I woke up feeling like curdled death. What does curdled death actually feel like? Well like me, of course. Circular logic, the best kind of logic... or something like that. I wasn't going to let my pounding head, aching joints, and general weakness stop me however - I'd be going to school today. No matter who I had to convince and argue against.

Right, come on, you can do this Min. Or maybe not.

Attempt number two was successful, and of course that was when the door opened to reveal a very disgruntled looking Jeanette.

"I'm going today." If I told her quick enough, maybe she wouldn't nag my ear off.

She pursed her lips together, but smoothed her face to utter calm-ness. "Of course, Mistress Min."

Then she grabbed me by an arm to make sure I didn't fall.

Her touch was gentle, but it was leading me back to bed. I resisted. "No, I'm going. I've missed too much already."

"As you will," Jeanette responded, and she actually listened! This time we were heading across the hall and to the shower. "Unfortunately, we do not have your coffee and breakfast ready just yet."

"You're slipping." It felt good to tell her that, and even better that she could slip at all. That felt wrong of me somehow, but I'd deal with it later.

"I have no excuse," Jeanette deadpanned in response, holding me up with one hand while shutting the bathroom door behind us with the other. When Jeanette wanted to deadpan, she could do it better than everyone.

I was going to run with it, however. "Darn right. I have half a mind to dock your pay."

That one got a smile. "Oh no, whatever will I do now? How will I pay for my children's hospital bills now?"

Oh, she was good. It was amazing that I had created this; that she was something I had made, a person I had made.

The feeling was indescribable; I could not think of the words, for all my brain power.

"What is it?" Jeanette asked, stopping short of taking my last piece of clothing off.

"Nothing. I was just thinking that it was a wonderful day." I could still fool her on the little things, if I tried. Of that much, I was sure.

Jeanette continued then helped me place myself in the tub. "As you say. It should be a fine day, if somewhat cold for certain humans. The march of winter waits for none, it seems."

That was almost poetic. No doubt a quote from someplace, but my little bot was learning so fast. I needed to shake these weird thoughts, but the headache wasn't making it easy.

"I guess I should dress warmly then."

"You should, and I have prepared with that thought in mind. I have a short sleeved shirt, a long sleeved shirt that you may wear over it and button as you deem necessary, and of course your coat."

"That should be plenty." The only long sleeved shirts I had were overly large ones made for winter. In happier times, I could have braved winter weather with those alone. Now, my body seemed dedicated to channeling heat away from me, so that option was off the table.

I'd look pretty stupid dressed like an Eskimo this winter, but such was the price of science, I suppose.

Jeanette pulled the shower curtain. She made no move to leave; I guess I couldn't blame her. Still I managed to remain upright; the hot water seemed to ease my pounding head as I went through the motions.

You know, I'd never asked. "Jeanette when do you shower?"

"When the household is asleep, of course." Of course. My bots had to be getting clean sometime, and that was a time that made sense. I'd just never seen them shower. All of them had a down cycle of at least a few hours, with Jeanette's being the smallest window there, because she was technically a caregiver android. I'd only seen Jeeves in his sleep mode, though.

They all had to split the division of labor somehow. It was obvious of course, they were talking to each other all the time, over the internet. They likely had a shadow chat room someplace. How far did that go? Did they poll each other for common decisions? Every decision? Were they democratically making decisions regarding each other?

"Mistress Min..."

Shit. Right. "Sorry. Head's feeling better."

I was done except for washing my insane amount of hair. I wish I could cut the stuff... but I'd run the numbers myself. To cut my hair was to have a really bad time as my head would shortly after boil like an egg on a stove.

For some reason, the way I thought just generated too much heat. How I was even alive was anyone's guess.

Jeanette pushed the curtain aside, helping me lather up and rinse down without a single word. She got her uniform wet and soapy, but didn't even seem to notice as she helped.

"Thanks." Wait, did she have spares? She couldn't go to school all wet and soapy, everyone else would talk.

She poked me gently in the head. "Do not worry, you shall line your face."

What? "Where did you hear that?"

"The internet, of course, as well as television."

Oh no, was she starting to watch TV? That would rot her brain so fast....

