Solaria Read online

“Maybe it isn’t against her will. We have to consider all the possibilities.”

  “Okay. Let’s say it isn’t. That’s going to make it even harder to get her out of there. Even if she is cooperative, the beta will probably come after her. Of course that could solve the problem of trying to capture her.”

  “You’re in the wrong field. With your mind, you should be in espionage.”

  “Naw, I just have a good imagination. Now, tomorrow I’m going to make a reservation for a room at the hotel. You buy a wig and get some good sunglasses. Your eye color is too unusual to be easily forgotten.”

  “What about your work?”

  “I’m playing hooky for a few days. Amy will cover for me. Oh, it might be a good thing for you to move in with me for a while. It will be easier to make our plans. The neighbors will gossip but that won’t last long... speaking of which...”

  Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the piece of paper Tilly gave her.

  “This is for you.”

  Taking it, Solaria looked slightly confused.

  “A phone number?”

  “Not just a phone number... my neighbor’s phone number. She wants you.”

  “Wants me for what?”

  “Well, if you call that number, you’ll find out soon enough. Personally, I suggest you throw it away, unless, of course, you want to get laid.”

  “Laid?”

  Jain smirked.

  “Sex! Tilly wants to have sex with you.”

  “Oh.”

  Crumbling the paper up, she tossed it in the trash can.

  “I don’t think I’m ready for that.”

  As if having a second thought, she pulled the crumpled slip from the trash and put it in her pocket.

  “Maybe I should call her when I am, though.”

  Slapping her on the shoulder, Jain laughed.

  “When you’re ready, call me,” she teased. “Seriously, you won’t have any trouble finding plenty of volunteers a lot better than her. Besides, I’ll never hear the end of it if you two ever did the nasty. Tilly can’t keep any secrets.”

  That was all Solaria needed to know. Pulling the paper from her pocket, she threw it back into the trash can.

  “I’d better go and get a few things if I’m going to stay here. I’ll be back in an hour.”

  “Great! That’ll give me time to get the spare bedroom ready. Be careful.”

  After Solaria left, Jain took a shower and then quickly dusted the guest room and made sure everything was neat and orderly. When her stomach grumbled a little too loudly, she decided to put together a light meal for later. There were still a lot of plans to be made once Solaria returned.

  CHAPTER 21

  THE HOTEL WAS one of those high class establishments that catered to the wealthiest and most powerful. Some of the rooms cost more than a month’s salary for the average worker. When Jain made the reservations and was told the exact price, she almost choked. Fortunately, her credit card was paid off. Hanging up the phone she turned to Solaria and grimaced.

  “They charge $1800 dollars a night!” she exclaimed. “Can you believe that?”

  “Is that a lot of money?” Solaria asked, having no real concept of dollar value. All she knew was that she had billions sitting in off shore accounts, not to mention a few million in a local bank that had been transferred anonymously into her name a few days after Carley’s death.

  “You’re kidding, right?”

  “No.”

  “Well, that’s almost a weeks pay for most people... just slightly over minimum wage.”

  “Oh. If you’ll give me your account number I can transfer the funds into it. There’s no need for you to use your funds for this.”

  “That might not be a good idea. I don’t want any unusual sums appearing in my bank account in case the Company is monitoring it. They’re watching the library so I wouldn’t put it past them to check employee bank records.”

  “Won’t it look suspicious for you to be spending this much money on a hotel room then?”

  “Hey, I’m not exactly poor you know. I have a nice size nest egg tucked away and I’m entitled to spoil myself now and then. It’s not like I’ve taken a real vacation recently.”

  “I didn’t mean to insult you...”

  Jain realized that Solaria had misunderstood her reaction.

  “Solaria, I’m not complaining. I’m just being overly dramatic. It’s something I like to do now and then so don’t take it seriously.”

  “As long as you’re sure. I still want to reimburse you for this. Keep track of everything and I’ll transfer the funds when it is safe to do so.”

