I Am Automaton: A Military Science Fiction Novel (13 page)

Another option would be to neutralize the humpers with headshots and then bring out the rest, but one of their directives was to minimize waste of ID soldiers. God forbid.

Peter had an idea. He called Lorenzo over. “Listen, we need to push the humpers back to the front door and then lure them all back into the funnel towards the container together.”

“So they’ll all move as one group,” Lorenzo finished. “We can set up a wall of fire for stopping power.”

“Make it so,” Peter commanded.

Lorenzo nodded and ran off to bark the orders. Several soldiers at the front of the
Vee were instructed to back away and fire body shots at the humpers as they rose. The three pigs were set up about thirty feet in front of the humpers.

Lorenzo nodded to Peter, who then flipped the AI kill switch off. The humpers slowly began to move and look around. Then, catching the scent of the bait, they pushed themselves up and
off each other and began to lurch towards the pigs.

Lorenzo ordered suppressive fire, and the small squad in front began to shoot the ID in the torsos, sending them staggering back against each other.

The SWEEPERS on either side of the building were indicating that the ID inside were just meandering around, bumping into one another, but they were not moving out of the structure.

Lorenzo relayed this info to Peter.

“Shit,” Peter snapped, “the bait isn’t close enough. They can’t smell it from in the building. And they’re not responding to the retrieval frequency.”

Just
then, cardboard cutouts were popping up on either side of the formation, and the flanks began to open fire.

“Bring one of the pigs here,” Peter ordered.

The bait handler brought one over. Peter picked up the pig and shoved a grenade in its mouth. He waddled up to the humpers—who were now pushed back towards the front door—pulled the pin, and flung the pig with all of his might at the ID.

They stooped down and seized the pig as it exploded, raining flesh, blood, and guts all over them. They stood there
, dazed for a moment.

The SWEEPERS on the sides of the building signaled movement out of the Labyrinth.
Apparently, they caught the scent of pig blood and innards in the air.

Peter yelled, “Okay, boys, follow the leader.”

The humpers had regained their composure and started after the remaining two pigs. They followed them back up the funnel as the ID in the Labyrinth poured out and followed the scent of pig guts on the humpers.

As they
passed, one ID turned towards Peter and reached out for him. He had the smell of pig on him. He fired a body shot at close range, pushing it back into the throng, and backed further away from the flank.

With the distance Peter put between them, the drone had apparently lost the scent or lost focus. It continued moving forward with the throng towards the other pigs.

The ID followed the pigs into the large shipping container, and when the last of them were in, the reinforced door was closed.

Peter checked his watch. “TIME.”

Lorenzo walked up to Peter. “How’d we do?”

“Not our best time, but we circumvented the humper situation without any loss of ID or human soldier.”

“All of the insurgent attackers were neutralized,” Lorenzo added.

“Not
bad, but this time they were only cutouts. We have to do something about those damned humpers. There’s always some in every batch, and one way or another, they’re going to get us killed. We’ll discuss it in debriefing.”

Lorenzo nodded and rounded up the men.

Peter and Lorenzo stepped into the debriefing room. Lieutenant Farrow was already seated. Major Lewis was at the front of the room. Peter and Lorenzo saluted the
Major and took their seats. Lockwood entered the room last, saluted the Major, and took his seat.

“What went wrong out there?” Major Lewis accused more than asked.

Peter was confused by the remark. “Well, given the circumstances, I think we did pretty well, sir.”

“We didn’t lose any soldiers or ID, and it wasn’t our slowest time
, sir,” Sergeant Lorenzo added.

Peter turned to Lieutenant Farrow. “We need to do something about those humpers.”

“We’re trying to suppress the sexual behavior.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about. The problem is the Amygdala Inhibitors. The kill switch is all-or-nothing. What if we break the ID down into squads and there are separate AI switches.”

“Yes, but you’re assuming they’ll break down into squads to hump. What if pieces of multiple squads break off and hump? Then you’ll be deactivating entire squads, some who won’t be humping.”

“But it’ll be better than deactivating all of them.”

“It’s still too sloppy,” Major Lewis said dismissively.

What the hell were they supposed to do? It was
as if he expected perfection.

“I have an idea,” said Lorenzo.

They all turned their gazes to Lorenzo, who continued, “I used to work on my father’s ranch, and we used to herd sheep with dogs.”

Major Lewis could not believe the suggestion. “Dogs?”

“Yeah, dogs. The sheep responded to them. I know it sounds low-tech.”

“But what if the ID try to eat the dogs?” Farrow asked.

“Exactly! Then they’ll follow the dogs. We can train the dogs to corral them. Like intelligent bait.”

“Great, just great,” said Major Lewis sarcastically. “Pigs, dogs…why don’t we have a whole goddamned zoo out there?”

“No, that actually makes sense,” Peter said with no small measure of epiphany. “We’ve been using pigs, but the pigs are too passive, and they’re afraid of the ID. But dogs, we can train them to run in the buildings after them and lure them back out, herding them like sheep. No more pigs.”

“It’ll be a lot more efficient,” Lorenzo added. “We won’t have to keep buying pigs.”

“I see,” said Major Lewis contemplatively. “We’ll discuss this
dog
idea. In the meantime, get cleaned up and get some rest. Dismissed.”

They all
stood, saluted, and left the debriefing room.

In the
hallway, Peter joked with Lorenzo. “Dogs, huh? It almost makes sense.”

“Yeah, it worked on the ranch. And it’s been done since the Wild West.”

