Ticking Away Part 4

He opened the door to his apartment and saw Alex, still awake, sitting at the table with her computer in front of her, "I'm home," He said as the door closed behind him and he placed his coat on its hook and walked into the living room and leaned over the couch and kissed Alex's cheek, "Hey, how are you?"

"Hmm? I am fine, how are you?"

"I am fine, just need to change a piece."

"Really? What happened?"

"Nothing, just need to change a piece," He said removing his sleeve and glove. She noticed the tear in his sleeve and put her computer down and got up to follow him into the room. He sat down at the workbench that they used to work on their bot parts and he began unscrewing the plate that was the cover to his forearm. She leaned against the wall behind him, "So, did it damage anything?" He looked at the structure of his arm and then tested his hand, "No, everything is fine."

"Can you explain the gash on your plate?"

"Oh, Alex, um, how do I start?"

"In any way, but you explain this," She grabbed the plate of his arm, "What even makes that? You didn't fall, it would be uneven, did you get attacked?"

"Let me explain, please," He sighed, "I was working late, and someone got into the office and began going through our files, I tried to stop him and he attacked me with a blade, I blocked his arm with both of mine to knock his arm away and the blade probably hit my left arm and I didn't realize it."

"Are you sure you are okay, Will?"

"Yeah, I was able to subdue him after that, old cop training came in handy."

"I am happy you are fine."

"Can you help me out with this?" She walked next to him and picked up the new, smooth and unscratched plate and placed it on his arm and began to gently screw the holder in place and then let the piece move down and slot into place, "Thank you, Alex."

"What would you do without me?"

"I would have more trouble than now," He smiled at her and then got up, "Thank you, Alex, I'm going to eat something."

"I made you some food."

"Really? Thanks, Alex," She smiled as he got up and turned the light off of the workbench, "What were you working on?"

"Oh, that is for the interview I have with senator O'Donaldly."

"Trumph O'Donaldly?"

"Yeah, him, the fascist piece of fucking shit."

"I don't like him either, but please don't, like, um, get angry at him."

"I know, I have to tune down my emotion and talk about the flaws in his arguments, about crime, about jobs and about the resources bots use."

"What did he say again?"

"That bots murder naturals 15% more than naturals murder bots, when it is the opposite way and the number in 50% more."

"Oh, wow, I have not been following politics at all."

"Yeah, but I really hope I can keep my cool," She sighed as she placed her computer on the table next to William as he took a bowl of pasta from the fridge, "He is a misogynistic, botophobic, vile person."

"I know, that is the little I have heard about him."

"I hope that my work will make him lose more votes."

"Is this interview only on channel 4?"

"No, nearly all news channels will broadcast it."

"At what time?"

"It starts at 10:45, and ends, I think, yes, it is an hour long."

"What day is it?"

"In two days, on Monday."

"Cool, I'll be sure to watch it."

"You are going to take time away from your research and instead watch me?"

"Why would I not?"

"I don't know, to save the city?"

"Hey, okay, no, one hour won't make me fail in my research."

"Aww, you are sweet."

"This is good, thanks for the meal."

"Of course, I made myself food, so I made some for you."

"And I thank you for that," He said as her fingers sped across the keyboard, "I was thinking about something."

"Go ahead, I'm listening."

"I didn't feel pain in my arm, does that mean that bots don't feel pain?"

"Enhanced don't feel pain, we feel pain, it is hard to get a hang of, but we do end up feeling pain after a little bit of practice, my brain reacted to my body's pain."

"Oh, I didn't know that."

"Well, like naturals, people think we are so different, but you know, we aren't really," She smiled at him, "I can't believe the luck I have."

"Well, I guess that I am part of why you feel lucky?"

"Yes, you guessed right," She got up and closed her computer, "I am going to bed," He got up and took his plate to the sink, "Are you really going to watch me interview the senator?"

"Yes, I said I would and I am a man of my word."

"Well, that is good enough for me," She said as she walked towards their room. He walked into the room soon after her and began changing, before pausing and looking at his left arm, "What is wrong with your arm?"

"I don't know, that guy, he talked about bringing an end to the non-naturals, what could that mean?"

"A lunatic, just sleep, and please tell me when things like that happen," She kissed his cheek, "You don't need to hide those things."

"I just hope it won't happen again."

"Good night, Will."

"Good night, Alex."