  “Deal! Now, I’m going to call Amy and tell her I’m taking some time off. Check-in at the hotel isn’t until three. That’s if they have a room even. If not, then we’ll just have to wait until we can get one.”

  “I can always alter the hotel records if necessary.”

  “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. It could create a problem. Anyway, you hang out nearby and I’ll call you with the room number after I’ve looked around a bit.”

  “That sounds logical.”

  “Good. Make sure you disguise yourself. We don’t want anyone recognizing you.”

  They won’t,” Solaria promised.

  * * *

  The hotel room was plush. Burgundy carpet and matching velvet curtains made Jain think of the old books describing whore houses. The chandelier hanging from the ceiling and crystal lamps in front of large mirrors wrapped in golden frames didn’t help to alleviate the feeling she had just stepped into an early twentieth century bordello. A king size bed draped in a sheer canopy was discreetly tucked away behind a waist high knee wall. Walking slowly around the room, Jain realized that most of the furnishings were antiques, making them worth a small fortune.

  “A year’s salary wouldn’t pay for this stuff,” she muttered. Turning on the television, she stared at the image of Carley Branson and listened while the news anchor announced the posthumous award of the Nobel Prize to the scientist for a recent discovery in the AI field.

  “You deserved it,” Jain muttered, turning the television off. “It’s a shame they really don’t know how far you came.”

  After unpacking her suitcase, she decided to check out the facilities. She would need to know more about the different escape routes that were posted on the room door. If she got lucky, she might even see the beta and her hostage.

  CHAPTER 22

  IT WAS SEVERAL hours before Betta reactivated her dormant processors. Shifting slightly, she was at a loss as to how to move without waking up the sleeping woman snuggled next to her.

  Just get up! she thought, not quite sure why she was reluctant to disturb Joanie. She will go back to sleep. Humans always need sleep.

  For some reason the logic didn’t seem quite so important at the moment. Betta was comfortable. She played with the word trying to analyze the sensation and realized being comfortable was pleasant. The thought made her uncomfortable which immediately canceled out the initial feeling.

  I do not know how humans deal with such confusing emotions. It is no wonder they are so illogical.

  Although she thought of herself as nothing more than a machine, she was learning that emotions created huge problems with humans. It was something she preferred not to experience. Still...

  “How’d you sleep?” a husky sleep-induced voice whispered against her chest.

  “My system is operating at full capacity.”

  “Would you quit talking like that?” Joanie grumbled, pushing up to stare into chocolate brown eyes. “You always sound like you’re referring to a machine or something.”

  Betta realized she still hadn’t adapted her speech patterns to sound more human.

  “It’s just my way of saying I slept well.”

  “Uh huh. Well, I think there’s more to you than you’re telling. One of these days you’re going to slip up big time and quit being so secretive.”

  Betta wasn’t sure how t
o respond so she remained quiet.

  “Are you hungry?” Joanie asked. “I’m starving. Let’s get something to eat.”

  “I think that would be a good idea.”

  Jumping up, she grinned down at her bodyguard.

  “Hey, you’re talking more normal now. What happened?”

  “I’m adapting. That is what you want, isn’t it?”

  Joanie made a wry face but decided to ignore Betta’s question. A growling sound from her stomach reminded her that it had been several hours since she had eaten.

  “Come on lazybones, let’s eat.”

  Reaching down, she grabbed Betta’s hand and pulled her to her feet.

  “I feel like something tangy tonight. How about we try the Thai restaurant down the street?”

  “I was instructed to let you eat anything you wanted.”

  Punching Betta’s arm, Joanie gave her a pout.

  “You can be so boring sometimes. Show a little enthusiasm now and then. It won’t kill you. Now, let’s go!”

  Obediently Betta followed the young woman and wondered why. She was the one in charge and yet for some unknown reason she wanted to please Joanie. Logically, of course, it didn’t conflict with her orders as long as Joanie didn’t try to escape or communicate with her father.

