Dedication
To Kim and Sadie, the most supportive friends a girl could ever have, I love you both. As always, my love and thanks to everyone at The Evanston Writers Workshop—I couldn’t have done it without you. Finally, to Spike, who keeps me smiling.
Chapter One
“Dar—over here,” Brynn shouted over the other diners. She waved her arms in such an exaggerated motion, you would have thought I was a kilometer away, rather than the three meters I actually was.
“Hey, B,” I said, slumping into the clear acrylic chair. All the furniture was made of the same material, as were the plates and silverware, prompting the name of the restaurant—Clear. I think we were supposed to focus on the food instead of the décor, or some such nonsense.
“How was your day?”
“Same old, same old. You?”
“Exhausting.” The restaurant’s translucent furnishings were getting on my nerves. I had worn my new heels to work, and my feet were killing me. All I wanted to do was take off these shoes, but the transparent table would not hide my bare feet.
“We started to break ground on the new section west of the lab. Took forever to get started—the company saddled me with a bunch of IL-3s.” I scrunched my aching toes inside the tan patent leather pumps.
“God, really? I would think that job would require an intelligence level of at least five or six. I don’t understand why we even still allow IL-3s. They should force parents to get the intelligence upgrade.”
“Wow, Brynn, you really are a snob, aren’t you? Besides, if everyone were an IL-15, who would work in the hydroponics bays or handle construction equipment or serve food?”
On cue, and to my horror, the waitress arrived. “Can I take your order?”
I studied the pretty blonde’s face for a sign she had overheard my last comment. I breathed a sigh of relief when she showed no sign of discomfort or embarrassment.
“What is this?” Brynn pointed at her menu.
“I’m told it’s pronounced l-a-m. The B is silent. It’s a new meat we got in the other day. A bit sweeter than beef and tangier than rabbit. You should try it.” She pointed to the holo-ad running in the center of the restaurant.
A scene of a group of women in white coats working in a lab floated above the back of the dining area. The feminine voice-over spoke in a distinctly ethereal, artificial tone. “Deep in the uninhabited lands of Montana, we found the lost DNA for a long-extinct species. Lamb is the latest discovery from The Consortium to make your life better. From our labs to your plate. The Consortium for life.”
“Okay, I’ll try that and a Clear martini, please.”
“Very good. And for you, miss?”
“I’ll stick with the chicken and a Razzleberry. Thanks.”
“She’s beautiful.” Brynn motioned toward the waitress as she walked away. “Her parents must have sprung for upgraded beauty over brains.”
“Yeah, I never understood that. Maybe they think if they have pretty children, they’ll be able to hook themselves a high IL as a mate. Actually, I think she was flirting with you, green hair and all.”
Brynn had bought one of those instant hair-dye machines, spurring an endless parade of new hair colors. This particular shade of green made her usually flawless pink skin look a bit jaundiced. I preferred the golden blonde hair she insisted on covering up.
“I know, Darra, you don’t like the color. All our hair can’t be the lovely auburn you were born with. So get over it. Besides, I think it makes my green eyes pop.”
“That it does, darling. Let’s just hope you don’t turn the color of your hair when you’ve finished with that new meat.”
“Do you think someone actually went up top to get it?” Brynn asked as she cut into the red, oddly shaped meat.
“They don’t allow anyone on the surface. I think they send unmanned drones.”
“It’s good. Wanna try?” She thrust a fork with meat on it toward my face.
“No, thank you.” I leaned back, away from the waving cutlery.
“You’re so boring.” Brynn dropped her fork, hitting the plate with a clang. She threw her hands up. “You never take a chance on anything. No wonder you’re still single.”
“You know why I don’t date.” I shifted in my chair.
“You have to get over this whole heterosexual thing. The planet hasn’t seen a living man in two hundred years. Though I read that some scientists theorize there still might be some real live men living above ground in the jungles of the Amazon or Africa.”
