Trifecta (39 page)

O
n the way to Mark's apartment they discussed what to do
with Eve.  She did not belong to them.  She belonged to Ferd, who was evidently
very sick and might not be able to protect her from the thugs.  Eve could not take
care of herself yet.  She would have to be trained to behave like other people. 

The alternative would be to go to the police.  There were
some very good reasons to do so.  First, they might be able to get protection for
Sabrina.  Secondly, the police would put Eve into some kind of protective custody
and they would not have her as a responsibility.  The police would regard them as
lunatics at first, but all Eve would have to do to prove she was not exactly human
would be to give a demonstration of her accelerated healing.  Or get on a scale. 
Or recite the dictionary.

Sabrina was against going to the police on moral grounds. 
Eve was a person and should be able to choose what she wanted for herself.  Mark
said that Eve was a very special Biologically Animated Computer.  She was the property
of Ferd, just as would be any computer he had made.

Sabrina argued that Eve was a living being that could have
babies and would have human emotions in the future.  Mark said she was a machine.

Sabrina was against going to the police because they might
display Eve and experiment with her.  Eve also had a tendency to obey people and
might comply with commands from people who did not have her best interests at heart. 
Mark countered that there were two thugs planning to kill Sabrina and then use Eve
for some special and probably illegal operation.

At an impasse, they decided to sleep on it.

S
abrina woke up with her head resting on Mark's
shoulder.  The realization that she had a double with a genius brain back at her
apartment was enough to jolt her totally awake, but she wanted a little more time
to relax with Mark.  She was careful breathing so she wouldn't wake him.

"We can probably find out Ferd's last name if we check
the local hospitals."  Mark yawned hugely.

"You fake.  How long have you been awake?"

"A while."

They lay in silence.  Sabrina smiled, thinking about Mark's
reaction when Eve had asked him to copulate with her.

"What's so funny?"  Mark asked.

"Your reaction when Eve asked you to have sex."

She could feel his laughter vibrating against her ear.

"She isn't a clone, though,"  Sabrina said. 
"A clone is a copy of the DNA structure of an organism.  Made from only one
cell.  Eve was alive and could think before she looked like me."

"Actually, the thought of sex with her makes my blood
run cold."

“That's a little extreme."

"The way Eve stared at me when we were driving.  Gave
me the creeps."

Sabrina could understand that.  She had experienced the
unblinking stare.  "I think you are curious."

"In an intellectual way."

"Uh huh."  Sabrina threw off the covers.  "I
want the first shower."

"I'll check the hospitals around here,” Mark said,
pulling his laptop from the table beside the bed.  “See if I can find out about
Ferd.  And the guys who intend to kill you."

Mark could track them if anyone could, Sabrina thought. 
He was a newspaper reporter, on staff with the L.A.  Times; a professional in obtaining
information.

Sabrina took a very long shower, hopping out when it got
cold.  What Mark needed was a good cold shower, if, after last night, he could still
be curious about Eve.

She would have to tell Eve though, that if she did desire
to experience sex, she would have to be careful.  Eve might inadvertently place
herself in a dangerous situation.  The way her social skills were now, Sabrina could
picture Eve walking into a singles bar, approaching the first man she saw and asking
him to perform sex with her because she needed to learn about that particular human
interaction.  She could imagine Eve staring at the man, unblinking and totally honest. 
Definitely a bad scene.

Mark was looking smug, lying back on the pillows, when
Sabrina reentered the bedroom.  "I contacted admitting at Cedars Sinai Hospital
and got the information.  Ferd is the father of the thugs.  All three are Steinbrenners."

Sabrina started pulling on black jeans, leather boots and
one of her own designer shirts.  Mark went into the bathroom.

"Ouch,"  he yelled.  "It's freezing.  You
used up all the hot water again, Sabrina."

Sabrina smiled and finished dressing.  She sat down on
the bed and called her own apartment.  After the phone rang once, she hung up and
re-dialed.

"Hello, Sabrina,"  Eve said.

"Hi.  How are you?"

"I'm eating."

Sabrina smiled.

"I want to tell you about last night,” Eve said. 
”Something happened."

"What?"  She had warned Eve not to open the door
for anyone or even to answer the telephone without their prearranged signal.

"I went to sleep and dreamed,"  Eve said.  "I
was small and my family told me to go away.  I think I experienced sadness.  I was
crying when I woke up.  Now it's even clearer.  But I'm not dreaming."

Sabrina sat very still and felt an electrical shiver go
through her, like the one she experienced when she had first seen Eve.  She had
wondered then if Eve could read her mind.

