Pine, Alive: A Science Fiction Romance Pinocchio Retelling (Foxwept Array Book 1) Read online

  “Enough. I understand how you feel after what happened at the Perimeter, but you can’t put that on Pine. She stays.” Joseph’s voice was unyielding.

  “Antonio…” James turned to the other man. Surely Antonio would support him. As cheerful as he seemed, synadroids made him nervous too.

  He held up his hands. “This doesn’t have anything to do with me. Joseph is a grown man. You have to trust he knows what he’s doing.”

  “But he doesn’t,” James flared. “He’s— Joseph, I’m sorry. I know you miss Mara, and that you want some kind of connection to her, but Pine is not that connection. She—” The exasperation threatened to choke him.

  “I think you should leave.”

  The older man might as well have slapped him. “What? Joseph, I just—”

  “Please, James, now. You know I think of you like a son, and I don’t know if that’s where this is coming from, but—”

  “You think I’m jealous?” Incredulity rushed through him. How could Joseph think that? Like James was some kind of spoiled child?

  Joseph sighed, deflated. “I don’t know. I just can’t understand why you’re so against Pine being here.” He laid his hand on the younger man’s arm. “Please go for now, James. We’ll both sleep on it and talk tomorrow.”

  Stunned, James could only shake his head. He stalked away from the two men and pushed the door open with a fist, revealing Pine, still rooted to the spot. Her gaze was averted, but James swore resentment rolled off her in waves, a mirror image of his own.

  He strode past her without a word and stomped out into the night, oblivious to the temperate rain that plastered his hair to his head before he’d even reached the curb. Sliding into his car, he issued directions to the vehicle in a terse voice.

  “Home.” He didn’t say please, petty as it was.

  Pine’s peculiar eyes were branded into his memory. Why had she rattled him so much? He’d spent months working alongside synadroids. And yes, he was biased. But he had his reasons, and Joseph damn well knew it. All the resentment, anger, distrust—and admittedly, fear—Pine roused in him had a very real cause.

  James pushed all thoughts of the synadroid from his mind as his car pulled into its parking spot under his apartment complex. Joseph was right. A good night’s sleep was in order. He could apologize tomorrow, when he’d had time to think things over.

  The car door slid shut with a soft click, and James stood for a moment, staring at the sleek metal and his distorted reflection on the surface before heading toward the exit.

  Just before he typed his code to request entry, he turned back.

  No. He wasn’t going to do it. It was ridiculous, thanking a machine. Why had it even crossed his mind?

  It was Pine. Even in that short time, she’d managed to get under his skin. She probably had Joseph wrapped around her little finger by now. She was dangerous, and despite what Joseph had said, no more human than his car. The fact that she’d stirred something in him, something unnerving, proved just how threatening she was.

  His throat tight with irritation, he turned off the light and slammed the door behind him.

  Pine was miserable. She’d resisted the urge to push past James and run through the open door and into the night where she could lose herself. But that was exactly what would happen—she would get lost. She had no clue how to navigate the warren of streets, no idea what direction to go. She was still determined to get away, but if she didn’t do it properly, they would only drag her back. Humans didn’t like it when their property wandered off.

  Besides, if she followed James, she’d have to endure the antipathy in his eyes again. She’d seen that look too many times in the last few days. Many people were fine with synadroids, but more were troubled by their sentience. Like James, those critics regarded her with distrust and apprehension mingled with a curiosity they often found as disturbing as her presence.

  And yet, part of her wanted to see him again. He wasn’t like the men she was used to. He was…exotic. The blue-so-pale-it-was-almost-silver of his eyes reminded her of the sun shining down through the deeper blue of the ocean, its filtered light promising a different kind of life.

  The male synadroids she’d worked alongside or had brief flings with all looked similar, since, like the females, most were the same model. Their skin was perfect, like hers, their heads smooth, their bodies as leanly built as her own.

  James, on the other hand, had broad shoulders, and his body was corded with solid muscle. The skin on his arms and face was anything but smooth, marred by scars, weathered by the sun and air. What would those ridges feel like under her fingertips?