“Like that’s possible.” I knew she was just quoting the gossip magazines, but the know-it-all in me couldn’t help herself. “Why is it theory? Don’t they send probes up there? Wouldn’t they have been seen by one of the transports? How did they survive for two centuries? They wouldn’t have had the technology to splice eggs to reproduce. Even if they did, egg splicing only results in female babies.”
“I don’t know. Maybe they hide from the probes. It’s possible they were somehow immune to the plague. Maybe they had babies the old-fashioned way.”
“Sounds good to me,” I said, lifting my glass and downing the last of my drink. “I’ll run right out and get myself one. I can picture the scene now, at one of Lyda’s fancy dinner parties. ‘Hello, everyone. I’d like to introduce you to my husband, Tonga Bonga. He’s only four feet tall, not much of a conversationalist, and he might try to hit you with a poison dart. But on the bright side, he does have a penis and he’s wearing his dress loincloth this evening’.”
Brynn guffawed hard, and the entire restaurant halted their conversations and turned to gawk at the girl with the bright green hair. Our waitress arrived, and Brynn blurted out through her laughter, “Loincloth.”
The girl smiled an embarrassed “I don’t get the joke” smile, and placed another round of drinks in front of us. Brynn’s laughing fit subsided. She focused her attention on her drink. The other guests returned to their polite, quiet conversations.
“Good?”
“Uh huh.” She gave me a thumbs-up.
By the time we left the restaurant, our plates were empty, as were our wallets. We were both a bit tipsy, and true to form, Brynn had the stunning server’s comm number in her pocket.
The Consortium had the colony’s environmentals set for summer, a balmy 290 degrees kelvin. Though a sun shown down on us, it was just a hologram. I’m not sure why they kept up the illusion for two centuries. Maybe it had something to do with our circadian rhythms, or possibly people could not let go of the iconic image. I always wondered what it would be like to be on the surface and feel the actual warmth of the sun.
In front of the restaurant, people bustled in the street. Moms, daughters and women on dates, all out taking advantage of the beautiful weather.
“Can I come in?” Brynn asked me when we stopped in front of my pod.
“Sure, but not too late, okay? I have some work to finish up.” I put my thumb on the scanner. A soft whoosh and the door to my pod opened, revealing the mess I had left this morning.
“No problem,” Brynn chirped, pushing past me and dropping herself onto the sofa right next to a pile of dirty clothes. Brynn ran her hand across the smooth brown fabric, shoving the clothes onto my blue tiled floor. “This new?”
“Yeah. Consortium Furniture had their big sale last month. It came yesterday.” I sat down next to her. “So, you going to call her?”
“Who?”
“Don’t be coy with me. I saw you take her number.”
Brynn reached over and grasped a length of my hair. “Does that make you jealous?” She slid the lock through her fingers.
“Well, yes, a little. But that’s not the issue. I just don’t think you should toy with her emotions. Yo
u know you have no intention of ever dating her.”
“And she knows that too.” She ran a finger lightly down my cheek. “It’s just a little fun. You’ve heard of fun, right?”
“I know how to have fun.”
“Oh yeah? Kiss me.”
“Brynn…”
“Just kiss me.”
I leaned in, and she met me halfway. Her tongue parted my lips. Brynn pulled me in, almost onto her lap. She was strong for a little thing. It felt wonderful having a warm body next to me, kissing and caressing me. Her familiar curves comforted me. I had to muster all my strength to pull away from her.
Brynn’s eyes opened and her lower lip jutted out, ever so slightly, into the most adorable pout.
“Why did you stop? You were into it. You’re not that good of an actress.”
“Of course I was into it. Are you forgetting why we broke up in the first place?”
“We decided something was missing.”
“Yeah—for both of us. Why would we want to take a chance on ruining our friendship? Merely for the sake of sex? I love you, and god knows I want to sleep with you, but I’m afraid. I don’t know what I’d do if you weren’t in my life.” Brynn’s face blurred through the tears filling my eyes.
