She doesn't respond.
Byron sits on the bed and pushes her hair back behind her ears. "Look at me."
She looks up at him with tears in her violet eyes. "Are you really going to whip me?"
"If you don't obey my orders, I will have to. When I tell you to do something, I'm doing it for your own good."
"You've never threatened me like that." Katarina whispers.
"You've never betrayed me like that."
"Betrayed you? I don't-"
"Zach." Byron says.
"Just because you're my owner doesn't mean that I can't have a boyfriend."
"It's not that you have a boyfriend." Byron says. "If you're not interested in me, that's fine. I would never force you to be with me. The issue here is who your boyfriend is. You need to listen to me and your father when we tell you that Zach Montgomery is not a good person. One day, your father will sit down with you and tell you about his past. You actually know very, very little about what went on. I'm not surprised that he has been sheltering you from it. Maybe it's best if he tries to completely forget about it. You should know that since moving down here, Isidore has been the happiest I've ever seen him. He loves you. And when he yells at you, he's only frustrated because he wants to be the best father he can. Think about how difficult this is for him. Not only is he a single father raising two children, but he is the president of this human country. Many people don't want an android president."
"So?"
"So? He has survived thirteen assassination attempts in the past two months. Why do you think you had Secret Service agents follow you around when you were still in school? Paradise isn't all flashy lights and fun technology. Below the bright exterior lies corruption and darkness that would make the devil himself lose sleep at night. I've been around a lot longer than you have and I know what can happen when bad people get too much power. Your father is the only man standing between this city prospering and it dying off completely."
"Well, it's hard for me too." Katarina says as she wipes her eyes. "People think that Isidore my brother because he never aged past twenty-five. Zach is the first man to even talk to me. Most think that Dad is my boyfriend. Then the ones who don't stop right there see my slave collar or my eyes and freak out. No one is ever going to love a half android freak."
Byron lifts her face to look at him. The flashing lights fill the dark room and dance across her face, illuminating the streaks of mascara that have run with her tears. He nearly loses himself completely in her eyes. "I love you."
"Byron . . ."
He stops her from speaking as he holds her close and kisses her passionately. Her mouth is sweet, her lips are warm and salty from her tears. The more he tastes, the more he needs her. As he moves his hands under her shirt, he knows he is going too far, but he can't stop this. He has waited for so long. Then he hears Isidore talking to Dmitri in the other room. What would Isidore do if he found out? That is enough to make Byron stop. He pulls away from Katarina. "I'm sorry."
Katarina holds onto him. "Don't be. I'll stop seeing Zach."
"Thank you."
"One condition, though."
"What's that?" Byron asks.
"We get married."
* * *
Isidore hides beneath the large hood of his jacket as he walks down the busy streets filled with people still celebrating his victory earlier in the night. If only he could be like them. Sure, it was fun while it lasted, but now his mind has gone back into the places that he tries to avoid.
As he looks out at his city, he wonders if he is capable of keeping it running. He never signed up for this. After Blice died and the microchip containing his condensed consciousness and memories was placed in the butterfly body, Isidore took over the responsibilities. This is his only time to get away from it all and put aside the stress of everything.
Slipping past a few street vendors selling all manner of cyber enhancements and programs for the T.I.M.E. human computers, Isidore ignores the faces in the shadows beneath the flickering neon lights and storefronts. They all know who he is from a darker period in his life when he had followed in Blice's footsteps and chased every high he could get his hands on. He would come here to get his fix after his kids were asleep. It was the only thing keeping him alive, but it was also killing him. Then one night, he just stopped. Something either in his mind or his programming made him quit. He's been clean now for two years and he is never going back. That's something that he hasn't even told Byron or Blice. Years ago, Isidore had tried to help Blice get past the exact same problem and he didn't want to feel like a hypocrite.
At the far end of the alley, amidst the drunken insults and occasional gunfire, is the heavy metal door surrounded by the florescent blue mechanical night butterflies that watch the city, recording the movements of the citizens. It was an ingenious idea to keep the streets calm and promote peace without having an active police force. At the first sign of trouble, the Inquisition will show up within seconds in their long tan trench coats and red sunglasses. They are always watching and listening. He used to be one of them, back before their purpose was so honorable. Pushing his hood back, he holds up his pendant from his pocket, the golden triangle with a pink daisy in the middle, the symbol of the Inquisition. The door slides open as an automated voice welcomes him by name.
The smoky bar is alive with patrons drinking and gambling as the robotic waiters with their shiny metal bodies take orders and break up fights. It still amazes him that technology has come so far, but is shouldn't. He is an android computer, after all. He is part of all of this, yet somehow disconnected from it. But he's not here to marvel at the new models of robots, as much as he is intrigued by them. He's here to meet with a man he would call a friend while most people would call him a demanding acquaintance at most. Isidore sees him at a table in the corner flirting with a woman whose arms have been modified with some kind of metal implants resembling blades. Well, that's just a bit terrifying.
"Well, you look positively miserable, Created One." The large unshaven man, who is always wearing an unnecessarily fancy suit, says in a heavy Russian accent.
