"This bed is quite comfortable. You know, you're very desirable, Jain. I've been waiting a long time for this."
This definitely isn't real. It's just a dream... but what a dream!
Solaria's face was now only a few inches away from Jain's. Jain's eyes widened.
"Why do I scare you so much?" Solaria asked.
"You're... You're so beautiful. I'm so plain."
"Never to me, Jain. I've always thought you were special." Sliding slightly closer, Solaria reached out to touch Jain's cheek. "Your eyes are amazing." The finger continued down Jain's neck and rested on the pulse pounding in her neck. "Your heart is racing."
"I've... I've never had someone so... so... Well, I'm just not sure what you want?"
"You!" Solaria whispered softly
"M... Me?"
"Yes, I want you. Just like you want me. You do want me, don't you?"
Jain laughed at the ridiculousness of the question. Of course she wanted Solaria. She had dreamed of having her so many times.
Not waiting for an answer, Solaria pushed up on one elbow and leaned toward Jain. Slowly she began unbuttoning the pajama top.
"I thought so. There's no reason for us to waste any more time," Solaria said and lowered her lips to Jain's breasts, kissing each one. "I love your breasts. They're so full, so soft."
Cupping one in her hand, Solaria lifted it carefully, making sure not to hurt Jain. Leaning closer, she inhaled slightly and noticed the faint scent of bath soap mixed in with something else — a musky odor, warm and pleasant.
"You smell nice."
Jain frowned. This seems so familiar. The thought dispelled some of the excitement she had started to feel.
"Does this bother you?" Solaria asked, sensing the change.
"N... No. It's just that... I feel like we've done this before."
Solaria smiled.
"Perhaps you have. You said you've dreamed of this."
Jain wasn't sure how to answer. Perhaps it was because there really wasn't a good one.
"Maybe." Jain was suddenly afraid. What if this is only a dream? She wanted so badly for it to be real. Placing her palms against Solaria's cheeks, she leaned upward, closed her eyes and pressed her lips against Solaria's. When she didn't get a response, she opened her eyes and looked at the face just inches away. A big toothy grin greeted her and then a wet tongue darted out to lick her nose.
"Damn!" Jain exclaimed, wiping it dry and sitting up. "Scootie!" she yelled, not realizing she had just named the dog. Scootie immediately jumped away, her tail wagging happily. The look on her face was clear: Gotcha!
"You brat! You're so proud of yourself, aren't you?" Grabbing the dog, Jain wrestled with her a bit before putting her to the side. "That was the best dream yet and you go and wake me up with a sloppy kiss," she chastised, shaking her finger at the dog. "Now you're just going to have to wait until I take another shower — a cold one, dammit."
"Woof!" Scootie protested by doing a quick circle on the bed, then sat down.
"Don't talk back to me. I pay the mortgage. That makes me the Alpha. Now off with you." Jain waved her hands in a shooing motion and then laughed when Scootie plopped down on the blanket and cocked her head to the side. Before Jain could say something, Scootie jumped up, licked her left hand and then bounded off the bed. Running to the bathroom door, she nuzzled it open and stepped inside.
"Woowoof!" she barked, looking expectantly at Jain.
"Well, aren't you in a hurry!" Jain said.
"Woowoof!"
"Alright, alright! I'm coming. Keep your voice down. You'll wake the neighbors." Climbing out of bed, Jain strolled into the bathroom. The slick feeling between her thighs reminded her of the dream and she sighed. I knew it was too good to be true.
"It's all your fault," she growled, giving Scootie a stern look.
Scootie sniffed the air, shook her head vigorously and trotted out of the bathroom. Her message was quite clear: NOT!
* * *
"I've decided to keep you but only until your owner shows up," Jain promised Scootie the next morning. Secretly she hoped the owner never would. "We'll just have to see what happens."
Standing by the door, Scootie barked twice while Jain washed the dishes.
