Unit 001 has been lost. I don't know how to take this. The report only just came in, and security is calling me. Thomas was a good guy. We had an arrangement, a system. Thomas and I had the beginnings of trust. Now, he was dead and the only one to suspect is 001. I pick up my phone and flip the green button.
"Hello?"
"Mister Darrin sir, we've confirmed 001's location. How soon do you want us to send someone to get him?"
Location? I know I've instructed them several times not to use the back hacks they see us use in testing. The crippled heel of the black market is in hiring. Society benefits from the idea that most people will work for what seems fair. The ugly underbelly leaves us hired rejects. For a moment, I lose my cool and stop it with a deep breath. I've forgotten this isn't head of security that I'm talking to.
"How did you locate 001?" I ask.
There's a long silence which confirms my suspicions.
"Uhh, we used the tracer hack thing. Our boss said that way was possible."
"Don't tell me what John told you. Did he say that you could do that?"
"No sir, uhh, we were just responding to urgent - "
"Let me explain to you why." I say, my voice growing tight.
"Ok sir."
"The trick you saw requires a reboot. The machines housed in the unit's eyes
prevent them from seeing their own body. They are sex dolls, right?"
The silence grows louder even more so, deafening to the soul. The hired gun on the other end of the line has a trickle of cowardice for a voice, but the courage to speak.
"Yes sir."
"Do we want them asking our clientele why it can't say no?"
"No sir."
"So now you see why you fucked up?"
Before he can speak, I end the conversation for him.
"See to it that John is informed of your progress and have him meet me at my location before anyone does anything else."
"Yes sir. I can get on the phone with John right now."
"I expect a written report later."
"Yes sir."
I hang up the line and hold my head in my hands, sighing as I sit on the edge of my bed. It's been so long since I've had any issues with the units that I know how to feel. These units have given me an empire, and now I feel it chipping away. I can only hope that 001 was unconscious or in the dark somewhere.
I make my way to the shower, stripping as I start up the water. A female unit picks up behind me, inspecting my mess for cleaning. The other one at my bed is refitting my sheets and getting some of my things in order, like my keys and my phone if she can find it.
I pass the mirror, and stare at the naked man in it. A premonition hits me, and I sense darkness ahead. I look at my dark skin in the mirror. I cover my face and I sigh as I pull my hands down. Opening my eyes, I examine my jaw line. Dark stubble was jutting needles under my chin. My beard is too short to have curls, and so is my hair. The muscles on my body are tense, but soft from my comfortable diet. One of the female units starts the shower for me and then waits around to see if I need anything else.
"No. Go."
She leaves without question, a brilliant smile on her face. I remember release night for the female units. Sales went up. I thought they'd eclipse the male to male market. Turned out, a chunk of my top buyers bought several units and used them for home labor among other things. I've merely copied human ingenuity.
We deal underground here, and my reputation among the white collar is paramount. I sell the best quality units, and my data security matches. We have not simply been sitting idly by while we break the law. I have kept my hobby in circuitry strong, and plan to embark on a different experience for my units. To evolve them.
After my shower, I clothe myself in dark business casual attire and head for the facilities' far exit above ground. Once clear, I head out to the parking lot and see John. John is a mixed American and a unique one at that. He's been a part of my security since its inception and has always protected my interests. In this line of work, you can't spread too big, but you need friends. A lot of my friends have secrets, and John's are heavy.
John's father was a mayor here in Austinville, New Texas. He comes from a line of wealth so long; you can trace it with today's technology all the way back to colonial America. His father provided the warmest sense of security and belonging which changed the face of Texas. He united people and was one of the first honored politicians of Greater America. And of course, he had a horrible secret.
John's siblings' mothers were girls at the inception of fertility. Fifteen years according to his father. After that they were thrown away. His father killed himself, leaving a bitter taste in John's mouth for inheritance. John was much older than his siblings and natural born, he felt he couldn't tell the truth and so he kept it. Taking care of his family from afar. We've are as loyal to each other as the skin on or backs.
When I get in the car with John, we say nothing as we depart. It's protocol to remain silent in the car until one is a certain distance from the facility. When we leave that range, John initiates the scan for bugs, and we get the all clear.
"So, 001 could be on the move."
"What?! How?" I ask.
"I heard about Michael. Sorry about that, I'll handle him. Anyway, I just traced the tablet that was paired to 001's collar. Its position moved, but it's not far away from here. He may still be in the vicinity, but there's no way of telling who is there with him."
I throw my head back into the headrest and sigh. More upsets. More issues. At this rate, I may have to discontinue 001, but I'm not so sure. 001 is unique because he was our very first functioning unit. There is still no explanation to why the combination of our drugs and tech worked on him and why that same set up worked on so many other units.
"We're about fifteen minutes out. Lets just hope we get green lights all the way."
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For a moment I saw a boy and then he went away. I woke up in an awkward position and saw a hand and a foot near me. I thought I had been sleeping with someone until I saw they were mine. In a panic, I pulled the tablet up to get a look at my face. As soon as I saw my own reflection, the tablet blinked and now I can't see myself.
I know my skin was pinkish and very light. I know my legs are were a bit hairy and my body is very dirty. I move towards the door and feel the air outside. The sun is out now, and the sky is getting brighter. I look out and hear a road. My mind feels strange. Something begins to pour out of my mind, and I feel different emotions well up inside me. My breathing picks up and I draw tense.
Without warning, my body is moving although I do not know where. My hands reach up for the collar around my neck and I can feel it. My head turns and I stop, wild and naked. I smell the air and smell water. My nose leads me towards the deep backyard, marked by the beginning of a forest. A few meters behind it I see a small creek.
The balls of my feet slap against the ground and bleed as I rush over to the creek. Pains jab at my brain, but a small high comes and they subside. My feet are not used for walking. Most of the time I have my feet in the air. With my body still in control, it rushes over to the water.
I squat and the familiar face from tablet looks back at me and then I can't see myself again. Just the water. I still remember the face! It's clearer. My hair is dark brown, slightly curly and short. That's all I can remember. Pinkish skin and brown hair. I sigh and feel my emotions shift to a dark side of me that I barely recall. It is like the desire I have to serve, except turned negative. It feels like I need to return to that face, my face, but I do not know how and the more I try the more upset my body seems to get. It starts to make noises.