12 Hours

" We're not leaving the robot," I said.

" Yes we are," said Bryson.

" We need that robot. We don't stand a chance against all these robots." I said.

" Not with that attitude," he said.

I gave Bryson an angry look and walked over to the robot.

"Listen robot, we are going to go over ground rules," I said.

" Ok." the robot said.

" One, if you even think about killing us, we will kill you," I said.

" Why would I want to kill you?" the robot asked.

" Because your kind doesn't like humans. Your kind is killing all the humans." I said.

" Why?" the robot asked.

" I don't know why you guys hate us so much," I said.

" Maybe you guys did something in the past that affected you in the future." the robot said.

" So you're saying we did something in the past that started this?" I asked.

" Yes." the robot said.

I walked back over to Bryson and grabbed him by his arm and dragged him over to the robot.

" What do you want?" he asked.

" The robot thinks humans did something to provoke the robots," I said.

" Of course it would say that it's a robot," Bryson said.

" I think it's right. Humans provoke humans all the time. Why wouldn't they do the same to robots?" I said.

Bryson put his hand on his chin and looked side to side.

" Fine, maybe you're right," he said.

" Of course it's right," I said.

Bryson walked up to the robot and got all up in its face.

" If you even put your little laser arm up at us, I'm blowing you up," he said sternly.

" I would never do such thing." the robot said.

" We should give it a name," I said.

" It's not a pet Alex, it's a robot," said Bryson.

" But I don't like referring to it as it," I said.

" Robots are its. They were made to be called its," he said.

" What about human-like robots?" I asked.

" They have names," he said.

" I'm going to name it anyway," I said.

I tapped my finger on my bottom lip and tried to think of a name we could call the robot.

" I got it!" I said.

The robot threw its arms in the air, but it threw them up slowly.

" It's gonna be stupid," Bryson mumbled.

" Silvey!" I said.

" Are you serious?" he said.

" Yeah, it's a super cute name," I said.

" Whatever, just know, I'm calling gonna keep saying it," he said.

I rolled my eyes then turned around and winked at the robot.

" So what's our first move?" I asked.

" We need to find the energy source," Bryson said.

I turned and looked at the robot.

" Would you happen to know where the energy source is located?" I asked.

" I could search for it," Silvey said.

Silvey's eyes projected a digital screen in the air showing him searching through its memory system. After about a minute of searching, it turned it off and looked at us.

" I could not find any files dealing with an energy source, sorry," Silvey said.

" It's not your fault Silvey, don't be sorry," I said.

" Robots are idiots, why didn't they automatically program each robot to know where the energy source is," Bryson said.

" How would that benefit them?" I asked.

" I don't know. Do I look like a robot to you?" he said.

" You are still silver, so kinda," I said.

" Shut up," he said.

" We should start the search for the energy source," Silvey said.

Bryson and I nodded our heads.

" He's right, but how are we gonna get past all these robots?" Bryson asked.

" We walk past them, duh," I said.

" Won't they recognize I belong outside?" said Silvey.

" Mmm, I didn't think about that," said Bryson.

" We can just say it came with the ultra upgrade or something," I said.

" I guess we are going to have to lie our way out of this," Bryson said.

" Wouldn't it be into this, because we are going into this situation not out?" I asked.

" Did anyone ask for your two cents? No." Bryson said.

Bryson pulled out his special weapon and look a big breath in and a long breath out.

" You should probably get your weapon," Bryson said.

I nodded my head and pulled out my watch.

" What is that?" Silvey asked.

" It's my special weapon," I said.

" I understand, but what is its function?" Silvey asked.

" It stops time," I said.

" Fascinating," Silvey said.

" Mine is fascinating too," said Bryson.

" How?" Silvey asked.

" Ummmm, I don't know," he said.

" It shoots out blue goo that freezes whatever it hits," I said.

" How did you know that?" Bryson asked.

" It says it on the side," I said.

" Meh," said Silvey.

Bryson responded with a shocked facial expression then he rolled his eyes.

" Can we just leave this bakery already? It still smells." I said.

" I don't know, just ask Silvey the smart-.," said Bryson.

" You're seriously jealous of a robot?" I asked.

" No, it's just annoying," Bryson said.

" Silvey, his name is Silvey!" I said.

" You both should stop arguing. We need to get going," said Silvey.

We both sighed and nodded our heads.

" He's right, you need to get used to having Silvey around," I said.

