"Put the cash on the counter!"

Though her voice was tempered by the biocomponent that ensured whatever she said sounded pleasant, the firmness of the demand was unmistakable.

The gun she had pointed at the shop worker probably helped as well.

The worker, slowly, reached down into the register. Kara kept her eyes, and her gun, on him.

A brief moment, his eyes darting to something. Kara tensed, prepared to shout a command.

Then a gun was pulled on her.

Time slowed, her manufactured mind processing her options.

Shoot or Dont shoot it offered.

Dont shoot. Her finger curled over the trigger but didnt pull, arm held steady.

"Now you better get out of here before things get messy" the shop worker threatened.

She analysed her situation, computing the paths that would get her her goal. Fear wove itself into her calculations.

The fear that Alice would be left without a protector. The fear that Alice would never get her chance to grow up, to live a normal and happy life. The fear that Alice might get sick if they spent the night outside.

Kara stood her ground, resolute. Their eyes spoke, hers determined. She would not leave. His wavered, he did not want to kill.

He thinks im human. Convince him?

"See that little girl outside?"

He wavered a little more.

"Her name is Alice. She's nine years old and this is the worst night of her life"

His eyes softened, his arm relaxed a little.

Kara sighed softly, a human behaviour that conveyed relief. Her stern expression lost some of its edge.

Her arm remained still, finger on the trigger.

"All I need is a few dollars so we can find a place for tonight"

The man swallowed. They stared at each other for a second more.

The worker, slowly, reached for the register.

Kara bit her lip.

A bill was put on the counter.

Ulysses Grant stared at her.

Thank you .

She conveyed her thought by taking the money and lowering her gun.

She kept her eyes on the worker as she backed away, then out the store.

"Wait, how did you get the money?" Alice asked her.

Kara paused, thought for a moment, and smiled at the girl.

"I asked the man for some help"

The motel wasn't fancy, but it was well maintained and cleaner than anything outside.

It was also warm.

Kara put their stolen clothes on the radiator, smoothing them out of programmed instinct.

Turning around the android turned deviant drew a breath as she looked at the absolutely miserable girl sat on the bed.

You should never look so sad.

A warmth blossomed in her chest. Usually such a feeling would come from doing a good job, code in her programming that told her that she was performing her instructions to the letter.

Android endorphins, as it were.

It was there to enforce the idea that they were to be happy, obedient servants.

For Kara though, she knew this was a different feeling. This warmth bloomed out of a desire . A want.

The want to make Alice's sadness go away.

This was a want that went beyond her programming, even as a carer bot designed to please her owners.

She didnt know how exactly deviancy worked, how she 'felt' these emotions and 'knew' these thoughts.

But she did know that Alice was a sad, lost little girl that needed her.

HER as a sympathetic and caring person, not as a machine designed to emulate those emotions.

So Kara knelt down in front of the girl, getting to eye level.

Alice's gaze was distant however, staring morosely at the ground.

"Why did he stop loving me?"

He didn't deserve you .

"Why was he so upset with me?"

He was a blind, angry drug abusing fool.

"All I wanted was a normal life"

I'll give it to you I promise.

"Maybe I did something wrong?"

Never

"Maybe I was the reason mom left us, that's why he was always so angry"

No

"I just wanted us to be a family again. I just wanted him to love me again"

Alice's gaze lifted to meet hers. Soft, brown, doe-like eyes, shining with unshed tears.

"Why couldn't we just be happy?"

Kara felt the weight of the world upon her in that moment. The biocomponents and programs that acted as her 'brain' offered several replies, all backed up by the information that had been put into her database. Psychology of human behaviour, sociological studies of family, children's studies: information deemed necessary for the AX400 series, the "care-bots", for optimum Android-human interaction.

Kara said none of them, instead shaking her head and clearing the options away "I dont know" she, as Alice's Kara, said honestly.

"You'll never leave me right? Promise you'll never go"

The weight felt crushing. Distantly, she knew what she was feeling was trepidation, something that should have been impossible since it was never programmed into her to feel such an emotion.

Promise or Dont Promise?

Alice's lips trembled.

"I promise"

The girl sniffled "Will we be together forever?"

There could only be one option.

"Forever" she said as they went in for an embrace, willing that the conviction she felt was conveyed through the plastic of her skin.

They shared that embrace for an eternity. Kara felt that warmth in her chest blossom into an inferno and she knew right then and there that she would do anything for this sweet little child.

This child that gave her her name and in doing so breathed life into a machine .

This child that gave that life meaning, gave it wants and desires and a purpose beyond obeying her programming.

The child that she as a thinking , feeling being wanted to love with all her heart and soul.

She put Alice to bed soon after, tucking her in and giving her a kiss. There was a moment of hesitation as her programing ran analysis.

Lie in bed or keep watch?

The latter made the most sense. It would enhance their security, allow her to react quickly to any threat and watch over the little girl.

A little girl who did not want to be alone.

She climbed in bed, bringing her arm over Alice.

She couldn't help but smile when Alice nuzzled closer.

"You're pretty like that"

Kara paused.

"You really look like a human now"

Kara's smile was a mile wide. Like a human .

"Bath's ready Alice"

The girl nodded and went off to take her bath, affording Kara her first bit of privacy since her (second) awakening.

Assessing Objectives:

Primary Objective: Protect Alice….

….Ensure her Health, Happiness and Security.

Analysing: Health….

….External diagnostic results….

….Temperature rising. 75% chance of developing fever. Suggest rest and increased nutritional intake.

Out in the cold and rain with only a sweater and nothing to eat.

Priority action: Acquire flu medicine and food.

Running assessment….

