The Shadow of the Snake

By John James Derrick

A great adventure about love and friendship, settled in a far future, where a allpowerfull corporation controls all. Love, treason and violence mix for an stunning adventure for all the ages.

• Language: English
• Publisher: John Lydian
• Release date: Jul 2, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005774943

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THE SHADOW OF THE SNAKE

Copyright 2020 John James Derrick

Published by John James Derrick at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

1. THE SERPENT'S EGG

Dr. Lara was heading to Room 013, but kept looking around. All the windows showed the inside of the other rooms that led to Room 013 at the end of the corridor.

A lot of sparks were flying from the big machines which included absolutely all the rooms. The whole block was destined for one function: to discover how to implement chips to specialized robots so that they are able to feel pain, sadness, joy, itching or even stinging. The key was for the robot itself to be aware of its own existence by being able to feel everything that happens around it.

The most advanced was Room 013, run by Lara and a partner of hers, Gerry. They both studied all the technological advances since they began work on Make It Happen, the most important android company of all, 2035. The great year of robots, where they were already starting to appear everywhere; on the streets, like a human being, with human behaviour... The only thing missing was that those behaviours were real.

The door opened when Lara put her eye to a device that was right next to the entrance to the room.

- Have you checked the final security parameters? - He entered without greeting his partner, who was crouching, disrupting the legs of an android of Lara's height.

- Good morning to you too - Gerry peeked out to make a mockery face - I think this android's going to be a real hit.

- You've been saying that every day since we walked into that room seven years ago.

Gerry nodded sarcastically and returned to his position.

- Yeah, I checked them out this morning, while you were probably thanking your pillow for the pleasure it gives you sleeping on it so late - Lara wasn't used to so many Gerry jokes.

- You look cheerful. Anything happen that I don't know about? Lara went to see the android head-on.

- Nothing, we're just about to finish the android, I've met the love of my life, I'm having soup... - the camouflage had served to distort Lara's mind.

- WHAT HAVE YOU KNOWN?! she shouted at the falsetto.

- Her name is Nayah, she was born in the same place as me and I met her thanks to Reep - he was euphoric.

- Oh my God, 28 year old Gerry Gupp knows Nayah for as long as he can thanks to an app that is inside your own eyes - he made a whistle and a flirty look.

Gerry laughed without feeling.

The speakers inside all the rooms on the block played an emergency alarm. All the doors opened in unison, and people in each room began to leave.

Gerry stood up, and with the tool in his hand, made a mark on the android's forearm.

- What did you do? Lara heard the noise.

- I accidentally made a mark on her, I'm sorry, I...

Lara came over to see how big it was.

- It's shaped like... snake. Are you sure you didn't do it on purpose?

- I just got up Lara, the alarms don't sound right.

Lara took the floor again.

- It's OK. We'd better get out.

Gerry left the tool on the floor and walked right out of the room.

Lara, he headed right for the door. Underneath it, there was an inscription made with interchangeable plates. Android 13.

- You already have a name.

Lara approached the speaker of the plates, and the plates changed letters. The snake's egg, all perfectly together. That invention was a whim.

Everyone went down to the main hall.

- What happened? Did they say anything? Lara was sitting in a chair to be face to face with Gerry.

- They said there'd been an explosion in one of the rooms, they don't know where the android is or where his handlers are, they've literally disappeared, but there's a huge hole in the room, they've called the authorities...

Lara stared at the centre of the table, in another world. There was a long, uncomfortable silence.

- We'll call it Snake- Ivonne decided to change the subject to change the atmosphere.

- Huh? Gerry just made a confusing sound.

- To our android. She'll be called Snake. You gave her some kind of birthmark, so... - I kept staring at her.

- Oh, that's great-- Gerry changed to a more cheerful tone. When this is all over, we'll check the security on the chip and see if it really works.

- Yeah, uh... After seven years of focusing on the same thing every time.

- But it'll be worth it. Or so I hope - Lara looked up when she heard him.

A millisecond later, another explosion was heard. The whole room shouted out loud as the whole building shook.

- Another one," he shouted excitedly, Lara.

- Room 013! I repeat, room number 013! - a voice shouted it in the distance, giving a reference to the authorities who were coming up the stairs.

Lara and Gerry looked at each other about to shed a sea of tears.

- We have to go see him." Lara started walking as fast as she could to the third floor of the block, where

Reviews for The Shadow of the Snake

[cesmnca · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Good Characters But The Plot could be better for entertainment