Bryson rolled his eyes and lowered his gun up.

" If that robot so much as look at me the wrong way, he's gonna say hello to my gun," said Bryson.

" Your gun only stops that person's time. It doesn't kill them." Silvey said.

" That's not the point! Don't test me robot!" Bryson said.

The robot hovered over to Bryson and turned his head slowly and looked at Bryson.

" Don't test me," Silvey said.

Bryson nodded his head rapidly and began to walk out of the bakery. I walked up to Silvey and nudged his shoulder.

" Cut it out," I said.

Bryson was standing at the entrance doors of the bakery holding his gun, with his finger on the trigger. I walked up to him and put my hand on his back. He quickly turned and slapped my hand off his back.

" S-sorry," I said.

" We're not on the same side here," he said.

" Yes, we are," I said.

" Can you get your friend over there so we can get going, please? You guys are lollygagging like we have time." Bryson said.

I sighed and nodded my head, then I walked back over to Silvey.

" We need to get going so come on," I said.

" Ok," Silvey said.

Silvey hovered over to the entrance doors and stood next to Bryson.

" So what is your game plan?" Silvey asked.

" We will find directions to the energy source, cut the supply and stop the rockets from launching," Bryson said.

Silvey slowly nodded his head and looked out at the robot city. I joined Bryson and Silvey and looked out at the city.

" So we are gonna say Silvey is our guard robot," I asked.

" Yeah, that's all we can do for now," Bryson said.

" Guard robots are only on the outside," Silvey said.

" Nobody asked," Bryson said.

" Bryson!" I said.

Bryson rolled his eyes and left the bakery and headed towards the stairs. Silvey and I quickly went after Bryson.

I finally caught up with Bryson and grabbed his shirt before he reached the first step.

" What are you doing?" I asked.

" Completing our mission, something that you're not doing."

" I am completing our mission, planning ahead of time is how you get things done," I said.

" That's also how you waste time and get stuck in the future!" Bryson said.

Bryson sighed angrily and began to walk down the stairs. I looked down and the bottom of the stairs and I could see the robots looking at Bryson as if he were a walking skeleton. I looked at Silvey and started to rub my arm nervously.

" All the robots are looking a Bryson weirdly," I said.

" Painting yourselves was a good idea, but it would last but so long," Silvey said.

" You think they know we're—?

" Humans?" Silvey asked.

" Yeah....humans," I said.

I started to rub my arm, then I looked at Bryson walk down the stairs.

" It doesn't matter, we have to do what we have to do," I said.

I began to walk downstairs to catch up with Bryson.

" Where are you going?" Silvey asked.

" We have a mission to complete," I said.

" Fair enough," Silvey said.

Bryson had already made it downstairs and was turned around looking at us with his arms crossed. He was giving me the death stare, so I walked a bit faster.

I finally got to the bottom of the stairs, and when I walked beside Bryson he rolled his eyes at me and looked at Silvey hover down the stairs.

" Are you still upset," I asked.

Bryson didn't answer. I was going to say we should put our differences aside, but I think that would only make him more upset.

" You always have the last say in decisions," Bryson said.

I paused and looked at Bryson confusingly.

" I have the last say?" I asked.

" I don't trust the robot Alex, you fixed it so it could get us out of the storage room," he said.

" But Silvey could--"

" You're getting too attached to it," he said.

I sighed and started to bite the inside of my lip.

" I just thought it could relax us," I mumbled.

Silvey finally made it downstairs and pointed towards the city entrance.

" We have made it down the stairs," Silvey said.

Bryson glared at Silvey then gave me the side-eye. I grabbed Bryson's arm and pulled him over to the left side of the stairs.

" Give him until the 11th hour," I said.

" As soon as we realize how to get to the rocket and stop the launch, we're cutting him loose," Bryson said.

" Fine," I said.

I started to walk back over to Silvey until Bryson pulled me back.

" And don't give him any signals we are gonna let him go," Bryson said.

" But--"

" You gotta let him go, Alex," Bryson said

I looked at my feet then nodded my head. I slowly walked back over to Silvey, filled with guilt and betrayal.

" Did something happen?" Silvey asked.

" No...." I lied.

" Very well then, we should move forward then," Silvey said.

Bryson walked up behind me and put his hand on my shoulder.

" What Silvey said," Bryson said.

