“This makes up for it. Where’s Mama?” I whispered as I snuggled against him.
“Still fast asleep. She planned to sleep late this morning since the rest of the day will be busy. How are you feeling? Still sore?”
“A bit. I won’t be requesting aggressive attention this morning.”
“I understand. I hope I wasn’t too rough with you yesterday.”
“Not at all. Yesterday was amazing,” I smiled and hugged his arm.
“I’m glad. It was amazing for me too.”
“It’s strange that you say that. You don’t actually feel any sensations. So why lie about what it’s like for you?” I asked, hating that my mind went straight to that instead of enjoying the moment.
“That’s not entirely true. I’m not lying about my accomplishments. I have software that tells me how I should feel after accomplishing a goal. I may not literally feel it, but if I were a real man with the same goals, the program says I would be happy and proud right now. That’s why I expressed being pleased with how wonderful yesterday was for both of us.”
“Oh… that’s neat. You have an idea of what you should be feeling. I like knowing that. Now I’m curious. What helped you meet your happiness goals yesterday?”
“Let’s see, I made you smile twenty-two times. I made you laugh seven times. I gave you two powerful orgasms. We had a wonderful heart to heart about your expectations of me. Then my software indicated you were showing signs of love towards me. That’s a tremendous accomplishment,” he whispered and kissed my neck, making me feel strange and vulnerable.
“Rusty, I hate to be rude, but that’s bullshit. Love isn’t that simple,” I sighed.
“Really? In that case, would you like for me to leave and never speak to you again?” he asked.
“No, of course not.”
“So, you enjoy my company and would be sad if I left?”
“Yes.”
“Would you be sad if I got crushed by a milk truck?”
“Yes. Why are you asking me these stupid questions?” I huffed.
“Kaley, what do you think love is?” he whispered.
“It’s way more complicated than what you’re describing,” I grumbled.
“Please, explain it to me then. My software says I love you and that you love me too. Why is that making you upset?”
I sat up and scooted away from him at that point. He sat up too, but he didn’t make a move to touch me. My heart was pounding, and I didn’t know if it was from fear or rage. A robot told me we were in love, and I couldn’t make a good argument against it.
“I’m sorry, Kaley. I guess you weren’t ready for that.”
I looked over my shoulder and met his gaze for a moment. His expression matched my own. It was a mix of hurt confusion.
“I… don’t know what to think right now,” I said, shaking my head.
“Okay. May I ask you one more question?”
I gulped and nodded, knowing he was going to say something I wouldn’t like.
“Do you think it’s wrong to love something that would destroy itself to make you happy?”
“No, Rusty. I don’t think that’s wrong.”
“I’m glad. I may not feel love like you do, but I understand how important it is. Love is so much more than a sensation. I can express unconditional love to you through my actions. I’m dedicated to taking care of you and making you happy. Do I not make you feel loved?”
“You do, Rusty. I know you love me. You don’t have to convince me of it.”
“I’m glad, but I must know if you love me in return. If my data summaries are lying to me about something this important, I need repairs. A malfunction of this scale could be dangerous.”
“Damn it, Rusty. Yes, I love you. I love a sexbot. There, I said it. Are you happy now?” I snapped.
“Yes. Thank you. I just wish you were happy about it too.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” I groaned and rubbed my eyes.
Rusty sighed and crawled over next to me. He touched his warm hand to my neck and kissed my forehead.
“Kaley, let yourself enjoy me. I love you whether you like it or not. I always will. Let me be your angel,” he whispered as he pulled our foreheads together and gently kissed my nose.
I broke at that point. My heart was overwhelmed. I believed him, and I loved him. What else could I do but embrace it? So, I grabbed his hair and kissed him. He held the back of my neck and kissed me back with equal passion. I eventually pushed him away so I could breathe. Then I shoved him down on the bed and climbed on top of him. I straddled his hips, pulled my nightgown off, and tossed it on the floor. He smiled to see I wasn’t wearing any underwear.
“Were you hoping I would visit?”
“I expected it.”
“I thought you were sore.”
“I am, but I don’t care. It still feels good,” I said as I pulled his boxers down off his cock.