  It doesn’t matter what he looks like or how attractive he is. He’s horrible.

  And he obviously couldn’t stand the sight of her. Well, he didn’t have to worry. She would avoid him as much as possible.

  “Pine? Are you all right?” Joseph’s voice broke her reverie, and all thoughts of James’s pale eyes fled.

  She nodded mutely.

  Antonio held out a hand to her and smiled. “Well, Pine, I’ve got to get going. It was nice to meet you. I think you’ll be happy here, and I know that Joseph,” he inclined his head toward the older man, “is glad to have you.”

  Despite how much he’d annoyed her on the ride here, Pine was sorry to see him go, but a small flicker of hope kindled in her at the affectionate expression on Joseph’s face. He seemed like he would be kind enough.

  Antonio squeezed her fingers then turned back to Joseph. “I’ll bring you the paperwork tomorrow—the license and everything.”

  The license. The piece of paper that gave Joseph ownership of her. That brief hope sputtered and went out.

  Antonio gave Pine one last wave then went out into the cool evening. As the door snicked shut behind him, Joseph rubbed his hands together and paced the room.

  “Right. I know you don’t have much with you, so when you’ve adjusted to being here, we’ll go downtown, and you can choose some clothes and things for your room, which is just up these stairs and down the hallway, by the way. James and I spent—”

  Pine couldn’t help herself. “Why doesn’t James like me?”

  “I—” Joseph stopped and turned toward her, a frown deepening the creases in his forehead. “He does,” was all he could muster.

  “He didn’t look like he did.” Pine’s hand tightened on the bannister. “And I heard what he said when you all left the room.” Her hearing was better than a human’s, something they all should’ve known. But maybe that was they point—they wanted her to hear. That hurt even more than what James had said.

  Joseph ran his fingers through his coarse gray hair, making it stand on end. “It’s not you, Pine, it’s— Cricket used to be a soldier on the Perimeter. He headed a team of synadroids like you. There was an incident, and, well, I’m afraid it’s colored his feelings toward your kind somewhat.”

  “What happened?” Had they refused to jump when he told them to? Hadn’t saluted fast enough?

  “It’s not my story to tell.” Joseph rubbed his beard. “He doesn’t really talk about it, and I don’t like to pry too much. Regardless, he was different when he came back. He was discharged from the military and became my assistant after I began freelancing as a consultant.”

  “Why did you call him Cricket?”

  “Did I?” Joseph chuckled softly. “Yes, I guess I did. It’s a nickname.”

  Pine frowned. That didn’t make sense. Wasn’t a cricket a tiny insect? “I don’t understand.”

  “Because of his height,” Joseph explained. “He’s all legs, like a cricket.” He grinned at the image. “There may be other reasons as well, but I don’t know them. He was already called that when I met him.”

  Well, he did have long legs. Pine still didn’t quite get it, but Joseph was waiting for her to respond so she simply nodded and smiled at him, as though sharing the joke.

  Satisfied, Joseph started down the hall again, indicating for her to follow. At the far end,
he opened a freshly painted door to reveal a moderately sized room, furnished with a queen-sized bed, a nightstand, and a simple dresser, all in replica dark wood. The single window looked out from the back of the house onto a small patch of snarled weeds cradling an empty, round pond overgrown with algae.

  Joseph visibly held his breath as she took in the personal touches he’d added. He’d painted the walls an undulating palette of gold-tinged blues and greens in a deepening ombre from ceiling to floor. On the dresser was a large mirror rimmed with mother-of-pearl, standing behind a grooming set made from luminous abalone shell. Throw pillows and blankets the vibrant rose, honey, and ivory of coral were placed carefully around the room. On the bed, leaning against the abundance of pillows, was a stuffed whale, its stitched mouth drawn back in a companionable grin.

  For the first time since she’d left the Ghostlight, a swell of something other than resentment and bitterness rolled over Pine. A cozy sensation warmed her as though Joseph had reached through her ribcage and patted her heart gently. When she opened her mouth to speak, her voice caught in her throat. Everything he’d done for her, everything she was feeling, was overwhelming.

