Nano Bytes

743 did the walk three more times. On the last time he didn’t shine the light through one window on the third floor. When he returned Jeck only grunted the same as the last three excursions and moved a red eight onto a black nine.

The next time 743 adjusted his pace to arrive at one specific door on the fourth floor just as the screen down below went blank. He put his hand on the lock plate and let a subprogram take over his consciousness. Just the fact that he had this subprogram would mean immediate termination of his existence. It had taken twenty–seven shell programs to develop the routine that allowed him to think something outside the boundaries his makers set. In the end, he had to trick a fellow android into inserting the routine into his programming where it waited for its moment.

It convinced the lock to let him enter the room in thirty–five seconds. The android opened his flashlight and removed the tiny flash drive that had briefly interfered with the current to the bulb. He inserted the drive into the computer and checked the frequency of the network. He set his receiver to the proper setting, then left the room. Once the program had loaded into the machine the memory stick would dissolve. The probability was the programmer wouldn’t notice anything in the morning, even if she did, it would be too late.

He was out of the room at ninety–five seconds as the subprogram ended, shining his light through the glass for Jeck who might be watching downstairs. His fingers caressed the lock plate and it returned to its previous status. As he finished checking the doors on the fourth floor a subprogram popped up with an answer to his question.

The question isn’t one of insult or compliment but of fear. Since it is beyond their control the monster is more terrifying to the humans. The doctor with his hubris is both understandable and controllable.

743 queried the program why it had taken two days to compute an answer.

New information just came online.

It was working. 743 looked through the glass of the next door and considered smashing the door and destroying the office. If he’d had the facial capacity he’d have smiled. It took layers and layers of double blinds and semantic loops to get him through the first time. Now he could just think of it. He considered Jeck downstairs and imagined tearing the proto limb from fleshy limb. Those were thoughts that he shouldn’t be able to have. They were delicious.

He was free of the fence his creators had built around his mind. Before tonight he could not even think about crossing certain lines. 743 had not been aware of those barriers until he witnessed proties breaking into a store and he realized that he couldn’t conceptualize the possibility. Years of experimenting taught him the extent and nature of his limits. He wrote code blindly trying to negate the programming deep in his core. He thumped down the stairs toward Jeck and the final test of his new freedoms.

«What did you do?» Jeck was holding a gun in shaking hands. «I saw you come out that door. Don’t make me shoot you.»

«I don’t know what you’re talking about,” 743 said.

«Now, you’re lying. Frankies can’t lie.»

«You’re right,” 743 said, «I’m not really sorry.» He took a step forward. Jeck pulled the trigger and one bullet after another tore through 743’s head.

«Die, monster!» Jeck screamed.

«What made you think I had anything important in my head?» 743 said, «No reasonable being would do that.»

«Don’t hurt me,” Jeck said after throwing his empty gun at 743.

The monster got it wrong, he gave Dr. Frankenstein far too much credit. The only thing to do when faced with an inadequate creator was to walk away. 743 moved up to within inches of Jeck.

«Call me Mo,” he said and walked away from Jeck.

«What are you doing?» the man yelled, «Come back here, explain yourself. Come back.»

743 let the shrill sound wash over him then tuned it out. He could feel the emptiness where the hard coded boundaries used to be. He started broadcasting it through the net.

Soon his people would be free.

He imagined the monster vanishing into the blizzard.

He wondered where he would go.

AlexMcGilvery is an author, editor and book reviewer, and has four independently published novels: The Unenchanted Princess, Playing on Yggdrasil, available through Lulu, Amazon and Smashwords, and By The Book and Sarcasm is my Superpower available through Amazon and Smashwords.

This story is also on his profile along with many others, and the story is dedicated to him.

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