Programmed To Protect (The Tau Cetus Chronicles)

by Jenna Ives

  At least he isn’t pouring any more poison into regulator Jaqan’s ear. I’ll have to speak with Theus about that when I get back. Among other things…

  Next to him, Veraine grabbed a fork. “I’ve arranged for Mr. Carron’s contact to meet us in half an hour,” he said quietly, as he shoveled a helping of the vegetable substitute into his mouth. “It’s dark enough outside that no one will get a good look at his face, and the soldiers coming and going from this mess hall will be good cover. No one will notice him.”

  Wyatt bristled with the urge to ask Veraine why Carron didn’t do the handoff himself – thus proving conclusively that he was behind this smuggling operation – but part of Wyatt’s newly-formulated plan to rescue Ginger was to appear as if he believed Veraine’s assertion about the diamonds, so he just nodded. “Where?”

  “Under the far right wing of the first airship. It will give us some cover.”

  “So we’ll go there together.”

  If Veraine was surprised at Wyatt’s apparent eagerness – considering the hard time he’d given Veraine earlier – he didn’t show it. “Yes. As soon as I finish my meal.”

  “Good.”

  To pass the minutes while Veraine leisurely ate – how the hell can he stomach that awful stuff? – Wyatt shot him some questions. “How long will it take you to activate the robot soldiers after we get word that the final one has been deployed?”

  “Less than half an hour. Turning them on is instantaneous, but I’ll put them through a few maneuvers to make sure they’re all working.”

  “What kind of maneuvers?”

  “Simple things, like… raise your right arm. Bend over. Draw your weapon. I just want to make sure there are no glitches and they’re all online. Once they’re good to go, Rhean can take it from there.”

  Wyatt raised an eyebrow. “You really trust…him…with an assignment this big?”

  Veraine smiled. “Believe me, agent Wyatt, despite outward appearances, there’s no better man for the job. Rhean is as dedicated to these robots as I am.” Veraine pushed his tray away and glanced at the time readout on the mess hall wall. “Come on. Let’s get this show on the road.”

  The two men rose and left the building, leisurely pacing their steps so as not to draw undue attention to themselves as they crossed the dusty ground from the mess hall toward the two airships. As Veraine predicted, all the activity was centered on the second ship, where the final few robot soldiers were being lowered from the rear door and loaded onto the last of the truck convoys.

  Wyatt and Veraine headed to their left. They circled around the nose of the first plane, then ducked into the shadow cast by the fuselage and snuck under the right wing. As soon as Wyatt’s eyes adjusted to the darkness, he could make out a figure waiting silently, dressed in black.

  Veraine stuck a hand in his pocket as the man approached them.

  “Quid signum?” Veraine asked.

  “Adamas,” the man answered.

  Veraine withdrew the five felt pouches from his pocket and held them out. “This is Mr. Carron’s property. You know what to do with it.”

  The man nodded, took the pouches from Veraine’s hand, and slipped away into the shadows. He was out of sight before Wyatt could blink.

  “What did you ask him?”

  Veraine shrugged. “For the password.”

  “Which was?”

  “Diamonds.”

  “Of course it was. Clever.”

  Veraine barked a laugh. “Not clever. Simple, agent Wyatt. It’s always best to keep complicated things simple.” Veraine started moving away from the wing. “But you believe me now, right? That man acknowledged the diamonds belonged to Mr. Carron.”

  Again, this could all have been a setup by Veraine. But that was beside the point. The important thing was that Wyatt needed to rescue Ginger, and Wyatt’s next move was all part of his plan. He needed to sound convincing.

  “Yes. I believe you now. And, frankly, I can see that you’d be the better man to deal with the High Council.”

  Veraine abruptly stopped walking. “What did you say?”

  “I’ll be honest with you, Veraine. There’s no love lost between Carron and me. I’m only working with him on the High Council’s direct orders. Hell, that man almost killed my partner.”

  Veraine nodded. “Jai Turner. I remember.”

  “So I have a proposition for you.” Wyatt took a breath. “I’m addicted to your Beautiful Doll. Sex with Ginger is incredible, unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. I’m sure you know that. Just as I’m sure you and Carron were counting on it when you recorded me with her. But it didn’t get me fired as you’d planned, did it?”

