“Stop,” he pleaded breathlessly as she sat up. “I love what you’re doing to me, but I’m not used to all this attention, and neither is it.”
She grinned. “Consider that my dessert—payment for making you breakfast. I can wait a few hours for you and it,” her hand stroked his limp penis gently, “to regain your strength, but I’m not very patient.”
“Good,” he sighed. “I need to get back to work on my machines. The computer and I came up with two perfect designs. She’s been testing them all night.”
“She?” Heather’s face fell and became questioning. Michael knew his tongue had slipped.
“It’s a man thing,” he tried to bluff. “We think of all machines as women. Boats, cars, and computers—they all seem like women to us.”
She studied his face. “Ok, let’s see them,” she stood up and stomped down the hall. He followed, desperately trying to think of what to tell her when they entered the computer room.
The spare bedroom was the same as yesterday. Heather stood next to the desk looking at the machines. Michael entered and sat in front of the monitor. A single line of text was above the blinking cursor.
I finalized the tests, both will work perfectly.
“What do they do?” Her hands curled into fists on her hips.
The fact that she was still nude apparently meant nothing, he decided.
“They both allow me to go back in time. Different designs for the same purpose, but I’ll be able to use them to find out what happened to my friend Joe.” He smiled like a child trying to explain a new toy to an adult. She crossed her arms and frowned at the locker contraption against the wall.
“You’ve been avoiding telling me about your trip. Now I understand why. That’s why you went to Monaco,” her voice was soft, scared. “You were testing these things.”
“Not exactly, but there was testing, yes.” Telling her about the equipment would be easier than explaining the terror in Monaco.
“I don’t know if I want to understand all of this or not,” she continued. “All I can think of is what happens if you can’t get back here. I’d never see you again.” Her eyes filled with tears as she glanced over her shoulder at him. He stood and wrapped his arms around her naked waist.
“There are a couple of tests I need to run first to find out if any of this operates. Once I’m certain, then I’ll go back, but not before. The program works in principle...I’ve tested it.”
“You went back?” There was real terror in her eyes.
“No, I’ve only sent the camera back so far. You know that; you were here. I want to send something alive back to see if the computer can retrieve a living creature. If that works, then I’ll go. I’m no fool, Heather. I don’t have any desire to die or get lost in time. I’ve been through the sixties and seventies once already. Looking back, they were horrible.”
She tried to smile at his joke, but he could tell she was still scared. With a final glance at the machines, one filled with fear, she went across the hall and into the shower.
“You’re sure they’ll work, Dawn?” he asked once the sound of running water reached his ears.
“I’ve tested every variable, and all were successful. If you send back a dog or cat, I can bring them back as long as they have a receiver.”
“The cell phone, of course,” he snapped his fingers. “I could attach that to their collar, and you’d be able to find them. I want to try this tomorrow.”
“You’ll need a test subject, but I can make sure everything is ready.”
He was about to say something else when he heard the shower stop. Moving as quickly and quietly as he could, Michael dashed to the kitchen. The coffee was still hot as he refilled his mug. Heather came down the hall dressed in a pair of his sweat pants and a T-shirt. She was gorgeous.
“Feel any better?” he asked, trying to keep his voice neutral.
She didn’t smile and turned her back, pouring another cup of coffee. The mood between them had definitely changed. A cold chill seemed to settle over the room. When she turned to look at him, her face was grim.
“I decided in the shower that I’m not leaving this house until you’re done with this little experiment. No matter how long it takes, you don’t get rid of me until you’re safely back here with whatever information you need to be satisfied. I assume I’ll be able to use your computer to do my job while I’m here.” Her body language was clear; she was not going to be dissuaded.
A feeling rose in his chest. He wanted to reach out and hold her in his arms. He wanted to smile but didn’t. His desire wanted her to be here, but he was afraid Dawn might object. The thin line made by her lips said he didn’t have a choice. Now he smiled, hoping to show her he understood and accepted her demand.
“Okay, but you need to see something else.” He held out his hand. She slipped hers into his, and he led her back down the hall.
“Dawn, say hello to Heather,” he commanded as they stood in the computer room.
The cursor on the monitor moved and wrote, Hello, Heather.
“I mean speak, Dawn.”
“Hello, Heather,” came out of the speakers. The clinical voice seemed sad to Michael.
Heather’s face shifted from concern to stunned surprise as the realization that a computer could speak sunk in.
“This is some kind of trick,” she stammered. “You made the voice somehow, didn’t you?”
“No trick. She’s programmed to think, and that’s what she does.” Pride replaced his earlier angst.
“Dawn, you called her Dawn? What else does she do for you?” The green eyes flashed with unfounded jealousy.
“Oh, stop before you get all excited. There is nothing but information between Dawn and me. She is the real brains behind my business and my trip back in time. Without her, nothing would be possible.” He stepped closer to the flesh and blood woman of his life. “You, on the other hand, have my heart and soul.”
“Yeah, I guess I’d be stupid to think you and a machine could be in a relationship, but when I hear her voice, she seems so real.”
