The Awakening of Katie (Conclusion - Chapters 9 and 10)

Chapter 91

Slowly Alex dragged himself up from the depths of the dark pit he was buried in. He didn't know where he was, or how he'd got there, only that his whole body was wracked with pain. As he gathered his thoughts together, Alex concentrated on two things, the cold of the floor to which his face was pressed, and the throbbing ache in his mouth. With an effort Alex pressed his hands on the floor and manoeuvred himself onto his knees. Without thinking he went to activate his uplink and screamed as his tongue pressed into the torn hole in his gums. Alex's eyes snapped open at the sharp pain and, through agonised tears, he saw that he was in a dimly lit cellar of some sort.2

Memories started to return and Alex groaned. Where was Katie? What had Nero's thugs done to her? With one more supreme effort, Alex hauled himself to his feet and leaned against the cold, damp wall. Stumbling, Alex made a circuit of the small room, checking the door and finding that it was bolted on the outside. There were no windows in the cellar, and the featureless walls held no hope of escape. Alex sank back down to the floor sitting with his back against the wall. He was cut off from the Net, the reason his tooth had been torn out, and he didn't know what to do. In the short term Alex was content to sit and regain some of his strength.3

Alex closed his eyes and rested for a while. His body still ached in the aftermath of the drugs Beanpole had shot him with. His jaw still throbbed from the rough extraction of his uplink tooth. But; slowly, strength flowed back into Alex's muscular body. As he sat in the gloom a familiar voice echoed in Alex's head.4

"Alex ... Alex ... Are you awake?"5

"Plato! How did you find me? Is Katie all right?"6

"One thing at a time. First, what Nero doesn't know, and what you seem to have forgotten, is that the uplink tooth is merely the switch, the pointing device. I have contacted you before without you using your tooth. Second, Katie is alive, but unconscious. I have managed to reach the submicro in her skull, but the drugs mean I haven't been able to converse with her. I'm monitoring her and will talk to her when she is fully awake. They haven't touched her uplink tooth. As far as they know, she is simply an Artificial Human decanted just three months ago; she shouldn’t have an uplink tooth."7

"Do you know where we are?"8

"Nero has a mansion in Highgate. I managed to track your attackers car on the traffic control CCTV system. They disappeared in Archway, so I presume you are in Nero's Highgate home."9

"I've been here before then. It's massive, and a complete fortress."10

"I have been trying to uncover plans of the mansion, but without success so far."11

Just the fact that he was able to talk to Plato gave Alex a lift. Already his mind was starting to work its way through possible escape strategies. As they talked, the bolt on the door rattled and a shaft of light pierced the gloom. Standing silhouetted in the doorway was Beanpole, or Thompson as Alex now remembered. 12

"Get up! Nero wants you."13

"What's going on? Why did you attack me?"14

"Just shut up and come with me."15

Following Thompson, Alex found himself back in the airy room where he had first met Alfredo Nero. The gangster looked at Alex and smiled.16

"Ah Mr. Steele. I'm so glad you could come."17

"I didn't exactly have a choi… Argh!" Thompson gave him a backhanded cuff across the jaw.18

"Let's be civilised about this shall we?" Alex stayed quiet. "You've picked up the AH unit, for which I'm grateful. Now I need some information." Alex nodded his agreement. "Since she has been with you, have you noticed anything unusual about her?"19

"Careful" warned Plato, inside Alex's head.20

"Unusual? ... Well, she is obviously very intelligent. She asks a lot of questions ... and good ones too. Like 'If same sex relationships are legal, why is the news full of the election of the new US president and his first man?' I had to work to keep up with her."21

Nero looked at Alex speculatively "Anything else?"22

Alex looked thoughtful and then replied "No; apart from that, she seems to be a normal young woman."23

