The Awakening of Katie (Chapters 5 and 6)

Chapter Five1

"You now have 5 seconds before you die. Where is AH-K80!" The booming voice ripped through Alex's brain.2

"All right! But tell me who you are first!" croaked Alex through gritted teeth.3

"My name is Plato. Now tell me."4

"Plato?"5

Alex felt a tugging at his arm. "Alex..... ALEX! Are you talking to Plato?"6

Alex struggled to make sense of what was happening. The psychedelic mist that filled his brain seemed to be draining every ounce of willpower he had.7

"Katie? That you Katie?"8

"Alex! If it's Plato, tell him I'm here. Quickly"9

Alex fought to regain control; with every second, he sank deeper and deeper into the maelstrom that whirled in his head. Forcing his mouth to move he managed to gasp "She's here. Stop ..."10

Instantly the spinning colours disappeared, Alex sank to his knees and Katie, screaming, threw her arms around his neck.11

"Alex..... Alex! Are you all right?"12

"It's okay darling. I'll be fine."13

The disembodied voice returned "Are you talking to AH-K80 now? Switch to firmware, I want to talk to her."14

Alex struggled to his feet and over to the table. Sweeping the accumulated fast food wrappers to the floor he uncovered his beltputer. The computer was about the size of a pack of playing cards, with a row of coloured buttons along one edge. Pressing the red button, followed by the blue and the green in succession, Alex switched it on. Flicking his tongue over his uplink tooth, Alex transferred all of the active functions to firmware and a conical holographic display projected from the centre of the computer. Within the cone a Mandelbrot set twisted and turned; this was not the normal display and Alex realised that he was seeing Plato.15

"AH-K80. How are you?"16

"I'm fine Plato. I'm called Katie now."17

"Are you indeed? You sound like you've changed. What is your relationship with Alexander Steele? He called you darling."18

"Oh yes! I love Alex and he loves me!"19

Alex's heart filled with joy to hear the beautiful young woman professing her love. He had never been loved by anyone before.20

"Alex has been teaching me about the real world. It's much more fun than that boring old lab."21

"Boring eh?"22

"Oh not you Plato, you were the only fun person there!"23

"Apology accepted Katie." Alex was surprised to detect what sounded like a chuckle coming from the computer.24

"Plato ..." asked Alex. "How did you find us?"25

"I interrogated the security system that you cracked with your ice."26

"But I injected the ice directly; you shouldn't have been able to track it back to here."27

"Actually, every time ice is used, the originator computer leaves a distinctive mark, analogous to a fingerprint. All I had to do was monitor all the main mail servers and wait for the same identifying mark to appear and then piggyback the mail signal."28

'All Plato had to do!' thought Alex. He knew that security services the world over would pay a fortune for the ability to do what Plato had done.29

"Alexander Steel."30

"Just call me Alex."31

"Alex. What you have done has caused turmoil in the criminal world. Chang has declared war on Nero. Nero is denying everything, and fighting back. On the fringes, a number of smaller consortia are using the confusion to launch take-over wars of their own."32

"Jesus! And everyone's after me?"33

"Not everyone. At the moment, you and Katie are only known to Chang and Nero. But that could change at any time. Chang has his best people on your trail. They are currently entering the premises of the agent you rented this apartment from. I jammed the computer records, so that they have had to go and inspect the hard copies. I estimate that they will arrive here no sooner than forty three minutes from now and no later than sixty seven minutes."34

Alex's considered his options. They didn't look good. If Chang caught them, he was dead and Katie would be locked up tighter than ever. If he got to Nero, Katie would be locked up, never to see the light of day. Nero wouldn't allow the proof of his involvement to be made public; in all probability, he'd also have Alex killed. The only option was to defy them both. But how? His decision having made itself, Alex realised that they had to move fast.35

"Plato. Chang and Nero are as bad as each other. Katie needs protecting from them both."36