  “It’s— It’s beautiful,” she finally managed. “Thank you.”

  Joseph beamed at her. Why did her happiness mean so much to him? What was he getting in return by going to such lengths? To cover her confusion, she asked him, “Did you do this yourself?”

  He nodded, but added, “James helped. I’m great with electronics, but not so much with the DIY.”

  “Oh.” The thought of James, with his dark hair and pale eyes, painstakingly coaxing the underwater scene into life for her was disconcerting. He’d been in here, her room, had touched these walls with those seasoned hands…those human hands that had twitched convulsively when he saw her. The room lost some of its beauty. Had he resented it the entire time?

  Joseph smiled. “Don’t worry about James. He’ll get over it. Your kind is still somewhat…novel, especially given the recent protests. In a few months, you’ll be walking around town and nobody will bat an eye—James included.”

  “Do you really think so?” Her eyes darted back and forth over his face as she waited for his answer. She wanted so badly to believe him.

  “I do,” he said warmly. “I really do. I know you’ve been somewhat isolated, but in cosmopolitan cities such as Portfade, synadroids have had a presence, albeit a small one, for a couple of years. They’re finding their niche in our society, and so will you. But,” he raised his eyebrows in warning, “that doesn’t mean it’s…safe, for lack of a better word.”

  “What do you mean?” Where Pine was from, safe meant staying away from ocean predators and the whims of nature. But the subtly sheepish look on Joseph’s face told her that the danger here was more serious than anything underwater.

  “Well, because of your uncommonness and your…similarity to a biological human, you are…at risk from certain interested parties.”

  Pine flinched. She knew what that meant. Mrs. Hayes had warned her. “But you have laws that prevent assault, don’t you?”

  Joseph took a sudden interest in something outside the window. “We do, but— They apply only to biological humans, Pine, not constructed ones.”

  What? She’d known she would be considered Joseph’s property—legally, at least. But surely she had some civil rights, some level of the protection that humans gave so vocally to one another? “They’re allowed to hurt me?”

  “No, Pine, of course, not,” Joseph said swiftly. “But…but they would be charged and punished according to the laws of property, not of a crime against a person.” He sat down at the foot of her bed. “Do you understand?”

  Of course I do. I have the same rights as that bed you’re sitting on. Pine nodded curtly then turned toward the tangled garden. She wished Joseph would just go and leave her alone.

  He didn’t. “You’re very valuable, Pine, and so the government thought these laws were the best way to protect you.”

  “Valuable,” she repeated. “You mean I have a price.”

  At first, Joseph looked like he was going to deny it. But he’d obviously decided ahead of time that he would be honest with her. His sigh was colored with shame. “Yes. Sentient androids like yourself are freely bought and sold for many things, especially given your legal status. Hence why I wanted to take you in.”

  Pine didn’t reply. She continued to stare out the window, watching the dark shapes of the plants swaying under the soft yard lights and waiting for Joseph to disappear.

  “My wife Mara and I were responsible for much of your category’s design. Did you know that?” He waited then continued into the silence. “That’s why they let me have you. A token gesture of respect. I’ve never exploited my standing in our rather exclusive community before, but when I heard that your type was being…relieved of duty, I threw my hat into the ring and called in a few favors and fond memories. I never could’ve afforded you otherwise.”

  Afforded me. It was galling. Pine gazed pointedly away.

  Joseph took the hint and stood, his joints mimicking his groan. “Sounds like I need a bit of oil in my gears,” he joked.

  Pine pressed her forehead to the cool glass.

  “Look, it’s going to be fine. Like I said before, just give it a couple of months, and you’ll be old news. And the people who get to know you will like you—you just have to give them the chance.” He crossed the room and stood in the doorway.

