“Yes.”
The hatch unlatched with a click, and Stanley put his clothes in. The machine spun around, analyzing the contents, and then filled the basin with water.
From this point on, everything was automatic. It loaded in detergent, based on his preferences — limited to a choice of three — and then rinsed and dried without needing to use another machine. Even the payment was done automatically, billing the account tied to his condo, instantly transferring payment from his cryptocurrency wallet. Nobody used cash anymore. The only thing the laundry machine didn’t do was bring the clothes to and from his room and fold them. Other people had androids that did that for them.
But if Stanley had his future cyborg do that, he wouldn’t get a chance to speak with Glenda or see any of the resident androids.
When he got back to his room, the smoke enveloped him, scratching at his throat. Cigarette butts jutted out of the tray like a porcupine. His eyes burned. He emptied the tray but kept the pack on the table. Only three left. Today would be a good day to quit.
He threw on a coat, opened all his windows, and sprayed some air freshener. The chilly air animated his apartment, scattering the papers on his table. It felt like ages since he had breathed fresh air.
He hadn’t been this excited since he bought his first and only Fermi, a sleek, self-driving electric car. Years of following Ellen Mask’s amazing creations, countless hours staying up reading about electric propulsion systems and completely autonomous driving, had enthused him to splurge. Mask was the genius who drove forward the few who still decided to get an education. Since most jobs were taken by AI and basic needs were guaranteed by the UBI, there was nearly no incentive for getting an education. Most people had given up and dropped out before even reaching high school. But some longed for knowledge and achievement, moving to the city, getting cybernetic transplants like the Cerebral Stitch, and involving themselves in Mask’s projects — top secret.
The timer sounded, and a small hologram appeared near the front door. Two well-dressed Japanese males stood waiting. Loose, charcoal trousers were clasped by a black belt around their belly buttons. The shorter one carried a tablet PC. “Delivery for Stanley Duncan.”
“Leticia, buzz them in,” said Stanley.
“You’ll have to come outside,” said the man standing with the MK888.
“Excuse me?”
“Company policy. You’ll have to accept the delivery down here.”
Stanley crossed his arms. “I’m not going outside.”
“And we are unable to breach our protocol.”
“That’s nonsense. It’s freezing out. Come inside, and warm yourselves up.”
“For the record, please confirm that you are refusing to receive the MK888.”
“No way in hell am I refusing — ” Stanley nearly lost it. “You two came all the way from Japan. Climbing up a few stairs shouldn’t be a big deal.” Stanley wondered what he would do if they tried to leave. “Do you realize how much coin I paid for this?” He grabbed one of the last three cigarettes off the table and held it between his lips. The tension of waiting was killing him.
The man sighed. “I’ll need to confirm with my supervisor.”
A car passed outside. Sweat-slicked hands pressed against the window as Stanley scanned for the police officer. He couldn’t bear the idea of that horrible man coming by at this very moment. He tasted the tobacco in his mouth, but he wanted more. “Fine — ”
“All right. I’ve been granted special permission to come inside. We’ll meet outside your condo door.”
Listening to their footfalls, Stanley didn’t bother with the holographic display. Instead, he listened with his ear to the door, opening it when he was certain they had arrived.
“I’m Hiro, and this is Dan.” They both bowed.
Stanley bowed back to both of them, grateful that the awkwardness of handshaking was avoided.
Hiro held up the tablet. “We’ve confirmed your identity.”
“Like you really needed advanced face detection to know who I was.”
Hiro’s face remained perfectly rigid. He must have been terribly difficult to read in poker. “Let me introduce you to Dan. He is the most real, most human line of cyborgs commercially available. As you can see, physically, there is very little difference between him and us. His hair grows, his body bleeds, and he eats and drinks.
“He has been loaded with our standard operating system, as well as some of the advanced add-on packages, including Ultimate Chef and the Developer’s Suite. Dan comes with a lifetime warranty and, as mandated by law, an antivirus. There is a direct cable access to his dual-brain system, and his WiFi and broadband cellular network adapters have been disabled.”
Excitement washed over Stanley, who was careful not to look Hiro in the eye — the subtle nervousness in his eyes was too much to bear. When he looked at Dan, the unimaginable happened: he returned the glance. This was it, his future. The opportunity to really fit in, to function with another being.
“Let me ask you: What would prevent Dan from taking off, leaving me alone, and never coming back?” Losing a cat was one thing, but a cyborg? The horror of it terrified him.
“Dan has been programmed to be loyal to you. He won’t do anything that goes against your best interest.”
Stanley nodded.
“But if there is any sort of abuse, he can and will contact the authorities. These cyborgs are not to be used for sadistic purposes.”
Stanley wondered what sort of person Hiro thought he was. Just because he looked ugly didn’t mean he was a bad person. Had he heard the rumors? “Excuse me?”
“These are troubling times. Not everyone favors the advancement of cyborgs.”
“Well, I certainly do.”
“And others do not. Ever since the mass slaughter of androids several years ago, we have worked hard to ensure our creations have a way to protect themselves. If anyone abducts or mistreats Dan,
