by David Archer
Esmeralda smiled at him. “Sure, that would be great.”
* * *
Noah leaned in over the fender of the Panther and nodded to Wally, who was behind the wheel.
“Go ahead and start it up again,” he said. “I think I’ve got the timing set perfectly, now.”
The starter spun and the engine fired up. It was surprisingly quiet, mostly due to the special mufflers Wally had constructed, and Noah listened as he also watched the monitor on the computer that was connected to the car.
“That’s it,” he said. “She’s running perfectly, now.”
Wally shut off the engine and climbed out of the car. “I appreciate it,” he said. “Getting the timing set just right with the new valve system was a pain in the butt.” He giggled. “Hey, you sort of froze for a moment there. Everything okay?”
Noah nodded. “Esmeralda checking in,” he said. “She’s getting ready to make her move on Clark this evening. If everything goes well, the furor over his sudden demise should die down before Ralph has to take out Mitchell.”
Wally nodded, but suddenly he looked concerned. “You don’t really think there’s any chance she’s going to get arrested, do you?”
“I have my doubts,” Noah said. “She’s probably a thousand times smarter than anybody they might have trying to prevent her getting to Clark, and she can change her appearance pretty drastically. That was a nice touch, by the way. Caught me by surprise the first time I saw it.”
Wally grinned from ear to ear. “That’s why I never told you,” he said. “I wanted it to be a surprise if she ever had to use it.”
Noah nodded, then lowered the hood on the car. “Let’s go inside,” he said. “It’s getting kind of late, and I want to make sure Sarah is getting some rest.”
Both men washed their hands in the sink that stood by the wall, and then headed inside the house. Wally turned toward the dining room, where coffee was always available, while Noah started up the stairs toward his bedroom. The last couple of months, Sarah had been sleeping more and more every day, and he had been trying to let her get as much rest as possible. She had wanted to go on to bed earlier in the evening, so Noah had gone out to the workshop with Wally for a while.
He was halfway up the stairs when his subcom suddenly came to life again.
“Noah?” It was Sarah’s voice, coming through loud, clear and frantic.
“I’m here,” Noah said, launching himself into a run up the rest of the stairs. He burst through the bedroom door before saying anything else and saw Sarah sitting up on the bed. Her legs were spread wide, and there was a puddle between them.
“I think it’s time,” she said. “My water just broke.”
“Any contractions yet?” he asked.
“Yeah, just one, about two minutes ago. It wasn’t very painful, but I could definitely tell what it was.” She carefully threw her legs over the side of the bed and started getting to her feet.
“Just stay there, let me carry you down,” Noah said.
“Are you nuts? I’m not going anywhere like this! This is just beginning, Noah, I’ve got time for a quick shower.” She pointed toward the bathroom. “You want to go ahead and start it for me?”
Noah considered arguing for a couple of seconds, then stepped into the bathroom and turned on the water, setting it to her preferred temperature. Sarah passed him a couple of seconds later, handing him a clean sundress as she stepped into the shower.
“Noah to Jenny,” Noah said to his subcom, and Jenny answered instantly. “Sarah’s water broke,” he went on. “Can you get the Bentley and bring it up to the front door?”
“Her water broke?” Jenny repeated frantically. “Yeah, I’ll get the car. See you out front.”
Noah heard her run into the hallway, and he picked up the sound of her shouting for Molly. He hadn’t planned on taking everyone along, but it suddenly dawned on him that neither of those girls was going to let him take Sarah and get away without them.
Sarah had been serious about making it a quick shower; she washed herself clean in a matter of minutes, then shampooed her hair just as quickly. She stepped out of the shower less than ten minutes after getting into it, wrapped a towel around her head and used another to dry off her body, then pulled the sundress on over her head.
“Where is my bag?” she asked. “It’s got everything in it that I’ll need.”
“I’ve got it by the door, ready to grab on the way out. Jenny’s got the Bentley waiting out front, and Molly is insisting on going with us as well.”
“Okay, fine,” Sarah said, rolling her eyes. “You might as well take everybody, make it a family affair.”
“I understand Wally is coming,” Noah said. “Neil decided he wants to stay here, though.”
Sarah sneered. “That’s because he’s a chicken.”
ELEVEN
Esmeralda stood in her bathroom and looked into the full-length mirror that was mounted on the back of the door. Her eyes took in her entire form, making sure that every detail was as she wanted it to be for the purposes of her mission.
According to the dossier she had downloaded on Senator Clark, he was particularly fond of redheads with green eyes. An adjustment to the almost undetectable amount of current that went into her hair changed its color from dirty blonde to a coppery auburn. She ran her fingers through it to make sure the color was spread uniformly, then looked at her eyes. Similar adjustments to the irises took them from blue to an emerald green, and she considered the blend of hair and eyes as she made tiny refinements.
An analysis of other women he had been known to tryst with told her that Clark preferred thin features and a trim figure. She reduced her hips slightly while cinching her waist slightly tighter as well, then narrowed her face just the tiniest bit. Her breasts went from thirty-four C down to thirty-two B, again based on the general preferences he had shown in women in the past.