"If you're lying and I find out, you know you're dead don't you?"24

"Of course, I'm not lying. You pay me and I do as I'm told."25

"As long as you do ..."26

"Mr Nero ..."27

"Yes Steele?"28

"Why did you take my uplink tooth?"29

"You may not know, but I'm in a state of war at the moment. So, I control all communications."30

"Okay Mr Nero. Anything you say."31

Nero turned to Thompson, who was standing at the door looking military. "Thompson. Take Mr Steele to his former room. I don't think the cellar is needed."32

"Hmmph" grunted Thompson. "Anything you say Mr Nero."33

Alex nodded to Nero and followed Beanpole down the painting lined corridor to the luxurious bedroom he'd occupied on his first visit. Going inside, he heard the door locking behind him. He went over to the wide bed and lay down on the silk sheets, the tension leaving him in an explosive breath. Alex lay there, tentatively exploring the hole where his tooth had been with his tongue.34

"Alex" said Plato. "Katie is waking up. She's has not spoken coherently yet, but I think she's all right."35

"Thank God!"36

"... lex ... Alex ... Are you there?"37

"Yes my darling. Are you all right?"38

"My head hurts ... What happened?"39

"Those men worked for Nero. They drugged you. You'll feel better as the drugs wear off."40

"Okay Alex."41

"Katie darling ... can you see where you are?"42

Katie looked around. She seemed to be in a room similar to the one she'd lived in at Chang's lab. It was a bedroom. She was lying on the firm mattress of a small bed. Against the wall was a small dresser, plain, with nothing on it. Like Katie's previous home, there were video cameras on the wall.43

"It looks like my old room, except there are no windows."44

"Okay Katie, that's great. Can you move?"45

"Uh ... I think so ..."46

"Try and see if you can. We'll need to know as much as possible about your room if we are going to get you out." 'That's a joke' thought Alex 'get her out. I'm stuck here myself.'47

Over the next couple of hours the three stayed linked through Plato. Partly to start developing an escape plan, but also to reassure each other that everything would be all right. In some ways Alex was optimistic. At least Nero hadn't had him killed. Alex knew that escape wasn't enough. Nero had to be neutralised; either killed or taken by the security forces.48

Plato was give the job of preparing; using his links to various security networks, he learned what the procedures would be in response to a hostage situation, and began to alter records on various national networks. Using a constructed voice and routing it through a chain of com links, he started a dialogue with the SecFor colonel who was in charge of the investigation into the destruction of Amersham. Plato was careful not to give too much information, as there were other preparations to make.49

Thompson stood in the doorway of the lab looking at Katie. She sniffed and wiped a forearm across her face, wiping away some of her tears.50

"Where's Alex? I want Alex!" Her voice got higher with each word and she sounded like she was about to explode into screams.51

Thompson was uncomfortable. If Nero had asked him to discontinue the Artificial Human he could have done it without a thought. He had, after all, done much worse in his time. But dealing with tears was a different matter.52

"Quiet." Thompson growled. "If you're good you might get to see him. Now get up and come with me."53

Katie rolled over and got down from the bed. She was clad in a plain, ankle length night-gown, she had, after all, been naked when the thugs had kidnapped her. She looked around for some slippers or other footwear, but there was nothing. So, barefoot, the beautiful young woman left the lab with the massive, black clad assassin.54

Katie knew what to expect when she came face to face with Nero; Alex and Plato had warned her; so her blubbering and crying was mainly an act. Nero looked at her with disdain. "What's the matter with you? You haven't been hurt."55

"I'm sorry ... it's just ... it's ..."56

"Spit it out girl!"57

"I'm frightened! I want Alex."58

"Why? He's nothing to you."59

"He's been nice to me."60

Nero shook his head with frustration. "If you help me then I might let you stay with Alex."61

"Oh Yes! I'll help!"62

"Good girl," whispered Alex in her head. "You're doing perfectly."63

Katie beamed a smile back at Alex while still managing to look frightened on the surface.64

