Chp. 4: Midnight pursuit

The afternoon golden hour is upon us and I take a moment to just breathe, acknowledging the humidity in the air and the sound of children laughing in the near distance. I'm not completely sure what to expect once we reach our destination which is Z3 Addison street, but I was hoping to get a good night's rest after this long journey.

We arrived at the bachelor cube and walked straight up to the front door. A sensor picked up our movement and an AI bot opened the door.

Maximus Residence Bot: "Good day sir, welcome to the Maximum Residence. Please note Master Maximus has left me in care of this residence. How may I assist you today?"

Terrchel: "Uhm, a robot... how odd. Okay then, well, this is my place, and I'm here to reclaim it. So you're no longer needed."

Maximus Residence Bot: "While you bear a resemblance to Mr. Maximus, my records indicate that he has passed away. Master Maximus is now the owner. Please reach out to him for any further inquiries. You should be on your way now. Farewell."

The bot closed the door in my face but I caught the door midway shut.

Terrchel: "Scan away for confirmation! Your database might just be playing hide and seek".

Maximus Residence Bot: "My software has been programmed by Mr. Maximus himself; there is a 1% chance of any fault. Based on your choice of words, I assure you Mr. Maximus was a man of professionalism and ethics; he wouldn't lower his caliber of speaking to assume a humorous approach".

Terrchel: "I understand your perspective, but there remains that 1%. Unlike you, Mr. Robot, I am not without flaws. Humans do make mistakes and evolve over time. Is this truly the way to welcome your creator home?"

Maximus Residence Bot: "I shall commence the scan".

I looked over at Leghorn, impressed that this might be working, but also worried that it may fail and we'd have the Arcadia patrol on us like a hawk. I looked up and the sun was dipping; I'd rather not go bench hunting again!

Maximus Residence Bot: "Your scan is complete. 50% match result. With that being said kindly remove yourself from this residence immediately or I will remove you by force and upload your data to the Arcadia Webspace".

Terrchel: "Hey, Leghorn, you think we should take him down?"

Leghorn: "And there's the 'yet' part of you not doing anything reckless. This is New Arcadia City. The patrol will have you brought before the headquarters, and our entire mission would be jeopardized because you'd be in the Arcadia cyber-cell, where jail is made up of an electric holographic box that will electrocute you at the slightest movement. So no, I think we should sit this one out."

Terrchel: "You knew this would be the outcome yet you still let me do the scan?"

Leghorn: "Yes, you need to make some mistakes so you can continue to learn and grow. I wouldn't want you reliant on others to make decisions for you".

Maximus Resident Bot: "Just so you know. I only allowed the scan for my own amusement. It's evidently obvious that Mr Maximus has been deceased for years meaning he would be years older than you if by some glitch he is supposedly alive and Master Maximus has been off the grid for years now just around when the digital rise of New Arcadia City expanded successfully".

Terrchel: "Urgh, boring! We were so close, and why did Arnold build you sassy? Aren't you just supposed to do your job and mind your business?".

Maximus Resident Bot: He is considered the greatest scientist that Arcadia has ever known, and he had a rather unique sense of humor. I once looked up his past records with the permission of his son, Master Maximus, and it showed that Mr Arnold Maximus was bullied a lot and couldn't stand up for himself. So, he wanted his inventions to display a part of him he could never fully step into because he built a world where he was his own prisoner and just followed instructions without any, as you say, "sassy" attitude.

Terrchel: "What a sad guy. Well, as much as I'm absolutely enjoying this unnecessary history lesson, it's dark out and we need to find a bench to sleep on because you clearly won't allow us access to the Maximus residence, THAT'S BEEN STANDING EMPTY FOR YEARS, MIGHT I ADD".

Maximus Residence Bot: "I wouldn't want to waste any of your time further in allocation of this bench, thank you for stopping by. Goodbye".

The robot wasted no time shutting the door in my face before I could respond and we left the residence grounds in search for a nearby hotel or something. I thought this would be the perfect opportunity for me to figure out how to research things on my swatch on my own instead of asking Leghorn to do it.

