49 67's Master

Chapter 49 67's Master 67! WHERE'S NERYS?' shouted an out-of-breath Peanut. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH HER?' 'Nerys? Who is Nerys?' replied the incapacitated robot. 'Oh, you mean the miniscule Welsh human that I extracted from the lake earlier?' 'You know exactly who I'm talking about,' said Peanut, sharply. And why, Medium-sized Human, are you so interested in the whereabouts of Miniscule Welsh Human?' Just tell us where she is!' demanded Peanut. She could feel her heart beating faster as the anger rose. Ah, I think that I might know why you are so desperate to find her,' said 67, slyly.

Peanut shot a nervous look to her dad. 'It's because she has Pencil Number One, correct?' said 67. Peanut went white. 'Oh yes, Peanut Jones, I know all about the pencil. I assume you are worried that Miniscule Welsh Human might have given me Conté's prototype?' continued the RAZER. '67, this is your final warning. Tell us where Nerys is right now,' Dad said quietly. 'Do not worry, Gary Jones,' said 67. ' She is perfectly safe. And fret not, Peanut Jones, she still has the pencil. I can promise you that.' 'Either tell us where Nerys is RIGHT NOW,' said Dad, his voice rising menacingly, 'or I will personally make sure that you experience the shortest circuit in the history of robotics. Your restraining bolts, bad motivators and, er, flux capacitors will wish they had never been soldered together in the first place!' 'Your scientifically inaccurate threats do not frighten me, Gary Jones,' said 67. ' Do you really think it matters what you do with me? Because, newsflash: it really doesn't. Not one quark. I am but a machine, built to serve my master, and I have already fulfilled my purpose. The plan has played out perfectly. Every step of the way, you humans have all done exactly what we wanted

you to, blindly doing our bidding at every single turn.' 'Our bidding?' said Leo, confused. 'Your master? Are you talking about Alan? Has Josephine's little device-thingy knocked out your vision or something? Because, newsflash, we have just captured the big lummox! He's sitting right here with an ornate picture frame around him!' At this, the robot began to make a strange, unfamiliar noise. It sounded like... giggling. ' Er, what are you doing?' said Leo. 'Ha ha ha ha ha ha HA HA HA HA!' 67's giggling quickly grew into a full-on belly laugh. Up until this point in their lives, none of them had ever heard a robot emit so much as a chuckle before, let alone a guffaw as hearty as the one coming from 67. It was a truly strange, and slightly bone-chilling, sound. 'What's so funny?' said Peanut. 'I'll tell you what's so funny, Peanut Jones,' replied the RAZER between cackles. 'The idea that this knucklehead was ever important. The idea that this walking hunk of meat was ever anything more than necessary muscle.' Alan frowned at the robot, an even more confused expression on his face than usual.

'Was Alan my master? HA! HA! AH!' said the howling 67. Hang on,' said Alan, flexing his bulging arms, which made the wooden frame creak. 'What do you mean I was nothing more than necessary muscle?' 'It's not really that hard to understand, Knuckle-headed Human, replied the chortling robot. 'Even for a below-average thinker like you. ' But... but... you told me that I would be given an important role,' said Alan quietly. 'That I would have my own office and everything. With a coffee machine, one of those little jellybean dispensers and a metal ball clinky-clanky swinging toy thing. 'You see?' said the robot to Peanut between snickers. A total meathead. He has been played just as much as the rest of you have. I've said it before and I'll say it again, humankind really is a very basic species. Very basic indeed. Alan slumped to the floor, shaking his head. Dad and Leo released their grip slightly, and Peanut found herself feeling a little bit sorry for him.

'So, who have you been working with then?' Peanut asked 67. 'Whose plan was it? Who is your master?' 'Why, the same person that it has always been,' replied the robot. ' Mr White, of course. Again, I'm not sure if something's happened to your microcontrollers,' said Rockwell. 'But Mr White is currently knee-deep in plaster in the Rainbow Lake, being guarded by two superheroes and feeling very sorry for himself. I've just seen him with my own eyes. Are you sure about that, Tall Human?' said 67, ominously. 'HELP ME! HELP ME, PLEASE!' The cry came from beneath the hatch in front of the desk. The one that had once led to the swimming pool full of rainbow-coloured water. 'Nerys?' whispered Mum. 'That sounds like Nerys!' She ran over and pulled open the wooden door. ' TRACEY? PLEASE! HELP ME! I'M SCARED!' said Nerys from inside, her voice louder now that the hatch was open. 'SHE'S IN HERE!' shouted Mum to the others. 'Come on, we have to rescue her!' Wasting no time, she went straight down the hatch, closely followed by Dad, Leo and Doodle. DON'T WORRY, NERYS,' Tracey yelled, her voice echoing around the now-empty pool room. 'WE'RE HERE NOW! EVERYTHING'S GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT!'