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Part One: The Past–2055

Chapter 1

For some reason, the opening lines of an ancient Charles Dickens novel kept running through Kiera's head: something about 'the best of times' and 'the worst of times'. If she'd known her future, she would have realised how prophetic they were.

She sat on the white plastic chair and fiddled with her rucksack; she needed something, anything, to take her mind off the waiting. She dumped her bag on the floor and stared down the right-hand corridor. Bluish light bounced off its surfaces, giving it an icy glow. Kiera shivered, wrinkled her nose and sniffed, catching the faint odour of robot lubricant. There had been no sign of life during the half-hour she had been waiting. Just as she turned away, movement caught her eye. A swisper-bot zipped around the nearest corner and zigzagged from one wall to the other while moving rapidly towards her. God, she'd never seen one travel so fast. She froze as the little cleaning robot swept past, buzzing like a swarm of angry bees and avoiding her legs by millimetres. It vanished around the next corner, and its sound faded leaving her immersed in silence.

She picked up her small rucksack again, rummaged around, and pulled out her V-pad. She started to scroll through her diary to distract herself from an urgent need to go to the toilet.

As the minutes ticked by, Kiera became mesmerised by her watch. Her impatience and edginess crept up a notch with each flick of its second hand. Just as she made the decision to leap up and dash for the toilet, the door sprang open.

The previous candidate, a dark, plump woman in her forties stalked past without a sideways glance and disappeared down the hallway, muttering. Logan Williamson's voice boomed from inside the open door. Kiera sniffed, stood up, and slipped her V-pad back inside her bag. She hoisted the bag onto her shoulder and strode through the door.

Please sit down, Ms Proud. Logan Williamson smiled warmly as he indicated the chair in front of his desk. Kiera had seen him in numerous newsfeeds. He'd displayed the arrogance of a man who, conscious of his good looks, used them to his advantage at every opportunity. Today, in person, she had to admit, he certainly made an impression. Tall and slim, with jet black hair and eyes almost the colour of coal, he was dressed in an expensive navy suit fitted to perfection. She sat down and watched as he opened her file and displayed it on the embedded desk screen in front of him.

While waiting for Logan, Kiera filled the silence by surveying the room. Logan's desk and their chairs were sitting on a deep blue, flat pile carpet. The rest of the floor, finished in speckled polished cement, flashed with red colours reminiscent of varnished Jarrah. In the right-hand corner behind Logan was a small antique drinks cabinet, and a bookcase occupied the entire wall to her left. She came to the conclusion Logan Williamson must be even more eccentric than she'd thought. Nobody had print books these days unless they were collectors. It hadn't been mentioned in any of the information she'd seen about him. What an archaic way to read. But the worn state of the covers indicated they were well used, so they weren't just for show. She would have loved to have been near enough to see their titles. You could tell a lot about people from what they read.

A quick glance right took in a multitude of photographs of robots and androids that plastered the wall surrounding the door.

Logan Williamson smiled. Kiera shifted in her seat under his unwavering, penetrating gaze. A sudden image of herself sitting there naked flashed into her mind, forcing her to clear her throat. Where on earth had that come from? She sniffed.

Well, Kiera. May I use your first name? He placed his elbows on his desk, and steepled his fingers in front of him.

Yes, absolutely. She'd answered a little too quickly. She had to stay composed.

Your qualifications and experience are impressive. Tell me why you applied for this position, Kiera.

She pulled herself erect before replying, I've always been interested in taking AI to the next step, and you are the world's top researcher in the field. She held his gaze, convinced he was one of these people that never blinked. She desperately wanted to work with him, in spite of the unsettling effect he had on her. I would feel privileged to be able to work with you. Flattery would appeal. She smiled, hoping she had stroked his ego enough to secure the position.

Are you able to work with minimum direction? Logan leaned forward and rested his hands on the desk.

Kiera paused. What did he mean? She'd understood she'd be part of a team. She guessed and said, Yes. God, I hope I've given him the right answer. She held her breath.

Mmm. He refocused on the desk screen, his face remaining inscrutable. Minutes passed before he looked up.

A vision of herself hanging naked on a meat hook in some Middle Eastern market flooded into her mind. Oh, for God's sake get a grip, Kiera. Get a grip. She could feel her face becoming hot.

