The Non-Standard Man Ch. 20

"How so?" I said.

Dowd shook his head. " He had more than enough provocation to take out these creeps, and his only thought was to get Wells to safety."

The air filled then with the noise of helicopter blades, and Dowd looked up.

"Come on then, let's get you home."

#

We asked to go to the hospital. Roger or Andrew wouldn't let Jason stay there alone. We waited while they took him to surgery to remove the bullet and stitch him up. People gave us curious stares. With the Andrew profile well known in popular culture, there was no way we hid a robot sat next to us.

There was a mother and a blonde headed child in the waiting room with us.

"Mommy, isn't that the robot?" the little girl said.

"Sssh," the mother said. "It's rude to stare."

But despite her mother's efforts the child ran up to Andrew.

"Hey, mister. Are you Andrew? Are you the smart robot?"

Andrew gave her a sad smile.

"I'm a robot. I don't know how smart I am," he said.

"Yes," I said affirmatively. "He's the smartest robot there is. And brave. He saved the life of someone today because he acted fast and bravely."

The mother moved quickly and pulled her daughter away giving us a disapproving look.

Andrew closed his eyes.

"I don't know why you said that, Evaline. I didn't act fast enough. Cicily is dead."

"Andrew, did you tell any untrue thing when you told Dowd your story?"

"No."

"Then you did the best you could with what you had which is all any of us could do. If it wasn't for you, they would have murdered Jason too. Those people are responsible for Cicily's death, not you. Remember that, Andrew."

Finally the doctor came.

"Who is next of kin?" she said.

"That would be Andrew here," I said.

The doctor shook her head. "A robot can't be next of kin."

"Then I am," said Roger.

"Are you his brother?"

"No," said Roger. "Andrew's his brother."

The doctor looked at us confused.

"Fine," I huffed. "I'm his lawyer. Will that do?"

#

After two days, the doctor sent Jason home. Roger moved into Jason's apartment to care for him. I was alone with Andrew, but it was obvious his experience with the Nobots traumatized him. He tried to go on like he normally would, but I'd find him in different parts of the apartment shaking. A couple times I even found him in the broom closet. He was grieving and I was at a loss as what to do.

And then there was the matter of Cicily's funeral. The coroner had finished up on the autopsy, mandatory by the violent nature of her death and the crimes charged against the Nobots. With Jason laid up and Sinta in jail, there was no one to plan it. With Jason's permission I suggested to Andrew that he take charge.

"I wouldn't know what to do," he said. His newfound helpless attitude concerned me more than anything, and I became determined that Andrew see this through.

"I'll help you," I said. And with that, working with the funeral home remotely, I guided Andrew through the different decisions necessary, from the casket and the service to the flowers.

Despite our wishes, the funeral became a media circus anyway. Video of solemn faced Andrew, Jason and Roger as ceremonial pall bearers walking next to the casket propelled by an auto cart flooded the world's television screens. It turned out to be a large affair. With all of Cicily's and Sinta's connections how could it not be? Hundreds of people pressed into the church. Even Kiki's senator, Elaine Quinlan showed up.

We hosted the post-funeral reception in a large hall. I stood by Andrew's side the whole time just so no one got any funny ideas that he was illegally unescorted. I felt gratified that many of the guests offered their handshakes in condolence to Andrew. Later, when the crowd thinned out, Andrew put his arm around my waist.

"Thank you," he said.

"Don't thank me," I said. "You did the work."

"No. Not for that. For making me part of this. It...helps." He leaned over to my ear. "I love you, Evaline Shipley."

#

Finally, my custody case for Andrew resumed. This time Andrew sat at the table with Roger and me. I was on pins and needles, because despite the RIB's assurances, the judge could decide anything she wanted.

"All rise."

We stood and Steffie Anderson entered the courtroom.

"Counselors, are we ready to proceed?"

"Yes, Your Honor," we all replied.

"Good. If you rest your case, Mrs. Shipley, I'm prepared to rule."

