Read Code Lightfall and the Robot King for Free Online Page B

opened its bloodred eye visor and blinked a couple times. It scanned the room and spotted Code.
    â€œHello, there. I’m Gary, your atomic slaughterbot.”
    Code was speechless. After a moment, he managed to stammer, “M-my slaughter bot?”
    â€œThat’s right. Of the atomic variety. Obviously .”
    â€œYou … slaughter things?”
    â€œYou hit the nail on the head, little buddy!”
    â€œDo you do anything else?”
    â€œAfraid not.”
    â€œWhy … slaughter?”
    â€œWell,” said the looming slaughterbot, slightly ruffled. “Is a bird happy when it eats a worm? Is a kitten happy when it pounces on a string? Do you blame a wrecking ball for smashing through a building?”
    â€œI guess not, but—”
    â€œGreat. See? I’m designed for slaughtering from the ground up.” Gary sighed. “And I do love it so!”
    The monstrous robot flexed his battle gauntlets and flipped open a finger cannon thoughtfully. “Oh, slaughter, how I love thee! Let me count the ways!”
    And then Gary began to hop around playfully. His reckless dance shook the room and shattered the domed windows above, sending shards of glass raining down. The glass bounced harmlessly from Gary’s thick armor, but Code had to throw himself out of the way to avoid it.
    Then the hulking robot burst into song:
    Crashing, smashing, blasting, wrecking,
    These are the things I love to do!
    Lasering, Tasering, masering, phasering,
    Slaughter, mayhem, I love you!
    For I am a slaughterbot,
    I never have to say “Please.”
    Even if I am caught,
    I can crush your head with ease.
    My principle of attack?
    Leap ahead, never look back.
    My principle of defense?
    I haven’t got one—I’m too immense!
    My head is extra tiny,
    My arms are extra large,
    My lasers extra shiny,
    And I keep ’em fully charged.
    My motors roar, my huge arms bend,
    That crashing sound, it is your end.
    Turn around, and run away,
    For I’m about to slaughter—yay!
    Gary stopped dancing and looked around at the devastated room. Code swallowed, certain he was about to be flattened. Peep chirped, annoyed by the dust and destruction.
    â€œIt’s just a little song I wrote about slaughtering,” Gary said modestly.
    There was nowhere to run. Code was trapped in this room with a chatty, oversized slaughterbot. And the only way to survive seemed to be to … talk to it.
    â€œThat’s really, uh, nice,” Code called up to Gary. “But can’t you do something besides slaughter?”
    Gary thought for a microsecond. “No. That doesn’t make any sense. I’m a slaughterbot, plain and simple. In fact, I better get on with the slaughtering! You’ll excuse me if I unscrew your head from your body now?”
    Gary reached for Code with a cranelike arm. This is it , thought Code. My head is about to be crushed into jelly . Code squeezed his eyes shut as the metal hand loomed closer and closer. And then he abruptly remembered something that Gary had said.
    â€œWait. You’re my atomic slaughterbot?”
    Gary paused. “That’s right. And who are you?”
    â€œI’m Code, and I need to ask you for a favor.”
    â€œAnything for you, Code.” Gary waited for Code’s command.
    Code took a deep breath and then blurted it out: “No slaughter.”
    â€œCome again?”
    â€œNo slaughtering. You can’t slaughter.”
    â€œOnce more?”
    â€œYou aren’t allowed to slaughter anyone. No slaughtering. Can’t slaughter. No. Slaughter.”
    â€œNot quite sure I understand. Are you saying that I should not slaughter? Or is this a metaphor? Or some kind of riddle? I’m not very good at riddles. Only slaughtering.”
    Just then a thunderous knock sounded on the other side of the door. Code heard the booming voice of Brutus, bellowing angrily.
    â€œGary,” urged Code, “we’ve got