“What is my authorization code?” he asked, turning to Marina.
Marina reached into the pocket of her jacket and pulled out a small plastic object.
“This is your security key; it can only be activated by you. That’s why they took a scan of your retina when you made the purchase. You hold it in front of your eye and press the button on the side. After a positive scan, it will generate a random authorization code.”
Molenski took the plastic key; it was roughly the size of a box of matches but resembled a camera with a lens on one side and a small LCD screen on the other. He passed the tablet back to Marina and held the lens in front of his right eye before pressing a tiny button on the side. The aperture opened and emitted a green light that winked out after a few seconds.
The key emitted a sound like a message notification on a phone. He turned the key over and read the five-digit code before slipping it into his pocket and holding his hand out for the tablet.
Curious, Ivan and Marina watched the robot carefully as their boss entered the code. From her vantage, Marina saw the tablet’s screen light up and display a long list of terms and conditions. Molenski impatiently scrolled to the bottom and agreed to the terms with a stab of his finger.
The screen began to swirl and the Genitix logo materialized in a colorful swirl. That was forgotten quickly, because simultaneously a low hum began to emanate from the crate. It was exactly like the hum of a laptop starting up and faded after a few seconds.
Ivan found himself leaning forward in anticipation. When the robot’s eyes opened he felt the hair on the back of his neck, stand on end.
Dimitri Molenski, the migrant who had become the most powerful man in Chicago, found himself looking into the eyes of his long-dead first love. The moment was surreal, and he could do nothing but stand there with his eyes wide and his hands trembling. She smiled sweetly, even more beautiful now that her eyes were open, her face was animated.
“Hello. I am Sinthetica Model 676, a Genitix Corporation, human form robot. May I step forward?”
The Russian didn’t respond, just stared dumbly.
“Hello. I am Sinthetica Model 676, a Genitix Corporation, human form robot. May I step forward?”
“Dah,” he finally rasped and waved her forward.
The robots facial animation was realistic to the point of being indistinguishable from a real human and so was her movement. She stepped from the crate like a girl stepping through a door. Her body lithe and supple.
Molenski couldn’t help taking a step backward as the robot/ghost came to a standstill less than a foot in front of him. Ivan also looked on, stunned at the robot’s beauty and perfection but also on edge at the reaction of his boss. Back in bodyguard mode, his hand slipped back inside his jacket and curled around the handle of his gun.
“Currently, I am in safe mode,” the android said to Molenski. “If you are my purchaser, Dimitri Nicholas Molenski, I am required to perform a retinal scan for all of my features to be unlocked.”
“Are you sure these things can’t turn?” Ivan asked, without taking his eyes off the robot.
“As in harm a human?” Marina asked.
He nodded, noting that the robot had turned her head, almost curiously, to watch them speak. Molenski still stood frozen in front of the machine.
“No, it’s impossible. They are hard wired to keep humans from harm – even if it means their own destruction.”
“That is correct,” confirmed the robot, in her soft Swedish accent. “According to the 29th Amendment of the United States Constitution and the artificial intelligence industry safety code, an AI product is hard-coded in such a way that does not allow them to harm a human, or by inaction allow a human to come to harm. If an AI product receives a command to harm a human, its systems will shut down and the authorities will be notified immediately. While it is possible to override the hard coding, the penalty for tampering with an AI to harm another human is 15 years…”
“Dah, dah! Enough!” said Molenski, snapping out of his trance. “Scan me.”
“Please step forward and look into my left eye,” said the human form robot, unperturbed by his tone.
Molenski did as he was asked and the Sinthetica’s illusion of humanity was momentarily shattered as an aperture in her eye opened and emitted a soft red light that scanned his eye left to right before winking out.
“Your identity has been confirmed Dimitri Nicholas Molenski; my standard features have been unlocked and activated.”
“So, you will do anything I say now?”
“That is correct, Dimitri Nicholas Molenski.”
“First, stop calling me that. Call me Dimi only.”
“Yes, Dimi Only. Do you wish to name me?”
“Dimi! Call me Dimi!”
“Yes, Dimi. Do you wish to name me?”
“Dah, Inga. Your name will be Inga.”
“Yes Dimi, thank you for naming me. Henceforth I will respond to the name Inga.”
“So, you will do anything dah?”
“Anything within the parameters of the law set out by Amendment 29 of the…”
“Zatknis!” he yelled.
Inga obeyed instantly, apparently recognizing Russian for shut up. She waited patiently, her pretty face devoid of emotion.
“Show me your tits.”
Marina inhaled sharply, half expecting the girl to tell him to go and fuck himself.
She didn’t, of course, and Marina reminded herself she wasn’t a girl. Providing pleasure was one of the Sinthetica model’s primary features. The demeanor of the humanoid robot changed suddenly, her lush lips opening seductively as she slowly raised her hands and grasped the cups of her brassiere. She paused and then slowly pulled them down over her perfect 36C breasts.
“Do you like them Dimi?” she asked, in a husky voice.
Molenski didn’t answer, but just behind him, Ivan’s wide eyes indicated that he liked them just fine. Marina watched Molenski carefully. If she had been asked to describe the look on her boss’s face at that moment, she would perhaps have said that he looked excited by the possibilities offered by his new toy.
Molenski reached out and pinched her nipple lightly, pleasantly surprised when it stiffened between his fingers. Amazing. When he pinched it harder and twisted it viciously, there was no reaction from the robot apart from a soft gasp, as if his sadistic action had been erotic rather than cruel. His face darkened, and he reached out and grabbed her hair, jerking her head forward.
“Oh Dimi,” she moaned.
“What the fuck!?” He yelled, letting her go in disgust and rounding on Marina. “She’s supposed to feel pain! I don’t want a fucking sex doll!”
Inga straightened, watching the interaction of the humans closely.
“You haven’t activated that feature yet…” Marina began.
“That is correct, Dimi. My patented PhysSens software requires activation before pain receptors are operational. Please activate the software using the control pad if you wish to make use of that feature.”
Molenski relaxed, still looking at Marina, his eyes were suddenly thoughtful.
“Never mind for now,” he said, turning back to the robot.
“I have a better idea,” he said and gestured towards his personal assistant. “You will kiss Marina please.”
“What?” guffawed Marina. “No way.”
Molenski grinned at her response.
“I am unable to attempt intimate contact with a human being without their express consent,” said Inga. “The human you called Marina has indicated that she does not provide consent by…”