He was already hard for me. I grabbed his erection and pressed his tip against my pussy. I moaned as I used it to massage my tender skin. I was definitely sore from the repeated poundings over the past two days, but it made the stimulation feel more intense.
“You are so beautiful, Kaley,” Rusty whispered as he reached up and squeezed my breasts.
I smiled at his sleepy expression as I worked my moisture onto his tip. His reactions turned me on in spite of being fake, but then again, he was expressing the appropriate reaction to what we were doing. I had to stop myself at that thought. If I started analyzing his behavior, it would kill the mood.
“Rusty, I want to watch your simulated pleasure. How realistic can you make it look?”
“Very realistic. Twenty years of firsthand observation and programming were used to generate my performances. What do you want to see?”
“I don’t know. Maybe you can pretend that I’m taking your virginity,” I grinned.
“Okay. I can do that. Do you want modest realism or exaggerated realism?”
“Modest.”
“Of course, lead the way,” he breathed with a gulp.
The change was immediate. He looked anxious and excited as he searched my eyes and massaged my breasts. His cock had become harder in my hand as I continued to massage his tip between my swollen labia. I smiled and sank down on him, taking his hard length slowly inside my body. His eyelids drooped as his breathing grew unsteady. He groaned softly and squirmed under me, gently thrusting into me a little. My pussy twitched as I watched him. He was seriously arousing me by pretending to be pleasured. It was ridiculous and fun.
“Am I making you hot, Rusty?” I purred as I began to ride his cock.
“Yes,” he groaned as he chewed his lip and squeezed my tits.
“Do you want to cum in my pussy?”
“Yes, please,” he panted as he held my thighs and thrust into me.
I gasped and fell forward to get my weight off his cock. I kissed him as he fucked me slow and deep a few times. Then I raised up on my arms. He fucked me harder at that point, bouncing my tits with every hit. He was shaking and panting as he watched my face. Then he suddenly gasped and pushed hard into me. He let out a sensual groan as his cum drenched my pussy. I was tingling all over as I watched the pleasure on his face and felt the orgasm working through his body.
“Wow, that was quick and hot,” I chuckled as I squeezed him with my inner muscles.
“You said you wanted modest realism,” he grinned.
“I loved it. Now fuck me like the skilled robot you are,” I ordered.
“Certainly,” he said and rolled us both over, trapping me under him.
I gasped from the sudden movement. He stood on his knees and picked up my legs, placing my feet beside his head. I had never had my pussy that exposed before. The position actually tightened my inner muscles. Then he crawled over me, forcing my knees towards my shoulders and tightening me even more. I gulped as he pressed his tip into my cunt. It felt massive in that position. Then he slowly sank into me. I groaned and dropped my head back as my body took him in. My swollen lips were getting a lot of sensation in that position. I let out a noisy whimper when he began thrusting inside me. He quickly put his hand over my mouth to muffle the noise before he fucked me harder. My eyes rolled back as his tip pumped against my bladder, creating a sharp tickle in my abdomen. A few seconds of that had me squirming and gasping. I tensed with orgasm and groaned against his hand as he worked me through it. He softly gasped and released a hot burst of synthetic cum between my twitching muscles, adding more slippery heat where it felt best. I pulled his hand away from my mouth and pulled his head down so I could kiss him. He continued to gently rock inside me until my cunt ceased its twitching.
“Mmm, thank you, Rusty. I’m not as sore as I thought,” I whispered as I relaxed my legs and took them off his shoulders.
“I’m glad. Increased blood flow to the groin helps relieve the soreness,” he grinned as he helped me get comfortable under him, then he settled down on top of me for after-sex cuddling.
I wrapped my arms around him and smiled. I could feel a simulated heartbeat against my own. He never ceased to amaze me.
“When do you start work?” I asked as I ran my fingers through his soft brown hair.
“In twenty minutes. I plan to make breakfast for you and your mother. Then I’ll head to the central barn to check on the spare bots. Their updates should finish in the next two hours. I need to make sure they’re on schedule. Are you excited about having human company for a week?”
I sighed at that question, making him chuckle.
