The Hunted
My name is David, I'm 28 and work for one of the most wealthy families in the world the Darvans. I'm a professional cook and a damn good one at that. Being a cook was about one of the only jobs left that a human could really excel in, after all the only thing keep cooking on the list was the fact that science hasn't yet perfected tasting on androids. I'm sure that with time they will and then I'll be out of a job just like the other 2.8 million people in America.
I can't complain, I'm lucky, most of my friends are sitting back in their houses provided by the government at no cost and eat the standard rations provided them as well. I get to eat and stay on the property my employers don't like to have their staff off premises it helps reduce chances of infection and disease and believe me there's plenty out there. We have a self run facility for the most part.
I had only been working here for little over a year and so far the job was turning out to be a walk in the park. My employers were on the estate roughly 6 months of the year and out of the country the other months. Most everything on the estate was automated by class 2 robots, nothing more than walking trash cans with speakers. But there were several class 7 robots on the premises, these robots were nothing more than human, top of the line and extremely expensive all of which were female, except one to my knowledge. It would take me 120 years at my current wage to purchase one.
The Darvan's had 2 children, a daughter named Sarah who had just turned 18 and a son Erik who was 16. They typically stayed all year around while their parents traveled. It's June and their currently away now, somewhere in China enjoying a 3 month spa getaway.
Every other Saturday the human help was allowed to utilize the estates facilities, pretty much anything and everything you could imagine. They offered this to keep us again from leaving the estate premises and it worked. The thing I enjoyed to most was the endless pool they had installed on the property 5 years ago. It was simply amazing and lived up to its name, "endless" in everyway. The pool had holographic sides that allowed you the program or run programs to you liking. I always liked the coral reef program, when running you could dive into the pool and swim with the fish that were once found in coral reefs, it really was amazing it's a shame that we destroyed something so beautiful.
Once in awhile I would run into the children at the pool, the gym or sometimes the movie theatre and would bring up light hearted chat, after all talking to the class 2 robots was as fun as shaving with a dull blade. I found it easier to talk to Sarah, Erik was into tech big time and since I couldn't afford "big tech" I really couldn't talk big tech. Sarah was more down to earth and easy to get along with, sometimes I could tell that she just wanted to talk to someone real as well. Sarah had all the friends she wanted and typically there were at least 2 or 3 of them with her, of course they were all class 7 androids or so I would imagine since they never eat. Needless to say the androids were amazingly beautiful, for me it was extremely difficult to be around them especially around the pool so I tried to distance myself when at all possible. I always got a kick out of watching the android girls and Sarah putting sun tan lotion on, why did the androids put the lotion on, was it just a part of their programming to blend in and be more human or was it something that they just picked up. I'm not complaining by any means plastic, rubber or whatever they're made of they looked amazingly hot. Every now and then, Erik would come out to the pool and sit on the edge of one of the girls' sun chair and whisper something into her ear, the android would get up out of the chair and start to follow Erik into the house. Sarah ran over and stopped Erik and pushed him a little and yelled "Not again Erik, I can't stand you... I'm calling dad"! I really wasn't sure what was happening but decided to stay out of it. All I needed was to get a bad report and then I'd be fired. I decided that I had enough sun and it was time to leave.
It was the following Saturday and like clock work the girls were all out at the pool along with one of the male androids. I decided to surprise Sarah and made some lemonade and brought it with me to the pool.
David: Sarah would you like some Lemonade?
Sarah: Oh, hi David that sounds great, how are you?
David: I couldn't be better, the weather is great, it's Saturday and I have the rest of the afternoon off.
Sarah came over towards me as I carried the pitcher of lemonade and the glasses and met me in the middle. I set gave her the glass and then poured the lemonade into the glass.
Sarah: Thanks David, that's really going to hit the spot!
David: Should I ask anyone else here?
Sarah: Oh, no David, that won't be necessary. Why don't you come over towards us, so we can talk? You always hang out so far on the other side of the pool. I promise I don't bite, I can't say for the others though.
David: Thanks Sarah, I'd really enjoy that.
Sarah: Hey Greg, can you move David's chair over here.
The male android looked to be no more than 18 stood up and went over and moved my chair right next to Sarah.
David: Thanks Greg.
Greg: No problem Dave, is it okay to call you Dave?
David: Sure I think that'd be fine.
Sarah: Girls... this is David. Why don't you introduce yourself?
One of the girls to my right turned over.
Gretchen: Hi David, I'm Gretchen.
The other two girls that were with Sarah today stood up and started to walk over towards me.
The one extended her hand towards me
Heather: Hi David, I'm Heather, it's really nice to meet you finally.
And then the last girl
Tina: Hi David, it's nice to meet you I'm Tina. Sarah really speaks highly of you.
Now I've seen plenty of androids, but I've never touched one or interacted with one, one on one. Heather's hand was amazing, I could have sworn when I shock her hand I felt bones, it was warm to the touch and the skin moved just like a real hand.
David: I'm sorry if I'm going to offend anyone here, but you're all androids right, minus you Sarah of course?
Heather: Now how could you say a thing like David? We're all just friends.
Tina let out a slight bit of laughter.
Sarah: They're all androids David, no need to worry about cooking for them.
Gretchen: Well you just ruined the mystery. But she's right David, you don't need to worry about us we're all... we'll we're all what Sarah said we are.
David: Sarah, I hope you don't think I'm weird but I've just never interacted with an android before and I'm just amazed... really just blown away. You girls are really great.
Heather: Thanks David.
Tina: Thanks David, that's really nice of you to say.
David: I've never seen Greg by the pool ever?
Sarah: Well, you see he was assigned to Erik, but Erik and I traded last week. So now Greg is with me.
David: Oh, I see. Kind of like trading friends?
Sarah: Um... yea I guess. Erik's a creep, he switched Jessica with Greg so he could well.. you know.
David: I'm not sure..
Sarah: Greg's of that age... you know. He's not allowed of the premises and the.. well the girls are... well their programmed to grow with us.
David: Oh. I see.
Sarah: Yea, so I hope he's not messing her up or anything or breaking her.
David: I really never thought of that Sarah, it must be difficult.
Sarah: Well it's no more difficult than it is for you right.
David: It does get lonely sometimes, but I usually just try to cook new dishes when I get that way.
Sarah: What way is that?
David: Just lonely. In need of companionship.
Sarah: I understand, never really thought about it but you're really alone a lot.
David: Just about everyday.
Sarah: Wow that's really sad, Hey Gretchen?
Gretchen: What's up Sarah?
Sarah: I want you to hang out with David from now on, and re-program your responses for him.
Gretchen: I'm sorry Sarah I really wish I could; you know you need a command code in order to change any programming.
Sarah: I have a command code Gretchen, it's alpha sarah one prime.
Gretchen: Command code accepted, re-programming initializing.
Tina: Sarah, what are you doing?
Sarah: Tina, it's only for a few days, relax would you rather it be you.
Tina: If I think I know what you're doing you're going to need to reset her age chip and I've already checked that's not the right code to do such.
Sarah: I know, Erik gave me this file, it's a virus to unlock that code, I was going to use it on Greg.
Tina: No you were not, a virus, do you know what that could do? I thought we were you're friends.
Sarah: Tina just shut up. Gretchen access file path, erik prime 1, and execute file peterpan.
Gretchen: Accessing folder structure... file found. Sarah do you wish to execute the file peterpan.
Sarah: Please Sarah, proceed.
Gretchen: New programming parameters being established.