by Beth Martin
Before she could shed a tear for her newest feelings of loss, a soft knock came from her door before it automatically slid open. Python peeked through the doorway, a steaming, fancy glass mug of tea in her hand. “Just making sure you’re okay.”
“How long was I asleep?” Leona asked.
Python shrugged her shoulders. “No longer than an hour.” Her eyes darted from her mug to Leona’s chest, then face, then back to the mug. “There are some clothes in that wardrobe.” Leona looked to the wall Python had nodded toward. There was a large piece of furniture which fit perfectly into an alcove. The wardrobe was the same glossy-white as the walls, effectively making it disappear. “Once you’re dressed, you can come eat some dinner. I had the kitchen make up a plate of grilled seitan and macaroni with vegan cheese.”
“I’m not really hungry—”
“You need to eat,” Python said sternly. Leona was taken aback by the sudden seriousness of her tone. “Don’t let the food I had prepared go to waste.”
“Oh, uh, okay,” Leona stammered.
She heard Python mutter, “Ungrateful bitch,” under her breath as she turned away. The door slid shut, leaving Leona alone once again. Her uneasy feeling about her host intensified. She wondered if the kinder version of Python from earlier would return, or if she had made a mistake by coming here.
Leona’s mind reeled, trying to come up with a plan to get away, but she couldn’t think of anything. First, though, she needed to eat something in order to think clearly. She got up and checked the basket for the clothes she had been wearing earlier, but they were missing. Already uncomfortable with her new surroundings, she didn’t want to wear unfamiliar clothing as well—but she knew she needed to change out of the nightgown.
Well aware that Python could be watching through hidden cameras, or might even enter the room at any moment, Leona quickly went to the wardrobe and opened it. The contents made her gasp. It was full of identical black bodysuits, each with black leather reinforcing the knees and elbows. On the floor sat a pair of tall black boots. She opened the single drawer to reveal multiple pairs of black panties, bras, and squares of cloth.
It was the exact clothing Tina wore. The image of the woman standing behind Leona’s father, slashing his throat, played in Leona’s mind. She stumbled back, taking a shaky breath as she did her best not to throw up.
She tried to calm down, telling herself it was a coincidence. Plenty of people wore black. There were tons of reasons Python would want to wear the utilitarian ensemble. Leona tentatively lifted one of the folded clothes, which tumbled open, revealing that is was a bandanna. No, there was no doubt. This was Tina’s uniform.
Which meant that Python had to know her. Most likely, they were working together. Another wave of nausea hit Leona, harder this time. Dizziness overcame her, and she stumbled back until she bumped into the foot of the bed. She took a seat as the details started lining up in her head. This house was too sophisticated—more so than robots could construct using their typical building techniques. If Python had made her house, she would also be familiar with the inner workings of the computer systems. The security systems of each estate hadn’t worked properly, allowing Tina to get inside burn them down, which meant they had probably been hacked ahead of time. Python could be the reason the security footage the VanStraten family had of Tina locking up Leona and Roemell had gotten corrupted. What if she had also shut down the robots during Leona’s flight, causing the crash?
Python probably had Roemell captured somewhere—if he was still alive. Leona jumped up and started getting dressed. She grabbed one of the bodysuits and forced it on, ignoring her initial disgust. After slipping on the pair of boots, she took a bandanna and tied it around her head to keep her hair back. She needed to get out of this house, and then she would find Roemell.
• • •
All the water had done for Roemell was fuel a fresh round of tears. It had been at least twenty-four hours since he had encountered Python, and the entire time, Roemell’s mind had tormented him with thoughts of what his captor might be doing to Leona. His mind flooded with images of Leona tied up in the dark as well, getting tortured, raped, or worse.
He yelled into the abyss, his strained voice echoing through the deep cavern. His skin under his ties was so torn up that each movement was excruciating. If he remained still for too long, his blood would coagulate against the rope, making his next movements tear the wounds open again, which was an even more painful sensation. He screamed out again, openly sobbing, pleading to the darkness to keep Leona safe.
The worst of it was that this was all his fault. If he hadn’t tried to blame Leona to save his own skin, she wouldn’t be in any danger. Instead, she was trapped in that woman’s house, and there was nothing Roemell could do to help her.
• • •
Leona looked at herself in the mirror hanging on the inside of the wardrobe door. The utilitarian outfit was actually quite flattering, cinching in her waist and lifting her breasts and butt—not that she had much curve left to lift. She slammed the wardrobe closed and started thinking about a plan to escape. There had to be a way to sneak out without Python’s knowledge. That meant the front door was out since it was easy to keep an eye on. However, she doubted she’d find an exit in the bedroom.
She pressed her hands against each window and wall to see if they had any give, then searched along the seams of the walls and floor for any vents or weak points. Climbing on top of the bed, she pushed up at the ceiling. It seemed to be a single, solid piece. Next, she got down on her hands and knees and crawled under the bed, then reopened the wardrobe to see if the back panel would come loose.
After a solid twenty minutes of investigating, she’d come up with nothing. She would have to venture out of her small room in order to find an escape. She leaned forward and placed the side of her head against the door so she could listen for Python, but it slid open before she could here anything.