She wrapped my hair in a towel using some sort of magic I really should be used to by now, and held me steady while I dried myself. I wasn't going to tell her I needed it of course, and she was going to pretend I was steady today and she wasn't keeping me from a one way trip to the floor. Everyone won - except maybe the floor.

I got my one leg in at a time, and it was all downhill from there, ironically enough considering the floor. Jeanette steered me away from the vanity and toward the door. "Let's get you down to the kitchen table and I shall dry your hair."

"Sure." I wouldn't complain. I was thinking a chair sounded good right about now. I was weak, really. At least my muscles shouldn't atrophy just because I sat down a bit more; regeneration was good for something. Not nearly enough, but I guess it was better than nothing.

The boiling egg thing came to mind again.

Jeanette went down the stairs ahead of me, steadying me with a hand the entire time as if it wasn't even a challenge. Meanwhile, I couldn't hold myself steady with my hands bouncing off either side of the wall. Not that I was jealous or anything. Once I'd managed that, my glasses were placed in my hand. I put them on.

Jeeves had steaming coffee set in my place, and a plate full of what looked like A Belgium waffle topped with yogurt? An odd combination if ever I saw one. I wasn't really hungry, but I knew I needed to eat. But first, coffee time.

Jeanette undid the towel holding my hair in place and let it drop to the floor. She already had the brush, and I was beginning to think she always carried it around.

The waffle was hot, and the yogurt was cold... and strawberry. I liked strawberry, and it seemed to work.

I heard Ian thumping down the stairs, but instead of saying good morning or even hi, the first words out of his mouth were: "that looks like ass."

He plunked in his usual chair with as much noise as he could make, then lunged up and grabbed the coco bombs set in the center of the table for him, filling the empty bowl in front of him without a single complaint. Showed what he knew, who would take a mere sugary cereal over a Belgium waffle?

Why had Jeeves not included him? What had my butler been up to all morning? Come to think of it, the other place settings were clear.

"Where are mom and Dad? We aren't early somehow, are we?"

"No." It was suspicious, normally one of them at least was home in the morning, if not both.

"They have been called away due to their work. They left mere moments before you woke, Mistress Min." Jeanette informed us.

So that was why she was late coming upstairs... she had been seeing to Mom and Dad.

I could get behind that.

Called in early though, and both at once? That sounded ominous. "Did they say when they would be back?"

Jeeves took up the narrative: "they replied that they should both be back by dinner, yet not to wait for them if they were not. I did not press further."

No, there was no need to press further. It sounded like another training assignment that might go long to me. Mom or Dad had them from time to time, being reservists. Usually one a year, and usually alone though. This was... the third time I could remember something like this happening since I was a kid.

Ian looked absolutely lost.

Well, there were dishes and soapy water in the sink. I guess I was just out of it. Though, was it really wrong to want your parents to be able to sleep in for once? "No biggie. We're old enough to handle ourselves for a day."

"Speaking of, my message from your parents is as follows: do not push yourself." Jeanette stated, using her best loom.

Jeanette could loom when she wanted. I'm not sure where she learned it, but she could teach a class on looming or something.

"I've got no plans to push myself at all." Which wasn't even a lie. Not really. Just going to school wasn't a push of any kind, was it? Besides, my headache was now gone, and my arms and legs seemed lighter than this morning - I was sure I could move them, no problem.

Jeanette still looked skeptical, but she didn't say anything. She would if I was in really bad shape, so there wasn't a problem.

"You should eat." Jeeves informed me. Right, I'd been drinking all the coffee, and only had a bite or two. Was that really enough to make me feel full right now?

Somehow it was. But no, I needed to finish. If I didn't, I'm sure Mom would hear about it and then I'd get the plate finishing talk again, or lecture number eight.

Maybe it was lecture number nine?

I handed Jeeves my empty mug and he dutifully turned to fill it. I also dutifully picked up my fork again and savored the taste of an android who couldn't even taste like I could, cooking perfect dishes once again.

I watched as Jeeves added just the right amount of cream and sugar and placed the mug carefully back in it's place.

Across the table, Ian was already chiming the bowl with his spoon as he hunted down the last remnants of his cereal. How did he even eat that fast without choking? Had I been like that? Surely not, right?

Ian poured more into the milk. Now that, I had done. I'd done that many, many times.

