Kingston 691

by Donna McDonald

  She touched her forehead to his as she slowly moved up and down in his lap. King’s hands diving into her hair to hold her head tightly captured her full attention. His drawn-out kisses as he thrust up to meet her every downward slide soon had her shuddering in his arms. He held still inside her while he let her come back down gently from her release.

  She ran her hands over his chest and smiled. “Your prime equipment is the perfect accompaniment to your generous nature in bed, Kingston West. You fit inside me like a man should fit inside a woman. I can’t imagine any man being more perfect for me than you are.”

  Seetha laughed when she was lifted by her hips and placed diagonally in the bed. Her engineer brain was quick to point out it was the only mathematical way the two of them stood a chance of fitting their long lengths in the small bed.

  Talented lover that he was, King had managed to move them without breaking their connection. She wrapped her legs tightly around him in gratitude, hoping she never had to let go again. His precise movements were a promise of more bliss to come. She met them happily.

  When he paused, she looked at him with concern. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing—not a thing. Everything is perfect, just like you said. I think we should try living together,” King whispered.

  “Okay. It will make doing this a lot more convenient. You have a bigger bed.”

  Snickering at her answer, King pushed in hard and buried himself deeply in the now humming woman beneath him. “And if we don’t drive each other crazy in six months, maybe we could get married…or something. We’ll talk about it more then.”

  When Seetha’s eyes popped open in shock at his proposal, King laughed and kissed her hard so she couldn’t get the breath to reply. First, he wanted to give her one more reason to say yes.

  Chapter 19

  Franco did a double-take when she walked in, which was perfectly understandable. She’d done the same in front of her mirror two hours earlier. She wasn’t sure how she’d let her mother talk her into the kaleidoscope patterned dress. It had been something Annalise Harrington—a long-time fashionista—had said about the pattern making her look more rounded and less skinny.

  Seetha rolled her eyes. She knew it hurt to look at it. At least it was a snug material and hugged everything. Tonight she’d topped it with heels to tone it down some. They made her tower over the man staring at her legs like he’d never seen a woman before.

  “Remember when I told you King wasn’t as scary as he looked? I don’t think that extends to catching you eyeballing my legs. Things have escalated between King and I.”

  “Wear longer dresses then,” Franco ordered. “Bar hopping in that outfit is going to be dangerous, Ms. Harrington. I’m just a sample of the attention you’ll be getting.”

  Seetha smiled. “Oh, I’m counting on getting attention.”

  “It will happen much faster than I can get you a table. You really need to tell Mr. West to start reserving one for you.”

  Seetha followed a laughing Franco to the bar. They both laughed when she checked the stool at the end to see if her name was on the back of it, since it seemed no one ever sat there but her. The bartender rushed over to say hello. Seetha’s gaze lit with delight to feel so alluring to men. Goddess, how her life had changed.

  “Hi, Handsome Greg.”

  “The usual, Ms. Harrington?” he asked.

  Seetha nodded and he hurried away. She slid up on the stool and pulled her portable out of her bag to set it on the bar.

  “Pardon me, ma’am. Is this seat taken?”

  Seetha turned, smiled, and motioned to the stool next to her. “It is now. Hello, Dan Masterson. How are you doing tonight? I hear we have a two hour wait again.”

  “I’m doing okay, not as well as you are, judging by your outfit. You look quite festive this evening,” Dan said, climbing up on the stool.

  “Please don’t blame me. This is my mother’s idea of high fashion, but I am having a good week,” Seetha declared, smiling when her drink was set in front of her. “Thank you, Greg. Bring Mr. Masterson another of whatever he’s having and put it on my tab. I’m feeling generous tonight.”

  Dan lifted an eyebrow at her offer and toasted her with the last of the one in front of him. “Thank you. Wow—you’re buying drinks. You really must have had a good week. Most first weeks at Norton are downers.”

  Seetha shrugged. “The most amazing thing happened to me. I have discovered I like fixing restored cyborgs. In fact, it may be the most fulfilling work I’ve ever done. Not to mention the date offers I get…and the men are all good-looking guys, let me tell you.”

