Page 40 of Ezra
“It’s not like I can investigate much from here.” He crosses his arms. “But—fine. Consider it dropped.”
I walk away to get myself some water. I glance at my purse. “Ezra?”
His tone is cordial. “Yes, Miss Carson?”
I sift through my purse and pull out a property sensor on my keychain. Diana’s extra security measure for the museum, entrusted to me during her leave. Only she and Arnold Vaughn have one. It disarms the museum security, but only when paired with an authorized handprint.
Myhandprint.
“What if I told you I could get you into the crime scene?”
NEW CARNEGIE TIMES
SEPTEMBER 6, 2070
EMERGENCY CITY CURFEW: PRO-BIONIC COUNCILMEMBER URGES UNITY
Mayor Jacqueline Rivera has enacted a citywide emergency mandate for an eight p.m. curfew beginning tomorrow to be enforced by the New Carnegie Police Department.
“We understand people want answers, and we’re all still hurting after what happened at the Carnegie Natural History Museum last week,” newly elected city councilmember Rebecca Schroeder said during a press conference announcing the curfew. “We understand there’s a lot of fear and confusion regarding the bombing. This temporary curfew is in everyone’s interest until the perpetrators responsible for the bombing are brought to justice.”
Formerly Rebecca Curtis, Schroeder made headlines when she married her android and legally changed her legal surname to honor BioNex founder, Algrove Schroeder. She then won local elections by a landslide over her opponent due to intensive community outreach and made a name for herself by promising to bridge communication gaps between city officials and strike leaders, as well as the growing Humanity First movement.
When asked if the curfew is a response to the attempted assassination of Robert Carson, Schroeder said, “Absolutely. You’ve heard that old saying, ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’? Pro-bionics and Humanity First shouldn’t be enemies at all, of course, but they are opposite ideologies.”
Both ideologies, Schroeder said, are built upon an underlying desire for peace and prosperity for the parties they represent. TerraPura is not only in opposition to those ideals, but it’s also a dangerous movement. She adds that when the police department released information that Carson’s shooter was an android, the city’s first priority immediately became keeping everyone safe.
The press conference took a somewhat domestic turn after policies were addressed, with reporters inquiring about the councilwoman’s home life and personal political beliefs, as she is the first openly pro-bionic woman to serve in a public office.
Schroeder is unofficially married to her bionic partner, Oliver, with whom she raises their young son, Aaron, and infant daughter, Savenna.
When asked about the executive order coming from Washington, the councilmember was diplomatic. “While I disagree with the extreme stance that President McKinley has taken regarding androids,” said Schroeder, “I choose to believe her heart is in the right place. After TerraPura is dealt with, I hope we can resume a noninvasive approach of working in partnership with bionics that doesn’t terminate or override anyone’s right to freedom, prosperity, and the pursuit of happiness.”
[ 4 ]
Ezra
This isn’t something we should be doing, but Katrina is difficult to argue with when she’s actually on my side.
We wait until night falls before we leave. I ensure the tint on the windows of my cruiser remains high. Nothing about it identifies it as belonging to me, just a standard, sleek black police vehicle. But as PureEarth continues to grow, I convinced Deion to talk sense into Chief Jacobs and programmed all cruiser windows to be unscannable by other bionics. They can never see the police inside and whether they’re human or machine. It’s important—for my safety and theirs. Right now, it ensures no one can see Katrina Carson riding along with me.
It’s been a tense couple of days. My patience is, admittedly, running short for a variety of reasons. I dislike how limited my capabilities are when I’m separated from my unit. It ruins my efficiency. I’m used to going home after long, stressful days, seeing my family. Rashelle occasionally sends me voice and video messages of herself and Deion, and the children asking where I am. It makes me feel loved, but it also reminds mepainfully that I’m not there to protect and assist them, should they need me.
Then there’s Katrina.
I don’t know where she finds the energy to partake in political discussions with me after everything that’s happened. I’ve noticed her tremors and her lack of appetite. Her vitals betray that her anxiety is high. But she’s always ready to talk, ready to debate.
Her little comment about police dogs set me on edge, but from her diagnostics and her apology afterwards, I accepted she didn’t mean it. I was also validated in my suspicion that she’s not as extreme as her father is. She never has been.
Then I got a full picture of her, naked and drenched in the shower. And she even called me perfect.Perfect. It’s been difficult fending off the desire to replay both of these instances in my memory banks. Her voice is alluring, and her body is a masterpiece. It was enough to make my imagination stray last night to what it might be like to be sexual with her.
It wasn’t intentional. My processors wander several places when I’m engaged in self-pleasure—old memories of heated one-night stands, the delighted moans of past lovers when they felt me press inside them. Suddenly, it wasn’t them anymore. It was her. Katrina beneath me, in front of me, on top of me. I was imagining burying myself inside her, because perhaps I could fuck that infuriating stubbornness out of her.
My generative protocols went wild with possibilities.
It was a risky thing to do. I don’t typically envision carnal activities in the middle of an open investigation, much less one as high priority as the museum bombing and the assassination attempt on her father. But I needed a brief distraction before returning to my duties. I must’ve awoken the little spider robot in her room because I heard him skittering about. But much likeany other man, I have a desire for relief. More than most. My job is far more taxing than that of a common housekeeper.
I even spoke her name as I came, my release far more stimulating and powerful than it has been in a long while.
