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Schneider shook his head. “Come in the living area and you’ll see. Just be sure to keep the tazer handy in case he wakes up.”
Leita felt chills march down her spine. She shivered but followed her friend through the hallway to the living area where she and Pierce had spent so many evenings curled up on the couch together reading and watching vids. It was also the room that had an outside access to the airlock that led out of the life pod. An access that was currently being blocked by a long familiar silver box.
Leita recognized the shape of the Companion 3000 containment unit—the same kind of box Pierce had been delivered in. What was it doing out here? Had Schneider somehow managed to drag it out of her bedroom closet all by himself for some reason? But how was that possible? And why would he bother?
“Schneider, what’s this all about?” she demanded. “What is this thing doing out here?”
“It was delivered by a drone ship not fifteen minute ago,” Schneider said, going around the front of the box to pop the latches. “The ship is waiting outside the airlock. I thought it had to be some kind of mistake but now I’m not so sure. Here, take a look for yourself.” He hit the release and the silver lid of the box slid back to reveal the shape of a small blond man, not much taller than Leita. The man was completely naked and had a smooth chest. He appeared to be sleeping naturally in the confines of the silver box, his small penis curled like a pink shrimp on his inner thigh.
“What the…?” Leita took a step forward and peered down into the box, frowning. Close up, the blond man didn’t look quite so realistic. His pale perfect skin had an almost plastic quality to it and his hair was coarse and unmoving like a wig. Leaning over the box, she couldn’t help but notice that a strong chemical smell—almost a reek— emanated from the sleeping form. The blond man stirred in his box and she sucked in a lungful of the toxic stink in surprise and straightened up, coughing and choking.
“What is this?” she demanded, pointing at the stinking blond man-thing in the box. “This is your Companion 2000,” Schneider said grimly. “Look, this came with it.”
He handed Leita a small vid clipboard that was blinking red, showing an urgent message. Feeling numb, Leita took it and pressed the display button.
Dear Ms. McLain, the message began.
It has recently come to our attention that you did not receive the small, smooth, blond, vanilla Companion 2000 you ordered from the Premium section of our online catalogue. It is with deepest regret that we acknowledge and rectify this situation. Included in this shipment, please find the Companion 2000 of your choice. We are sending an extra year’s supply of nutrient powder to apologize for your inconvenience. Kindly ship the empty containment unit that was mailed to you one and a half standard months ago back via the drone ship. We hope this oversight has not affected your decision to order from us in the future—we count you among our best and most discriminating of customers.
Sincerely,
Aldus Poindexter Pennyritch III
President of For Her Pleasure Premium Site for Women
“Empty containment unit?” Leita frowned at the vid clipboard in confusion. “What are they talking about? The only other unit we got had Pierce in it.”
“Well, then maybe Pierce isn’t exactly what he claims to be.” Schneider crossed his arms over his narrow chest. “Did you consider that, Leita?”
“But…but that’s crazy.” Leita shook her head. “I mean, why would Pierce pretend to be something he’s not?”
“I don’t know,” Schneider said. “But look at the thing in the box and compare it with your latest amour. Looks different, smells different.” He wrinkled his nose at the chemical stench, so different from Pierce’s spicy, masculine musk. “Personally, I don’t think Pierce is a Companion at all.”
“He’s an upgrade,” Leita protested weakly. “One of the 3000 series instead of a 2000 like this one.” She nodded at the box where the blond Companion was stirring. Suddenly it opened its eyes and sat straight up, like a vampire rising from its coffin.
Leita and Schneider both jumped back with muffled curses of surprise and Leita tightened her grip on the tazer pen in her hand. “What the—?” she began, but was interrupted by the robotic, slightly fruity tones of the Companion 2000.
“Hello, Mistress,” it said, eyeing both her and Schneider with its pale, somehow plastic-looking eyes. “I am a Companion 2000, built with your personal needs in mind. Would you mind telling me which of you I am to satisfy?”
“Which one of us you’re…?” Leita shook her head. “Look, Schneider and I aren’t—”
“Both of you?” the Companion 2000 interrupted her. It climbed out of its box and stood before them, smiling. “That presents no problem at all. I am eager and willing to please and have been programmed to perform in any and all threesome sexual situations. Observe.” It pointed to the pink shrimplike penis curled against its thigh and suddenly the organ inflated to full erection. It was an eerie performance, Leita thought with a faint shiver of disgust, like someone blowing up a pink penis-shaped balloon all in one breath.
