Human Robots

Just imagine, somewhere in the middle of California, students just staring into emptiness, but actually seeing a screen that other people can't; people cheating in exams without the examiner noticing a thing, though they were actually seeing a Titanium-coated optical metamaterial screen that others can't see, to look for answers.

Dr. Michel Krage was immersed in this project that had piqued the interest of the CIA. They were aware of his work, but the specifics remained a mystery.

"Our children are displaying alarming behavior," Mr. Brindleworth urgently declared in a meeting." We suspect it's the work of a man who goes by the name Dr. Krage. He appears to be implanting something in the kids without their knowledge, but we're at a loss as to how or why."

"I've also heard that he is working with an accomplice," the head of the CIA, John L. Ratcliffe, said, "find out more and report in a week. Now, it might only be a handful of kids, but later, who knows...?"

They were right, but not entirely. The children were fully aware of what they were being given. Yet, nobody could resist the allure of eternal smartness. The temptation to know it all without working hard was irresistible to all. So they wouldn't think twice before they take the pill that strangers offered them. And that was how Dr. Krage worked.

"We're targeting this boy next," Dr. Krage told his partner one day, showing a black-and-white picture of a tall, handsome boy," Name's Jace Hetcher. A fourteen-year-old with fair skin and fair hair, height is 168 centimetres, and has hazel-brown eyes. He is practically a child genius, but also an introvert who gives out a mysterious vibe. His hobbies include reading and horse riding. He goes to horse-riding classes too. We need to take this guy. It'll be our best one yet! He has a girlfriend, though, Amara Bridget, a 13-year-old long-haired brunette, 162 centimetres tall, and a social butterfly. But she, too, is a clever chick. She's also the only one anyone has ever seen Jace open up to."

"Yeah, he does look like someone who'd be greedy for knowledge," his accomplice, Joe Sphinx, said." His girlfriend might become a problem, though. What if we took in both of them at the same time?"

"Yeah, that's an idea."

As everyone flooded out of Gildory Hart Public School for lunch one pleasant Wednesday afternoon, Amara Bridget frantically searched for her loving boyfriend, Jace Hetcher. She'd been waiting to meet him all day. She didn't know why, but she wanted to keep him close that day.

After a long search, Amara finally found Jace in the school library, reading a book on horses.

"What're you doing here?? It's such fine weather outside!" Amara said as she sat next to him and pecked him on the cheek.

"I need to memorise this if I should win the Polo match on Friday," Jace replied, eyes still on the book, "I'm still not entirely familiar with the rules. If I lose, I might as well kiss my dreams goodbye. I so wish there was an easier way to do this."

"Chill, babe! It's your first time playing Polo. It's not fair to your body to get so stressed about it," she said, taking his hands and gently closing the book. "Besides, there's no way you wouldn't win, with me cheering you on! Now c'mon, there're new Hogwarts house doughnuts in Crispy Kreme! They'll only be there for a month. Let's grab some hot, hot doughnuts!"

"Okay, fine. I'm coming wai-" But Amara was off, pulling Jace behind her like an excited kid with a toboggan on a snowy day.

Joe Sphinx saw Jace and Amara enter the Crispy Kreme opposite their school through his binoculars. "Gryffindor is filled with cookie butter-flavored Kreme, dipped in red icing, sprinkled with Biscoff cookie crumble; and Slytherin is topped with chocolate and green butterkreme flavored swirls, and chocolate cookie sugar blend; Ravenclaw- my house - is dipped in blueberry-flavored icing and topped with Ravenclaw sprinkles, and last but definnetly not the least; is Hufflepuff with an unglazed shell doughnut filled with brown butter toffee-flavored custard, dipped in golden yellow icing, and topped with black chocolate drizzle, cookie crunch," he heard Amara explain enthusiastically.

After they finished munching on the doughnuts-

"I need to use the restroom." Jace got up and went near the counter where the restrooms were.

"They're in position," Sphinx whispered into his earpiece.

Jace came back after a minute, looking very excited.

"Look what I got!" He exclaimed. Two red-coloured pills lay on his palm," Someone gave me these Eternal Smartness pills! I've been dying to see what they did! And look, we've got one for each of us!"

"No taking candy from strangers, Jace," Amara said, eyeing them warily.

"Yeah, but these are not candy, these are pills that'll make us legendary," Jace explained, breathless with excitement," besides, the stranger didn't just give me these for free, he made me swear I'd not tell anyone, except you, of course, since he gave one for you too."

"Okie-dokie then. Anything for you!"

They took the pill, then went back to school.

And they did fall into the trap, so much so that they didn't walk home together. So much so that on Friday, Jace overlooked the fact that Amara hadn't come to cheer for him on his big day.

