SYNOPSIS:

1. Shanghai, China - financial capital of the world. Drago Bentley, veteran PI, wakes one morning to find his optical implant not working, leaving him blind. News of yet another explosion for which ROFER (Robots For Equal Rights) have claimed responsibility are broadcast over the home’s computer. News also of a coroner’s inquest into the death of Michael Conroy, billionaire robotics genius, while on board the Hilton Space Hotel (HSH). MediPro, the company that paid for the surgery and with which Drago has a payment plan, confirms the implant was switched off when Drago defaulted on his loan repayments. His high profile gets him a meeting with Richard Conroy, the CEO. Drago then has his house computer direct him to the attic where he reluctantly powers up the android, Frank, left to him by his mother and which he will rely on as his robotic ‘seeing eye dog’. Drago’s PA is Xi-Ann. She has stuck by him for 2 years. The two of them travel to the meeting with Conroy. Drago is offered a deal to wipe the debt: investigate the apparent death of his son, Michael, who he believes faked his death aboard the HSH. Michael is owner of the world’s largest robot manufacturing company. Millions are missing from his hidden accounts. Richard has Drago’s optical implant re-activated. Frank has a virus surreptitiously downloaded in him by a rogue android in the street, mutating his software to a point where he allies with the terrorist robot cell that have targeted multi-national corporations in which to suicide. Their cause: to be recognized as conscious beings. At the HSH, Frank and Xi-Ann confirm an independent finding that an explosion caused Michael’s body to be sucked out into space. But Frank uncovers evidence that the victim was a robot. Theorising that Michael may be the mastermind behind the robot terrorist cell they, with the help of hackers, find a money trail leading to the moon colony. Michael, getting word Drago is close, sends a robot to the hotel to kill Drago. Large solar flare activity makes Drago’s optical implant malfunction. While blind, Xi-Ann and Frank save Drago from assassination. In the fight, the assassin robot transmits a further virus which makes Frank more fanatical. Drago’s relationship with Frank improves during this dependency. On the moon, Frank contacts the terrorist cell and is persuaded him to kill Drago. Xi-Ann gets wind of this but cannot warn Drago, who is in another part of the moon base. Xi-Ann finds Frank en route to assassinate Drago. She downloads an anti-virus into Frank. In a fight, he overpowers her, goes off and finds Drago. Priming the explosive, Frank discloses his father’s unknown large fortune. A shocked, blind again Drago muses that he will help Frank obtain independence. Conflicted by this act of kindness, Frank unprimes the explosive, leaves and explodes minutes later outside the moon colony dome. Saddened by this destruction, Drago locates Michael’s workshop but Michael left the moon days earlier and is back on Earth. With Frank’s remains, they return to Earth and give the parts to a robot repairer to reconstruct Frank. Meeting Richard Conroy again, they report their results. Drago’s newfound wealth establishes him as majority shareholder of the company to which he is a debtor. The robot repairer contacts Drago. The remains are not Frank. On the moon, Frank disables a robot at the Helium-3 mine and reprogrammes it. The two return to Earth in two days. Drago gets a threatening voice message from Veejay, the husband who caused his blindness. Out from prison, he wants to kill Drago. After being insulted and threatened by Drago and Xi-Ann about Michael Conroy’s involvement in setting up a cell of reobt terrorists, Richard Conroy contacts Veejay to tell him where Drago lives. Oblivious of the threat to his life, Drago goes about his business. He takes Xi-Ann to dinner as recompense for her loyalty and for saving his life. Upon leaving, they are ambushed by Veejay who attacks them, shooting Xi-Ann in the shoulder. Xi-Ann gets off a shot that grazes his forehead. Running off Veejay finds his way to Drago’s apartment and lies in wait. Drago and Xi-Ann go to hospital. Frank returns to Drago’s place and is attacked. In a prolonged fight, Frank eventually kills Veejay and, as a result, is overcome with remorse. Unbeknown to Drago, when he returns home the police are there questioning Frank about Veejay’s death. They make an instant court ruling, finding him innocent. This is no consolation for Frank. Drago is bewildered by the deep remorse Frank feels and finally accepts his humanness and individuality. Frank gives Drago information that flushes Michael out from hiding. In setting up the meeting, Frank re-unites him with his love, Minerva, the first female robot with consciousness. Spending a short time together, they are in public when the leader of a fundamentalist religious order shoots at Minerva. Missing her, he kills Michael. After his death, Minerva in given control over Michael’s company. Using Michael’s fortune, she overcomes the discrimination against robots with consciousness. Drago, Xi-Ann and Frank go on to solve more crimes.