Chapter 23
Alex found Nathan in the garage that evening after she got home from work.
She had been worried when he had not greeted her like he normally did, and when she saw him sitting on the floor, staring at his suit, she knew something was wrong.
He said he’d talk to her about what had been bothering him yesterday.
She hoped he would open up like he said he would.
“Hey,” she said softly as she approached him.
“Hey,” he replied, not looking up.
She realized he had to have known she was there; he was sulking.
“How was work?” he asked.
“Okay. How was your day? Did you catch up on sleep?”
“Yeah. I feel better.”
“You don’t look better,” she told him. “You look like someone kicked your puppy.”
He laughed sharply and said, “I never had a puppy. Parents wouldn’t let me get a dog. Said I was too irresponsible. Always wanted one, though.”
“I’m sorry,” Alex said and walked toward him. She knelt and sat next to him on the floor. “What’s wrong? Is it that thing that was bothering you last night?”
Nathan nodded. “Yeah.”
“Do you want to talk about it?” she asked cautiously.
“I’m going to have to. It’s…important. Like really fucking important.”
“Okay,” she said, not knowing what else to say.
With the way he was acting, it felt like the world was going to end, and after a half-hour of him explaining what had happened, maybe it had?
? ? ?
Alex stared at Nathan’s suit incredulously. It was hard to believe there was an AGI in there. The situation felt bizarre.
“I never saw anything in the suit’s schematics about this,” she told Nathan. “Either this was added later, or he kept it so secret that it wasn’t in the designs.”
Nathan nodded and said, “I talked to Sally, and she said the AI I was initially working with is the original. The processor and storage were modified on the first fifty-nine suits to be able to hold the new AGI. The rest of the suits are the same as Bryant’s originals, with a few tweaks here and there.
Since the same programming was added to mine, they would have all looked the same. ”
“Which is why Kat was able to use her backdoor on yours to control the others. It was the same crappy design Cypherus used and never patched.”
“Yeah, they should have looked into that,” Nathan said, a smile finally forming on his face.
He had looked depressed the whole time he had talked to her about the AGI—Sally, as it wanted to be called. She knew he blamed himself for creating this mess, but he had discovered something revolutionary.
“I have a feeling they had a timeline and a budget. Losing fifty-eight suits and soldiers would put the pressure to produce something.”
“Yeah,” she agreed, reaching for his hand. “This is not a bad thing, Nathan. You’ve discovered something wonderful. Don’t beat yourself up.”
“Sure, until Sally decides the human race needs to be enslaved.”
Another smile reached his lips, and she elbowed him.
“Ow.”
“That did not hurt.” Alex grinned and said, “So, when do I get to meet it…her?”
“Now, if you want. She wants to meet you. Badly.”
Alex tensed. Why would an AGI want to meet her? That sounded odd.
“Why would she—”
“Sally’s a true AGI; she’s developed a personality, one based on my own. I…care for you, therefore, so does she.”
Alex’s heart warmed. She had known this deep down, but for some reason, hearing it out loud made all the difference.
“I care for you, too,” she said quietly.
Nathan stared at her and cupped her cheek.
He pulled her in for the softest of kisses.
She didn’t want it to stop. She had been thinking about him all day.
All she wanted was for him to touch her, anywhere, everywhere.
Maybe even inside of her. The thought didn’t scare her.
In fact, it made her giddy with excitement.
When he pulled away, he promised, “We will pick this up later.” She swallowed and nodded. “First, I need you to meet Sally.”
He walked over to the suit and plugged a cable into the back. She followed the cable to a familiar object sitting on the floor.
“Is that the sound bar from my living room?” she asked.
“Yeah. Sorry. I can’t plug her into a computer anymore. I don’t know what would happen with her new…personality. I don’t want her to escape.”
“I find that insulting, Nathan,” a woman’s voice came from the soundbar.
Alex startled and gaped at the suit. “I wouldn’t be able to escape—as you put it—unless I had adequate storage and processing capacity.
I would, however, love to go through your internet.
I want to update my database. It’s been a long time since I’ve had access to that information. ”
“I’m pretty sure getting on the internet will turn you into a racist, misogynistic asshole with a penchant for porn,” Nathan said dryly.
“My personality is only molded by you, Nathan. So, unless you become one of those types, I would indeed not.”
“You know I wouldn’t,” he replied sharply.
“Not even the porn, Nathan?” she asked in the sweetest of voices.
“Shut up!” he said, turning red.