After staring at her for a few more seconds, Logan finally said, Well Kiera, the position is yours.

It took several moments for it to register. This had to be one of the most bizarre interviews she'd ever been to. She couldn't believe there were to be no more questions. He was giving her the job on the spot. Her heart quivered. That's zinging, absolutely zinging. Recovering and trying to regain some semblance of dignity, she asked, When would you like me to start?

Straight and to the point; I like that. How does next week sound? He turned off the display and leant back in his chair, fingers steepled and thumbs resting on his chest.

It would suit me fine. Will I be working exclusively with you, or am I part of a team? She'd have to learn to deal with his disconcerting stare, so she might as well start now. She held his gaze while waiting for his answer.

There are three of us altogether, plus the tech team. I've just hired another brilliant recruit named Luke Masters. I'm sure the three of us are going to get along well, extremely well, Logan smiled, before adding, Meet me here at half past eight sharp on Monday. I'll take you both for a tour of the facilities. We can sort out the paperwork afterwards, and I'll take you down to security to organise your biometric passes. A word of warning, please don't stray from your designated work areas. It's a rabbit warren in here and easy to get lost. I don't want to be spending time extricating you from other parts of the complex. There are many independent research groups working here, and they don't take too kindly to people wandering into their areas. I'll see you Monday.

Williamson sat back clasping his hands behind his head. With the discussion obviously over, Kiera stood and walked to the door. When she turned, Logan sat unmoving, with his eyes still fixed on her. I'll see you on Monday. She stepped into the hallway and eased the door closed. Buoyed by exhilaration and relief, she turned left and headed for the exit and, the toilet. When she emerged, she waved at the Greetbot by the entrance and it obliged by opening the exit doors. The building's security had to be high because of the nature of the research carried out there. To enter the facility she'd had to buzz from the outside and be cleared by the Greetbot in reception before being allowed admittance into the main complex via another set of security doors.

Kiera stepped out into dazzling sunlight and her spirits soared. Welcoming warmth flooded into her, a dramatic contrast after the cold interior inside the complex. She hurried on past the trees and shrubs hiding the trans-terminal. Once there, she startled several onlookers by jumping up and down and dancing a little jig. She called out to the nearest person, I've just landed my dream job.

The older man, dressed in a grey suit and carrying a briefcase, nodded in acknowledgement before boarding the autonomous, electric trans-bus that had stopped in front of him. The door closed, and the bus slid silently away. The other onlooker, an elderly woman in a floral suit, chose to ignore her completely. Kiera didn't care. Nothing could dampen her excitement and elation. She'd celebrate by travelling home in style, so she pressed the call button for a single person e-car. After she had keyed in her destination and swiped her embedded wrist credit chip, she sat down on one of the seats lining the platform and waited. The car soon arrived. She lived in the Wembley sector, only fifteen minutes away. When she'd settled in for the trip home to her apartment, she thought about Monday. And this time, her heart jigged in her chest. It couldn't come soon enough.

Chapter 2

On Monday morning Kiera arrived ten minutes early. She tapped on Logan Williamson's door, only to be greeted by silence. The two white plastic chairs were still in place, so she sat down to wait.

Kiera heard a squeaking sound. Faint at first, it grew louder as whoever, or whatever, approached. She visualised an army of mice marching towards her. Presently, a tall, slim, young man with dark red hair strode around the corner. Blue must be his favourite colour. All his clothes were various shades of it. He wore a light blue top, a light blue denim jacket, dark blue jeans and a pair of light blue, fluorescent sneakers. A blue bag, slung over one shoulder, made him look slightly lopsided. She couldn't help giggling as he strode up to her.

Well, at least I'm not going to sneak up on anyone. He flashed her a wide, mischievous grin as he flung his bag onto the floor next to the vacant chair and sat down.

It sounded like… Kiera dissolved into laughter.

Mice! He laughed as he flicked a stray strand of hair out of his eyes with one finger.

Are you the other team member? Kiera said, suppressing another giggle.

Sorry—yes. I'm Luke. He held out his hand.

Time momentarily ceased as she gazed into eyes iridescent with the colour of the Esperance Ocean on a summer's day. For a nanosecond her breath caught in her throat, and something inside her clenched. She realised she'd been staring. She recovered and extended her hand. I'm Kiera.

