Chapter 2: It Breathes
A little over a week later, after receiving Milo's call, Kenneth parks his car behind Milo's shop and plugs it in to charge. All vehicles now run on rechargeable lithium batteries.
"Hey, Milo. How'd it go? Where is it," ask Kenneth rubbing his hands together anxious to play with his favorite toy.
"Awesome," Milo responds pleased. "She's upstairs in one of the spare bedrooms. But check this out."
Milo leads Kenneth into a small room and continues, "This is the incubator. After I stripped Molly of all its synthetic skin and hair etc. down to the basic infrastructure. I put it in here, popped out the eyes and shut it up tight. It filled with an oxygenated nutrient rich solution. You put the DNA sample in here…"
"DNA," questions Kenneth. "It uses someone's DNA. So, what? It's like a clone or something? That picture wasn't a computer-generated image. That was someone who's living someplace?"
"I haven't gone over all the details yet," admits Milo. "But she's not considered a clone, because the DNA isn't an identical copy of the donor. Any defects like bad eyes or allergies were corrected. Plus, she wasn't grown in nor born of a real or synthetic womb. And the donors for this process are all deceased. That was a picture of the donor, but she's not alive somewhere. She's been dead for years. And there can only be one active Counterpart. Meaning you have the only one like this. No other guy anyplace has yours. This particular Counterpart can't be issued again until it has been inactive for at least fifty years."
"Fifty years," repeats Kenneth in amused disbelief.
Milo shrugs, "It was something watching the process take place. It grew internal organs first, then muscles and stuff. And after about forty-eight hours, she was covered in skin. Then it stimulated and accelerated hair growth. Aged her a bit. Gave her some scars. Nobody makes it to adulthood without accumulating a few scars. It pierced her ears and nose. But I got to put in her earrings and nose screw and dress her.
She's got really great breasts. Epi caught me feeling them and smacked the crap out of me.
Here's the part you're not going to like about her body. It gave her stretch marks."
"Stretch marks," Kenneth wrinkling his nose displeased.
Milo stretches out his hands, "It's part of her story programming. So, you have to know the story." He hands Kenneth a suite case and picks up a matching duffle bag. "We need to put these in your car. They're hers."
As he and Milo walk out to the car and put the luggage in the trunk, Kenneth asks, "So, what's the story?"
"Her name is Wisdom Night Skye," Milo informs him.
"I don't get to pick her name," asks Kenneth disappointed.
"Nope," confirms Milo. "It's preprogrammed. The story is: she's your fiancée, you two were having a baby, hence the stretch marks. Complications arose during labor and delivery. The baby was stillborn. She nearly died too because a nurse accidentally over dosed her with pain meds. The trauma of it all has left her with amnesia, but not total amnesia. She remembers you and her own name. Doctors say she may have some memory flashes. Those will actually come from her original memory bank. But the doctors told her she may never fully recover her memory and not to expect to.
Did you get rid of any and all pictures you have of Molly like I told you?"
Kenneth nods, "Yeah."
"Good," Milo standing at the bottom of the stairs that lead up to his flat over their business. "Here put these pictures in your wallet. There computer-generated of course."
Kenneth puts the pictures of him with Wisdom in his wallet, "There aren't any pictures of us together around my house."
"Your parents are taking care of that," Milo informs him.
"My parents," Kenneth surprised, but not necessarily pleased.
"You don't hear me talking about how much this upgrade cost do you?" Milo answers his own question, "That's because your parents already paid for it. Bought and gave me the equipment to perform the upgrade. They actually supplied everything to me a couple of years ago. Said next time you came in with Molly to offer it to you.
Don't look so suspicious. It's a present. They know they've strained your relationship by hounding you to get rid of your favorite toy and get a real woman. They're sorry, man."
Milo enters his flat followed by Kenneth, and stops with his hand on a bedroom doorknob, "The rest of the story is: you're on your way home from the hospital and you stopped by here because we're going out to dinner. We're just waiting for Epi to get home from class. She was on her way to the bathroom when she fainted. Got it?"
"Sure," says Kenneth. "Can I see it now?"
"Yeah," Milo opens the door.
Kenneth steps into the bedroom behind Milo. It's lying on the bed. Its eyes are closed. Its dark wavy hair is long. It's dressed in jeans, gym shoes, a button up blouse and a jean jacket. There's a purse on the nightstand. Kenneth sits next to it on the edge of the bed and notices the rise and fall of its chest as Milo sits on the other side.
"Is it breathing," ask Kenneth.
"Yeah," answers Milo. "She has a heart and a heart beat. She's going to eat, drink, go to the bathroom and even pass gas."
Milo gently touches her cheek, "This is real skin, real flesh. It needs everything our own bodies need. If she's cut, she'll bleed. When it heals, there will be a scar.
She's been programmed to love you, but she'll possess all human emotions.
There's robotic strength under there. So she's been programmed to protect and value human life as well as protect herself and you."
Kenneth touches its hair. It's soft and real, not synthetic. He touches its cheek. It's real living skin, soft and warm, "What do I do?"
"To activate her," answers Milo, "Put this ring on her left hand ring finger. Tell her who you are. Ask her to wake up. Remember to seem concerned because she fainted. She's your fiancée so remember to throw in a term of endearment like honey or something. And you have to use her first name. She'll answer to Wisdom or Wise."
Kenneth takes the engagement ring from Milo and slides it into place, "Wisdom… It's Kenny. Sweetheart, do you hear me? Wise, wake up."
