SexedUp

by Sally Painter

  “What?” Randi couldn’t believe it. She felt as though she was living in a futuristic vid.

  “It’s greed in the most twisted form imaginable. Those few thousands who will survive want to preserve the dwindling sperm reservoir for their own procreation. Here,” she said, motioning for Randi to sit down at the conference table. Ellen sat down across from her and tapped the emerald on her bracelet. A hologram materialized above the table, revealing a document. “These documents were discovered a few months ago. The Board wanted you to see them. It’s why we decided to aggressively pursue your research.”

  Randi read the dossier, feeling as though the wind had been knocked out of her. The documents were plans. Step-by-step processes for neutralizing the government and taking complete control over the population-growth program.

  “They can’t do this,” she said, staring at Ellen. Anger roiled inside her. Her stomach pitched in response and she covered her mouth, afraid she might throw up.

  “Not if you’re successful.” She touched the gem again and the screen disappeared. Ellen leaned forward. “Now you know what’s riding on your work. We’re fighting to save humanity, Randi. If you succeed there will be so loud a public outcry, nothing will stop us. The timing must be right before we make these documents public.”

  Randi met the anxious look and smiled stiffly. Her project suddenly took on greater ramifications. A powerful surge of energy shot through her and she tightened her clasped hands. Pressing her lips together, she fought the need to confess to Ellen that she’d already accomplished her objective. Not yet. She wanted a couple more months to make certain her product was perfect.

  “I always play back a portion of the interview on the first day, so my employees fully understand why they were selected for the position. I want to play back a part of our interview, Randi, and then I’m going to destroy it.” Ellen smiled and placed a round blue crystal encased in a scrolled metal design on the table and tapped the stone.

  A hologram opened in front of them projecting life-sized images into the room. Randi was impressed with the quality of the holograph image. She recognized the conference room on the main floor. Ellen sat at the crystal desk and Randi saw herself enter the room, tall and slender, dressed in a red and black business suit. Watching herself shake hands with Ellen and then sit down in the chair across from the CEO, Randi recalled how nervous she’d been.

  She stared at her own image, searching her brown eyes for any signs of nervousness, and was relieved to see confidence reflecting in them. Her body language expressed professional assurance. So far so good. Her brown hair was smooth, with no hairs out of place, and fell to her shoulders in the popular sweeping style. Overall, Randi was pleased with the image she portrayed.

  “Let me fast forward to the moment I decided you were the one to take on this project,” Ellen tapped the crystal twice and then once more to stop at the frame she wanted. She sat back in the chair with forefingers templed to her lips as she watched.

  “My vision when I started the model…” Randi watched herself speaking, recalling all the thoughts and nervous quivering racing through her.

  Holographic Ellen gestured for her to join her at the fireplace where two chairs faced each other. She sat down across from Ellen.

  “I kept thinking that just because we produce what once were considered sex toys that are now vital to our normal daily lives, doesn’t mean we have to continue to create them as though they’re only machines. Of course, I’m not talking about the handhelds but the life-size models.”

  Randi watched herself talking, animated and excited about the possibility of doing something more challenging with her work. She had no idea at the time how pivotal that desire would prove, or because of her ideas she would be offered the job.

  “I’m intrigued, please continue.” Ellen sat watching Randi and from her current point of view, Randi would see the wheels turning in Ellen’s mind.

  “Historically, ever since the doom-virus struck our world, female survivors said they wanted more than dildos or vibrators and began demanding life-size robots, and that’s exactly what we’ve given them. Clunky robots. So I tried to improve a woman’s selection by introducing Dan the Man.”

  “I have that model and am quite happy with it.”

  “Only because there’s nothing better on the market.”

  Randi smiled, recalling how ecstatic she was about creating a lifelike man.

  “My prototype will make Dan the Man just as clunky as those models from even fifty years ago. For example, what if you could have a model that didn’t sound like a robot?”

  “I guess that would be nice, but I don’t really require my bot to speak. I’d probably set him on mute most of the time.” Ellen smiled slowly.

  Randi now knew Ellen had been testing her. At the time of the interview, Randi had been careful not to say the words “male human”, since it would have landed her in jail. Instead, she’d tried to get as close to her idea as possible, not ever suspecting Sexed Up had plans to pursue more than even she’d imagined.

  “What if the robot could respond to you and even bring some romance into your life.”

  “Romance?” Ellen leaned forward.

  The hologram paused.

  “That, Randi, was the moment I knew. And I held my breath waiting to see what you’d say next.” Ellen smiled and tapped the crystal. The interview continued to replay.

  “And more than romance—react with human emotions.” She watched the hologram Ellen. Her boss’s eyes widened. She was hooked. “And forget about the enhanced rubber casing. This new model will have skin so natural it’ll be warm to the touch and would sense that touch. I’m talking about something more than a robot that simply fucks a woman. We can get that with handhelds. This model will be the closest facsimile ever created to that of a…well you know what I’m saying. This model will be programmed to have certain tastes and dislikes. The owner can program any kind of history for him and eventually, he might even be able to function in society.”