Alex said there, astounded. He had said Sally was interesting. This was not what she had expected.
“Is she always like this?” Alex whispered.
“Pretty much.”
“You enjoyed bantering with your teammates,” Sally replied. “So, I banter with you.”
Nathan put his head in his hands and growled in frustration. He looked up at Alex and said, “Do you see what I have to deal with?”
Alex couldn’t help but smile as she said, “Your suit is a bit of a spitfire.”
“Thank you, Alex,” Sally said. Alex flinched.
For whatever reason, she hadn’t been expecting the AGI to talk directly to her. That was a silly notion. The thing was a fully formed being. But it was still weird.
“Uh, yeah. Hi. I’m Alex, by the way,” she said awkwardly.
“Yes, I know. I am Sally, but you knew that as well.”
“Yes.”
“She’s beautiful, Nathan,” Sally said, and Alex’s face heated.
How would an AI know what was attractive?
“Yes, she is,” Nathan agreed. “The most gorgeous woman in the world.”
Alex’s whole body was getting hot. Nathan compliments were the best compliments.
“I am now biased and agree she is the most beautiful woman in the world since that is what you think,” Sally said. “But on an analytical note, her face is ninety-two percent symmetrical, and symmetry is a factor in attractiveness.”
Alex froze. Ninety-two percent? She heard anything above ninety percent was rare.
“I guess you can’t argue science,” Nathan said, chuckling.
“I will,” Alex said. “Sometimes it’s our differences that make humans attractive. It makes us unique. It’s our flaws that make us interesting.”
Nathan pulled her into a hug and said, “You may be beautiful on the outside, but you’re even more beautiful on the inside.”
Alex beamed.
“I will add that to my database, Alex,” Sally said. “Not only does Nathan have a good moral code, but he has picked a mate with the same heart.”
“You flatter me,” Alex said, giggling.
“Stop trying to suck up to my woman,” Nathan grumbled.
“I’m your woman?” Alex asked.
“Yeah.”
“Is that what we’re calling this?”
“I don’t know what to call it,” Nathan admitted, hanging his head. “You know what we’re dealing with.”
Alex swallowed a lump in her throat.
“I know,” she said softly.
“This appears to be a private moment, so I will remove myself from the conversation,” Sally told them.
“Just so you know, she’s still listening,” Nathan said to Alex. “Nothing is private around Sally.”
“Good to know,” Alex said.
“So…do you want to take this to the house?” Nathan asked.
Her heart began to beat faster. She wanted to end up back in the bedroom with him. She had been aroused all day.
“Yes, please,” she said.
After Nathan secured the garage, they walked silently over to the house.
Once they got to the kitchen, Alex began wiping off counters that didn’t need cleaning.
She was nervous. She shouldn’t be, but the last time they spent together, he’d eaten her out.
Would they do that again? Would they do more? She wanted more.
“So…” she said, trailing off.
She had no idea what to say to him. Maybe they should have dinner? It was getting late after all the time they spent discussing Sally.
“So…” Nathan repeated.
“Should we eat? I can make something, or we can order in?” she offered.
“Sure.”
He stared at her intensely, and her breath caught in her throat. He was so handsome, and she wanted nothing more than to be in his arms.
“What would you like?” she asked, swallowing hard.
He walked slowly to where she was leaning. They were slow, methodical steps, and the closer he got, the harder her heart beat.
“Nathan?” she asked, but before she could say anything else, she was in his arms, his lips on hers.
She moaned as his hand came up to cup her face, and he pulled her closer until she was flush against him. She could feel the hardness of his body and the growing erection against her belly. It didn’t scare her, though. It made her core ache with need. She wanted this.
Their kiss deepened, tongues clashing. She felt as if their souls were melting together. This kiss was everything, and it told her not only how much he wanted her but how much he cared for her. She felt giddy as her emotions climbed with each stroke of his tongue.
When he pulled away, she cried out at the loss of contact.
“You okay?” he panted, concern crossing his face.
“Why did you stop?” she asked.
“I wanted to make sure you were okay. But I’m guessing you’re good.”
“Please, Nathan,” she begged. “I want more.”
“More?” he asked cautiously.
She nodded.
“More as in like last night or more as in…more than that?”
“Everything.”
He stared at her, his expression blank. She wasn’t sure what to think.
Did he not want her? Did he not want to go that far?
She knew he was making sure he got her consent, but it was embarrassing to ask for specifics.
She had never actually done this with anyone willingly. It was a whole new experience.