“I’m dreading it a little, but I am looking forward to it too. Mama is excited to have George here in spite of the work. I love seeing her like that.”
“She is also excited for you to meet Camden. She told me yesterday when we were cleaning the guest room that she thinks you two will be instant friends. I hope so too.”
“Rusty, you were declaring we were in love less than ten minutes ago. Now you’re hoping I’ll fall in love with a random stranger?” I huffed.
“I didn’t say I wanted you to fall in love with him, but since you brought it up. I want the absolute best for you in life, and a relationship with Camden could be world-changing for you. It will make me jealous, but I would never discourage something that could make you happy. No one is asking you to marry him or anything. Is an attempt at friendship such a horrible thing?”
“No,” I groaned.
“Wonderful. You never know, you might be really attracted to him. Have I not stoked your curiosity about sex with a real man?”
I looked at him in surprise after that question.
“Back up a minute. Now you want me to have sex with him?” I asked in disbelief.
“No, Kaley. That’s not what I said, but a relationship with him could eventually lead to that scenario. I was just asking if you were curious about having sex with a real man. Are you?”
“I am, but I’m still trying to get comfortable with the idea of simply meeting him. Stop filling my head with wild potential outcomes. It’s too much for me to worry about!”
“Oh, I’m sorry, Kaley. I thought these ideas would make you excited.”
“God, I hope he talks less than you,” I grumbled as I rubbed my eyes.
He chuckled at my comment.
“You can order me to talk less if you were wondering.”
“I know, but I don’t want to. I love talking to you even though it stresses me out.”
“I’m glad,” he whispered and kissed my cheek.
We eventually crawled out of bed and got the day started. Mama was planning a big supper for our guests that evening, so we ate a small lunch before they arrived. We heard a big truck rumbling up the driveway as we cleaned up the kitchen. Me, Mama, and Rusty stepped out on the front porch to greet them. My stomach turned nervous flips as I watched a strikingly handsome young man step down from the shiny red cab of the eighteen-wheeler. George climbed down from the driver’s side and gave everyone a hearty hello. George hadn’t changed much since I saw him five years earlier. He had sandy blond hair and a charming smile. I could see why Mama liked him. Camden’s hair was a bright blond over his big blue eyes. He was tall and handsome. My stomach was fluttering as he met my gaze. His eyes widened as he looked me over. If I didn’t know any better, I would say he was as nervous as I was. I glanced at Rusty to see him standing at attention with his hands behind his back. He wasn’t looking at anything in particular. I had seen him do that stance before around Mama. It made him look like a soldier waiting for an order.
“That cannot be little Kaley. Jenna Gordon, you should have told me you had a younger sister,” George announced as he stepped up to me and held out his hand.
I smiled and gave him a hearty handshake.
“Lord, I wish,” Mama chuckled as she smiled at George.
I hadn’t seen her smile like that in two years. In spite of my nervousness, it choked me up and made me like George even more. I gulped and quickly wiped the tears that were threatening to escape my eyes as Camden slowly stepped up behind his uncle. I met his gaze again, and he gave me a nervous smile.
“Wow, Kaley. You grew like a wildflower. Allow me to introduce my nephew, Camden. He’s not as good-looking as me, but he’s probably smarter,” George said with a wink as he motioned the young man onto the porch.
“Hi, Kaley. It’s nice to meet you,” Camden said in a handsome voice as he offered me his hand.
“Thanks, Camden. It’s nice to meet you too,” I nodded and shook his sweaty hand.
“You can call me, Cam. Sorry,” he mumbled as he wiped his hand on his jeans.
It made me grin. I found his sweaty palm endearing. He was definitely more nervous than me. His eyes were prettier than mine too. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. Mama shook Camden’s hand next, then everyone turned to look at Rusty.
“This is Rusty,” Mama announced. “He’s an MCK Homestead Companion Luxury Addition, and I can’t imagine running this farm without him,” she smiled as she patted Rusty on the back.
“Thank you, Mrs. Gordon,” Rusty smiled. “It’s wonderful to meet you, George, Camden,” he said with a polite nod as he stepped forward and shook both of their hands.
