Jasper winked at him and disappeared. Ava sat down across from him.
“Your guy’s over there,” Daniel said, pointing at Sam Hayes. “Did you mix up the tables?”
“No,” Ava replied, raising her hand. Phil gave her a thumbs-up from the bar. “Things haven’t been clicking with him lately.”
“Trouble in paradise?”
“Something like that. Though there was never any paradise. Just work.”
“I still don’t believe you.”
“Well, I’m not here to convince you. And he’s been acting a bit colder since we got here.”
“Why do you think that is?”
Violet approached them with a mug of beer and leaned on the table.
“I’m not your waitress, just so you know. But since I like you two, I figured I’d do you this favor.”
“Thanks, Violet,” Ava said with a smile. Violet winked at her and returned to the bar.
Ava took a sip, her eyes fixed on Sam Hayes.
“Didn’t you say you don’t drink beer?”
“Well, sometimes I’m human too… and sometimes I’m not.” She held up her hands, revealing black gloves, waiting for his reaction. Then she laughed and took them off. “Kidding. I just wanted to see how you’d react.”
“Very funny.”
“This place has changed Sam, Daniel.” She quickly shifted the topic. “Out there, he’s warm, cracks jokes, gives gifts to his employees, loves his wife and kids. But here…” Ava leaned forward. “Yesterday, before your little incident, he was talking to that Reed guy. He wanted to find him some people.”
“People for what?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t hear more. But I was there at the start of their conversation. His look changed—his expression, his attitude. He even yelled at me to back off. And that creep Reed just laughed from the sidelines, enjoying Sam’s behavior.”
“We talked about this last time. This place really brings out people’s true selves. Back then, it was just a hunch, but now I’m sure.”
“Give me more examples.”
“Well, take me and Jas, for instance. Were you at the square yesterday?”
Ava gave him a slight squint.
“You know I was there. You saw me.”
Of course he knew. His question was dumb, but he’d asked it on purpose.
“Well, Jas and I would’ve never shown that kind of courage if we didn’t know we were facing robots.”
“Okay, but isn’t that an example of something good? Courage you have but hadn’t shown before?”
“No, because it shows up in bad ways too. Like, you’d never just hit someone on the street. Or kick a dog?”
“Probably not.”
“Well, Jas and I did. Because there are no laws here. Or at least none that’ll lock us up for life.”
“You kicked a dog? What kind of people…”
“It was a robot. Silver. And I was just giving an example…”
“Oh, right. Silver. Still…”
“See? You got worried about the dog just because you thought it might be real.”
Ava blushed slightly and glanced at her beer mug.
Loud laughter erupted from the table where Sam Hayes sat. Both of them looked over. The three men with Sam were talking animatedly. Two wore black gloves; the third didn’t. Sam himself was watching them. Daniel and Ava almost simultaneously shifted their gazes back to their table.
“It’s a shame it’s ending,” Ava said softly. “I was starting to like it here. And today with the gallows—that was a powerful story.”
“But you were smiling.”
“Because I knew they couldn’t do anything to you.”
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“There’s another sign you don’t fully grasp this place and think you’re above the robots.”
“I am above them. I’m human.”
“Sure. But here, we’re equal. Even look at Violet—she’s like the mayor of this town. Everyone respects her. In the real world, both of us would just lower our eyes in front of her. She’s a commanding, strong woman.”
“I get where you’re going, and I agree, but let’s put that aside. Tell me how you got mixed up in that mess out there.”
“Two of the robots hit us.”
“Hit you?”
“Jasper got us into trouble again. He acted tough with two of Reed’s guys, and they attacked us.”
Ava’s eyes widened.
“That’s impossible.”
“We thought so too, but it happened. Then we woke up in jail.”
“You were unconscious?”
“Didn’t you see Jasper’s bruise? He didn’t do that to himself. They got me in the temple. Lucky for me, no visible wound, but it knocked me out fast.”
“You should complain…”
“They already know… and that’s why they helped us.”
“So outsiders interfered in the park? Didn’t they promise—”
Daniel took a sip and glanced around.
“Want me to tell you a secret you might already suspect?”
“No way—you mean I was right?” She smacked the table. “I knew it from the start. Some of them just…”
“Right about what? I haven’t even said it yet.”
