Page 12 of CHOICE Lover
“Oh,” she says.
“Believe me, I know how Res6 can be. Perhaps leaving you alone with him was inadvisable.” Her gaping stare must convey her shock, because he adds, “Rest assured, he takes his responsibilities very seriously.”
“He suggested decommissioning me in lieu of—” She gestures, embarrassed, at the nest of blankets cocooning her.
Tommy’s smile doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Don’t worry. They’ve already agreed not to decommission you.” When her look is questioning, he shrugs. “He and Lextr think studying you might be useful for their special project—don’t ask. I’m not at liberty to tell you about it.”
Her voice squeaks as she asks, “Study me how?”
“Just a few noninvasive scans. Nothing to be afraid of,” he says.
Still, a shiver runs down her spine. “So why did he offer to decommission me then?”
He eyes her blanket fort. “It was probably his way of nudging you to extricate yourself from whatever it is you’re doing in this room.”
“What’s the difference between being locked in here versus out there?” She points toward the ominous door and the man who she suspects, based on his rhythmic footfalls, is pacing on the other side of it. “I tried to explain how I am feeling and what I need, but he’s incapable of offering it.”
“How are you feeling?”
If she were to take his question seriously and marinate on it, how is she really feeling? “Abandoned,” she decides.
Tommy clears his throat. “By whom?”
A huff escapes her lungs, and she gestures at no one and everything all at once. “I don’t know. God. The universe? Whatever cosmic entity is supposed to give a shit about our measly little lives.” Well, there goes her victim mentality flaring back to life. She can practically hear Janet in her best TV voice asking a morning show guest,How have these thoughts helped you in the past?
“Ah, you’re thinking of the non-deities Zorg and Zephyr. I’m a devoted follower. It seems they have decided to shake things up by introducing people from the past to our timeline.”
That’s right. Res6 mentioned rumors of others like her on her first day here, but it got lost in the deluge of new information. Why hadn’t she thought to ask? “You’re sure there are more people like me?”
Tommy’s gaze slides to the door, then back to her. Then he leans forward, lowering his voice conspiratorially. “Yes! Mishaps from a competitor called GROW. Perhaps, once you’re acclimated, we can identify a few and arrange for you to meet them?” he offers. She instantly brightens. “I’d have to clear it with the boss, though. His word is law.”
There is so much information to take in, her head is spinning. She needs to break things down into simple questions. “As in The Boss, not just your boss?”
“Oh shit! He specifically told me not to mention that little detail to you. I suppose now that you know . . .” He shrugs as if violating his employer’s wishes is no big deal. “Res6 invented manupartners. CHOICElover is his prized creation. You can’t tell him I let it slip.”
An awful sinking sensation takes hold in her gut. “Shit.”
Tommy’s brows raise in question.
“I may have said quite a few disparaging things about his prized creation.”
“For example?” Tommy urges, making her want to toss the blankets over her head and hide from the inevitable confrontation her words have earned her.
“I may have called the manupartners sex robots and said they were the most messed-up thing I’ve ever heard.” She said other things too. None of which she is ready to confess to her potential ally.
“Oh my. Well, perhaps that is why he is reluctant to . . .” He waves a hand in her generaldirection.
“To offer me compassion?” Are all future people completely devoid of it? Because if so, how dismal.
“Yes, that’s what I was saying.” Tommy jumps to his feet, expression brightening like he’s on to something. He taps a finger to his lips twice before announcing, “I think you two got off on the wrong foot. Try to understand how things are now. People in our society value their ability to choose their own experiences. It is the ultimate freedom. And with manupartners, they can—”
“Get exactly what they’re looking for in a partner. Yes, he explained this to me.”
“Then what is the problem?”
“I just think it’s sad, don’t you?”
Tommy shrugs, plopping back down on the bed. “Manupartners keep people happy. Just imagine, no messy breakups. No disagreements over what to have for dinner. In the mood for romance? Your CHOICElover will be ready and eager to please. It isn’t sad at all. It’s the ultimate freedom.” He pats the bed like he’s solidified his argument and thinks she should accept it so she can get onto acting happy now.
