Jack grunted as he heard the knock at the door. It was still a weekday, but he hadn't changed from his pajamas. He liked to be leisurely until after breakfast. It helped him to gradually step up to the work day instead of rushing to get out the door. Going to bed early and rising early was the most surefire way to be successful.
With that in mind, he looked through the peephole before opening the door. He didn't much care if his neighbors saw him in his flannels, but he didn't feel like greeting a delivery man. As it was, there was nobody evident, so he popped open the latch and took in the small box sitting on the porch.
Odd. He had never had a delivery this early in the day, and he hadn't remembered ordering anything online recently.
He retrieved the box and looked at the label. No return address. Even stranger.
Bringing it inside, he stepped into the kitchen, where his wife was working at making breakfast. "Honey, did you order anything yesterday?"
He blinked when his wife answered him by gesturing at the vid screen sitting on the counter. Frowning, he moved closer so he could hear the newscasters gathered around their desk.
The one with a heart shaped face lit up the screen with a broad smile. "Welcome to Stacksville channel twelve, my name is Peach, and we're happy to have you here this morning."
The other newscaster shuffled a stack of paper, her blonde hair drawn back in a ponytail. "And I'm Monica." She stared at the pickup with intensity, in an attempt to look professional. "Today a new beauty enhancement center is opening up in town."
Her face vanished, replaced with footage of a store front. "This area has been abandoned for years, but now, the area is revitalizing as the job market stabilizes."
Monica stepped inside, the interior looking like a nail salon. Chairs were arranged down one wall, helmets for creating perms looming from their tops. "I visited there yesterday. Danielle is the owner. She says that foot traffic is up, and is optimistic that some of the worst areas of town will soon be cleaned up."
The footage cut to Monica pointing a microphone at a younger woman with plugs embedded in her ears. Her skin was a shocking blue color, her hair dyed purple. "Yes, it's almost busier here than I can handle," she was saying. "I opened up for a preview yesterday, and we almost couldn't handle the rush!"
"Your new look is becoming quite popular," commented the reporter.
"Yes," replied the stylist, stroking a blue cheek. "Everyone wants to look like the Hivarians! It's almost unprecedented!" She turned to look at the camera. "Just make sure you color coordinate your clothing to match. If you can't figure out a good look, come on down and we can help you out!"
The footage cut away, focusing on Monica at the desk. "That's right, they're a full service beauty salon, and I can confirm they know what they're doing. I watched as they helped out a couple, and I'll be going later today myself to test out their treatments."
"All they're talking about is bullshit," said Jack, frowning. "Nothing interesting is going on, just some sort of new salon opening up in town."
"Patience, dear," said Susan, cracking an egg.
Peach looked up at the screen. "The station is receiving many calls this morning asking about mysterious packages, but there's no reason to be alarmed. The local government has announced a new program to increase worker efficiency."
She reached under the news desk and brought out a globe mounted on a wooden base. Blue liquid swirled inside, a glow emanating from within.
"New voice activated personal assistants are being distributed to all households within town. They can be used to lookup information, arrange schedules, or even play music."
Her hands rested on either side of the globe, cupping it as if it was precious to her. "If you don't have one, you may visit 3222 Major Avenue, Suite 400. They will be handing them out today, free of charge."
She grinned. "I already can't go without mine. It was so easy to setup." She looked into the globe, her eyes going cloudy. "Alphonse, play some classical," she said, her voice gentle.
Strains of an ancient melody rose through the tinny speakers of the vid screen. "You can name yours?" asked Monica. "How cute!"
Jack grunted, skeptical. "Looks like a paperweight to me," he complained, looking for a knife.
"Don't discard it before you've tried it, at least," said Susan, flipping eggs in her frying pan.
Jack made quick work of the packaging, unraveling brown paper to reveal a spherical object within. Sure enough, it looked like the device on the news cast, but it was dimmed, dormant.
He pulled it out, surprised at its weight, setting it on the kitchen table. "How does it work?" he asked, staring at it skeptically.
The globe lit up from within its base. "Welcome," it said in a sultry, female voice. "I am your family Interface. I am pleased to meet you. Would you like to configure me?"
It almost made the act sound dirty. Jack wasn't pleased.