Wisdom's eyes flutter open. Her pupils contract in response to the light in the room. Kenneth notices the contraction. It has real eyes, real lovely brown eyes.
It pushes its fingers through his hair and smiles warmly, "Kenny…" the voice isn't synthesized. It's made by real vocal cord. "Kenny. What happened?"
"You fainted," he answers.
"Fainted," it questions.
"Flat out," confirms Milo.
Wisdom looks at Milo, "…Milo, Kenny's best friend. We're at Milo's, right? We're supposed to go dinner, right?"
"That's right," confirms Kenneth.
"Yeah," adds Milo, "We're just waiting for Epi to come home."
Wisdom sits up and takes a deep breath and looks around.
"How do you feel," ask Kenneth.
"Silly," answers Wisdom. "I can't believe I fainted."
"You just got out of the hospital," Milo tells Wisdom, "There's nothing for you to feel silly about. We're just glad you're okay. Do you need anything?"
"I could use a drink of water," answers Wisdom.
"Well, lets head to the kitchen and get you a glass of water," says Milo.
Kenneth stands and steps back. He watches it grab the purse as it gets to its feet. It looks unsure of itself so he takes its hand and they follow Milo to the kitchen.
In the kitchen, Milo hands wisdom a cold glass of water. He's pleased with the results of the upgrade. And even more pleased with his best friend's reaction. Kenneth can barely take his eyes off of her. And they both watch her drink down the glass of water.
"How's that," ask Milo.
"Better," answers Wisdom. "May I have another?"
"Sure," Milo taking the glass and refilling it.
Kenneth sits and pulls it onto his lap.
"Thank you," Wisdom accepts back the glass of water and takes a sip. Then sits the glass on the table.
"Come here," Kenneth tipping its chin up slightly. He tastes its full well shaped lips. They're just as soft and yielding as they look. He never kissed Molly. The synthetic lips wouldn't have been soft and yielding. Molly's mouth was only good for one thing. And Molly's mouth wouldn't have responded to a kiss unless it was told to. Wisdom responds naturally.
Kenneth cups its breast. Wisdom stops his hand with her own soft petite hand and says embarrassed, "Kenny. Milo's right there."
Kenneth smiles amused and sexy, "Milo doesn't mind. Do you, Milo."
"Nope," answers Milo smiling. "Sometimes I like to watch."
Wisdom gives Milo an irritate look as she tells both men, "Well, I mind."
Kenneth is further amused. The damn thing is modest.
"Besides," Wisdom looks Kenneth in the eyes, "I know I've been in the hospital a month and you've missed me. But the doctor said we're supposed to wait six weeks. You've already waited a month. A couple more weeks won't kill you."
"Okay," says Kenneth amused, "I'll be a good boy," for now, he thinks to himself.
Epi walks in, "Sorry to keep all of you waiting." She knows her part in all of this. Milo informed her thoroughly. She's to be its friend. "Wise, you look wonderful for a woman who just got out of the hospital. Come. Give me a hug."
Wise gives Epi a hug. Kenneth watches curiously as it closes its eyes in obvious appreciation of the hug.
"You must be starving," Epi tells Wise, "Hospital food is the worst."
"I can eat," shares Wise. "I won't miss the hospital food."
"Well, lets go," says Epi. "Milo and I will take my car. You guys just follow us in yours."
About thirty minutes later, they're all sitting down together in the only Asian cuisine restaurant in town.
"You know," Wise tells Epi, "You got home just in time to save me from these two pervs."
"How's that," ask Epi.
"This one was trying to molest me in your kitchen. And that one was going to watch," answers Wise.
Epi laughs, "Yep, those are our men, perverted and perverteder."
"Hey," says Milo, "I'm a provert. I am completely pro-perversion."
Kenneth participates in the conversation as needed. Mostly, he just watches and listens fascinated. Wisdom seems to enjoy her soup and salad.
"So, what all did the doctors say," ask Epi.
"Physically, I'm fine," answers Wise. "I've made a full recovery physically. But I've got amnesia. 'A little amnesia,' the man said. I don't know how amnesia's supposed to work. Everything's not missing. I know who I am. I know who this man is, that he's my fiancée and I love him. But there are huge chunks missing like my childhood. There are some little bits too. Like for the life of me, I can't remember what I had for lunch before we left the hospital today. But they said not to worry about it. It could all come rushing back to me all at once, or in little flashes, or it may never come back at all. Just poof, lost. Yet I'm grateful for what I do remember. At least I know my own name.
By the way, thanks for the flowers you sent. They were lovely."
"It was nothing," Epi waving it away knowing it's a false memory.
"We're just glad you're okay," adds Milo. "Glad you liked them."
"And Kenny's parents were awesome," Wise continues, "They came nearly every day to see me. Still miss my own parents though. But I'm so grateful for Kenny's"
A tear wells up and out of one of Wise's eyes. Awe struck, Kenny smooths it from her cheek with his thumb.
"I'm sorry," Wise apologizes. "Where's the little girl's room in this place?"
"I'll show you," Epi volunteers. She takes Wise's hand, and Kenneth can see her consoling Wise as they walk to the restroom.
"It thinks it has parents," says Kenny.
"Had, past tense," clarifies Milo. "They died in a shuttle crash years ago. Sorry, I forgot to tell you that. Donna and Oscar, but you weren't close to them. They didn't think you were good enough for her."
"But I see my parents conveniently had a close loving relationship with it written into its program," Kenny irritated.
Milo shrugs, "I like her. She's got a cool sense of humor."
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