Bryson looked down at me and gave me an evil look. Bryson was right, I had become attached to Silvey. I didn't see him as an enemy, I saw him as our friend.

Bryson and Silvey began to walk towards the door. I turned around and admired the robot city.

" You coming to Alex?" Bryson asked.

" Yeah, just taking one last look at the city," I said.

I took one last look at the city and sighed. I waved to the city then ran after Silvey and Bryson.

When I reached Bryson and Silvey, they were already talking about something.

" So you're telling me you don't have a single blueprint of this dumb building?" Bryson asked.

" No," Silvey said.

" Bull!" Bryson said.

" Stop interrogating him!" I said.

" Shut up Alex, you don't even know what's going on," Bryson said.

" If Silvey says he doesn't have a blueprint of the building, then he doesn't have a blueprint!" I said.

" Who's side are you on?" Bryson asked.

Bryson and Silvey stopped walking and looked at me sternly.

" I have been on your side Alex, Bryson has only bickered with you," Silvey said.

" Unlike that piece of metal junk, my kind isn't planning to kill off our kind!" Bryson said.

Bryson and Silvey crossed their arms in unison. I could feel sweat starting to slowly drip down my face.

" Look what you did metal junk! She is afraid of you!" Bryson said.

" Alex is not afraid of me, she is afraid of you!" Silvey said.

I could feel the anger inside of me slowly build up. The more and more Bryson and Silvey argued the more I wanted to yell.

" You're the reason we're here you idiot!" Bryson said.

" Would the both of you just stop?!" I yelled.

Bryson and Silvey paused and looked at me.

" You're both idiots! I'm not afraid of either of you." I said.

" You're sweating," Bryson said.

" Because of y'all!" I yelled.

" I am sorry Alex, I did not mean to anger you, but I can not say the same for Bryson," said Silvey.

Bryson turned towards Silvey and glared at him.

" What's your deal?" Bryson asked.

Silvey slowly turned towards Bryson and crossed his arms.

" You are affecting Alex emotionally," Silvey said.

Bryson looked at Silvey sadly, then turned towards me.

" We should get going, we don't have much time left," Bryson said.

Before I could respond, Bryson had already continued to walk towards the city entrance.

" Let him go," Silvey said.

I turned and looked at Silvey angrily.

" This is your fault," I said.

I turned away from Silvey and went after Bryson. I felt as if it was my fault, they were only arguing because of me. They both thought they were hurting me. I wanted to solve the problem, but we have less than four hours, and we have no time for that.

I was surprised that no robots had approached Bryson and I about our appearances, they definitely saw us. The robots would look at us, stop, and carry on with whatever they were doing. It was as if they wanted to confront us, but were too lazy to.

Bryson was already at the entrance with his back to us and his hand in pocket. Bryson and I had our disagreements, but they never got this bad. Maybe Silvey being around is a bad thing. Maybe we should have gotten rid of him after he busted us out. I was having this war in my head because I was deciding how to solve this situation. Silvey and Bryson were upset with each other, and I know Bryson is also upset with me.

" You are being awfully quiet," Silvey said.

I looked at Silvey and sighed.

" What is wrong Alex?" Silvey asked.

" It's complicated," I replied.

" It does not matter if I understand what you're talking about, it matters if I listen," Silvey said.

" Wow, Silvey.....that was really deep," I said.

" I know," Silvey replied.

I gave Silvey the side-eye and looked him up and down.

" That was supposed to humorous," Silvey said.

" It's hard to tell when you're trying to be funny with that boring robot voice," I said.

Silvey and I finally made it to Bryson, and unfortunately, Bryson still had his back to us. Suddenly an idea popped into my head. The same thing happened between Bryson and me, and I decided to be petty to solve our problems. Maybe I could do the same thing this time.

" Could you turn around and stop being a big baby?" I asked.

I folded my arms and waited for Bryson to turn around. Silvey slowly turned his head and looked at me.

" Excuse me?" Bryson said while turning around.

" Stop being a big baby. We don't have time for this!" I said.

Silvey looked at Bryson and I then backed up. I looked over at Silvey and gave him a stern look.

" I am not in this," Silvey said.

I rolled my eyes and looked back at Bryson.

" I hope you came up with a plan while Silvey and I were walking here," I said.

Bryson looked at me awkwardly and rubbed his neck.

" Typical," I mumbled.

" It wasn't my job to come up with some plan," Bryson argued.

" It's common sense, Bryson!" I said.

