ISSUE NINE: MISTER MACHINE

Colored by G. Roussos.

Angered by the treatment he has received—particularly the indignity caused by the removal of his face—Aaron uses the weapons systems built into him to escape his prison and hold off the armed guards sent after him in the military/scientific complex he had been brought to against his will.

     Broadhurst brings security chief Col. Kragg to task for removing Aaron’s human face.  The scientist demands that the attacks against the robot cease, that he be given back his identity and set free, although the android will have a secret homing device attached to it.  While before Broadhurst, Aaron is called a machine.  With his dignity, and face, restored, Aaron demands to be called Mister Machine and flies away.

     Now supposedly free, Mr. Machine flies to the wilderness where he again comes into contact with a monolith and communicates with it.  “No,” he tells the artifact.  “I shall not seek destiny.  It will find me—and lead me to my destined path.”  With this rebuke, the 2001 series is effectively ended as the remaining issues in the series serve as a pilot for Mr. Machine’s own series. 

     The stone disappears just as little Jerry wanders up, impressed with Mr. Machine because he looks so much like a Marvel super hero!  Jerry takes Mr. Machine to his Aunt Olivia, who struggles to fix the flat on their car.  Mr. Machine fixes the car, enhances it, and takes the offered ride as masked Mr. Hotline and his creepy chauffeur Krige notice that one of the rumored X-models has indeed escaped.  Mr. Hotline contacts his secret forces to attack the robot in a test of technology that Mr. Machine easily wins.

     Olivia takes Mr. Machine and Jerry to report the odd incident to the police as Mr. Hotline and Krige watch from the bushes, pleased that the X-model has passed the test.