Jim’s brow wrinkled as he answered the persistent ringing in his pocket. It was Frank Wright.
“Hello, this is Jim.”
“Hi Jim, it’s Frank. I want to check with you to see how Gabriella is getting along. The weekly reports tell me about almost everything, but sometimes a report is no substitute for talking live.”
“She’s doing much better than projected,” Jim said. “We thought there would be some slip-ups along the way, and we would have to rewrite some of her basic programming subroutines, but over the last few months she has been self-learning much faster than anyone expected.”
“That’s great. It leads perfectly into the next request.”
“What are you up to now, Frank?” Viking ships once again loomed on the horizon.
“Don’t be like that. We need to talk face-to-face for the rest of this conversation and work out the details, but we would like to see if Gabriella can maintain herself in her own apartment.”
Jim grabbed the corner of his desk for support as a spasm of wooziness swept over him. This test isn’t scheduled for another five months.
“Okay, you caught me off guard this time. We have to meet and discuss all these details. To let you know in advance, I’m very concerned you didn’t bring me into the loop before you moved the schedule up. This seems very much like a hipshot to me, and I’m not very pleased at all. Who is this entity screwing with things? Is it our Board of Directors, or someone or something else? Strings are being pulled, and I need to have some answers.”
“I see your concern. This was a bit of a surprise to me, too, but we can’t avoid some things in real life. According to your test results, it looks as if Gabriella should have no problems living in an apartment and traveling back and forth to work as any other human woman would.”
“It’s impractical. She can’t just stroll down the street and get an apartment of her own. There’s a lot of paperwork to do before someone can get a decent place in New York. I suppose AI Concepts can rent an apartment for her, but I still don’t like it.”
“It’s all taken care of. Gabriella now has a full background, a complete family, school and college history, and quite an impressive resume to boot. She has a Social Security number and United States passport. This is a real live test. Her full name is now Gabriella West, and she is an employee on the AI Concepts payroll. She has her own money, bank account, and will function like any other woman in society. Prep her for it, please. What say you we meet Wednesday for lunch at Sam’s on Fifty-Sixth Street? How about one-thirty?”
Jim’s stomach knotted. “How did you get all that accomplished? It sounds like a Federal Witness Protection Program or something. Who are we really working for?”
Frank replied, “Great, see you for lunch,” and the phone went silent.
Jim knew attempting to change the course of the ship at this point would be fruitless. “Whoever is calling the shots has a lot more horsepower than even Frank. I hope the other somebody knows what they’re doing,” he muttered with dread. “I just hope they know what they’re doing.”
Jim sighed as the engineering part of his mind laid out the tasks required to make this work in what he used to believe was the practical side of the world. “Time for another all-project meeting to update the troops and to explain to key people why we will go back on twelve-hour workdays.”
The accelerated life-applications training was completed in two weeks, including street practice using everyday New York City rituals and phrases centered on cash and credit purchases.
“Is that the BEST you can do on the price?”
“How much? Is that in dollars or pesos?”
And the universal,
“Let me think about it and check around.”
Gabriella was excited to move into the exquisitely furnished forty-third floor, 975 square foot apartment at 200 East 69thStreet. The apartment overlooked Central Park. Floor-to-ceiling windows maximized the city view. Light cream paint on the walls gave the appearance the apartment was even more spacious. Jim, Martha, and Frank accompanied her.
The kitchen was fitted with brushed stainless steel and chrome appliances accented with tasteful black trim on the operating panels. The counter area over the sink provided a low, open division between the living and dining areas. A small balcony offered the occupant a view of Central Park while having breakfast at the table nestled next to the flower boxes on the deck. Gleaming white iron railings guarded the perimeter of the balcony.
Gabriella took in the whole space in one quick glance and commented it was beautiful, adding she was excited to live there. “But Frank, why did they want me to move into an apartment?”
“Why do you ask?”
