The Club has an eight-foot wall around it with sensors atthe corners that move when someone gets too close to the wall on the outside. They strike me as robot snipers as we walk to the lab that’s right behind the office building.
This Club has the original MC Badass Club attached on the other side of the newer building. The Lead Protector, Clay, said it’s restored using pegs and the red dirt that’s common to the area. They went out and dug it up to chink the side that’s not connected to the new building. Using the old ways and materials got the Club back on the National Register of Historic Places. It looks like it’s historical but choppers come and go and the building doesn’t sway or even seem to notice.
The Lab is deceiving when you walk in. It seems bigger than it looks from the chopper but the center has lifts so workstations raise up. I guess for whatever Salaita’s ol’ lady is working on. The woman is small with a big presence. I watch the little word game she plays with Alder about work that she has stacking up.
Her Lead, Peggy, is the same woman from the ship. I nod to her at the wall and back up so I’m in line with her and the K9’s.
“They do the game every time he shows,” she says softly.
I nod putting the gear box I was given at the chopper down. “Supposed to pick up my foot.”
She nods. “She was working on it orafoot. This is as close as I go in here.”
I nod and watch the smile Stella is wearing grow. She loves the little Pres. “Let me see them, Hud.”
It’s got to be in the gearbox. I lift it and bring it to them.
LP points to a low table. “My station.”
I walk five steps and put it on his station. He doesn’t need a stool to open it. I step back and almost laugh.
There are two tiny skeleton brace things. They go back and forth before I realize he made them for the babies so shedoesn’t need walkers that take up space in her house or the daycare.
Moving back to the wall by the door I don’t get to hear the rest.
“Who got hurt?” Peggy asks in a whisper.
“No one. It’s for her boys instead of a walker. When they’re walking on their own, she can give one to Pres Aylen.” I keep my voice low.
She slaps a hand across her mouth before the laugh comes out. I look at my feet.
A few minutes go by and LP is running my way. “Doc Bean come five-minute.”
I nod but don’t get why he’s telling me. “Okay but why?”
He looks at me for a beat. “You robotic. All waterproof.”
Okay. “The doctor is bringing it to me?”
The LP looks like he’s annoyed with my question that is stopping him from seeing babies walk. “I go to see babies. Doc Bean come fit robotic, mark line to you leg.”
I nod. “The K9 is with you?”
“Daycare next door. Prometheus follow me.”
I look out the back door and see the one room building made of glass with kids and little Alpha-Bits in it.
When they all go out the back door, I watch until they’re in the next building or hut or whatever it is. Stella talks then all the women are laughing.
I hear the door and turn. “Doc Beans?”
He nods. “Bean. You’re Hud, you need your feet and Stella left them on her bench.” He turns around scanning the tables and points up. “This is the Bits station. Hers must be up there.”
I watch as he walks a few feet away and grabs a dark purple cable hanging from the ceiling and pushes the green button. The low table lowers while high one comes down. It’s notthat high but looks as if it is. The dark blue under it matches the wood planks of the real ceiling. Four wooden pillars move down into a basement at the corners of the new station. I look at Bean who is watching my reaction. “They’re not support structures?”
He smiles. “Wood around pistons. She has them lowering so they’re not in her way. This is the one she works on the most.”
I look at the tool boxes and what’s on the table. “I thought she was a doctor?”