Isidore doesn't return the smile. "Nice to see you too, Kazimir."
"I thought for sure that you would be celebrating your victory. Nice shooting, by the way. I won a thousand dollars on that match. I'll always bet on my little invention." Kazimir pats Isidore's shoulder and takes another shot of vodka. "So, what will you have? It's on me tonight."
"I'm not really in the mood."
"When I get done with you, you will be." He grabs the arm of one of the robots. "Two more for me and my friend here needs one of the new drinks. Give him a green one."
"New ones?" Isidore asks as the robot walks away.
"For T.I.M.E.s. With all the people undergoing the surgery to become computers, I thought it could be a lucrative business opportunity. The different drink colors affect different parts of a computer's senses and programming."
"How does that work?"
"Nanobots, of course." Kazimir says.
Isidore has had enough interactions with nanobots to last him a lifetime. He sinks down in his chair. "Of course."
"What's wrong with nanobots?"
"Why would I want to ingest something that I know for a fact has killed millions of people?"
"These are different." Kazimir says. "Trust me. I developed these."
Oh, perfect. "And that's supposed to make me trust it more?"
"I developed you, didn't I? I think I did a pretty good job."
Sometimes he wonders. "Sure."
"Hey, without me, you would have been deformed and had no skin like the forty-one who died horrific deaths before you."
"Please, I don't want to talk about that."
Kazimir takes the drink from the robot and slides it across the sticky metal table to Isidore. "Then drink this."
Isidore pushes his silver bangs out of his eyes and stares at the swirling bright green liquid in the shot glass. It smells like apples. "You m
ade this one specifically for me, didn't you?"
"Of course. I know how much you love apples."
He gives Kazimir a questioning look before downing the shot. Well, that wasn't as bad as he thought. Smooth. Now his mind is starting to feel calm, relieved, and comforted.
"See? It's nice, isn't it?" Kazimir asks. "That is the only thing keeping me alive. The regenerative nanobots in there keep the destructive ones that are trying to eat holes in my brain dormant. I drink two of those a day and I haven't had any more problems."
Isidore examines the little bit of the liquid remaining in the bottom of the glass. "Speaking of problems, have you heard any more of those transmissions?"
"Nope. The scouts we sent above ground into the wasteland haven't reported back, either."
He slams the glass back down and shakes his head. "Don't you think that's an issue you should have informed me of before now? We can't have people going missing. The number of humans capable of reproducing and sustaining life down here is already in decline."
"How much?"
"By twenty-five percent in the past four years. If we keep this up, there aren't going to be people being born. I've tried everything I can think of to help. The babies being born are healthy. That's not the problem. People just aren't having children. I've offered couples money and free housing if they have a child, but it's not working. We are humanity's last hope and we're on life support."
Kazimir smiles. "It's nice that you can still care about the fate of humanity after all the hell they've put you through."
"There are too many humans I love to not care. I want my children to have long happy lives around people and have hope for a future where the world isn't struggling to survive."
Kazimir waves his hand over the surface of the table where a holographic sheet of paper appears and he retrieves a stylus from the inside pocket of his black trench coat. "I think it's time for you to have a new owner."
"I already have an owner."
He scribbles something down, the letters glowing white against the pale blue field of digital light. "Blice can't use you like I can. I need a good personal computer. I have a lot of research that needs to get done and you could be an invaluable asset to the operation."
"I can't, Kazimir." Isidore says. "I belong to Blice and I always will."
Kazimir pulls out a silver sphere with a USB cable attached then sets it down in front of Isidore. "You can either come peacefully and let me erase all traces of Blice and his programming from your hardware or I will shut you down and make you come with me."
Isidore has seen that before. It's a neutralizer. As soon as it is inserted into his USB port on the back of his head, he will shut down and lose any control over his actions. "Please don't do this. If you want, I can work with you and help you out. I don't mind storing some of your files."
"That's not enough. It's time for you to be with the person who created you. I think you'll find belonging to me to be exponentially better than all you endured under Blice's demands. I will do all the basics, feed you, clothe you, give you whatever you need. I'll provide you with regular upgrades and a brand new operating system after I update your code. I know the exact amount of vitamins and nanobots to feed you in order to keep you healthy and running properly. Of course, you will still be the president of this country."
"But Blice-"
Kazimir interrupts him as he continues to write. "What about him? He's a butterfly. What's he going to do? Flutter his wings at me? I think if I explain things to him, he'll understand."
Isidore begins to panic. He glances around to look for anyone who could step in and save him, but no Secret Service agents ever come in here and the security butterflies are outside. He has to do what he can on his own. "That's all very generous of you and I have a large amount of respect for you as my creator, but I am asking you as humbly as I can to please let me remain Blice's property. I realize that I ultimately have no say about my fate, but all I can do now is beg. I'm not above begging. I will do anything else for you. Anything."
