#esterwick

"Paten, do you think that you are better than the other AIs?  Because you're more advanced, you can think on your own without problem, you can act on your own?"  Ballew spoke into Paten's ear, his grip tightening.  It pinched into the back of their neck, painfully.

Quickly, Paten shook their head as they tried their best to put together a proper response.  "N-no sir, I may be those things you said, but I'm no better do doing my job as another."  Every inch of their bones hoped that they had said the right thing.

Ballew nodded, showing to be making a mental note.  "I think differently, you think you're entitled.  That you'r-"

"Sir please!  I didn't mean to act that way, I just thought it'd b-"

"Shut the fuck up!  Don't interrupt me."  Ballew scolded, interrupting Paten in return, his grip even tighter than before.  "I don't want to hear anything you have to say, you disobeyed me, your boss, the one who owns you."  Paten frowned, anxiety pulling them down.

Paten was startled when they were shoved to the ground, the concrete scraped their knees and jolted their wrists.  "Tch'.  When Thomas said he created an AI better than the others, I thought it was the greatest thing ever, finally a win."  Ballew looked down at Paten, disappointment and anger in his eyes.  "But he was wrong."

Hands shaking, Paten picked themself up, cowering at Ballew's gaze.  Paten opened their mouth to speak, but Ballew beat them to it.

"You aren't to speak, until prompted or asked too, don't forget that Paten."  Ballew raised his hand, motioning for Paten to stop.  Looking Paten up and down, who looked like an unpresentable mess, smiled.  "Do not forget, Paten.  You are nothing but a piece of machinery put into some dead girls body."

Ballew sighed, his posture relaxing.  Placing a hand on Paten's shoulder, everything in him changed.  His furious and frustrated expressions turned soft and caring.  This unsettled Paten incredibly, Ballew's ability to go from 0 to 100 back to 0 in seconds.