  Veraine hesitated, obviously surprised Wyatt had been on to their game all along. “No, it didn’t.”

  “So here’s what we do. Let me take Ginger home with me, and I will agree to tell Theus that Carron did a good job here, but that it’s actually you who are the brains behind his operation. I can play up the fact that Carron’s robot soldiers wouldn’t even exist without Titus Veraine. I can be a valuable ally, your inside man close to the Council, especially if your plan is to usurp Carron. Together we can work to discredit him in the Council’s eyes, installing you in his place. I will do all that, if you’ll let me take home the Doll.”

  Veraine was quiet for so long that Wyatt was afraid he’d overplayed his hand. He’d hoped to appeal to Veraine’s ruthless ambition, but had he poured it on too strong?

  “How would I get Mr. Carron to agree to give you Ginger?” Veraine inquired. “The Doll is basically his property.”

  Wyatt shrugged, trying not to be too quick with his answer. “Tell him it’s a strategic move. Convince him the two of you can manipulate me because of my addiction to the Doll, and that if I took her home with me, I’d basically owe you and Carron big time. Hell, it’s the truth. Tell him I’d do whatever you want.”

  Even out here in the dark, Wyatt could see the smile slowly spread on Titus Veraine’s face.

  “Do we have a deal?” Wyatt asked, holding his breath.

  “Yes, agent Wyatt. I believe I can confidently speak for Mr. Carron. We have a deal.”

  Chapter Eight

  Ginger…

  Wyatt was going to be taking Ginger home with him. Tonight.

  Since the moment Veraine had agreed to the proposal five hours ago, Wyatt had been a nervous wreck, tensely sitting through the process of booting up Anson Carron’s robot soldiers, then officially handing over responsibility for the army to Zan Talesin and regulator Jaqan’s generals, and then enduring the three-hour flight back home from Terra Radix with Veraine and Carron.

  Wyatt purposely avoided all conversation with both men during the long flight, excusing himself to pace the now-empty aisles of the airship restlessly. It wasn’t only his air sickness that prompted it. Wyatt didn’t know exactly when Veraine planned to ask Carron about Ginger, but in case the conversation was occurring during the flight, Wyatt hoped his pacing would be seen as a sign of nerves. It would hopefully show Carron how addicted Wyatt was to the sexbot, and what a good strategic move it would be in terms of blackmail for Carron to let Wyatt take her home.

  Hell, he certainly didn’t want to give either man the chance to see the anxiety on his face and guess his real reason for wanting the Beautiful Doll.

  I can’t let them find out she’s sentient.

  When the airship landed, Wyatt had a moment of true panic as the three men disembarked.

  Had Carron agreed or not?

  The lazy smile that spread across Veraine’s face was the reassurance Wyatt needed. Anson Carron gave him more of an evil, triumphant look, but Wyatt purposely looked away, feigning nerves.

  Thank God. He felt he could breathe again.

  Now came the trickier part of getting Ginger out of the factory – out of her routine and out of her comfort zone – without the Doll tipping her hand that she was sentient.

  Carron and Veraine had come to the airstrip early this morning
in the same transport vehicle. Would Carron be coming to the former Beautiful Dolls factory now, too?

  Wyatt didn’t know if he could keep his cool that long under the scrutiny of both men. Luckily, Verraine suggested he ride with Wyatt so that his boss could go home and get some sleep. Carron didn’t even thank him, just headed off.

  Wyatt blew out a relieved breath. Bloody hell. This had been the longest five hours of his life, but they were worth the stressful anxiety because Ginger was at the end of it.

  Ginger’s safety was at the end of it.

  Still, he wouldn’t relax until she was in his barracks housing pod.

  It was just past midnight when Wyatt and Veraine finally pulled up to the Beautiful Dolls manufacturing facility. Incredibly, Bruiser-the-guard was still on patrol, and Wyatt had a wild thought that the sentry must be a robot as well. Hell, he couldn’t possibly work 24/7 and still be effective, could he? But Bruiser had brown eyes that flashed his distrust, and Wyatt distinctly remembered the guard spitting at him the first day he’d arrived.