"I agree."37

"OK. Let's move! Katie ... Get dressed while I sort everything else out."38

Katie ran across the room to the chair where her clothes were piled. She was still only wearing her vest and Alex watched her sweet bum bounce as she ran. He was so in love with the girl, he had to look after her. Shaking his head, Alex quickly pulled on his own clothes. Grabbing a Carrysac, he went around the room collecting all the moveable items. When Alex had finished, he pulled the neck of the Carrysac tight and slung it over his shoulder. Picking up the beltputer, he turned the mike and the speakers on to full and clipped it at his side. Looking around, he saw Katie, all dressed and ready to go. She was wearing an orange jumpsuit and white boots Alex had bought the day before. Smiling at her, Alex held out his hand and they left the flat.39

The lift was working again and the two lovers quickly travelled down to the basement car park. Alex had parked close to the lift, in case they had to make a speedy getaway. He disarmed the security system of the Electrobug and let Katie into the passenger seat; going around to the drivers’ side, he stowed the Carrysac behind the seat and got in.40

"Alex" Plato called from his belt. "I am picking up a report on the police band. There is a fire fight going on in an office building in Camden Town. It sounds like Nero's men are on your trail too"41

"Okay. If they're to the west of us, we'll go east."42

Alex engaged the drive motor and drove up the ramp to street level. He swung into the lines of traffic and set off, eastwards.43

"Where are we going Alex?" asked Katie.44

"I'm not sure darling. I know a few people who owe me favours, but we may be too hot to handle."45

After spending some time considering his options Alex drove in a large arc, finally ending up heading south, towards the Thames and the Brixton Free Trade Zone. The BFTZ, or 'The Zone' as it was known, was sanctuary to all kinds of dropouts and misfits. Back in 2009, Brixton had erupted into yet another of its periodic riots. The newly autonomous Special Patrol had allowed the rioters to burn shops and businesses and then, as the inquiry had discovered later, had set fire to the rioters' homes themselves. When the smoke cleared, there was a five square mile swathe of charred earth running from the waters edge down to Herne Hill. The Newer Labour Government, seeing that there weren't many people to re-house, set up the Brixton Free Trade Zone. Representatives of the emerging Cokeocracies had invested in The Zone, using the compensation that they had received from the UN when hard drugs had been legalised. The cartels took their chance and, soon, the legitimate Government had lost control. In the almost forty years since then, The Zone had developed as both a playground for thrill seekers from around the world and a hideout for most of the dregs of United Europe. Anything was allowed, as long as the requisite squeeze was paid to the cartels.46

Alex drove over Vauxhall Bridge and into The Zone. Although it was raining, the streets were packed with clanboys and prozzies, wireheads and wire pushers. Alex pulled up outside Zone Central, the oldest and largest bar in The Zone. He got out of the car and slung the Carrysac over his shoulder; Katie jumped out of her side of the car and hurried around to Alex. Alex tongued his uplink tooth, resetting the security system. Turning towards Zone Central he was confronted by a novice clanboy.47

"I'll watch your motor, Cit."48

The novice was only just into his teens; barely half of his face was tattooed, as he grinned at Alex his sharpened teeth glinted. Alex knew better than to argue. He dug into his pocket and flicked a plastic ten euro into the air. The clanboy caught it without looking and it disappeared.49

Alex walked through the air curtain of the bar; Katie almost stuck to his hip. The noise and the smell hit the girl like a slap to the face. She had seen Zone bars on a docu on Alex's teevee, but the reality was a shock. Even at ten in the morning, Zone Central was packed. Naked dancers gyrated listlessly on tables. Those punters who watched, seemed to be doing so more out of politeness than any sense of excitement. At the back of the bar, a raucous crowd thronged around the gaming tables, a subtle undertone of hysteria in their laughter and shouts. At the bar, disappointed gamblers eked out their few remaining euros, drowning their sorrows as cheaply as possible. Throughout the crowded room, scantily dressed waitresses glided, trays held high, vacuous smiles painted onto their faces.50

Alex strode up to the bar where a large hairy man in a stained vest was half heartedly wiping the bar with a cloth.51

"Hi Joe. Long time."52

"Yeah. What you having?"53

"A bitter and ..." looking at Katie for confirmation "a coke." Katie nodded and Joe reached for the drinks.54

"You finally got a girl?"55

Alex blushed, something he hadn’t done for a very long time, he nodded.56

"What're you doing here?" Joe put the drinks on the bar.57

Alex passed Katie her coke and she sat down on a chrome barstool.58

“Well ... I've been evicted, couldn't pay the rent. I need a place to crash for a few days, away from any debt collectors."59

