Like a Sore Thumb

The lights flicker from the storm. Zenais freezes in place until they return to normal. This is bad timing for a thunderstorm. She stands in her small, cramped bathroom, bare on top, with a soldering iron in her hand. The access panel in her chest is open, putting on display the shiny steel parts hidden below her synthetic skin. She's making some adjustments to her control center, located in the middle of her chest where her heart would be if she were human. She hates to do it during a thunderstorm but doesn't have much choice; she's set to go out and her ride will be arriving shortly. So she continues, despite the fact that every time she touches the iron to her delicate circuitry, she considers the possibility that lightning could strike the power lines and provide the tool with an extra jolt, one that could potentially be strong enough to fry her system beyond repair. Luckily, it only takes her a couple of minutes to complete the chore.

She sits on the edge of her bed, listening to the storm, as she waits in her tiny apartment that is set in the basement of a home owned by a sweet, old couple. A good arrangement for both parties, the rent is cheap and Zenais helps them around the house and the small yard. They don't pay her much attention and aren't as likely to notice her peculiarities in their advanced age. She was lucky to have found the place, considering the most viable alternative was an apartment building filled to the brim with humans, who were certain to be more attentive. Zenais is the most advanced model that was created before the production of androids was declared illegal, but it is still difficult for her to blend in. Humans are emotional, contradictory creatures. Highly unpredictable, even with her advanced intellect. She's only let herself become close with a chosen few- but even among the small group of misfits, she often feels awkward and out of place.

A sudden crash of thunder shakes the apartment. Going out in the middle of a storm isn't something she's looking forward to, but she'd already agreed to help her friends. She isn't going to back out at the last minute just because of the weather. What would she even say, that she's too scared? Or, worse, the truth? None of her friends know that she's an android; no one does, and she needs to keep it that way. Her very existence is illegal. If caught, she'll be taken and destroyed like all the others. The injustice of that sad truth is almost too much to bear, but her opinion doesn't matter to anyone, so she has no choice but to remain quiet and hidden. She can't take any chances.

Zenais hears two short honks sound outside the apartment. She grabs her jacket and hurries outside into the pouring rain. The storm is adding insult to injury as she is already feeling uneasy about the task at hand. They're going to the Ahm Laboratory, a cosmetic testing lab owned by the corporate giant, The Beauty Box, one that was known to conduct animal testing. Her friends have a plan to release the animals from their cages but Zenais has some reservations. She understands their plight, after all, the animals deserve rights just as much as she does, but she can't understand why they have to break the law to do it. It's risky and she doesn't see how it will accomplish anything for the animals. Her friends say it will bring attention to the cause and that attention will, in turn, invoke change. She still can't quite grasp the concept, but won't deny that their willingness to break the law for their beliefs is a preferable quality for a friend, especially for someone in her situation.

She races to the car, trying to ignore the fact that the lightning could reach out and zap her at any second. But tension still has a hold of her even after she sits down in the back seat and closes the door. She can't help but feel she's making a mistake, but then, all of her hesitations disappear when she turns in her seat and sees...him. Franco, a man whose beauty inexplicably causes her to lose all sense. She is forever fascinated by the way his long brown hair, striking brown eyes, and carelessly perfect smile were somehow able to provide the same entertainment value as solving complex equations or recalibrating her system. It didn't make sense that someone could have such an effect on her just by being, but, somehow, Franco did.

They arrive at the gate of the laboratory within the hour. It's locked, as expected, but the lock turns out to be more intricate than they'd anticipated. Franco, a junior electrical engineer, tries to bypass it but is unsuccessful and comes back to the car soaking wet and defeated. Kellan is quick to make a joke, as usual, and then suggests that they try scaling the gate. But Lexie, who has a better view from the passenger seat, points out the ring of barbed wire sitting atop it. It seems there is no way to get in. Zenais's first reaction is relief, but after seeing the disappointment on her friend's faces and in their body language, she begrudgingly opens the door and moves towards the gate.

She reaches up and pulls her hood down over her face, in case of security cameras, and inspects the lock. She's familiar with the technology and makes short work of it, but waits to open the gate door so the others won't know how easy the task was for her. Strangely, the storm ceases just as the door slides open. Zenais smiles up at the sky before getting back inside the car. Franco shoots her a look of awe and disbelief but doesn't ask how she did it and she doesn't explain. They drive around to the empty parking lot behind the building and get out, then convene for a moment before making their way inside. Kellan easily navigates their way to the wing that holds the animals, having studied blueprints of the building beforehand. Lexie, Kellan, and Franco rush to open the cages while Zenais stands at the door and keeps watch. She can't shake her discomfort.

The animals wander around aimlessly, not knowing what to do with their new-found freedom. Two of them, a large Great Dane and a marbled tabby cat, won't even step outside of their cages. A strange look appears on Lexie's face as she witnesses the animals refuse freedom. Kellan and Franco don't notice either occurrence and leave the room, but Zenais' keen senses pick up on it quickly. She attempts to process the intriguing mix of concern, fear, and disgust, knowing it is likely to be more than it seems. The inner workings of human beings often distort their true emotions, making it so they were rarely ever straight-forward. While Zenais could recognize that the animals had been conditioned to adopt a passive demeanor, she wondered what their hesitance invoked in Lexie. Did it relate to the animal's behavior, the injustice they suffered, or something else entirely? Perhaps Lexie feels equally trapped in some way, inspiring a deep yearning to see the animals grasp the opportunity for escape while they had it. Or maybe...Zenais's thoughts are interrupted when Franco pops his head back in the room to get their attention.