  She looked down the bar and then back at Dan. “I see you’re still ignoring the ladies. Did you notice the guy a few stools down who’s giving you the eye?”

  Dan turned and glanced down the bar. “Yes. I saw him. He’s wearing sunglasses and a hat indoors. Please don’t ask me to stoop so low.”

  Seetha laughed at his snobbery. “No wonder you’re never hooked up. I thought I was bad. Are you always so picky?”

  Dan laughed too. “Yes, I am. It makes for a boring life. Whatever happened between you and our infamous restaurant owner?”

  Seetha excitedly smacked the bar with her hand and smiled at Greg when he set a drink in front of Dan. “Well, that’s the real reason I had a great week. King asked me to move in with him. I think things are going to work out between us after all.”

  “Did he ever remember you?”

  Seetha turned away and picked up her drink, sipping before answering. “Actually…King found out everything about our past. I don’t know how. I’m still adjusting to it, but at least he’s decided to keep me. Looks like I’m going to get my do-over.”

  Dan snorted. “I see. Fascinating. Any idea how he found out everything?”

  Seetha shook her head. “Not a clue. I was just happy. Does the past matter?”

  “Guess not—since you got what you wanted from him,” Dan declared, lifting his drink for a healthy swallow.

  “What’s on the menu tonight?” Seetha asked, watching as Dan frowned as he sipped.

  “I’m not sure. Is it hot in here?”

  Seetha watched as Dan removed his wet bar napkin from under his drink and patted his face with it. She put a hand on his arm. “Are you feeling okay?”

  “No…I’m not. Perhaps I should go home. I’m sure whatever is on the menu is good. The food is excellent here.” Dan drowsily slid from the stool and weaved. “You know…I don’t feel very good.”

  As his eyes rolled up, Dan slid quietly to the floor.

  Seetha looked down as Greg peered over the bar. She raised her gaze to his. “The food is amazing, but you’ve got to watch the drinks here.”

  Greg—who she’d learned was one of King’s non-cyborg Marine buddies—chuckled at her jokes. “We don’t serve no watered down shit here, Ms. Harrington. Kingston would have my ass for it.”

  Smirking, Seetha tucked her unused portable back into her bag as the man in sunglasses came to peer down at Dan Masterson. He pushed his glasses up on his head. “If I carry his lead-ass out to the transport, are you going to kiss me the way you did Marcus?” King’s meaty hand slapping him on the back of his head had him wincing and turning away to laugh.

  “I know you did not just say that to my girlfriend,” King declared.

  “Well, it’s not like she’s married to you,” Eric declared back.

  “Yet,” King said. “I’m working on it. Hands off.”

  Seetha’s laughter interrupted their mock play-fighting over her. She pointed to the unconscious Dan, who was still on the floor and being stared at by a bar full of curious people.

  “Get your mind where it belongs, Eric. We have work to do,” King ordered, tossing his wiping towel over his shoulder. “Man up and carry him, shorty. You’re making this delivery. Here—I’ll help get you started.”

  Seetha watched wide-eyed as King reached down and lifted Dan up under his arms like he was a toddler. He held h
im out to Eric to take, who patted one shoulder. King draped the unconscious Dan over it, being gentle for the sake of their audience.

  Seetha looked at Greg. “Put Dan’s drinks on my tab.”

  “What drinks?” Greg asked, grinning.

  Seetha rolled her eyes. “I see. Well, I’m learning all kinds of shit this week, aren’t I?”

  As Eric headed out of the bar with Dan, King reached out and patted her cheek, the way she usually did for him when he was confused.

  “You don’t need to buy drinks, honey. You’re just traumatized again, but you did really good. I don’t think he suspected anything. Now meet me out front. I’ll bring the airjet around for you.”

  Sighing, Seetha grabbed one large masculine wrist. “Let’s just take a pod cab to Peyton’s. It will be faster.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. Why would we pay for cabs? I’ll be two minutes.”

  King took off walking.

  Seetha glanced at a now laughing Greg. “Laugh all you want. Neither of us fit in his tiny airjet. I don’t know what his problem is about his vehicle.”

  Greg grinned. “He’s a cheap-ass.”