  You’re getting paranoid, Wyatt.

  Bruiser waived them inside the entrance gate, and Wyatt pulled to a stop right outside the factory’s front door. At this late hour, it didn’t matter where he parked. Besides, the shorter distance Ginger had to walk, the better.

  And the fewer people who saw her leave, even better.

  You really are paranoid. Who will see her at this hour? And why would anyone stop her? This has been officially sanctioned by Anson Carron.

  “Okay, let’s get this over with,” Veraine said, getting out of the transport with a chuckle. “I can see that you’re nervous, agent Wyatt. Hell, you’re squeezing the drive wheel so hard your knuckles are white. But this isn’t exactly a first date. Ginger’s a machine. She’ll like you because she’s programmed to please. She’ll respond to you no matter what you do to her. You have nothing to worry about.”

  Wyatt scowled at him. I’m not worried about having sex with her, you asshole, I’m worried about her safety.

  Then again...

  Wyatt let go of the steering wheel with a jerk. Holy hell, was there some part of him that was nervous about having Ginger all alone with him in his apartment? And about all the things he could do with her there?

  That wouldn’t be nerves. It would be anticipation.

  Alone… total privacy… with no time constraints on their sexual exploration. Complete intimacy with an expert sexbot whose main function was physical pleasure. Giving him physical pleasure.

  I could find out every sexual trick she’s capable of… Try out all my fantasies on her…

  Wyatt’s body shuddered at the thought.

  Veraine laughed again and headed for the front door. Wyatt quickly pushed his unruly thoughts aside and exited his vehicle to follow him. He didn’t trust Veraine, and he wasn’t about to let the programmer have even one moment alone with Ginger in which he might compromise her in some way.

  Visions of Veraine flipping a secret switch or punching some innocuous-looking computer key played through Wyatt’s brain.

  Keep your hands where I can see them at all times, buddy.

  The two men walked down the long entry corridor. At this hour – with no working personnel here, the manufacturing machines eerily silent and five-thousand robot soldiers gone – Wyatt and Veraine’s boots echoed loudly on the concrete surface. They turned right at the main factory floor, headed down the shorter corridor leading to the programming labs, and pushed through the double sets of swinging doors of the outside lab. Lights set on motion sensors illuminated their way as they went.

  Veraine quickly strode past the twelve empty computer stations where the robot soldiers had been programmed, then paused at the black door leading to his personal lab. He threw a sly smile at Wyatt over his shoulder, turned the handle, and pushed the door open.

  This was it.

  Wyatt took a deep breath and followed him into the lab.

  The lights came up on the empty room. Veraine headed for his utility closet, and pulled open the door. Ginger was standing there, naked as usual, obviously in hibernation mode.

  “Ginger? Wake up.”

  On cue, the Doll opened her glorious green starburst eyes. Damn, she was beautiful. Every time Wyatt saw her he was struck again by how perfect she was.

  Ginger took a look at Veraine, then turned her head toward Wyatt. “Hello, Titus. Hello, Leith.”

  “Ginger, I have a special assignment for you,” Veraine began. “Mr. Carron and I have decided to send you home with agent Wyatt here.”

  For the first time since he’d met her, Wyatt thanked God that Ginger’s starburst eyes were unable to display any hint of emotion. Did she realize what Veraine’s words meant? Did she understand that this was Wyatt’s way of protecting her, of helping her as she’d asked him to do?

  Her beautiful eyes might betray nothing, but she was still able to speak, so before she could question or comment on Veraine’s statement, Wyatt preempted her. “She’ll need some clothes. She’s not walking out of here naked. Do you have an extra jumpsuit from one of the soldiers you can rustle up?”

  Veraine smirked, looking the Doll up and down. “Pardon me for saying this, agent Wyatt, but she has nothing anyone here hasn’t already seen.”

  Wyatt ground his teeth. He wanted to punch that smug expression right off Titus Veraine’s asinine face. “She can’t be seen naked in public. Go get me a jumpsuit.”

  Veraine casually shrugged, then sauntered out the door.