  “There are some clothes in the dresser—pajamas, shirts, pants, and skirts, that sort of thing. They used to belong to Mara, but I figured they’d do until we could get you your own. Goodnight.” He stepped into the hall. “There’s a charging port in the nightstand, if you need it, though I know Mara designed your battery to last for months.” He smiled to himself as he left, and she heard him moving around the kitchen, singing under his breath. How could he be so happy about all of this? Was he that oblivious to her feelings? Or was it something more? Like hope that she would come around? Either way, it left a hollow feeling in her chest.

  But, finally, she was alone.

  Pine lifted her head from the pane. She opened the dresser drawers carefully and rifled through the layers before pulling out a cotton pajama set tied with a pearl-white ribbon. As she shook out the clothes, a pattern of birds in tiny cages mocked her, trapped forever in the navy fabric.

  Taking off the smothering jeans was one of the most exquisite sensations of her life. How did human women stand it? She rubbed the backs of her knees, feeling the puckers and creases the denim had left behind. Had they needed to give her so many touch sensors? At the moment, it all seemed a bit unkind.

  Now for the shirt. She didn’t even bother to undo it. Just as she’d fantasized in the car, she simply hooked her fingers into the gaps between the buttons and yanked. The blouse tore, the buttons clattering gratifyingly on the floor.

  Free at last.

  Pine crossed the room to stand before the window again. She unlocked the latch and pushed it open, reveling in the fresh air that filled the room.

  Backing away from the window, she closed her eyes and lifted her arms. If she ignored the smooth floor beneath her feet and the rhythm of the rain outside, with the cool air washing over her body, she could almost pretend she was back underwater. She turned slowly in place, her head tilted back, and wished.

  But when she opened her eyes again, she was still in an unfamiliar bedroom in a strange city, small and naked and alone.

  Not for the first time, Pine wished she could cry. It seemed such a cruel thing to give synadroids all the emotion with none of the release. For a moment, she tried, scrunching up her face and letting everything that had happened to her in the last few days carry her away. Maybe this time would be different and the tears would finally come…but as always, her eyes stayed dry.

  Pine pulled on Mara’s pajamas—which were surprisingly soft against her skin—and climbed into the yielding bed. She didn’t need to sleep, but if she
had to live as a human, she should try to act like one, at least while she was here. The better she fit in, the more likely they would be to take their eyes off her. She lay in the darkness, soothed by the lulling patter of the rain. Finally, she could think.

  It hadn’t been as bad as she’d feared. Yes, James had looked at her like she’d swum out from under a rock, but Joseph had shown her so much kindness, as had Antonio. Maybe waiting for her chance to escape wouldn’t be that unbearable, if it was only for a short time. Besides, she had to figure out how best to make her move. She would probably only get one attempt, so she needed to do it properly.

  And then she would go as far away from here as possible. From Portfade, from a human life, and most of all, from him.

  Two weeks later, Pine sat in an overstuffed armchair in the living room as the news scrolled across the wallscreen. She hadn’t left the house other than to wander aimlessly around the overgrown backyard. Each day that she watched the outside world through that flat screen, her restlessness increased. Who would’ve thought living as a human would be so boring?

  The news anchor had just finished an interview with a woman who’d recently woken up after being in a fifty-year coma. She’d been living in a constructed reality in the Portfade Hospital and was describing what it what like to finally live in the real world after all that time. An elderly man stood next to her, periodically raising her hand to his lips as she spoke. The naked adoration in his eyes impossible to miss.

  No one’s ever looked at me like that.

  And probably no one ever would, seeing as she seemed destined to spend the rest of her life in that armchair.

  Now the anchor read from a report detailing the status of the Perimeter bordering Foxwept Province. Apparently, the mutated wildlife encroaching there showed no signs of slowing down, and more recruitment drives for men and women to fight it were in effect across the country.

  I think I’d almost prefer fighting monster plants to just sitting here. At least I’d get to see something new.

  Joseph came into the room carrying his breakfast. “Looks like they’re still having a hard time getting that mess under control. Even with the new androids.” The replacements for Pine’s generation. On the screen, they stood stoically in the face of the nightmare on the border, their non-sentience probably their greatest weapon.