I was very full after just half this waffle. It wasn't even that big as far as Belgium waffles went, but it was too much, at least for now.

"I can't. I'm full here; Jeeves can you maybe fridge the rest so I can eat it later?"

Ian dropped his spoon, splashing milk everywhere, including himself. I didn't see any signs of surprise from my two androids, but I was certain they had some.

Ian cussed as he realized what he'd done, and how milky his once black t-shirt had been.

Wait, that was a t-shirt that looked familiar. An old AC/DC t-shirt that had seen some better days and that Ian was still swimming in, even as he threatened to grow into it.

I should be flattered and happy he was using my old hand-me-downs, I guess. Or that anyone was. I shouldn't feel this pain, this loss. It was unbecoming.

If I told myself enough....

Luckily Ian didn't notice, he was too busy cussing while getting up, no doubt to change shirts, like I would have done if I'd done something so silly.

Jeanette noticed though, and her hand on my shoulder, even as she continued to brush, was warm and comforting. She was still young, but she understood. Or understood enough, even if she didn't get why seeing a shirt would make me feel down.

I bet she got it, though.

I was composed by the time Ian returned. Composed enough to remember why Ian had to leave in the first place. "Why were you so surprised?"

"Normally, you eat anything in front of you. Now, you're telling people to bag stuff up for you. I can't remember you ever needing to finish something later."

"Mom's not here to enforce the rule, and I'm just not feeling it. I'll probably be hungry later, but if I try and stuff another bite in now, I might explode."

Or throw up, but I wasn't telling anyone else that; I'd be slapped back in bed so fast my head would swim.

Ian gave me a critical look. "Don't do it too much, you've got a real risk of getting too skinny if you skip meals."

Don't I know it. Wait, was Ian making a joke there? Some sort of reverse fat joke or something?

Nah, he couldn't be. He was being serious, likely without remembering I regenerated and what that actually meant.

Ian likely wasn't thinking that far, and I shouldn't be reading too much in to it. Today seemed to be a day for thinking too much about dumb crap, and I'd have to watch that. "How late are we?"

"We're early," Jeanette replied without looking; of course, she had her own watch built in, because that was easy and I didn't skimp.

"Good." More time for coffee, then. While Jeanette got me all ready.

"Well, I'm done. Thanks Jeeves." Ian put his bowl and cup in the sink and bounded upstairs. I really wanted to bound myself, but my body was saying no today.

Jeanette left, also going upstairs. I decided to be lazy, since I still had time. I hadn't bothered with makeup yet, despite the pressure from both Sam and Maggie, because no one had time for that; such a move left me at least another fifteen minutes before I had to rush around putting socks on and trying to find my coat in a rush like an insane person.

There was no doubt that Jeanette was after my coat and bag, so that would be some time saved on my part for trying to wake up more and not stumble around like a drunk after a party night.

I'd be able to do it, for sure... in just a few minutes.

Jeanette came back... with not only my coat, but a fresh pair of socks.

She didn't say anything as she draped the coat on her shoulder and knelt smoothly before me.

The socks looked tiny; it was still a wonder to me how I could manage to walk with such perfect balance on such small feet that those socks stretched over. Of course, if I actually questioned it, I'd probably start falling over... more. So that was another thought to throw out of my head.

Jeanette slipped the tiny things on my feet; Ian came down just in time to see the end of the process.

"Man, you're getting lazy."

An astute Campbell response. I couldn't dispute it. "I know."

Ian got closer, bending over to shove his face directly at mine. "You okay?"

I shoved him away. "Why do you ask?"

He leaned in again, but not in my range this time. "Because you normally get less annoying and rage-filled when you're sick. That and you didn't deny it just now, only asked me how I knew."

It was easy sometimes, to forget that Ian was pretty smart. He was our family's academic hope, while I had been our sports hope. Jeanette stood up, silently moving past Ian and heading toward the front door. No help there.

"I do feel a bit under the weather, but I'm going to school anyway. I'm not contagious, and I don't want to fail a grade. It's nothing major."

"Right, sure its not. They aren't going to fail you and you know it. You can take it easy."

That... that was possible. I know I had permission to miss or go home early if I felt I should, that had been explained to me at rather exhaustive length. "I want to go."

