Not Much Wiggle Room

"What route do you have today?"

"I have the East Huey route."

"Well, you can't get all the good ones."

"Mr. always gets North Eosted really gonna complain to me about his routes."

"I couldn't care less what you think, I'm just gonna go."

One got in the truck to the right and the one going to east Huey got into either the 7th or 8th one.

There might be specific trucks for each route. I hope getting in this one wasn't a bad decision.

There were 3 more trucks that went over 15 minutes, none of the drivers talked about what route they were taking. I grew more nervous for each minute that passed. There could be any variety of idiosyncrasies that the workers notice. The skateboard my clothes especially the missing tools.

I thought about switching trucks but as far as I knew there wasn't any difference between the trucks and I just had to wait. Luckily the next person who walked in got into the truck I was hiding in and started driving.

I was glad to have a robot body. Every bump transferred to my joints and was jarring. If I had a normal body I would be bruised.

We got stopped at a gate, the driver stopped and rolled down his window.

"Marco how's it."

"Ah you know man Cerina just started Elementary school. You never realize how fast they grow up until you're the one taking care of them.

"Hah just wait till she's in high school you won't be ready in the slightest. We weren't ready for Jaad but now I think we've kept Lista away from the worst of it."

"Well, it's cuz these Detrite motherfuckers that pump the shit in that we have to worry so much about it."

"On God bruh, there might even people at the center helping them, makes me fucking sick."

"Well, no signs of life you're clear. Adios"

"See ya round."

The conversation between the 2 means that school is still widespread and that high school drug culture is alive and well. Apparently, the drugs are also coming from these areas. I don't find that impossible but at the one, I was at it didn't seem like there was a syndicate that was complex enough to do widespread manufacture and distribution of drugs.

Either that or it's so advanced it was able to blend with the scenery naturally. The truck spent ~30 minutes on a highway and got off.

We were methodically making our way through alleys and I decided to get out. The best time would be while he uses the automated arm to pick up the garbage can.

I made my move quickly clambering up and down the side. instead of running away which would probably be noticed I laid flat under the truck it was pretty high off the ground so I wasn't really worried about getting hit.

The truck pulled away with no ceremony and I was in a residential area. The houses were close together but still looked like single-family homes. It seemed like if the world was overpopulated then this would be a rich area if it wasn't it would just be normal.

There were a lot of streetlights and they all had cameras mounted on them. It would be kinda weird if the ai got advanced enough to tell I wasn't supposed to be there but it could still be possible. Maybe with facial recognition, they could tell if someone who didn't belong in the neighborhood was there.

There were trees too albeit rather sparsely it wouldn't be that hard to fin 3 times as many in. There was also not a single person walking the streets.

I started walking down the road thinking about which house would be the best to break into. It's not a rosy thought but I need stuff a lot more than these people do. I saw a house where all the lights were off and the windows were only 5 feet above ground level. Some of the lowest on the block. In addition, the streets were very clear with no one walking on them and only the occasional car.

Still moving quickly I took the garbage can from the street and moved in under the front window. Last, I peeked to see if anyone was in there there weren't so I decided to act. I used the can of the blowtorch to break open the window I could've used the wrenches but I didn't want to spend 5 minutes trying to sort through it because it was so overstuffed. I ran inside looking for anything usable most things would be too big to carry so I had to think fast. The police might already be notified.

I ran past the tv room to the kitchen and grabbed the 2 largest knives. On my way upstairs I grabbed the backpack that was hanging on the banister. The toolbox that I had been carrying in my hands fit nicely in. I started looking for the master bedroom. I found it and went straight to the closet looking for clothes that would fit me so I could blend with society better.

In the closet, any reasonable outfit was drowned out by 3 leather ones. I dropped the backpack and stood thinking of what horrible things happened to me when I had my mind constantly rebooted forgetting it all. How I wished I could take revenge for everything that must've happened to me in that time. On every person that must've paid for it.

"Mommy?"

Shit someone was home and based on the age of the kid the mom was also home or on her way back no one would leave a kid that young alone for too long.

I grabbed the 3 most normal outfits stuffed them in my backpack and grabbed what was probably her jewelry box suppressing my anger. If there was a gun in the house it would be in the bedroom I can always leave through the window too. I looked in both bedside drawers and found only what you'd expect from a couple with a wardrobe that resembles theirs.

I did take the curtain rod though and used it to break the window. It was a bit unwieldy at 6 feet so I broke it in half. That doesn't say good things about the durability but the ornamental ends were solid metal and even a bit sharp. So using it as a sort of hammer could be a good idea.

Since it was brick below I tore the comforter off the bed and threw it down. I also there down the bags I was carrying first.

"Something is better than nothing."

I jumped down. It couldn't have been great for the joints in my legs but I kept going picking up my bags. I decided to check the garage too it was open, fortunately. No car inside but it was definitely coming back soon. I opened the garage door planning to leave.

There were many useful tools most too bulky to carry around in public. They had bikes though I took the one that probably belonged to the mom and left the garage.

Looking both ways down the alley I saw no cars as I quickly pedaled away.