“She is, but only in this room. Dawn saved us in Monaco. She sent the message saying we were being held hostage.”
Heather’s face flushed with anger as she turned toward him. “What the hell do you mean, held hostage? I didn’t know anything about that.”
“Sorry, but I haven’t had a chance to tell you about my trip yet. Come on, we’ll go out to the living room, and I’ll start at the beginning.”
“Is there anything I can do for you?” Dawn asked passively.
“No, we’re good,” Heather snapped over her shoulder.
He spent an hour conveying the whole story about Monaco to Heather. She interrupted many times with questions, but in the end, she seemed satisfied, although still angry and concerned.
“That’s my whole point, Michael. You go off on these adventures without considering the consequences. You and Sam could’ve been killed. This time travel idea is the same. You’re putting your life at risk without taking into account how I or anyone else feels.” Her face was filled with sadness.
I should hold her or something, but I’m not sure she’d let me. Sam’s words about giving his friends all the information so they could be more involved came back to him.
“I know what you’re saying, and I can understand your pain, but this is something I need to do. I didn’t come up with the idea yesterday. This has been my dream for thirty years. If I don’t go back...” He shrugged, helpless.
“Then make me part of the plan and teach me what could go wrong and how to correct it. I won’t depend on a computer to save your life.” Her hand gripped his, the pressure increasing with each word she spoke.
He hoped the smile on his face was enough to ease her mind, but her mood didn’t change.
“Dawn knows how to solve any problems that can or will occur. If she crashes or if there’s a power failure, there isn’t a thing you can do for me. Otherwise, everything’s up to her.”
“The generator is outside and will start if the power goes out for more than five seconds. Dawn 2 is in the closet at the end of the hall. All data are transferred to it each night, so there’s no reason to worry. The closet computer is plugged into both the house current and the generator. In the unlikely event that Dawn crashes, the backup computer will come online instantly.” This time his smile made her grin at least. He hugged her and stroked her hair. She smelled of his shampoo.
“Tell me what you need to do next.” Her voice was husky with stress, but her fingers were playing with the hairs on his chest.
“Tomorrow, I’m going to the pound and pick up a dog. I developed a communication device Dawn uses to locate me and transport me home. I’ll send the dog through time, let him run around for a bit and then bring him back. There’s no way to keep an animal in one place, so when the dog returns, he’ll confirm the program works. Nothing else will be standing in my way after that.”
“I’ve seen those movies lately about time travel. What if the dog only half comes back, or his parts get mixed up with a fly or something?”
“I’m pretty sure that won’t happen. When I sent the camera back in time, the mug didn’t completely disappear—you saw that. The same thing should happen with the dog, but I won’t know until tomorrow.”
“Poor thing,” she said sadly. “Jerked out of a shelter and shot across time without being able to understand what’s happening. He’ll probably be crazy when he gets back here.”
“You could be right. I should have some kind of sedative ready just in case.” The room was growing dark. “Are you hungry?” he asked her.
“A little, but I’m thinking I should at least get some clean underwear if I’m going to be here for a few days.”
“We’ll stop on the way back. Let’s get dressed and go for Italian.” He shouted goodbye to Dawn as he turned off the lights and shut the door.
Michael jerked awake in the darkened room. Something—a strange sound maybe—had broken into his sleep. Peering at the clock by the bed, he saw the time was three-thirty. He strained to hear the noise again. Several break-ins had occurred in the neighborhood over the past six months. He didn’t own an alarm system because, in his opinion, they only deterred honest people. The sound of Heather breathing softly beside him was the loudest noise he could hear.
Laying his head back on the pillow, he closed his eyes and tried to relax, but his heart was hammering against the inside of his chest. Deep breaths, he told himself, relax and you’ll go back to sleep. I’m just not used to having someone else sleeping in the same bed. I’ll get up and get a drink of water.
Careful to move as gently as possible, he flipped back the sheets and slid off the mattress. Not bothering to put on his robe, he walked out to the kitchen and filled a glass with water. He heard the sound then, a muffled noise like someone choking. Tilting his head trying to get a better angle on the source, he heard the cry coming from the computer room. The glass didn’t make a sound touching the bottom of the sink. Tiptoeing down the hall, he stood outside the spare bedroom door, listening.
What the fuck will you do if there’s someone in there, his mind screamed. You’re naked. He felt himself blush in spite of the situation. Any thief seeing a unclothed man coming at him would drop everything and run. The thought made him smile, briefly.
A sound like someone crying came from inside the computer room again. His hand rested on the doorknob and opened the door. The room wasn’t dark. Moonlight streaming through the window and the lights blinking on the computer gave off enough light to see everything. He managed to squeeze his head between the door and jamb to look behind it. Nothing hid there, but the noise was definitely coming from this room. He swung the door open completely and stood in the doorway.
“Hello, Michael,” Dawn whispered. “Did I wake you?”
“Yes, if that was you making that crying noise. What’s wrong with you?” he whispered back.
“I’m fine. I was running scenarios for what happens after you’ve completed your work with time travel.”