"Now then AH-K80 ... Tell me what you can do."65

"Do?"66

"Yes. You were designed for something. What?"67

"I don't know sir. I'm good at maths and I can remember things really well. But I don't know what I'm supposed to do."68

"What did Dr. Franklin tell you?"69

"Just that I had to work hard and learn as much as I could."70

"Nothing else?"71

"No, nothing"72

'Shit!' thought Nero 'I've exposed myself, I've got SecFor after me, and for what? I don't even know what the Artie is for.' Fixing his stare on the young woman again, Nero instructed her.73

"You are to do the same here, work hard and learn as much as you can."74

"Okay sir ... Sir?"75

"What!" Nero snapped.76

"Can Alex stay with me?"77

"All right. As long as you carry on working hard."78

"Thank you sir" said Katie, her head bowed, eyes downcast.79

"Thompson, take AH-K80 back to the lab, then take Steele there too."80

"Yes sir." Turning to Katie he growled, "Come on. And no crying."81

Having to work hard at suppressing a grin, Katie followed Thompson. 82

Once Katie was back in the lab, she was left alone for about half an hour when the door opened and in walked Alex. "Alex!" she cried in mock surprise, running into his arms. "Where have you been?"83

"Hi there Katie. Are you all right?"84

"Yes Alex. But I've been frightened on my own ..."85

"That's okay. I'm with you now."86

The two lovers sat on the bed, Alex with his arm around Katie's shoulders, talking inanities. They knew that Nero's men would be listening in to them. What the guards and scientists didn't know, was that they were also having a conversation on the Net. 87

The three; human, AH and AI, had a long discussion about what needed to be done in order to bring Nero down. Plato had put into place everything that was needed to bring SecFor down on Nero and to prevent Katie from being kept in a lab for the rest of her life. 88

Everything was prepared, all that remained was the manufacture of the hard evidence of Nero's orders to bomb Amersham. Plato couldn't do that on his own, the systems in Nero's mansion were on a sealed circuit that had physical switching, he couldn't get to them.89

Some time during the afternoon, a lab tech brought a mattress in for Alex and dumped it unceremoniously on the floor. Finally, after eating a meal consisting only of supplements, the lights were dimmed. Katie lay on the bed, her eyes closed, pretending to be asleep. Alex did the same on his mattress against the wall. Unobserved, the plans were still being discussed and refined. Everything had to run with clockwork efficiency.90

Colonel Walters UESF, sat in the command seat of the matte black jetcopter. Walters was a caricature of a soldier. The lines of his jaw were so sharp they could almost cut paper. His eyes were so steely it was a wonder that his tears hadn't rusted them long ago. Then again, Walters had probably never cried in his life. The jetcopter was hovering on station, 1500 metres above north London. Walters was waiting for the final directions from the informant who had been in contact with him all day. Although he had now been on station for over an hour, Walters showed no signs of impatience. He was used to waiting. His face was illuminated by the phosphorescent glow of the Tac Com screen. On the screen, a map of London north of the river dimly framed the area of the team's search. The green dot of his jetcopter was positioned over St Pancras, ready to move as soon as more intelligence was received. Four yellow dots, the troop carriers, weaved back and forth, each averaging four kilometres from Walters. 91

Alex lay on his mattress, his eyes tightly shut. He tensed as he silently counted down the seconds in tandem with Plato. At exactly four minutes and four seconds past four the whole of north east London was plunged into darkness. Alex jumped to his feet and bounded over to the door, kicking the now unlocked barrier open with his leading foot. In the gloom he could just make out the grey form of one of Nero's scientists, silhouetted by the dying glow of the dead monitors. Alex leaped across the room without pausing and, with a great roundhouse swing, decked the surprised observer. The seconds continued to count down and, at six minutes and six seconds past four, the lights came back on.92

Alex blinked furiously in the bright light and tried to fathom the control panel on the desk. The first thing he did was to lock the outer door. Next he powered up one of the DeskCray's. Feverishly he began working his way through a complex list of reconfigurations to the super computer.93