I wasn't sure why I insisted on this, why I wanted to go, other than just to see my friends and talk to people. I shouldn't, because I could always see my friends and other people later, but my Campbell blood was up, as my Mom would say.

I was getting sick of letting sickness win. Or something like that.

Ian picked up on it. "A stubborn day, huh?"

"I guess so."

Jeanette came back with my shoes, which we didn't normally wear around the house and left by the front door, in order to avoid the wrath of Mom or cleaning floors on our hands and knees.

My shoes were almost blindingly clean, however, even the bottoms. Jeanette had either been anticipating this, or had just blindly done it for some reason.

My loving android used perhaps a bit more force tightening my shoes than necessary, but they weren't pinching when she was done, and her face betrayed nothing. I really felt her face should betray something. Just anything at all, because if I had to guess, I'd say she was pissed at me.

Whatever. She wasn't the boss of me, any more than I was her boss... except I was, somehow. I stood up and snagged my coat; I could at least do that myself. One last sip of warm only slightly bitter goodness, and it was time to go.

Jeanette grabbed my bag, and actually slung it around her like it was supposed to be worn, which was unusual for her. I could see from here my phone was in its customary pocket, and I was certain the laptop was that bulge right there, in between two books.

Jeanette also beat me to the door; opening it and looking both ways before allowing me out. She was being cautious.

"What's up?"

"That strange vehicle is back." she answered quietly.

I wasn't worried. "It can't be that strange, it has to be known by someone." Otherwise, the sheriff or a deputy would have already been around to ask their business and shoo'd them off. Our cops took potential thieves casing houses seriously.

"Do not look that way please. Do not make it obvious to any watchers."

I was about to point out that my concerned android had in fact already looked that way and therefore given any watchers the same clue already when some blurry shapes came into focus. My friends, of course, walking to my house rather than to school like they should be.

Ricky I got. But why was everyone else here?

Whatever, I've long since given up the idea of figuring out why I was so popular all of a sudden, or why my friends did this. There was nothing for it but to go and meet them.

The moment I got in range I had to suffer the yells of 'good morning!' and 'hi!' that we all sent around to each other, as was the custom. I added mine in a far more muted manner, and Sam one-upped me by just waving. That out of the way, the walk to school lay before us - and surprisingly the more I used them, the more my legs wanted to work.

Everyone chatted about normal stuff... apparently during the night there had been an attack on the banking industry by some devisor criminal that had only barely been caught in time to avoid a bank crash, and as a result the dow was down today.

Who knew Maggie was interested in the dow?

Ricky countered with news of a disappearance near here, some girl around our age from another town had vanished after driving her car to the lake, which was a heavily patrolled state park. There were no suspects yet.

"A little bit of a downer to start the morning Ricky."

"Sorry," my best friend apologized. "I just heard it as I was getting ready, Dad was watching it."

Ricky's dad was an avid watcher of the news, he watched it every day before he went into his job as a forensic lab technician.

This was the kind of thing I wanted our new friend to help with, along with helping me make sure I wasn't breaking some obscure law by flying jets around. Could my new artificial intelligence help solve a missing persons case? I didn't see why not. At least, once she was trained. She wasn't going to risk any case findings by acting before she was a fully-fledged cop if I could help it - and I could.

I needed to speed things up, clearly. If she consented that is. If so, she was still looking at months before she could legally help.

Sam poked me. "Sorry, was just thinking about the new A.I. It would be nice if she'd be able to help with missing persons," and worse.

Sam nodded. "A good use for them," she replied.

An almost full sentence, Sam must really be behind the idea. "Yeah, so long as they agree."

Sam raised an eyebrow at me.

I knew what she meant, so it was time to defend myself. "I don't force them. I explain to them what I need, or what I would like them to do. They are free to tell me no and pick something else. Especially Crash or this new one - their work is dangerous, after all."

Sam lowered her eyebrow... and then raised the other one. "Fine, you ask them, they will tell you. I'm not programming them like that, or coercing them."

"If that's true, then you shouldn't say such things out loud. It might make some people nervous," Ralph broke in.

That was a fair point; I'd let my outrage get the better of me. "You're right of course. I just didn't want my friends to think I was doing such things."

Mind control or coercion of innocent sentient beings was just something I didn't even like to think about.

"It is of no moment. Currently no words can be overheard by anyone, no matter their technical assistance."

