Wendy

*

"I'm coming with you!" Wendy tried her hardest to reach for Javier's hand, but Mary held her back. With her hands wrapped around Wendy's waist, there wasn't much the young girl could do. She could only struggle. "Javi!" she cried.

Javier glanced back. He didn't say a word, but for Wendy, he didn't have to. She saw the glossiness in his eyes, even if it was artificial. It was enough. It still didn't calm her down.

As he disappeared into the hall with Will, Wendy slumped back, defeated. Her hands covered her face as she huffed in frustration. Mary, noting her emotions, wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Hey, it's okay. Javi knows what he's going to do."

Wendy didn't look up. She thought back to the days Javier always asked her to tag along, all the mornings when he asked for her help; Wendy knew the day was different; Wendy knew what was happening was dangerous and she shouldn't be involved. But that didn't stop her from needing to be alongside her brother. Android or not, he needed her.

"Peter Pan always needs Tinkerbell," she whispered.

Mary sighed. "Wendy...."

Silence fell over the two of them. Wendy refused to move. She remained, sitting cross-legged on the dirty warehouse floor, as Mary stood and turned towards the computers in a nearby room. With the older woman peaking inside, Wendy watched.

"I think I can help Javi from up here," Mary said. She turned and looked at Wendy. "All of the androids should be connected to one system, and if I can send some kind of interference, Javi will have the upper hand."

Wendy bit the insides of her cheeks. "If you do that, then will it be really dangerous?"

Mary paused. She looked back into the room before entering. Wendy, forever curious, followed her inside. The sound of distant buzzing filled her ears as Mary powered on one of the computers. "Can they hurt us if you do that?" Wendy asked. "Maybe they'll go to sleep."

Mary dropped down onto a seat in front of the old desk. With her legs, she pulled herself forward, rolling closer to the computer in front of her. Both of her hands settled on the keyboard before she steadily began to type. "I'm hoping this will slow them down," Mary said. "I don't think I can put them to sleep, but if they're slower and bogged down with information, it will probably help."

Wendy pressed her hand against the doorframe. "Bog down?" she asked. She'd never heard the expression before. If anyone would have used it, it would've been Javier. And she didn't think he'd ever said it.

Mary paused. "It's like when you're sick," she turned, looking at Wendy, "and when your sick, everything feels really heavy, right?"

Wendy nodded quickly.

"So, I'm trying to make them feel like that," Mary said with a slight smile.

"Oh, okay." Wendy's brows lifted. A light bulb went off over her head. "Because if they're sick, they can't attack you, right?"

Mary nodded, turning back to the computer. "I'm hoping so," she said. "I'm already sending some signals, so I think it should start helping soon. Let me, um," glancing down, she patted her jeans, "let me tell Javi what I'm doing so he knows."

As Mary fumbled with her wristband, Wendy slowly retreated out of the room. She looked down the hall, both ways. She knew Javier walked down the right end, but she needed to make sure there weren't any androids on the left. Even though the air was quiet in that direction, she just needed to be sure.

Slow, tip-toed steps took towards the left corner. Holding her breath, she turned and peered down the hall. It was empty. She sighed with relief before turning back around. "If they're sick," she whispered, "then I can get to the roof to help Javier...."

As quiet as a mouse, she crept back to the room Mary was in. The older woman was still focused on the message she was trying to send Javier. When she sat up and straightened, Wendy dipped back. She was afraid that Mary would turn and see her trying to leave.

But that didn't happen. Mary's hand returned to the keyboard. Holding her breath, Wendy turned and continued down the hall. She purposely took slow steps, ensuring her feet wouldn't make a sound. If something creaked, she'd stop and hold her breath. And listen.

There's nothing there, she'd think to herself as she peered at the hall's shadows. The androids are sick and asleep. They can't find me.

Once at the end of the hallway, she peaked around again. Javier went down the right hallway, then turned right again. Wendy only assumed there were a set of stairs there leading to the roof. And she knew if she could hurry up them, she could help her brother.

But when her neck craned around the hall's corner, she froze. There were androids there. Three were on the floor, unmoving and beaten. A fourth stood beside the steps, facing the wall, seemingly lost and confused.

"It's sick," Wendy whispered to herself. "It's got to be sick, right?"

The android swayed. Its hands were at its side, feet stepping to its own, slow tempo. Wendy could see its fingers slowly moving, as though it were counting.

Is the bog down with numbers? Wendy bit her lip. Javi is good with numbers.

Its head lifted. The movement was so sudden, that Wendy stepped back. Fear gripped her chest. She noticed the red in its eyes, but that wasn't what had her attention the most. It was the android's mouth; hanging up as its head faced the ceiling, like catching rain drops from the sky. But they were inside, and there wasn't water.

"I can do this," Wendy breathed as she quietly stepped forward. "My brother needs me and—"

The android stopped moving. Its head faced forward. Wendy paused with one leg hanging in the air, waiting to complete her step, but she knew if she moved, it would hear her. And if it heard her, she couldn't get to the roof.

But it didn't turn to look at her. And Wendy took that as a sign to drop her foot. Quietly.

"It has to be sick," Wendy said under her breath. "It's being weird."

From above the stairs ahead of her, Wendy heard shouts. Slams. The door was open, revealing the dim light and storm happening outside. Within that light, she saw shadows and the tip of a shoe.

And she heard a shout, "Why aren't you working!"

Wendy's eyes snapped open. She bit her tongue. Something bad's happening to Javi, she thought, looking back at the silent android. I need you to stay right there. Don't move. Please don't move.

Licking her lips, she stepped forward. The staircase was just within reach. Wendy knew if she could just grab the railing and pull herself up, she could get to the roof in seconds. Yet, the second she took two steps, the android turned. Its mouth opened wide with no sound, but its red eyes peered at her. Its hand reached out to grab her.

"Ah!" she screamed, bouncing back against the wall. The android missed and stumbled forward. Its forehead slammed into the wall beside her.

Quickly sidestepping to the left, Wendy watched the android slump down to the floor. She thought if she could move around it, she would be safe. It was sick. It should stop coming after her.

But the moment she crept around its back, the android reached back and grabbed her foot.

"No!" Wendy screamed, kicking at its hand. "Let me go!"

It didn't fight. It released her. But Wendy felt that adrenaline, the fear. She gave the android a hard shove as she rushed up the stairs. If this android still wanted to fight, even though it was 'sick,' then she knew the androids fighting Javier wouldn't give up, either.

Hurrying up the steps, Wendy stared at the doorway. I'm coming, Peter Pan!

And when she reached the top and looked outside, seeing Rory too close to Javier, she panicked. Her heart erupted in her chest. "Let my brother go!"