3. Aaron

Year 2233

My hands braided as I moved the screwdriver, tightening the nuts on my new invention. I hadn't slept that night, not even when I last slept well, maybe a month ago, maybe a year ago.

It was an invention that could revolutionize the city, maybe the whole world.

"Aaron" Bill said for the thousandth time.

"Shut up, I'm concentrating" I said, scolding my robot companion.

I had created Bill when I was fifteen years old. Bill had originally BEEN generated to be a building cleaning robot. Orange spheres that loomed over the city with rollers in their hands that they used to wash and vacuum.

Bill had been dumped at the recycling center and when I watched him, I rescued him and took him home. I had taken away that huge roller that he used as arms, instead, I fitted him with mechanical arms that he could use to tighten and loosen nuts, as well as fingers that he used as a screwdriver. Then I took that pesky orange paint off and painted him yellow, which allowed me to find him when he wasn't around.

When I rebuilt Bill I thought he would be a great ally, I never thought that resetting his digital memory would find me with his lousy personality.

"Aaron" repeated Bill" today is the last day".

"That can wait" I said as I tightened the last screw. I took off my glasses in excitement and leaned back, hoping it would work that time.

A couple of weeks ago I thought I could come up with an invention to harvest energy through the air. It wasn't the best idea, but the invention could help in places where there was no power, maybe to power a tractor or maybe a stupid robot.

It was a small gray box, with a ventilation system to let air in and a small light bulb that was supposed to turn green when the invention worked.

Excitedly I pressed the button on my new invention. My feet shook with excitement as the bulb began to light up.

"wow" said Bill.

"you should praise me more, I'm great" I said with a smile on my face.

"you are the best inventor ever, master" said Bill and although I couldn't hear his emotions, I knew he was being sarcastic.

I said nothing, walked over to my dresser and grabbed my cell phone. I plugged my plug into the device I had created. My cell phone slowly began to charge, showing how its internal energy was beginning to rise.

My body was filling with excitement until the machine began to shake. I wanted to grab the cell phone and unplug it, but touching it burned my skin.

I gave a small grunt of pain as the machine let out a black smoke and my cell phone went out.

"danger, danger" Bill started to say as he paced around the room.

"can you shut up" I said" damn it Bill, all my machines have failed since I met you, I swear one of these days I will take you apart and use your parts in new machines, that would be the perfect revenge".

"but master, you know well that I am not the cause of your misfortunes."

"stress is a cause of my misfortunes" I said.

Bill walked away as he picked up the screwdriver again to reopen the machine, I wouldn't have to start from scratch. It had to be an overload, maybe with a higher power chip I could get it to work.

"Master, today is the day," Bill repeated for the thousandth time.

I threw my screwdriver on the table and then looked at Bill, I swore I would take it apart at some point, when my nerves would pass.

I went to the bathroom, took off my shirt. I looked in the mirror to wash my face and brush my teeth. Just touching the water the grease on my hands began to descend, how long had it been since I had taken a shower? Who cared how I smelled anyway, I just wanted to look presentable.

I walked to my bed and grabbed my backpack. On impulse I grabbed the machine, maybe I could take it apart when I had some free time.

I ordered Bill to stay and watch and not let a thief steal my things. I left my small apartment and walked to the corner, there was a good bread store that would help me survive that day.

...

It was quite a while before I got on the train, I was eating my breakfast very calmly waiting for the time to pass to get to school.

Classes had started a couple of weeks ago and because of my non-attendance I had been given a notice to report or else I would be expelled. That's why Bill insisted that I hurry up and finish my machines.

I didn't care much about the academy, from an early age I had supported myself based on my knowledge of mechanics, fixing neighbors refrigerators or any household appliances.

If I was expelled from the academy, maybe a social servant would come to my door to find out why I was wasting the city's resources, it would be more bureaucracy or more wasted time.

The best thing was to show up at the academy once or twice a month to pretend I was interested.

My mind was seduced by the cityscapes. Huge metal buildings loomed into view, with man-made parks showing on huge rooftops and the occasional building.

Cars that flew back and forth, trying not to crash into each other as they parked in the parking lots.

