The Enemy of My Enemy? Pt. 2/Chapter 19
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Kye and the Girl left their weapons in the car to appear less of a threat, although the gynoid alone could provide enough protection. They followed Patricia through the largely empty hallways. Most of the jailers were androids that now stood deactivated. To reinforce the wymyn’s authority all law enforcement androids were female and so were the humans that controlled them.
They entered the holding area and two wymyn were in a panic at the situation they now faced. When they saw Patricia, they seemed desperate for information. One was on hold on the telephone, but the other approached fearfully when she saw Kylan and a strange android accompany the high-ranking official.
“Head Councilwomyn!” she said while drawing a pistol, “are these terrorists responsible for this! We have reports that this is province wide.”
“These two are my guards,” Patricia spoke calmly, but powerfully. “Take us to prisoner Stanley.”
“Why is that android still active?” the womyn asked anxiously.
“I gave you an order,” Patricia Mariner showed herself to be quite commanding. “This is a personal guard; she is shielded. Now prepare to have Frances Stanley released to my custody.”
“I’m sorry ma’am,” she said sternly. “We need full council approval.”
“I speak for the council,” Patricia said impatiently. “I will take full responsibility for his release. Now do it or things might get worse outside AND in here.”
“We have evidence that proves his innocence,” Kye said handing the jailer a data crystal. He turned to Patricia, “I asked Portia for a copy in case we became separated.”
“We will not hear the demands of terrorists!” the womyn barked.
Kye was startled by Patricia. She walked straight up to the womyn and slapped her hard enough to make her fall backward. “How DARE you question me,” she said in a tone that made both of the other wymyn tremble. “Do you think I would free a man accused of causing so many deaths -- accused of trying to harm MY SON -- if I was not ABSOLUTELY SURE of his innocence! You will take me to him NOW and you will release him to MY custody! Is that understood!?!”
When the female android moved between the guards and Patricia, the two wymyn knew that they were no longer in charge there. The womyn on the phone hung up immediately and removed a set of keys from her desk drawer. Kylan told the Girl to stay behind and to make sure that the jailer Patricia had struck watched the footage. He also told the android to make sure the jailer didn’t try anything else. They followed the other jailer to set Stan free.
Frances Stanley was being held in an isolated cell in an isolated cellblock. There were very few prisoners under the wymyn’s zero tolerance policy. It was a long walk past many empty cages when they eventually reached him sitting slumped on the floor. He was unconscious and handcuffed to the bars.
“He tried to hang himself last night with his bed sheet,” the jailer said as she opened the door to his cell. “He was yelling that name you said. ‘Portia’.”
“Was it necessary to beat him?” Patricia looked empathetically at her old acquaintance. His other arm was in a sling with blood still seeping from his bullet wound. His body was badly bruised and one eye was swollen shut. There was a cut over his other eye and on his lip. His nose was obviously broken.
“Oh, Frank,” Patricia said as she put her hand to his one cheek that wasn’t bruised and raised his head to face her. She gently stroked back his hair with her other hand. “I’m so, so sorry.”
Stan struggled to open his eyes and saw Patricia through a blur. “Portia,” he whispered, “You made it… I’m so happy… but you should have stayed with Kye. He needs you… He deserves you.”
“I’m here, buddy,” Kylan fought against tears as he came to his best friend’s side.
Frank Stanley’s voice was weak from the near collapse of his throat, “You crazy bastard… It’s dangerous for you here… Leave me… take care of Portia… please… I’m so tired… so tired.”
“It’s me, Frank. It’s Patricia,” she couldn’t help but be moved by what Stan was sacrificing and his love for the android made in her image. And for his friend.
“Patricia…” he said in disbelief before he became hysterical and began to yell with a sickening crackle in his voice. “NOOO!!! NO! Don’t look at me!” he wept as he turned away and buried his head in shame. “Please just kill me… just kill me… I’m sorry… PORTIA! What have I done to you? I’m sorry My Love.”
Kylan grabbed Stan and tried to restrain him and comfort him without hurting his wounds. “Stan! Stan. Listen to me. Portia’s fine and so is Phil Jr. But Porsh needs you and so do we. Patricia’s going to get you out of here.” Kye turned to the jailer, “Uncuff him, Goddamnit!”
“I want to know who did this to him!” Patricia demanded.
“It happened last night ma’am,” the womyn said fearfully. “They wanted to make an example out of him and they didn’t want him to rob us of the justice of his execution.”
“He never even had a trial!” Patricia said. “What have we come to?” The severity of the wymyn’s intolerance was something that she was going to have to work towards a change. That is, if they have the chance.
She put a comforting hand on Stan’s as the handcuff was removed, “Phillip and Portia went to Replico. I think more of your friends are there, too. I think they are trying to teach us a lesson and it’s working. We may all need your help, Frank, before our borders are threatened. Please, Frances.”
Either he was still hysterical or he had found his old sense of humor even in the midst of his torment. He said to Kylan, “It wasn’t so bad having beautiful ladies and droids doing the beating.” He made a horrible chuckle before he started coughing. That was all Kye needed to hear to put his heart at ease.
Stan was barely able to walk so when they emerged from the holding area the female android that stood watch over the other jailer immediately picked him up and carried him. He seemed to enjoy it.
The womyn spoke softly to her superior officer, “Is this footage authentic, Madam Mariner?”
“I have had further confirmation,” Patricia said professionally.
“Please forgive me, ma’am,” she conceded.
Patricia gave a quick nod as their party left together. Replico would not fall so easily.
Stan sat next to Patricia while she drove them to Replico. He insisted that his people had their own medical facilities and that his injuries could wait. He did not want to be delayed any longer. Kye sat in the back seat with their Girl and had his hand on her thigh. This seemed to make Stan happy when he looked back at Kye. Patricia and Stan passed the time on the drive over catching up on each other’s lives while Kylan also informed them of the situation. By the time they reached the corporate headquarters of Replico within the ten city-block complex, so had the military.
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