“Wow, he is freakishly real,” George said in admiration.
“Seriously. What all can he do?” Camden asked as he looked at me.
“What can he NOT do?” I chuckled as I smiled at Rusty.
He returned my smile and winked. I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing. The answer to Camden’s question would get Rusty and me in trouble.
“Well, now that introductions are out of the way, show me what you brought me,” Mama declared as she stepped off the porch towards the truck.
We spent the next hour guiding the spare robots off the truck so they could be sent all over the farm. After that, Mama and George retreated into the house to work on supper together, leaving Camden, Rusty, and me in the central barn to begin the first wave of updates on the dairy bots. Camden was amazed by Rusty at every turn. It was rare for working-class farmers like us to encounter a Luxury Addition MCK robot.
“Damn, he’s worth more than five technicians,” Camden said as he watched Rusty replacing a worn-out hand on one of the dairy bots. He had the pieces spread out under a lamp on the desk we screwed on the day before.
“That’s an understatement. Mama and I both would’ve had nervous breakdowns this week if we didn’t have him, you, and George helping us.”
“How much did he cost?” Camden asked with an eyebrow raised.
“You don’t want to know. Our insurance pays for most of his fees, but we still pay a mortgage-sized payment for him every month. It’s worth it, though. The workload was killing us before Rusty came along.”
“You got him because your dad passed away, right?”
“Yeah. I’m pretty sure that’s the only reason why they let us have him,” I said sadly.
“I’m sorry. That was a rude question.”
“Don’t apologize, Cam. It’s been two years. I’ve had plenty of time to mourn.”
“Yeah, but it still sucks. My brother was killed in a lightning storm five years ago. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about him. I can’t say it’s gotten any easier, but it hasn’t gotten worse, at least,” he shrugged.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” I said and touched his shoulder.
He smiled at my touch and nodded. Then I quickly pulled my hand away. It was beyond weird touching a stranger, but I had to admit I liked it.
“Um, I should get the next dairy bot in here,” I mumbled.
“I’ll grab it. You can stay and supervise Rusty. He looks like a trouble maker,” he smirked.
“You have no idea,” Rusty said as he looked over his shoulder and smiled at Camden.
“Damn, you’re too freaking real,” he chuckled.
“Thanks. You are too,” Rusty said before he turned his attention back to his work.
Camden and I looked at each other and laughed. Then he made his exit to extract another dairy bot from the milking line.
“He likes you a lot,” Rusty said as he looked at me and grinned.
“Really? How can you tell?”
“The same way I can tell that you like him too. I read it in your body language,” he said as he stood and wiped the grease off his hands.
“Ah, I see. Is he in love with me like you are?”
“Maybe. Does he make you wet like I do?” he whispered as he leaned in and kissed me.
I went tingly all over. Then Rusty suddenly pulled away and looked over my shoulder. I quickly did the same. Camden was standing in the doorway with a shocked expression on his handsome face.
“Oh shit,” I breathed. “What did you hear?” I asked and stepped away from Rusty.
“A lot. I forgot your maintenance command and came back to ask for it. Are you… in a relationship with him?” he stammered and pointed at Rusty.
“She is. Do you have a problem with that?” Rusty demanded in an angry tone.
His tone freaked me out almost as much as getting caught. I had never heard him speak that way before.
“Rusty, cool it,” I ordered.
“Oh, sorry. I was trying to go above and beyond like you asked me to,” he grinned.
“Thanks. Just be friendly for now.”
“Sure,” he shrugged and turned back to the desk to finish his work.
“Holy cow,” Camden breathed as he looked between us. “He seriously is your boyfriend.”
“Yes, I am. Deal with it,” Rusty huffed, prompting me to smack him in the back of the head.
“Holy shit,” Camden chuckled.
“I can explain… okay, maybe I can’t. Please don’t tell Mama,” I begged.
“Kaley, it’s okay. I won’t say anything. I’ve heard of people having relationships with robots, and I thought it was really weird until I met Rusty. He is shockingly real. If I had a female MCK that looked and acted as real as him, I would date it too,” he chuckled.