A tear escaped its ocular prison and ran down the side of my nose. Brynn wiped it away with her thumb. “For an IL-15 you can be pretty stupid. You’re never going to lose me. No matter what happens, or doesn’t happen, you will always be my family. Doesn’t the fact I came over here for brunch the day after we broke up tell you anything? Besides, I know a lot of friends who aren’t dating but nonetheless sleep with each other. They call it friends with benefits.”
It was either the Razzleberry or her luscious lips making me think her crazy idea wasn’t so crazy. Either way, I chose the path of least resistance and gave in. I still had reservations, but I loved and wanted her. Pushing back my doubts, I let her draw me in for another kiss.
Brynn unhooked my bra with practiced expertise. A hand reached under and cupped my breast, and a light finger brushed over the nipple. She lifted my shirt over my head and gave my shoulders a little push, leaning me back, flat on the couch. Her lips clamped on my nipple. Hot, heavy breath swept across my skin. Looking down, I caught sight of a tuft of green hair and had to smile.
Brynn pulled her shirt off. Her small, perky breasts had no need of restraint. I had always been jealous of them. She got away with wearing all the cute strapless dresses. Completely naked, she stretched out on top of me. Her feminine form was weightless compared to the body I was used to now. I closed my eyes and pictured him, my secret lover. I imagined his strong mouth on my breasts, his large hands exploring my body, pushing up my skirt and pulling down my panties. Pleasure brought me back into the moment as Brynn moved her attention between my legs. Her tongue circled, teasing at first, zeroing in on my most exquisite of nerve clusters. I moaned as a finger entered me, even louder when she inserted a second. Again, his face floated into my mind’s eye, and I imagined his ass in my hands as Brynn thrust her fingers deep inside me. She expertly combined her penetration with a coordinated lap or suck on my clit. I rewarded her by coming with such explosive spasms I almost crushed her head between my knees.
“You liked that, did you?” she said, climbing up my body until we lay face-to-face.
“Yeah,” was all I managed to get out between orgasmic convulsions.
When I regained the use of my muscles, I pushed Brynn gently off of me and onto her back. She smiled and closed her eyes as I attended to her chest. The breasts themselves were small, but her nipples were nice sized and at full attention. She made quiet little pleasure sounds as I brought her whole areola into my mouth, stroking the top of her nipples with my tongue. She buried her hands in my hair, drawing me harder into her body.
I reached down. She was wet and ready. I was never comfortable going down on a woman. Using my fingers instead, I pushed back the hood of her clit, rubbing gently on the exposed nub. To my surprise and relief, with a scream of, “Oh yes,” her small breasts heaved into the air, and she came almost immediately.
Brynn drew me to her and kissed me lightly on the cheek. “Thank you. I realize you didn’t have as much fun as I did.”
“Are you serious? Did you think I faked a five-minute orgasm?”
“Well then, why do you say you’re heterosexual?”
“It’s just when I look at pictures of men, I’m sure I’m meant to be with one.”
“But you’re still attracted to women?” Brynn made a gentle swirling motion on my chest with the tips of her fingers.
“Well, I’m attracted to you. I think they used to call it omnisexual.”
Brynn laughed. “Omni, meaning all? You’re attracted to everyone?”
“Don’t tease me. I don’t know what you call it.”
“I call it adorable.” She kissed my forehead. “Did you ever indulge your desire for a man?”
I looked into her eyes and tried to read what her reaction might be if I told the truth. When I didn’t discern any teasing in her expression, I answered honestly. “Yes.”
“Really?” she said, raising her eyebrows.
“Yes, really,” I blurted defensively. “Do you think that makes me a freak?”
“No, not at all. Actually, if I’m going to be honest, I’ve thought about trying it myself.”
I was shocked and inexplicably excited. Perhaps Brynn was like me. Maybe that’s why we never worked as a couple. “Why didn’t you?”
