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had been designed with only the faintest hint of features. How many people are employed by this project? Bryce asked. May I bring you a beverage, Bryce? The bot s question caught her by surprise. How does she know my name? All the systems on this level are integrated. Slade stirred cream into his coffee as he went on. I entered your profile into the central computer, so all the terminals should accept your voice commands, and the service bots should Service you, Iram finished with a wink. She looked at the domestic bot. Ice water would be fine. 62 Toymaker I ll return momentarily. The bot turned, displaying her clearly defined ass, and Bryce laughed. Gender is optional on that model. Iram nodded toward the retreating bot. We can convert one of the others to male if you d like. I suspect I m grossly outnumbered as it is. The men uncovered their trays, so Bryce followed suit. She didn t recognize the entrée, but it smelled wonderful. The terminal in my room asked for an access code. Standard security protocol, Slade explained. Your access code is Bryce . I hope I can remember. She paused for a nibble of the food. The savory taste rolled across her tongue, and she took a bigger bite. Back to my original question how many humanoids are employed by the project? Matthias, Iram and I are the only people you ll have contact with outside the lab. I won t be allowed to interact with the other test subjects? Not initially. She accepted his statement with a silent nod. Fuck on demand without thought or emotion. Would she ever escape that scenario? * * * * * With her hair still damp from the cleansing mist, Bryce slipped into a fresh robe the following morning. Oversight, my ass. Slade had no intention of giving her a uniform. Why bother when she d be naked once the tests began? Their dinner the night before left her feeling vulnerable. In the harem, she d known what to expect. She was treated like a sexual object, which allowed her to suppress all but the most elemental emotions. For a few short hours, she d forgotten why she was there. She d enjoyed their food and participated in their lively conversation. Iram had demonstrated the three- dimensional game he and Slade had been playing when she arrived. Her awkward attempts to control the holographic pieces had had them all laughing within minutes. 63 Aubrey Ross Slade had escorted her to her room, and she d slept peacefully for the first time in months. Then this morning her terminal had chimed and instructed her to report to the lab in one hour. A stack of identical knee-length robes had been put in her utility room during the night. No underwear and nothing for her feet, just the simple, collarless robes. To hell with it. She d known what she was in for when she interviewed for the position. She d just be more careful not to let her guard down. After combing out her damp hair and airbrushing her teeth, she went to the lab. Slade greeted her with a smile and proffered a steaming cup of coffee. Let s take a few minutes and go over the agenda for today. All right. She accepted the cup and followed him to the small table in the back corner of the lab. Do you take anything in that? She hesitated. Was there some sexual significance to how she drank her coffee? The tests haven t started. Iram tends to make the coffee really strong. Smiling at her paranoia, she took a sip. Oh boy, definitely strong. I think I ll need cream and sugar. Have a seat. I ll be right back. He exited through a different door than Bryce had used. The office, lounge and lab all had doors leading to the control center. A main corridor divided the larger rooms from the small, private quarters and storage areas. She d love to see a diagram of the level. It would help her understand the unusual layout. He returned a few minutes later with cream and sugar. Fascinated by his unconscious grace, she watched him cross the room. As she made her coffee palatable, his gaze focused on her throat. Has anyone tried to remove that choker? 64 Toymaker The release mechanism is fingerprint activated. I m stuck with it. She shrugged with feigned indifference. If he tried to remove the collar, the explosive would detonate. It was too soon to confide in him, so she tried to shift his focus. Are you worried about electronic implants or something? He shook his head. Your scan was clean. When did you scan me? When you walked through the door. His lips parted in a lazy smile, and her heart constricted, responding to the bittersweet temptation of his charm. Ignoring the unfamiliar pang in her chest, she asked, What s on the agenda for today? [ Pobierz caÅ‚ość w formacie PDF ] |