"I don't know how to do this,"

"Just push down easy on the pedal with your right foot, and steer with the wheel. Other pedal is the brake."

Vera was driving, giving Greer much needed rest, his eyes red-rimmed and bloodshot.

"I haven't driven since I was a teenager."

"Nothing has changed, Vera."

"Sure, except everything is different."

His sigh was tired and she instantly felt bad for complaining.

"Never mind. I'll be fine. Try to sleep."

"Do you remember where you're headed?"

"I'm keeping those peaks to my left, driving as far as I can."

"Good enough," eyes slipping closed, Greer was asleep within seconds. Vera glanced at him, puzzled, anxious, and slightly softening in her attitude toward him. Although she was struggling to accept what had happened, trying to understand this new world she found herself in, Vera was beginning to trust Greer Rhaner.

"Echo?" A mumbled voice came from the backseat, and she glanced into the rearview mirror.

"It's Vera, actually."

"Oh," the boy sat up with a pained grimace, eyeing her curiously. "Vera huh?"

"That's right. You're...Kyle?"

"Kai,"

"That's right," nodding, she focused her attention back on the road, although there was no fear of running to anything out here. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Adjusting to reach back, rummaging through the box of food, the teen grabbed a bag of chips. "My dad says you're some kind of a subroutine. How'd that happen?"

Bristling at the wording, her fingers tightened on the wheel, though she tried not to overreact.

"I don't feel like a subroutine, as you call it, Kai. I'm a person, just like you."

"But-"

"I'd really rather not argue about it."

"Well, sure." Chewing slowly, they regarded one another in the mirror until he finished the bag of munchies. "Vera...are you still going to help us?"

"I haven't decided."

"Echo would,"

"She's not here." again her fingers gripped the wheel, the hard-plastic crackling. "I'd be just as happy if she never came back."

"I like her," defiantly, the adolescent met her fierce glare. "Echo is nice, she's smart, and she's helpful."

"She's a robot!"

"So are you."

He watched her features flush red, somewhat amazed at the transformation. If he hadn't known better, Kai would have assumed the woman was human. Yet, his stubborn tenacity and immaturity allowed him to be boldly unafraid where his father tried for peace.

"I've met a few women," he commented suddenly, watching her eyes narrow. "I like Echo the best of all of them."

"Because she has to obey you," snapping back, Vera scoffed. "Any pubescent boy would drool over a mindless toy."

"She's not like that!" His voice rose to an abrupt pitch. "Echo has her own mind about things, and she's good! She saved our lives, even though my dad isn't her real Owner!"

"He's not?" Startled, Vera glanced at Rhaner, then at Kai through the mirror. "Why not?"

"I don't know," Kai shrugged, still upset but calmer. "I don't think he wants to have sex with a robot."

Vera snorted a laugh but tried to choke it back.

"Should you even know what that is?"

"I'm seventeen!"

"Oh, well, that's different then." Half rolling her eyes, Vera focused on the road, considering. "I heard about your mother. I'm sorry."

"It was a long time ago."

"She worked for the military?"

"Yeah."

"Important things?"

"I guess so, but she never talked about it, not that I remember. She took her job seriously, and never even told Dad about what went on."

"That must've been hard."

"Sometimes, but I don't really remember much about that. I was young when she died."

Vera considered that in silence as the miles whipped past them. Mina Rhaner was the key to Greer and Kai's problems. Eventually, she saw the boy resettle in the back seat, obviously tired. His eyes closed, and she smiled just a little, focusing her eyes back on the road.

Rhaner woke when she stopped to refuel, stirring as Vera easily lifted one of the heavy fifty-gallon drums of gasoline from the cargo bed. From the edge of her vision, she watched him rub his face, then look around sitting up. Twisting, he spotted her and relaxed.

"Hey."

"Did you sleep well?"

"Good enough. Where are we?"

"No idea." Putting the empty container back into the cargo area, she moved around the stand in front of him. "I kept the peaks to my left and drove until we hit empty."

"Somewhere in Washington then." Getting out, he stretched, cracking his neck and back. "You want me to take over?"

"I'm not tired."

His gaze was probing, curious. She fidgeted, flushing just slightly.

"What? Why are you staring at me?"

"Just wondering how you're doing...with everything?"

"Fine-" but she paused, refusing to meet his eyes, then reluctantly did so. "Well, not so fine. It's...weird. Like I'm in someone else's body."

"I can't imagine, Vera. Sorry."

"How," tucking a long, ebony strand behind her ear, she twisted the end around her finger. "How do you know it's me...and not her?"

"Echo is an amazing mimicry of humanity, but she's lacking just a little. You...you would pass for a real woman. Besides," he grinned. "You don't like me much. Echo does."

"About that," she hesitated a moment, then added, "Kai told me you're not her Owner, not fully. Why not?"

It was Greer's turn to fidget.

"Androids are contraband."

"So, what...you're scared?"

"No!" Scowling, he shook his head as she smiled, giggling. "I'm not scared!"

"Picky?"

"Let's just say...I don't believe in owning anyone."

"It's not slavery. It's a robot."