I stared down at the sleek, high-tech swatch on my wrist, feeling like a relic from the Stone Age.

This AI-powered gadget was supposed to make my life easier, but so far, it was just giving me a headache. I poked and prodded at the tiny screen, trying to figure out how to access the map function again but this time on my own. Leghorn, who was sitting across from me, let out a chuckle. "Need some help, Terrchel?" he asked, amusement dancing in his eyes. I nodded, feeling a bit sheepish.

Leghorn walked me through the process again, showing me how to use voice commands and gestures to navigate the swatch's interface. "Okay, so now that we've got that figured out, let's find a hotel," he said, taking the swatch from me and demonstrating how to search for nearby accommodations.

Within seconds, the swatch had pulled up a list of options, complete with prices and reviews. I shook my head, feeling a bit awestruck. "I don't know how you're so good at this stuff, Leghorn." He just grinned and clapped me on the leg.

Leghorn: "That's why they sent me, Terrchel. Imagine you getting this far on this journey if I wasn't assigned to you. Oh boy, you'd probably still be sitting on that memorial bench where I found you, staring at the ground like a lost puppy."

Terrchel: "Yeah, you're probably right. I know we've kind of built this weird, mean friendship, if I may call it that, but I kind of... you know... I'm grateful to have you here with me. Even if you don't see me as a friend, that's okay. It's just nice for a change not to be completely alone and have to do things alone".

Leghorn: "You know Terrchel, I've devoted my existence to the Light Realm, having transcended my human life. Memories of my past, though fragmented, still lingered - a family, a life left behind, all lost to the passage of time. My selfless sacrifices as a human earned me a place among the celestial ranks, but the weight of those memories proved too crushing to bear. I was given a choice: forget my humanity and dedicate myself fully to the Light Realm as a Leghorn celestial, or cling to the remnants of my past. I chose to forget. Since then, my existence has been defined solely by my duty. Yet, this unexpected exchange with you Terrchel has been a rare and genuine moment of connection. Perhaps it's premature to call us friends, but..."

Leghorn gave me a soft look of appreciation without completing his sentence.

Terrchel: "Yeah, I understand where you coming from fully, no need to finish that sentence. Prior in the Cybro's Pizza Den with the fork incident... I kind of had a wave of emotions hit me. The memories of having a family felt overwhelming and the joy I remembered experiencing, but knowing in reality I've never experienced that. It crushed me. I didn't think you'd care but now I see we have something in common or had. At least you set yourself free from the weight of these past life memories. May I ask you how you did this?".

Leghorn: "I presumed it was related to family and memories. While I would love to share how I attained this memory clean slate, I regret to inform you that I cannot".

Terrchel: "Celestial secretary, I understand! We were so busy chatting that we forgot to check into a hotel!"

The initial suggestion from my tech gear was The Arcadia One Night Stay Hotel. Fortunately, it was just 3 kilometers away, so Leghorn activated his heelys while I accelerated at full speed. I tossed the turbo charger at the Arcadia Mall. Walking full speed like this makes me feel like I can fly. I can feel the wind through every fiber of my being, and I feel exhilarated. If there's one thing I miss, it's flying. Mr Chicken isn't doing a bad job keeping up with me on his heelys, too.

Terrchel: "Mr chicken, have you ever tried flying?"

Leghorn: "I see we are back to addressing me in this manner. Yes, I can fly, but I think it ruins the mysterious persona I have going as a celestial being. It's not classy, and I prefer getting by gracefully. I leave the flying to the earthly Leghorns that lack other strengths. That way, it's fair".

Terrchel: "Come on, give me a break! We've been doing nothing but figuring out whatever it is we're doing. Let's have some fun. I mean, I actually haven't checked to see if maybe I can fly. We could have thought about all this before we spent all that Arcadia dollars on this expensive tech. Just slow down for a moment, okay?".

