The next morning I walked into the kitchen to make myself some breakfast and found a bedraggled Dr. Malevolent in nothing but one of my brothers discarded button down shirts. To her credit it did fall to her knees. She was by no means a short woman but as previously mentioned my brother is rather tall.
“ Good morning” I told her.
She jumped so high she nearly hit the ceiling.
She gave me a level glare.
“this is not mentioned at all. Ever.”
I nodded in assent and made my coffee.
“ Not to be rude, but are the activities you pursued last night even possible through an android proxy?”
She gave me a thoughtful once over and replied
“ I guess i’m not surprised that you noticed or drew that conclusion. But I am no proxy, this is my body.”
“Ah, that answers any further questions but does raise a few more if you’d be willing to answer them?”
She enjoyed her coffee while mine brewed.
“ My older sister was stillborn. The resulting trama denied my mother the ability to have
children naturally. She and my father took it poorly and hand crafted me. I can Eat, Sleep, drink” and fuck I added mentally ”fornicate and age as I like”
Wow she included it.
“ They sound like wonderful parents.”
“ I am familiar enough with sarcasm to question your tone.”
I looked her in the eye.
“ That wasn’t, and apologies if it seemed to be. I lost my parents when I was seven, then again at sixteen. If anything i’m envious of parents that literally produced you in a labor of love.”
She went quiet for a moment.
“ My apologies, and condolences. What do you mean that you lost them again at sixteen?”
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“ You’ve likely noticed that Barry and I do not look alike yet refer to each other as brother?”
“Yes, I thought it an affection more than anything.”
“ It’s not. After my biological parents died Barry’s parents took me in and raised me as their own. They died in the Labcorp explosion when we were still kids. For a while now we are all the family the other has. “
She sat in silence for a while mulling over my story.
“ Is that why he fights injustice so vehemently? Because of the scandals that lead to his parents deaths?”
He wasn’t the only one motivated by the event but she didn’t need to know that.
“ That’s what he’s told me when I ask.”
I claimed my coffee in my trusty tumbler and went to the office via my normal route. Irene reminded me of my obligations for the day and before I knew it I was on my way to lunch. I thanked john my chauffeur, who I employ because appearances are important in this part of town, and headed into the restaurant. I detested it immediately, it was one of those corporate stale environments where you knew you would pay too much for a small serving of mediocre food. I counted my grievances against corporate america and politicians as I was lead to a table with a middle aged woman with auburn hair going gray at the temples. She stood as I approached and we shook hands and exchanged pleasantries.
CouncilWoman Smith was everything you’d expect of a career politician. From the corruption to the fake smile and botox filled cheeks. I may have biases.
“ Odysseus, it’s been too long!” she said in a false cheery tone.
“ Madeline, it has been a while.” I replied as naturally as possible. I even wore my own well practiced fake smile. I detested Madeline and many of her habits, but she was a means to an end. I aided her in her campaigns and she voted a way that was useful to me most of the time.
“ have you had the pancetta here? I love it, I get it every time.” I suppressed an eyebrow twitch and willed the meal to go faster. What are the odds the next moment a waiter appeared to take our orders. Shortly thereafter a few other political types joined us. This was the point of todays meeting, expanding our joint web of influence in the city government. If Madeline knew I had similar, if far more clandestine, meetings with members of congress she would die of envy. The small talk and negotiation went on for a few hours, never let it be said government types know how to maintain a working pace.I got what I wanted through clever bargaining and maybe a hand or two on the scales of luck. As we said our goodbyes I felt the need to wash my hands. I know the measures my finances support are worthwhile and there are real reasons that what I'm doing is objectively good but that doesn’t remove the sleezy feeling of dealing with the type. It just goes to show not all villains wear masks in the literal sense. I went back to the office and poured myself a drink looking at one of the expansive bookcases decorating the walls. Irene walked in “ I’m off for the day sir, is there anything you need before I go?”
“No thank you Irene, please get home safely and enjoy your weekend.”
As she left my gaze fell back to the book case as I mulled over the rest of my night.
An hour later I went to the book case and tugged on a leather bound and well worn copy of To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. The case swung out a bit before sliding over the adjoining book shelf. The space reveled contained a clean and pressed gray on gray pinstriped three piece suit, a pair of pristine white gloves, and a Melpomene mask. I sighed and put on my mask once more.