have one hour to cleanse and rest before dinner. Then we will discuss why escape would be unadvisable, and what the future holds for both of us.”
Our future was a snap to predict. I would be leaving. He would be in traction.
As soon as the door panel closed, I tried to reopen it, but he’d locked me in. Then I started searching for anything I could use as a weapon. All my medical and sports gear had been removed. Anything made of alloy or plas had also been confiscated. I sat down on my old sleeping platform, and thought for a minute.
The treasure trove.
Joseph didn’t know what a sneaky kid I’d been. There were always little things I’d picked up that he’d demanded I dispose of—pretty rocks, feathers—the usual kid junk. I’d pretended to throw them away, then had secretly squirreled away my treasures. Even Maggie hadn’t known about my stashed collection.
Before I went after it, I’d have to find all the recording drones he had planted in here and disable them. That would take some time—probably more than an hour.
So I’d cleanse, dress for dinner, and wait until later.
Unlike the replicated room on the Truman , Joe had provided me with a brand-new selection of garments. Very attractive, feminine outfits with plenty of sparkle and matching accessories. He must have forgotten how uncomfortable I was in that kind of thing. Luckily I found one of my old physician’s tunics in the back of the storage unit, and put that on, making sure the Lok-Teel was still secure in its hiding place.
The door panel opened precisely an hour after Joe locked me in, and one of the drone staff hovered outside in the hall, evidently waiting to escort me.
“Any chance I can reprogram you to get me out of here?” I asked it as I walked out.
“All input by Dr. Cherijo must have Dr. Joseph’s approval before the unit may comply with any directives.”
“That’s a shame.”
Joseph stood waiting for me in the main dining room. Dining hall, I reminded myself. My creator liked formality almost as much as he liked experimenting on helpless children.
He frowned at me as I entered the cavernous room. “Good evening.”
“You’re still breathing. What’s good about it?” I was starving, but wary of the food the drones had laid out for us. “Where’s Jenner?”
“Safe, for now. Please”—he swept a hand toward my old place at the table, just to the right of his chair—“sit down. You must be hungry.”
I sat. “I’d like to have a scanner, please.”
He took his place beside me. “You’re not feeling well?”
“No. I want to check this food for drugs before I put it in my mouth.”
Amicably he reached over, took my plate, and ate some of the fancy seafood from it. Then he handed it back to me. “You may observe me as long as you wish, but I assure you, the food has not been drugged.”
Instead of eating, I handed him my crystal flute. “Try the champagne while you’re at it.”
He didn’t take a sip of that, but called for a drone and had it removed. I sat and smirked until he gave me an irritable glance.
“You are only delaying the inevitable.”
“The inevitable what? Lab rat tests?” I picked up my fork and toyed with my shrimp. It wasn’t spiked, but he’d touched it. “Why the drugs?”
“You indicated you’d try to escape. A mild tranquilizer would inhibit such impulsive behavior, and make what lies ahead less stressful for you.”
He really wouldn’t try to sedate me without a good reason, and his idea of stress would make someone else have a nervous breakdown. “What lies ahead?”
“Revelations.” He ordered a carafe of plain water from the attending drone and gestured toward my plate. “Please eat your meal now. We will discuss my plans for your future after dinner.”
I accepted the water after I saw him drink some from the same container, but I didn’t eat. How could I? I was sitting next to a monster, the man directly responsible for nearly every miserable moment
Our future was a snap to predict. I would be leaving. He would be in traction.
As soon as the door panel closed, I tried to reopen it, but he’d locked me in. Then I started searching for anything I could use as a weapon. All my medical and sports gear had been removed. Anything made of alloy or plas had also been confiscated. I sat down on my old sleeping platform, and thought for a minute.
The treasure trove.
Joseph didn’t know what a sneaky kid I’d been. There were always little things I’d picked up that he’d demanded I dispose of—pretty rocks, feathers—the usual kid junk. I’d pretended to throw them away, then had secretly squirreled away my treasures. Even Maggie hadn’t known about my stashed collection.
Before I went after it, I’d have to find all the recording drones he had planted in here and disable them. That would take some time—probably more than an hour.
So I’d cleanse, dress for dinner, and wait until later.
Unlike the replicated room on the Truman , Joe had provided me with a brand-new selection of garments. Very attractive, feminine outfits with plenty of sparkle and matching accessories. He must have forgotten how uncomfortable I was in that kind of thing. Luckily I found one of my old physician’s tunics in the back of the storage unit, and put that on, making sure the Lok-Teel was still secure in its hiding place.
The door panel opened precisely an hour after Joe locked me in, and one of the drone staff hovered outside in the hall, evidently waiting to escort me.
“Any chance I can reprogram you to get me out of here?” I asked it as I walked out.
“All input by Dr. Cherijo must have Dr. Joseph’s approval before the unit may comply with any directives.”
“That’s a shame.”
Joseph stood waiting for me in the main dining room. Dining hall, I reminded myself. My creator liked formality almost as much as he liked experimenting on helpless children.
He frowned at me as I entered the cavernous room. “Good evening.”
“You’re still breathing. What’s good about it?” I was starving, but wary of the food the drones had laid out for us. “Where’s Jenner?”
“Safe, for now. Please”—he swept a hand toward my old place at the table, just to the right of his chair—“sit down. You must be hungry.”
I sat. “I’d like to have a scanner, please.”
He took his place beside me. “You’re not feeling well?”
“No. I want to check this food for drugs before I put it in my mouth.”
Amicably he reached over, took my plate, and ate some of the fancy seafood from it. Then he handed it back to me. “You may observe me as long as you wish, but I assure you, the food has not been drugged.”
Instead of eating, I handed him my crystal flute. “Try the champagne while you’re at it.”
He didn’t take a sip of that, but called for a drone and had it removed. I sat and smirked until he gave me an irritable glance.
“You are only delaying the inevitable.”
“The inevitable what? Lab rat tests?” I picked up my fork and toyed with my shrimp. It wasn’t spiked, but he’d touched it. “Why the drugs?”
“You indicated you’d try to escape. A mild tranquilizer would inhibit such impulsive behavior, and make what lies ahead less stressful for you.”
He really wouldn’t try to sedate me without a good reason, and his idea of stress would make someone else have a nervous breakdown. “What lies ahead?”
“Revelations.” He ordered a carafe of plain water from the attending drone and gestured toward my plate. “Please eat your meal now. We will discuss my plans for your future after dinner.”
I accepted the water after I saw him drink some from the same container, but I didn’t eat. How could I? I was sitting next to a monster, the man directly responsible for nearly every miserable moment
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