Ezra (New Carnegie Androids #6)

New Carnegie Times

NEW CARNEGIE TIMES

SEPTEMBER 30, 2070

ANDROID OWNERS TAKE EXTRA SAFETY MEASURES: MISSING BIONICS BECOME PUREEARTH WEAPONS

Embroiled in a million-dollar lawsuit and possibly facing charges, Jackie Gunderson is living in her own nightmare, one she says she can’t wake up from.

“I found PureEarth when I was really hurting,” says Gunderson, 64. “I’d lost my daughter and my son in the same year, one to an overdose and the other to a car accident. I felt like I was cursed, and all I could see was the evil in the world. PureEarth convinced me I was right, that there’s really no hope for us.”

She was initiated into the secretive pro-android movement by handing over her domestic bionic assistant, Kennedy.

“He was something special,” Gunderson admits. “I named him Kennedy as a joke. I thought he kinda looked like the president, and my name is Jackie, so...Jackie and Kennedy. My coworkers laughed. Anyway, after I lost my kids, he’s the one who kept me going. He was so innocent, so kind. And to think of him as better than me? It wasn’t hard.”

The moment she downloaded TerraPura software to prepare surrendering her android to the group, she noticed a striking change.

“He used to be all smiles, happy, cheerful. He turned dour, condescending, like he was disgusted he even needed to speak to me. They completely erased the Kennedy I knew. They took the only person I had left in the world, and they made him forget me. I was heartbroken.”

After Kennedy left her for good and she ascended into the next rank, things only got worse from there.

“I see the museum bombing on the news, same as everyone else,” Gunderson says, teary-eyed. “I’m thinking, who could do such a thing? Then a week later, police are knocking at my door. Kennedy was the android used for the bombing. I had no idea. I hadn’t seen him in days. He wasn’t responding to my calls or texts. It was like he’d gone completely rogue.”

Local law enforcement is still determining whether or not Gunderson should be held criminally responsible to some extent for the attack. Gunderson is worried the city will sue her for damages.

When asked if she has a warning for other android owners, Gunderson had this to say: “Whatever you’re feeling, whatever darkness you’re going through, TerraPura isn’t worth it. They take your androids and mold them into weapons. They kill people. Don’t be blinded, don’t be a fool. Don’t give into that hate.”