"After I'm done," she said, ignoring the dog. When Scootie trotted over, grabbed Jain's pant leg in her teeth and tugged, Jain sprinkled water on the dog's head. "I said when I'm done. I hate cold dishwater."
Looking up at Jain, Scootie shook off the drops. Her eyes narrowed slightly.
Uh oh! I'm not sure I like that look, Jain thought.
Scootie circled once next to Jain, lifted her leg and squirted Jain's pant leg. It was a small squirt but spoke volumes. Then she trotted to the front door and stared at it, refusing to look back. Stunned, Jain stared in shock at the wet spot.
"That's not funny," she scolded, grabbing the dishcloth and throwing it at the insolent dog. "Not funny at all," she mumbled. Still, the humor of the situation didn't escape her. Scootie had tried to tell her she wanted to go out. Bending down, she rubbed the pee spot with the washrag and then tossed it in the sink.
My favorite pair of slacks, too.
She walked to the door and knelt down next to Scootie.
"I'll make a deal with you, brat. You be a little more patient in the future, and I'll give you a special treat as a reward."
"Waawoof."
"I'll take that as a yes. Alright, let's go."
Looping the leash around Scootie's neck, Jain and her new companion headed out the door.
CHAPTER 12
Chantelle
"WHAT ARE YOU doing now?" Jain asked, tugging on the leash. Scootie looked up and wagged her tail.
"Waaawoof!"
"Okay, okay. I know you like that spot but nothing about it has changed in the last six days. Could you just pee so we can go inside? It's going to start raining soon."
Shaking her head vigorously, Scootie sniffed again at the area near the wall. Then she raised her leg and urinated. A small puddle formed about eighteen inches from the building.
"Now isn't that ladylike," Jain said. "And you couldn't even hit the bricks."
Giving her an indignant look, Scootie gave a final squirt and then trotted toward Jain's place. Jain had no choice but to follow.
"Oh sure, suddenly you're the one in a hurry. Well the next time you can just go out by yourself."
The look Scootie gave Jain spoke volumes. She didn't believe a word Jain had said. Both of them knew who was in charge. Standing by the bottom step, Scootie looked back at the spot where she had peed.
"Rarrarrh, grrrrrrr."
"Yeah, right," Jain agreed. I wish I knew what was bothering you. A tug on the leash and loud clap of thunder reminded her of the approaching storm. Grimacing, she turned too quickly and accidently bumped into a woman.
"I'm so sorry," she apologized.
"No, it's my fault," the woman said. "I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. Cute dog. Is she friendly?"
"Scootie? I suppose." Jain realized her answer seemed bizarre when the woman gave her a strange look. "Oh, I've only had her a few days, so I'm really not sure how she acts around strangers."
"I see. Do you mind if I pet her?"
"No."
The woman knelt and held out her hand. Immediately Scootie moved forward and sniffed the palm. Tail wagging, the dog gave it a lick and then sat down.
"She's certainly well trained."
"Wawawoof!" the dog barked.
"And smart. Too smart, I think. I swear she knows what I'm saying. By the way, I'm Jain. Are you new to the neighborhood?"
"I'm Chantelle, and no, just visiting a friend nearby. Well, I really do need to go. It's nice meeting you."
"You too. Maybe we'll meet up again."
"Maybe we will," Chantelle replied. Waving, she walked away.
"Nice lady, eh Scootie?"
"Wawawaaa."
"I guess that's a yes. Let's get inside and I'll make
you some warm milk. How's that sound?"
"Wawwoof."
CHAPTER 13
The Cloak of Invisibility
PRIMERIS HAD BEEN waiting forty minutes outside of Jain's condo. Nearby, two teenagers were practicing aerial stunts on a homemade ramp. The construction was primitive but adequate.
