THE PLAN (2)

WITH A SCREECHING OF TIRES SHE PULLED BREAKS OF HER CAR.

“THAT WAS SOMETHING EXCITING IN THE WHOLE DAY.” SHE SAID WITH EXCITEMENT. SHE WAS IN FRONT OF A GREY AND DARK BUILDING. A SHUTTER FOLD UP GIVING HER WAY ENTER INSIDE. SHE PARKED HER VEHICLE AND GET ON HER WAY TO THE HALL.

AS USUAL, SHE WAS LATE FOR HER DINNER. SHE TOOK A LOOK AT THE TIME AND ROCKETED TOWARD THE DINNING AREA. WITHOUT WASHING HER HANDS SHE SAT ON HER SEAT DESPITE OF SENSING THE PRESENCE OF SOMEONE ELSE AT THE TABLE.

“MY GOODNESS! I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU BROKE ROAD SAFETY RULES AGAIN.” A SWEET YET BOLD FEMALE VOICE SAID.

“OH. I’M SORRY SOL.” AND SAYING THIS SHE STARTED TAKING BITES OUT OF HER SERVED FOOD.

“I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU...” SOL WAS SAYING SOMETHING WHEN THEY HEARD A THUD FROM THE HALLWAY. THEY BOTH RUSHED TOWARD THE HALLWAY. IT WAS KETTY, A WHITE FEMALE CAT, WHO WAS NEW IN THE HOUSE.

“SHE MIGHT HAVE TRIED TO HANG ON THE TABLE.” SHE SAID PICKING UP THE PORCILIN VASE AND PUTTING IT BACK TO ITS PLACE.

“I DON’T LIKE THIS CAT.” SOL SAID WITH HATEFUL EXPRESSIONS.

SHE LOOKED AT SOL FOR A FEW MOMENTS AND NODDED. AND THEY BOTH AGAIN LANDED ON THE DINING TABLE. THEY RESUME THE SUPPER. BEFORE THEY COULD TAKE ANOTHER BITE A ROBOTIC VOICE ALARMED THE WHOLE HOUSE.

“AELLA! YOU SHOULD SEE THIS.” A BOY IN HIS TEEN YELLED.

SHE MOVED SWIFTLY TOWARD SOURCE OF THE VOICE. SOL FOLLOWED HER FROM BEHIND. SHE LOOKED AT HIM AND RAN TO HUG HIM. HE HUGGED HIM BACK. SOL WAS STANDING NEAR THEM WATCHING THE WHOLE SCENE WITH HER FLAT EXPRESSIONLESS FACE.

“I’M SO HAPPY THAT YOU ARE BACK.” THE BOY CHEERED.

“NO. I’M HAPPY THAT YOU ARE OKAY. BUT YOUR VOICE...?” SHE SAID LOOKING AT SOL.

“WE ARE STILL WORKING ON THE NEW MODEL OF ELECTO-LARYNX. IT WILL BE DONE IN TWO DAYS. UTILL THEN WE HAVE PROVIDED HIM WITH OLD VERSION OF THE DEVICE.” SOL REPLIED SMILING EYE TO EYE TOWARD HER.

“OKAY.” SHE TURNED HER GAZE TOWARD THE BOY. “HOW ARE YOU FEELING AX...?” SHE ASKED THE BOY TAKING HIS HANDS IN HER AND LOOKING AT THEM WITH EXTRA CARE.

“I’M FEELING GOOD NOW AELLA. THANK YOU.” AX REAPLIED SHOWING HIS TEETHING TO HER.

“WHAT WAS THAT YOU YELLED SO LOUD AX...?” SOL ASKED AX.

“OH. YES. COME. I HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU.” AX SAID TAKING A HAND OF AELLA AND LEADING HER TO THE BASEMENT.

IT WAS NOT A BASEMENT BUT A BASE WITH DIFFERENT KIND OF ELECTRONIC EQUPMENTS. SEVERAL KINDS OF SCREENS WITH DIFFERENT LANGUAGES AND NUMARCALS, SEVERAL CONTROL PANELS AND KEYPADS ALONG WITH NUMEROUS GLOWING LIGHTS AND NON STOP BEEPING SOUNDS. AX SAT ON THE CHAIR AND RAN HIS FINGERS ON THE KEYBOARD. SUDENLY A SCREEN APPER IN THE THIN SCREEN WITH A LIST.

“WHAT IS THIS AX...?” AELLA ASKED HIM LOOKING AT THE SCREEN.

“HE GOT A CALL FROM HIS MASTER TODAY.” SAYING THIS AX CLICKED ON AN ICON ON THE THIN SCREEN IN AIR AND AN AUDIO STARTED TO PLAY. IT WAS THE WHOLE CONVERSATION OF AURTHER AND HIS MASTER. AFTER LISTENING TO THE AUDIO AELLA SAT ON THE CHAIR NEXT TO AX. SOL WAS STANDING BEHIND BOTH OF THEM LOST IN HER OWN THOUGHTS. THERE WAS TOTAL SILENCE IN THE BASEMENT, RAPID BEEPING OF THE MACHINES WAS THE ONLY SOUND THAT WAS NOW NOISE. BUT NONE OF THE THREE WAS BOTHRED ABOUT IT ANYMORE.

“WHAT SHOULD WE DO NOW...?” AELLA ASKED LOOKING AT AX WHO WAS ALREADY GAZING AT HER.

“WE STILL HAVE TIME.” SOL SAID LOOKING AT AELLA.

“HOW...?” AX ASKED.

“HE SAID DAY AFTER TOMORROW.” SOL REPLIED LOOKING AT AX.

“THAT’S HOW WE WILL GET TIME TO REPLACE THE CHIP.” AELLA EYES SPARKLED WITH FINAL COMMENT.

