Chapter 14.
“They are starting construction on the complex tomorrow,” Dabya said to Luke, after she returned from a meeting with Pierre at his hotel in Vienna. “I intend to fly out with them in a week and see how the building is going.”
Luke nodded. He sat down in a chair in his bedroom and looked lost in thought.
“I must return to Los Angeles for a few days,” he said. “But only for a few days.”
“To see her,” Dabya said.
“Yes,” Luke said. “I haven’t spoken to her in a long time. It was … wrong, I think. But I thought it was better than she didn’t know too much.”
Dabya smiled. She walked to him and kissed him on his cheek.
“Go,” she said. “I will be alright in the meantime.”
“I don’t think we’ll be able to keep this a secret forever,” Damian said, as he and Mandelie lay in her bed, Mandelie leaning her head on his shoulder.
“Carlie’s bound to find out. I’ve never been able to keep information from her for long. It’s her job to know everything about me.”
Mandelie said nothing. She ran her hand lightly beneath him until she felt the black metal plate on his back.
“When I touch that it makes me think of Luke,” she said. “It feels just like him.”
Damian shifted.
“Don’t talk about him,” he said.
“Are you jealous?” Mandelie said.
“I think I am,” Damian said. “I don’t want to lose you to him when he comes back. Whenever that may be.”
Mandelie sat up in bed and pulled her blankets around her.
“I haven’t decided what I’m going to do yet,” she said.
“The suspense is killing me,” Damian said. “I want you to be mine. Exclusively. I don’t want to be harsh, Mandelie, but do you really think a relationship between a human girl and an android can survive?”
“I don’t know,” Mandelie said. “I don’t know.”
“I’d put better odds on our relationship,” Damian said. “Even if it’s just physical right now. And I once won $500,000 in an Indian casino.”
“This isn’t a gambling game,” Mandelie said. “This is me, on the line.”
Damian put his arm around her. He pulled her close to him and kissed her on her neck.
“I know,” he said. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it that way.”
Jake arrived at the lab early the next morning and let himself in. He turned on the light in the front room and jumped.
The room was completely decorated in lurid pink and blue balloons. Huge green paper circles with a picture of his face pasted in each one of them were hung all over the walls. A huge colorful sign was taped to the reception desk.
It read:
“Congratulations Jake, Scrabble champion!”
Jake swallowed. He jumped again and yelled in alarm when Brigite jumped out from where she had been hiding behind a chair and shouted, “Surprise!”
“Do you like it?” Brigite said. “I thought you deserved a prize after winning that game yesterday.”
“Um, it’s great,” Jake said, his heart pounding wildly. “You really didn’t have to go to all that trouble, though.”
“Oh, it was fun,” Brigite said. “We’re out of markers and tape, though. You should probably go out and buy some when you get a chance.”
The two of them turned when they heard someone approaching the door.
“Luke?” Brigite said.
She ran to him and threw her arms around him. Luke picked her up and swung her around, and set her down on the ground.
He turned to Jake, who hugged him.
“Good to see you, pal,” Jake said. “Why did you leave for so long?”
Luke picked up his suitcase and walked through the door.
“I had some important matters to attend,” he said. “I can’t stay for long. I’m going back in a few days.”
He paused when he saw the decorations.
“What’s this?” he said.
“They’re your welcome back decorations, Luke,” Brigite said.
“Then why is Jake’s picture everywhere?”
“Oh, that.” Brigite waved the pictures away. “I’m going to take those down and put your face up in place of them as soon as Jake gets some new tape and markers.”
“Don’t touch them,” Luke said, heading for his room. “They look wonderful as they are.”
“He’s being sarcastic,” Jake said to Brigite.
Luke came back in a few minutes after he had put his suitcase down.
“Where’s Mandelie?” he said.
“She doesn’t know you’re here yet?” Jake said.
“I tried calling her but she did not answer,” Luke said. “I’m going to her place now.”
Chapter 15.
Though it was nearly mid-morning, Mandelie and Damian were still asleep in her bed. Mandelie lay with her back against his chest, his arm thrown over her.
They were both awakened by a loud knocking on her door.
“Mandelie!”
“Luke,” Mandelie said. Her face paled.
She jumped to her feet and began looking for her clothes in a panic. Damian began dressing as well.
“Does he have the key?” he said.
“Yes,” Mandelie said, horror sweeping over her. She was pulling her jeans on when the door to the bedroom opened and Luke came in.
His glance took in everything at once - Mandelie’s stricken expression, her unbuttoned shirt and her disheveled hair, the clothes strewn all over the floor and the rumpled blankets on the bed. Then it settled on Damian, who was fully dressed in his long-sleeved shirt and trousers but whose look at him told him everything he needed to know.
Luke moved impossibly fast. He grabbed hold of Damian and pushed him against the wall, his eyes filled with fury.
“Luke, no!” Mandelie ran to him and tried to pull him away.
Damian tore his arm loose and punched Luke in the side of his face. Luke barely flinched. He threw Damian across the entire length of the room.