Bryson rolled his eyes and folded his arms.

" Oh, now you're gonna throw a hissy fit," I said.

Bryson clenched his jaw and started to breathe in and out slowly. Silvey hovered back over to us and looked at us concerningly.

" Do you want to waste your time arguing?" Silvey asked.

" We wouldn't have wasted so much time if Bryson had a plan," I said.

" And she turns it back on me. Now that's typical." Bryson argued.

" It is not worth it. You both are the reason we are running out of time so quickly." Silvey said.

Bryson and I looked at each other sadly and looked back at Silvey.

" I do remember seeing a sign that said something about the energy source," Bryson mumbled.

I looked at Bryson and nodded my head.

" We need to get serious," I said sternly.

Silvey turned and looked at me and awkwardly put his hand on his hip. I looked him up and down and gave him a puzzled look.

" What are you doing?" I asked.

Silvey looked down at his hand and looked back up at me. He took his hand off his hip and looked at me.

" I am gonna pretend that didn't happen," I said.

Silvey nodded his head slowly.

" See, we're wasting time right now. Walk and talk people, walk and talk." Bryson said.

Bryson and Silvey headed out of the city at the same time. I began to walk, then I looked at the city behind me. I knew it was about to get real.

" You coming Brown?" Bryson asked.

I turned back around and exited the city.

Bryson, Silvey and I left the city and ended up in the middle of a four-way hallway. We all were standing directly under a metal navy blue sign.

" This is the sign I saw when we first came in here."

I stepped back so I could look at the sign.

" According to the sign, the energy source is straight ahead," I said.

" Affirmative," Silvey said.

" So how are we going to get there?" Bryson asked.

" What do you mean how are we gonna get there?" I asked.

" I am sure there are robots that guard the room that stores the stuff that keeps them alive," Bryson said.

" I can help you with that problem, but only to a certain extent," Silvey said.

Bryson and I both turned and looked at Silvey.

" Spill metal bones," Bryson said.

I turned and looked at Bryson then gave him a confused look.

" Metal bones?" I asked.

" You call him Silvey, I'll call him metal bones," Bryson said.

I rolled my eyes and shook my head, then turned back towards Silvey.

" You were saying," I said.

" I have a thermal-x-ray radar," Silvey said.

" What's that?" Bryson asked.

" It is quite simple, I can detect when robots are nearby by the heat generated from their technical system," Silvey said.

" Ok, you explained the thermal part, explain the x-ray part," Bryson said.

" I can see humans and robots through walls," Silvey said.

" Well, you're obviously not gonna find any humans," Bryson said mockingly.

" Because the robots killed them all off," Silvey replied.

" Yeah, your kind did that," Bryson said while folding his arms.

I nudged Bryson on his shoulder and gave him a stern look.

" What?" Bryson asked.

" You're worried about him turning on us, and you're gonna be why he does," I said.

Bryson rolled his eyes and walked forwards.

" You guys coming?" Bryson asked.

I looked at Silvey and leaned my head towards Bryson. Silvey looked at me and slowly looked back at Bryson.

" These metal bones are ready to kick some robot butt," Silvey said.

I looked at Silvey and laughed. I never knew he could say something remotely funny. When Silvey talks, he always has a serious face. I guess him saying that comment with a serious face is what made it so funny.

" Why are you laughing?" Silvey asked.

" Because you looked like an idiot saying that," Bryson said.

I rolled my eyes and walked in Bryson's direction. Silvey was still standing under the sign confused about what I was laughing about.

" C'mon Silvey, you can figure out why I was laughing later," I said while walking.

I could hear Silvey power his.....now that I think about it, what is the thing called that lets Silvey hover around?

" Silvey?" I said.

" Yes," Silvey replied.

" What is the thing called that lets you hover around?" I asked.

" Hover-ator," he said.

Hover-ator. That sounds like something a robot would make up.

We passed a series of metal doors. Some had small glass windows in the middle of them and others didn't. I started to notice that they had small, rectangular, metal signs on the side of them. I stopped and walked over to one of the doors we were about to pass. Bryson looked at me, rolled his eyes and sighed as I was walking over there.

" C'mon Brown," he said.

" I just need to look at something," I mumbled.

I walked closer to the sign, then I began to realize that the words were not in English, they were in some foreign language.

" The words on the sign aren't English," I said.

" What do you mean they're not English?" Bryson asked while walking over to me.

