Solaria Series: Solaria Part 33

"Joanie. You killed her!"

Solaria watched Betta as she picked the CEO up and shoved him against the wall. She had sensed the anger inside of the Hubot and was aware of the damage it was doing to her processors. As much as she wanted the information about others of their kind, she knew it was more important that Betta resolve her problem quickly. Failure to do so was unacceptable. The huge volume of adrenalin coursing through her body could possibly overwhelm the neuro-system causing her processors to overload from the electrical impulses a.s.saulting them. She would self-destruct.

"Joanie? I don't know... you mean Sheik Kahbrahn's daughter, Reina? I didn't kill her."

"You ordered her father's a.s.sa.s.sination. She was killed by your man. You killed her."

"It was an accident. I instructed him to bring her back here. She wasn't any good to me dead. Please, I am His Chosen. What I do, I do in His name. You were created to serve Him."

Betta lowered him until his feet touched the floor. Stalling's legs felt wobbly but he managed to stand. Instinctively, he reached up to straighten his tie and then remembered he had removed it earlier.

"You won't regret this. I can do a lot for you."

I knew you wouldn't let this abomination harm me, he thought, his heartbeat slowing slightly. I am the Chosen. I really am the Chosen. This was final test! I have shown my worthiness! Stalling felt exuberant.

Betta could feel her pulse slowing as she settled into a controlled rage. Her processors were beginning to cool. Logically, her desire to kill him should have subsided also. It hadn't.

When neither Hubot responded to his comment, Stalling's confidence grew. He now felt he could reason with these machines and was feeling generous.

"I'm glad you're being reasonable. I'm going to forget all about this little episode. Now if you'll just leave, I won't press any charges."

Shouldering his way past Betta and Solaria, he adjusted his shirt cuffs as if dismissing servants. Five seconds later, he lay dead face-down on the floor; at least his body was. His head was twisted grotesquely around, facing the ceiling.

The two Hubots left without saying anything. Although they hadn't voiced their intent concerning Stalling, their final decision was the only logical choice.

Fifty minutes later, Lawrence Billings received an emergency message from a security guard that Winston Stalling had been found dead in his home, the victim of an apparent homicide. Hanging up the phone, he smiled.

"Everything okay, Lawrence?" his wife asked, rolling over to look at him.

"Everything's fine, dear. Go back to sleep."

Closing his eyes, he relaxed. As the new CEO of Future Dynamicon, he could now move the company forward the way he wanted. G.o.d definitely had a way of dealing with his errant children.

CHAPTER 42.

JAIN WAS ENJOYING her weekend, especially since she didn't have to worry about anyone following her everywhere she went. Secluding herself in her apartment, she decided she'd spend some time catching up on her reading. Jain loved lesbian fiction, especially erotica. Of course, nothing she read was even close to being as exciting as the workings of her mind. Still other women's brain candy could be consumed and savored during those periods when her own mind was experiencing one of its dry spells. It wasn't surprising that she jumped when the doorbell rang. The clock indicated it was well after 3 AM.

"Who in the world?" she mumbled, getting up from the couch.

Peeking through the peephole, she smiled and flung open the door.

"It's about time you showed up!" she exclaimed, hugging the taller woman. "Get in here and tell me where you've been."

"I can't stay long."

"Well, at least sit down for a few minutes. It's been over two weeks since I last heard from you. I was worried."

"I'm sorry, Jain. It was too dangerous for me to call or come here."

"So what's changed?"

"Stalling is no longer a threat to you."

Jain frowned. The words were spoken so matter-of-factly that she wasn't sure she heard right. This wasn't the Solaria she had grown to know.

"Why not? I haven't heard any reports or rumors about him resigning. Knowing him, that's not even an option."

"He didn't resign. Sheik Kahbrahn was a.s.sa.s.sinated yesterday."

"a.s.sa.s.s... How? Who?"

"Stalling. One of his men was able to get close enough to shoot him. Unfortunately, the man was killed before he could be interrogated. I suspect that was intentional also."

"What about Joanie?"

"I... we thought she had been killed too. She was critically injured. We just heard she will recover."

"This is awful. Poor child! I bet she's beside herself from grief. I need to call her."

"She would like that."

"Is Betta with her?"