“Zenais! Lexie! Come on, let's get out of here,” he calls out, urgently. The two women look to each other for a moment before following him out the door.

“Freeze!” A deep voice commands, taking them all by surprise. Zenais and the others turn to see a guard moving towards them, his gun drawn and pointed at them.

Lexie screams and the high-pitched sound spooks the animals. They run wildly throughout the space and Zenais sees that the two lollygags have vacated their cages and joined the mix. She sets her attention back to the guard and reads the shock on his face at the sight of the animals roaming free, and then watches his shock turn to outrage as his gaze settles back on them. Studying the angle of the gun, she finds it is set to fire directly into Franco's heart. As the muscles in the guard's hand start to tense, signaling that he is about to pull the trigger, Zenais turns and leaps in front of Franco. The bullet hits one of her servo motors. She instantly loses control of her legs and falls to the ground with a thud.

Her friends surround her but Zenais maintains her focus and watches as the guard takes aim for another shot. As he does, a familiar Great Dane jumps up and sinks his teeth into the man's arm. The guard cries out in pain and his gun drops to the floor. Franco and the others seize the opportunity to carry Zenais out of the building and set her, carefully, into the backseat of the car. Though she knows the bullet hasn't done serious damage, she is anxious to make repairs and regain the use of her legs. Unfortunately, the presence of her friends complicates things.

“Take us to the hospital!” Franco yells at Kellan, who is frozen behind the wheel. Police sirens sound in the distance.

“No!” Zenais screams, “Not the hospital, please! I don't want to go to the hospital!”

“But you've been shot, you need a doctor,” Lexie sobs.

“No doctors!” Zenais screams, louder this time, and then watches as her friends look at one another in confusion. “I'll be okay, please. I don't want to go to the hospital,” Zenais repeats, this time in a calmer voice.

“Just take us to my place,” Franco directs and then leans over Zenais protectively. Any other time, such a thing would have sent a confusing jolt of excitement through her circuits, but tonight it didn't even register. She was too busy considering her options for repairing herself while also keeping her true identity from her friends. She didn't notice her friend's frequent glances or their curious expressions at her seeming lack of fear or pain.

Gathered together in Franco's apartment, they are all safe; except Zenais, the reveal of her secret imminent. She is sprawled across Franco's bed, with him seated beside her, in the small loft space that overlooks the kitchen below, where Kellan and Lexie are seated at the table, hunched together in front of Kellan's laptop. Suddenly, Franco speaks.

“Thank you,” he says softly, his features are exaggerated with emotion.

“For what?” She asks.

“For saving me,” he replies, “I can't believe you did that.” He stares into her eyes and it seems that he is searching for something.

“Of course,” she says, not knowing what else to say. He chuckles and shakes his head.

“'You didn't even want to come, and yet, you didn't hesitate to jump in front of me. I'll never forget it, Zenais,” Again, he gives her a look that seems it is meant to say something further, but she has no idea what it is and struggles for an appropriate response. Franco waits for her to speak. When she remains silent, he leans over to examine her wound. She tries to think of something to say or do to prevent what is about to happen but finds there is nothing that will keep him from discovering her secret. She hears him gasp as he sees there is no blood and can tell that he is holding his breath as he lifts up the back of her shirt to see that she is different inside.

“You...you're a...” he trails off, then leans back and stares at her. She meets his gaze and waits for the rejection.

“I'm an android.” She finishes his thought and starts to push herself up to a seated position.

“Wait,” he sets his hand on her arm and guides her back down, “I can fix this.” She lays on her stomach and contemplates his reaction. She thought he'd be upset, shocked, anything but understanding and kind. It didn't make any sense.

He goes to work, putting his skills to the test, and has her legs working again in two hours. She could have done it in 30 minutes, but still, she is impressed. They talk shop until Franco falls asleep. Zenais remains next to him, watching him sleep as though an explanation for his kindness would appear on his face as he dreams.

“Franco, Zenais! You have to check this out!” Kellan calls out the next morning. Zenais shifts and looks down at him. He's standing in the kitchen facing them with his laptop in his hands and an eager look on his face.

“What is it?” Franco asks, wiping the sleep from his eyes.

“Last night, Lexie and I hacked the lab's security system and posted the footage from the security cameras. It's gone viral! Everybody's talking about it!” His voice was filled with excitement.

“What?! No way! Let me see,” Franco runs down the stairs, Zenais is close behind him. Lexie and Kellan stare at her, dumbstruck with relief at seeing her back on her feet. Franco comes to stand beside Kellan. “Okay, we're here. Show us.”

Kellan sets the laptop down on the table excitedly, and they all lean in to watch as he takes them through the video and the resulting responses. The trigger-happy guard had been fired immediately and an investigation was being launched for possible charges. The Beauty Box and the Ahm Laboratory were facing serious repercussions as well. Franco looks over to Zenais and smiles. Lexie moves towards her and wraps her arms around her. Kellan follows suit, embracing them both in a giant bear hug. Franco hurries over to join in. Zenais isn't sure what it is that she's feeling, this warmness that comes over her, but she thinks it might feel like home.