What? How was Jeanette managing that?

Jeanette turned to me and stated: "I shall explain how later... when we have safely arrived at your school."

No, she wasn't looking at me, she was looking past me... back in the direction of the unusual van she'd noticed earlier.

Jeeves was behind us. He appeared unconcerned, but he had his eyes darting to their stops trying to keep tabs on what was behind us.

I turned before I could get caught looking. Everyone else was still joking, still laughing, still smiling, but I could feel how tense everyone was underneath it all.

Which was silly, really. Nothing was going to happen to us here, in broad daylight, with two of my androids watching over us. Even if Jeeves, or both my bots, were being cautious by having Jeeves escort us too.

Of course that left no one watching the house, and only Crash watching the lab. Could Crash pull double duty, even for this small window?

"Is Crash...."

"He has been informed. There is no need to worry."

Still, I worried. I'd made a bare bones security set up, but maybe I should put a little more effort in. No, I needed to make it to school first, then I could worry about it.

Luckily, we didn't have long to walk. Luckily for more than one reason, really. Still, Jeanette said nothing, even though she had to know by now.

The traffic began to pick up as we got closer, with all the parents giving late kids a ride. Our normal shadow, Agent Sands, was actually in front of us in that jalopy of his. Briefly I considered flagging him down for a ride - but no one present would let me get into a car with the man.

We needed our own car, really. None of my friends were old enough; months away at the very least. It seemed really dumb that I could build and fly a jet, but couldn't drive a car, but laws were laws; even without a cop on the inside, I knew that one.

In time we managed to make it; the first bell was perhaps a minute from ringing. I hadn't been pushing the pace, and everyone else had been enjoying themselves.

The wind was nice, but Jeanette had been right - the temperature was cold. No one else had been in a coat, but I was long used to that by now.

The school was even more cold, as well as dark without the sun. I blinked my eyes into function, then moved forward into the crush of other students. Jeanette had taken point again, as she did, in order to forge a path for me.

I could use it today... as well as a chair. I could definitely use a chair.

Other kids were moving now, they had recognized Jeanette and were being thoughtful, giving both her and I space to breathe.

My friends were taking full advantage, of course. Which might piss a few people off - but if it did, they didn't say anything. Jeeves didn't cross the doors; he was already gone, on his own way back home. I wish he'd told me, but of course there were limits to the school's patience.

One android helper was fine, but two would make some people nervous, for sure.

That raised the question. "Jeanette, are you in contact with Crash?"

For a moment I thought she hadn't heard me. "Of course, Mistress."

I probably shouldn't ask out loud like this, but whatever. "Is he alright? Is he keeping an eye on the house?"

"He is fine, and none have approached either house or laboratory." Jeanette responded. "I am sorry if my actions have made you worry."

"Nah, it wasn't you." Well, maybe it was, but it wasn't nice to say that and I could be perfectly jumpy all on my own.

We made it to homeroom, and I could at last sit down. I was sure I'd feel better plunked after a little bit, a little less dizzy and weak. At least the headache was now only a distant memory.

I couldn't stop the sigh, and Jeanette rested a hand on my shoulder for a second, before leaving my bag and striding to the back. Like in the hall, the few people in her way scrambled out of it, even though she'd have gone around them.

I did get it, she could be intimidating once she got going.

My school desk wasn't terribly comfortable, but it was better than the alternative. If I had access to some sun, this would even be great, but the classroom was cool and dark, with only the ceiling panel lights left to cure the gloom.

Jeanette knew. She knew I was pushing myself, and she'd let me. I wasn't going to call her on it.

I grabbed my book and my notebook, tapped the shoulder of the student in front of me. Jose Anando wasn't someone I knew all that well, being more of a shy introverted type than I was. I might have once described him as more of a nerd than I was, but those days were also long past.

Not that I was a nerd hater or anything, but we just never used to hang out in the same circles, and once I changed that situation just didn't.

It didn't matter, but maybe I should make the effort? "Jose."

He looked back to find me waving my assignment under his nose. "Could you send this forward?"

It was a little favor, something we all used to do for each other all the time. "Sure." He replied, and just like that my assignment went forward to join the others on the desk, and all before the teacher arrived.