The cloak surrounding her was functioning within design specifications. She was invisible. Primeris was skeptical about the cloak's potential usefulness in the field. At the moment, though, it was providing her the cover she needed. The optical meta-material configuration was able to bend light around the cloak, creating a negative refraction. The end result was an illusion that captured environmental elements surrounding the wearer, mimicking the background. Thumbnail-sized computers continually adjusted the images, compensating for irregularities, and then transferred them onto the cloak's surface.
Primeris was aware that the smallest flaw could compromise her position. One such concern was the faint subsonic hum pulsating through the nano-optic fibers. Since it wasn't detectable by human ears, it had been worth the risk testing the device. For almost three weeks, she had staked out the librarian's place unobserved — except for the dog that had recently arrived. It either heard the low-frequency noise or was picking up her scent. These problems needed to be resolved before the cloak was ready for the field.
Unfortunately, there was another thing the cloak's designers hadn't anticipated: dog pee! Primeris stood motionless as the warm liquid oozed into her shoe.
You urinated on me, she thought and then questioned her own reaction. The only word to describe it was stunned. That was a human emotion... or was it? Animals aren't predictable. It's logical not to anticipate such an event, she reasoned.
The smell was unpleasant, but not unbearably so. Some of the urine had penetrated the cloak's material and seeped into her left shoe. Wiggling her toes, she concentrated on raising the temperature of her foot to evaporate the moisture. The odor lessened but didn't disappear completely, a constant reminder that she was still wearing a sock saturated with body waste. Nothing in her training or data banks had prepared her for such an experience.
Under other circumstances, allowing herself to be discovered, even by a dog, could have proved disastrous. The girls' activities had been a distraction. So was the woman standing fifty meters to her left... and now she was dealing with the dog's unwanted attention.
* * *
The woman had arrived the previous day. Primeris had no doubt she was aware of her presence, even under the invisibility of the cloak. The stranger's gaze never wavered from the spot where Primeris was standing.
Who are you? Primeris asked. She had spent half the night searching databases for images that matched the woman's facial specifications. Although there had been several likenesses, the hunt came up negative, leaving Primeris perplexed. Every citizen and resident in the U.S. was required to register with Homeland Security, all under the guise of national security. A few did manage to avoid the system, but it was rare. Apparently this woman was one of them. The alternative was that she was an operative for another government organization. Colonel Cranley wouldn't like that.
CHAPTER 14
The Dilemma
PRIMERIS STOOD perfectly still as the woman approached her.
"I know you're there," she said. "Whatever you're using to make you invisible hums. If I can hear it, so can others."
Never had Primeris been indecisive about anything. She was now. Deactivating the cloak in such a public place wasn't possible. Eliminating the woman wasn't an option, either. Too many people were milling about. If she could lure the woman away to a more a more secluded spot... The thought of killing her was disturbing.
I can temporarily neutralize her until I find out who she is. Then I'll decide what needs to be done.
Primeris moved toward the alley. The darkness would provide the cover she needed. As anticipated, the woman followed, but stopped short of the entrance.
"I'm not a fool... and neither are you," the woman said, then walked by.
* * *
Frustration! It had to be, Primeris thought. What else could cause her processors to behave so erratically? Questions and probabilities were racing through her neural network, trying to come up with a logical reason why the woman hadn't followed her into the alley. Obviously she felt threatened, although she really didn't act afraid. Revealing her awareness of Primeris was risky. Primeris sensed the woman wasn't stupid. None of her actions made sense.
Removing the cloak, Primeris switched it off and placed it in a small silver case. Impulsively, and very much out of character, she stepped into the light, wanting the woman to look back at her. When she didn't, Primeris' left eyelid fluttered. Confused, she reached up to touch it. Twitches were a human characteristic, normally a symptom of nervousness. Hubots were never nervous.
A quick diagnostic revealed a small glitch in a subprogram. Primeris was relieved. That explained everything she had been feeling. She could correct the problem later. Discovering more about the woman was now her priority. Solaria would have to wait, even though Colonel Cranley was growing impatient.
