Some names can mean certain things, like a pearl, or a flower, or love. It is just interesting to name someone. It is an extension of themselves, their identity." She sighed.

"Your name would have to be somethign sweet, yet powerful. You seem like a born leader, a good man, strong, smart..." She slit her eyes and studied him and grinned.

"I'd name you if I had one to give." She smiled. Yeah. He was too precious for his own good. And it made her sick to actually think it.

[Number One]

One couldn't help but grin. He looked down at Sixty-five who didn't know what kind of a conversation they were having and he clicked at him a little to explain, trying to keep the computer language down to a minimum, considering to a human being it would probably sound a little more like an alien than not. After he explained to his friend, he looked back up at her.

"Well...if you think of one, I'd like to know it!" he said, a little more excitedly than he meant to. "I always did covet real people with real names. Like my maker, Paul Simmons. I always thought his name suited him. And your name suits you too," he said, smiling. "Even though I couldn't tell you why."

One glanced down at Sixty-five who was still munching on his apple. One put a hand on his head and mussed his still slightly damp hair. One looked back up at Kylie.

"I hope you don't mind we used up some of your water to shower in..." he said, tapping Sixty-five's head to indicate he had too. "We were in desperate need of cleanliness..."

[Kylie Alexander]

Kylie laughed. It would have to be unique and one of a kind, simply because he deserved a name that nobody would have or want to have. She definitely figured she could amuse herself in the shower with trying to think of a silly name to give him.

"Not at all!" She replied with a grin. She was awfully smiley this morning! She figured it was because of her new friends, lord knew she needed a new pair! "I am going to do that myself, actually." She tossed the peel away as she swallowed the rest of her banana.

"If anyone comes to the door or anything, don't say anything. Hide if you must. Or come get me." She nodded and smiled before turning to head to the shower. She hoped all would go well until their departure, whenever that was to be. Hopefully not sometime soon and not sometime too far off. They had to be careful, espcially now that it was being a top priority in Mallepa to find these bots and destroy them.

[Number One]

One nodded at her and watched as she went back and disappeared around the corner to head back to her room and the shower. He sighed and decided she wouldn't mind if he scavanged a little for food. He instructed Sixty-five to go sit on the couch and turn the TV on, but to keep it low, while he made himself something to eat.

He had always cooked for his maker, so he was very good at it, and it didn't take him long to make himself something easy--bacon and eggs--and get a cup of coffee to drink. He moved in to sit with Sixty-five who was watching the News.

As soon as One sat down and looked at the television, his stomach fluttered a little. Grabbing the remote, he turned it up a little. His picture was on the screen, as big as life, on the local news. His brow furrowed.

"This A.H.S.E., code four, seven, nine, eighteen, three, disappeared from I.D.C. headquarters three weeks ago. Property of I.D.C. president, and inventor of the A.H.S.E., Paul Simmons, and more commonly known as Number One, it is vital that this AI is apprehended and brought into custody. This AI should be considered armed and dangerous, and should not be approached. If you see this AI, you should call the C.F.F. of your area immediately. Be sure to stay inside if you see it, and if it invades your home, do not deny it access. Allow it to take what it wants, and allow it to leave as quickly as possible for your own safety. In other news..."

One watched in disbelief. He couldn't believe they were casting him in such a viscious light, like he was a criminal. He shook his head, looking down at his food for a long time. Why did no one understand? It was like trying to convince a brick that he wasn't evil. It was impossible. He didn't understand the hatred for his kind. One felt Sixty-five put a reassuring hand on his shoulder and One shook his head.

"I'm not an 'it'..." he said forlornly. "I'm real..."

[Kylie Alexander]

Kylie had been thinking long and hard in the shower, her mind curling around the idea of how she came to find him trustworthy and was actually empathetic towards his new situation. What was the world coming to these days? Honestly? Nobody cared much for human life let alone robotic life. Mallepa was so dangerous and it was almsot a shame that humans were taking their hatred out on a dying breed of artificials when in reality they should have been killing themselves, from what she saw Number One was more caring and generous than most humans and it was very damaging to how she felt about the C.F.F and her choice line of work.

Kylie liked Number One and felt that she at least owed it to him and his friends to show him that there was still hope. She sighed out as she walked out of the bathroom, her silk robe tied tightly around her waist, a towel draped around her shoulders rubbing her hair dry. The phone at her bedside rang and brought her out of her new line of thinking: Number One's designated name! It was a task she was finding very entertaining.

She walked over to the table where her small white phone sat in its charging base. She picked it up and put it to her ear.

"This is Kylie." She stated in her formal line she always used.

"Hey! It's me, Wes." The grin on her face slid. It was her overbearing partner at work who seemed to always call at the wrong times.

"Wes, what can I do for you?" She wanted to keep this short in case Number One or any of the AI's came to ask her something. To have someone heard in the background would cause Wes to pry and he'd definitely end up dropping by to check things out.

"Well, I don't know if you have been updated on the new situation." Kylie frowned, waiting for a response, but it was Wes he always wanted someone to initiate the conversation considering he loved to talk. She continued to rub her head.

"No, I am afraid not, Wes. Why don't you tell me." She could hear him smiling through the phone.

"We have a lead on a group of robots heading out into the country, at least we suspect. The leader of the pack is being broadcast all on television." Kylie's heart almost stopped. She looked around the room and searched for her remote. When she found it she almost dived at it and quickly turned it on the news, seeing Number One's face. Her jaw dropped and she almost wanted to make a sound, but realized the enemy was on the phone with her.

"I see. Well, I haven't spotted any. If I do-"

"I think I should come on over and investigate. I mean, I don't want him harming you or anything." Oh she knew he'd love to come on over and stay a while! She frowned.

"No, Wes, no. I am fine really. Look I have a lot to do today. I'll call you later. Bye!" She hung up quickly and tossed the phone on the bed. This wasn't good. Who spotted them? How long ago? She felt nervous, all good feelings were gone. Wesley would most definitely be popping in sometime soon. She needed to dress and warn the others.