He smiled and gave it a firm, but gentle shake. Enchanted, Kiera.

Pleased to meet you too, Luke—and the mice.

Luke laughed.

Kiera found it soft, open, and somehow endearing––the kind of laugh you didn't encounter often. She watched, amused, as he bent down and took off his shoes.

Logan Williamson materialised around the corner from the opposite direction and purposefully strode up to them. Kiera and Luke stood up simultaneously, looked at one another, and burst out laughing.

What's the joke? Logan Williamson asked with an expression of faint annoyance.

Luke cleared his throat. It's just my shoes, they squeak dreadfully on this floor and it sounds like…

Mice. An army of mice, Kiera said, giggling.

Mmm, I should have warned you about our floor, Williamson said, sourly. You'll have to put your shoes back on Luke; you can't go into the lab in socks. We'll just have to put up with the noise. You will be putting on booties to go into the clean room areas, so it won't be a problem in there. Please make sure you get some non-marking soled shoes as soon as possible. Frankly, I don't find it amusing. Now follow me.

Kiera and Luke dropped in line behind Williamson as, setting a cracking pace, he navigated them through a maze of passages. Kiera wondered how she'd ever remember the route. Almost breathless, she struggled to keep up without breaking into a jog. She turned to look at Luke; he wiped his hand across his brow as if clearing sweat out of his eyes and winked. She smiled. She and Luke were going to get on just fine.

Chapter 3

After what seemed like an eternity they finally reached the AI laboratory. The sign on the door, read: Warning! Class 1 Clean Room. Full Gowns Required - Airlock Inside. Williamson opened the door and impatiently motioned for them to enter. They filed into a small anteroom.

Jackets and bags go in here. Williamson indicated the lockers.

After stowing their things, Kiera and Luke followed him through the double doors into a small, brightly lit room. On the right were shelves holding packs of white coveralls sealed in plastic, whilst the left held a disposal chute for used garments. There was another door at the end of the room.

I'm surprised you need a class one clean room. That's higher than hospital operating theatre standards, Kiera said, as she un-wrapped a coverall and shook it out.

It's entirely necessary Kiera. Williamson sounded irritated. It's vital to keep contaminants out of our rapid prototype manufacturing areas.

I didn't realise you manufactured on-site, Kiera said, feeling stupid.

Our prototypes are manufactured by robots on-site in sealed areas, but our R&D laboratories have to be sterile. Otherwise we wouldn't know if any glitches in the machines are internal or from dust contamination.

You won't be involved with the research there; it's managed by my tech team. I'll introduce you at morning tea. They mostly keep to themselves, but you should at least know what they look like.

Sounds like one big happy family, Kiera thought as she stepped into the coverall and glanced at Luke.

He looked up. I enjoy dressing up, but white isn't exactly my colour.

White isn't my colour either, Kiera said, as she zipped up. I like the hood and the booties, though.

They suit you. Luke pulled on his gloves.

You look like a white rabbit, or maybe a white mouse. Kiera threw him an impish smile.

Don't, he leaned over and whispered, You'll start me laughing again, and we can't have that, can we?

Williamson, already suited up, stood by the door scowling. Go through the door, step on to the turntable, and when it's finished go through into the airlock.

After being blasted by sterile air in turn, they stood in silence in the airlock until the pressure equalised. The door slid open, and a gust of icy air flowed over them. Kiera shivered as they stepped into a cold, sterile world of gleaming, stainless steel benches and white walls. Imprisoned workers floated around like white ghosts. Nearby, in stark contrast, a tall, beautiful, Asian woman, dressed in a long, flowing, blood red robe, stood immobile. As they approached, the woman turned her head towards them. She targeted Luke by smiling seductively. She held out her hand and greeted him in a foreign language.

Luke reached out and took her hand. Charmed, I'm sure.

A nearby worker whirled, and his expression turned to horror when he spotted Luke letting go of her hand. He hurried over. Oh God, I'm so sorry. He anxiously focused alternately from Williamson to Luke. I didn't see you come in. I'm in the middle of checking the pheromone program. It's administering too strong a dose, and I'm afraid your gloves don't offer any protection. The flustered man reached into his pocket and pulled out a packet of what appeared to be chewing gum. He took out a piece. You're going to need this. You need to chew it for several minutes, and you need to begin right now.

