BATTER 61

Countless eyes stole glances at Baron. As if those eyes were an audience at a theater, Baron shrugged his shoulders with a performative air of being troubled. Since he was currently just a citizen experiencing a minor mishap caused by an inflexible machine, he began to unwrap the bouquet under the arch. As he stripped away the ribbon and wrapping paper that had been holding the colorful floral branches in place…

“This is awkward. I bought these as a gift…”

All that was visible were ordinary stems of artificial flowers. Baron gave a sheepish smile as he gathered the disarranged blooms back together. The onlookers, seemingly losing interest, turned their heads back to their own paths. The scanner, having failed to find any physical evidence of a criminal plot, spat out a monotonous apology along with a notification that he was free to proceed. Baron adjusted the shape of the bouquet, tucked it under his arm, and passed through the entrance.

<Device: 7H2390—423M away from IP49.>

The displayed distance decreased ever so slightly. Baron looked around the interior of Platform 30, which was laid out like a bustling downtown district. Lit by lamps that mimicked actual sunlight and dotted with landscaped trees, Upper Hill was designed with such sophistication that it was hard to believe it was indoors.

Furthermore, the luxury shops lining every block were idyllic, bright, retro-style buildings—a complete departure from the actual exterior scenery where neon signs were cramped together to a wearying degree. With even the scent of fresh grass wafting through the air, one could easily believe this place was actually a dollhouse.

He pulled out a single artificial rose. The thin plastic coating covering the surface was slightly peeled. When he pulled at the snagged skin, it tore away in a vertical line, much like the grain of a real plant. A silver core was momentarily revealed through the split, soft outer shell. Rearranging the bouquet once more, Baron moved forward, frequently checking the tracker’s location.

<Device: 7H2390—398M away from IP49.>

<Device: 7H2390—381M away from IP49.>

<Device: 7H2390—366M away from IP49.>

The guidance text updated with every step. As he increased his pace, the numbers displayed on the device dropped rapidly. In contrast to the urgency of the situation, the artificial light beating down on his neck was mild and serene.

Baron looked around, feigning the leisure of a holiday. People enjoying snacks under the artificial sun at rooftop restaurants; people walking through the passages, heads leaning lovingly on the shoulders of handsome androids; people gently stroking trees that were, in fact, mere models. It felt as if he were walking through a diorama of a realized Golden Age of humanity.

A different form of artificial peace from what he had felt in the subterranean city floated between the blades of grass-scented air. Baron crinkled the bridge of his nose as if having an allergic reaction and hiked up the mangled bouquet.

“This doesn’t seem like a great spot to keep a hostage…”

They say if you want to hide a sign, hide it in the city, but this place looked far too peaceful and warm to be a location for detaining someone. Baron downloaded a new detailed map of the shops in Platform 30. There was one area that overlapped with the red dot. 250 meters north: Upper Hill Android Hospital.

Ever since androids became humanity’s good friends, lovers, and family, the word “treatment” had become more welcomed than “repair.” Baron raised his eyebrows high and hurried toward the hospital. Perhaps they were keeping him locked in a private room under the guise of admitting a broken android? Or maybe they had stuffed him in a warehouse, pretending he was just a collection of parts with the power cut. A few classic scenarios flashed through his mind.

Since there were no particular restrictions on entering the hospital, Baron found his way inside easily. In the lobby—which was so vast and clean it couldn’t even be compared to the clinics in the subterranean city—robots and humans were mingled together like a single species.

Baron’s eyes moved quickly between the passages leading to various parts of the hospital and the red dot on his wrist device. He felt as if the veins beneath his skin were being pulled taut and dragged toward the end of a stark white hallway. He walked, following an attraction that synced with his pulse. Bloodless white lights, human silhouettes, and the drumming inside his ribs blurred past in an afterimage.

<Device: 7H2390—94M away from IP49.>

Thump, thump, thump, thump.

<Device: 7H2390—82M away from IP49.>

Thump, thump, thump.

<Device: 7H2390—56M away from IP49.>

Thump, thump.

<Device: 7H2390—18M away from IP49.>

Thump, thump.

<Device: 7H2390—2M away from IP49.>

Thump.

He looked straight ahead. A single door, as white as the wallpaper, blocked his path. A room number was the only information provided. It wasn’t even secured with a lock. All he had to do was grab the handle, turn it, and push.

Blood rushed to the hand gripping the bouquet. At every joint where the bone bent, electricity leaped like a fish. Baron was alone in the hallway. Only the mechanical voice calling out patient numbers and a bit of white noise hummed from around the corner. Without further hesitation, Baron opened the door.

Silence greeted him. The light spilling over his shoulder dimly illuminated the interior. A row of inventory shelves and a single computer were all that were visible. It wasn’t the scene he had expected. Baron stepped inside, bouquet in hand. He closed the door and lit the surroundings with the light from his digital band. Even though it should have been broad daylight beyond the walls, a chilly sensation spread up from his toes.

<Device: 7H2390—1M away from IP49.>

<Device: 7H2390—0.5M away from IP49.>

Passing between the shelves that rose as high as bookcases, he peered into the well-organized boxes. Instead of medicine for humans, components and tools needed for machine repair were stacked by type. Even those became sparse the further in he went.

<Device: 7H2390—0.3M away from IP49.>

<Device: 7H2390—0.1M away from IP49.>

<Device: 7H2390—0M away from IP49.>

His cautious footsteps came to a halt. In an empty space on a shelf, a light as small as a dot was blinking rhythmically. Baron reached toward the light. It was a flat, dark-gray chip, slightly larger than a thumbnail. It had been placed prominently on the shelf, cleanly detached without a single broken part.

In other words: a piece of cheese in a trap.

Just then, the sound of the door opening and closing echoed, and a bright light flooded in. Someone had turned on the overhead lights. Baron glanced down through the gaps in the tiered shelving. He saw two people wearing white doctor’s coats. He lowered his gaze a bit more. Black dress shoes. Baron smiled soundlessly.

The room wasn’t very large. The sound of footsteps approached rapidly. The men in doctor’s coats stopped in front of Baron, who was standing behind the last shelf. He flashed a sly grin, as if he were just late for a date.

“Hello, sirs. I came to pick up my android.”

“…”

“Is this not the right room? I wasn’t sure where to look.”

“…”

The men in white coats and black Oxfords narrowed the distance with taciturn, solemn expressions. Sharp knives slid out from their wide sleeves. How do these guys always manage to have zero sense of humor? Baron shrugged his shoulders with a sigh.

“Well, fine. If you’re not going to play along, then forget it.”

Simultaneously, the bouquet flew through the air, obscuring one man’s vision. Red petals fluttered over his eyes. Two seconds—that was the time it took for the man to swat away the petals smelling of heavy perfume and fix his stance. In that interval, the wire pulled from the core of a rose stem was wound tightly between Baron’s fingers, and it drove straight through the other man’s carotid artery.

Baron yanked the wire back as if pulling the string of a party popper. Red blood sprayed from the pierced vessel like confetti. Surprise. Thick droplets of blood splattered across Baron’s eyelids and cheeks. The smell of iron overwhelmed the air.