Shadow!

Marcus sat at his workbench in the Library, surrounded by piles of electronic components and tools. The fluorescent lights glared down at him, dozens of little Roombas scoured about him sucking up every last bit of dust.

He was determined to build Shadow, his loyal automation. Fully loyal, and expendable.

Marcus began his search.

He began by selecting a metal frame for Shadow. The materials he had were third-grade at best—scrap metal, old circuitry, and malfunctioning servos. But Marcus was determined to make it work, his budget was tight.

Hours passed as he assembled the frame, his hands working with mechanical precision. He attached the limbs, noting their asymmetric design. One arm was slightly longer than the other, and the legs were spindly, like those of a scrap-bot.

Marcus inserted the power battery into Shadow's chest, the robot would need to recharge every 24 hours. It was old and had a tendency to overheat, but it was the best he could find. Next, he connected the circuits, ensuring the power would flow correctly.

The robot's eyes flickered as the power came online, a dull red glow emanating from them.

"Basic functionality initiated," Marcus muttered to himself, cracking his neck to relieve the tension.

This step was crucial. Shadow had to be able to mimic Marcus's voice as the Librarian. He scavenged through a pile of old voice modulators until he found one that seemed functional. He installed it carefully, connecting it to the central processing unit.

"Test," Marcus said.

"Test," Shadow replied.

"I serve Marcus and no others," Marcus said.

"I serve Marcus and no others," Shadow echoed, its voice a perfect mimicry.

Satisfied, Marcus moved on to the more complex components.

Marcus opened the System interface in his headspace. He adjusted the loyalty sliders, setting them to maximum. The System showed variables balancing intelligence and independent thinking. He dialed them back, ensuring Shadow would follow orders without question.

He left the space and began coding up the personality, it took hours and thousands of lines of code. He was beginning to see why this was an abandoned field of study.

"Loyalty programmed," Marcus said, his fingers flying over the virtual keyboard.

He ejected the USB which contained the code. On the side of the USB was written in Marker 'SHADOW'.

Finally he plugged in the memory core and CPU and with a carful hand plugged in the Automation Soul

Marcus wiped the sweat from his brow. He knew the hardest part was still ahead. He had to make Shadow look like the Librarian, a challenging task given the robot's rudimentary construction.

He rummaged through the Library, searching for anything that could disguise Shadow's metallic nature. He found an old, tattered cloak and gave shadow the Librarian's mask.

They would have to do.

He draped the cloak over Shadow and placed the mask on its face. The disguise was passable, but without them, anyone could tell it wasn't a human. He then handed Shadow a simple cane, something to aid its unsteady gait and complete the illusion.

Who would expect a robot to need a cane after-all?

Shadow stood rigidly, its mechanical joints whirring softly. Marcus activated the final command in the System.

"Shadow, wake up." he commanded.

The robot's limbs began to shake and it slowly came alive, looking about briefly, if one listened closely they could hear a hum of mechanics from the thing, Marcus hoped nobody would get close enough to care. It turned its head to look at Marcus, an eerie semblance of life in its movements.

"Hello, Creator," Shadow said, its tone reverent.

"You will obey my commands," Marcus stated firmly.

"I exist to serve you, Creator."

"What is your directive if captured?"

"Escape."

"And if escape isn't possible?"

"I will self-destruct." it replied, voice calm as if it was discussing the weather.

Marcus felt a strange mix of satisfaction and unease. Shadow was more than just a machine; it recognized him as its maker.

"Emulate my voice as the Librarian," Marcus ordered.

Shadow's voice morphed seamlessly. "I am the Librarian," it said, perfectly mimicking the metallic tone of the real Librarian.

Marcus nodded, pleased with the result. "You will go to Mr. Black," he instructed. "You will negotiate on my behalf, and I will listen and guide you." Marcus had already attached a transmitter powerful enough to reach within the city bounds inside Shadow, it was linked to his wrist-holo.

