Torchworld: Outsiders Collection by Dannielle Levan Page B

up. “We wish only to help you, Kharl.”
    Standing a mere arm’s length from her, I took a deep breath. “And how are you going to help me, you bucket of spare parts?”
    Her cold hand on my arm, patting me like a child. “We wish only to help you Kharl.”
    Trying to pull my arm from her grasp resulted in a tightened grip. Damn bot could crush my bones. “We are here to help, Kharl.”
    “Stop parroting that crap,” I said. “I’ll cooperate. Shoot the breeze and talk about my feelings.”
    The iron grip loosened and the smile returned. My arm was throbbing as I sat back down.
    “Now, isn’t that better? A nice, calm talk.” She resumed her position on the chair opposite and pulled out her tablet again.
    “Let’s start with why you were outside the city walls.”
    “I told you, I didn’t like being cooped up. I wanted to go for a walk, see some nature.” I watched as she tapped this information into her tablet with preternatural speed.
    “Citizens are not allowed outside the city walls, Kharl.”
    I watched her in between answers. Trying to spot a weakness, for something I could leverage. I knew the psych officers had no problems restraining or taking out a human, they were programmed to do that. Calm and subdue. I stood up and began to walk around and her video gaze followed me around. They all had a weak point in case of control loss though. Just had to find it.
    “I got bored. I wanted to see what was outside. Didn’t mean any trouble you know? I just heard stories about the outside as a boy, got a little drunk and decided to have a look around.”
    She nodded, recording her findings. Would she mark me a harmless drunk?
    “Why did you have a knife, Kharl?”
    Clinical and calm. So far, so good. I stood in front of the window looking at the bustling city outside. We were in the admin zone. Mostly office androids hovering and gliding around the complex. I stared at the dozens of whirring machines below me. Why use a human, indeed. Droids never needed breaks, they never got sick. Droid accidentally fell in a molten pit? Replaced in minutes. Business as usual.
    “For protection. I saw articles on the Visnet about mutant creatures running around. Killin’ and tearing up whatever they find. I was scared, scared for my life!”  I gestured wildly, describing a huge, fanged creature the size of a bulldozer chasing after me.
    “Just stories, Kharl. Silly superstitions spread by first gens. They used to believe in deities, you know.”
    Nodding, I stood facing away from her. She’d ceased to follow my every move around the room now that I’d stopped in front of the barred window. I slipped the thin metal spike from my buckle, concealing it in my hand. Stabbed right in her processing cortex, I had a chance of success. I’d have to be face to face though.  I mentally ran through the risks. Someone was watching through her eyes, but not nearby. That I knew. This entire complex was bots. Totally populated with droids, so I only had to worry about her own defences.  All I needed to do was get close to her head.
    “Kharl. Do you believe in these stories?”
    I heard her stand up and glide over to stand beside me. Turning to face her I reached out my hand to her shoulder.
    “No, I don’t believe in fairy tales,” I replied, gripping her shoulder in a vice. Hand raised I brushed her hair away from the cheekbone. Right into the temple, that’s the spot.
    “But I know where the real monsters are.” Crack! I slammed the spike into her temple. The light died from her eyes. Right into the physical processing centre. Paralysed instantly.  I knew the camera was still rolling. I looked directly into those blue eyes, and pulled the tablet from her stiff hands. “I’ll just borrow this. Handy little thing isn’t it. Connected directly to the information facility, right?”  I grinned, baring my teeth into the lens. Picturing the officers freaking the fuck out on the other end kilometres away made me