4 CHAPTER 2:APPROVAL

Human nature is, when you face danger you would try to get away from the danger as soon as possible. Some would try to face against the danger. Some would fall to the danger.

And here I am, facing against the danger that I got myself into. After kicking the first boy, he was knocked out and is now laying unconscious on the bus's floor. I asked Clara to get out of her set so I could have space to fight against the second dude. She immediately stood up from her seat and ran towards the back seats.

The second boy,who is now shocked after seeing me knocking out his friend stood between two seats and is unable to run away(He could climb the seats but he's dumb enough to do so).

"Yo dude just let me go. I did nothing to you man!",he plead.

I glared at him after he said those words.

"I obviously won't let you go unharmed. That android did nothing to you too,"I said as I pointed to Clara.

"You would go that far to hurt a human just for an Android?!"

I became quiet for a moment, looked down, and thought carefully about what I'm about to say next.

"You're nothing like a human."

"WAIT WAIT NO-"

He wasn't able to finish his words after I went in and punched his jaw with a right jab. He went limp and surprisingly sat down gracefully on the seat. Talk about lucky.

I went out from between the seats and headed back to the back seats towards Clara.

I sat across her, facing her.

"Are you okay, Clara?"(Look at me talking to an Android)

She looked at me ,her face expressionless as always.

"I'm okay, mister. Thank you for what you did. If something were to happen to me, my master wouldn't be so happy."

"Something would've happened if I hadn't stepped in. Where are you headed to?"

"To the nearest restaurant. I'm guessing you're headed the same way as I am?"

Fuck she's good at reading people, even for an Android. Talk about advanced programming huh.

"Yeah ,I'm going to get a takeout. You're doing the same?"

"Of course. My master asked me to. He's not able to walk properly,so I do the shopping and stuff for him."

"Wait,who is your master?" I said,while glancing at the first boy I knocked out.

"He's Mr Warren,78 years old citizen. He has problems with his legs so he just uses an automated wheelchair."

"You must be a good android to do this for him."

"You think so? Also ,you seemed to have forgotten about the girl sitting at the front. Wouldn't she tell people about you?"

Thinking for a moment, I immediately realized that I had forgotten about the young girl that got on the bus with us.

'SHIT!',I yelled in my mind.

I stood up and looked at the front. There she was,just looking at us talking.

"Hey uh,are you gonna tell people about this?"

She didn't answer for a moment,probably didn't realize I was talking to her.

"Ah,don't worry. I won't tell anyone. Good job though on helping her."

I nodded and sat back down, just to realize that we've already arrived at a bus stop. I got up immediately while pulling Clara's hand so she would follow me. I wouldn't want the people after us to think that I did something to those boys. The young girl read my mind. She got up with me and headed for the stairs.

We got out as fast as we could and headed to the restaurant that's just in our range.

"You're going to that restaurant right?", I asked Clara while pointing to the restaurant.

"Yep, that's the one."

The young girl headed to the opposite direction. I don't mind anyways. Now I just want to get my fucking food and get back home. We walked along the sidewalk and there were few people at this time.

It's only around 11 am. Not much people are going on about outside. Usually the streets are packed at around 12. That's when people are the busiest,but right now I can see a few androids doing errands for their owners. Some worker androids are in sight too.

Clara and I walked side by side along the sidewalk,then we crossed the road before going into the restaurant. Inside,it wasn't so packed. There were only around seven to eight people eating their brunch. I walked up to the counter before getting greeted by a service android.

"Hello welcome to Tia's Eastern Food,how can I help you?"

I looked at the menu screen in front of me before ordering.

"I'll get takeout for the Chicken Rice. Make that an extra chicken please. Also, I'll be taking a cup of tea please."

"Alright. Your orders will be done in ten minutes. Please wait while we finish up your orders."

I sat down at a nearby table. After I ordered,Clara ordered and to my surprise,sat down at my table. Do androids always do this when they meet new people?

She looked at my dumbfounded face.

"You might be thinking,why did I sat with you?"

She's doing it again,this Android. Does she have a telepathic device or something?

"You can say that."

"Well,it might be weird if I sat down with someone else that doesn't know me. So I sat down with you because you're my acquaintance now. I hope you're okay with that."

I nodded.

"Yeah,it's fine. I'm just curious,that's all."

We chatted a little bit before my orders were done. I walked up to the counter and paid using my card. For Clara,androids like her has a system where they can pay easily using a built-in payment device. Simply connect to the service android and payment successful.

