Small-time grifter and thief Rodney Ubay has just pulled the con of his criminal career, with a score big enough to both pay off his life-threatening mob debts and set him up for a lifetime of leisure. All he has to do is avoid the police for a night, then catch a flight to his buyer and deliver the goods.
Always the man with the plan, Rodney has set up what seems to be the perfect hide-away, renting a room-sized locker in a massive storage warehouse. Armed with a stack of magazines, a blow-up mattress, some tasty take-out, and his favorite silk pajamas, he retires to his cubical confident that he is just one day away from a new life. But soon after the warehouse bay-doors are locked for the night Rodney quickly discovers this hideout isn’t safe at all and the threat isn’t the cheesy rock band jamming down the hall or the odd hermit of a man who has a workshop there.
It’s the big crazy robot.
Rodney suddenly finds himself caught in the middle of a bizarre high-noon standoff between a massive centipede-like machine and three smaller robots. A situation that definitely was not part of his safe quiet hide-away plan. A vicious fight ensues leaving corridors shredded, exits blocked, and Rodney separated from his valuable stash.
Looking to save his hide, Rodney, along with a rebellious drummer named Anna, and a mullet-touting rocker named Axle take shelter in the storage locker of Bicks, an eccentric tinkerer who has an elaborate work-room in his rented cubicle. As Rodney tries to get a grip on his situation, the three smaller robots rush into the room. Bicks explains that these robots are his friends, introducing them to the group.
There is Pedl who stands squat and is all tank-like legs, a 50’s style arm with rocket-pack named Digit now critically damaged, and Scribe who is an assembly of several different robot limbs in humanoid form. All three have secretly called this warehouse home for decades with just Bicks knowing of their existence, and until just recently the giant machine, a robot referred to as Lung was part of their hidden family. But something changed recently with Lung, he became reclusive, disappearing into the bowels of the warehouse for weeks at a time. It’s obvious that he raided the smartparts' spare parts, building himself up into a massive killing machine. What does he want? Scribe seems to know, but is silent.
But the troubles of these robots are not Rodney's problem, getting his stash back and making his flight is. Any other time he would be happy to hide ‘till the fights over, but Rodney is a dead man if he doesn't deliver his score. Ignoring the warnings of the group, Rodney slinks out into the warehouse back to his locker. However his worst fears prove true, his valuable stash has been destroyed. Crushed under tonnes of rubble.
Shit meet fan.
Before Rodney can fully wallow in self-despair, he is attacked again, this by mindless missile-like drones under Lung's control. To Rodney's surprise he is rescued by Pedl, and together with the rest of the group they manage to temporarily beat Lung and his drones back.
The temporary reprise from a vicious death does little for Rodney situation. With his score destroyed Rodney needs a lot of money, and he needs it fast. "A robot ate my homework" excuse won't wash with the people he owes. Realizing that the unique smartparts technology might be worth even more than his lost goods, Rodney starts to pocket bits and pieces worth millions in research patents all the while making nice until he can find a way out.
But Lung has been busy too, barricading exits and launching sentry drones from his lair in the abandoned bowels of the warehouse called sub-level B. Knowing they can't holdout forever Scribe decides he needs to talk to Lung... alone. He orders Digit and Pedl to lead the humans up the elevator, warning them that under no circumstances should they enter sub-level B. The plan is interrupted by another attack by Lung and his drones. Scribe quickly gives Axle his prize possession, his creator's pocket watch, telling Axle to keep it safe. All survive the gripping attack in style but the elevator is left destroyed and Scribe is taken prisoner by Lung.
It doesn't take Rodney and the group long to figure out all exits are blocked, but one. The warehouse has an old pre-war furnace, unused for decades, its massive chimney should offer a way out. Unfortunately the only maintenance door into the chimney is in sub-level B.
Against the warnings of Scribe they enter sub-level B. Perils are faced and overcome, trust and friendship forged along the way, but the group’s good luck is short-lived. Not only do they find that the furnace door is solidly sealed, but Rodney's ongoing pilfering of smartparts technology is discovered by the rest of the group as well. Most shockingly this includes the silver pocket-watch Scribe entrusted to Axle.
Meanwhile a captured Scribe awakens in a secret bunker filled with smartparts history. It is here that we discover Lung’s intentions. He is looking for the "equation" that gave the smartparts life, an equation capable of generating an incredibly dangerous power that Lung wants to wield against the world. Secretly Scribe has known about its existence, but has successfully kept it hidden. That is, until Lung notices Scribe is without his precious watch…
Cornered and exposed Rodney comes clean but before he can talk his way out of trouble, a small holographic projection tube is discovered in Scribe’s pocket watch. They discover the tube holds the very same complex mathematical equation Lung covets as well as a message of warning from the smartparts’ creator. Quickly our group discovers all of their problems are insignificant, compared to the destructive powers the world will face should the equation fall in to the wrong hands…
Or in Lung's case, the wrong bone-crushing steel mandibles.
A plan is hatched. They will offer Lung the watch in return for Scribe and a way out, then spring a trap. Luring Lung in is going to take some smooth talking from a world-class liar. So Rodney’s chance for redemption is only one shady deal away. But Lung is not easily baited and the trap fails with dire consequences. Axle falls and Anna is taken.
Now Rodney must find an ounce of selflessness in order to save someone other than himself. And as the battle plays out Rodney’s true character is revealed, the results leave everyone changed in ways they could never have imagined.
|
|
|