“You know you shouldn’t answer a question with a question unless you are hiding something. You’re not hiding anything from me, are you Frank?” Gabriella asked, exaggerating the flirt in her voice.
“We selected it for entertainment and social experiments.”
“Hmm, I see. What do you think of it, Martha?”
“It’s a beautiful place, Gabriella. In fact, I’m a little jealous.”
Martha looked at Jim. “Jim, we discussed social experiments, but nothing about entertainment in an apartment. What do you have in mind?”
Martha’s gaze switched back and forth between Gabriella and Jim.
“We can chat about it back at the lab, Martha. Let’s look over the apartment for now,” Frank answered.
Gabriella moved deliberately through the apartment, looking like royalty in her form-fitting white knit dress and golden hair.
She walked fluidly from the dining room table to the overstuffed upholstered chairs in the living room. Gabriella smiled. She brushed her fingertips over each item as she passed by them, enjoying their texture.
She touched the white couch, hesitated for a moment, and sat down. Gabriella leaned to her right, put her elbow on the soft arm of the sofa, and kicked off her shoes. She curled her long legs onto the cushions. The smoothness of her motion enhanced the sensuality everyone already felt.
Jim’s face flushed. Martha’s breathing rate increased slightly. Frank watched the performance.
They all stood there in silence for a few moments, immersed in their personal thoughts. Gabriella analyzed their reactions to her purposeful pose.
Jim felt himself being drawn too deeply into Gabriela’s web as she sat there.
I need to rein myself in and put boundaries on whatever this thing is that’s happening inside me. It may only be a feeling of deep infatuation, but on the other end of the scale, it could be… well, never mind… crazy thinking. It could never be.
Martha rubbed her hands together and cleared her throat. “Well then, shall we look at the rest of the apartment?”
The interruption relieved Jim.
Gabriella enjoyed the show. She smiled seductively at everyone and answered, “Yes, Martha. Let’s look at the rest of the place. I love it so far, don’t you?”
The bathroom was small and served both bedrooms, but it was luxurious with its marble countertops and imported Italian tiles on the wall and floor. Two sink basins sat below upscale gooseneck faucets. A counter-to-ceiling mirrored wall made the bathroom seem twice as large as it was, but it was the shower that caught everyone’s attention. The bath filled the entire wall opposite the mirror. A misting showerhead at either end spoke of showering with a friend. It was deep enough not to require doors or a curtain. A lipless floor sloped almost imperceptibly toward the drain. A person would have an uninterrupted view of themselves in the wall mirror.
The marble bench built into the back of the shower was perfect for seated washing. It was large enough for two people. Jim’s imagination galloped away with him with its fantasies of Gabriella and him on the bench, steaming water pouring over their bodies.
It was Frank’s turn to shake his head and break the spell. “Okay, guys, let’s look at the rest of the place then.” He turned and walked out of the bathroom.
The guest bedroom was tasteful but simple. The full-size bed sat centered along the length of the walls. A window provided a breathtaking view of the New York skyline. A white stuffed chair and a reading lamp balanced the window. Paintings of city scenes decorated the wall alongside the framed full-length mirror. It was a comfortable bedroom for an overnight guest.
The master bedroom contained a plush, king-size poster bed with a high headboard and hand-carved posts. The solid cherry spoke of polished luxury. Light chocolate brown walls provided a cozy, warm feel to the room. The dust ruffle around the base of the bed was lacy, feminine, and added to the atmosphere. They designed the room to heighten the senses and put romance at the top of the list for any occupant.
Gabriella sat on the edge of the bed and caressed the white comforter with a slow, sweeping motion of her hand. She patted the bed next to her twice, smiling ever so slightly at Jim and said, almost to herself, “Yes, this will do nicely.”
None of the purposefulness of her touch nor her choice of words was lost on either Jim or Martha. Their eyes sparkled, and the palms of their hands moistened.
Frank quietly looked on with great interest.