A slider that had activated its emergency system when its engine began to fail. I stopped at that last sight, a broken slider meant income if I was the first to offer help and be able to repair.

I got off at the next station. I took out of my backpack a small sphere that turned into a skateboard when I pressed a button.

I started to descend to where I had parked the skateboard, I could miss the first period of the academy. After all, if I fixed the bike, I would have food for that whole week.

The rider kicked the slider as if that was going to fix it, I got a bit of a chuckle when I got to where I was.

"if you kick it I don't think it's going to work" I said when I was finally able to get close.

"it's a crappy bike" said the biker in a juvenile voice" I should sell it to the recycling center, it would help me with the hitch to get another one out".

"they would give you a crap load of money at the recycling center" I said as I walked over to look at the bike" it's a Wings 1550, right now, they are classic sliders that may well fetch a million Jolts worth, there is no new bike that compares to its value".

"I see you know sliders" said the motorcyclist as he removed his helmet.

It revealed the face of a young man in his early twenties, dark complexion, with curly hair, who was trying to keep it short. Huge lips figured on his face and his eyes were marked with curiosity, with a degree of craziness.

"I know sliders and I know I can fix it" I said with a smile on my lips, it was my time to get some money out of it.

"can you do it?" asked the young man" it would be a surprise, the different workshops I have gone to have told me it is a piece of crap".

"where you have gone they don't know about sliders my good gentleman" I said emitting a smile on my face" would you allow me to try?".

The young man nodded.

I approached the slider, grabbed the handlebars and began to open the control panel, displaying a green colored screen that began to point out to me the details of the bike. The engine was no good, the sway was on the verge of blowing up and the elevation was off, at least it seemed that way at first.

I entered a code into the control panel and the screen started showing me lines of text that to few would make any sense.

I pulled my computer out of my backpack and used a cable to connect it to the young man's bike.

"What is that?" asked the young man as I look at the computer" it must be from the last century."

"the technology of yesteryear is better than now" I replied without paying much attention to his comment, it's not like I had the patience to explain to him when my only objective was his money.

The computer started throwing several lines at me throwing me the real problem with the motorcycle. I laughed a little when it showed me a little bit of a slop inside the engine head, it would be a simple thing to fix although somewhat time consuming.

I pulled a pair of pliers and a screwdriver out of my backpack and started to disassemble the bike.

...

About three hours had passed when I tightened the last screw, I watched the boy's face looking at me with some curiosity, as if for the first time I had seen a mechanic at work.

"You have some oil on your face" he said, when our eyes met.

And you have a stupid face, I thought, but I kept quiet, it was time to charge.

"good" I said, trying to keep a face of satisfaction, "the slider has stayed, you saved yourself from buying something new".

"Really?" he asked with some joy in his eyes, " if you really did it, you must be a genius, maybe the best mechanic in the whole city".

"you can try the slider if that's what you want" I insisted with a smile on my face" but before you do, we talked about how you'll be able to pay me".

"Pay you?" he asked curiously" if you have offered to help me".

My hands couldn't help but show patience and my face revealed my true personality.

"listen asshole, you can't expect people to do things for free when you don't even know them, what did you expect, that because of your pretty face people would do things for you. No, the asshole was me not asking if you had money to pay me, damn it, I wasted four hours of my day".

"easy, if it's money I'll find a way to pay you, I'm just short on funds right now."

"your ID, I want your ID, I'll look for you later to charge you and I swear if you don't pay me I'll make your life in the city hell" I replied.

The young man nodded and made a command in the palm of his hand and a screen was revealed showing his ID.

Carter Pein, 18 years old, Police academy student, class 3, contact number, 555-555.

"must be a stupid prank" I said to myself.

"I swear I will pay you back" I said.

"Of course you will, Carter," I replied with a sly grin, "Got an extra case? I'll drive".

"wait...".

There was no time for Carter to say anything else when I revealed my ID.

Aaron Mark, 18 years old, Police Academy student, Class 3, contact number, 444"444.

"you're the famous kid who has been skipping class since the cycle started" said Carter pointing and with a mischievous grin, " wait, this is interesting, what do you do in police school when you're a mechanic?".

"I'd like to know too, because of that stupid academy I have to stop working" I said.