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realized that at least from
his point of view, our conversation wasn’t over.
    “So what do you like to do for fun?” he
quizzed me as we walked through the door.
    “Read,” I answered. I had found myself
forming automated responses to typical questions.
    “Cool, have you ever read any science
fiction-type things?” Michael asked me as we made our way to our
desks in the back. “That’s my favorite genre.”
    I shook my head. “I haven’t.”
    Michael gave me a shocked look. “Then you've
gotta read some.”
    I nodded, trying to appear interested. “Okay,
maybe I will.” I started to turn towards the front of the room, but
Michael kept talking.
    “Mr. Walter!” Miss Clark snapped at him.
    Michael was instantly quiet. I couldn't
suppress a tiny smirk at his expression and incessant talking. Miss
Clark briefly frowned at him then began our lesson.
     

Chapter Eight

    “You know, Drew,” Yvonne lectured, “you
really should get going on your mission. I mean, I don’t know what
you’re doing but ...”
    Yvonne and I were sitting at a table in the
recreation room of the Institution. I had pulled out a puzzle and
was just finishing up fitting together the end pieces when she sat
down across from me.
    I stopped for a moment and looked at her.
“What do you mean, 'get going on it?' I’m doing what they’re
telling me to,” I argued in my defense, thinking about the
sleepover idea and Glen’s proud expression.
    Yvonne gave me a sarcastic look across the
table. “Well, then, how come I’m farther along than you are?” It
was a question, but her tone suggested that she already knew the
answer and was only asking to bother me.
    I didn’t want to sink to her level, but
curiosity got the better of me. “What do you mean?” I asked, almost
dreading the answer, knowing it would be coated with Yvonne’s usual
egoistical talk.
    “Well,” Yvonne said dramatically. “They’ve
started asking me to do other things, along with just observing the
humans.”
    “What kind of things?” I asked, too intrigued
to let her tone and expressions bother me.
    She gazed at me smugly, leaning back. “Can’t
tell. Secret stuff.” She looked extremely pleased with herself.
    I rolled my eyes and went back to working on
the jigsaw puzzle.
    “Don’t roll your eyes at me, Drew,” Yvonne
snapped. “You’re just angry that you’re not as good as I am at all
this mission business.”
    “I didn’t say that,” I replied without taking
my attention off the puzzle.
    “You didn’t have to.”
    I heard footsteps and looked up to see
Jeremy, another android employed on the same mission we were. “Hi
guys,” he said and sat down at the table with us.
    “Hi, Jeremy.” I paused for a moment.
    “Hello,” Yvonne added.
    “What’re you guys talking about?” he asked,
situating himself so he was comfortable in his chair.
    “Oh, Yvonne was just telling me all about how far she’s getting in the mission,” I announced, sending a
sidelong glance at Yvonne then began irritably looking for a puzzle
piece that had escaped me.
    She gave me a dirty look. “Well, it’s
true.”
    “Oh, you mean about the part where we bring
people in?” Jeremy asked eagerly, leaning forward.
    Yvonne groaned, glaring daggers at him. “You
weren’t supposed to tell her. ” She sighed with disgust and
looked away.
    Jeremy looked taken aback and utterly
confused. “Why not?”
    “Because she’s not there yet,” Yvonne quipped
with a toss of her shiny, black hair.
    “That doesn’t matter.” He shook his head in
protest. “The creators never said anything about not telling
her.”
    Yvonne didn’t reply. She continued to glare
at us with a disgusted expression instead.
    “What is this about bringing people in?” I
directed my question to Jeremy, knowing Yvonne would never tell me
anything and not wanting to get my answers from her, anyway.
    “Well,” Jeremy began, glancing briefly at
Yvonne before going on, “they’ve started asking