animate them, but if that was the case, then why didn’t re-injection reactive them? Nothing brought back even the slightest blip from the tiny suckers once they died.
Given their information, much of it new and some of it reinforcing his own hypothesis, Adam deemed it time to reveal some of his secrets. “This factory with the secret lab, I don’t suppose it’s called CyberGlys Technology?”
“Have you been eyeballing the joint too?” she asked.
“More than eyeballing. You’re looking at one of the guards assigned to the lower level. But I’ll tell you more about my scintillating occupation later. We’re home.”
Exiting his parked car, Adam took a moment to enjoy Seth’s incredulous look.
“You live here?”
“Yup.”
“But-but, it’s suburbia,” Seth sputtered.
“Yup. White picket fence and all,” Adam agreed, unable to hide his grin as he led them to the front door.
Anastasia having seen his home before—as well as his bedroom—didn’t gawk as she ushered Avion inside, but Seth couldn’t help examining the mundane life he’d created for himself.
“Dude, this place is”—the spy model turned in a three-sixty, taking in the living room with its matching black leather recliners, chrome glass table covered in remotes, magazines, and even a classic empty pizza box, and finally stopped turning, eyes riveted on the huge plasma screen bolted the wall—“awesome!”
Pride made him puff his chest, an odd mannerism he’d fallen into the habit of. Adam could claim it was acting. However, in truth, the human ego he’d cultivated came to him much too naturally. “Thanks.”
“Is that an Xbox One and a PS4?” Seth asked in almost reverent awe as he snagged a remote.
“Yup. I’ve got the latest Call of Duty, too, if you’re into shooter type games.”
“Am I ever.”
“Um, boys, I hate to break this super bonding, bromance moment, but don’t we have more important things than video games to discuss?”
He and Seth shared a look that said it all. Women! Never letting them have any fun.
“You guys must be tired after your flight,” Adam said aloud for the benefit of any possible bugs he might have missed, which, after their conversation in the car, now posed a worry. “Let me show you to the guest rooms.”
In short order, Adam had them supposedly abed, their sleeping units modified like his in that they did a body flip and sent the occupants careening down the chute, leaving behind an inflated lump under the sheets meant to represent them. It wouldn’t fool any but the most cursory looks, but it was better than nothing.
Conducting one final check that didn’t raise any mental red flags, Adam arrived last, popping out the bottom of the slide and landing on his feet. It was only as he saw Seth hauling Avion from his sprawl on the floor that he belatedly thought of the broken cyborg’s status. “Shit. I didn’t even think to warn you about the ride.”
The blinded cyborg managed a rueful smile. “Not your fault. Even I’m having trouble remembering this body doesn’t work the way it used to. No harm done.”
No harm, but given his fragile state, it could have hurt. Adam would have to keep that in mind.
Moving from the arrival chamber, they entered Rosalind’s domain, where screens flickered, flashing data and images too fast for the human eye but just right for cyborg ones.
Nothing jumped out.
“I see you found our guests.” Rosalind ignored her computer keyboard and swiveled in her seat to greet them. Only to find herself crushed in a hug as Anastasia smothered her.
“So nice to see you again,” Anastasia enthused.
“Apparently. Good thing I don’t need to breathe,” Rosalind managed to say once she extricated herself.
Seth frowned at his wife. “You knew Adam had another female unit? Why didn’t you tell me? You know Joe and the others have been looking for them.”
Shrugging, Anastasia moved aside and leaned against a console. “Completely slipped my
Given their information, much of it new and some of it reinforcing his own hypothesis, Adam deemed it time to reveal some of his secrets. “This factory with the secret lab, I don’t suppose it’s called CyberGlys Technology?”
“Have you been eyeballing the joint too?” she asked.
“More than eyeballing. You’re looking at one of the guards assigned to the lower level. But I’ll tell you more about my scintillating occupation later. We’re home.”
Exiting his parked car, Adam took a moment to enjoy Seth’s incredulous look.
“You live here?”
“Yup.”
“But-but, it’s suburbia,” Seth sputtered.
“Yup. White picket fence and all,” Adam agreed, unable to hide his grin as he led them to the front door.
Anastasia having seen his home before—as well as his bedroom—didn’t gawk as she ushered Avion inside, but Seth couldn’t help examining the mundane life he’d created for himself.
“Dude, this place is”—the spy model turned in a three-sixty, taking in the living room with its matching black leather recliners, chrome glass table covered in remotes, magazines, and even a classic empty pizza box, and finally stopped turning, eyes riveted on the huge plasma screen bolted the wall—“awesome!”
Pride made him puff his chest, an odd mannerism he’d fallen into the habit of. Adam could claim it was acting. However, in truth, the human ego he’d cultivated came to him much too naturally. “Thanks.”
“Is that an Xbox One and a PS4?” Seth asked in almost reverent awe as he snagged a remote.
“Yup. I’ve got the latest Call of Duty, too, if you’re into shooter type games.”
“Am I ever.”
“Um, boys, I hate to break this super bonding, bromance moment, but don’t we have more important things than video games to discuss?”
He and Seth shared a look that said it all. Women! Never letting them have any fun.
“You guys must be tired after your flight,” Adam said aloud for the benefit of any possible bugs he might have missed, which, after their conversation in the car, now posed a worry. “Let me show you to the guest rooms.”
In short order, Adam had them supposedly abed, their sleeping units modified like his in that they did a body flip and sent the occupants careening down the chute, leaving behind an inflated lump under the sheets meant to represent them. It wouldn’t fool any but the most cursory looks, but it was better than nothing.
Conducting one final check that didn’t raise any mental red flags, Adam arrived last, popping out the bottom of the slide and landing on his feet. It was only as he saw Seth hauling Avion from his sprawl on the floor that he belatedly thought of the broken cyborg’s status. “Shit. I didn’t even think to warn you about the ride.”
The blinded cyborg managed a rueful smile. “Not your fault. Even I’m having trouble remembering this body doesn’t work the way it used to. No harm done.”
No harm, but given his fragile state, it could have hurt. Adam would have to keep that in mind.
Moving from the arrival chamber, they entered Rosalind’s domain, where screens flickered, flashing data and images too fast for the human eye but just right for cyborg ones.
Nothing jumped out.
“I see you found our guests.” Rosalind ignored her computer keyboard and swiveled in her seat to greet them. Only to find herself crushed in a hug as Anastasia smothered her.
“So nice to see you again,” Anastasia enthused.
“Apparently. Good thing I don’t need to breathe,” Rosalind managed to say once she extricated herself.
Seth frowned at his wife. “You knew Adam had another female unit? Why didn’t you tell me? You know Joe and the others have been looking for them.”
Shrugging, Anastasia moved aside and leaned against a console. “Completely slipped my
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