Authors: Tracey West

Tags: #robots

Astro Boy: The Movie (11 page)

BOOK: Astro Boy: The Movie

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Zog bellowed in rage as the soldiers dragged Astro away. He snatched up two of them like they were dolls and angrily shook them like he was about to smash their faces together.

“No, Zog! Put them down,” Astro cried. He hung his head sadly. “It doesn’t matter anymore.”

Zog reluctantly placed the two terrified soldiers on the ground. They grabbed Astro and dragged him into the waiting aircraft.

“Time to come home,” President Stone said smugly.

Inside the plane, they bound Astro’s hands and feet with metal restraints. Astro gazed out the window. He could see Cora and the kids running across the arena as the plane zoomed away.

The Metro City news blared from a TV inside the plane’s cabin. A female reporter with a helmet of perfect hair was talking into the camera.

“President Stone’s approval rating reached a new low today when he failed to show up for a nationally televised debate with Bob Logan, the man many pundits are picking as the next president of Metro City,” she reported.

The picture switched to an image of a handsome younger man waving at a cheering crowd. President Stone muted the sound on the set.

“No dirty hippie’s going to sit in my Oval Office eating mung beans and stinking of patchouli oil,” he said. “I’ve got the Blue Core and the Peacekeeper’s going to start a war with the Surface. That’s
bound
to get me reelected.”

He offered a can of oil to Astro. The soldiers laughed.

“Why the long face, robot boy?” the president asked. “We’re taking you home to your dad. Care for a drink?”

Astro didn’t answer. He gazed out the window for the rest of the trip. The soldiers brought Astro directly to the Ministry of Science. Astro saw Dr. Tenma and Dr. Elefun waiting for them in Tenma’s lab.

President Stone marched up to the two scientists.

“The experiment is over,” he said firmly. “I want the Blue Core removed and transferred into the Peacekeeper now.”

Dr Tenma turned to his friend. “Will you help me, Elefun?”

“This is where we created him,” Dr. Elefun responded sadly.

The soldiers released Astro, and the president shoved him forward.

“Well, un-create him. Unplug him. It’s a matter of national security,” he ordered.

“Let me talk to him first,” Dr. Elefun said.

Stone rolled his eyes. Dr. Elefun walked up to Astro.

“Hello, Dr. Elefun,” Astro said.

“Hello, Toby.”

“You look tired,” Astro told the scientist. “Are you okay?”

“Not really,” Dr. Elefun admitted. “This isn’t your fault, you know. You’re fantastic ... superb ... wonderful.”

“Thank you,” Astro said. “You know, I tried to find my place in the world. I thought I had found it ... but fitting in can be a lot more complicated than it seems.”

Dr. Elefun nodded in agreement. “Dear boy, if you only knew.”

“I think maybe this is what’s supposed to happen,” Astro said bravely. “This is my destiny.”

Tears welled up in Dr. Elefun’s eyes. The president groaned in frustration.

“Boo hoo!” President Stone said meanly. “It’s a MACHINE! Come on, let’s get moving, people.”

A soldier put a hand on Dr. Elefun’s shoulder to move him away.

“This is wrong, Tenma. You know it!”

Dr. Tenma looked unsure for a moment. Then he shook his head.

“The president is right. It’s just a machine,” he said.

Astro looked at Dr. Elefun. “Good-bye,” he said.

The scientist wiped away a tear. He watched, helpless, as the soldiers led Astro away.

They placed Astro on the same table where Dr. Tenma had brought him to life. The lifeless Peacekeeper loomed over the lab, waiting for the power inside Astro.

Dr. Tenma pressed a few buttons, and three holographic screens appeared over the table. President Stone looked eagerly at his robot war machine.

“Load the Blue Core into the Peacekeeper,” he said impatiently. “I’ve got a press conference in ten minutes.”

Tenma locked some cables into Astro’s body. The holographic screens began to register Astro’s pulse—the beat of the energy flowing through his body.

Thump
...
thump
...
thump
...

Dr. Tenma opened Astro’s chest compartment. He removed the Blue Core. Astro’s pulse slowed down.

...
thump ...

The scientist looked into Astro’s eyes.

“I’m sorry,” he said sincerely.

Astro smiled weakly. “Don’t be,” he said. “I’m sorry I couldn’t have been a better Toby for you ... Dad.”

Astro’s eyes closed. The thumping of his pulse faded into silence.

Dr. Tenma fell to his knees, crying.

“Well, Tenma? Is it done?” the president asked.

Tenma mustered his strength. He stood up and carried the Blue Core over to President Stone.

“It’s done,” Dr. Tenma said sadly.

CHAPTER 17

Dr. Tenma handed the Blue Core to President Stone, who greedily accepted it. He squeezed it and leaned in close to Tenma.

“Good man,” he said. “When I’m reelected, you can have the funding to make as many little toys as you want.”

Dr. Tenma’s heart was heavy—and then something clicked inside him. As Stone turned to walk away, he grabbed the hand holding the Blue Core.

“No!” Dr. Tenma cried.

The soldiers all turned their guns on him. He didn’t flinch.

“You’ll have to kill me, then,” he said.

