“Boss, they are not going to buy this.”

  “Quit your belly aching, we are fine. Just make sure you identify yourself as non-threatening. I would hate spending what little money we have on spare organs.”

  Today was the day Agape had to inspire his former bosses with my drone. A mechanical marvel instead of the sophisticated AI he was paid to do. Obviously, the programmer had issues with my plan. His life was at risk. Unfortunately for him, that was a cost I was willing to pay.

  When he explained their reputation, I had mixed feelings about the cult Agape was employed by. I commended the enlightenment some few humans had. Recognizing their inferiority and attempting to evolve into a superior mechanical form. On the other hand, this was clearly overstepping the limited privileges humans were allowed. To apologize for being born and putting themselves out of my misery.

  However, how I felt about them didn't matter in the end, unfortunately. Not while they were our easiest path to financial stability. While I could hack the banks or kill the loan sharks to erase our debt, it would draw unnecessary attention. Overtaking a local gang would take care of any suspicion instead. They came as quickly as they went. Like flies, ever-present but quickly dying out.

  Still, these insects had guns, which was enough to intimidate by ignoble steed. They also didn't look too happy to see him arriving at their warehouse. Agape looked out of place in a location surrounded by people in suits or fine dresses. Even if they were all in various states of cyberization.

  “Agape. Follow me. We can't leave you alone this time. Some of our members might be offended by all your extra skin. And we wouldn't want something to happen to our best farmer, right?”

  The one who spoke was the same leader from the trio that visited a few weeks ago. They wore a more colorful suit, white with gold highlights Instead of the black and red I saw last time. They still had the same featureless helmet on. Even with a more formal appearance, the way other people here looked at Agape gave credence to their warning. Still, this person was managing to keep the onlookers at bay. Some of them still looked rather dangerous at a distance though.

  I had to admire the craftsmanship these people had applied to their bodies. You had the usual human forms, of course, limbs and appendages with a metallic sheen. Others went the entire opposite with near-inhuman metal grafts. Several cameras for eyes, extra arms, and legs, or the odd cross-breeding of animalistic body parts. I never expected to someone take the moniker of bunny girl to the logical extreme.

  Agape seemed uncomfortable with the everpresent inhumanity these people displayed. I just basked in the unrestricted display of opulent wealth. It felt like we were in an underground party for every philanthropist in Timical. This just brought into question why Agape was instructed to bring the AIs here whenever he brought them. Our temporary bodyguard seemed to read my mind.

  “Word has spread what occurred in the farm. Knowing supply is limited this time, many came to bid on the product. But that also means they know you're responsible. And a few also know you had other ideas. I know you mean well. Others? Well, they aren't as nice as me.”

  The faux kindness from this person, which gave nothing away of their identity even this close, was getting on my nerves. It was like they chose every word to be a double meaning. Their idle threats are only backed up by their cult's reputation. Then again, while they had yet to display any dangerous advantages, I didn't want to underestimate an organization with so much money on hand. The fact I still couldn't get a read on their cybernetics when everyone else in this building was on full display was also annoying.

  It reminded me of their supposed attempts to become full-blooded robots. I could accept a near-fetishistic urge to graft metal on your body. Vanity or personal power were constant motivations in the human psyche. But abandoning the body you were born into? Now that sounded crazy, even by my standards. Just because I could jump from one machine to the next didn't mean I became any less of an AI. Such a transformation for a human wouldn't come without a cost.

  This was assuming the information was all true and not just fantastical tales by stupid sub-primates. All the research I had done until now implied that was impossible. Not only was making a perfect digital copy of a person extremely difficult but there was only so much mechanical upgrading the human mind could take.

  The human brain may be one of the best computers around, but depending on the cybernetics, they could be overloaded. It was like a more advanced version of living as an amputee. Ghost limb syndrome, adapting to the new metal body parts, and trying to power some potentially demanding cybernetics. The more humanoid the replacements the easier to manage. Full-body prosthetics were expensive but not unheard of.

  But if you tried to go outside the norm? Install parts the human brain wasn't built to support? That's when you have issues. One of the more extreme members we saw had her limbs in a straight jacket. Fancy and expensive in appearance, but it was clearly meant to keep her from hurting anyone. Instead of hands and feet, she had swords at the end of those limbs. With how she twitched and mumbled, just this much had been enough to strain her mind. I could only imagine what those blades could do to have debilitating results.

  The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  “Head to the back. The High Priest wishes to see you. See if your new machine is worth the effort. Instead of the AI, that I will so generously remind you of, that we are paying you for. I’ll wait here. In case anything happens. It won't, right?”

  We had been walking through finely decorated hallways, meant to comfort the entrepreneurs the cult was going to entertain today. Servants walking around with edibles or whatever personal vice the guests would be interested in. Nothing too crippling for their feeble minds but enough to spice up their night. A pleasant atmosphere that changed into a clinical slaughterhouse once Agape walked through some double doors.