He was polishing his Beautiful black stallion, Skyler, in the stables, and decided to go over the rules one last time, when the umpire called out for the teams.

"Oh gosh, time's up," he groaned," I'll keep this as a reference during the game."

He got on Skyler and went to the field to stand beside his team. The umpire threw the ball, but before he could react, the ball hit Skyler, and he went out of control. Skyler became very aggressive and threw Jace off. He hit the ground hard and blacked out.

"He had many pieces of a hazardous metal in his blood. We removed it now, but if he weren't here, it would've killed him."

Jace's eyes fluttered open at that, and he immediately slid off the bed." I gotta go, now!" Jace growled at the nurse and doctor before They could process the sudden movement and ran out of the room. Alarms blared out, and doctors came on his path.

"Sir, you need rest."

"Sir, don't hurry, you're not well yet."

"Sir, you just had surgery!"

"Sir, we're not done testing yet!"

Jace dashed past all these; he didn't care that he was in hospital clothes, nor did he mind being trailed by pipes. He had to get to Amara before it was too late.

He reached Amara's house and, through the window, saw her simply fumbling with her hand in front of her and laughing.

"Amara!" Jace called out the open window. She didn't hear. He called again, then barged into her house and shook her roughly. She finally looked up," Jace... Why d'you look so... ewwww."

She looked back at nothingness. He knew she was in a trance; he knew she'd never speak to him like that, but it still stung. But Jace didn't have time to ponder. He took the nearest glass and splashed the chilled water on her face.

"Hey! What's up with you?"

"You need to come with me. Now!" Jae dragged her out and got into the nearest taxi. When they reached the now very quiet hospital, he took a struggling Amara to his doctor.

"Take an X-ray of her," he told the doctor.

"Wha- why?"

"Just do it!"

Jace stood there while the doctor took a screaming Amara into the X-ray. He had changed back into his own clothes and now only had a bandage around his forehead.

"Yes, she has pieces of Titanium in her blood. We'll have to do surgery."

Jace went home, took his backpack, and then went to the Crispy Kreme in front of Gildory Hart.

"Did you happen to see a man with a long, brown coat that covers half his face, and a hat that covers the other half?" He asked the boy at the front. The boy pointed to a man who was talking to a little girl. Jace took his phone out and captured the moment when the little girl took a red pill from the man's hand. He then went to the police station, explained the whole scenario, and showed the evidence.

"This is serious. Take us there right now," the Inspector said.

They reached the spot and this time, found him talking to a little boy. "Hands up."

"Wait, wha-"the man turned around.

"Save your voice for the court, Michel Krage." The Inspector turned to Jace," You have helped us a lot, Mr. Hetcher. We would like to show our gratitude."

A month later, Jace was having a hard time choosing his outfit.

"Babe!" He called out in a tie and suit." Is this okay for today?"

"Na, it doesn't look like you," Amara said, entering the room," try this." She took out a T-shirt and jeans, and he quickly changed into them." Perfect."

"Shall we?" Amara linked her arm in his, and they got into the CIA cab that was waiting for them.

They arrived at the area and entered a vast hall with a stage and hundreds of seats, half of which were occupied by men in suits.

A kind-looking woman, probably in her mid-fifties, spotted Jace and indicated for him to come on the stage.

"Okay, gotta go," Amara said, turning towards Jace," All the best! And do NOT get nervous." She kissed him, grinned, and ran off to sit in the front.

Jace walked towards the stage with trembling knees. He'd never been in front of so many people before. The whole hall fell silent when he got on. The woman shook his hand.

"I'm Nancy Richford. A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Hitcher," then she spoke into the mic,"  Michel Krage was using children as weapons by inducing Titanium in their blood and controlling them by using  its radioactivity." The crowd was shocked and suddenly agitated, "Please do not worry, it has been taken care of. Krage and his accomplice Sphnx are currently in jail. Now and then, they go to court for trials, but we all know they wouldn't win the case. As for the children who did fall into his trap, all the hospitals in the city are working on an antidote and are almost successful. We need to keep in mind that all this is now possible thanks to this gentleman here. Thank you, Jace Hetcher." Mrs. Richford gave Jace a medal and then a certificate of appreciation."Congratulations, Mr. Hetcher! With this certificate, you can now join the CIA anytime after 17, you like! We'd be thrilled to have you on board."

Jace felt like he was dreaming when everyone gave him a standing ovation. Amara was cheering the loudest, bobbing up and down like a kid on a sugar rush. Dreaming on not, one thing was clear: Amara would always be his number-one cheerleader.