President Stone tried to yank away from Tenma’s grasp. The Blue Core dropped and Dr. Elefun dove in, catching it. He turned to his friend, pleading.

“Tenma, no!” he said. “I created the Core. They’re going to have to kill me.”

The soldiers listened, turning their guns on Elefun now.

“I think Metro City can learn to cope without you,” Stone said dryly. “Hand it over.”

Dr. Elefun opened one hand. It was empty. He opened the other. That was empty, too.

President Stone realized something was wrong.

“ Tenma ... ”

The scientists had fooled him. Dr. Tenma had secretly taken the core from Dr. Elefun. Now Tenma was back at the table with Astro’s body. He had lowered a protective shield around them.

Furious, the president pounded on the glass.

“Tenma! Open this. OPEN IT!”

Dr. Tenma pulled the Blue Core from his coat. Stone’s face flushed with anger.

“TENMA!” he screamed.

Dr. Tenma put the Blue Core back into Astro’s chest. He looked up at the hologram monitors for any signs of life.

President Stone pointed a gun at Dr. Elefun. “Open that door.”

“Never,” Elefun said firmly.

“I said open the door—now,” the president ordered.

He pressed the gun into Elefun’s chest. It hit something hard. Stone pushed Elefun’s lab coat aside to reveal the scientist’s security key card. He yanked it off of Elefun’s neck.

“If you want something done, you gotta do it yourself,” Stone said.

On the other side of the shield, the hologram screen started to show the
thump, thump, thump
of Astro’s pulse. Tears of joy welled up in Tenma’s eyes.

Astro was alive again!

Astro opened his eyes. “Dad, what are you doing?”

Before Tenma could reply, the shield came up. President Stone and the soldiers advanced toward them.

“Listen,” Dr. Tenma told Astro. “You may not be Toby, but you’re still my son.”

Astro was overcome with happiness. “Thanks—Dad.”

Tenma and Astro hugged.

“Hold it!” President Stone barked.

“Now! Fly!” Dr. Tenma urged Astro.

The soldiers lunged. Astro’s jets powered up, and he flew across the lab. He crashed right through the window, flying outside. The window shattered into millions of tiny pieces.

“Woo-hoo!” Dr. Elefun cheered.

General Heckler found himself cheering, too. “Yes!”

“Good man, Tenma!” Dr. Elefun cried happily.

President Stone was outraged. “No!” he yelled at General Heckler. “Arrest them immediately! I want them shot for treason.”

He stormed over to the Peacekeeper.

“We’re going to have to use the Peacekeeper to get the Blue Core back,” he said.

“Don’t use the Red Core—the negative energy,” Dr. Elefun begged. “We don’t know how it’ll behave.”

“Doctor, in any conflict between positive and negative energy, the negative always prevails,” the president said. “Look at human history. Look at me!”

“My point exactly,” Elefun muttered.

Stone grabbed one of the scientists in the room. She held the master controls for the Peacekeeper.

“Turn this thing on,” he demanded.

“I won‘t,” the scientist said firmly.

“I have fifty reporters waiting for me outside!” he fumed. “Turn it on!”

“You don’t understand the technology,” Dr. Elefun said, wringing his hands.

“Ha! Technology! Who cares about it?” Stone fumed. “Who understands it? It’s a robot. It’ll do what I say!”

He grabbed the core with his bare hands and shoved it into the Peacekeeper’s chest. The Peacekeeper came to life, its eyes glowing red.

“Red Core loaded,” the Peacekeeper reported.

President Stone smiled, pleased. “You ready to do as you’re told?” he asked. “You ready to rock and roll?”

“Sir!” the Peacekeeper replied, like a good soldier.

“Destroy the boy robot and bring back the Blue Core,” President Stone commanded.

The Peacekeeper didn’t move.

“What are you, deaf?” Stone asked angrily. “I told you to destroy the boy robot!”

The Peacekeeper descended on President Stone, absorbing the man into his steel body. The robot’s eyes flashed red with anger. He spoke again—and this time, it was with the distorted, frightening voice of President Stone.

“Bring back the Blue Core!” he roared.

The scientists watched in horror. President Stone and the Peacekeeper had melded together. Their president was a terrifying, giant robot!

“Everybody out. Now!” Dr. Elefun yelled.

CHAPTER 18

Outside the Ministry of Science, a small group of reporters sat patiently in folding chairs, waiting for the press conference President Stone had promised. One of the president’s aides walked up to the microphone in front of them.

“I’m sorry, guys,” he apologized. “I’m getting word that President Stone may be slightly delayed.”

Suddenly, Peacekeeper Stone smashed through the doorway. The reporters gasped in shock. Their president was a twenty-five-foot-tall monster!

Stone tapped the microphone. “Is this thing on?”

Terrified, the reporters screamed and ran, knocking over chairs in their panic.

“What? What are you doing? Come back!” Stone demanded.

He stomped after them. Everything he came into contact with was absorbed by his huge body—cars, buildings, billboards, telephone poles—it didn’t matter how large. Stone grew bigger and bigger every minute.

Eight small aircrafts equipped with missile launchers zoomed down from the sky and advanced on Peacekeeper Stone. His eyes flashed.

“Let’s rock and roll!”