Roger and I gave each other a quick glance.

"We rest our case, Your Honor," I said.

"Mrs. Shipley, I'm will take a minute here to tell you that for a lawyer of your reputation you didn't handle your part of this very well. You concentrated on the wrong information."

I gulped.

"There's been a lot of media attention to this case, most of it sensationalized. We can't go a morning now without seeing Andrew's face on the news screens. Andrew rescued by the RIB. Andrew at Ms. Wells funeral. Daily pundits spit out their opinions about Andrew's fate. We didn't get a lot of testimony in this court. But right now, in the minds of many of us, it is clear that Andrew is much different from the first sentient robots. It is obvious that he cares about the people surrounding him. You should have told us that, Miss Shipley."

"Regardless, I find that Andrew serial number XB109856, while sentient, is not dangerous. Pending legislation should clear up Andrew's legal status, so we'll not waste the court's time with further actions. He is to return to his owner's, Evaline Shipley, custody until this legislation is decided, and if it goes the way I think, permanently. This court is adjourned!"

A clatter rose in the gallery as spectators spoke excitedly to each other and reporters rushed out of the room to file their stories.

I sat down stunned not having any idea of what the judge was talking about.

"What just happened?" I said.

Roger took out his cell phone and looked up the news.

"Shit," he said. "The Senate just passed a resolution to support research into non-dangerous sentient robots. And they are working on a law to make robots like Andrew legal."

"Holy fuck!" I said in wonder. "Their plan worked. Those fuckers got their way. Amanda, Sinta and Cicily cleared the path to make sentient robots."

Epilogue

"Evaline!" said Amanda Connors, her voice beaming in display on my wall screen just minutes after I returned to my apartment. "Congratulations! You've handled everything brilliantly, just as I expected. Now when can I expect you back at work? Tamara is screaming to have you back."

I looked at her face, the one I knew so well, and realized she'd already bought back the stock I forced her to sell. She lost some money, but apparently not enough to kill her high regard of me at this moment.

"Excuse me? You fired me, remember?"

"A tactical decision, dear. You would have done the same thing."

Roger came up behind me and put his arm around my shoulder.

"Amanda, she's not coming back."

"Well, if we have to wait until the baby comes, we can wait. Or maybe she can work a reduced schedule until-"

"No, Amanda," I said. "I have another offer."

"Another offer? Well, you were due for a raise, dear. We'll match it, of course."

"I don't think you can," Roger said. "We're opening our own practice. We figure it will be the best way to handle raising a child and to manage her career."

"You can't do that. You have a non-compete clause."

"We are aware," I said. "That's why we are moving to New York."

"Why on earth would you move to that filthy place?"

"Because it has less of a stench than Washington. Tamara has the papers for my buy-out offer."

"But-"

Roger clicked off the vid-screen.

"That was rude," I said.

He shrugged his shoulders.

"Are you," I said, "actually willing to work for a living?"

He smiled. "I guess. I have a boyfriend and a child to support now."

"And Jason, how does he feel about this move?"

"He doesn't care. Androdyne has offices in New York City too, so he and Andrew can continue their work there."

#

I, being me, worried briefly that I forced Sinta Grant into jail unfairly. After all, I went on my suspicions, not proof. Dowd, however, eased my guilt when he called me when they finished their investigation. Sinta Grant funded Nobots as a scapegoat to cover her plan to get rid of me. Indirectly she was responsible for Cicily's death. With this new evidence, the government tried Sinta again. She would never get out of jail.

And I had to be content with that. I received no justice when it came to Amanda Connors or Liz Carruthers. That sucked, but that is the way of the super-rich.

With his mother's death, Jason owned her share of the business along with the part Sinta sold him. It was now up to him to him shepherd Androdyne. Recognizing his talents lay in the research lab than the boardroom he approached Lindsey Talbot to merge Androdyne and Talbot Pharmaceuticals, with Lindsey as CEO.