“There are real people among the robots.”
Daniel nodded.
“Who?”
“I can’t tell you more. Honestly, I don’t even know many of them myself.”
Ava lowered her voice to a whisper, scanning the room.
“How did you find out?”
“We caught them.”
“How?”
“You ask a lot of questions, Ava,” Daniel said, enjoying the control and her curious look.
Ava leaned back, wrapping one arm around her stomach and resting the other on it, picking at her lips with her fingers. She didn’t look at him; her eyes darted around the bar, as if tracking every person. The movement of her light eyes and her intrigued expression made Daniel smile as he watched her. She wasn’t his type. He preferred dark-haired women, and dark eyes were more his thing. But Ava was beautiful. He couldn’t deny it.
“Now I’ll suspect everyone,” Ava said, still eyeing the crowd.
“I was like that at first too, but Patrick told me it’s better not to.”
“Patrick?”
“The third guy from that day. One of the ones they caught. They were going to hang him with us.”
“And he’s… important?”
“Long story. You won’t see him again anyway.”
“I’m jealous of you guys. You and Jasper are having a blast here. I just wander around talking to the locals.”
“If they were locals…”
Ava’s face flushed.
“If they weren’t locals… I said such things to them.”
“What did you say, Ava?”
“No, no. Better you don’t know.” She took a sip, glancing at Daniel. “But they seemed so real. I mean, like robots. Oh, I don’t know. I’m getting confused.”
“Stop thinking about it. That’s the best advice. Just live the park.”
“What are your plans next?”
“No idea. Whatever the day brings. But I think we’ll be helping the sheriff again. Violet threatened him.”
“Violet’s a formidable woman. I wish I had her personality.” Ava smiled at Violet from afar. Daniel didn’t catch if she smiled back. “Do you think all the robots have real-world prototypes? Did Barnes design her with someone in mind?”
“Very likely. Though there are so many of them, I doubt every single one has a prototype.”
“Would you come back if you could? I mean, when they open it officially…”
“At first, no. It felt weird and boring. I saw it and wanted to leave.” Daniel tried to catch her eyes, but it was tough—they were darting all over the bar. “But now, probably yes. Jasper and I even talked about how we’d come back.”
“It’d be easier for you guys. If they’re watching us, you’ve made an awesome story.”
“They’re watching, trust me.”
“Okay, if they’re watching, they see you’re having a good time. I bet they’ll bring back the ones with ideas.”
“Will they?”
“Who’d pass up good players?”
“We’re not players. The park’s about money.”
“How old is Hugo Barnes? Over eighty, ninety? What does he need money for? He’s having fun.”
Ava might be right. The thought of returning here tempted him. He wanted it, but then he remembered Emma. She’d been without him for a week now. It wasn’t the first time they’d been apart for long, but if he went back and told her he’d return here again? Naturally, he could bring her. She wouldn’t mind. But she’d just started her internship. She couldn’t risk losing her job for this place. And he felt calmer here without her. At least he did right now, talking to Ava without worrying about Emma or what she’d think. Ava kept glancing at him, then away. Her lips were nice. He’d kiss them if he were closer.
He quickly shook that thought off, finished his beer, and prepared to get up from the table.
“Heading to bed?” Ava did the same.
“It’s been a long day. I’ll find Jas, and we’ll figure out tomorrow. They’re putting us back to work, after all. As deputies.”
“Now that you’re a deputy sheriff, will I need Sheriff Jake’s permission to talk to you?”
“Of course,” Daniel laughed. “Being a sheriff is serious business.”
“Yeah, you nearly ended up swinging from a rope last time. Definitely serious.”
Daniel liked her humor. He was already standing when Ava got up too. He expected her to say goodbye or, in his best-case scenario, give him a hug. Sure, it was early for that, and he wasn’t certain he wanted to take things further with her. She was real, after all, and he had a girlfriend. But this was another world—a made-up one with robots. Nothing from this world would carry over to the real one.
Ava brushed past him, her eyes on her boss, Sam Hayes. She stopped in front of Daniel, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him on the lips. Her breath smelled of beer. She looked into his eyes for a second and smiled.
Then she vanished up the stairs.