Chapter 11 · Continued
The Choice
“Don’t let me interrupt,” he said as he stepped inside. “Please continue.”
Phil stood. “Oh. Uh…”
“Phil, this is Chris,” Jane said.
Chris offered his hand. “Hey.”
“Phil Lancy. Logistics.”
Chris nodded. “The famous logistics manager.”
Phil blinked. “Famous?”
Chris took a sip of his drink. “You accidentally misplaced a multimillion-dollar robot for almost three days. I’d say you’ve made an impression.”
Jane covered her face. “Oh my God, Chris.”
Phil looked horrified.
Then Chris grinned. “I’m kidding.”
He paused.
“Mostly.”
To Phil’s surprise, Cam spoke next.
“Chris provided significant assistance with post-accident diagnostics and operational stabilization.”
Phil looked slowly between them.
The living room. The coffee cups. Seymour sleeping on the couch. Chris drinking something large enough to require structural support. Cam standing beside the television as though his presence were completely normal.
Nothing matched what Phil had expected to find.
And somewhere in the back of his mind, an uncomfortable thought appeared.
Cam seemed different.
Phil began to understand why Cam had adapted so successfully during the beta program.
The house felt warm. Normal. Safe.
Jane and Chris didn’t treat Cam like equipment. They didn’t worship him or fear him. They simply included him.
Watching Cam interact naturally with them made the behavior reports Phil had read seem far less unusual. The placement had given the unit room to learn without turning every unexpected response into a malfunction.
Phil mentally assembled the notes he would include in his report.
The placement environment had been exceptionally stable. Cam had achieved advanced social integration. The participant understood his behavior well enough to recognize meaningful changes.
Most importantly, the unit had been safe.
Eventually, Phil checked the time and sighed. “I should probably get going.”
Jane nodded sadly. “I know.”
Phil stood and looked toward Cam. “We need to process you through warehouse intake and update your status before half the company has a nervous breakdown.”
“I understand.”
The four of them walked outside together.
The late-afternoon sun had begun dropping behind the trees, casting long shadows across the driveway.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Then Cam turned toward Jane.
“Jane.”
She looked up immediately.
“I will remember you,” he said.
Her eyes filled.
“I will retain the photograph of you and Seymour in my long-term memory.”
That broke her.
Jane stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him.
Cam returned the embrace immediately.
No hesitation.
His arms settled carefully around her and held her with steady, controlled pressure.
Somehow, that made it hurt even more.
Unlike the last time RCAM had taken him, this felt like a real goodbye.