A series of science fiction stories, set in the same universe. They can be read independently. Some characters may repeat themselves in different stories
The news reported on a demonstration by a group seeking to stop the use of androids in human endeavors. President David Williams had been in power for a year. Victory was overwhelming. He survived a bomb attack on the day he was launching his election campaign. He won the sympathy of the citizens. The first thing he did was to declare war on the terrorists of the anti android movement, led by Mark Wilson and Dillon Baker.
No one inside the warehouse seemed to pay attention to what they were reporting on the news. Several men were focused on the job. They were unloading hundreds of boxes from two containers. The boxes were waist-high and seemed to have something important inside them. They were unloading them very carefully. About ten men were doing this work, while in the background was another group gathered. In front of a table.
-Can you fix it? - Joe Duvall asked nervously.
-Friend, there's nothing I can't fix. Let's see what you got. - answered the mysterious man in a lab coat.
He made a sign and the young man next to him lifted the plastic onto the table. He approached the body that was left exposed. It was an android woman, totally disfigured. It looked like she'd been beaten up a lot, as well as burned on her synthetic skin.
-You were having fun, weren't you, buddy? - The man lit a cigarette, laughing at Joe Duvall's gesture.
-I'm not like that... it was just an invention... it's one of the first models...
-Don't worry, man! You don't have to explain yourself to me. Everyone does what they want with their life. This is my world, this is how I make my living. Look around... whatever you want is at your disposal. That's an old model, they were the first android companions, now there are better...
-But can you fix it?
-Absolutely! I'm Karl Grubert. I'm a genius. I'm not going to fix it, I'm going to make it better. When I'm done with her, you'll have an android you'll never want to leave hahaha.
Joe Duvall had researched Grubert. He was an employee of Occinox, but he quit to start his own company. Something that didn't go over well with the board. He was involved in a corruption scandal, being tried and sentenced to three years in prison. Inside the prison, he made contacts with the criminal world. He managed to get out on parole, but soon the contacts inside the prison, sent him interested in hiring the services of a genius in robotics.
Trafficking in android parts, making untraceable weapons, were some of the small jobs he did for local gangs. But with the passage of the android escort law, the real race in the underworld began.
Karl Grubert was buying damaged androids to repair. They were all reprogrammed to be sex workers. It was a service in high demand, by both women and men. That way he started a market that only he had the right to exploit. He achieved agreement with all the criminal groups, the experience and knowledge he possessed was very valuable.
All the robot prostitutes across the country had the Grubert stamp. He seemed to be untouchable, until that day.
One of the boxes fell out of the container, opening completely, leaving all its contents visible. Joe Duvall was horrified to see the inside of the box.
A mini police tank entered the warehouse, breaking down the iron doors. Cops from the Special Operations Group began to subdue the workers. One of the security guards opened fire on the cops and they responded with a burst of gunfire, knocking out the criminal.
-I'm sorry, they made me do it, I didn't mean to - said Joe Duvall.
-Damn idiot, what did you do.
The detective in charge of the operation was Melinda Sterling, the mission was to stop Grubert. But this one, he took out a gun and shielded himself from Joe Duvall as a hostage, to escape through a door leading to an exit the cops hadn't covered. Detective Sterling went after him.
Grubert was running towards the dock, two police helicopters were following him from the sky. All units were called in to support Sterling, who was also running after the criminal.
The robotic genius made it to the end of the pier. Everything seemed to be over. He had to face the police or turn himself in. He decided on the former, waited for the detective and pointed the gun at her.
-Drop the gun, you have one chance to get out of this alive.Drop the gun now!
-I won't put the gun down, pretty lady... -Are you human? ...I'll have to find out.
From the helicopter a sniper was preparing to fire on Grubert, but a small missile hit the aircraft, blowing it to pieces.
A boat approached the dock, on it was Mark Wilson, the most wanted terrorist.
-You'll be the one to put the gun down, detective, otherwise I'll have the rockets pointed at the depot where all the officers are... it'll be a big show. It's your call.
Melinda put the gun down to protect the cops in the warehouse. Mark told Grubert to get on the boat. The anti-android movement needed him for a job. The other helicopter was forced to pull out or it would be shot down. When reinforcements arrived, there was no sign of the boat.
-We have all the merchandise, detective. That's awful, the crates were full of replica girls. They were planning to sell girl androids to a paedophile ring. It's disgusting! - said the young man to some very angry people.
The detective was pensive, the operation ended up being a failure. They lost the lives of the cops in a helicopter. Karl Grubert managed to escape, now he was in the hands of the terrorist movement.
That day at the port, it would be the first meeting of the three people who would play an important role in the future of the world. It was also the day Melinda Sterling became obsessed with Mark Wilson.
-I swear I'm gonna get you, I swear...