  “You mean hold down a job and provide additional income?” Ellen asked.

  She clicked the crystal again.

  “That was when I began to believe you could actually pull this off.” She restarted the hologram.

  “I don’t know that I’d go so far as to say we could put them in the workforce, but my plans are to have him fully functional as a companion, not just a robot sex toy. He’ll be intuitive and able to learn on his own.” She bit her lip.

  Randi felt she’d revealed more than she intended, yet not enough to tip her hand.

  “I can’t believe this. I mean, do you honestly think you can deliver all this?” Ellen stood from the table, shaking her head.

  “The first years of my career were a learning curve. But for the last six I’ve been working toward this vision. You’re the first person to know the capabilities I have planned for this prototype. I want this job because Sexed Up is the only company in the world that can provide everything needed for this model to become a reality. Everything. From the R&D division, to the marketing.”

  Ellen sat back down in the chair and crossed her legs. She rubbed her chin with her fingers as though trying to decide.

  “When could I expect the operational model for demonstration?”

  “If all goes well, two months from start date,” Randi said.

  Ellen hit the crystal several times and the images disappeared.

  Randi looked over at her.

  Chapter Three

  “That, Randi, is why you’re here. I have complete confidence you can deliver the product and the hybrid organism we discussed when you signed our employment contract. The future of our world depends on your success.”

  Randi swallowed the lump choking her. Perhaps it was time to “fess up”, as her ancestors would have said.

  “Now tell me more about the test sample our R&D provided.”

  “That sample convinced me Sexed Up can make this happen,” Randi said and took a deep breath
before continuing. “The material was just enough for my experiment.”

  “What?” Ellen’s mouth tightened.

  “I had to know the quality of the sample and the only way to truly know was to begin incubation.”

  “You took such a gamble with our sample?” Ellen was clearly upset. Her stare hardened on Randi. She’d expected surprise from her new boss, certainly not anger.

  “I assumed that was the purpose of giving me the sample.”

  Ellen straightened in the chair and gave her a tense smile.

  Randi glanced down, noticing Ellen gripped the arms of the chair so hard, her knuckles turned white. Why was she angry? Could Randi be misinterpreting anger for excitement?

  “Go on, Randi,” Ellen coaxed.

  “Well, the model is further along than I’ve led you to believe.”

  “What exactly does that mean?” Ellen leaned forward with a look that sent a chill down Randi’s spine.

  “Just…that I’m working on the project. It’s impossible to accurately assess in sterile conditions so I’ve always worked on prototypes from my home lab.”

  “So two months?” Ellen asked, referring to her earlier comment on when the first model would be ready. “You need two months to do what exactly?”

  “I’ve had the skeletal framework for over two years, Ellen. As I said, I’ve attempted DNA enhancement previously, on my own.”

  “I understand. But if you’re further along, why do you need two months? We should begin the DNA enhancement in our lab immediately so we can grow the flesh over the titanium frame—”

  Randi took a deep breath. This was where she knew she’d end up at odds with her new employer.

  “Randi?”

  “I was hoping I might be allowed to do the initial stages in my private lab.”

  “Out of the question. The security risk is too high. We are talking about illegal—”

  “Please hear me out, Ellen,” Randi interrupted.

  Ellen stopped talking and nodded.

  “The fact it’s illegal is exactly the reason I wish to conduct the work in my home lab. I have the latest security system on the market. It’s the Valente Demarko system.” She paused when Ellen’s eyes widened. Randi had purchased the system right after signing her employment contract, using a large portion of her sign-on bonus to pay for it. “It was tested three times by three independent contractors. None of them were able to breach the security.”

  “Go on,” Ellen said, relaxing in the chair.

  “If you allow me to conduct the work in my lab, your company has plausible deniability. I’m sure your legal council would agree.”

  Ellen stiffened.

  “And if you can say you didn’t know I was doing this work then I will be the one to take the fall—”

  “And you could go to prison for the rest of your life, Randi,” Ellen said.

  “My employment contract has a legal assistance clause. I’m not a fool. I have no intention of serving time in prison. Besides I don’t think the world will allow it once we go public.”

  “But why would you be willing to take all this on your shoulders?” she asked.

  “Because it’s my work, Ellen. I believe in what I’m doing. I’ve spent my entire career getting to this point. Can you assure me that no one in R&D will leak the information? Think about it. Once they see what is being created and just how successful it is—”

  “My people go through the most rigorous background and interviewing process—”

  “I know,” Randi said, trying to stave off the rising indignation in her new employer. This was not how she wanted their first meeting to go. “But we both know how industrial espionage can be. I have a lot of competitors who would love to ruin my career or steal my work.”

  “I think your project will be safe in our hands,” Ellen smiled.

  Randi rushed to drive her point home. “Let’s say you hired someone who passes all the security checks and goes through the process, but that someone was hired several years ago. What if a competitor selected one of your R&D employees with the intent to groom her to be a mole?”

  “Randi, do you know something I don’t?” Ellen tensed, her lips pressed firmly together.

