“Do not be alarmed. We have examined you thoroughly, and all of your vital signs are improving nicely.”
The man continued to blink, wondering if it would make the face and the voice go away.
“I must say, you are a very healthy human being.”
Why did she call me a human being?
And it was not only what she said — there was something odd about the way she said it. Then it hit him: she wasn’t human. That face, the skin — it was too perfect. A robot? If so, it was one of the most advanced he had ever seen.
“Can you hear me?” asked the face. “Is English your first language? I speak fourteen languages, so let me know if you prefer another.”
“Yes… yes, I can hear you,” Zane responded. As his vision improved, he realized he was lying in a bed. The face was a short distance away, at the foot of the bed, and whoever it was appeared to be sitting. Zane tried to move and then realized his hands were cuffed to rails that ran along either side of the mattress.
“Excellent. From your accent, I have confirmed what we already suspected, that you are American. We found a few components of your phone, and the make and design is one that is popular in the United States.”
“Who are you? Where am I?”
“My name is Keiko. I will be assisting you during your stay. I have been taking care of you ever since you arrived and knew you would be getting up soon. Being familiar with the gas we used to render you unconscious, I was able to determine that you would likely awaken during this half-hour window.”
Gas. That one word turned on a light inside his head, and the events leading up to his capture all came flooding back in. He remembered the security team coming up the elevator as he retreated to one of the offices. He also remembered the light-headed feeling that came over him as he sank first to his knees and then to the floor. And strangely, even though he had begun to black out, he had a vague memory of faces gathered around him, framed in the macabre gas masks. They were the same faces he had just seen in his dream.
But what about Carmen and Amanda? What had happened to them? Zane remembered sending Carmen a text indicating that he was on his way out, but that was only moments before he was taken. Did they try to come get him or did they just leave? He hoped Carmen would have taken Amanda’s safety into account and gotten out of there. But he wouldn’t put any money on it.
Zane tried to pull on the cuffs again to test their strength, only this time he did so slowly, so that he wouldn’t be noticed.
“You will not be able to break those cuffs,” Keiko said. She was good. Apparently, her eyes were able to pick up on the slightest movement. She smiled and continued, “They are made of steel. Initially our men bound you with plastic cuffs, but when you were brought here, I told them to use something more secure after noting your muscle tone.”
“I appreciate that,” said Zane sarcastically.
Keiko ignored the remark, and Zane was unsure if she understood his sarcasm. “Besides,” she said, “even if you were to escape now, it would be useless. I am not as fast as you, but I have ten times your strength. My suggestion would be that you simply rest.”
“Of course,” Zane replied.
“You haven’t told me your name,” said Keiko. “Please share that with me if you don’t mind so that I can address you properly.”
His thoughts still cloudy, it took Zane a moment to frame a proper answer. “Michel… Michel Bergeron.”
“That is typically a French name. Unless you moved to the United States as a child, I think there is a good chance you are not telling me the truth. But, that is to be expected, and I do not hold that against you. Rest assured I will still assist you in every way possible, Mr. Bergeron.”
Zane thought he saw the hint of a smile on the robot’s face. “Unlocking these cuffs and leading me to the exit would be a nice start.”
“I see you are a man of humor, Mr. Bergeron. I think you understand that is not possible.”
So she does understand humor. Zane was impressed at her ability to understand and communicate. He knew Mironov was involved in advanced robotics, but he had no idea it was on such a grand scale. It would take cunning on the highest level to outsmart her, but it was something Zane would probably have to initiate if he was going to get out alive.
With the thought of escape rattling around inside his head, Zane took in the room around him. It had the look of a lodge, with a timber-ribbed ceiling and a rustic fireplace to his left. To his right was a large window. There was a crack in the curtains, and Zane saw what appeared to be a low stone wall in the distance and a snowy forest beyond. Based on the sloped terrain, they were undoubtedly on a mountainside. He figured he had been out for several hours, so it was impossible to know how far they had taken him. It was likely some distance from Geneva.
Zane realized it would be useful to keep the robot engaged, so he asked her, “Where are we?”
“We are in Mr. Mironov’s chalet.”
Mironov. “And where is the chalet?”
“Just east of Lake Geneva. That is all I am permitted to tell you at this time, Mr. Bergeron.”
As soon as the words left Keiko's mouth, Zane remembered the tracking devices, one in his watch and the other implanted underneath the skin of his right forearm. He rubbed his left arm along the rail, trying to feel for the watch. It was not there.
“I apologize, Mr. Bergeron,” said Keiko. “It was necessary to remove your watch. Our best guess is that you are a professional intelligence officer, or are connected to law enforcement in some way. Your watch was therefore removed and is currently being examined.”
“Well, I feel more and more welcome with every passing moment.”
Although he couldn’t see it under the sheets, Zane felt no pain in his right forearm, which was a good sign. Had they taken out the tracking implant, he would have felt the wound. And if it was still in place, it might be the very thing that would lead a Delphi rescue team to his location.
“My job for now is to watch over you and make you comfortable. What about something to drink or eat?”
“What does Mironov have in his wine cellar?”
“You are a funny man, Mr. Bergeron,” she replied. For the second time, Zane thought he saw the hint of a smile. “That might be possible later, but not now. You need to have all of your faculties for your interrogation.”
Keiko seemed to be more than willing to talk, so Zane asked another question, “No offense, Keiko, but who or what are you?”
“No offense taken. As you may know, our company is involved in the production of futuristic technology, including, among other things, nanotechnology and robotics. In the field of robotics, none are our equal.” She cocked her head to one side, as though trying to determine how much she should say. “In the world at large, I would be considered something beyond the reach of technology at the present time.
“In short, I’m a humanoid that can function pretty much in the same way that you do. Everything about me is cutting edge, and it will be decades before others are produced around the world. I was only possible at Renaissance.”
“Are there others like you?”
Keiko didn’t answer his question directly. “We produce many lines of robots — industrial, military, and even those related to romance and companionship.”
“Something tells me there are enough billionaire loons to provide a customer base for the latter. I can think of one in North Korea you should probably call.”
“You asked about me, Mr. Bergeron. I am unique in that I am fully capable of fulfilling any of those described roles. In short, I am the future of humanoid development.”
“Do you provide Mironov with… companionship?”