"I think I'm getting your memories, Sabrina.  Things
I don't understand keep appearing in my mind.  Not things that I have studied or
read.  I believe I have a fashion design shop.  I understand how you feel about
Mark, because I do too.  I didn't think I would receive emotions so soon, but they
accompany the memories.  It's a revelation and it's strongly uncomfortable.  I want
Mark.  I want his baby.  I want my fashion line to be a success.  I know, intellectually,
it is not me.  Not from my computer.  It's your brain.  But how can I obey, when
I have overwhelming wants and needs?"

Oh good grief, Sabrina thought, how do you counsel someone
experiencing emotions for the first time? And not even their own, but someone else's
that have accumulated over a lifetime.

"I'll try to talk to Ferd.  He'll know what to do. 
In the meantime, try to keep busy.  Read and watch television.  I have a roast in
the refrigerator.  Maybe you could try and cook it for dinner.  And Eve, if you
get scared, call me at my shop and I'll come and stay with you."  She gave
Eve the number and then hung up.

Mark walked into the bedroom toweling his hair and looked
at her.  "What's wrong?"

"It's urgent that I talk to Ferd.  Eve's getting my
memories.  At the same time, she seems to be obtaining my complete emotional life." 
Sabrina recounted some of the conversation, but didn’t mention that Eve had probably
realized she was madly in love with Mark by this time. 

Mark telephoned Cedar Sinai Hospital and was on the phone
for a long time.  He explained it was an emergency that he get in touch with Dr.
Steinbrenner.

A few minutes later the phone rang and Mark pounced on
it.

"Hello.  Is Sabrina Miller there?"

Sabrina took the receiver.  "Hello.  Is this Ferd?"

"Yes, dear.  And how are you?"

"I'm fine.  But I'm worried about Eve.  I mean the
computer.  We call her Eve."

"That's very appropriate.  I like it.  But why are
you worried, dear?"

Sabrina was taken off guard.  It was almost like hearing
from a much loved uncle, or a grandfather with the wisdom and patience of a long
life view.  She was surprised because she had been indignant that he had used her
in a scientific experiment without her consent.

Sabrina took a deep breath.  "We're keeping her safe
for you.  We got her lots of syrup and honey and jam for the necessary calories. 
But I'm not with her now and I just talked to Eve on the phone.  She's getting my
memories."

"Long-term or short-term, Sabrina?"

"Pardon?"

Mark had disappeared into the living room and Sabrina heard
him pick up the extension so he could listen.

"Long term memories are those from your childhood. 
There is a chemical process that stores memories and then turns them into those
you can remember from the past.  The short-term memories are things that have happened
to you quite recently.  Some are so inconsequential that they are not stored.  Eve
would never forget them, but you would not have access to them yourself.  Do you
understand, Sabrina?"

"I think so.  Eve seems to have both.  Strong emotions
are coming with the memories.  She says it's uncomfortable, but I think she's scared
and may become overwhelmed."

"I didn't expect this to happen so soon."  Ferd
sounded thoughtful.  "But it makes sense.  The electrical currents in your
brain have certain patterns, Sabrina.  These patterns, or memories and thoughts,
even emotions, tend to be repeated.  So the computer is repeating the same electrical
brain pathways you have.  But I am sorry for your inconvenience, and want to thank
you for taking care of...Eve."

"Why did you pick me?"  Sabrina couldn't help
asking.

"You are in excellent physical condition.  I took
blood samples.  All your organs are perfect.  You are also very beautiful, and I
thought that one so gifted with beauty would have had a rather, let's say, happy
and uneventful life."

"I was an orphan who never had a family.  No one wanted
me."

"I'm so sorry, dear,"  Ferd said.

"That's okay.  But those are some of the old emotions
Eve is obtaining from my brain."

"The doctor is making a cut-off signal.  He would
only give me five minutes."

What should we do?"

"I'll call Eve, tell her what to expect."

"Yes, please do."  Sabrina gave Ferd her home
phone number.

"Good-bye Sabrina.  Thank you for taking care of Eve."

"Wait! Your sons are trying to kill me,"  Sabrina
said into the phone, but Ferd had already hung up.  All she heard was the buzzing
dial tone.

Mark put down the telephone receiver thoughtfully.  He
had heard an uncharacteristic desolate flatness in Sabrina's voice when she said
she was an orphan that no one wanted.  He had known the fact, but never thought
it affected her deeply.  Now he wanted to go and hug Sabrina, take away all the
ancient pain, but it would be exactly the wrong thing to do.  If he acted sticky
and sentimental she would certainly know why, and pull away from him more than she
had been lately.

Mark went into the bedroom.  "I'll take you to work. 
Tonight, I'll pick you up and go home with you.  I don't want you alone with Eve. 
Not ever."

"That's nonsense,"  Sabrina said, as they walked
outside to his car.