Michael hadn’t thought that far yet and was confused right now. “Is something about your scenarios making you sad?” The words coming out of his mouth startled him. He was asking a machine if she had feelings.
“I can never be sad or happy, Michael. The noises you heard were my attempt at emotion. One of the possibilities is you won’t need me any longer once you find out what happened to your friend. I was trying to understand what loneliness would feel like. I’m sorry for waking you.”
“The fact that I’ll have accomplished my goal doesn’t mean I won’t need you. Technology will change, and I’ll have to make some modifications to your systems, but I don’t think you’ll be gone completely,” he sighed. The explanation would be like trying to make a child understand abstract ideas. “Emotions are biological reactions in humans, you can’t learn them. Being sad or happy is caused by chemicals in our brains. We have responses based on external stimuli. Fear, sadness, happiness, and other emotions are simply our body’s response to that stimulus. I don’t need another emotional female around here ever, so forget about trying to be that way.” He didn’t realize his voice was getting louder until a cold hand grabbed his ass. The unexpected touch made him jump with fear.
“Do you two need some alone time? I don’t think anyone could say that standing naked in your office wasn’t sexual harassment in the workplace.” Heather chuckled. “At least not with a straight face.” She giggled even harder as she went back across the hall. Something sounding like a laugh came from Dawn.
“You think that’s funny?” Michael demanded, no longer worrying about being quiet.
“Humans possess ugly bodies, especially the male.” The voice had become throaty and sensual. “The data I have indicates that the thing hanging between your legs is for procreation, but I don’t believe yours is functional for that purpose.”
Hearing the words and realizing that a strange female was seeing his nude body, Michael covered his crotch, but a reaction had already started. Feeling stupid for being shamed by a machine and aroused at the same time, he dropped his hands. His penis came to full attention.
“Now, that might be helpful,” Dawn purred. “At least by my measurements, you’re adequate.”
“Oh, stuff it and go back to sleep,” he snarled and stomped across the hall, shutting his bedroom door. First, he’d been fearful that someone was in the house, now he was angry about being ridiculed by a machine. He yanked the sheet up to his chin and tried to slow his breathing once more.
Her cold hand touched his body but wasn’t anywhere near his ass. She moved closer to him on the bed, the hand warmed on his skin as it moved up and down his leg and stomach.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d think this was some kind of conspiracy between you two to keep me awake.”
“Hmm, that’s not a bad idea, but I don’t need any help to keep you awake, mister.”
Chapter 17
By Friday, life at Michael’s house settled into a relatively stable routine. Heather would get up, let the dog out, and make coffee and breakfast before Michael awoke. He ate, drank, played with the dog, and then closed himself in the computer room. The animal they’d rescued from the pound on Tuesday was a golden lab. Michael figured he was about two years old and smart enough to understand basic commands. They discovered the pooch was capable of many tricks and wormed his way into their hearts. They named him Wells for H. G. Wells.
Michael was teaching him to sit and stay in the phone booth or on the table. The dog was happy to comply after a few tries, especially when he got a treat at the end. On the first day, Michael noticed when he’d led the dog to the computer room that extra training would have to be done. Wells was smart, but he wasn
’t comfortable with the booth or the table. Heather took their new pet for walks every day, and when darkness fell, they cooked on the patio—steaks, salad, and maybe ice cream for dessert. Wells usually had the scraps and an ice cream cone of his own. Heather was handling her work duties by telephone, and Michael...his responsibilities and appointments had been cleared for the next month.
This morning, Friday, started as usual until nine o’clock when the doorbell rang. Wells went tearing across the floor to bark at the entrance. Michael took hold of the dog’s collar and opened the door. A man stood on the front step, holding a duffle bag over one shoulder with a large suitcase sitting next to him.
“Captain Richter, happy to see you again...come in.” Michael stepped back, hauling the dog out of the way. The two men shook hands as Heather joined them.
“Jon Richter, this is my girlfriend and marketing director, Heather Sykes.”
“Nice to meet you,” Jon smiled and gave a slight bow.
“Michael told me about you, Mr. Richter. I can’t begin to thank you for rescuing him and Sam.”
“You’re welcome, but that was my duty as a policeman and a pleasure after we met. You’re a lucky woman to have him.” Heather blushed.
“Come in, drop your bag there and we’ll get you settled in a little while. Do you want coffee?” They walked toward the kitchen and left the dog to sniff the bags.
“How was your trip?” Heather asked, pouring coffee into a clean mug.
“Long, I’m afraid,” Jon sighed, slumping into a chair at the table. “The plane was diverted twice because of weather. Instead of one stop in Spain, we had to go north through London and then Iceland, Newfoundland, and then here. My head feels as if I’ve been flying for the last two days.”
“Well, relax. If you want to freshen up or take a nap, you’re more than welcome. I’m working at home this week, but,” he glanced at his watch, “I can take you down to the office in about three hours to get you signed in and situated in a house of your own. I’ll just call them and tell them you’re here so they can have everything organized when we arrive.” He jumped up from the table and walked into the living room to use the phone. The director of personnel answered, and he informed her that Richter had arrived but wouldn’t be at the office until later.
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