"Tell me that after you spend time with her- well...you," Rhaner grinned a little. "She's more human sometimes than I expect."

"Lewis was a genius. Maybe too much," her sigh was barely audible. "When you found it in the storage unit, what happened? Did the android partially imprint on you or something?"

"Or something." He found it amusing that Vera referred to Echo as a different entity, instead of a default personality of their shared body. Then he frowned, realizing he was doing the same thing. "What about you, Vera? Do you remember anything about how you ended up in the storage unit?"

The smile died from her eyes, full lips flattening into a dissatisfied line. As though the reminder of her own non-human existence was like vinegar on her tongue.

"I remember..." her brows drew together in a frown. "I remember being married to Howard, I remember he was elected president..."

"What else?"

"I don't...I don't know. It's...it's not there, not really." Worry filled her eyes as the thought sank in. "I can't remember. No details of my life, no fixed memory, just, impressions. Like I'd read about it instead of living it, or maybe just dreamed it all."

"That's tough, Vera. I'm sorry, really."

"Are you?"

"Yeah."

"Thank you. For...everything, I guess."

"Sure." Looking around a little, he smiled faintly. "Come one, let's keep moving. I'll drive."

The tank on the ATV showed half-empty when Greer slowed to a stop. His gaze as fixed ahead of them and Vera frowned a little.

"What? Why did you stop?"

"There's something up there."

"What?"

"I can't tell. Can you see it?"

"How would I be able to-?" She cut off abruptly, squinting, then her eyes widened. "I...I can!"

"Well?"

"Vehicles...big, like tanks? And...people."

"Armed? Reapers?"

"I...I'm not sure."

"Vera-"

"I don't know!" Frustrated, she threw her hands up. "I'm not a robot! How do you expect me to see that far away?"

Eyes wide, they stared at one another, her breath coming hard from her lips. Then Vera turned away.

"I know I'm not human, but...I feel human. How can I just stop being myself when...when I don't know how?"

"If you can't help us, then let Echo." He murmured gently. Her eyes glinted with moisture though no tears fell as he put a gentle hand on her arm.

"How?"

"Let her take over."

"How!"

"Vera," trying not to get frustrated, Greer lifted his hand, letting his fingers slip into her hair. "I'm sorry about this. Confirm classification."

"Listen, I can't just go away! I mean, I want to help, but-!"

His fingers flexed in frustration, brushing against her scalp as his eyes squeezed closed, trying to remain calm. He felt something move under his fingertips, Vera leaning her head slightly into the touch, but he didn't hesitate.

"Confirm classification and designation, authorization Greer Rhaner."

"Unable to comply." Echo's monotone voice jerked his eyes to the android, finding her expression absolutely blank. "Authorization invalid."

"What?! Explain!"

"Imprint and authorization needed for activation."

Greer swore loud enough to wake Kai, who sat up rubbing his face.

"What going on Pop?"

"Echo, somethings...wrong!"

Leaning forward as best he could, the teen studied the blank features of the android, frowning.

"She looks like she did the day we found her. Did you reboot her?"

"I have no idea. Maybe?"

"Let me try something...what's the name of that science guy, the one that built her?"

"Lewis...Dwighthall, I think. Why? What are you thinking?"

"Maybe nothing, but if an android is really just an amped-up supercomputer, then all programming, memory, and data input are never truly wiped. They're ghosts kinda, random pieces of code and subroutines that float in the backup matrix without an activation."

"How do you even know that?"

"Well," Kai flushed a little, looking guilty. "I found an archived data stream of tech support, and...well, I was curious."

"And?"

"I learned a little."

"How's that help us with them?" Greer thrust his finger toward the slowly advancing army in front of them. "We need Echo, or we need to get outta here. Now."

The boy turned to the android.

"Do you recognize authorization Lewis Dwighthall?"

"That subroutine is locked. Correct voice command required. "

Kai raised his brows, glancing at his father.

"Okay, that explains a little."

"Like what?"

"Where Vera came from. What did you do, Dad?"

"Nothing! I was just asking Vera to bring Echo back, then... this!"

"You're really not a Tech guy are you, Pops." His flippant tone earned the teen a fearsome glare, at which he rolled his eyes. "Tell her to initiate imprinting."

"You sure about that?"

"No. You have a better idea?"

"Initiate imprinting procedure."

Electric blue eyes swept over Greer first, pausing as her orbs flashed brightly.

"Hello," she said softly, just like the first time. "What is your name?"

"Greer Rhaner,"

"I am for you," she responded, blinking once, long and slow. Crystal blue irises shifted to the teenager. "Who is the youth with you, Greer Rhaner?"

"My son, Kai."

"Kai Rhaner." Her gaze lingered on him a moment before returning to Grir. "I am glad to know you both."

"What's your personal designation?" Kai asked as his father shifted the ATV into reverse.

"I do not have one. Greer Rhaner will choose his preference if he desires."

"Echo," he said quietly, glancing at her as he spun the wheel, facing them away from the army advancing ahead. "I like Echo."

The android's blue eyes returned to the youth, a hidden smile lurking at the corner of her mouth.

"My name is Echo."