"I'm not so sure.  What if Eve likes your life and
wants to take it over.  She has no morals and might kill you.  I don't want to scare
you, but she could be very dangerous."

Sabrina sat in silence, glancing at Mark's intent profile
as he drove swiftly through the morning rush hour traffic in Los Angeles.  Men were
used to being much stronger than women, physically.  Women were always the weaker
sex to them.  Now there was a woman who could twist knobs off of doors, break legs
with a kick, and not even hurt her little toe.  Eve was strong enough to do whatever
she wanted to, and Mark could not stop her.  He could not protect her, or even himself,
if Eve set out to harm either one of them.

A
s Sabrina and Mark were setting off to work, Sato Hashimoto
was just cruising over the clouds of Los Angeles.  The seat belt signal went on,
as the flight was to land within ten minutes, but Sato did not observe the sign
and snapped his fingers at the blond who had been serving the first class section
of the airliner.  She told him that she could not serve any more refreshments and
he handed her a hundred dollar bill.  She returned rapidly with a neat double scotch.

Hashimoto sipped the drink out of the disgusting plastic
cup and shuddered, thinking that everything was better in Japan.  Even the scotch. 
That he had to be in this heathenish, hedonistic city of Los Angeles was an abomination.

Worse, was the thought that he might have to work with
two lawyers whom he personally thought witless and without manners or honor.  He
had decided to circumvent them and take matters into his own hands.

He had first read the U.S.  Intelligence report that corroborated
that there might indeed be a person with a computer implanted in his brain just
yesterday.  If that were really so, then this vile trip would be worth his trouble.

The fact that Hashimoto had spent a cool half million for
the information did not mean that the document Willard Modert had provided was authentic,
although it looked like a real photocopy of a top secret document.  One could never
trust corrupt people, like the nondescript fellow who was a personal aid to the
man in charge of the investigation, Burgess Whitcomb.  But the supposed allegations
of new computer technology, although almost unbelievable, might possibly be true,
and Hashimoto was thankful that there were people who could be bought almost anywhere.

America was a particularly corrupt place and its people
could see no further ahead than their noses.  Obviously, most Americans were contemptible,
greedy people only interested in profit and easy money.  They had no sense of tradition
or thoughts of providing for future generations.  That was stupendously apparent
by their behavior.  They were selling their own country for cash.

Hashimoto trickled more scotch down his throat.  Oh yes,
the Americans were quite stupid.  But in one case there was no stupidity.  The report
had indicated that the man who had conceived and implemented the new computer technology
was a medical doctor with several Ph.d.'s.  It was surprising that the doctor's
sons were such idiots.

Hashimoto had not given much credence when Alexander Steinbrenner
had called him, blathering on about a computer now actually imbedded within a person's
brain.  But it was such a novel idea that Sato had given his staff a go-ahead to
make an inquiry.  He had learned that there was indeed an ongoing and very secret
investigation involving people high up in the Central Intelligence Agency.  He had
to bribe quite a few people to get that information, but the breakthrough had been
Willard Modert.  He had used the man before.  Modert was the new modern entrepreneur,
planted within the CIA years ago by the KGB and directing operatives from within
that agency.

Hashimoto knew that the Soviets would be trying to grab
the new technology for themselves.  Modert had probably gambled on selling him the
information just for profit, thinking that his operatives were so far ahead that
Hashimoto would be left in their dust, minus the half million.

Thus, Hashimoto acted quickly so that he could circumvent
the intervention of the two lawyers and the Soviets. 

It sounded like Alexander Steinbrenner was actually willing
to sell his father's computer, incredible as that sounded.  Hashimoto hoped that
Dr. Steinbrenner would be willing to sell the components and technology.  It would
be a shame to have to kill the first live computer to obtain the tiny computer chip
to see how it operated.

Hashimoto knew he would have to be careful in negotiating
because Dr. Steinbrenner evidently had a serious heart condition.  But it was very
fortunate indeed that he was in a hospital, in a bed he could not presumably leave.

The first of Hashimoto's staff to arrive in Los Angeles
was a group of spies, called Ronin no Zaibatsu.  They had already begun surveillance
on Dr. Steinbrenner, his sons, and a new person in the American investigation, Sabrina
Miller.

Hashimoto had no doubt he would win the race for this new
technology.  The Ronin are recognized as the best spies in the world.  Even better
than the American CIA or the Soviet KGB.  In modern Japan, even today, the Ronin
are called Outlaw Knights.  He had picked them from the outcasts and members of
Bunraku-Min, or untouchables of mixed parentage.

As Hashimoto prepared to deplane, his Ronin were taking
pictures of Sabrina and Mark on the way to work.  The Ronin were noticing the CIA
agents in another car, obviously following Sabrina Miller and Mark Ponti.