...Only ten dollars in currency.

...40% chance able to acquire food AND medicine.

Prioritise: Medicine and liquids first priority. Prefer orange juice of 90% or above orange content.

Priority action altered.

Priority action confirmed.

Changing analysis: Happiness...

….Very Unhappy. Requires improvement and reassessment.

….Run Storytelling subroutine….Canceled

….Run Singing subroutine….Canceled

….Assess Play options….Canceled

….Assessing Media options….Canceled

….

….

….

….

….

….

….

….

….

….

….

Running priority: Show her you care about her. Show her you love her.

Running priority confirmed.

Changing Analysis: Security….

….Security situation: Very Poor. In Danger.

….Location [Downtown]: Unfamiliar.

….Location [Eastern Motel]: Unsecured

….Get help?

….Local authorities: Hostile.

….Local populace: Unfriendly-Hostile

Assess additional assets...

….

….

….

….Possession of firearm. Glock model. 15 Round magazine capacity. 14 Rounds in magazine.

Priority objective: Escape Downtown.

To where?

….Alice's other family?

….Zlatko's place?

….

….

Location unconfirmed, check with Alice.

"The victims name was Todd Williams…"

Kara's attention turned to the television, at the news reporter outside of Todd's home.

"...reportedly shot by his Android, suspected to be one of the popular AX400 models. In addition Alice Williams, Todd's daughter, is also missing and believed to have been kidnapped by the Android…."

"You had no choice!"

Kara clicked off the t.v, turning to Alice who stood in the bathroom door looking like she had just jumped out of a bath.

"He was going to kill me otherwise" Alice insisted.

Kara grabbed a towel and dried her off, saying nothing.

There was nothing she could say.

"...What are we going to do Kara? The police are after us" Alice spoke hopelessly.

The Android looked at the girl after wrapping her up in a towel. "I dont know" she said honestly.

Both looked as lost as the other.

"But I do know" Kara started, putting her palm on Alice's cheek "That it's us against the world Alice, just the two of us. We have to learn to trust each other. I only have you and you only have me"

Kara drew a breath, willing that her expression would convey the sincerity of her words "..and I am going to do everything that I can to make you happy again"

Alice sniffled, nodding the tiniest fraction and drew in for a hug.

Everything that I can.

It was not too soon before her promise would be tested.

The fence was blocking their way, easy to climb but tall enough to be an issue for Alice. A quick glance on the other side she saw a steep bank, muddy from the recent rain.

Alice first, or her? Time seemed to stop as she ran the calculations in her head, analysing the outcomes.

Help Alice first.

Plastic hands gripped the rusting fence as she hoised Alice up and over, following and helping the girl down onto the other side and keeping her from slipping.

Right just as the Android chasing them slammed into the fence.

Kara and her pursuer shared a look, her grey eyes looking into his brown. The LED on the Android's head spun. An officer, with pistol in hand, ran up behind him.

Kara grabbed Alice and both slid down onto the highway.

Need to keep moving, keep her safe.

Safety meant distance from the people intent on hunting them down.

Vault over the barriers, straight into the high-speed computer controlled traffic.

Between a rock and a hard place .

Between the sounds of automated horns and speeding whoosh that heralded death, she could hear the fence rattle, and a male voice yelling in outrage.

Alice clutched to her side with an iron grip, Kara stepped into the traffic.

Vehicles, going no less than seventy kilometres per hour, zoomed past her. In front, then behind, and both at once as she carried the both of them into the gaps. Every second her 'brain' calculated the timing and the place but it was not made for this, being pushed to the very limit of what it had been engineered to do.

She tried to ignore how Alice was screaming in raw fear for her very life, crushing down her instinct to coddle the sweet, sweet girl and tell her that everything was alright.

Im sorry Alice .

Move, sway, feel the rush of air as a vehicle sped past inches from them. Closer, closer to the other side.

Nearly there!

"Stop!"

Just as she was about to throw Alice onto the other side someone slammed into both of them. She managed to stand for just enough time so that when they fell, the truck speeding in front didnt crush them all.

"Kara, NO! Get off her!"

Alice!

The little girl had jumped onto her attacker, trying to pull him off.

But she was leaning too far back, the car coming behind would hit her in a moment.

Kick the Android away or push them both? Her 'brain' offered her the only choices it could come up with.

With a mighty effort she put both hands on the road and pushed off the ground, kicking her attacker with both feet, hurling him and Alice away from the incoming danger which zipped by them by mere inches.

Her eyes were solely on Alice, the little girl, her brave little girl, who was safe in gap in the middle of the highway.

Along with the Android who was hunting them down.

It took him a moment, far too quick to even shout a warning before he grabbed hold of Alice and lifted her up by her coat.

Thankfully, at least, putting her behind him.

That fact however did not stop Kara and Alice's screams drowning out the sound of speeding death for a brief moment.

"No! Let me go! Let me go now!" Alice twisted in his grip but it was firm, mechanical.

And she was a only a little girl.

"Surrender now and I will escort you to safety!" The voice was doing a good job of replicating firmness, but it was too perfect, too synthetic to ever be real.

Kara held no hope he could be convinced to turn deviant.

Seconds ticked by like hours as she calculated her chances, considered her options.

She opened her mouth "I'll-"

A blast of a horn.

"KARA!"

Everything was white. She felt like she was flying.

What? Her processor was suddenly slowed. She was moving yet not of her own accord.

Wrenching, grinding metal, the heat of sparks.

A horrified shriek.

Oh .

Her systems monitor came up on her hud: CONDITION CRITICAL.

"..K..a..r..a..!"

A-l-i-ce…..