  Seetha snorted. “Which if true just proves no man is perfect. Well, I’m buying something a hell of a lot bigger. He can just stuff his tiny airjet up his cheap-ass if he doesn’t approve.”

  “Good hell, I hope I get to watch that fight,” Greg declared.

  Seetha waved a hand in Greg’s direction and headed to the front door. She stopped in front of Franco. “Did you ever serve with King in the military?”

  “No, ma’am. But I may be the only person working here who hasn’t.”

  Seetha shook her head. “Franco, I’m going to be a regular around here. Call me Seetha.”

  “I never doubted it would happen, Ms. Harrington. Perhaps you should start taking magnesium supplements. You’re going to need them to fight off the leg cramps riding around in Mr. West’s economy airjet. Personally, I think he uses it as an excuse to look up your dress, but with Mr. West, one can’t be sure of his motivations. He’s quite unpredictable.”

  “Everyone around here is a damn comedian. Good thing the food is good.”

  “The food is excellent,” Franco declared.

  He formally greeted the next guests like they hadn’t been having a personal conversation at all. The man was nearly unflappable. No wonder King liked him.

  Seetha rolled her eyes as she headed out the door.

  Chapter 20

  “Don’t panic yet, Mr. Masterson. Being tied to the chair is not your worst problem. We just want some answers.”

  Dan blinked and twisted his arms. They wouldn’t move. “Captain Elliott…we haven’t really had a chance to talk before. Every military coder has studied your record though. You were the penultimate cyborg. Double-wired and chipped. Both were successful.”

  “Why are you using past tense, Mr. Masterson? Though I broke Norton’s chains on me, I am still very much a cyborg—don’t ever doubt it,” Peyton declared.

  “Yes, but once I could have ordered you to destroy a battalion of soldiers single-handedly and you would have done it without a thought. Now…now you’re just some cyber scientist’s guard dog. It is a complete waste of your greatest talents. So was being a Cyber Husband, but your participation in the program wasn’t my call.”

  “Did you skip literature class in college, Dan? A rose by any other name…,” Peyton recited, grinning as he crossed his arms. He let the quiet spin out until the man in the chair squirmed against his bindings. “Why have you been watching King and Seetha Harrington?”

  “My orders regarding Kingston 691 are classified. Engineer Harrington is of no real interest. She is merely part of my study. Or at least she was until she came to work at Norton. Now she’s become a problem.”

  Peyton shook his head. “Dan…Dan…Dan…you know I can tell you’re lying about Seetha. Deceit is a very dangerous game to play with me. My wife turns scumbag liars into truth telling cyborgs when we get unhappy. So before I start to think it’s a good idea in your case, tell me why you programmed William Talon—twice—to kill Seetha Harrington.”

  “I didn’t,” Dan declared. “Check my heart rate. You’ll find it consistent with someone who is telling the truth.”

  “Someone with lab access broke into the lab containing William Talon and reprogrammed him. It had to be you,” Peyton insisted.

  “But it wasn’t me. No amount of intimidation is going to change that fact, Captain. Give me drugs to force me to tell you the truth. You’ll hear the same thing again. I did not reprogram William 874. You’ve got a higher enemy than me. My coding days are done.”

  Peyton rounded on the man. “His name is not William 874. His name is Captain William Talon. He served in the Army. He is a person, not a machine, and you will damn well address him that way while we talk.”

  “Fine. There’s no reason to yell about such a petty thing. Whatever you call him…I did not program the cyborg to kill Seetha Harrington. If it happened, it wasn’t me.”

  Peyton took a moment and forced himself to calm. “Okay. I’ll play your game. If it wasn’t you, who was it?”

  “I don’t know. Orders trickle down our private channels and I follow them. It’s how I stay alive.”

  “You mean it’s how you keep buying those disgusting leather shoes which cost half a year’s worth of Kyra’s salary. Even our wedding bands didn’t cost as much as those.”

  Dan glanced down. “What’s wrong with my shoes? If you had the credits, you would have bought them too.”

  Peyton chuckled harshly. “Dan…your shoes are offensive. Stop playing stupid. And we know about the military chips being wired into soldiers’ brains. How long are you going to be alive if we go public about finding out?”