“I guess that makes us cowboys, don’t it,” Peter jested.

“Yeah, I guess it does.”

Peter liked Lorenzo. He, too, was a native Texan. He reminded Peter of someone he would’ve hung out with in high school. They were about the same age. Lorenzo didn’t have a family of his own yet either. So when they went out on pass, they were great wingmen for one another, two tomcats on the prowl. They had a simpatico from day one.

Just like with Apone. The connection stung Peter. He didn’t want to get too attached. Not like last time. But Captain London would tell him that avoidance wasn’t the answer.

Speaking of Captain London, it was almost time for their next session. Sessions were often scheduled after training exercises.

“I’ll see you later,” he said to Lorenzo. “Got a date with the doctor.”

Lorenzo flashed him a
you sly dog
look and made for the barracks.

***

Peter stepped into Captain London’s office. He took his headgear off and saluted, and she gestured for him to sit.

However,
this time there was something different about the office. It looked like an office. There was no holographic ambiance reflecting his childhood home. Was it broken?

“Peter, have you received a call from your brother, Carl?”

Peter looked perplexed at the question. “No, why?”

“Perhaps you should access your messages here.”

“Oh. Okay. Why the urgency?”

“I think you should hear it for yourself.”

Now Peter was concerned. What on earth was she talking about? He stepped around to the back of her desk, and she got up and gestured for him to sit in her chair. “Peter, if you want me to leave the room for a moment…”

“Don’t be silly. You’re my therapist. Whatever it is, I’m sure it’ll be grist for the mill.”

She nodded in grave support.

Peter entered his username and password, and the com unit indicated that he had three messages. He pressed a button, and the first message began to play. It was Carl. It looked as if he had been crying.

Hi Pete. I’m calling because…well, I don’t know how to say it…there’s been an accident. It’s Mom. She’s…she’s dead, Pete.

Peter was stunned into silence. His mother, dead? How? Why?

I was picking her up at a mall. She was getting her usual Christmas Eve hairdo.

Carl’s voice began to waiver.

There was this creepy guy in the parking lot…nearly ran me over…I told Mom to wait…I needed to use the bathroom…

Carl paused as if he was choking on the next words to come out of his mouth.

The guy drove his car into the mall and blew it up. Mom was right by the front entrance waiting for me to pull the car up. It was raining and I…

Peter was no longer listening to what Carl had to say. First Apone and his squad, and now his own mother? He could understand his squad; it was an occupational
hazard, but his mother was supposed to be safe back in the States. She was supposed to play cards with her friends and go out to eat with his father. He was supposed to be the one throwing himself in harm’s way for her…for everyone.

“Son of a bitch.”

“Now, Peter, let’s talk about this. That’s why you’re here.”

“That’s why I’m here? That’s why I’m here? I thought I was here to keep my head straight in the Insidious Drone Program, not to discuss my mother being blown up to kingdom come!”

“I understand how you feel, Peter.”

He looked at her with such bile. What a ridiculous statement.

“You? You understand how I feel? You’re a goddamned noncombatant.”

“I’ve had friends, comrades die in the call of duty
…”

“Friends. Comrades. My poor damned mother, also a noncombatant, was just blown up.”

“Peter…”

“We’re supposed to be OUT THERE so the enemy doesn’t come HERE.”

“Peter, this could’ve been a domestic terrorist. There’s been a real rash of them lately.”

“And what the hell are we doing about it? The army has me dicking around with dead heads in the airfield
, while terrorists are blowing up malls!”

“But that’s why you are doing what you are doing.”

“The progress is too slow. We still don’t know how to handle the humpers. We’re miles away from training with live enemies; instead, we are using cardboard cutouts. The AI kill switch is too general.”

“All of this will work out in time. What you need to do is take some time off and be with your family. Your father and brother need you.”

Peter was practically foaming at the mouth. He wanted to cry, and he wanted to tear apart Captain London’s office, but he didn’t know which to do first.

Then he thought of his father. The poor man must’ve been beside himself. He was thankful that Carl was there. “You’re right. I have to go home to be with my family. To say goodbye to my mother.”

Captain London’s fingers took furiously to her Cybernetic Digital Organizer. She pressed a final button. “There. I just wrote you a pass. Major Lewis will more than understand. You are on leave effective immediately.”

Peter looked at Captain London. He looked exhausted, physically and emotionally. “Thank you, Fiona.”

She smiled warmly. “Go. And tell your brother I said hi. Give him my condolences.”

“Will do.”

Peter got up and left the office.

Captain London dialed Major Lewis.

“Hello, Captain London.”

“Hello,
Major. I’m calling about Lieutenant Birdsall.”

“Is something wrong?”

“His mother was killed today. That terrorist attack in Aurora.”

“Is he okay?”

“Well, he’s understandably sad and angry. He’s experienced a great deal of loss, sir.”

“Is he compromised?”

“Pardon, sir?”

“Is he fit for duty?”

“I granted him leave time to be with his family. I think he’ll be okay when he returns.”

“Yes, his family, good. He needs to be there.”

“Yes, sir. That’s what I figured.”

“Keep me posted when he returns.”

“Yes, sir. I always do.”

***

Peter stood outside the funeral home in full uniform. He dreaded going inside. It wasn’t the body. It would be closed casket.

It was the finality of it all. It was the closure. He would never see his mother again, and he felt that if he didn’t step into that funeral home
, he would see her at home cooking one of her tour de force meals in the kitchen.