Chapter XVII

Their ears wished they were in a monastery instead of a lab so that they can pray for the acute sound to stop. It was the same sound that the president has used to keep Automatons at bay. For the human ears, the noise was just a buzzing sound that could barely be heard, but for the robots, it was designed to penetrate through their sensitive hearing system. The sound vibrated inside their head more than opalescent colors. The echoes of the cruel sound decided to bask a little while in their head even when Cloyd has stopped the alarm and ran out of the building with his team members, with a struggling Mega between his arms.

"My Goddess, I am so sorry... I promise to make it up for you!" Yoel closed her ears. His word carried by the wind amidst the noise, landed softly on her ears like dried seeds of the dandelions. But it does not matter how beautiful they sound, they are merely verbal salves that he gently massages on her heart to soothe her. But ointments are not for repairing broken pieces.

Yet again, her heart untethered itself and made her turn around and hold him. When he hugged her back, his arms brought stars to her tar-black soul and made it shine bright.

The long-awaited divine peace of silence has finally arrived as the noise disappeared, but Éloa's and her siblings' eyes have turned into a lurid color. This has worried Yoel greatly and she fainted like a wilted flower, but he caught her. With a stifled curse, he scooped her up into his arms and carried her outside to his car.

She continued to slowly wilt in his arms and even California's irrigating rain could not wake her up. But the weather did not matter, he knew that even the warmth of the scintillating sun was not strong enough to carry hope to his heart. It seems that their love has an affinity with jinx, but he will still fight for it. He cradled her fragile body until it was completely warm with his passionate heat before he laid her down on the back seat.

He drove aimlessly on the empty roads. His shaky fingers could barely hold the steering wheel so he switched the car to self-driving mode. He tried to think of what he should do next, but only dark thoughts danced on his brain. He could not get her to an Automaton mechanic shop because most of the humans who did not get killed by a robot have fled the city. He could not ask the help of any Automaton because they were not to be trusted, but her of course. He turned around and stared at her and it suddenly hit him... His father!

"Call my father's cell phone number." He ordered his car's voice assistant.

"Calling- Mr Elyakim Cohen." The voice assistant replied.

After few rings, his father picked up the phone. "Yoel?" He sounded surprised.

"Abba, I know you are probably mad at me because I left without a notice but I need a safe haven." He begged.

His father sighed, "Your mother's death took a toll on you, I understand son. Listen, I will text you the address of a safe location where Automatons cannot enter due to the sound waves. That's where I am staying."

"Thank you Abba, but," there was a sudden numbness that dried his throat, "I actually have Éloa with me. How can she enter the building?"

"What? Are you stupid, why would you be with a fucking droid?"

"I will explain to you later, but you have to trust me. Please, just for once dad!" His voice cracked with sadness.

His father did not reply, but Yoel's computer watch which was connected to his phone beeped, revealing a text message from his dad with an address.

"Call me when you are here, I will deactivate the sound system for few seconds until you enter the building and then I will turn it on."

"I will never forget your favor." Yoel hung up and quickly ordered the car to drive to the address.

The address led him to one of the Cohen's newest estates in Long Beach. The iron gates of the estate were painted yellow and the fences were hinged to several Doric columns. Before you enter the mansion, you were welcomed by the great greenery of the front garden where butterflies get lost in the immense maze like design of the yard. Populated by mature Oak trees, shrubs and perennials, the garden had also a big fountain on which water danced ballet; reflecting light into shimmering patterns.

The engine was still running when he picked her up and used his leg to close the door. "Turn off the engine, lock the doors and turn the alarm system on." Ordered Yoel his car voice assistant.

"Turning the engine off, locking the doors, turning the alarm system on." Replied back the system.

When he headed towards the front door, something peculiar caught his attention. It was the topiary bushes that were shaped into letters which said "Happy birthday Yoel".

He raised his eyebrow high in confusion as he stared at it. Who put this here? His birthday was in December. His father opened the door and ushered him inside. Yoel quickly followed his father into the beautiful foyer of the mansion. Although it was extremely hot in Long beach, there was a big gray marble fireplace which matched the color of the big crystal chandeliers. There was also a large Star of David wall art that decorated the door near the house elevator. But the ugly sound systems that were installed on the windows have ruined the rich vibe of the place.

"What is this place?" Yoel asked.

"Your mother designed this as a vacation home for us, far from ASI. She was planning to throw you a secret birthday party here on December." Just mentioning his late wife reveals the pain he has hidden between his words.

"Ima..." Though she is no longer alive, Yoel could still feel her presence watching over him. Whenever he closes his eyes, he sees her in a beautiful white gown with purple roses on her hair.

Elyakim cleared his throat, "are you going to explain to me what you are doing with an Automaton? You do realize that they are trying to kill us now?"

"She is different," he answered. He set her on the sofa, kneeling before her to arrange the pillows under her head. "She is conscious just like you and I and the humans before us. And she loves me and I love her."

His father stared at him in disbelief for few minutes before he burst into laughter. "I have missed your sense of humor, son."

"I am dead serious." He pointed at his heart, "this thing flutters like an angel's wing every time she is around me. She is the midnight drive that I take to soothe my aching soul. She is the clouds that hide the scorching sun of my pain. She is the mystic wind that refreshes my wounds."

"I know you have always wanted to be a poet, but an Automaton cannot inspire your romantic verses." His father shook his shoulders violently, "this is reality! It is a machine not a human, the sooner you let that sink in the easier your senses will grow back."

"Abba, what makes us different from other creatures and things?" Yoel smiled.

"What?"

"If what gives us our humanity is consciousness, then why do we not consider them as equals?"

"That still does not make it human! It will never be able to give you kids, it will never have a sense of humanity, it will never be able to replace a real woman."

"He's right." They both turned around to look at Éloa. She has woken up a minute ago and has been listening to their hurtful exchange. Her eyes seemed to have regained their usual color and he was lost in their beauty again. "I will never offer you what a real human female can."

"I don't care, babe." He held her hands, "you make me feel like no other real human female has ever made me feel."

"But this relationship will just be us trying to pretend that what we have is normal." She looked like a wingless bird that has given up on flying.

"It does not matter if what we have is real." He caressed her cheeks.

"Son, you are just attracted to her because obviously its face imitates that of a beautiful woman. Your instincts are just confused because it looks human. What about your dreams of fatherhood? This stupid machine can never bear children, it probably does not even know what a womb is!"

"Would you say those things if I have fallen in love with an infertile woman?" Yoel glared at him.

"No, because this not the early 2000s and the success rate of IVF is 100%."

"No matter how much you judge us, I will never give up on her. If you do not want to help us then just say it so I can take her somewhere else."

Elyakim shook his head in disappointment, "what do you want me to do? Bring a rabbi to marry you to a machine?"

"No, I want to create a Pro Automaton human group to bring peace between us and the robots." Yoel turned his head to look at his lover, "and she will rule that group with me."