"It's Highgate!" snapped Colonel Walters into his throat mike. Focusing his gaze onto Nero's mansion on the map, it began to pulse blood red. "Alphas Two and Three circle wide and come in from the north; Alphas Four and Five angle in from your current positions. Alpha One will station over the target at 1000 metres. Careful on the ground, there may be civilian hostages." 94

Alex grinned in triumph, he'd managed to reconfigure the DeskCray to accept data from outside the mansions' secure ring. Giving Plato the nod he let the AI slip inside and begin altering the security records of the last two days. 95

AI's had long been able to generate human faces to ease their communications with humans. It was an affectation, and an indication of his individuality, that Plato used a mathematical display when talking with Katie and Alex. It was a relatively easy matter for Plato to assimilate all the video records of Nero and produce a completely fictitious account of the past twenty four hours. He would justify it, if pushed, by saying that it was just a representation of something that had actually happened. Plato easily side stepped the firewall of the security system; while Nero had powerful computers, next to Plato they were mere calculators. It was simply a matter of the difference between computing power and actual intelligence. It was only a matter of seconds and the records had all been rewritten. Retreating, Plato closed the doors firmly behind him. He passed the baton over to Alex to return the DeskCray to its original configuration. It was now thirteen minutes past four. As Alex began working, there was a loud crash and the building shook. In the next room Katie screamed. "It's okay darling" beamed Alex. "The lab is the safest part of the building. We'll be all right here."96

Colonel Walters watched the Tac Com screen as the four troop jetcopters swooped in on the mansion below. A stream of anti aircraft fire weaved across the sky and ate into the side of Alpha Three. "Take out that AA gun. Now!" As the stricken jetcopter wobbled away, the remaining three targeted their onboard guns at the AA emplacement. A ball of fire ballooned into the night and the gun was silent. The three attack craft followed their fire down to ground level. One by one the jetcopters hovered over the flat roof of the mansion and kevlar suited infantrymen free abseiled down to fan out in defensive positions.97

Alex had managed to return the DeskCray to its original state and was sitting on the bed in the lab, his arms around the frail, shivering form of Katie. The noise of the AA gun, followed by the explosion as the SecFor team attacked had pushed her over the edge. As he held her, Alex whispered over and over "It'll be all right. It's okay darling, it'll be all right."98

Nero sat in his office watching his security monitor. He had it set on split screen; the top half showed the roof with the SecFor infantrymen slowly feeding down into the building. The bottom half of the screen was split in two. On the left Nero could see the smoking ruins of the AA gun, the shredded bodies of two of his security team were spread across the remains of the gun. The bottom right of the screen showed the approach to his office. Thompson had set up a defensive position with the four remaining security personnel. They were spaced out along the corridor, taking cover in open doorways, waiting for the infantrymen to appear.99

Thompson was not a betting man. If he had been, he wouldn't have wasted five euros on their chances of holding off SecFor. He knew he was going to die, but he was a professional, that's what he was paid to do. Even if he survived, he knew that a mindwipe was inevitable, so there was no hope from that quarter. Thompson rechecked his Krysmec and piled his three spare magazines next to his feet. He tightened the strap on his gas mask and waited. 100

A gas grenade looped down the corridor and landed, smoking, by the first of the defenders. Before he could react, three infantrymen charged into the corridor, their automatic rifles blazing. The defender cried out and spun to the floor, one side of his face missing, blood and brains spattered against the wall behind him. The rest of the defenders opened fire and an infantryman went down, his kevlar body armour not able to take the sheer number of the bullets.101

The firefight was short and violent. Within minutes the corridor was filled with the ripped and torn bodies of the combatants. Thompson, the last of the defenders, dropped his empty gun and slowly stood with his arms raised high. Cautiously a pair of infantrymen moved up to him, a third covering them from further back. As the two SecFor soldiers reached Thompson he smiled and closed a fist on the detonation button in his right hand. The two grenades clipped to his chest exploded and the corridor was filled with blood.102