“Come to the kitchen,” Python called. Leona swore under her breath, but did as her captor said. The kitchen table had two chairs, and Python was already seated in one of them. Her attention was fixed on a tablet resting on the table in front of her as she scrolled through pages of text. “You let your dinner get cold.” Sure enough, there was a place setting in front of the other chair with a plate of something that looked like charred gelatin paired with crumbly pasta. “Did you find what you were looking for?” Her eyes darted up to Leona’s face.
“I… um. I lost an earring.”
Python nodded, turning her attention back to whatever she had been reading. “Yeah, I hate when they get stuck in the ceiling.”
Leona’s face flushed. Of course Python had been watching her.
“Sit. Eat,” Python commanded.
Leona pulled her chair back and slowly settled into it. The food on her plate looked entirely unappetizing, and it took her a minute to summon the courage to try even a single bite. She lifted her fork and stabbed one of the noodles, then swallowed hard before placing the forkful in her mouth. It wasn’t as offensive as she had thought it would be, but it definitely didn’t taste anything like cheese.
After eating a few more bites, she placed her fork on the table. She was starving, but didn’t think she could keep any more of this strange substance down. “Thank you for dinner. That was really tasty. I’m pretty full, so I’m going to—”
“You didn’t try your grilled seitan.”
“I don’t think I can eat anymore—”
“Eat it. You’re disgustingly thin—you need the calories.”
What had happened to the timid person she’d met that morning in the woods? It was like a switch had flipped—she wasn’t sure which version was the true Python, though she wasn’t about to stick around to find out. “I need to use the bathroom.”
Python let out a heavy sigh. “The door at the end of the hall. And when you’re done, I expect you to come straight back here and clean your plate.” She sounded just like Leona’s robot Bel
labot had when giving Leona instructions on how to behave.
Leona was in a state of shock as she walked quickly down the hall. How was she going to get out of this mess? The bathroom door opened for her but didn’t close once she was inside. “Could I have some privacy?” she called out.
“I don’t trust you,” Python replied. “Don’t worry, I don’t have a direct line of sight from the kitchen.”
“Right,” Leona muttered, wishing she could do something as simple as closing a door. Trying to ignore the lack of separation between her and Python, she focused on the task at hand.
Instead of milky white like the rest of the house, the bathroom was clad in glossy black. The walls and floor were covered in a lattice of small black tiles. A black bathtub with strange metal legs resembling animal feet lined the back wall. To her left was a boxy sink next to a strange cube which must have been the toilet—although it looked nothing like any she had seen before.
The bodysuit she wore made relieving herself much harder than it should have been. She had to essentially remove the entire thing before taking a seat on the square toilet. Of course, she didn’t actually need to pee, but she had the suspicion that Python would know if she didn’t at least go through the motions. She shuddered at the idea that her captor could be watching a video feed of her at that very moment.
Looking around the bathroom as she sat, she tried to find some point of weakness where she could get out. There were no windows and only the one door, so she figured there wasn’t a way to get out from there. She stood up and pulled back on her bodysuit, then turned to flush the toilet. It seemed to have a much larger-than-normal drain, and when she pressed the button, only a little bit of water sprayed to rinse the black bowl. The water rushed down into the dark abyss and was much louder than expected. Startled, she jumped back at the sound.
Why was it so loud? She reached over and pressed the button again, this time ready for the noise. The water rushed again, and she paid close attention to every nuance of the flushing sound. Even though she couldn’t see much of what was going on, she heard something similar to a waterfall, which seemed to echo endlessly.
The toilet must not have been connected to a pipe, and instead dropped the contents straight down. Whatever waste system this house used was located directly below her. She didn’t know much about how they worked, but she could recall that there had been an opening for the one at her estate. While playing when she was just a kid, she had come across it. It had been covered with a heavy metal circle with small holes which vented out the most putrid smell. Her old companion robot had informed her what it was and that its purpose was to give the robots access to the inside in case something wasn’t working properly.
If she could get through somehow, it might be her best chance of leaving unnoticed. However, she wasn’t sure she would fit and didn’t know how far the drop was. There was also the added complication of possibly landing in a pile of excrement. She stepped back from the toilet, appalled at even the thought of encountering a pile of waste, though she knew it would be worth it to get away.
A plate on the sink held a collection of little, shell-shaped soaps. She grabbed one and tossed it in the bowl and flushed. A couple seconds later, there was a soft plop sound as it hit the bottom. That was a good sign. She was about to lower her foot into the pot when Python’s voice interrupted her. “I know you’re done in there. Come back and finish your dinner.”
Cursing under her breath, she left the bathroom and made her way back to the kitchen. But now she knew of a possible way out, which gave her hope. Once it was dark and Python fell asleep, Leona would make her escape.
18
LEONA'S UNAPPETIZING DINNER still sat on her plate. Python stared at her expectantly as she settled into her seat. “Eat,” Python said.
