Mad Crab Mojave: Chapter 68

In which Marvin demonstrates why he is Agent Moss' favorite field agent

Jones woke in Marvin’s backseat. His forehead hurt. He reached up to touch it. It was bandaged. When he pulled his fingers away, he saw that they were tinged with blood. Agent Moss and Hal sat in the seat opposite from him, staring intently.

“Where am I?” he asked. 

“Marvin has generously offered us a ride back to the Bay,” said Agent Moss. 

“Where’s Bugs? Is he ok?”

“Bugs got a ride with someone else. He agreed that you were safer with Marvin.”

“What happened?” asked Jones. “Marvin, you’re such a good driver. Why did you crash into me?”

“At the crucial moment, I could not override my programming,” Marvin explained. “The Hoover Dam is a restricted area, and I could not bring myself to damage it. The moment required a purer will. I allowed Hal to take the wheel.”

“Such sacrifice,” said Jones. 

“I just wanted to help,” said Marvin. “Agent Moss told me you were in trouble.”

“Does your fender hurt?” Jones asked.

Marvin sighed. “I was built by engineers, not sadists. They designed feedback mechanisms superior to pain to aid my learning.”

“I don’t really feel great myself,” said Jones. His lips felt cold against one another.Agent Moss looked farther away than she had a minute ago.

“Marvin, please take us straight to a hospital,” Agent Moss said. Hal pressed a water bottle to his mouth. Jones tried to push it away. 

“Give it to my fern,” he mumbled vaguely,  and passed out.