Damian crashed against the wall, but was up on his feet again. He charged at Luke but at the last moment Mandelie got between them.
“Stop!” she said. “Stop!”
Her voice stopped both of them in their tracks.
“Both of you, out of here now!” Mandelie said. “Both of you, get out!”
Luke looked at her.
“Mandelie-”
“Get out,” Mandelie repeated. “Get out.” Her voice broke and tears began running down her face.
Damian grabbed his things and left the room. Luke still remained.
“Leave now,” Mandelie said.
Luke tore his gaze away from her and left, closing the door behind him.
Mandelie sank to the ground on legs that refused to hold her up anymore. She began crying and felt that she would never be able to stop.
It was dark in her room when Mandelie was finally able to stop crying. She reached out and grabbed the side of the bed and got to her feet. Her head ached and her face and hair were drenched with her tears.
She opened the door to her living room and stopped.
Luke was sitting on the couch. The rage had vanished from his eyes and all that was left was hopeless fear.
“I want to be by myself,” Mandelie said.
Luke stood and went to her. He put his arms around her and held her tightly. Mandelie could feel him shaking. She could feel the heat that coursed through him.
“I love you,” he said. “I love you, Mandelie.”
Mandelie drew in her breath. She pulled herself away from him.
“You can’t feel love, Luke,” she said. “You’re not programmed for it.”
“And Damian Foster can?” Luke said.
Mandelie sat on the couch and put her face in her hands.
“I can’t do this right now,” she said.
Luke began to move towards her and then he stopped.
“I’m retur
ning to Vienna tomorrow,” he said.
“What a surprise,” Mandelie said.
“Maybe I’m not programmed for it,” Luke said. “But I feel it. It’s real.”
He went out and shut the door behind him.
Chapter 16.
Mandelie did not know when she fell asleep on the couch, worn out from sheer exhaustion. A knock on her door roused her.
She pulled her tangled hair back from her face and went to open the door.
Damian stood outside.
“I had to come back to see if you were okay,” he said.
“Come in,” Mandelie said.
Damian sat down on the couch and Mandelie dropped down beside him. Automatically he put his arm around her and Mandelie did not pull away. She leaned into him and closed her eyes.
“He’s going back to Vienna,” she said. “I don’t know why. I didn’t ask. He probably wouldn’t tell me, anyway.”
Damian’s arm tightened around her.
“I don’t care about any of that,” he said. “I’m just glad you didn’t go back to him.”
“Luke, please tell me what’s wrong,” Brigite said.
She was sitting up on her cot, staring across at Luke who was lying stretched out on his cot, his arm thrown over his face.
“Nothing’s wrong,” Luke said.
“You’re a terrible liar,” Brigite said. “Tell me.”
“Mandelie slept with Damian Foster,” Luke said. “While I was gone.”
Brigite scooted across the floor until she was sitting beside him.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” she said.
Luke sighed. He turned over so that his back was facing her.
“Please don’t blame Mandelie, Luke,” Brigite said. “She’s only a human, after all.”
“Microsoft wants to know when the technicians are going to have those drawings done,” Carlie said.
She looked healthy once again, in a brown jacket and skirt and her high heels, her iPad in her hand.
Damian glanced up from the thick stack of data he was looking through at his desk in his office, and raked a hand through his hair. He was his usual cool, suave self in his long-sleeved blue shirt and dark blue tie.
“Tell them by Thursday. And tell the technicians to get a move on.”
“The Innovators Summit dinner got moved again,” Carlie said. “It’s going to end up in Mexico if they don’t find a good location for it soon. But at least you have your speech all ready. Also, Ted from Worlds Elements called. He wants to meet to discuss those new designs. Should I set up a time for this evening?”
“No,” Damian said. “I’ve got a prior engagement.”
“What prior engagement?” Carlie said, amazed that something had slipped her notice.
Damian put his stack of papers down. He leaned back in his chair and put his arms behind his head.
“You might as well be fully briefed now,” he said. “I’m dating Mandelie Miles.”
Carlie looked startled.
“Does she know that?” she said.
“Clever,” Damian said. “But she definitely knows. It’s on.”
Carlie adjusted her iPad.
“Well,” she said. “I really don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything,” Damian said, looking amused. “I’m just keeping you informed.”
Carlie still looked a little amazed.
“You should probably go let the technicians know,” Damian said.
“That you’re dating Mandelie Miles?”
“No, Carlie,” Damian said. “About Thursday.”
“Oh, right.” Carlie hastily left.
Chapter 17.
“You seem a little preoccupied with something, Luke,” Dabya said.
Luke started. He was having dinner with Dabya in the lush dining room of the palace – one of many. Around them attentive servants hovered, bringing an endless supply of plates and drinks.
“Forgive me,” he said. “What were you saying?”
“The construction is going smoothly so far,” Dabya said. “Pierre says that Gustaf intends to show us his android designs at the next meeting.”