SUDDENLY, A RED LIGHT FLASHED ON THE SCREEN. AX FLASHED HIS FINGERS ON THE KEYS OF BOARD AND A THIN SCREEN APPERED WITH A MESSAGE.

“GET MY LAB READY TOMORROW. WE WILL BE OPERATING TOMORROW.”

THEY WERE SHOCKED BY WHAT THEY JUST SAW ON SCREEN. AELLA LOOKED AT AX AND THEN TURNED HER GAZE TOWARD SOL. SOL LOOKED AT HER WITH A WHITE FACE.

“HE WILL BE OPERATING TOMORROW.” AX SAID CLOSING ALL THE MONITORS IN FRONT OF THEM.

“I KNOW THAT ALREADY. TELL ME SOMETHING NEW.” AELLE YELLED WITH FRUSTRATION.

“OH! OKAY.” AX REPLIED. HE STOOD UP FROM HIS SEAT AND DRIFTED A BIT TO STAND IN AN OPEN SPACE. HE BLINKED HIS EYES AND WITH A PATTERN OF LAZER LIGHT, A PICTURE OF THEIR NEW CAT APPEARED IN THE THIN AIR.

“LOOK AELLA. I CAN PROJECT IN AIR NOW.” HE SAID LIKE HE WAS SO PROUD OF HIS NEWLY ACQUIRED SKILL.

SOL LOOKED AT HIM WITH A RED FACE. SHE WAS ABOUT TO SAY SOMETHING WHEN AELLA YELLED AT HIM.

“DO YOU THINK THIS IS FUNNY...?” SHE WAS FRUSTRATED AND IN DISBELIEF. AX BLINKED HIS EYS AGAIN AND THE LIGHT SHOW WAS GONE. AELLA STOOD UP AND STARTED TO PACE BACK AND FORTH IN THE SPACE.

“ARE YOU MAD...?” AX ASKED.

“NO.” AELLA REPLIED STILL BEING FURIOUS.

“BUT YOU LOOK MAD.” AX ADDED.

SHE LOOKED AT HIM WITH CAT EYES.

“YOUR FACE IS SCREWED UP LIKE YOU ARE MAD.” AX CONCLUDED.

“I’M PRETURBED. NOT MAD.” SHE REPLIED STOPPING AT THE CONTROL PANEL.

THERE WAS SILENCE FOR FEW MINUTES. SOL SAT ON THE SEAT WITH HER LIPS CLOSED. AX EASED NEAR AELLA AND LOOKED AT HER CAREFULLY LIKE HE WAS AN X-RAY MACHINE.

“YOU STILL LOOK MAD.” HE DECLAIRED. THEN HE DRIFTES HIS GAZE TOWARD SOL WHO WAS STILL BLANK.

“I’M NOT MAD! BUT I WILL BE SOON.” AND WITH THIS SHE BLOWS A HARD PUNCH ON THE CONTROL PANEL AND BREAKS IT INTO PIECES.

AX GOT STARTLED AND MOVED TO SOL AND TRY TO HIDE BEHIND HER. SOL STOOD UP AND COVERED AX BEHIND HER.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING AELLA...? THIS IS NOT A BATTLE FIELD.” SOL SHOUTED AT THE TOP OF HER VOICE.

“WHAT ELSE I CAN DO...? TELL ME! THIS IS IT.” AELLA UTTERED IN A DARK INTENSE TONE.

“WE STILL HAVE CHOICE.” SOL REPLIED LOOKING AT AELLA WHO WAS TREMBLING WITH ANGER. SHE LOOKED AT SOL WITH WIDE EYES.

“REALLY...?” AX EXCLAIMED JUMPING IN FRONT OF SOL.

“YES.” SOL SAID SMILING SOFTLY.

“WHAT CAN WE DO...?” AELLA ASKED HER SITTING ON THE CHAIR NEXT TO HER.

“IF MY CALCULATIONS ARE CORRECT THEN WE NEED ONLY SEVENTEEN MORE HOURS TILL IT WILL BE COMPLEATED TO BE IMPLANTED. AND UNTILL THEN YOU JUST HAVE TO AVOID GETTING TO THAT LAB.” SOL EXPLAINED.

“GOOD IDEA.” AX EXCLAIMED.

“OR MAYBE WE CAN TAKE THAT MICROCHIP FROM LAB AND EXCHANGE IT WITH ONE OF MY OLD CHIPS THAT I HAVE BEEN USING WITH OUR VARIATIONS.” AELLA SAID LAYING BACK HER CHAIR.

AX AND SOL BOTH GAZED HER WITH PUZZLED FACES. SHE FINALLY LOOKED AT THEM AND SMILED MISCHEVIOUSLY.

“THAT’S NOT A GOOD SMILE.” SOL TOLD AX MAKING HIM SIT ON A CHAIR NEAREST TO HER. SHE LOOKED AT AELLA AND CROSSED HER HANDS ON HER CHEST.

“TELL ME. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO THIS...?” SOL ASKED AELLA WITH A BLANK FACE.

“ITS GONNA BE FUN. BELIEVE ME.” AELLA AND TURNED TO THE BIG SCREEN ON WHICH A PICTURE OF AURTHER WAS FLOATING. SHE LAUGHED AND TUREND TOWARD AX.

“IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO GET TO WORK.” WITH AELLA’S WORDS AX STOOD UP AND MOVED NEAR TO THE SCREEN BESIDE AELLA.

“I DON’T THINK IT’S A GOOD IDEA...?” SOL INTUREPTED.

“OH IT’S GONNA BE SO MUCH FUN.” AELLA SAID WINKING AT SOL.