CHAPTER 15
Major Simpson
IT HAD BEEN ALMOST two weeks since Colonel Cranley's last debriefing of Primeris.
Too long, he thought.
Something needed to be done. Summoning his assistant, he motioned for Major Simpson to sit.
"John, I think we have a problem," he said, holding out a cigar and then lighting it.
Inhaling deeply, Simpson leaned back in the chair and relaxed. He had been Cranley's right-hand man for over fifteen years.
"What is it, Colonel?" he asked.
Colonel Cranley smiled. One of the things he liked most about Simpson was how well he understood military protocol. They had known each other for over twenty-three years and yet the major never forgot who was in charge.
"It's that damned Hubot."
"Primeris? What's she done?" Major Simpson asked.
"It's not what she's done. It's what she hasn't done. She's been trying to find one of the escaped Hubots for the past several months and hasn't gotten anywhere."
"I thought she was on to something."
"That's what she said. I'm beginning to think she really doesn't want us to capture this other one," Cranley said.
"Now why wouldn't she? She's always completed her assignments," the major replied.
"That's just it. She's always completed her assignment... and quickly. Why is it taking her so long now? I think she's stalling us."
"Why? What motive would she have to screw this one up?"
Colonel Cranley walked around his desk and sat down. Leaning forward, he clasped his hands together.
"These things aren't stupid. The escaped Hubot, Solaria, is a newer model. Capturing her would threaten Primeris' position here. She'll be obsolete."
"Somewhat, but she would still be useful. She's a good operative. We could assign her less critical missions... and there's that other Hubot that's still out there. Between Solaria and Primeris, she should be easy pickin's. Does Primeris know about Betta?" Simpson asked, slowly exhaling smoke.
"Nothing concrete and I don't want her to. Solaria is our primary concern. Her enhancements far exceed the first prototypes. We can deal with Betta later."
"Well, it's not like the Committee is going to scrap a couple of multi-million dollar inventions, even if we do recover Solaria. The nice thing about computers is we can always reprogram them, even if they are super intelligent."
"And that may be the problem. Primeris is smart — too smart, if you ask me. We've already lost two Hubots. What's to stop Primeris from eventually going rogue, too?"
Simpson shrugged.
"Nothing, if there aren't safety mechanisms in place to control her. We know it's only a matter of time before these things begin questioning their orders. That's why the programmers created the internal fail-safes for them — they can be remotely deactivated if need be."
Cranley scoffed.
"Sure. Look how well it's worked so far. I'll be damned if I'm going to depend on those idiots now." Leaning back in his chair, Cranley interlocked his fingers and rested his hands on his stomach. "No, I think it's time we took the initiative. I want Primeris back here and a diagnostic run on her."
"Okay, but that may not be easy. She hasn't checked in with us for about a week. We can't activate her position transmitter without alerting her that something is up."
"I know. That's the stupidest idea I've ever heard of," Cranley said. "Scientists should never be allowed to make such important decisions."
"At the time it made sense. No one expected Hubots would go independent... and any transmissions from them could accidently be picked up if another subversive group discovered the right frequency. They think that's what happened with the others. Primeris was modified to make sure that didn't happen." Opening a file on his desk, Cranley shoved it toward Simpson. "We may not need to track her. Here's her last report. Check this woman's place."
Simpson glanced at the file.
"Jain Plaine, librarian. Why would a Hubot get involved with a librarian?"
"I don't know. At least it's a lead."
Standing, Simpson stubbed his cigar out in the ashtray on his boss' desk.
"I'll get on it," he said. "Anyone in particular you want assigned the mission?"
"Handle this yourself. And Simpson... When you find Primeris, call me. Hopefully she won't give you any trouble, but if she does, use whatever force you need."
"Yes sir," Simpson replied and saluted.
After he had left, Cranley picked up a photo and stared at it.
The name sure fits. You're about as plain as they come. Grimacing, he put it back down, closed the folder and looked at his watch. I guess I'll get some chow.
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