When Vai heard the news that the Great Mechanist wanted to speak with her, she knew she was in a lot of trouble. She’d felt it in the air these last few days. She’d known it was coming. After all, she was the one who had cut corners when it came to powering Bender. It was her fault that the robot had gone completely haywire. Now the day had finally come where she was going to lose her head for it.
Well, not if she had things her way. Her career with the Conclave of Mechanists was done – there was no question about that whatsoever. No, now all she could focus on was making sure she got out of the next 24 hours alive. The Great Mechanist would have his robots grind her up into a bony paste if she went along with the request.
So instead, Vai packed a duffle bag filled with everything she’d need to lie low for a few days – she’d been stocking up ever since the Bender incident – and snuck out of the building while everyone was out at lunch.
Getting into her car, Vai headed for the safest location she knew: a buyer’s advocate firm based in Melbourne. She still had the keys to most of the Conclave-associated buyer’s agent offices, from when they’d held Maphira captive. She’d sneak into one of them and hide in the attic, moving to a new location when she needed to get more supplies. The buyer’s agent located in Hampton would be a good place to start, as she knew that one inside and out.
Eventually, the Great Mechanist would lose interest in getting revenge. After all, he had more important things to focus on than a manhunt for a disgraced energy department director. It was just a matter of waiting out the storm, and that, she was certain, she could do right. Absolutely certain.