Aluminum Heart: The Tin Girl Trilogy, #1

By A. M. Frater

Valerie Castle constantly lives to please others; though it isn't in her schema, as an android she has always felt obligated to keep human beings contented. When her uncle offers her the opportunity to live with him in gorgeous Greece, Val jumps at the chance to see another side of the world.

But tension soon rises between her human and robot brethren when robots across the globe unexpectedly turn violent. To side with the machines automatically labels her an enemy. To side with the humans means she's a traitor. Her aluminum heart draws her to one; her mortal mind pushes her to the other--and a boy from her past would like to help, that is, if Val would just give him another chance.

She has only so much time before she loses her world, her family, everything she loves. But Valerie will do whatever it takes to protect all that she cares about, even if it means joining a war she never wanted to fight in.

It isn't about which side is right, only which side remains...

• Language: English
• Publisher: A. M. Frater
• Release date: Nov 2, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386528142

Book preview

Aluminum Heart

Copyright © 2017 A. M. Frater

Josiah Davis www.JDbookservices.com, Frostbite Publishing www.frostbitepublishing.com (Editors)

Olivia ProDesign (Cover Designer)

Champagne Book Design www.champagnebookdesign.com (Formatter)

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Synopsis

Dedication

Epigraph

Prologue

Chapter One: Greece

Chapter Two: I Could Get Used to This

Chapter Three: Bonding

Chapter Four: Halcyon

Chapter Five: When Life Gives You Lemons…

Chapter Six: Blue

Chapter Seven: Rose

Chapter Eight: Hard Times

Chapter Nine: Falling Sky

Chapter Ten: For What it’s Worth

Chapter Eleven: C’est La Vie

Chapter Twelve: Getting Close

Chapter Thirteen: Trouble

Chapter Fourteen: The End of the World

Acknowledgements

About the Author

Valerie Castle constantly lives to please others; though it isn’t in her schema, as an android she has always felt obligated to keep human beings contented. When her uncle offers her the opportunity to live with him in gorgeous Greece, Val jumps at the chance to see another side of the world.

But tension soon rises between her human and robot brethren when robots across the globe unexpectedly turn violent. To side with the machines automatically labels her an enemy. To side with the humans means she’s a traitor. Her aluminum heart draws her to one; her mortal mind pushes her to the other—and a boy from her past would like to help, that is, if Val would just give him another chance.

She has only so much time before she loses her world, her family, everything she loves. But Valerie will do whatever it takes to protect all that she cares about, even if it means joining a war she never wanted to fight in.

It isn’t about which side is right, only which side remains…

For Aunt Jean and Mom, two very important ladies in my life who introduced me to the wonders of reading.

"This battleground is deadly

but you wear blood well for one so gentle.

And this was always your nature,

to give light in the dark

to shatter when needed

they say that the biggest stars

burn brightly

and die quickly.

Achilles was the sun

but baby, you were always supernova."

even stars die// l.s.

"When they told her her story was written in the stars,

she went to the heavens and crushed each one with her bare hands,

stars have no power over her,

the night sky is hers now,

and she will carve it with

constellations of her own."

never tell a goddess her fate // k.s.

I never wanted to fight—not in a senseless battle where the certain victor was wrath. Despite my inner reservations, I wasn’t going to let it end like this.

Somewhere in the darkest, furthest recesses of my mind, a thought escaped—I was probably already too late. But I shoved it aside—the battle wasn’t over yet. Not for me. I would fight with all the strength I had left.

Across from me, amidst the sea of chaos and calamity, stood the bloodthirsty mechanical monster. He wore a dark, sadistic grin as he anticipated my suffering by his hands, my kneeling at his feet.

I could almost return his smile. If I wasn’t currently scrambling across the large span of warring bodies—both human and machine alike—to reach him I would have thrown him a deceptively benevolent grin of my own. I knew him and I loved him. Even now, that would never change.

I forgot that I was supposed to be unbiased, strong in my self-regard—a heroine sure of herself and her duty. I forgot that such stupid, despicable thoughts were supposed to be beneath me. There was so much on the line now. There was no more room for sentimentality.

I was risking so much by being here. And yet, it was too late to turn back, no matter how fiendish this battle was reducing me to.

I didn’t care about the outcome—which victor would emerge triumphant. It didn’t matter to me.

The truth was, in this black hour, I would only be guilty of one death. The annihilation of one enemy. It had to mean something.

Violence, which was never the answer for anything, would not only be the right answer today, it would be the only answer.

I closed my eyes, and I was suddenly grateful that I could shut myself away from the horror for a few seconds. The wind whipped across my face as I gained momentum—a warning that I was going too fast.

Dad’s voice echoed in my head, just promise me you’ll stay safe…

I was probably going to die. I would never get a chance to see him again, to say goodbye, to remember him as I should. I would have preferred to see my father again before my inevitable demise.

This was for a good cause. I had to believe that. I was risking my life for them.

I didn’t give the horrible agony of knowing that I would not have the luxury of seeing my family again the chance to tear me apart. The end was coming sooner than I had planned. In fact, I was probably going to collide right into it.

I smiled to myself, as if I were enjoying my own private joke, and picked up the pace.

An image of the rain mercilessly beating against the rooftops of my neighbors’ houses and showering our street with its frigid water was the parting gift New York decided to give me. As far as farewells went, this could have been worse.

Do you really have to go? my father asked.

His deep frown did not lift. He stood there at the doorway, watching me with his mournful blue eyes.

I took my bag from him and, as I had a hundred times that week, curved my lips into an apologetic smile. The freezing rain lashed against the outside pavement, blowing an icy mist through the open front door. A few drops sprayed my face, but I didn’t mind. I liked the rain—I was used to it. Manhattan had such unpredictable weather, even with all the constant advancements made to technology. New York’s weather had the tendency to still do whatever the hell it wanted.

Could I get used to a place where Mother Nature behaved herself? Would it be better or worse?

Sorry, Dad, I said. I knew he’d somehow try to convince me to stay, a decision I had deliberated countless times in the last few days, but ultimately denied. "I want to go. I’m eighteen, and it’s time I gained a little independence."

But, Valerie, he argued. "This is your home." Shivering, he moved to close the exterior door, immediately blocking out the freezing rain, and once again shutting me away from the outside world. Though this time, he couldn’t hold me for long.

I turned around to face him then, just as Sophia bounced down the hallway to stand several feet away. Instantly, bitterness overcame me and my grip on