Almost Human

Chapter 1.

“She's beautiful, Ricardo” He said, tracing circles along her cheek. “This is a unique model. Must be a Lev1athan model am I right?” The playboy looked to his honored guest, greedy eyes hopeful.

“I told you Mr. Okinowa, she's special. One of a kind.” Ricardo reached out with a strong hand and swept her dark hair behind a perfect ear to reveal a white, glossy gem. “Us boys at Terminus Industries like to call her Opal.”

Okinowa grinned and continued to trace his fingertip along the Doll's soft flesh, stopping only when he came to the plunging neckline of her dress. For a second he thought he felt something beneath the genetically engineered skin that hid all the messy wires and steel framework that made up most AI's. Was that a flinch he felt? Or perhaps it was his own fingers trembling with excitement.

“Mr. Okinowa?”

He blinked and forced his mind back to the hear and now, back to the lavish party he was throwing for all his like minded friends and political socialites.

“Sorry, I'm in such awe of your toy that I'm losing myself.” He laughed, but not before stopping one of his associates. “Ricardo I'd like for you to see one of my most prized possessions.” Okinowa reached for the petite Doll practically hidden at the man's side. She stepped to him rather obediently and turned once he motioned to his guest.

“Sherry, this is my friend, Ricardo. Won't you say hello.”

She smiled a shy smile. “It's a pleasure to meet you, Ricardo.”

There was something wrong with her voice. Something off that Okinowa knew his guest wouldn't be able to pick out. It was only when she reached for a hand shake that Ricardo realized what it was.

“She can't be...” He stammered, holding the AI's cold hand.

He laughed. “But she is. A completely restored First Gen. Isi5 model. Reinforced steel along the limbs.” he knocked on her shoulder for effect. “It's just a shame that the makers didn't think of the hazard a half ton Love Doll could be. They had such a short shelf life, and after they realized the problem they were all destroyed.” He slid his palm along her small curves.

“Well I can guarantee you, Sir. Terminus Industries takes those types of hazards seriously.”

“Are you kidding me? Sherry here is an antique. Doll Collectors, and people with a...particular fetish pay a good price to come to my parties and play with her for a little while. Don't they sweetheart?”

Sherry giggled and ran her fingers through blond ringlets that framed her heart shaped face.

“Have I lost your interest.”

Slowly Okinowa and Ricardo turned to look back at the source of the strong voice.

Opal stared straight ahead, face emotionless, except for the pristine violet eyes that seemed almost human.

Ricardo stammered. “Uh, I'm sorry Okinowa. Her personality chip needs to be tweaked a bit. She's-”

“Fiesty.” His tongue darted out, wetting his bottom lip. “What craftsmanship...” He cleared his throat and moved closer to her, forgetting his prized antique in the process. “I'm sorry, Opal. I hope I didn't offend you. Would you like me to pay more attention to you?”

Opal turned to look at him, the smooth, white jewels in her ears caught the lighting just right, making them shine. He thought her sweet, bee stung lips would upturn into a demure smile, but they didn't. “I enjoy attention.” She said in that same, strong voice.

“I know what you're thinking, Okinowa. She's rather assertive. But I could make some minor adjustments to her personality.” Ricardo slid his hand across her shoulder and beneath that thick, raven hair.

A twinge of jealousy crept up the playboy's spine as he watched the man's large hand around her neck. From what he saw the Terminus Spokesman was an able bodied man with the broad shoulders of a professional athlete. He'd more or less been able to strike the genetic lottery, unlike himself. No doubt he'd also been lucky enough to test drive his company's new product. Okinowa wondered just how many times he'd been able to have a taste when his superiors weren't looking. On the ride over in the limo?

“Nonsense.” Okinowa waved Ricardo' hand away. “I like her the way she is. She's one of a kind, like you said.” He took her hand pressed his lips gently pressed along her warm knuckles.

“Thank you.” She said.

“Ah, see. She's still polite underneath it all. Now, I have a small proposition for you if you'll hear me out. As happy as I am that you were kind enough to accept my invitation, I have to say that you've only left me craving more.”

Ricardo lifted a brow. “Now, Mr. Okinowa, I can't leave her out of my sight. I'm personally responsible for-”

“Come now, do you think I'd want to harm such a precious thing? Besides, don't tell me you haven't already tried her out yourself.”

He watched the heat creep into the man's cheeks, confirming his suspicion. “All I'm asking is for an hour of her time. That's not much to ask is it?”