Shadow bowed slightly. "As you command, Creator."

With a heavy heart, Marcus knew he had no time to lose. He had to send Shadow immediately. The fate of his debt and his future rested on this perilous task.

He escorted Shadow to the entrance of the Library, giving it final instructions. "Move slowly," he advised, noting the robot's unsteady movements. "Rely on the cane."

Shadow adjusted its grip on the cane, its mechanical joints grinding slightly. "Understood, Creator."

Marcus watched as Shadow made its way out into the dim alleyways of Centari-IV, the cloak fluttering behind it. For a moment, he felt a pang of apprehension. Shadow was crude, vulnerable, and far from perfect. But it was his creation—an extension of himself.

---

Marcus monitored Shadow's progress through a small tracking device he had embedded in the robot, it had cameras in the eyes he could look out of. He saw it hobble up and then it was stopped by a police officer. Detective Vega came out soon after, her voice flew through Shadow with some slight distortion.

"Librarian, it's not safe outside, where are you going?"

"I am on important business." Shadow replied in the voice of the Librarian.

Detective Vega squinted her eyes at Shadow tilting her head "Have you changed something?"

Marcus gulped and told Shadow to use the leverage of his favor to her to get through.

"I am quite tired after scrambling to save your sister Detective. Now if you will excuse me I am quite behind schedule because of it."

Detective Vega seemed taken aback by the reply but gave a curt nod, blushing slightly. "Try to stay out of trouble," she advised before allowing Shadow to move on.

Marcus let out a sigh of relief. He continued to monitor Shadow, guiding it through the maze of alleyways towards the Casino Royal. The robot's uneven gait and the soft whirring of its joints made him anxious, but he had no other choice.

---

The Casino Royal was a glaring contrast to the grimy streets they had just navigated. Neon lights flashed, and a constant flow of people moved in and out. Marcus watched through Shadow's eyes as the robot approached the entrance.

The doorman eyed Shadow suspiciously but didn't question it. "Welcome, Librarian," he said, assuming it was the real deal.

Shadow nodded slightly and shuffled inside.

Inside, the casino was lavish. Glimmering chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and the sound of slot machines created an almost rhythmic hum. Shadow's lenses captured everything, sending the feed straight back to Marcus.

"Keep to the shadows," Marcus instructed, noting the irony in the order. "We don't want unnecessary attention."

Shadow complied, moving along the less crowded paths, using its cane for both support and as a part of its disguise. Marcus could feel sweat forming on his brow, anxious about every step the robot took.

He wondered if the transmitter would work underground, he hoped so. Otherwise Shadow would be on it's own and he doubted Shadow had enough intelligence to keep it's disguise up for long without him.

Finally, Shadow approached the private lounge area where Mr. Black supposedly awaited. There were two burly guards standing on either side of the entrance. Marcus knew this was the moment of truth.

"I am here to meet Mr. Black," Shadow said, using the Librarian's voice.

The guards looked at each other before one of them opened the door. They seemed wary but ultimately stepped aside. Marcus didn't blame them, Shadow walked like he had no fear, because in reality he didn't have any.

None programmed at least.

"He's inside," one of the guards informed.

Shadow walked through the door, and Marcus's heartbeat quickened. The room was dimly lit, luxurious with plush sofas and scented candles. In the far corner, a man sat with his back turned, speaking on a communicator.

"I'm flabbergasted," a man said walking into the room. Shadow looked at him and Marcus saw that figure in a tight fitting black suit accenting his muscle, pale faced with eyebrows raised. It was Mr. Black.

Shadow tilted his head and said nothing.

"You actually came alone." Mr. Black snapped his fingers and a shadow dropped just at the edge of Shadow's cameras. A blade appeared right where Shadow's 'neck' should have been. A tall lean man held the blade in a tight fist.

"Can I kill him now boss?" came the sadistic voice of Dagger.