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La Belle Île en Mère Chapter 10

“There you are, you sneaky devil,” Ernest exclaimed, surprising himself with the choice of words. These were extraordinary times, and it seemed that his mind’s filter had become clogged. With a surge of adrenaline, he charged down the stairway, his heart racing. The scout, sensing danger, desperately tried to hide against the wall. But it was in vain. Ernest unsheathed his sword, striking out with precision, only to narrowly miss as the creature leapt away, its limbs moving in an eerie, unnatural fashion.

Ernest’s blade tore through the aquamarine wallpaper, leaving a trail of destruction. However, he quickly regained his balance and pursued the agile scout. As he descended the stairs, Océane’s voice admonished him in French, urging him to refrain from damaging the walls of the hotel. Ernest spat out a reply, his words dripping with defiance. He knew all too well that there was no longer any security. The Plaice-Hubbard Act had placed strict restrictions on armed robots outside of the military, and the human security force had long perished.

His breath ragged, Ernest caught up to the scout, its sleek black body glistening with a slick sheen. A surreal eye floated to the back of its head, its optic nerve dangling loosely. The eye fixated on Ernest, dilating as he closed the distance between them. Just as they passed the twenty-ninth floor, Ernest’s sword pierced the scout’s back, eliciting a disturbing squealing sound. The creature stumbled and collapsed, disintegrating in a burst of explosive force. Ernest narrowly avoided a shower of oily residue, his gaze drawn to the repulsive mess that remained.

Examining the grotesque remnants with disgust, Ernest prodded at the tar-covered bones and sinew with the tip of his sword. Among the morbid debris, a disembodied brain jiggled when touched, confirming his victory. Catching his breath, he relished in a deep sense of satisfaction. “I got you,” he declared triumphantly.

Suddenly, movement caught Ernest’s attention. Another scout emerged, leaping off the wall just beyond the switchback, before fleeing down the tower. Exhausted from his previous pursuit, Ernest’s voice echoed through the empty space, carrying a mix of determination and defiance. “Yeah, you better run! I’ll destroy every one of you bastards!”

~

The night was slipping away, and George had barely slept a wink. He anxiously awaited Kapnos’ arrival, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. Just when he was losing hope, the door swung open. He hastily sat up in bed, adjusting his tie. “Mom, I…” His words trailed off as he realized it wasn’t his mother standing there. “Kapnos? What are you–”

“I’m not your mother, George,” Kapnos interrupted, a tentative smile tugging at her lips. “I thought I asked you not to see me as your mom.”

“You did. But I couldn’t imagine you as Delores, so…” George furrowed his brow. “Well, it would be even worse if my actual mom ended up doing things with her son.”

“Okay, I suppose that’s true,” Kapnos nodded, her eyebrows raised hopefully. She closed the door softly, mindful not to disturb the real Anna Zaal who slept next door. “But since you held your mother’s hand, I thought you might want to practice with-”

“I don’t understand,” George interrupted, confusion etched across his face. “I don’t want you to be my mom, Kapnos. I told you that.”

“I’m sorry, Georgie,” she took a hesitant step towards him. Her voice quivered with unexpected emotion as tears welled up in her eyes. “I just wanted to make you happy. And she makes you happy. If you feel… I feel–” Her words were lost in a torrent of sobs.

Concerned, George approached her. Was she really crying? “What’s wrong?” he asked gently, reaching out to pat her shoulder. Being with her in the guise of his mother felt bizarre, but he wanted to provide comfort. He wanted to hug her, to offer solace, but restrained himself.

“I feel so ugly, George. You saw me as a… a… a robot. Can you unsee that? I want to be… beautiful… to you.”

“You are beautiful, Kapnos,” George reassured her, a warm smile spreading across his face. “And well, my mom is beautiful too. But she’s my mom. I don’t want to blur the line between you in my mind. I don’t want to see her naked,” he chuckled softly, rubbing his chin in contemplation. “Unless she wants to show me.”

“I’m not… ugly?” Kapnos sniffled, her tears gradually subsiding.

“Of course not,” George replied, his smile widening. “It’s your personality that I truly admire.”

Grateful for his understanding, Kapnos wiped away her tears. “Speaking of which, I have a few questions to ask.”

George proceeded to describe the shadowy figure he had encountered in the hallway, wondering if Kapnos had been responsible. She vehemently denied it, explaining her true form, which bore no resemblance to the mysterious creature. He then inquired about her ability to speak French, to which Kapnos revealed that she had lived in France for centuries and was fluent in the language. It hadn’t occurred to her to offer her translation skills, but she was more than eager to provide assistance.

Together, they spent twenty minutes bombarding Océane with questions. Kapnos was the first guest on record, and the latest guest was posing a unique challenge for the computer system. They couldn’t extract any additional information about the elusive shadow creature from Océane, so they shifted the conversation to the technical issues plaguing the hotel. The communication network suffered from hardware damage, rendering it unreliable. Océane also confessed that her control over the locks had been compromised due to programming restrictions. Before George could continue his queries, Kapnos placed a hand on his shoulder.

“We’re running out of time before your mother wakes up. Do you have any pressing questions, or should we wait until later to speak with Océane?”

“What about transportation?” George asked eagerly.

Océane revealed the presence of two shuttles parked higher up the tower, although it was uncertain if they were still functional. Additionally, an executive lifeboat was attached to an office on the two-hundredth floor, which required access to the executive terminal for activation. Océane refrained from sharing specifics regarding the terminal’s security features. George took note of the shuttle locations, expressing his gratitude to Océane through his translator before dismissing the Artificial Intelligence system.

“Are you satisfied now?” Kapnos inquired, a warm smile gracing her features.

“I feel like I’ve been starving for information, and now I’m full,” George replied with a satisfied pat on his belly. He considered inquiring about any surviving individuals, but Kapnos beat him to the punch.

“There are no other survivors. You’re the only one. I made sure to check as soon as it happened,” Kapnos informed him gently, moving towards the bathroom. “Shall I change? Or should I wait until your mother wakes?”

George glanced at the door, a sense of urgency gnawing at him. Kapnos paused by the bathroom, looking at him expectantly. Although Anna didn’t possess a face that lent itself to puppy-dog eyes, Kapnos did her best, clasping her gloved hands together. “Do you really want me to? We can wait until tonight.”

George checked the time, realizing that there were fewer than twenty minutes until wake-up time. “I just want you to hold me, even if you’re dressed as my mom,” he admitted with a chuckle, opening his arms wide. Kapnos let out a delighted laugh as she rushed into his embrace, her ample bosom pressing against him tightly…

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