Mike turned its head slightly towards the angry man climbing the steps, clearly noticing him but showing no sign of agitation.

"Hey, calm down! Just let him talk!" Suzanne shouted at the man, who walked up to Mike until they were nearly face to-face. He towered over Mike by almost a head and was of substantially broader build, although she doubted his brawn would make a difference considering Mike’s ability to shrug off physical punishment. She feared more that someone might get hurt if this spiraled out of control. The man stood mere inches from Mike and leaned forward, pushing into the impassive being, who still showed no reaction and hadn’t shifted position at all.

"You don’t scare me! You’re gonna show us how to get out of this circus, or I swear I’m gonna kick you down the stairs!" The man wore blue jeans and a flannel jacket, and Suzanne got the impression that he wasn’t a stranger to drastic acts of violence. He pushed a thick, callused index finger into Mike’s shiny chest and started shouting right in his face.

"I’m afraid I can’t tell you about the way out of Haven, sir. Please choose a dwelling you would like to inhabit, and we will provide anything you require to make your life here comfortable," Mike responded in his calm, clear voice. The man leaned back, seeming to contemplate the answer for a second, then threw a straight, well-practiced looking punch with surprising speed right at Mike’s head. Below, several people cried out in alarm. The fist made a heavy slapping noise as it impacted, and Suzanne saw the gleaming head wobble and ripple from the point of contact for a moment, as if it was a balloon filled with jelly. The servant stood unmoved otherwise; its feet didn’t even move. The man danced backward, standing on his toes with his fists up in a boxing stance. He looked surprised that Mike didn’t cry out, let alone was still standing. Suzanne wondered if Mike had actually made its head softer so the man didn’t break all his knuckles. When she had hit Mike in the head with the heavy ornament earlier, it had seemed hard as steel.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

"Get off him, you idiot! How’s this going to help?" Suzanne shouted at the man. He turned slightly in her direction, his fists still up.

"Shut up, lady, I don't trust you either!" he snarled.

"I have to ask you to refrain from doing that again, sir. I can’t allow you to injure yourself," Mike said calmly, matter-of-factly. This had the opposite effect of what was intended. The man snarled and snapped a vicious uppercut at Mike’s solar plexus area. His fist slammed into the white material, which wobbled like rubber and then suddenly erupted, as if he’d punched the surface of a pool of white paint. Someone below screamed. The white stuff detached itself from Mike’s body and flowed up the screaming man’s arm. It fragmented in a peculiar, almost geometric pattern, leaving behind mesh-like white lines over his skin.

"Mike, no, stop it! What are you doing?" Suzanne shouted. The white lines had covered the man’s entire body in a matter of seconds. He was standing up straight, arms by his side, in a seemingly relaxed position, but was still screaming.

"I can’t feel my body! I can’t move! Get it off me!" he shouted, panicked. The passengers at the base of the stairs were shouting as well. Suzanne could hear some people crying.

"Mike, please! Let him go, he’s learned his lesson," she said urgently to the servant.

"I’m afraid that is not within my power, Suzanne. The restraint mesh will remain until there is sufficient evidence that he will not further endanger himself or others. He will be perfectly fine to move if he relaxes and curbs any aggressive impulses."

"You can’t just put him in shackles like that, that’s inhumane! Please, let him go, we’ll talk to him, I’m sure he’s learned his lesson!"

"You misunderstand, Suzanne. This is not my doing. The restraint mesh is separate from myself, and only it will determine when it detaches from him again." Suzanne stared, grasping for something to say. She saw several passengers had run off towards the bus, screaming. The situation had gone as wrong as it possibly could, it seemed to her.