The broad shouldered man reached for her, lightly gripping her arm. “How do I know she'll be safe? She's worth billions.”

“I promise, she'll be fine.” Okinowa slapped him on the shoulder, in his mind sealing the deal. “And in the mean time I promise you will not be lonely.” He clapped his hands. “Ladies!”

Every love doll within ten feet turned to look at their master. Their small, nimble hands reached out to Ricardo, gripping his suit jacket as they giggled in his ear. When Sherry reached out to grab him, her curls bouncing, Okinowa saw his beet red face wince as that iron grip squeezed more than fabric. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself. Perhaps the poor bastard hadn't played with Opal after all. He didn't seem to have the decency to even realize how lucky he was. Men would pay their whole life savings to be greeted with Dolls in his sought after collection.

Opal followed obediently through the sea of people, her eyes constantly fixated on him. From what he could tell her programing disallowed her to become distracted, which had its perks but made her seem less human and unlike any in his collection. The pair drew stares and glances, but Okinowa knew it wasn't him who they were staring at, but the woman on his arm. A rare jewel.

“Do you like your handler, Opal?” he asked once she stepped in the elevator.

“He has given me no reason to dislike him.”

The elevator doors slowly shut, sealing out the pulsating music and infectious laughter that came from both his guests and his dolls. Well their laughter wasn't quite infection, but artificial. Too perfect, if there ever was such a thing.

“Well you'll like me too, Opal. That I can assure you.” He moved toward her once the elevator began moving up, further into the mansion he called home. Her body was curvacious, far more than what most Doll Industries would consider normal. It even seemed athletic, as if there were muscles instead of metal beneath her genetically engineered skin. The short dress hugged her thighs tight, promising a glimpse of what she wore beneath it if he could only look at the right angle.

He pushed her long dark hair behind her shoulder. A normal woman would have flinched away from his wiry and all around unimpressive frame, but that had been the precise reason why he only had sex with Dolls these days. In fact he'd already forgotten what a real woman felt like. But he had to assume this one would be as close as he would ever get.

Her ivory face turned to look at him. “Are you wealthy?”

“Very.” He pressed his front against the line of her curves. Her warm, mailable breasts pushed into his tweed vest. Had she been anything but real he could have felt her heart beating against him. Fluttering as she grew anxious. Or perhaps it was he who was the anxious one.

“How did you become wealthy?” Opal asked.

His hand trailed along the hem of her dress as it was pulled taught by the swell of her pale thighs. “Oh you're good. Whoever programed you knew the way to any man's heart is to let them talk about themselves.” He leaned in close and smelled her hair. Lavender and baby's breath. “I made my fortune by making smart business dealings. So smart that I can enjoy my hobbies to the fullest.”

The elevator stopped.

Opal's looked at him with her unique violet eyes. “What kind of business do you deal in?”

His lips found the soft flesh of her neck and his hand searched under her dress. Again his hands trembled. “Secrets.” He breathed. “And do you know what the thing about secrets is? Everyone has them.” An index finger grabbed at the panties at her hip, slowly pulling the thin fabric down to her thighs. “So I never run out.” Reaching behind her he grabbed a handful of her buttocks and squeezed.

A surprised gasp fell from her lips.

He felt something stir between his legs. Okinowa pulled his face back. He'd had plenty of dolls gasp and coo at every touch, but there was something genuine about what she'd done that left him breathless. “You're perfect. I have to have you.”

The doll blinked at him and spoke two words he hadn't heard in quite sometime. “You can't.”

Rejection. That was something he'd not felt in the past decade. Its sting was a further reminder as to why he'd stayed away from human women in the first place.

Okinowa pulled away and readjusted himself in his pants. “Right.” He snorted. “Terminus Industries owns you. But we'll see about that.” He went to the elevator door and opened up a keypad hidden off to the side. Once he entered his thumbprint into the system he typed in a ten digit code. “If only you knew how rich I was, Opal. I have no doubt they'd take my first offer. But we'll see about that in the morning. In the mean time, you and I...” the playboy looked back at her and his words left him.

Opal's emotionless face was now twisted into a frown. Her violet eyes burned with a fury no one had dared show him since he was a privileged adolescent. She moved to him slowly, her high heels making sharp noises that echoed off the elevator walls. It was a glitch in her software, he assured himself the closer she came. But that assurance did little to shake the feeling that had now replaced his lust.

Fear.