  “Yes.” Randi sighed and tapped the button on her palm-sized brief case. It expanded and returned to full size. Placing it on the table to open, she removed a square chip. “I came prepared this morning to share the information with you.” Her hand shook as she handed the chip to Ellen. It was the only way she knew to convince the CEO. “I just received it late last night from the investigator I hired.”

  “You hired an investigator?”

  “This is my baby, Ellen. I’ve protected my research by hiring my own security specialists and investigators. I don’t mean to be insulting, but I don’t trust anyone or anything when it comes to my research. I can’t afford to.”

  Ellen placed the chip on the table in front of her and tapped it. A hologram opened.

  “Do you recognize her?” Randi asked as the miniaturized female with dark hair materialized above the table.

  “That’s Doctor Eastman. She’s been on staff for five years. I know her personally.”

  “So do I,” Randi said. “And I always believed she was pro-male. We often bumped into each other at conferences.”

  “I remember when you were introduced in the lab and you commented you knew each other. I was surprised, but pleased you would have someone familiar on your team. Are you saying she’s a mole?” Ellen laughed as though she found the accusation incredulous, but the worry in her eyes betrayed her.

  “I was out sailing last week and passed her rig. I only got a glimpse of the woman with her, but I thought I recognized her, so I had my investigator check into it. The next vid you’re going to see is the one she took this past weekend.”

  A new scene opened in front of Ellen. The brunette was with a taller woman on the deck of the sailboat.

  Ellen squinted and tapped the chip to enlarge the images.

  More video showed the two women kissing, oblivious to the investigator filming them from a nearby boat. When the other woman stood to trim the sails, the image zoomed larger.

  “Oh my God, Agnes!” Ellen gasped. The color drained from her face. “That’s Agnes Lechum.” She looked past the hologram to Randi. Fear shone in her eyes. “She’s the daughter of the Anti-Male movement’s founding mother.”

  “And known for her talent—”

  “In industrial espionage,” Ellen finished. “How could my security not be aware of this?”

  Randi shrugged, knowing Ellen would be replacing her security staff the moment she left the office.

  “I’ve seen enough.” Ellen tapped the chip and the hologram disappeared.

  “The relationship is only a month old,” Randi said.

  “So Lechum made the first move around the time I hired you,” Ellen said more to herself.

  “This is why I must insist you allow me to continue working from my private lab. I have everything I need.”

  “You’ll need to divide your time between both locations.”

  “I can do that. It’s nothing new.”

  Ellen grew silent and seemed to be mentally struggling with the request. At length she took a deep breath and nodded.

  “Very well, for the time being until I can be assured my company is free of moles, you may work from home, but once I’m convinced everyone checks out—”

  “I understand,” Randi said, knowing it would take some time for a thorough sweep to be completed within an organization as large as Sexed Up.

  “For the time being, I think I’ll keep Dr. Eastman close to us. Feed her some juicy misinformation while you work secretly in your lab. She might prove very valuable to us. Do you have any kind of model we can use as a decoy project?”

  “I have three. You can select which one you want to use. The specs are here.” Randi handed her another chip, relieved Ellen was agreeable to her request.

  “If you’ll excuse me
, I have some security issues I need to address.” Ellen stood stiffly from the table.

  “May I suggest something?” Randi asked.

  “What?”

  “Well, it may sound odd, but why do anything?”

  “Excuse me?”

  “It might tip our hand to security. If no one knows but the two of us, then they will believe they are safe. It’s unlikely any of your security personnel are aware of Eastman’s betrayal. In all likelihood she is working by herself. Lechum is known to work with only one mole. Too many people involved means a greater risk of discovery. If anyone else in your company is involved, she’ll reveal herself soon enough.”

  Ellen folded her arms over her chest.

  “They’ll make a mistake if they think no one is on to them.”

  “I like the way you think, Randi. For the time being, all of this will remain just between us,” she said and held out her hand.

  Randi clasped it in a firm handshake.

  “I’ll review the projects and let you know by this afternoon which one we’ll use. Thank you, Randi, I’m glad we’re on the same team.”

  Randi smiled, relieved her project would remain in her private lab until she was finished. Her thoughts rushed back to the man she’d left in her bed, waiting for her return. What would happen when his mind caught up with the nanites currently supporting all his bodily functions? Would he learn to override the remote control? How much of his body would continue to develop? Would he grow organic organs to compete with the mechanical ones the nanites had built?

  Her theory encompassed brain development. She believed as he grew stronger and his body matured that his brain would continue to develop and integrate fully with the nanites. His mind was the overriding component she had focused on, leaving the bodily functions to the nanites. It was the only way she could stabilize the incubation. In theory, once the process was completed, the brain would eventually take over and the nanites would become more of a backup system. In theory, Randi reminded herself.

  Right now, he was an organic machine with steel components, even though his brain was one hundred percent human. She gnawed on her lower lip. Whatever he was, it was clear he was more than ready to prove his sexual prowess. Well, she’d have to wait until she returned home to discover just how human he was.