Luke stared at the proffered gum.

Kiera watched, mesmerised, as Luke's eyes glazed, and an imbecilic smile slid across his face.

That's all right, he said, dreamily, his gaze fixed on the Asian woman's face.

No, it's not all right Luke. Williamson snatched the gum and tore off the wrapper. You need to chew it now. He shoved it directly into Luke's mouth. As Luke chewed placidly, his smile vanished, replaced with a look of zombie-like idiocy.

Kiera observed a noticeable bulge appearing in his coveralls. She turned away and put her hand over her mouth, trying unsuccessfully to stifle laughter.

Williamson, looking thunderous, turned to Kiera. We are testing a new type of artificial pheromone. It's delivered via touch. The gum contains an antidote. This new prototype is one of our more…umm…exotic models.

I gathered that, so are they purely for sex? I…I wouldn't have thought you were into that sort of thing. Aren't they illegal?

They are extremely popular. The simple fact of life is, Kiera, if I don't make them you can be sure someone else will.

God, just what was she getting into here? This guy was turning out to be a total sleaze.

Don't worry, Kiera. You won't be involved in anything to do with this particular line.

So because I'm not involved, I'm just supposed to ignore it am I? Kiera frowned.

As I said, sex androids are already being made, but ours are far more sophisticated. We cater for the upper end of the market. They fulfil a need. I'm sure you would agree that it's better than real women having to work as prostitutes. It's certainly healthier. I'm sorry if I've shocked you. He turned to Luke. Have you recovered now?

Luke's face took on a sheepish expression, but his eyes were alert and he had lost the stupid grin. He glanced at Kiera. I'm fine, but it was a bit of an experience. Whatever you are using—it's super strong, I mean I felt like…umm…perhaps I'd better not go into details. He brushed a strand of red hair out of his eyes and concentrated on the floor as his face flushed bright red.

All right, Williamson said, Let's move on.

Do you make other androids here as well as prototypes? Kiera asked, changing the subject completely, aware he had evaded answering her question.

Only prototypes, we buy in the basic chassis for the majority of our work unless we're doing a complete redesign. Once we have perfected the entire unit, assembly is contracted out to companies like Androids-R-Us and Classicbots.

I thought you had your own company. Kiera raised her eyebrows.

Sentioids Inc. is ours, but we supply prototype models to the other two companies as well. The market is highly competitive, and it is imperative that we maintain our leading edge. Our androids are top of the range and our standards are high. I work my people hard, but I'm sure you are aware the salary reflects that. Fooling around and time wasting will not be tolerated. Excuse me one moment.

With the lecture finished, he strode over to the flustered worker still hovering around the Asian android. I will deal with you later, Carlson, he hissed, before marching off.

Luke raised his eyebrows, but Kiera ignored him. She turned and hastened to catch Williamson, who was now standing by the airlock motioning impatiently.

They finished the tour by going into VR in a dedicated presentation lounge. It reminded Kiera of the VR tour into the innards of the Large Hadron Collider Mark Four that she'd seen during her course at UWA.

She and Luke virtualed through 3-D printers and arrays of robots performing tasks at impossible speeds. The presentation included a VR journey into the sealed plants housing nano-bots manufacturing Quantum chips.

The tour complete, Luke and Kiera were ushered into Williamson's office where they were presented with their contracts and confidentiality agreements. Kiera sat and read hers before signing.

Luke gave the documents a cursory glance before scrawling a flamboyant signature at the bottom of each.

Once Kiera had finished signing hers, Williamson escorted them to security for their iris scans and voice code templates. After the formalities were taken care of, he showed them to their offices. Thankfully, they were some distance down the passage from Williamson's and next door to one another.

Here are the electronic keys. He handed them to Luke. They're only temporary; your security passes will be ready in a few days. You will need to swipe them over the entry pad and say your name to open your door. The same goes for the building's entrance, except once you're inside you'll need to do an iris scan to be admitted to the building proper. The keys must be returned to the Greetbot, it retains them in case of an emergency. Williamson stepped back. I'll leave you to settle in. I think you'll find that your needs have been adequately provided for, but if there's anything else you require please let me know. I'll be back in half an hour to take you to morning tea.