"See? This is exactly the kind of behavior that is completely unacceptable for you to be displaying. You should never beg for anything. Blice programmed you to be weak and needy. I will make you stronger and proud to be who you are. If you fight me, you can't win. I am the only one who knows the command words that will still override your combat enhancement program even with you having full control. I own you, Isidore Williams. Now come outside, through the back door to my car and we'll discuss where we go from here." Kazimir replaces his stylus in his pocket and reveals a laser pistol in a holster on his chest. "You wouldn't want to make a scene, would you?"
This doesn't sound like just some change of ownership. It's a kidnapping. If Kazimir has a laser pistol that can melt and completely destroy Isidore's computer hardware with one shot, he's not playing around. Isidore leans forward and looks him in the eye. "What are you doing? I thought you were my friend."
"I'm your creator, not your friend." He glances down at his watch. "This entire building is rigged to explode in seven minutes. We can either sit here exchanging hateful glances or we can get the hell out of here before we're both blown to bits. It's your call, Created One. And don't you dare even tell anyone. If you alert a soul to my explosives, I will flood the streets of Paradise with nanobots and kill every last living person here. So stand up and follow me out the back door."
As Kazimir stands and places a few dollars for a tip in his empty glass on the table, Isidore goes to his side and remains silent. He's bluffing. There's no way even a crazy man like him would kill innocent people. He follows Kazimir out of the bar and into a back alley.
"Give me your hands." Kazimir orders as he reaches into his jacket again.
Isidore grits his teeth and reluctantly obeys. When the handcuffs are locked tightly around his wrists and a blindfold secured around his eyes, he knows he just got himself into deep trouble. Nothing good can come from this. He is pushed into what feels like a vehicle and the smell of vodka hits his senses. Two men are speaking in Russian as they start the engine and he can feel the vehicle moving. He doesn't dare try to escape. As his creator, Kazimir could do all kinds of unspeakable things to him. The longer he stays here, unaware of his surroundings, the more lightheaded he gets. What was in that drink?
"Go to sleep, Created One." Kazimir says. "We have a long ride ahead of us."
3
Katarina attaches the sensors to the palms of her hands, turns them on, and spreads out her hands above her as she lies on her back on her bed. The footage from the night before flashes to life on the holographic screen. Aside from her slightly promiscuous behavior, it was a good match until she met up with Isidore. She rewinds that part and watches it over and over, analyzing every aspect of her father's behavior. Why had she been so consumed by her emotions? And since when does she actually care about the mother she never knew? It's just like Isidore to try some crazy computer trickery like that.
And he's been out all night, probably partying and celebrating his victory. She's been all alone in the house, well, except for Blice, but he really doesn't count. Byron is out gambling, as always. Dmitri is in the technology lab at his school, probably working on more experiments he'll try to use on Katarina. For a human, that kid is very technology minded and he loves having android family members to observe. It's good to see that he doesn't resemble his real father who tried to kill Isidore, just one of many assassination attempts. Then his mother died during childbirth. Overcome with guilt for having the baby's father executed, Isidore adopted him an hour after he was born. He's been a part of this family ever since and Katarina knows that Isidore loves him just as if he was his own son.
Her thoughts are interrupted as the purple butterfly flies into her room and lands on her finger, interrupting the signal.
"Hey, Nika."
"Go away, Blice." She swats at him, but he crawls up her arm in defiance.
"Will you go with me to the gardens?" Blice asks.
Sh
e sighs and turns off the hologram. "Don't you have enough flowers in my dad's room?"
"I, um . . . wanted to check out the other butterflies."
"You want me to take you outside so you can pick up a girl butterfly?" Katarina asks as Blice lands on her nose and looks into her eyes.
"Or a guy . . . it doesn't matter."
She takes him on her finger and holds him close. "Are you that lonely?"
"Isidore has been so busy lately so we haven't spent much time together like we usually do."
"Can I ask you something?"
"Anything, Nika." Blice says.
"Are you actually alive or is this some kind of artificial intelligence program?"
"I don't know how to answer that. I feel alive, but convincing others that I'm actually fully here hasn't worked so far. Only Isidore, Byron, and Kazimir believe me. Then half of the time, I question if Isidore truly does. We don't have the same kind of bond we used to have. Maybe if I could get some time alone with him for a couple of days, we could get back to the way we were before. I have no one else. That's why I'm lonely."
"Do you even know how to communicate with real butterflies?" Katarina asks.
"The ones outside aren't actually real, either." Blice says as his wings droop with his sadness. "They are just mindless robots that have been programmed to behave like butterflies. I'll always be alone."
"So I guess you miss being human?"
"Oh hell no. I was addicted to nearly every drug you can think of. At least in this body I can think with a clear mind and I'm not controlled by those horrible impulses. Don't tell Isidore this, but I would choose a life like this over being human any day."
"Why would you not want Isidore to know?" Katarina asks.
"Well, when I was a human, I wasn't the nicest person to him so I think he views this as me paying for my crimes. I mean, sure, there's a lot I can't do any more that I miss, but I'm just lucky that I still get to be his owner. So, still think I'm evil?"
Paradise Awakened Trilogy Page 2