I walked out without waiting for her,before realizing she was already behind me. Does she intend to follow me? Oh wait,we might live in the same neighborhood. I'm so stupid.

We waited for the bus,went on,and went off at the bus stop near our neighborhood. I was the last to go down the door. When I walked towards the street I lived, Clara stopped me by putting her hand on my shoulder.

"Wait,I want you to follow me home."

The fu-

"Wait. Why?"

"I sent a message to my master earlier,about how you saved me from those boys. He wants to meet you."

I stopped and looked at her face for a few seconds. This Android really is something.

I sighed then accepted.

"Alright,show me the way."

To my surprise,she smiled.

She started walking and I just followed. After 10 minutes, I found myself standing in front of a mansion,and at the pathway there's a sign that says "Warren Mansion".

So he does lives in a mansion. Clara walked up to the front door and walked in,then turned around,inviting me in. I followed her inside and I was greeted by an old man on an electronic wheelchair.

"Good Morning son. How are you doing?"

Despite his looks,he still appears healthy to me,except his legs. Wrinkles can be seen on his face and around his body,showing how much he had experienced throughout his life.

"I'm doing fine sir."

He gave me a small smile.

"Clara here sent a message to me earlier,said there were a few boys who did some bad stuff to her... Luckily you were there to stop them. I want to thank you for what you did. If you weren't there,who knows what would happen to her."

"You're welcome sir. I'm just doing what I feel is right."

"Hmm..Good,good. Say,how old are you?"

"I'm eighteen. Just finished school a few months ago. My results will come out in a few days time."

"So young,yet so brave. If you live around this neighborhood then your parents must be rich?"

I was startled for a moment before answering.

"Ah yes,my father owns a manufacturing company. My mother is a CEO of a merchandising company."

"I'm guessing you're the son of Alex Reeves? Then you must be Damien."

"Yes I am. Uhh,do you know my father by any chance?"

His lips curled a bit before drinking from a glass that Clara just gave her.

"Ah yes, I was your father's friend for quite some time. But I haven't heard from him for a long time. We were close friends. He looked up to me like I was his mentor. But after he got married,it's as if he forgot everything about me. I don't know why. After my wife passed away, my two children immediately left without saying anything. Not even a goodbye. The night before they were here,then the next morning they're gone. Luckily, Clara was given to me by a certain friend. She's all I have right now."

Hearing his story makes me hate my father more. While he was talking,I could see sorrow in his eyes.

"Say son,how is he doing now?",he asked.

"Not much,except he didn't accept my decision when I told him I would pursue engineering. I left the house. Now I live alone in a house that my mother bought."

"That's awful. You want to pursue engineering? Why?"

"I just like,you know, assembling and creating things. It teaches you how to think of a problem and solving it. It's about making life better. I want to make a difference and help other people. That's why I chose the engineering path. Not like the rest of the family,they're tied to making money. I don't want that."

"You're young yet you can already think like a grown up. I'm impressed."

His face clearly matches his words. He raised his eyebrows as I was talking earlier,and I could see his response to it.

"I was just like you when I was young. I owned an engineering company,but before that I owned a manufacturing company just like your father. When I faced bankruptcy,I didn't back down,but I realized I need to try harder. My mistakes is the evidence that I'm trying my best. So I started a company called AEGIS. We focused on creating machines that would help the soldiers of our country when they're on the battlefield. I was the one who came up with the idea of exoskeletons. My first creations were not so perfect,but the engineers who worked under me did everything they can to make it more perfect and thus, the exoskeletons that our soldiers are using now. Thinking about it,your father probably didn't want you to pursue engineering because he must've thought about me."

As I listened, now it all began to make sense. My decision has led me to here,this moment,where I'm standing in front of the creator of the exoskeletons.

"But now,I couldn't do anything since my legs became like this. Now Clara's the one who does everything for me. Maybe she's not human,but she keeps me company. Ah,I was about to ask you. If you were to enter a local university,what are you going to focus on?"

A perfect opportunity.

"I did some research earlier this morning,and I figured I would focus on the exoskeletons. What a coincidence isn't it?"

"Yes,indeed. What a perfect coincidence."

We became quiet for a few minutes before Mr Warren broke the silence.

"Hey son,you said your father didn't like your decision right?Was there a thought where you wanted to prove your father wrong?",he asked with a grin on his face,and to my surprise,I showed him the biggest smile I ever had.

"Of course I have."