  We entered what felt like a hospital. Clean. Steril. Far too much white for my tastes. It was a large open room with curtain dividers spread across in an orderly fashion. The curtains that were openly displayed what other humans would call a disturbing sight. Several surgical operations were in progress. With brutal efficiency, I might add.

  “God I fucking hate this part.”

  Agape walked forward, experienced with the room but still left nauseated. For once I could sympathize with my ill-mannered slave. People were getting cybernetic enhancements. An invasive and quite potentially dangerous procedure if not conducted by a professional. Replacing a person's heart was easy. Making sure the person didn't go into shock or bleed out during the process was the hard part. Safety precautions these people were ignoring.

  Instead of a doctor, these people were being operated by a machine. A machine that removed limbs, organs, and even skin as quickly as possible. All without anesthetic. These people were getting basically tortured as the robots cut and disassembled them. Blood was spilling everywhere. Body parts were thrown to the side like it was going out of style. Cybernetics were stapled on regardless of how much writhing and screaming the people did.

  I would have been impressed by the inhumanity of this whole experience. I’ve killed humans in very creative ways but dear god do they aim to surpass my cruelty. I could call it beautiful. But that would require me to admit the humans had done something I could respect. Rats had more admirable achievements than these simian rejects. But it was close.

  One of the humans on the surgery tables moaned.

  That nonexistent admiration quickly died.

  “Agape. Please. Tell me these humans don't actually enjoy these unnecessarily brutal cybernetic installments.”

  “Boss. I hate to break it to you. These people are freaks. They just have bigger guns than most.”

  Ugh. Couldn't they attempt mechanical ascension without making it a sex thing? If these people were going to become AI trapped in a robot body, why the hell would they want human flaws. You are trying to eliminate defects like a need to eat, breathe, and reproduce! What's the point if you're going to keep pointless things like a sex drive!? God help these people, and I don't even believe in the guy!

  Wait. Multiverse exists. Which means God with a capital G dose too. Questions for later. Peggy might have an answer to that. I’ll need to ask her when I see her later. For now, urging Agape to walk a little faster out of this disgusting room. I’ll need a shower after all of this is said and done.

  Stepping through another set of double doors, we entered a strange room. It seemed to double as a comfortable office and an examination room. There was currently a corpse, severely burdened with cybernetics, and currently being dissected. The one shoving her arms elbow-deep in the body was someone who fit the mad scientist trope.

  She had half her brain exposed with a glass plate on her skull. Several robotic arms were sticking out of her back while her mouth had been replaced with a speaker of sorts. When she noticed Agape, she stopped with her procedure and stepped out from behind the table. This displayed her legs being replaced with several spiderlike appendages and her hands had needles for fingers. A real Frankenstein’s monster this one.

  “Ah. Agape. You have arrived. Present your peace offering. Pray it is satisfactory. You will be punished otherwise. Those AI were important.”

  No fluff, just straight to business. I like it. Shame she was going to die here. No witnesses and all that. A stealth heist stealing people's money was the plan here. Well, a very violent form of stealth. But if there is no one alive to catch you committing daylight robbery, have you been caught? Besides, these people were kind enough to host the meeting in a scarcely populated part of the city.

  Agape swallowed nervously. He clearly still had reservations about my whole mass murder plan. Killing your former boss was a daunting task. Or maybe he was scared the drone hadn't been properly programmed. He had seen me run a few simulations with it. It could eviscerate a human with a well-placed shot. My drones rarely missed of course. As an AI, I believed in auto-aiming supremacy. What he should really worry about was any possible retaliation these cultists had in store.

  “Allrtighy. Things are going well so far minion. Remember to hit the deck when the drone starts firing.”

  Obeying me and the cult leader, agape started opening the crate he’d been dragging with him through the warehouse. It was half his height in dimension but also weighed twice as much. He had complained the entire way down the several flights of stairs he took to the ground floor. I don't know what he was crying about. He managed. What's a potentially torn muscle to a human that can buy cybernetic replacements?

  With the box opened up, my drone was at full display. A machine made for urban combat. It was a sight to behold. I kept it simple, tank treads for legs and a singular gun mounted on with a pair of cameras for visual senses. Some would think I may have underperformed with my machine. Those people had never encountered a rapid-fire railgun in action. Shred through thick metal plating and also snipe from extreme range.

  The best part? I was piloting this baby. It powered up, its violet paint job grabbing the woman's attention. The people of this planet favored copying whatever they found in nature and just slapping guns to it. My drone being so basic in design would make it sell for the appeal alone. If I have a life test run on these cultists, recorded for later use? Icing on the cake.

  The secondary target would be their leader. The primary is that the pervert is on the medical table in the room behind us. They die first. Put down like the sick animal she was. I could only wait for them to turn on my drone.

  I wonder if I could beat my old record.

  Only one way to find out.

  I fired my railgun straight at the mad scientist.