  The lobby was filled with activity, people checking in and out, some sitting in the plush chairs reading papers or just chatting. Motel attendants moved about making sure the guests were receiving the attention their wealth and status dictated. Betta examined each human, committing everything about them to memory. Today there was nothing out of the ordinary.

  CHAPTER 23

  JAIN WAS TALKING with a porter when she noticed the two women stepping out of the elevator. “She immediately recognized one of them from the picture...”. The younger woman looked slightly older than her photograph. Had it not been for the file photo, it would have been impossible to recognize her. She looked nothing like a sheik’s daughter.

  “Isn’t that Reina Kahbrahn?” she asked the porter, shifting her eyes in their direction as they left the lobby. Following her glance, the porter seemed hesitant to answer.

  “I’m sorry. How inconsiderate of me,” Jain apologized. “Of course you’re not allowed to discuss your guests. I met Ms. Kahbrahn while visiting her father last year?”

  “You know the Sheik?” the porter asked, impressed.

  “Well, I must admit I don’t know him. We talked for awhile. Nothing more.”

  “Wow, that’s really cool. I’ve read he’s one of the richest men in the world.”

  “Seventh richest, I believe. Anyway, I’m sure I’m mistaken about that being his daughter. The face is similar but there’s no way she’d have that hairstyle.”

  “I’m sure you are too. The staff would know if someone that important was staying at the hotel. That’s Ms. Joanie Bassler. She’s a guest of Mr. Winston Stalling.”

  “I see... and the other woman?”

  “Ms. Smith. I think she must be her bodyguard or maybe lover. They’re inseparable.”

  “Well, she must be very important if the CEO of Future Dynamicon is footing the bill.”

  “Yeah... and see him?” he asked, motioning with his head to a man who was just walking out the door. “He’s here a lot and if not, another guy is. Whenever Ms. Smith and Ms. Bassler go out, they follow them.”

  “Probably just a security precaution. It makes sense considering their importance. I’m surprised Future Dynamicon doesn’t have more of their people around.”

  “That’s not necessary here. We have excellent security in the more private areas, especially on the third floor. It’s the VIP section so there are cameras in the halls and special alarms in each room.”

  “Wow! I don’t even want to know what those rooms cost.”

  The porter nodded and then decided he’d better get back to work if he wanted to make more tips.

  “It’s been nice talking to you, Ms. Plaine. If you need anything just ask for me. The name’s Robert.”

  “Thanks, Robert, I’ll do just that.”

  Jain glanced around the lobby looking for other Company or Homeland agents who might be stationed nearby. It amazed her that everyone she had seen or met was so obvious an idiot couldn’t miss them. Then again, the government and the company were extremely arrogant. They probably didn’t care. Most people did their best to avoid confrontations with either knowing both had reputations for making anyone considered a serious problem disappear. Seeing just ordinary customers and employees, if you considered the rich and powerful ordinary, milling around, she decided it was safe to call Solaria.

  “Coast is clear,” she reported. “I’m in Room 214.”

  Without waiting for Solaria’s reply, she clicked the off button put the phone back in her pocket; the fewer electronic communications the better.

  * * *

  Jain had no sooner arrived back at her room when someone knocked on the door. Opening it, she saw Solaria standing outside in a dark wig and sunglasses. Looking up and down the hall, she grabbed her arm and dragged her into the room.

  “Anyone see you?” she whispered, trying not to laugh at the disguise.

  “A lot of people saw me and why are you whispering?” Solaria asked.

  Thinking about it, Jain really didn’t have an answer.

  “I haven’t a clue,” she said in her normal voice.

  Solaria smiled.

  “You watch a lot of old movies don’t you?”

  “Well, yes, but why are you asking?”

  “When I was finally allowed unrestricted access to the Internet I used to watch them too. They were very informative and very creative. If you’re worried that this place might be bugged, don’t. The hotel would lose too much business if their customers were compromised in such a manner. Money can buy privacy in spite of big companies and governments.”