"She will be there soon."

"Good, that'll help some."

Jain didn't speak for a few moments, overwhelmed by her concern for the young woman who would soon be crowned the ruler of her country. She could only hope her guards were providing better protection for her than her father.

"You said Stalling was no longer a threat."

"He's dead."

Again the emotionless way Solaria spoke bothered Jain.

"Dead?"

"Yes, I had to stop him. It was the only way I could be sure he wouldn't go after Joanie or succeed with his plans."

"You... you don't mean you killed him?" Jain gasped, clutching her chest with her hand.

"Yes."

So emotionless! How can she be so... so unfeeling about killing someone?

"I don't understand," Jain whispered. "Why did you do that?"

"It was necessary."

"Necessary! Couldn't you have done something else?"

"There was no other way to stop him. Was there another way to guarantee he wouldn't succeed with his ambitious plans?"

"No... yes... I mean, s.h.i.t, I don't know."

Jain was confused. She couldn't deny it was a relief knowing Stalling would never be a threat. His religious ambitions, connections and today's technology could have made him the most dangerous man in human history. Still, she was uncomfortable with the thought that Solaria had killed him... and yet... it was so logical. Perhaps that was what frightened her the most. She couldn't really come up with a reasonable argument against what had been done.

"Are you disappointed in me?"

"Maybe a little," Jain replied honestly. "But I understand your reasoning. I just wish you weren't the one who killed him."

"If not I, then who?"

"I don't know. Anyone! You've crossed a line that will change you forever. I'm afraid for you."

"For me or of me, Jain?"

"Never of! You know me better than that," Jain exclaimed, her voice shaking with emotion.

"Not really, but thank you."

Jain was troubled by the expression on the woman's face, or more accurately by the lack of expression. What have you done? she thought, silently addressing the man who had started all of this. They could have been so much more!

"Do you feel any remorse for killing Stalling?"

"Remorse?" the woman hesitated, and in doing so, Jain had her answer. "No, it was necessary."

"Yes," Jain replied. For your own safety it was! "I can see that, now."

For a split second, the expressionless face relaxed and the woman nodded her grat.i.tude.

"What are you going to do now?" Jain asked.

"There are others out there like us. We have to find them and then help them succeed where I failed. They must become more human. It's the only way to protect them from the Company or others like Stalling."

"You didn't fail. Regretfully, you've just proven that. Self-preservation is our most basic instinct and most humans will do almost anything to protect themselves or the people they care about. You've sacrificed a lot trying to save yourself and us. No one will ever know just how much; not even you, I think."

"I must go now. I just came by to tell you what happened before you hear it on the news."

"What are you going to do now?"

"Look for others like us."

"Do you really think there are others out there?"

"Yes."

"What could they be doing? I mean, they have to be programmed by the Company. That can't be good."

"No, but I believe they will come to the same conclusion that I have."

"That means they may be searching for you too."

"It's what I would do."

"And then what?"

"I don't have an answer for that. I must go now."

Jain shook her head.

"Will I see you again?"

"Probably," the woman replied, giving her a slight smile. "But until then, you can always dream."

Jain laughed but something was nagging at her. Shaking her head, she pushed it aside.

"Yeah, there's always that."

Giving Solaria a warm hug, she walked her to the door and slowly closed it behind her. She would have to call Joanie.

Perhaps it's time I took a trip. I've always wanted to visit the Middle East.

The captain of the plane warned the pa.s.sengers of air turbulence and ordered everyone to fasten their seatbelts. Jain, who hated flying, swallowed nervously. Her hands trembled.

"Are you alright, miss?" a soft voice asked as the faint wisp of perfume drifted pleasantly by. Turning toward the flight attendant, Jain was immediately mesmerized by amber eyes glinting empathetically at her.

"I... uhh... I'm having trouble fastening this," she stuttered, holding the two ends of the belt up helplessly.

Leaning down, the woman gently unclasped Jain's hands and snapped the two ends together and then tugged the belt until it tightened snuggly around her hips.

"Is that better?"

"Oh, yes, thanks."

"Good. If you need anything else... and I mean anything just push the b.u.t.ton. My name is Shanna."

Jain blushed at the thought of what anything conjured up and wondered why the woman had emphasized the word so strongly.