The story of how Andrew saved Jason, and the footage of Andrew's grief stricken face at Cicily's funeral fueled public interest in Androdyne's sentient robots. Lindsey Talbot announced production of the new line would commence in a year after legal restrictions were removed.

That, in the fastest resolution Congress saw in decade, only took a month.

The price merged stock rose ridiculously high and then it split. Anyone who had enough stock in Androdyne got a hefty return on their investment.

With Androdyne's financial future assured, Jason turned down the government's research money. Neither Jason, nor Andrew wanted the RIB access to Androdyne's, now Talbot-Androdyne's labs.

Roger's mother never forgave us and not just for the money loss. We found out later through Kiki that Raina pushed the political elite of Washington too hard to get her way. Between that and the public's newfound interest in sentient robots they turned their backs on her. The loss of influence was more devastating to Raina Shipley than the loss of her money.

But we never did go through with the annulment. While Jason didn't care, Roger didn't want to subject us all to public ridicule or worse, repercussions from the law. I didn't agree, since I more than ready to take on another legal fight. But as Roger pointed out, I changed enough law for one decade. Society was still reeled from the anticipation and implications of integrating sentient robots into it. There were enough who felt exactly like the Nobots to rouse resentment against robots. I could see it when Andrew and I went out in public, which was often. The stares and mutters never stopped. We still had a long way to go.

#

I tell you there is no woman on earth that wants three Lamaze coaches, but the men wouldn't have it any other way. Roger looked terrified much of the time, Andrew clutched my hand too hard. "Are you okay?" he asked over and over again. Jason was the calm and steady one though that was because he stood by my head much of the time. But when a totally healthy, non-virus infected Jason Andrew Shipley arrived in the world you never saw three males act more proud, as if they birthed the child themselves.

"That was great!" Jason said standing next to Roger as he held our child. The baby clutched Jason's fingers. "I can't wait until we do this again."

"Again?" I screeched.

#

It was three months later when I found out what they meant when Roger and Jason picked up little Jay for a weekend. We'd moved to New York and bought adjacent apartments. It was almost as if Roger and Jason still lived with us. But on this day, three months after the baby was born, the boys insisted on keeping Jay overnight in their apartment. I didn't realize there was an ulterior motive.

"You're going to test it it right?" said Jason when they were at the door. Jason held the baby while Andrew handed Roger baby bags.

"Jason," Andrew said in a warning tone.

"What?" I said with suspicion.

"Not a full test. We haven't discussed it, and it's too soon anyway," said Andrew.

"What are you talking about?"

"It's a feature we're working on," said Jason a little too gleefully.

"Jason!" said Andrew sharply. "I'll tell her. You two go on. Have a good time with Jay. We'll talk later. "

With that he pushed them out the door.

"Now, what was that about?" I said.

"Come sit down, Evaline. Put your feet up. Would you like a glass of wine?"

"Oh boy. I can tell I'm in for it now."

"No. Nothing will happen without your permission. But you know Jason is absolutely devoted to Jay."

"I know."

"And he thinks Jay should have a sibling."

"So?"

"He wants to be the father this time."

This time?

"Now how can that happen? Unlike Roger, Jason has no inclination towards women."

"That's true. But we've been working on a sperm- delivery system to be used in Androdyne's new line."

"Like artificial insemination?"

"Yes. Only better." He smirked at me.

"Why isn't your ejaculate system sufficient?"

"We had make some adjustments so that the sperm arrived alive and healthy."

"What adjustments?"

He unzipped his pants.

"Touch my balls."

"Pervert," I said giving him a doubtful look. I reached my hand in and cupped his balls.

"They're warm!"

"Yes. We are working on heating systems for the rest of the body too, ones that won't damage the electrical systems."

"That's awesome. But seriously? Jason?"

"Only if you approve, Evaline. It has to be your choice."

"I'll think about it."

"Good. But in the meantime, I need to perform repeated tests of the system's hardware. So take off your clothes, Evaline."

"What? Now?"

"Don't make me explain myself, Evaline. You know what happens when you do."

The End