“First, they’re fucking expensive. On top of that, I heard about the 2500 going berserk and having a mind of its own. A woman in California is suing The Consortium because a 2500 hit her. I’m surprised they haven’t dismantled them all.”
“That was an isolated incident. And I don’t think he actually hit her. He just refused to do what she said. Besides, who sues The Consortium and expects to win? They own half of the world.”
“He?” Brynn raised another eyebrow. “Don’t tell me you’ve been indulging in a 2500.”
I covered my face with my hands and nodded.
“You slut,” Brynn teased. “Aren’t you afraid of the rumors? Afraid it might kill you in your sleep?”
I laughed. “No. He’s sweet and funny and gentle as butterfly.”
“You sound like you really care for this android. I’m not sure if I’m jealous or turned on or both. Did you—when we dated—I mean…”
“I wouldn’t do that to you. I’ve only been with him about a year.”
“A year! That’s longer than we were together. Are you addicted to this thing? They did a documentary on people who become obsessed with their androids.”
“It’s not an addiction, and please don’t call him a thing.”
“What should I call it?”
“Him. And his name is Kai.”
“You named it—um—him?”
“The Consortium named him. To be precise, he’s Kai 143.”
“Wow, 143. How many of them did they make?”
“Two hundred, I think. But I only spend time with one of them. I’m hoping to buy him one day.”
“Tell me this—” she ran a finger up my stomach to my chest, “—is it better than making love to me?” She traced my lips with the same perfectly manicured finger.
“Not better, just different. There’s something about the way our bodies fit—it feels right.”
Brynn listened with rapt attention as I described the logistics of making love to a man. When I finished, instead of saying anything or asking questions, she climbed back on top of me, kissing me. Things escalated, and I found myself making love for the second time in one evening.
The light blinded me as I opened my eyes to the morning sunshine. Pain shot through my head. I was suddenly all too aware of how much I’d had to drink the night before.
The pod was empty. Brynn was gone. I walked into the kitchen, holding my head to make sure nothing important exploded or oozed out.
A life-savin
g, steaming cup of coffee rested on the table with a note telling me not to worry, we were still friends. She had gone back to her pod to get ready for work.
My pod was a wonderful sight after a long day at work, especially with what I had planned for the evening. Throwing my briefcase onto the couch, I walked straight over to The Consortium Transport Tube. I entered my order and placed the credit stick into the slot. A few seconds later a buzz rang out, followed by a whoosh and a ding. The light above the transport door illuminated. I pushed the button and the door slid open.
His dark brown hair, almost shoulder length, was a little longer than I remembered. But that was the only difference. Same emerald, hooded eyes, same plump lips, same big, grin showing off perfect white teeth.
Kai stepped out of the chamber with a grace and fluidity you would never expect from a person, let alone an android.
I put my hands on my hips. “So, I’m hearing rumors you have a mind of your own.”
“Damn straight,” he exclaimed in his deep timbre, “and I’m about to show you what I have in mind.”
Chapter Two
The fluttering in my stomach had commenced even before the door opened, intensifying exponentially when he flashed his cheeky grin. He lifted me up and twirled me around, making me dizzy both physically and mentally.
“So what will it be tonight? Boyfriend, stranger, schoolmaster, last man on earth or perhaps just naughty android?” Kai’s eyes were still playful, with a hint of teasing.
“Can we just be Darra and Kai tonight?”
“Why so serious?” The sparkle in his eyes faded a bit. He took my hand and led me to the couch.
“Rumors are going around. Other Kais exhibiting signs of disobedience, even violence. The Consortium has commissioned a study to ascertain if these are isolated incidents or if they should decommission the whole line. You need to be really careful. Don’t show any signs of having your own mind.”
Kai sat next to me. “Do you want me to go back to being the mindless hunk of metal I was when you first met me?”
When Good Toys Go Bad Page 1