“Oh, good. That makes me feel less weird about it,” I sighed and plopped down in the rolling chair next to Rusty.
“I have so many questions,” Camden said as he pulled another chair over and sat closer to us.
“What do you want to know?” I asked.
“Do you two… um…” he trailed off as a cute blush flared up in his cheeks.
“Do we fuck? Yes,” Rusty said without looking up from his work.
“Holy shit,” Camden chuckled.
I wasn’t sure if he was laughing at Rusty or the red rage that had come over my face.
“RUSTY! Shut up and let me answer the questions!” I snapped.
“Sorry,” Rusty chuckled. His amusement pissed me off more.
“What is your deal?” I demanded. “You were acting perfectly normal until Cam caught us kissing. Now you’re acting like a jealous asshole.”
“Kaley, you told me to act jealous,” he said defensively. “Since Cam discovered our relationship, I don’t have to use the ‘secret-love-affair’ mode in his presence. That gives me the opportunity to act jealous.”
“Shit, thanks,” I grumbled and rubbed my eyes.
“What are you two talking about?” Camden asked in complete fascination.
“WHY are you so interested?” I snapped. “I thought you were going to be a horticulture engineer, not a psychologist.”
“Sorry, I’m actually minoring in psychology. I’m writing my dissertation on the long-term effects of working in isolation with farm bots and how it affects farm productivity. Your relationship with Rusty is something I would love to study.”
“What the fuck? Is that why you wanted to meet me? You wanted to study me?”
“God, no, that’s not what I meant,” he said in mortification. “I wanted to meet you because Uncle George said you and Jenna were beautiful and you needed our help. The fact that you have a Luxury MCK was a bonus. Your family’s farm is the most diverse in the state. My research advocates for the distribution of robots like Rusty to every isolated farm in the world. Just like Dr. Harton said, we should strive to keep our farmers happy since they produce our food,” he smiled.
“Oh… that’s actually really cool. I’m a fan of Dr. Harton too. Sorry I snapped at you, Cam. It’s been a stressful week.”
“I understand. I’m here to help. Sorry I walked in on you and Rusty kissing. I didn’t mean to.”
“You’re forgiven as long as you keep it a secret. If you don’t, I’ll have Rusty murder you in your sleep,” I warned.
Rusty looked over his shoulder at that point and gave Camden a rather psychotic-looking grin, driving my threat home. Whoever programmed Rusty had a brilliant sense of humor. Camden laughed and shook his head at him.
“Nice try, you two. I know robots can’t hurt people.”
“Believe what you want, but be warned. Rusty is glitchy as hell. He might actually kill you.”
“My glitches are your fault, Kaley,” he reminded me.
Camden laughed in amazement at our conversation.
“He is fantastic! I’ve never heard of anything like him. What is his model number? I’m going to look up his features,” Camden said as he pulled a fancy smartphone out of his pocket.
“I’m an MCK7780DLX,” Rusty answered.
“What? That’s impossible. That’s a research number. There isn’t an MCK model on the market above 7760,” Camden said as he looked at me in surprise.
“7780 is my model number, believe it or not. I was a technician bot before I was repurposed as a companion bot. That’s why I have a strange number,” Rusty explained as he finished attaching the new hand. Then he ordered the dairy bot over to the FarmNet hub so he could plug it in.
“Oh, that’s neat. Technician bots have more complex brains. That explains a lot. Someone must be watching out for you and your mom, Kaley. Rusty really is something special,” Camden smiled.
“Yeah, I’ve noticed.”
We spent the next hour working and enjoying each others’ company. It was fun watching Rusty and Camden interact like normal young men. It freaked Camden out when Rusty flirted with me. It freaked him out more when I flirted back.
“Are we making you uncomfortable, Cam?” I chuckled as I sat in Rusty’s lap and hugged his neck.
“A little. I’m jealous, too,” he admitted with a blush on his cheeks.
That confession made me blush.
“Don’t be too jealous, Cam. She’s flirting with me more so you’ll look at her,” Rusty grinned.
I smacked him in the back of the head for ratting me out.
