Mechanical Gods (lgbtq+)

Chapter Seventeen: The Facility

     "We're ready," said Gideon Reese from the other line.

     "Ready? Ready for what?"

     "For Aiden. For you. Someone's going to come and get you early in the morning tomorrow. Be prepared by then."

     Reese didn't say much after that, and he only called for a minute. Annoyed, Tyler decided to pack his and Aiden's stuff. He decided to bring three pairs of shirts and a couple of pair of pants, two pairs of shoes, and a week's worth of underwear, as well as his toiletries.

     On Aiden's bag, he brought in half of the android's designated uniforms, and the SynTech issued datapad along with the documents that pertained to Aiden's purchase that Harry gave to him during the sale. By the time he got to bed, Tyler couldn't sleep, nervous about what was going to happen.

     "It's still not too late to turn back now," Aiden said.

     "We don't have a choice."

     "But you do. You always have."

     When morning came, the buzzer rang from below, and out of the speakers came the voice of a woman with a British accent, who said that Gideon Reese sent her. Buzzing her up, Tyler opened the door to a beautiful woman. She was elegantly dressed in a casual black-cropped jumpsuit with a self-tie on her waist, wearing a pair of tall black heels, and bright red lipstick. Her long black hair pulled up into a ponytail. Based on the toned physique that sculpted her arms, Tyler knew this woman could take him down if he ever messed with her.

     The woman studied him for a second before her eyes found Aiden standing behind Tyler. Tyler followed where her eyes were trained, landing on Aiden's glowing diamond LED. She looked down on Aiden's uniform and frowned.

     "He should dress up into something less conspicuous," the woman said.

     "Why? He's an Android. And isn't it illegal to dress up an Android in human clothes?"

     "No, Mr. North. With Aiden, we both know he can do as he please."

     Tyler frowned and thinned his lips. He had no clue how much Gideon Reese had told his people about Aiden or how many knew. 

     Aiden nodded and went back into the room. He came back out dressed in some of Tyler's clothes in a casual navy blue shirt and dark pair of pants, wearing a thick jacket and a large scarf that covered his neck.

     "That will do. Don't worry, Mr. North. We temporarily blocked Aiden's outgoing reports. Not that he needed it. Just a precaution in case his built-in systems decided to alert the authorities," said the woman. She turned her heels and sauntered off toward the elevator. Aiden and Tyler followed her.

     A black SUV waited at the doorstep with Mr. Abbassi talking maniacally on a broad-shouldered man wearing a black suit and tie standing by the car. As Tyler walked closer, he could hear Mr. Abbassi practically screaming at the man to move his vehicle since the parking space was for potential new tenants of the building. The man didn't even nudge, and Mr. Abbassi was turning red each second.

     "You! Are they friends of yours? Haven't I told you already that they are not allowed to park here?" Mr. Abbassi screamed at Tyler.

     "Relax, old man. We're leaving anyway," Tyler said.

     "Old? Who are you calling old?"

     "Oh my God, I didn't realize you've gone blind, too."

     "Ha! Very funny, Mr. North! Very cheeky! You better pay next month's rent in time, or else I'll be happy to throw your things out of your balcony!"