  Pleased with the guy’s stress level rising, Peyton watched sweat start to form on Dan Masterson’s forehead.

  “My guess is you won’t last long, Dan. You’re not a soldier—you’re a coder. I’m sure Norton and the UCN have plenty more coders where you came from. You’ll be dead the day it races across com stations…sooner if social media broadcasts it first.”

  Dan started to speak…but changed his mind.

  Peyton pretended to get excited. “Oh good…I see you’re starting to get it. How about this? You tell us why you were spying on King and we’ll keep quiet about the military chips. You get to keep your job at Norton in exchange for helping us get to the bottom of this mystery. The wires connected to my chip were severed during a fight. We’ve cut William’s. Kyra is doing a quiet recall to check the restored cyborgs. Face it, Dan…we’re about to take down the secret army the UCN was quietly building under our noses. Now you can either help us or you can die…and not at our hands.”

  “Captain Elliott, you don’t know what you’re up against,” Dan said quietly. “You can’t change the evolution that has begun. Cyborgs—organic robots—customized companions—these are the future. There’s no stopping people from having what they want.”

  “Watch me stop it from happening,” Peyton declared. “Now why were you studying King?”

  He saw Dan hesitate, but could sense the man’s physical relief when he caved.

  “Kingston 691 returned to normal on his own. When Norton finally wrestled him away from his high profile wife, who comes from an obscenely wealthy family, he was on the verge of a complete personal reboot. Such an event is only a theory, but the odds of its success were too high for us to risk letting it completely happen. Given the data we’d collected from watching him with Seetha Harrington, we knew he was mostly there. Each year he missed his maintenance, he became less and less controllable.”

  Peyton shrugged. “King wasn’t the only one. I was doing that as well. Many cyborgs are in some process of breaking free of their cybernetics.”

  Dan nodded. “You’re right—but he was the most complete—and we were studying the limits. Nobody’s motivation was to merely enslave the Cyber Soldiers. The money from the Cyborg Husband
program funded nearly all global rebuilding after the war. From the UCN’s point of view, the soldiers were just continuing to serve their country…even if it was involuntary at that point.”

  Peyton turned his back so Dan wouldn’t see how upset the information had made him. “Norton collected King, took all his data, and returned him to Seetha Harrington. Why?”

  “To prove they could undo it, but I think it only worked because he was completely overhauled. He came out of the data drain in mid-operation and busted free of the medical chair. It was alarming that he could free himself while under creator control, but the emotion behind his destruction efforts was even more shocking. Kingston 691 became in reality the renegade cyborg the war propaganda people had falsely presented to the world. In the process of stopping his rampage, his original compartment was severely damaged. So his cybernetic compartment was…downgraded…or upgraded…depends on how you view it. Afterward, he was like a newly converted cyborg…only his risk factor remained high. His brain activity indicated immediate reversal efforts even though they didn’t manifest in his actions.”

  Peyton turned back. “Why didn’t you rig his military chip?”

  “Self-preservation. When his enhancements were all working, he was a walking bomb. For reasons we never understood, the UCN wouldn’t let anyone remove his explosive capability. So Kingston 691 was assigned a watcher…someone who could monitor his reactions to life and report anomalies. My mistake in my task was growing complacent after he bought the furniture from Seetha Harrington’s auction sale. He had no clue what he’d purchased. That was the best report I ever turned in. Everyone was quite pleased with the results of that test scenario.”

  Peyton glared. “Didn’t you feel bad for helping the UCN fuck up King’s life? He was probably in love with Seetha Harrington when you yanked his life away from him.”

  He watched Dan try to shrug against his ropes. “Love? Seetha Harrington bought him…just like Kyra Winters bought you…it was just for different reasons. Women always fall in love with men they like to fuck. It’s how they’re made. Men don’t organically come with those sensibilities. The unhappy couple found their way back to each other anyway. That’s sappy enough. I thought for sure when Seetha Harrington saw her old furniture she’d freak out too much to deal with him. Kingston must be super talented in the sack. Too bad the man likes women…that’s all I have to say.”