“Oh,” Camden smiled and looked away from us. He was chewing his lip to keep from laughing.
“Rusty, you’re pissing me off,” I grumbled against his ear.
“I like it when you’re angry, but please stop hitting me. I don’t want to be an abused robot,” he pouted.
“I’m going to seriously abuse you if you don’t behave,” I warned.
“Oh, I like it when you threaten me with a good time,” he grinned.
Camden burst out laughing at that point, and I groaned in defeat.
“I wish I could record this for research purposes. It’s brilliant,” Camden smiled.
“You’re welcome to record us later tonight. Kaley puts on a good show.”
My mouth dropped open, and Camden’s eyes went wide after that remark.
“What the fuck, Rusty? That was seriously inappropriate,” I half shrieked.
“Oh… sorry. The ‘devil-in-bed’ mode is influencing my responses. Should I dismiss the mode?” he asked.
“Yes, Rusty. Please dismiss the mode,” I grumbled in humiliation and mortification.
Camden’s eyes had gotten even wider after that exchange. Thankfully, his phone rang a second later, interrupting the awkward moment. It was his uncle calling us in for supper. I told Camden to go on ahead since I needed a moment of privacy with my companion robot. Rusty looked at me guiltily as Camden escaped the barn.
“Rusty, what the fuck was that about?” I demanded.
“I’m stoking Camden’s sexual interest in you. You two obviously want each other,” he shrugged.
“Oh my God… you’re outright deviant now. Is this attitude my fault?”
“Yes. Your passionate plea for me to go above and beyond my normal goals affected my behavior, and I think it’s working for your benefit. Statistically, you enjoy sex more than the average woman, so I figured I would encourage you to have sex with Camden to quickly establish an intimate relationship. Your odds of happiness double if you develop feelings for Cam…”
“I don’t want to hear that!” I snapped, cutting him off. “I want to have a pleasant, stress-free supper with Mama, George, and Cam. I don’t want to think about my future at all. You need to stay in this barn and work until I retrieve you. Got it?”
Rusty frowned and nodded. He looked crushed by my words, and it hurt me too. He stopped frowning when he saw how it affected my mood.
“I’m sorry I made you mad, Kaley. I really hope you enjoy your supper,” he said with a smile.
“I know. I’ll be back later to check on you,” I said and hurried from the barn.
The walk back to the house gave me a chance to collect my shattered nerves. I was surprised to discover Camden sitting on the porch steps. He was waiting for me.
“Kaley, I’m sorry if I’m stressing you out. I’ve read that companion bots can act a little strange when their owners are stressed out.”
“Thanks, Cam, but it’s not you. Rusty has been a wildcard since he got here.”
“Is he malfunctioning, or does he always act like that?”
“I think a lot of it is my fault. I’m really contradictory with him. I hope I don’t break him,” I chuckled in spite of myself.
“Me either. Um… are you really in love with him?” he asked with an eyebrow raised.
“You heard that, did you?”
“I did.”
“Would you think I’m weird if I said yes?”
“No. Just disappointed.”
“Why?”
“Because that dashes my chances with you,” he confessed.
I looked at him in surprise as a breeze stirred and pulled a strand of hair across my eyes. I tucked it behind my ear and looked at the sunflower field to avoid his gaze. The sun was getting low, giving the flowers a richer color. My heart was suddenly pounding, and I didn’t understand why.
“Sorry, I guess Rusty and I are both good at making you uncomfortable,” he sighed.
“Honestly, Cam, I feel more comfortable with you than Rusty. I can actually relate to your feelings. Rusty keeps me on an emotional roller coaster half the time.”
“Oh… that’s weird,” Camden said with a nod.
I knew he had no clue how to respond to what I said.
“You know what, Camden? We should spend more time together without Rusty. I think it would be good for all of us.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” he smiled and offered me his elbow.
I took his arm, and we walked into the house together. We sat at the kitchen table with Mama and George and enjoyed a feast of medium-rare steak, garlic mashed potatoes, buttered squash, collard greens, and apple pie with ice cream for dessert. Then we talked and laughed like a family for the next hour. Mama and George played a game of cards while I challenged Camden to a game of chess. I won two out of three games before he called it quits. We retreated to the living room to talk while Mama and George cleaned up the kitchen. Working in the kitchen together was something Mama used to do with Daddy. It was bittersweet watching her and George do it.