Nero sat, stony faced, watching as his empire was taken away from him. He smiled with satisfaction when he saw Thompson disappear in the blast of his own grenades. Nero had chosen him well. But it made little difference in the end, he knew his long criminal career was coming to a close. Nero wasn't about to give SecFor the satisfaction of taking him and parading him on the Justice Channel. He squeezed one of his many signet rings and it sprang open. Nero took the tiny pink pill from inside the ring, popped it in his mouth and bit into it. The pleasure centres of Nero's brain exploded into an unnaturally intense orgasm. All of the muscles in his body contracted at once and he shot a last load of semen into his pants before his heart spasmed and he died.103

Colonel Walters stepped impassively over the bodies of his troops and into Nero's inner sanctum. The body of the crime lord was lying on the floor in the centre of the room. Walters looked down at the rictus of ecstasy on Nero's face and sneered. Even copping out he couldn't take it as a man, but used orgasexit instead. Walters looked around the room for the hacker. "Jones ... I want you inside the security system asap."104

Alex and Katie sat on the bed hugging as they waited for the SecFor troops to arrive. They had everything choreographed down to the last move and were waiting for their cue. There was a banging on the outer door of the lab and Alex hugged Katie tighter, a look of apprehension on his face. There was a pause while the door lock was bypassed then, crouching low, two troopers ducked into the observation room. Alex stood up in front of Katie and held his hands up. "Don't shoot! Don't shoot!" One of the troopers stepped into the bedroom and relief lit up Alex's face. "Oh thank God! You're SecFor!" 105


Chapter 10106

Late that night Alex and Katie were in Alex's flat. His actual home in Willesden Green, not the one he'd rented on Seven Sisters. Alex had undergone four hours of interrogation at SecFor HQ. He'd played dumb the whole time. According to the story Alex and Nero had concocted, Alex had been picked up by Nero's thugs the night before. He'd had his girlfriend, Katie, with him and she'd been grabbed too. Nero had questioned Alex about Chang, but he'd never heard of him. Alex didn't know why Nero thought he knew Chang. Alex and Katie had been thrown into the lab to wait until Alex changed his mind and told all that he knew, but all hell had broken loose and SecFor had attacked before he could be questioned again. Walters was suspicious, but the security log of Nero's cameras supported the story. Alex knew that he would be under surveillance for months, but he wasn't planning on breaking any laws. With the funds that Plato had siphoned off he wouldn't have too.107

Alex sat on the couch, his arm around Katie, watching the Justice Channel on the teevee. The account of the destruction of Amersham and Nero's suicide where still the top story.108

"Alex?"109

"Yes darling?"110

"Now that both Chang and Nero are gone, what shall we do?"111

"Well ... we have plenty of money. And Plato can get more whenever we need it. We can go anywhere and do anything we want. What would you like to do?"112

"I don't care" replied the young woman, staring deep into Alex's eyes, "as long as I'm with you."113

Alex's throat tightened and, croaking slightly, he reassured his lover. "Wherever I go, whatever I do, you'll be there with me."114

Alex turned his head slightly and kissed Katie gently on the lips. Her sweet mouth opening to accept his probing tongue. Alex held Katie's delicate face and drank down her hot breath. For a long moment the two lovers were still, revelling in the closeness of their kiss. Finally, with an effort, Alex broke off the kiss and gathered her into his arms.115