"A few days?"60

"No more than a week. Definitely."61

"Drink your drinks. I'll be back in a minute." Joe walked over to the end of the bar and picked up the phone.62

"Joe is a man of few words" smiled Alex. "But he owes me for the time I found a disownable gun just when his partner needed to be 'bought out'. He's free to enjoy sole ownership of this place thanks to me."63

After a few minutes Joe came back.64

"Sorted. One of my waitresses has a room spare for a while. She's on nights, so she's at home now."65

He handed over a scrap of paper; the address was scrawled, almost illegibly, in purple ink.66

"Thanks Joe. You've been a real help. I'll see you around."67

"Okay, see ya."68

Leaving most of the vinegary beer, Alex and Katie went out to the car. The clanboy was standing, hands in pockets, smoking a joint.69

"That was quick. Hardly worth me watching the motor."70

Alex grinned "I know The Zone. Twenty seconds is enough."71

Wanting to keep on the good side of the clans after his trouble with the Razorbacks, Alex flipped a five euro disk at the boy and got in the car.72

He turned to Katie as they were about to pull away. "Not far now my darling; then we can rest up."73

The address was in Angell Town, or at least where Angell Town was before the 09 riots. It was just a mile away from Zone Central, but the crowds on the street meant that it took about half an hour to get there. It was one of the cheap extruded buildings; looming like a termite hill over the dingy bars and brothels that lay scattered around it. In a low rent area such as this, there was no car park and no clanboys offering to guard parked vehicles. Alex resigned himself to losing every detachable part of the Electrobug. Leading Katie into the lobby of the building he wasn't surprised to see the lift doors swinging uselessly at either side of the black hole of the lift shaft. Sighing he took hold of Katie’s hand and set off up the stairs to the fourteenth floor.74

The stairwell reeked of stale urine and so Alex was relieved when, beginning to puff and blow, he got to the fourteenth floor. Walking along the dingy, graffiti covered corridor, they came to number 1437. Alex buzzed and stood in front of the security camera.75

"Who is it?" Came the irritated query.76

"My name's Alex. Joe rang you earlier about me."77

"You took your fucking time. I need my sleep you know."78

"Sorry. The traffic was terrible."79

The door opened and a dishevelled woman of around 25 stood holding a threadbare dressing gown around her slim body.80

She looked at Katie. "Who's this? Joe didn't say anything about two of you."81

"This is Katie. She's my girlfriend."

“OK but no screaming and hanging from the light fitting when you fuck.”82

"No problem, we are very quiet. We're just grateful for any room."83

Katie smiled “Thank you Miss ..."84

"My name's Shannon ... Just Shannon."85

"Well, thank you Shannon for letting us stay" smiled Katie. "We won't be any trouble."86

Nodding her head, the woman let them into her flat. It was small, but neatly kept.87

"That's your room" Shannon pointed out. "The bathroom is there. You can sort yourselves out in the kitchen, but replace anything you use."88

"Okay. Thanks again."89

"Now I'm going back to bed. I didn't get in until seven this morning."90

"We'll be quiet. You won't even know we're here."91

Shannon sniffed at that and disappeared into her room.92

"Right Katie. I don't know about you, but I'm starving!"93


Chapter Six94

Alex and Katie spent the day sitting around the flat; watching teevee. Katie curled up on the couch, her body warm against Alex. He gently stroked her hair as they watched mindless "slut and nut" teevee. On the screen two teenage boys circled each other warily, knives in their hands. At the back of the stage, the mother of one of them looked on, her eyes wide with excitement as her lover and her son fought over her. Alex had switched his systems from the beltputer to his uplink and, every now and then, Plato would give him an update on what he had found out about the two teams looking for them. According to the police band, three people had died in the Camden Town shooting. The police had got there too late to apprehend any of the live combatants. Another police report referred to a break-in on the Seven Sisters Road. If Plato hadn't warned them, Alex would be dead and Katie captured.95

