Silicon Man Read Online Free Page A

by their android companion and there was something comical about their slack-jawed enthusiasm, which bordered on the libidinous. Cole wondered how many privileged teenage boys used their android teachers for less savory educational pursuits. The consensus was that having sex with a mechanical was far safer and more rewarding than seeking out a traditional prostitute. Mechs had pretty much put an end to the oldest profession, except for those twisted individuals who were into inflicting pain on their partners. A perv knew that a machine’s sensors were a poor substitute for nerve endings.
    In the third and final clip, “COMPANION,” mechs were shown in romantic interludes with members of both genders. The commercial came to a rousing finish with Synthetika’s latest tagline: “ THE NEW AI-X3. EXPERIENCE THE DIFFERENCE.”
    The difference, Cole thought. A machine that looked, smelled and felt human. Cole considered it a dangerous illusion. These machines were encased in human skin grown from cells in company bio-labs. A surface-level circulatory system provided the illusion that real blood was pumping through their veins. But underneath the skin, mechs were still less than human.
    As though Janson had a private link to Cole’s inner thoughts, the holo-footage of the CEO appeared onscreen once again. ”Some folks forget that looking human doesn’t make you human. Mechs are machines, made by man to serve mankind.”
    Janson’s message felt like old-fashioned common sense. But his words were being drowned out by too many opposing voices that lobbied for equal rights for mechanicals, holding up Japan as a shining example of what the future should look like.
    The holo-image disappeared and nine pairs of expectant eyes landed on Cole. He took a sip of water and swallowed hard. He wasn’t much for long speeches and presentations. He’d rather face down an army of rogue mechs any day of the week than hold court inside a corporate shark tank.  
    The AI-TAC commander’s voice echoed slightly in the antiseptic conference chamber. “Since the Tokyo ruling, the number of runaways has risen sharply,” Cole explained. “Last week, we stopped three domestic units at the Mexican border. Earlier today, my team intercepted a cargo freighter bound for Japan. On board, six mechs...”
    A 3-D image of the female runaway appeared. Seeing her made Cole think of her pleading gaze and chilling final words. Take care of her. The memory flash stirred something deep inside of him but was quickly suppressed. Cole continued with his report. “One of the runaways had kidnapped her owners' newborn infant after murdering the husband. Apparently, she judged the parents unfit to raise their own child—“  
    Janson sharply interrupted Cole. “I'm not interested in mech psychology, Commander Marsalis. What interests me is how these runaways could elude your team for two weeks?”
    “They disabled their tracking chips and modified their appearance so they could pass for human.”  
    An attractive female executive in her early thirties addressed Cole in a skeptical tone. “Are you suggesting someone helped these mechs get out of the country?”  
    Cole knew she was baiting him, but he couldn’t change the course of the conversation at this point. Politics had never been his strong suit. “I believe she received help from the Underground Network, an organization devoted to establishing equality between man and machine.”
    The words were greeted with silence. A chill had descended over the room. Cole could sense from their looks that the executives were turning against him. Big surprise. Cole knew the deal. A malfunctioning unit was an acceptable topic of conversation; an organized movement wasn’t. Synthetika would not even entertain the possibility. The Underground Network was a rumor wrapped in a conspiracy theory espoused by loner weirdoes. It was the stuff of misguided agendas fueled by paranoia. Synthetika could safely acknowledge the