[SHORT STORY] Termination Initialized

The boss man stood in the doorway, his enormous silhouette had a glowing outline from the singular red light inside the room.

“Damned pipeys.” Chief Armstrong cursed quietly.

His back was turned to Trevor, who knelt on the floor carefully collecting a bloodied pillow off the ground. He sealed it inside a vacuumed airbag. Boss man always said that evidence needed to be dealt with care.

[That is the last piece of evidence, Recruit.] His Companion said. Trevor had been instructed to install one if he was going to accompany boss man Armstrong on these field missions. Missions, now that was a joke. These missions were more like the Chief’s grocery checklist, and they were ticking off every location as they were done with them. This morning's disturbances were all the same, every one – pipeys.

Trevor grabbed his stomach, it was aching ever since he and the Chief set out a couple of hours back. Trevor thought he had what it took to do this job. He didn't know why his entrails were acting up during work hours, was he feeling remorse for the pipeys? Boss man Armstrong would slap him silly if he heard him talking like that.

[It's not because of the bloated humans, Recruit.]

“Let’s go Trevor, nothing to be done here.” The Chief moved away from the doorway, exposing the bloated body lying face first in a puddle of his own making. The Chief exited the small apartment. Trevor grabbed his airbags and followed him out. The ache had to be something psychological, no need to bother the chief with it.

Boss man Armstrong was standing in front of the elevator. Before joining him Trevor slapped the quarantine seal on the door, as a warning to any unexpectant visitors.

“All of the bodies we investigated tonight had faulty companion chips.” Chief Armstrong whispered, more to himself than to Trevor. He fidgeted with the companion chip of the pipey they just found. “It seems like the stuff these guys are taking is messing with their system somehow.”

“My Companion has yet to comment on these common occurrences, sir.” Trevor said.

“Mine neither.” Chief Armstrong said thoughtfully.

They entered the elevator.

[Team H are to investigate a disturbance in Block C, Chain 9.] Trevor’s Companion announced.

Boss man Armstrong sighed audibly. “Seems like the morning is still young, eh Trevor boy?”

“Seems so, sir.” Trevor said.

“Something is going on with the Companion chips Trevor.” Armstrong said. “If this next case also turns out to be a bloated pipey with a faulty chip, we are conducting a report and sending it to HQ immediately.”

That would make three straight similar occurrences in the line of duty. They were obligated to report on any such discrepancy.

[New direct order from HQ.] Trevor’s Display suddenly showed a message.

“Sir.” Trevor said. “I just received instructions to check on another developing situation only a couple blocks down.”

“That’s odd.” Armstrong said. “I didn’t receive any message. Did yours include the location coordinates?”

“Yes sir.”

“Then let’s go.” Armstrong said as he exited the elevator. “HQ has had problems recently with communication, I’m not surprised some Companions are not receiving all alerts.”

“Yes sir.” Trevor nodded, how was he to know what was going on? This was his second day on the job. If boss man Armstrong said something Trevor listened. After all, he was only here to watch and learn from the veteran police officer.

They entered Street Level and started bustling through the crowd. Trevor walked behind Chief Armstrong. His strong build and clearly Visible Artificials made people stand aside for the man. Of course their dark blue uniforms would also stand out as a clear signal for people to move and look the other way.

"We need to cross the alleyway just down there, sir.” Trevor said, pointing over Chief Armstrong’s shoulder. Armstrong merely nodded, his face still clearly etched in thought, as he strode to the alley entrance.

The alley was surprisingly empty - and relatively calm considering they were currently on Street Level. It was also, like everything down here - spotlessly clean.

Trevor’s Display suddenly showed an enhanced map of the area, with indicators for their current location and their desired one. They needed to walk all the way down this alley, and enter an unlisted storage room. Which was in itself a weird statement. If the storage room was unlisted, then how did Trevor’s Companion acquire that data? Boss man Armstrong would probably know. Trevor would ask him later.

“Sir, we are to enter a storage room at the end of this alleyway.”

Armstrong huffed in agreement. They soon traversed the long alleyway and stood in front of the locked door.

“Stand down boy.” Armstrong said, moving to the door. “I got this one.”

He swiped the air, indicating something to his Display, before grabbing the door knob and opening it. Trevor had not been given the required clearance commands to enter public doors like that.

Just as he wanted to follow his chief inside, Trevor’s stomach started reacting again. What was the cause of this irritation? What was it he ate that made him want to puke his guts out in this alleyway?

[It isn’t anything you ate, Recruit.]

Well, that was reassuring at least. The Companion would know if anything was wrong with him. If it wasn’t raising any alarms he must not be in any immediate danger.

“What are we looking for, Trevor?” Armstrong’s voice echoed in the small room, Trevor finally entered.

Inside, Trevor could barely see the Chief’s looming form – why was it this dark?

[Close door to activate lights.]

Trevor did just that.

“Trevor.” Chief Armstrong let out an exasperated breath. “Why did you go and do that? Now I have to unlock the door again.”

“Apologies sir, my Companion – “

Trevor’s pain in his stomach suddenly felt like it was going to burst through and tear his insides out. He wanted to clutch his gut but – but he couldn’t . He wanted to scream in pain - but he couldn’t.

[All motor functions have been disabled. Manual override initiated.]

Trevor’s stomach hurt so much…so much. His vision became blurry from the pain, and he swore he could kneel over and just curl up in a ball to make it stop. It was becoming unbearable, but Trevor couldn’t do anything about it.

“What’s the matter, boy?” Armstrong said, standing over him. “You feeling – “

Trevor suddenly reached into his back pocket, picked up his safety pistol, and aimed it at boss man Armstrong’s head. Trevor could not even see the man’s expression; he barely knew where he was from the gut wrenching pain – as he pulled the trigger.

Even if his weapon was silenced, the sound still echoed in the quiet chamber. Trevor just wanted for it to stop, just wanted to control his body again.

[Objective achieved. Initiating self-shutdown.]

Shutdown? But Trevor couldn’t shutdown, he wasn’t artificially made. But perhaps, a shutdown would make the pain go away. Yes. What did boss man Armstrong always say? Rest was the most important factor in police work. Rest. Yes. Trevor needed rest.

The chief was lying there, resting. Trevor wanted to rest as well, he wanted to embrace the bliss of relaxation the chief was now experiencing – yes, bliss.

[Termination…]

[…Initialized.]

[…]