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“I have a series of more or less obstacle courses for you to go through. Basics first,” Malcom said. “Driving forward and backward. Speed.”
None of the opening steps would leave an impression, unless the bot failed. If it didn’t even drive, there was no reason to damage anything to find out more.
Evie handed me the controller for Destructy 2.0. She insisted I was the better driver. I knew she was as good as I was, but I liked steering so I didn’t argue.
I took Destructy through Malcom’s instructions, making sure to spin up the weapons despite not using them yet, to show off the mechanics and the balance.
“We couldn’t decide which of Evie’s manufacturing skills to highlight, so we picked several.” I talked while I drove. “Horizontal spinner on one side and a lifter on the other.”
Malcom stayed impassive. “Not a great combat design.”
“A brilliant exhibition design.” I would brag about Evie’s brains all day and night.
“Stronger hydraulics than you’ll see most anywhere.” Gage joined me. “Flipped our test subjects twenty feet in the air, at least.”
Malcom looked between Gage and me. “I get it. Pretty girl, big mind.” He turned to Evie. “I assume you can speak for yourself.”
A glance at her showed that she was smirking. “What they say makes me sound way better than anything I’d tell you.”
“That does sound like Sawyer. Nothing but praise for the people he loves.” Malcom turned his attention back to the arena.
That hadn’t been me for a while, and it was nice to know my friends saw me returning to someone more like my old self.
“I have some pumpkins if you’d like to smash those to show off your weapons.” Malcom’s gestured to a cart off to the side, stacked with giant orange squash.
Evie’s grin was priceless. “Does anyone ever say no to that?”
“No.” Malcom chuckled.
I handed the controller back to Evie—she should be the one to bash things with Destructy—and helped Malcom and Gage set up pumpkins inside the cage.
Evie sent pumpkin guts flying again and again, until the ring looked like a gourd massacre. To me, her glee was as good as the carnage. Gage and I cheered every time she exploded something with the giant steel blade spinning on her robot.
From there, she switched to the flipper, and tossed a few heavier objects into the air. Last up was running her robot into a few stationary, bot-like creations.
“I’m sorry in advance,” Malcom said. “I hate to destroy such a great creation, but I need to see…”
“If the parts will hold up. It’s okay.” Evie didn’t look concerned. “I knew this was coming, and we can rebuild him when we’re done.”
All of the work we’d done paid off—Destructy 2.0 held up beautifully.
As we wrapped everything up, the buzz was different than it had been on the ride here, but it was still just as incredible.
Malcom placed an order then and there. “Get me these parts, the ones we’ve discussed, in the next two months, and you can expect referrals going forward.
“Thank you.” Evie shook his hand, then turned and threw her arms around my neck. “And you, too.” She pressed her lips to my cheek.
Simple. Sweet. And just as good at getting my blood racing. “You did all the work,” I said. “I just made the connection.”
Evie stepped back and grabbed Gage’s hand. “No. You two did as much work as I did. Your help made this possible.”
We finished loading the SUV up again, and Malcom pulled me aside.
“I don’t believe it, and I’m glad I was wrong,” he said.
What? “About what?”
“That you could smile like this again. And that you could make it work with two people.”