Using the advanced electroluminescence that had been developed specifically for her, she applied color to the skin of her eyelids, turned her lips to a blood red that scientific analysis said most men found alluring, and then put just the right amount of blush into her cheeks. She followed this with the application of regular makeup, not because she needed it, but because it would make the effect more realistic.
She adjusted her height to five foot six, which was the most common height among his past conquests. Clark himself stood six foot one, so it was about the perfect height to fit comfortably under his arm. When she was finished, she turned around and examined herself critically, but then was satisfied that every detail was as perfect as it could be. She picked up the clothes she had selected and began putting them on.
When she stepped out of the bathroom ten minutes later, Cody gave her a whistle. She had learned that a wolf whistle meant a man found her attractive, something she had known as a fact long before she learned it from experience, and she happily followed the programming that suggested she smile, since the person doing the whistling was one she was able to regard as a friend. Had it been a stranger, the same programming would have recommended a scowl, and if it had been someone she was supposed to consider an enemy, the appropriate responses would’ve included disgust.
In the split second that passed while she was deciding how to react according to the programming, her face had already begun to smile. The analytical side of her computer brain observed that she was apparently responding emotionally before her programming could even apply logic, and found it fascinating. The creative side, which was necessary to allow her to pass for human in social situations, generated what she believed to be a sensation of pleasure that radiated throughout her, a mild electromagnetic tingle that she somehow found pleasant. A stronger surge of the same current would be less pleasant, and the amperage could become high enough to be dangerous.
“Damn, girl,” Cody said. “If I didn’t know if for sure it was you, I’d think you were somebody else altogether.”
“That’s the idea,” Esmeralda said. “W
hen I meet with Senator Clark, this is the appearance that is most likely to draw him in and make him desire to be alone with me. Afterward, I’ll change my hair and eye color, size and appearance so that any witnesses or observers won’t be able to recognize me as I leave.”
“But what about your clothes? I don’t care what color your hair is, that green jacket is going to stand out anywhere.”
Esmeralda took the jacket off and dropped it onto the bed, then stood and looked at Cody as her pants and shirt changed colors. Instead of the dark green slacks and brown sleeveless shirt, she was suddenly wearing blue jeans and a tank top.
Cody let out another whistle. “That is awesome,” he said. “You look completely different, that quick, and you haven’t even started working on changing your face or anything. That’s an incredible ability.” He licked his lips and looked at her again. “Can I ask a question?”
“Of course,” she said. “Wally has informed me that all members of our team are authorized to ask any question they like about me.”
Cody’s face turned slightly red. “Well, I’m really just curious, but—well, Wally said you’re designed to be just exactly like a real woman, right?”
“Yes,” Esmeralda said. “If I understand your question correctly, the answer is that I am anatomically correct and fully functional. I am capable of engaging in sexual intercourse with a human, and designed to have physiological and emotional responses that are consistent with pleasure, intimacy and orgasm.”
Cody was staring at her. “Uh-huh,” he said. “I—I kinda got that the other day. The thing is, I’m just curious, but—I mean, you could look like any woman you wanted, right?”
“Within certain limitations, yes. I could adjust my appearance to be very similar to that of Britney Spears or Taylor Swift, but there are limitations that would prevent me from being a complete and absolute duplicate. For example, Taylor Swift is five feet, ten inches tall. The tallest height I can achieve while still retaining proportions that will look human is five feet and nine inches. To go any taller would require me to extend my spine and neck in ways that would no longer look natural.”
Cody stood there and stared mutely at her for a moment, then shook himself and picked up her jacket for her again. She had returned her clothing to its previous color, and slipping the jacket back on had brought her right back to the way she had looked stepping out of the bathroom.
“Okay, then,” Cody said. “Everything is set. The senator is going to be waiting for you near the hotel restaurant, and we already called for a taxi to take you there. You can keep us aware of what’s going on by using our subcoms, of course, so we can be ready to come pick you up or create a distraction if necessary while you get away. We’ll be close by the whole time, and you can let us know if we need to come in and take care of anything.”
“I don’t anticipate any problems. I’m far stronger than he is, and there are many subroutines in my programming that are designed to let me take control of any situation.”
Cody grinned. “Okay, then,” he said. “Let’s get this show on the road.”
They left the room and knocked quickly on the door of the one Marco and Renée were sharing. The two of them came out and Marco whistled when he saw Esmeralda.
“I do decla-yuh,” he said, his Cajun accent bursting forth, “you do be a sight to behold, chère. That Senator, he gon’ be blowed away!”
“I plan to be rather flirtatious,” Esmeralda said. “I hope to entice him to make the first move, and then let him take me somewhere alone so that I can complete the mission.”
“I think you’ll do fine,” Renée said as they waited for the elevator. “You know, I was actually one of your designers. I’ll admit that back when we started, I was never really convinced we were going to accomplish what we set out to do, but you—you are far more than we ever planned to create.”
