Mechanical Gods (lgbtq+)

Chapter Nineteen: Variations under Existence

     A machine with eight flexible metallic tendrils protruding out of its svelte-like trunk stood in the middle of the sterile-white lab. It carried Aiden with its tendrils, inserting all kinds of needles and wiring into various parts of his body. Consoles and monitors hung on each side of its trunk, monitoring his condition. Dr. Gregg Elba and Echo Jones operated on him. To Tyler's surprise, Echo managed to be versatile with the machinery in the lab, moving with the grace of an expert. 

     It should be Tyler in there saving Aiden, and it pained him to watch all of their efforts unfold behind a glass wall, unable to do anything. A panel measured Aiden's optimal functionality as well as the databank's stream. So far, it looked normal, and there were no critical issues that occurred during Aiden's episode. 

     At first, Tyler thought Aiden broke and could feel like the Android was slipping between his fingers as he held his hand, but the damn fool fought on. They managed to halt Aiden's seizure, which was the closest thing Tyler could describe it. Aiden suffered a critical overload, which stumped Reese how it could happen when the data on the monitors said Aiden was running optimally even when the episode occurred.

     Which led Reese to a grim conclusion: it was voluntary.

     The news didn't put Tyler at ease with the entire situation where each minute could be a mistake. Aiden looked like clothing hung on a rack up on that machine, his whole belly torn open as Gregg and Echo fiddled with the machinery where both a human's heart and the stomach should be. The white floors of the lab were half-painted with streaks of purple blood. They had taken his ears off, and the back half of his scalp, removing one of his eyes, and then an arm was ripped off. Aiden looked like a mangled mechanical corpse up on that trunk.

     A door opened behind him, and it was then he realized Gideon Reese's presence, bringing a tray filled with a kettle of tea and toast of marmalade and strawberry. "You've been standing there for a long time," Reese said, walking up to his side.

     Tyler didn't answer.

     "You haven't eaten since breakfast, and you refused the food Toby brought down. Maybe just a simple toast and tea will serve you well."

     "I am not hungry," Tyler said, sternly. Tyler knew what he was trying to do, and although they were good intentions, he couldn't look at food or even take a nap without worrying about what could go wrong. 

     Sighing, Reese insisted to Tyler to drink the hot tea before it went cold and took a bite of the toast and then left him for the night. It was then Tyler realized that Reese also brought down a pillow and a blanket, placing it on the couch against the far wall. Tyler didn't want to sleep, but in the end, sleep prevailed.

     It was Reese who woke him up. Then, he realized that Aiden was not on the machine anymore. Panicking, Tyler scrambled out of his chair, but Reese grabbed hold of his shoulders to steady him.

     "Aiden's fine," Reese said.

     "Where is he?"

     "On the other room, recovering."

     "Take me to him."

     The room was next door to the operation room. It was a small room with only a metal gurney and a monitor and a few chairs set at the side. Aiden lay naked on his back with only a thin white cloth covering his private area. His eyes were closed, and his body reassembled back to normal with no evidence of the operation.

     "Gregg found nothing wrong with his system," Reese said.

     "That's strange."

     "Its because it is."