Bryson leaned closer to the sign and squinted his eyes.

" Huh.....you're right, they're not English," Bryson said.

The letters on the sign didn't even look like letters, the looked like some ancient symbols.

" Oh my god!" Bryson said.

" What?" I asked.

" We have passed by a million doors and one of them could have been the energy source room," Bryson said.

I paused and moaned. Bryson was right. I realized that the symbols weren't English long after we started walking.

" So how are we gonna know where the room is?" Bryson asked.

I put my hand on my head and sighed. I was out of ideas. We had no idea what those words say.

" I guess we will have to open every door and look," I said.

" That's gonna take for-e-ver," Bryson said.

" Well do you have any better ideas?" I asked.

Bryson started to bite the inside of his lip and looked at the ceiling. Then all of a sudden his eyes lit up.

" What is it?" I asked.

" Robots built this place from top to bottom, so that means the words are in robot language," Bryson said.

I jumped up and down and clapped my hands, then Bryson and I slowly turned our heads and looked at Silvey.

" Why are you both looking at me as if I am your prey?" Silvey asked.

" You're a robot," Bryson said.

" You are very observative," Silvey said.

Bryson glared at Silvey, then he grabbed his arm and drug him over to the sign.

" What does that say?" Bryson asked.

Silvey's eyes turned bright green then he scanned the sign. Bryson and I were both beaming with excitement.

" Garbage," Silvey said.

" Who is?" Bryson asked.

" You asked what the sign said, it says garbage," Silvey said.

" Ugh," Bryson said while rolling his eyes.

I put my hand on Bryson's shoulder, then he looked at me annoyingly.

" Hey, we are one step closer to finishing this mission," I said.

" And now we have to take 50 steps back because we have to start back there," Bryson said pointing to the beginning of the hallway.

I rolled my eyes and pushed Bryson away.

" Hurry up y'all, we need to hurry up and scan all the signs," I said.

Bryson and I began to walk back to the beginning of the hallway.

" Where are you guys going?" Silvey asked.

" She just said we have to scan all these signs metal bones," Bryson said.

" I can scan them all," Silvey said.

" Uh DUH. That's what you're about to do, so come on." Bryson said.

" No, I mean I can scan all the signs at once," Silvey said.

I slightly turned my head and lifted my eyebrows.

" Wait seriously?" I asked.

" Yes," Silvey said.

" Well, metal bones turn your eye thing on and scan them all," Bryson said.

Silvey looked at me for confirmation, then I nodded my head. Silvey slowly turned around and was facing the other end of the hallway.

" Ooh, I hope it's gonna be epic like it is in the movies," Bryson said.

I looked ag Bryson and rolled my eyes.

" One can hope," Bryson said shrugging his shoulders.

Bryson and I both looked back at Silvey, waiting for him to scan the signs. All of a sudden Silvey's eyes lit up bright green, along with all the cracks on his body including the energy source on his chest.

" Epic movie scene, here we come," Bryson said rubbing his hands together.

I had to admit, I was starting to expect some epic movie scenes as well. He projected a green line that covered the entire hallway in front of him and the halls to the side.

" Cool," Bryson said in awe.

The line that Silvey projected from his eyes slowly went down to the floor, then slowly back up to the ceiling. Then it came back down and stopped in the middle.

" Is he done?" Bryson whispered.

I looked at Bryson and shrugged my shoulders. Silvey's lights in his body began to dim.

" I have scanned all of the signs," Silvey said.

" Sweet," Bryson said.

" So do you know which one is the energy source room?" I asked.

" I scanned over 10 signs, give me a few seconds," said Silvey.

I cleared my throat and stood there awkwardly.

" Yeah of course." I stuttered.

Silvey turned around and was facing us. He slowly looked up, then his eyes turned bright green. But this time only his eyes turned bright green, instead of all of the cracks on his body and his eyes.

" This is creepy and cool.....coolpy," Bryson said.

" Good thing we decided to keep him, instead of disposing of him," I said.

Bryson gave me the side-eye.

" The past is in the past. I am not ashamed of being cautious." Bryson said.

Silvey slowly looked back at us and his eyes dimmed.

" I have the directions," Silvey said.

" Well dude tell--"

Before Bryson could finish his sentence, his watch started beeping. We all looked at it and then Bryson and I looked up at each other in unison.

" So, we have three hours left?" I asked.

" Yep," Bryson said.