“Good,” Luke said. “That’s crucial information.”
He took a sip from his glass of champagne and tried not to think of Mandelie.
“You are completely elsewhere,” Dabya said, with a smile. “Should we go for a walk in the gardens after dinner? It might help clear your head.”
Luke knew he definitely needed that. He took another drink of champagne.
“Of course,” he said. “I would be glad to.”
Dabya, Pierre Alsouvi, and two of her bodyguards including Niklaus Shroder traveled together to Stockholm for the meeting where Gustaf Jorg was going to show them his ideas. They descended from the private jet at the airport and got into a waiting car that drove them to Gustaf’s modest dwelling.
Gustaf was waiting outside of his home for them.
He took Dabya’s hand and kissed it with not much more ceremony than he had before.
“Welcome to my house, Your Highness,” he said.
“It’s perfectly lovely,” Dabya said, smiling as she stepped inside it, her bodyguards following close behind her.
Mikael was already seated at the table in the kitchen, which was covered with tea and plates of sandwiches.
“It’s not a fancy spread like you’re accustomed to, Your Highness,” Gustaf said. “But I did not wish for you to be hungry.”
“I’m not, but thank you,” Dabya said, sitting down in one of the chairs. Pierre sat beside her.
Gustaf cleared his throat as he stood in front of them.
“I intend to make this collection of androids the greatest I have ever designed,” he said. “Their sole purpose will be to serve the Society.”
“Wonderful,” Dabya said.
Gustaf took a rolled up piece of paper and unfolded it.
“These are some rough sketches of my androids,” he said. He gave the piece of paper to Dabya who looked down at it.
Pierre and Mikael looked as well.
“You’ve outdone yourself, Gustaf,” Pierre said. “These look magnificent.”
“And very intimidating,” Dabya said.
“These androids are just the first wave,” Gustaf said. “There will be more designs to come. These androids are nearly twelve feet tall. They change from a normal-looking human appearance of average height to their gigantic state in a matter of seconds. Their strength is unsurpassed. They can also shed their human façade at will and take on their android appearance if needed.”
“Brilliant,” Mikael said.
“With these androids serving us, the Society is unstoppable,” Gustaf said.
He rolled up the paper again and gave it to Dabya.
“This copy is for you, Your Highness. A token of esteem. I had it made especially for you.”
“How generous of you,” Dabya said. She took it with a smile.
“Please keep it safe,” Gustaf said. “Those plans are extremely important to us.”
“I will,” Dabya said.
Chapter 18.
Luke sat in his bedroom, staring down at his cell phone. He had nearly called Mandelie a number of times, but had stopped himself each time.
He got up and went to his window and opened it. The cool air somewhat eased his sense of restless despondency.
He heard a knock on his door.
“Come in,” he said.
The door opened and Dabya came in. She was slightly breathless from excitement and still dressed in her jacket and trousers from her flight on the plane.
“Gustaf gave me a copy of his designs,” she said.
She gave the rolled up piece of paper to Luke.
The instant Luke took hold of it he dropped it on the floor.
“What’s wrong?” Dabya said, confused.
“That’s not ordinary paper,” Luke said. “It’s been programmed. It’s got sensory detectors that identify anyone that
touches it, and sends the information back to Gustaf.”
Dabya looked shocked.
“Why would Gustaf give me something like that?”
“He knows,” Luke said, in realization. “He knows what we’re doing.”
Suddenly the room was plunged into darkness.
Luke heard Dabya scream and felt something pull her away from him.
“Dabya!”
A hard, painful object struck him over the head and he fell to the ground, the electrical current racing through him flickering.
Luke adjusted his vision for the darkness and saw Niklaus holding Dabya, his arm against her neck.
The lights came on in the room again. Dabya struggled against her guard.
“Niklaus, what are you doing?” Luke said.
The Imperial Guard stared at Luke with dislike.
“There are those of us in the Society who would rather die than see its secrets betrayed,” he said. “I am one of them.”
“You’re in the Society, Niklaus?” Dabya said. “You can’t be serious.”
“I was appointed by Lataun to keep an eye on you,” Niklaus said. “To keep you loyal. You are much too valuable to lose. You were too valuable to lose. Now a traitor is worthless in every currency. I have direct orders from Gustaf Jorg.”
He twisted his arm and broke Dabya’s neck. She slid to the floor.
Luke threw himself at Niklaus and crashed into him, knocking the guard to the ground. Niklaus pulled his gun from his belt and placed it against Luke’s chest.
He fired.
Luke barely flinched.
“I’m an android,” he said.
He struck Niklaus with all his strength in a vital part in his chest. Niklaus collapsed back, dead.
Luke dropped him and raced to Dabya. He picked her up in his arms but he knew it was too late.
Gustaf stood on the neat front porch of his house, smoking a cigarette as he stared out into the night with his pale, cold eyes. He dropped the burning cigarette to the ground and crushed it under his foot.
The Android Chronicles Book One: The Android Defense Page 23