“I knew that you were involved in the original planning stages,” Esmeralda said. “Wally allowed me to download all of the files related to my creation when he became convinced that I was developing actual self-awareness. I personally believe that it helped me to see myself as a person, and there is a part of me that thinks of Wally and yourself as a kind of parental influence. I know there were many others involved in my programming and construction, but Wally says it was you who gave him some of the best ideas.”
Renée grinned. “Wally likes to stretch the truth a bit, sometimes,” she said. “As I recall, most of my contribution was some ideas regarding your skin and simulated life signs. I remember sketching out your circulatory system, and I got to work with some very intelligent engineers to put it all together.”
“And I appreciate it,” Esmeralda replied. “Your network of micro-sensors and capillaries throughout my skin make it possible for me to enjoy many sensations that no other robot has ever known. Sometimes I actually feel my own pulse, just to help me think of myself as being alive.”
The elevator opened and the four of them stepped inside. Marco pressed the button for the lobby and they rode it down, then he, Renée and Cody made a point of ignoring Esmeralda as she sat down just inside the main entrance to wait for the taxi to appear. The three of them entered the gift shop and browsed around as they kept an eye on her.
A few moments later, a yellow cab pulled up out front and Esmeralda got up and walked out the door. She slid into the backseat of the cab and told the driver to take her to the Marriott Capitol Hill, the hotel where Senator Clark was staying, and where he had suggested they meet in the hotel restaurant. The driver, a Frenchman in his mid-twenties, looked her over appreciatively and then put the car in gear. He turned on the meter as he pulled away from the hotel.
The traffic was typical of Washington, and the fact that it was rush hour wasn’t helping anything. It took almost an hour to make the six-mile journey, but Esmeralda had taken the traffic patterns into her planning. She had insisted on leaving quite a bit earlier than most people would have considered necessary, just to compensate for that problem.
She tipped the driver generously as she got out of the car, and then stepped inside the restaurant. She recognized Senator Clark instantly, standing just inside the door, but put on a show of looking for him inside the restaurant. When he touched her arm, she jumped and spun to look into his face, pressing her hands to her chest and breathing rapidly.
“Oh! Senator Clark, you startled me,” she said. “I didn’t see you when I came in.” She forced a smile onto her face again, then held out a hand. “I’m Sophie Moses,” she said, “from Brinkman and Gordon Associates.”
“I’m sorry, my dear,” the senator said, his smile wide as he shook hands with her. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I spotted you when you came in, and I see what you mean about how bright that green jacket is. That would definitely be hard to miss.”
She giggled. “That’s why I chose it,” she said. “I mean, I know what you look like, of course, but I wanted to make sure you knew I was the one you were supposed to be meeting. Does that make any sense?”
Clark chuckled. “It’s fine,” he said. “I arranged a table out on the terrace. The evening is warm, I thought it might be a little more pleasant out there.”
Esmeralda glanced toward the terrace exit, and then turned back to him. “Oh, that would be lovely,” she said. “I can’t tell you how excited I was when they told me I got to bring the papers to you. My dad says you’re the closest thing to a real statesman that we have nowadays, and he thinks you should run for president.” She caused her cheeks to redden slightly and looked down toward the floor for a second. “I’d vote for you.”
Still smiling, Clark took her arm and motioned to the hostess that they were going out to the terrace. There was no one else sitting outside, which suited Clark perfectly. This young woman was obviously enamored of him, and who was he to deprive her of what she wanted?
They settled on a table that was furthest from the door, under a tree that hung down low so they had even more privacy. Clark held Esmeralda�
�s chair as she sat down, then slid into his own. A server came to take their orders, and Esmeralda did not object when Clark ordered the filet mignon for both of them.
When the server had gone, Esmeralda nervously held out the envelope full of papers that she was carrying, but Clark waved it away.
“That can wait,” he said. “To be honest, I’m sort of curious about you. You see, when you called me about bringing the papers out, I was a little confused at first. I wasn’t sure what your law firm has to do with anything related to the gun-control bills. On the other hand, I’m an old lawyer myself, so I knew some of the partners up there and I gave them a call. I asked them if they knew you, and only one of them said he recognized your name.” There was a sudden twinkle in his eye. “Care to guess which one?”
Esmeralda bit her bottom lip and let her cheeks flush. “I think that would be Alan Gordon,” she said softly. “Am I right?”
“Indeed you are. I understand you and Mr. Gordon have been good friends for a while now, is that right?”
Keeping the blush in her cheeks, Esmeralda managed a smile. “I think we’re friends,” she said, “but it’s more than just that. We have—let’s just say we have some mutual interests, and we enjoy expressing those interests together, but not exclusively so.” She tilted her face downward and looked at him from under the hair that fell across it.
Clark nodded, and his eyes betrayed the lust he was feeling as they roamed up and down Esmeralda’s body. “He said pretty much the same thing,” he said. “He also suggested that we might find some mutual interests of our own.”
Esmeralda touched her upper lip with her tongue, then shot him a coquettish smile. “You are kinda hot,” she said. “Can I be honest? I think my dad is right, you are one of the best people we’ve got in the Senate. I’ve watched you on television a few times, when you’re really letting them have it about how the country is going to hell.” She giggled and then lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “Kinda turns me on.”