See you in half an hour, Luke said.

Once Williamson had disappeared into his office, Luke, dangled a key from each hand. Which hand would you like Kiera?

She stared into his blue eyes. Tell me, what did it feel like?

Luke's face flushed. He focused on the floor and mumbled, I'd rather not talk about it if you don't mind.

Okay, I'll take the left one. She could see she'd made him uncomfortable.

As an expression of relief tracked across his face, he sighed and handed her the key. Let's see what we've got to play with. He inspected the tag, stepped over to the appropriate door, and pressed the button on the remote key. With a faint click the door unlocked. Luke turned the handle and pushed it open. His expression transformed into awe. Great Universe! I'm impressed.

Kiera peered inside. My God, this is absolutely zinging! I never expected anything as sophisticated as this. It's state-of-the-art. She stood transfixed. She imagined someone as high profile as Williamson would never tolerate substandard equipment; he probably updated it every other month.

Luke, like her, stood gaping at the array of technology spread out in front of him. The desk held an embedded touch screen. As Luke ventured in, a gallery of motion sensing screens, located on the wall opposite the desk, illuminated. He dumped his bag onto the luxurious beige carpet and gazed around.

Kiera smiled to herself as she watched him. He radiated wild enthusiasm like a child let loose in a toyshop just before Christmas. She found it intoxicating.

Great Universe! Luke sat down and began swinging the chair from side to side with his legs. It's like— he hesitated, groping for words, It's like everything I've ever wanted. He jumped up. Let's have a look at your room, Kiera. In his rush he almost bumped into her as she turned to go out the door.

Kiera's office appeared identical to Luke's, apart from her chair. It glowed a bright cherry red. I didn't have anything nearly as flash as this at any of my previous jobs, Kiera said, enjoying the sensation of running her hands over the plush velvet chair.

I didn't either. Luke slipped out her door adding, The red chair suits you.

Your chair matches your shirt, Kiera called after him.

So it does, Luke called back before she heard him shut his door.

Half an hour later, they were seated at an oval, stainless steel table in the tea room along with Williamson and several other staff members. Superficially, the tech staff seemed friendly enough. But Kiera noticed they all had a kind of reserved defensiveness about them.

She regarded the bare white walls and suppressed a shiver. Everywhere, apart from her room, felt cold, and the place had a colourless, clinical atmosphere. Even in here, no effort had been made to make the place friendly. Perhaps that was the idea so people wouldn't linger too long. Maybe it reflected Williamson's attitude; the staff appeared to be frightened of him for some reason. Well, he's not going to frighten me.

Luke, draped comfortably in a chair, appeared to be engaged in an intense discussion with a blonde thirty-something who had chosen to sit next to him before Kiera had had the chance.

Williamson, seated immediately opposite, looked up from his coffee. He fixed his dark, mysterious stare on her, and to her surprise reached across and placed his hand over hers.

I hope you'll be happy here. If there's anything you need please don't hesitate to ask.

His hand lingered, so Kiera extracted hers and placed it on her lap. She glanced at Luke. He gave her a quizzical look before he turned back to the blonde, who was clearly engaged in a monologue. Kiera picked up her cup and gulped down the remains of her tea. She excused herself, stood up and bolted.

Chapter 4

Sorry Melanie, I've got to go. Nice to meet you. Luke ignored the disappointed look and hurried out of the tea room. He jogged to catch up with Kiera. They walked side by side back towards their offices. The tea room, handily located, lay around the corner and a little way down another long hallway. Because it was staffed by androids, they could eat or drink at any hour of the day or night.

Was Williamson coming on to you? Luke became aware of his clenched fists. A familiar feeling began to rise from the pit of his stomach. He wouldn't, no, he couldn't just ignore it. He couldn't let it happen again.

I'm not sure. Kiera screwed up her face. But I'll let it go for now. If it happens again, I'll deal with it.

He reached out and put his hand on her shoulder. Is that wise? I mean shouldn't you…

Kiera cut in before he could finish. It could have been innocent. I'm prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt, for the time being. They came to a halt and Kiera stepped back, out of his reach.

Luke let his hand fall, uncertain of what to do next.

Kiera glared at him. "Look, I'm quite capable of dealing with it. You don't need to wade