Leghorn stopped his heelys next to me and gave me an all-knowing glance, but I didn't care what he was thinking. I really miss flying, and if there's a chance I can do it, why not? I stood at the edge of the cliff, arms outstretched and a fierce determination pounding inside me. I took a deep breath, puffed out my chest, and launched myself off the ground. However, instead of soaring through the air like a majestic eagle, I face-planted into the dirt with a thud.

My arms and legs flailed wildly as I tried to generate lift, but all I managed to do was look like I was attempting to mimic the iconic Naruto run. A nearby hiker, who had been watching the whole debacle, couldn't help but burst out laughing at the sight. "Dude, I think you need to work on your takeoff technique!" the hiker choked out between guffaws, holding his sides in laughter. I could feel my face turning red with embarrassment, slowly picking myself up and dusting myself off. "Shut up, I meant to do that," I muttered, trying to save face.

Leghorn stood in the near distance where I left him, and I could see the amusement reeling off him as I did a walk of shame to pick up my gear and put it back on. Ensuring that we could then proceed with getting to the hotel, as it was dark out and nearly midnight.

Leghorn: "Now that you've done that may I remind you that flight was not one of your abilities listed on the list. However, you were right that was fun to see ahahahahha. I made a recording for later use".

Terrchel: [straight face] "hahaha, funny".

I fired up my jetpack and flew off to close the distance to the location faster. Leghorn followed close by.

We entered the hotel reception area, and as Leghorn registered with the AI receptionist, I took a stroll out back to look at the stars from this view. Being human has many perks, and slowing down to enjoy it seems like something we haven't been able to do with all the rushing that's been happening. The constant racing of thoughts, trying to figure out what's next, and redirecting the plan when things don't go accordingly has been a lot to take in as a newcomer to human life, I guess.

My awareness intensified as I sensed a gaze directed at me once more. I knew it was one person. It felt reminiscent of my previous experience at the abandoned amusement park in the Undergrid. This time, I was resolute in my decision to confront it. I turned at the speed of lightning and saw nobody, so I immediately padded silently down the hotel corridor, my heightened senses on high alert as I tracked the faint scent of perfume and the soft whisper of footsteps.

I've been sensing that someone's been stalking me since I checked in, and I'm determined to catch them in the act this time. My eyes scan the hallway, my fast speed allowing me to cover ground quickly as I follow the trail. I'm getting close, I can feel it. Suddenly, I make a speedy turn and catch a glimpse of a short, petite female with vibrant red crimson hair darting into a nearby stairwell.

My heart skips a beat as I sprint after her, my senses on overdrive. I burst through the stairwell door, my eyes locking onto hers for a fleeting moment. For a second, we just stare at each other, the tension between us palpable. I walk up to her on the staircase with the intention to question her as to why she's following me.

With her a few steps up and me standing before her at the bottom of the stairs, we're the same height. As soon as I muster the courage to say something and open my mouth she leans in close, her crimson hair cascading down her back like a waterfall of fire, her voice had a husky tone. Her golden eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint as she whispered, "The shadows are moving, Terrchel... Be prepared." Her breath danced across my ear, sending shivers down my spine. Her lips brushed against my earlobe, the touch sending a jolt of electricity through my entire body. The words themselves were laced with an undercurrent of danger and intrigue, but the way she delivered them caught me off guard and took my words out of my mouth.

I felt as if she was sharing a secret, a forbidden knowledge that only I was privy to. As she pulled back, her eyes locked onto mine one more time, the connection between us crackled with tension, leaving me breathless. I grabbed her arm in hopes to at least get her name before she ghosts me again but before I could react, she smirked at me and took off out the window of the staircase, her laughter echoing off the walls as she made her swift escape.

I'm left standing there, my heart pounding in my chest, as I realize I've just been outsmarted by a mysterious and alluring stranger, and not once did I say a single word! My swatch beams with a notification but I swipe it away. The thought of her warm breath against my ear just seconds ago sent a strange intense feeling of excitement throughout my body. I felt an overwhelming urge to chase after her, to follow her into the unknown, but my feet seemed rooted to the spot.

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