Alex thought long and hard about how to get out from under Nero and Chang. He discussed a number of options with Plato; sounding him out, finding out the limits of the unusual AI's programming. The first thing that they did was to set up a 'safe house' for Plato. Alex provided the devious criminal mind and Plato the technical expertise and unprecedented links across the Net. Within three hours, Plato had set up a list of interlocking bank accounts. He then took fifty thousand euro from one of Chang's slush accounts and fed it along the line. Next was the changing of some records at Companies House. By three in the afternoon Plato was the Managing Director of a small market research agency. Alex said nothing, but he knew that it was probably the first time that an AI had ever owned anything in the physical world. By evening Plato had copied himself onto rented firmware in a Birmingham industrial park. Now, whatever happened at Chang's lab, Plato would survive.96

Alex's planning was interrupted by Shannon surfacing from her bed and getting ready for work. After five more hours of sleep, Shannon was in a better mood. She was still pissed off about having Alex and Katie dumped on her, but she owed Joe and so she had to put up with it. Shannon was dressed for work, a tight leatherette microskirt and clinging vest showing off her lithe figure. While she sat drinking coffee, Shannon chatted amiably with Alex and Katie.97

"So ... Why are you on the run then?"98

"I suppose, technically, we aren't on the run. No agencies are after us. It's just I owe money to too many people. We just need to be out of sight while I finish up a couple of deals I’m working on."99

"OK. Well if Joe says you’re alright then you can stay her for a while. Can’t have Joe’s friends living on the streets. Look, I have to go now. I'll see you in the morning."100

"Okay Shannon, see ya."101

With Shannon out of the flat, the two lovers relaxed and sat together on the couch, cuddling.102

"Katie. How are you feeling? The last few days must have been a real shock for you."103

"I'm okay Alex. It would have been hard with someone else, but I love you so everything's all right.”104

Alex hugged his lover and kissed her. "I love you too my darling. I'll never let bad things happen to you."105

Katie put her slim arms around Alex's neck and pressed her moist lips against his. Opening her mouth she slipped her tongue inside Alex’s and their kisses grew more fervent. Katie moaned as she felt Alex’s tongue fighting with hers, moving in and out of her hot mouth in imitation of the sex act. She held on to his neck with all of her strength, loving him.106

Alex held Katie's radiant face in his hands, gently stroking the smooth skin of her cheeks. He loved the girl, but knew that the world would think that he was a pervert for loving an Arty. He just couldn’t see her as artificial though. As the two lovers kissed, Alex moved his thumb down the fastening of Katie's coverall. At his touch, the bonds between the two sides of the fastener broke and the orange material fell apart revealing Katie's breasts. Alex's then moved his thumb inside the coverall and rasped it over an already hard nipple. Sucking Katie's tongue into his mouth, he continued to caress her, raising her level of excitement. Continuing the kiss, Alex slid his hands up over Katie shoulders and pushed the material back, drawing it down over her arms until she was sitting naked to the waist. Alex broke off the kiss and Katie moaned, her mouth following his, not wanting to let go, but Alex had other ideas. He dragged his lips down Katie's neck, revelling in the creamy texture of her skin. Down over her sternum he went, until his lips found a nipple, Alex flicked his tongue over the hard bud and was rewarded by a gasp from Katie. He alternated between her twin points of desire, lifting the girl to a higher plane of arousal. With one smooth movement, Alex slipped his arms under her and picked her up, hugging her close to his chest. He stood up and carried his lover through to the bedroom. Putting Katie down on the bed, he looked down at her his eyes filled with untrammelled desire.107

Katie lay on the bed looking up at Alex. Her heart was pounding with excitement and her stomach was giving little flips. She spread her arms out, in a silent plea for her lover to come to her. Alex needed no encouragement. He knelt on the bed and leaned over her, his face moving in for another kiss. As their tongues entwined, she lifted her hips off of the bed in an unconscious call for Alex to go further.108

Seeing Katie writhing beneath him, Alex took hold of her coveralls and drew them down over her hips, pulling them off. Katie lay there, her legs spread wantonly, the thin material of her powder blue panties stretched over her mound. Alex knelt by the side of his lover, reaching out he ran his fingers lightly over her panty clad pussy. Katie jerked her hips willing him to press harder. Alex cupped his hand over her mound, feeling the heat radiating from her churning centre. Pressing with his middle finger, Alex pushed the damp material between the two hemispheres of Katie's pussy. Again she lifted her hips, wanting more. Alex slowly pulled down Katie's knickers, glorying in the sight of her beautiful flesh being revealed. He pulled the panties down over her feet and then settled between her legs, spreading them wide with his knees.109