  “You think that would stop Homeland or Future Dynamicon?”

  “Maybe not, but I would know if there electronic devices present.”

  “You can detect spyware?” Jain asked, surprised.

  “I have the capability of receiving some microwave transmissions. Carley created a subprogram to block most of them but there are a few frequencies I can still hear.”

  “That’s a handy skill.”

  “I’m state of the art, remember?”

  Solaria gave Jain a wolfish grin and realized it actually felt good knowing she had several advantages over humans. She was also beginning to appreciate the way facial expressions sometimes said more than words.

  “Don’t be so smug,” Jain admonished, guessing Solaria’s thoughts.

  When she received a surprised look, Jain returned the wolfish grin.

  “You may be high tech but I have a lot more experience in the real world. No book learning can top that.”

  “You’re right, of course.”

  “Oh don’t sound humble now,” Jain teased. “It’s good to know your strengths... and weaknesses.”

  “I’ll remember that. Have you found anything out yet?”

  “Oh, damn! I can’t believe I didn’t tell you this already. I saw the beta with the Sheik’s daughter. They’re on the third floor.”

  “You saw them on the third floor?”

  “No, in the lobby. The two seem to be on pretty good terms. When they left the hotel, Ms. Kahbrahn was chatting with her as if they were old friends. She’s using the name Bassler, though.”

  “If they were leaving, how do you know what floor they’re on?”

  “I found out the old fashion way. I gossiped with the porter. He’s quite a talkative fellow.”

  “I take it you didn’t find out what room they’re in.”

  “No, I pretended to know them but thought it might be a little too obvious if I started asking questions. I did manage to learn that particular floor is a high security level... cameras, alarms, etc.”

  “That shouldn’t be a problem. I can bypass their system when I’m ready to make
my move. The bigger problem is how to neutralize the beta and get the girl off the premises.”

  “Do you think you’ll be able to handle this beta? I mean is she made like you?”

  “Not quite. She was the first prototype. I thought I was but after reading the files, I’ve discovered I’m a series three model.”

  “Three? You mean there’s another one out here somewhere?”

  “I’m not sure. Nothing in the files indicated what happened to it. After this is over with, I’ll have to find out. It could mean delaying my plans for Future Dynamicon. Finding the betas is the bigger priority.”

  “Do you even know the gender?”

  “No, but there’s a record somewhere. It’s only a matter of time before I find it.”

  “Then we’d better get a move on things. If anyone ever discovers how advanced the Hubot Project is, you will be hunted down and either destroyed or reprogrammed... or whatever else it is they can do.”

  It wasn’t a comforting thought for either woman.

  “So how do we find out what room they’re in?” Jain asked, changing the subject.

  “Did you bring your laptop?”

  “I never leave home without it!”

  “Good! I should be able to hack into the hotel’s system without too much difficulty. Their security level shouldn’t be too complicated.”

  “Okay, while you do that, I’m going to order some food. Anything in particular you want?”

  “I’m really not particular. Everything is still new to me so you choose.”

  Jain nodded. Pointing to the laptop, she picked up the hotel directory and read the restaurant menu.

  “I can’t believe what people are willing to pay to eat in this place. Twenty-five dollars for a salad...House Special they call it,” she snorted. “What’s so special about lettuce, tomato and dressing? I swear some people have more money than sense. I wonder if I can order a pizza delivered here. I bet the front desk would have a stroke.”

  Solaria knew Jain didn’t expect a reply so she continued searching for the backdoor into the hotel’s guest registry. By the time room service arrived, she had the information she needed, including access codes to the third floor alarm system and video displays in the control room. All she needed to do now was create a loop sequence for the monitors and deactivate the alarm in Room 303. With luck she could enter the room without being detected, neutralize the beta and convince the girl to go with her willingly. Switching off the laptop, Solaria placed it on the table and took the plate Jain was handing her.