Chapter 12

GMN-1 woke up in her room. The first person she remembered was GMN-8 and then the dead body. Yesterday was crazy. She could remember everything like she was outside of her body watching. She had a feeling like she had audience, she sat up.

"You are awake" Mr. Deccan said

He and the rest of the GMNs were in her room with two doctors, one a female who she didn't recognize.

"How's 8?" She asked and the rest of the other GMNs looked away.

"She's dead! "GMN-5 said

"I don't understand "GMN-1 replied 

"She's dead and it's all your fault! " GMN-5 replied angrily.

"5! You can't say that" GMN-2 countered

"It's nobody's fault " GMN-7 said

"No? Because of her we were delayed. We wouldn't have been there if not for her" GMN-5 retorted

"You can't blame her for that. It's not like she was the one that attacked us"GMN-4 said

"I'm with 4 on this" GMN-6 said.

"She was the one person who wasn't there, the reason we were there in the first place. We were waiting for her. " GMN-5 countered

"She saved us! It's not like she asked us to go there or is in possession of the gas that can render us weak" GMN-6 said

"What are you saying now!? That it was Mr. Deccan because he sent us to go there... "

GMN-5 was interrupted by Mr. Deccan

"I think that has gone far enough! "

"I don't understand what she means by dead, I mean we can't die right? We are not even living to begin with. We were created remember, so how can she die? " GMN-1 couldn't wrap her head around this. They were machines, weapons how could they die?

"She's dead, stopped existing, terminated, whatever, she's just gone! " GMN-5 said sorrowfully

Mr. Deccan was beginning to think that he may have over estimated the relationship between 1 and 8 but no matter, he would use it to his own advantage.

"GMNs leave! " he commanded. They left dragging an unwilling GMN-5

"Did she really stop existing? " GMN-1 asked solemnly. Mr Deccan nodded

"I thought that was impossible? " GMN-1 asked

"Like I said you are novel species sorry creations which we have limited knowledge about and like I said our analysis shows you weren't completed before the unfortunate accident " Mr. Deccan said

"Did you know we could bleed that much? Thought it was only humans?"

"No, I thought so too"

"So she stopped existing and it's all my fault"

Deccan walked around her bed to the window. "Do you know why you were labelled one by your creators? " when there was no response he continued "because you are supposed to be better, the best, the saviour and right now you are at the bottom, disappointing. You've let down everyone that ever counted on you. I didn't want to say this but thanks to you 8 is dead. Your inadequacy is the reason she is no longer in existence. GMN-5..."

"Hates me" GMN-1 completed

"She doesn't hate you. She's just angry. Until you step up many more are going to die, many of your own and you are few to begin with. This is a matter of survival. They are depending on you, how many more deaths will you be held accountable for before logic takes over. She has little faith in you and soon the others will follow."

" I don't know what to do"

"I know what you need to do but you need to be willing to do anything to survive. If not for you, then for the rest of your kind. 8 is dead, 9 is still in existence and so are others. You need to look out for them and do what's best. They are out to kill you all and they may likely succeed because you favour stupidity. "

GMN-1 listened. She was weighted down by the realization, that in hind sight all these was her fault. She was drawing her mates back, she was the reason they had been there, the reason 8 was no more and probably the reason they were attacked because she stopped them from attacking first. The words that man said continued to echo in her head 'abomination'. She knew virtual every English word to know that was a very vile term. This people didn't hate them because they did something wrong but because of what they were. Those opinions could never change, she was certain. What they needed to do was destroy those who had those opinion. Deccan stood up and left with the two doctors.

"Underhand method, huh Deccan? " the female doctor said.

"Guess it works best with her" he said and walked away.

******

When GMN-1 came out two days later, everyone noticed that something was not as it were before. She came down quietly and stood with arms folded.

"Hey GMN-1, sorry about the other day. 5 was just sad, none of that was your fault " GMN-7 said. GMN-1 just nodded but didn't say anything.

The training that day was brutal but the most brutal thing was GMN-1. Her attacks were destructive, her defences lethal. She was the perfect combination of wicked and deadly. Every blow was aimed to kill. The instructors couldn't match her so they had to pair her with other GMNs. She didn't go easy on them.

"I think you have created a monster" one of the instructors told Deccan.

"Nonsense. She's not even near perfect yet" Deccan replied giving the instructor directives on how to further train her.

"Are you okay? " GMN-3 asked GMN-1 after training as she was leaving.

"Mmm" was the only reply he got as she turned and left.

"Do you think she was pushed too far? " GMN-4 asked but no body knew.

"I think she's just seeking for attention " GMN-5 said

"You accused her of killing one of our own and now she's seeking for attention " GMN-6 said walking out. The rest followed leaving GMN-5 who followed after some time.

"That one is very petty" the female doctor said

"I've noticed. She seems to have something against GMN-1" Deccan commented

"Your star project. Tell me why again your projects still exhibit human emotions?" She asked

Because they were once human but he didn't say it aloud. He knew what she meant. Their human emotions were still holding them back. He would have to do something about that.

"And their technical trainings? " the female doctor asked

"Learning how to dismantle surveillance takes time but we are making progress" Deccan said.

"Your time is almost up. "

The GMNs found GMN-1 running on the tracks. Her fastest record yet. She didn't acknowledge them but kept on running.

"Yep, something is definitely off" GMN-9 said. Since GMN-8 stopped existing he became the smallest. He was quiet but smart and seemed to know his way around human technology than the rest of them.

GMN-1 stopped in front of them and picked up her towel to clean her face. She had successfully worked up a lot of sweat.

"Want to talk about it? " GMN-7 asked

"I was wrong. Humans cannot be trusted. We kill them before they kill any of us again." GMN-1 replied

"Maybe they just don't know us. If we want acceptance, we can't go about killing them" GMN-2 said placing his arm comfortingly on her shoulder. GMN-1 looked at the hand on her shoulder and said.

"That's not what I want anymore" she said and took off running again.

******

Practice was a bit fun for the GMNs as they discovered some of their new characteristics. They could scale walls, extend and retract their claws, could jump on to or off high things, pick up tiny sounds but as much as they wanted none of them could fly.

They were pushed hard, trained hard as if their lives depended on it and it did. They were taught survelliance. It was a week of intensive training and by the end of the week they knew why.

Deccan entered with the female doctor and a very bulky file. They knew little about the woman, she is a psychologist, their psychologist. Rumours have it that she married well or something like that. She was constantly around Mr. Deccan.

Deccan dispensed the content of the file. It contained pictures of people and buildings including their layouts. The GMNs flipped through the pages. The outstanding photo was that of a man. He appeared to be in his mid sixties.

"Larry Hutton. Patriarch, business man and underground weapon dealer. First target." The female said.

"Target? " GMN-3 asked

"We believe he has amassed a lot of weapons which he either sells or rents out. Some of the weapons used in the attack came from his weaponry."

"So in other words, he armed the men that attacked us" GMN-6 said

"You could say that" the female doctor said.

"What do you want us to do? "GMN-1 asked.

"We've received information that he is sponsoring two groups that specialize in hunting novel species. We want that partnership terminated. " the woman said.

"We want him dead and the content of his weaponry brought here" Deccan said