Ricky grinned at me and tapped the student in front of him, just as I had done. The guy, someone we both knew from the track team, took Ricky's paper with much gruntlement showing on his face, but no words.

Then he glanced over at me, and turned toward the front in a hurry when our eyes met.

Right, I was probably staring. Whoops.

Mr Welch came in, so the apology would have to wait. The class quieted as the man slammed his own book down on the desk and shouted out: "Good morning."

Some few of us answered him, myself included. After all, being polite cost nothing.

"I'll be taking roll. Shut up and let it happen."

None of us made the obvious joke, as that was what he was looking for; the man was in a mood today. I wondered who pissed him off.

I answered promptly when he called me, and he gave me a bit of a stare. What was going on today? Normally people didn't care that much, at least not at school. Indifference was a survival instinct here.

Whatever, maybe it was just me being sensitive. I tried to pay attention as Mr. Welch started in with his daily lecture.

Yeah this wasn't going to work - I moved my hand into my coat, taking care Mr. Welch couldn't see. It was easy to flick my phone on and start the recording app. With some software I could even differentiate different sound sources and voices, and so if I missed anything I'd be fine just listening to it later.

If I wanted, I could even have points of interest highlighted and go right to them, skipping anything I already knew or didn't need to hear. The wonders of having my own smart system.

My notebook was better for doodles and some light inventing. Maybe I could use the time to try and figure out what device Jeanette was using earlier to mess with people listening; it had to be something to deal with technical aids like shotgun microphones and bugs. That was the only thing that made sense.

It also had to be able to fit in the pocket of her apron or her dress, because I hadn't equipped her with spy tech. Something she could put together in her off hours, like Jeeves had done to fix the grass.

That was something else I needed to look into; Jeeves was turning out to be quite the chemist.

I really should check up on what he was up to; there was a non-zero chance he'd already made some sort of super ooze monster that could kill all of humanity or something.

Maybe after school, and maybe mom was right in how busy I'd been lately. Cutting back, slowing down, and going back over what I'd already developed, and what mu androids were doing, sounded like a good idea right now. Right after I was done with my latest.

I couldn't let my mind wander too far; with how I felt right now, I'd be flat on my back in a hurry.

Mr. Welch droned on, and I drew on... a small box that maybe trapped sound? I hadn't heard any sounds coming from Jeanette in order to white noise a device... well nothing out of the ordinary, anyway. No, that would never work, how would you even trap all sound? Sound was a wave.

So white noise for sure, but... maybe in ranges out of human hearing? That might work. If you started such a generator with sound outside of human ranges, then attenuated the signal, it could have an effect on other frequencies as well....

Mr Welch stopped droning, and the bell rang. I clicked my phone off with a sigh. I'd almost lost it at the end there, but I'd held on. Now I just needed to get up.

Getting up was harder than Ricky made it look, but Jeanette was there. "Honestly, you are a troublesome master."

She managed to lift me up with one arm hooked around my own, and her gentle tug didn't hurt at all. "Don't I know it. Sorry about this."

I had to get used to this, I had to deal with it, no matter how frustrating it was. This was my new normal, after all.

"There is no need to apologize. I would have no job at all if you did not need my assistance."

Left unsaid was how she likely wouldn't even exist.

Jeanette held me close, and let me lean on her; I didn't waste the opportunity. I moved my legs just fine, but all my weight was on her. She bore it well.

Ricky had grabbed my books and backpack, and was stuffing one into the other as he followed us.

Jeanette waited till he got them sorted out. "Place the bag on my shoulder Richard, if you please."

Ricky hated being called Richard, but he didn't call her on it. He just did as she asked.

So Jeanette leaned down, and grabbed my legs under the knee with her other arm. "Hold on to me. We shall go home."

That... that was not what I wanted.

Jeanette leaned closer for a moment and whispered: "You tried, yet today was not kind. Still, no one can fault your attempt, or spirit."

Those words meant more to me than they should. No, I couldn't just accept it, I needed to fight. I needed to fight my stupid body with all I had!

Jeeves was still outside. I was switched over to him, as was only proper since his frame was better suited for carrying me and Jeanette was better performance wise.

The bright sunlight seemed dim, as if the perfectly cloudless sky was overcast. Jeanette took my glasses. I hung on.