THE BLADE RUNNER AMENDMENT by Paul Xylinides Read Free Book Online Page B

but nothing of the sort was forthcoming. Her violet eyes showed, if anything, the self-satisfied glint that could be read in the light emission of any electronic entity.
    “As usual, I sat in the garden at noon and took advantage of the strong sun today. I am feeling quite energized. There were no clouds and I charged up beautifully and efficiently. I am ready for anything, within limits, as the saying goes.”
    Here at last was the seductive touch, although lacking in subtlety and, of course, intention.
    “I’m glad to hear that, Molly, but I won’t be needing you tonight.”
    “Not at all, Virgil?”
    “Nothing that will wear you down, let’s put it that way.”
    “I see.”
    Her response came unencumbered with tonalities of rejection, disappointment, or complaint. The manner of her delivery – a brief tune breaking free of the music sheet – was what one looked for but rarely got in a human. How expressive a humanoid could be, designed and engineered to charm!
    “That was excellent, Molly. Now what’s for dessert?”
    “Something simple, Virgil. You left it to me, didn’t you? Apple pie and ice cream. Is that all right?”
    “Just fine, Molly. Warm the pie, if you would.”
    “Of course, Virgil.”
    He watched her go to the kitchen. She was wearing a flower-printed frock that rose as it showed the movement of her body. He looked away thinking that he would exercise himself with a period of discipline. Easily done in the wake of his earlier indulgence and necessary besides if he was to gather his energies whose source lay elsewhere than Molly’s sunlight. It was a luxury as well to be able to put off pleasure until the morrow and know that it would be unconditionally there. Better than legal attachments, with no one disappointed.
    Married! – Why have that thought again? On command, the memory of that particular storm-fest whirled into the disposal abyss that lay beyond his mental horizon.

7 Humphrey’s Bicycle
    Although it was still early in the evening, due to some glitch or other, Molly’s loosened hair hung to her shoulders. Her smooth, silver screen arms carried the supper things. She felt her thin legs broadening at the thighs. Unconscious at this moment of anything much more than the requirement to provide Virgil with his warm apple pie and ice cream, she methodically performed the necessary tasks, leaving the supper dishes until later. She returned to find him directing her to the garden – “I’m out here, Molly” – where he had been moved to go. If he cared to explain things to her, she would have understood a great deal, with the world’s romance novels as her primary reference in matters of the heart. As it was, Virgil wanted his pie and ice cream and little more, and she registered his satisfaction at each mouthful as she stood watching him. He neglected to have her sit and, instead of wasting her energy bustling back and forth, she would wait for him to finish and proceed from there.
    Virgil had not yet finished his dessert when he detected a familiar shivering possess his humanoid. He looked up to descry the hologram taking form a few feet away. There was no need to identify who it might be; he knew just one correspondent with access to the technology. This must be what it’s like to be visited by spirits from the other side.
    “Humphrey! Have some pie, what can I do for you?”
    Truth be told, he was a little put out with Humphrey’s habit of showing up while he was in the middle of things so that it felt to be an imposition even in the case of his working his way through dessert.
    “I’m riding about on my bicycle!”
    “Then what are you doing…standing like that…oh, I see.”
    A mere file was mouthing Humphrey’s words while he did, in fact, if his claim were to be believed, ride about on his bicycle, and why not? Virgil could visualize him steering it, pumping at the pedals while he weaved in the traffic with haphazard space left for him in a canyon of a street more