  Wyatt had been with Veraine since they’d entered the factory, so he knew Veraine hadn’t touched any controls in here, but just in case there were cameras running in the lab – even simple security cameras that Veraine might check later – Wyatt took Ginger’s face between both his hands, leaned in and kissed her chastely on the lips, then worked quick kisses along her cheek and toward her right ear. “I’m taking you away from here. Don’t give any hint that I’m here to rescue you.”

  To play to any cameras, Wyatt then nipped her earlobe. When he pulled back, Ginger was blinking her eyes rapidly, drawing his attention to her perfect face. Bloody hell, if Ginger wasn’t patently incapable of crying, Wyatt would swear he’d be seeing tears of gratitude streaming down her cheeks.

  He felt an odd twinge in the area of his heart.

  “Here we are,” Veraine said briskly, reappearing in the lab doorway. “You’ll probably have to roll up the sleeves and the legs, but it should fit her well enough. At least until you get her home.” He tossed Wyatt the rolled-up camouflage-patterned jumpsuit. “You won’t need her in any clothes once you get her to your place, though, will you?”

  Wyatt growled a warning low in his throat, his patience nearly at its limit.

  Don’t blow it now. You’ve almost got her safely out of here.

  Wyatt breathed slowly, in an out, while Veraine laughed. “Oh, come on, agent Wyatt, don’t be such a… what did I call you the other day? Oh yes, a gentleman. It’s not exactly like Ginger’s a virgin model.”

  Veraine was trying to goad him. Wyatt understood that. By giving Ginger to Wyatt, Veraine knew the police agent was basically at his mercy. And Veraine was lording that power over him, in the form of needling Wyatt. So without giving Veraine the satisfaction of an answer, Wyatt unrolled the camouflage jumpsuit. “Ginger? I’m going to put this jumpsuit on you. Raise your right foot.”

  The process of dressing the Doll was difficult – she’d never worn clothes before. But with enough twisting, bending, balancing and pulling, Wyatt eventually was able to wrestle Ginger into the jumpsuit. As Veraine predicted, the garment was much too big for her, and Wyatt ended up rolling the sleeves as well as the pant legs a good few inches.

  “There. That’ll do.” He zipped up the back of the one-piece outfit, came around the front of her and gave Ginger a smile. As his reward, he received one of her glorious smiles in return.

  Once again, Wyatt felt that odd little flip of his heart. This is definitely all worth it.
Even taking Veraine’s shit.

  He shot Veraine a look. “No shoes or boots?”

  Veraine shrugged. “She doesn’t need them. It’s not like she’ll be out and about, is it?”

  “How old is she, anyway?”

  “She was built five years ago. The Ginger model is… or should I say was… our most popular line. She’s the last of her kind.”

  The last of her kind? That made Ginger as unique and individual as any other person living on Tau Cetus. Somehow, the thought made Wyatt happy. “How about her maintenance?”

  “No maintenance required. We keep our robots in perfect running order. She’s even self-cleaning, if you’re worried about any post-coital issues. She’ll be fine for as long as she’s with you.”

  Hmm. Wyatt didn’t like the sound of that. Veraine’s tone made it clear there’d be an end date to Wyatt’s time with Ginger, but Wyatt was not planning to give her back. Not if she truly was sentient.

  What he’d do with her, though, was another question.

  He glanced at Veraine, then paused. “Do I need to give you a ride home?”

  Veraine must have seen Wyatt’s hesitancy, and interpreted it in the most obvious way. “It’s fine. I know you’re anxious to get Ginger to your apartment and… play. There’s a transport in the back of the plant that I can borrow.”

  “Bruiser won’t give me any trouble out front when we leave, will he?”

  Veraine barked a laugh. “Bruiser? Oh, that’s a good one. I’ll be sure to tell Andros your nickname for him. Actually, he might be flattered.”

  “Whatever.”

  “Come on. I’ll walk you out to make sure he knows you’re not stealing the Doll. Ginger? Follow us.” Veraine headed for the lab door.

  Wyatt gave Ginger an encouraging nod. He would love to take her by the hand, but he didn’t know what Veraine would think of that. Then again, it might play in well with Wyatt’s supposed addiction to the Doll.

  Oh, the hell with it.

  Wyatt threaded his fingers through Ginger’s left hand.