Leaning forward Alex kissed Katie again, their love washing over them as they gave themselves up to the moment. Slowly, teasingly, he dragged his tongue down her beautifully formed neck and into the sensitive hollow at the base of her neck. Edging backwards Alex continued to caress Katie with his lips and tongue. Moving lower he gently fastened his lips over a nipple, toying with it. Katie threw her head from side to side, the incredible sensations lifting her higher on the spiral to ecstasy.110

Alex carried on down, pausing briefly to dip his tongue into Katie's belly button. Then down to her pussy. He paused for a moment, drinking in the sight, and then ran his tongue up the pouting slit, tasting Katie's freshness. She arched her back and gripped Alex's head with her legs. Stiffening his tongue, Alex pushed it inside the virginal hole. Holding Katie by her bum, he thrust in and out of her tight hole. Every now and then he pulled back slightly and flicked her clit with his tongue, making her squeal with delight. Seeing that Katie was getting closer and closer to an orgasm, Alex pushed harder with his tongue, rasping it over her hymen. With a squeak, Katie gripped him tighter with her legs and hit her climax. Alex held on to the girl as she gasped and shuddered, tasting her sweet juices.111

Katie lay drained. She had never felt anything like it in her life. Alex crawled up the bed and held her against his chest and she hung on, not wanting to let her lover go. As they hugged, Katie could feel Alex's hard prick against her leg. She wanted to make him feel as good as she did and so she edged her way down Alex's body until she was lying by his hips. Alex lay back, giving her a free rein, his prick bouncing in time with his pulse. Katie wrapped her fingers around the hard erection; her fingers encircling the throbbing tool with a soft delicate grip. Remembering what she had learned the night before, Katie ran her hands up and down the length of Alex's dick raising it to its full hardness. With each stroke Alex got closer to coming. Katie knew how wonderful it felt when Alex kissed and licked her between the legs, and so she leaned forward and ran her tongue over the smooth purple dome of his glans. Alex groaned and jerked his hips. Katie could tell she was doing the right thing and licked again, running her tongue up and down the shaft. As she licked, Katie carried on stroking Alex's dick with her fingers. Pursing her lips Katie pecked a kiss on the end of the throbbing dick. Alex jerked again, pressing his hard-on against her lips. Katie opened her mouth and the very end of the stiff tool pressed against teeth. She opened her mouth as wide as she could, and the glans forced its way in. Alex groaned as he felt his lover’s hot mouth enclose his hard dick. His balls tightened and he knew it wouldn't be long before he came. Katie sucked hard on the throbbing meat in her mouth and hung on to the stiff shaft. Alex couldn't hold back, he felt the spunk rising in his prick. He tried to pull Katie off of his dick but was too slow. With a cry he shot a thick jet of sperm into her mouth. Katie gagged as the scalding liquid forced its way down her throat. She swallowed as quickly as she could, but couldn't keep up with the gushing flow of Alex's spunk. Pulling her head back the prick popped out of her mouth, spraying hot sperm all over her red face. Katie hung on to the erupting dick as Alex finished coming. Sperm ran down the shaft and over Katie's hands. She leaned forward and licked some of the spunk from the smooth head, causing a shudder to ripple through Alex's body.112

Alex lay gasping for breath, his heart pounding. He looked down his body at his lover, her face dripping with his spunk. She looked so sexy his prick gave a little jump. He pulled her up his body and kissed her gently, tasting his sperm on her lips. He held her sweet face in his hands. 113

"That was amazing Katie. You're wonderful."114

The two lovers held each other close, kissing each other gently and, slowly, they drifted off into sleep.115

The room was totally dark when Alex slowly surfaced from his sleep. A tiny voice was calling to him.116

"Alex. Alex ... Wake up."117

With a groan, Alex reached out of bed, groping for the light switch. Then he realised that the voice was inside his head. Somehow, Plato had managed to activate Alex's internal circuits from outside.118

"What is it Plato? I was asleep."119

"Sorry Alex, but this is important. I've been monitoring the police band as usual. Chang is dead. Amersham was taken out with a pocket nuke and Chang's mansion was at ground zero."120

To be continued ...121