SINthetic by J.T. Nicholas

Author:J.T. Nicholas [Nicholas, J.T.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2018-01-23T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

There was no easy way to go about it, no easy way to tell the story. After all, how did one tell a law enforcement officer—even if that officer was a friend—that they were a convicted killer? I certainly didn’t want to just blurt that out, and lose Hernandez before I even started.

“What’s the problem, Campbell?” she said.

“Just trying to decide where to begin,” I replied with a shrug.

“At the beginning,” she said at once. “And then go on to the middle. And so on.”

I felt a slight smile stretch my lips. “The beginning was a long time ago, Detective. A very long time.”

“Well, we’re not going one step more until I know what the hell is going on. And I’m sure whatever lead we might find in that office is going to get more and more nervous the longer you wait. Might do something stupid.” She gave me a sour grin. “So you better get on with it.”

I snorted at that. It was a classic cop tactic, adding a little time pressure to the interrogation. I couldn’t blame Hernandez—she probably didn’t even realize she’d done it. Instead, I said, “When did you meet your first synthetic?”

“Shit, Campbell. I don’t know. We’re about the same age. They started getting more available...what, twenty years ago? Thirty, maybe? Seems like by the time I got out of high school, they were everywhere, doing all the manual labor.” A brief frown of distaste twisted her features. “And taking over all the sex-worker jobs. Sometime around then, I guess. When I was still in school, but I can’t remember the specifics.”

“Not many people can,” I said. “Oh, almost everyone who actually owns a synthetic remembers when they got it. Assholes like Fortier can go into graphic details around the acquisition process. For them, it’s like how getting your first car used to be, back before the ride share programs and self-driving vehicles...” I paused, closing my eyes for a moment, thinking back. It wasn’t difficult. The memories were always there, just beneath the surface. “As for me, I met my first synthetic when I was twelve years old.”

I ignored the pain that stabbed through me as I said the words aloud and fought down the memories that seemed to dance kaleidoscope-like behind my eyes. “I didn’t know she was a synthetic at the time. She was just a girl, a pretty girl in a pretty dress who crossed paths with me when I was wandering around the neighborhood.” I could see her in my mind’s eye, golden locks and dimples and an air of innocence and wonder. She had been—at least to my puberty-clouded eyes—the most beautiful creature I’d ever seen.

“You don’t see many synthetics that young,” Hernandez said.

“No,” I agreed. “You don’t. Though I didn’t learn that she was a synthetic until we were both seventeen.”

“Wait. What?” I saw the barrage of questions that suddenly boiled up in Hernandez’s eyes, but I raised one placating hand to forestall them.

“Her owners.” I paused. Swallowed.

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