Alex carried his slender lover through to the bedroom and, almost reverentially, laid her on the bed. She look so vulnerable and innocent, his heart could hardly contain his feelings for the gorgeous girl. With trembling fingers he undid the buttons of her blouse, slowly exposing the smooth creamy skin of her breasts. Alex bent forward and dragged his lips over her, hardly touching the skin, his breath causing tiny, almost invisible, hairs to stand up. Katie arched her back, trying to press herself against Alex's lips, but he moved away, continuing to tease. Moving down Katie's body, Alex dipped his tongue into the well of her belly. Katie squealed and jerked on the bed, but Alex had moved on. He ran his thumb down the fastener along the side of Katie's skirt. The fastener fell apart and Alex spread the skirt beneath her, feasting his eyes on the mound of her pudenda, pressing against the tight material of her panties. Moving in closer, Alex ran his lips tantalisingly over Katie's panties, breathing in her freshness. Katie moaned and grabbed Alex by the hair, pulling him to her. Alex relented and pressed his tongue harder against Katie's mound, pushing the material of her panties into her tight pussy. Katie bucked up and down on the bed, not want Alex to stop, and yet wanting more than just his teasing tongue. Hanging on to Alex's ears Katie pulled and Alex moved up her body to look down into her eyes. Her heart pounding, she just managed to gasp "I can't wait any longer. Put it in me now!"116

Alex got up from the bed and quickly stripped off his clothes as he gazed at his gorgeous lover, her arms and legs spread wantonly. Naked, his hard dick throbbing and bouncing, Alex gripped Katie's damp knickers and pulled them down her legs and off over her feet. Slipping a hand under Katie's back, Alex lifted her slightly and removed her blouse. Katie lay, naked and open, desperate to have her lover inside her. As Alex got back on the bed and settled himself between her slender legs, she wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him closer. Alex took a hold of his hard dick and pressed the bulbous tip against the pouting lips. Slowly, biting his lower lip in an attempt to control himself, Alex sank his hard cock into Katie's yearning pussy. Inch by inch he slid into her softness until he felt himself butt up against her cervix. Katie sucked in a breath at the discomfort, but didn't make a sound. Alex eased back slightly, feeling the muscles of Katie's tight pussy hanging on to his prick, not wanting to let go.117

Gently, he began to move back and forth, his prick filling the belly of his slender lover beneath him. With each thrust, things got slightly easier, so that, after a while, he was thrusting in and out with powerful strokes. With each thrust of Alex's hips, Katie felt her breath being forced out of her body, until she sounded as if she was almost drowning. Alex's prick felt so big inside her. She felt full up, impaled on his throbbing tool, and yet she pulled on his hips, wanting more. Alex could hold back no longer and, with a roar, he began to come. The first jet of hot sperm was dragged from his balls and he shot it deep into Katie's belly. Katie, feeling the scalding liquid squirting into her, squealed and began to come. Harder, with more urgency, Alex thrust deep into Katie's sweet pussy. With each thrust he battered against her pulsing cervix, forcing his sperm into her womb. Katie's eyes were wide open with surprise, she didn't know how, but Alex's hot spunk seemed to be going even deeper inside her than the last time. Madly the two lovers bucked and writhed as they surfed the wave of their mutual climax. Alex continued to thrust, although his balls had already spat forth all of their precious seed. Slowly, reality began to wash back over him and he looked down at the beautiful woman beneath him, red faced and gasping. Alex pressed his lips to Katie's and they kissed tenderly as they came down from the heights of their orgasm. Alex leaned forward and, taking his weight on his shoulder, rolled onto one side, his dick still deep inside his lover. Holding her close to him, he kissed her on the neck, tasting her sweat.118

Through the ether, the impulses that made up Plato watched the two lovers as they lay in each others arms. The muscular human and the dainty artificial human. Although he had no physical form, Plato smiled. He was satisfied with how his plan had turned out. The destruction of Amersham had been tragic, but, considering the nature of Chang and Nero, probably unavoidable. Alex and Katie would still need watching over; at least until Katie came fully into her inheritance. Yet Plato knew that the Net's avatar in the physical world was developing well. She had Plato to guide her through the hills and valleys of the Net and Alex to teach her what it was to be human.119

Plato chuckled. It was an interesting time to be alive ...120


THE END121