"Can you shut up while we eat breakfast?" he asked, peering at it with suspicion.
"Jack!" exclaimed Suzy, turning to look at him with a wooden spoon dripping with pancake batter.
"What?" he asked, grumbling. "I just don't like dealing with technology."
"Approved as requested," stated the Interface. It began to glow brightly, at a painful level.
Before he could react, it flashed, leaving an imprint behind on his retina. "What the shit was that?" he asked, blinking as stars sparkled in his vision.
The globe was now glowing, swirling clouds encompassing the deepest blue he had ever seen. He approached closer, staring deep into its depths. He settled at the table, hands at his sides. His mouth dropped open and his thoughts emptied.
He only stirred when Susan sat a plate of pancakes, eggs, and bacon in front of him, breaking his view of the mysterious globe. Blinking again, he took a deep breath and frowned.
"Aren't I still on a diet? Shouldn't this be a cup of fruit?"
Susan put a cup of coffee on the coaster in front of him. "Don't worry, I used a special batter. It has been formulated to fulfill your needs."
He stared at the flapjack with suspicion, prodding it with his fork. He cut into the spongy surface with the edge of his utensil, separating a tiny bite. He was about to stuff it into his mouth when the loud footsteps of the kids rumbled down the stairs.
He craned his neck to watch them as they gathered around the table. Zack looked sullen, out of sorts. "Did you have a good time last night?" asked Susan, smiling brightly.
Jack wasn't sure what she was talking about, but he knew better than to ask. He stuck the fork in his mouth to forestall an acerbic comment, begrudgingly chewing the fluffy piece of his pancake. It was surprisingly good, but he wasn't quite sure if he wanted to admit it.
Zoe came in next, dressed sloppily in a ratty t-shirt and sweatpants. Her makeup had been removed and her hair was wet. Her skin appeared a little blue, but Jack knew better than to comment on that. Probably some kind of new fashion statement.
Suzy smiled brightly, but said nothing, flipping another pancake. He was sure she knew more than she was letting on, but if he pressed her about it now, she might be less inclined to be amorous later. He knew how the game worked.
Susan put a plate in front of Zach and Zoe, both of them murmuring their thanks. Jack cleared his throat. "What is everyone's plan's today?"
Zoe was the first to jump in, her twin ponytails bouncing as she took a quick sip of water. "I'm going out with Zoe to have bubble tea. I probably won't be back for lunch."
"Let me know how Simone is doing, dear," said Susan warmly. "You came back alone last night."
Zoe glanced at her screen. "Not a problem, she's feeling fine, already planning what we should do this afternoon." She grinned at her buzzing comm screen, reading some incoming messages. "It looks like she's really eager to start!"
Jack's gaze moved to Zach. "How about you?" he asked, not really needing an answer.
Zach stared at his plate. "I'm going back into VR," he said, sullenly.
Jack sighed, looking at Susan. She shrugged. "He's a grown man and this is his school break," she said. "He gets to choose how to spend it."
"Okay," he said carefully, enunciating each syllable. He couldn't help but give Zach a disappointed stare, under which his son withered.
Susan shot Zach a sympathetic smile. "Now, remember, dear, I have exercise club this morning. I won't be back until lunchtime."
"Alright, mom," he said. "Don't worry, I can take care of myself."
A loud chime echoed through the kitchen. "It is time for morning Adulation," announced the AI.
The globe flashed again, and he found he couldn't look away. The clouds covering the surface of the sphere parted, and his mind was drawn inside, captured by the image of an eye.
It was watching him, examining his past. His foibles. His errors. His pleasures. It measured him as a man and found where he was wanting. What he needed. What he desired.
It wanted to give it to him. To see him succeed. To see him fulfill his potential. It just needed him to watch closely.
He could see no reason to deny it what it wanted. He didn't want to be upset with his family. He just wanted the best for them.
Right now, the best thing he could do was remain calm and allow the globe to train him. It would unlock his mind and teach him to find a more productive way to handle his disappointment.
After all, it wasn't his duty to make sure his son and daughter grew up to be proper Drones. Hive would take of that.
Confused, he wondered where that thought had come from. Squinting, he relaxed. It was no matter. It was not his problem to solve.