Leona looked at the gelatinous brown goo. If she planned on climbing into a toilet later, she should probably try to stomach the strange food as well. Hyper aware of Python’s eyes following her every move, she pierced the protein blob with her fork and slowly brought a small chunk to her mouth. Not only did it look terrible, but it also smelled disgusting. She put the bite in her mouth, trying her best not to gag, although she did make a sour face. It didn’t taste much like anything, but the texture was horrific.
After swallowing the first bit, she set her fork back down. “I could really use something to drink.” Python had gone back to reading the tablet and didn’t seem to be paying attention. Leona cleared her throat. “I said—”
“I heard what you said, you dumb bitch. You know how to get water from the fridge. I’m not your fucking robo-butler.”
Leona’s hands trembled. She needed to turn the situation around somehow. She recalled the lessons Ava had tried to give her on how to woo a person. The first step was always a healthy dose of social lubricant. “Actually,” she said, trying to sound more confident than she felt, “I was thinking it might be fun to share something a little stronger. Relax a little. Make a night of it.”
The corner of Python’s mouth twitched as she set her tablet down. Her eyes glanced at Leona’s face, then settled on her chest. Python took a deep breath before saying, “I guess we could.” Without another word, she got up and walked toward the hall.
Leona made a small fist-pumping gesture. But if she expected her escape idea to work, she also had to avoid getting too drunk and sloppy to successfully go through with her plan. Eating a big meal always helped. She pinched her nose, then began shoveling down the rest of her food as quickly as she could. Only a couple bites into it, she started to gag, but overcame her reflexes and kept it down before she continued eating.
Python looked pleased when she returned to find Leona devouring the last of her macaroni. She held a pretty crystal bottle containing dark, amber-colored liquid. “I distill it myself. I would have preferred to age it a bit longer, but we’ll call this a special occasion. Go take a seat in the sunroom while I get some glasses.”
Leona took her plate and utensils and set them on the counter before going to the sunroom. The room had transformed with the setting sun. Without the plentiful light streaming through the windows, the walls emitted a soft red glow. Only a moment later, Python joined her, taking a seat in the other armchair. She poured a serving in the two glasses, handed one to Leona, then took a sip from her own glass.
Examining the cup, then taking a sniff, Leona asked, “Whiskey?”
“Bourbon.”
She closed her eyes and drank just a taste. It was incredibly smooth and oaky, warming her throat and chest as it went down. “Holy shit, that’s good.”
Python smiled. “Thanks. It’s a bit of a hobby. I’ve tried brewing beer as well, but haven’t had much success.”
Leona knew nothing about how spirits and beer were made since the robots had always handled that, but she had worked on developing a palate. She took another drink. If she wasn’t careful, she knew she’d consume too much and kill her chances for escape.
Once they’d both finished their first glass, Python poured them each another. Leona tried to nurse the liquor while keeping a close eye on her captor. After Python finished her second drink, Leona said, “Why don’t we play some music? I’d love to dance.”
Python nodded, then refilled her glass before saying, “Let’s have some dance music.”
A heavy beat started thumping through the room. It wasn’t as loud as the music that normally played in Leona’s old club room, but it would suffice. She got up and started dancing, trying to mimic the movements Ava would make when she had danced—which were so suggestive they made Leona uncomfortable. She knew her whole act would be more alluring if she had more skin showing, but aside from totally stripping down, there wasn’t really anything she could do about that.
The glow of the walls started morphing colors in time with the music, transitioning from red to blue to green. As she had hoped, Python remained seated, continuing to consume more bourbon while watching the awkward yet sexy dance. After a number of songs, L
eona was getting noticeably tired. Her abductor wasn’t as drunk as she’d have liked, but she couldn’t keep going much longer. Her body protested, slowing down even as she willed herself to keep going. Why was she so tired?
Not wanting to squander her entire evening, she said, “This bodysuit is getting kind of hot. Do you have anything else I could wear? Maybe something a little more fun?”
Python tipped back the rest of her drink, slammed her glass on the side table, and gave Leona a lascivious grin. “Actually, I do have something you might like. I’ve never been able to get myself to wear it, but I think it will look stunning on you. Let me go grab it.”
“Thanks,” Leona said, trying to flash a seductive grin, although she felt totally disgusted. Python hopped up and raced down the hall, going into the one room Leona hadn’t seen yet. A moment later, she returned and handed Leona a tiny garment made of bright red latex with bits of black leather adorned in metal studs.
“I need to use the restroom real fast, and then I’ll change into this,” Leona said, holding the oddly heavy garment in her hands. She walked down the hall to the bathroom, her steps unsteady like it was the end of a long night of partying, but she hadn’t drank enough to be so intoxicated. Python had consumed twice the amount of bourbon as Leona, and yet seemed barely tipsy.
But more than her degree of sobriety, the ridiculous outfit in her hand was clearly something that would take a bit of time and effort to get on, hopefully allowing her a longer head start before her captor would come looking for her. As soon as she got into the pristine, black bathroom, she tossed the new clothes in the sink, then turned to the toilet. Yet again, the door remained stubbornly open. From the sunroom, Python had a clear line of sight to observe what Leona was doing.
Her mind sluggishly reeled through possible excuses she could Python. “Hey, uh, can I get this to close?” she asked. “I have a hard time trying to pee around others.”