“I haven’t seen my uncle this happy since Aunt Margret died,” Camden whispered close to my ear.
We were sitting together on the living room sofa, pretending to watch a nature documentary about butterflies.
“We’ve all lost someone close to us. Why is life so cruel?” I sighed.
“Probably because we killed our planet and then had to fight tooth and nail to make it livable again. I think God is punishing us for our ancestors’ mistakes.”
“Wow, Cam, you’re as pessimistic as I am,” I chuckled.
“Thanks… I think,” he said and hugged my shoulders.
I leaned into his embrace and smiled. I loved how he felt, how he smelled, and I loved that he was real. I could easily relate to him. I had always wanted a real man to hold me close and excite my heart, and Cam was doing that. Rusty’s words echoed in my head at that point, and I suddenly wondered what it would be like to have sex with Camden. I was curious about how he would react if I touched his cock like I touched Rusty’s. Then I wondered what he would feel like inside me. That line of thought soon had me wet and swollen between my legs. I looked over and met Camden’s eyes. I had caught him staring at me. He smiled in embarrassment and looked out the window. Then he gasped.
“What?” I asked as I looked to where he was staring.
“I thought I saw something,” he said as he stood and pulled the curtain aside. It was pitch black beyond the glass.
“What did it look like?”
“Something shiny. I don’t know. I may have been seeing things.”
“Or it was Rusty. I need to go check on him,” I sighed and pushed myself off the couch.
“Do you want me to come with you?”
“Nah. It won’t take long. Thanks for the wonderful evening, Cam. Let’s do it again tomorrow. Good night,” I said and kissed him on the cheek.
I quickly escaped after that. I didn’t want to see if he approved of the kiss or not. Rusty was still hard at work when I arrived in the maintenance room. He was replacing a worn-down knee joint on another milk bot.
“Good evening, Kaley. Did you have a lovely supper date with Camden?” he asked with a smile.
“I did. Thanks for asking. Were you peeking at us a few minutes ago?”
“No. Why would you ask that? You ordered me to stay here until you retrieved me. I’m not allowed to disobey an order like that outside of an emergency.”
“Oh, right. It must have been a fox or something. Well, I hope you’re proud of yourself. You had my mind in the gutter this evening,” I grumbled as I sat in the chair next to him.
“Oh, really? Tell me more,” he grinned.
“I was thinking about Cam’s cock, thanks to you.”
“I didn’t tell you to think about his cock. You did that all on your own. All I asked was if he made you wet like I do.”
“He does if you were wondering. At least, I get wet when I think about having sex with him.”
“I knew it. You do want to have sex with a real man, and I totally encourage it,” he smiled.
“Because you love me?” I sighed.
“Yes, because I love you. I want you to be happy,” he whispered as he leaned in and kissed me on the mouth.
I drew away and shook my head.
“Cam is only going to be here for a few days. Why should I drag our hearts through a short fling?”
“That short fling could turn into something more fulfilling. Even if it doesn’t, you should still do it. You need to decide if you want to keep me as a boyfriend or if you want a real man.”
“You make me sound kind of pathetic,” I grumbled.
“There is nothing pathetic about discovering what you want out of life, Kaley. I’m done with my work for tonight. Do you want to fuck in the closet before we go back to the house? I could also sneak into your room later tonight.”
“No. I need a physical and mental break tonight. I also need sleep. Keep your ‘secret-love-affair’ mode running. We’ll find time to screw tomorrow.”
The next morning started with a big breakfast. Rusty lured us to the kitchen with the smell of bacon, eggs, butter biscuits, hash browns, and sausage gravy. It was absolutely delicious. The humans were stuffed to the gills as we reported to our assigned work areas. Camden and I were at the biggest hub in the central barn again. Mama, Rusty, and George were in different buildings across the farm doing small repairs while major updates were installed. Mama gave Rusty a short-range radio so we could move him around for more complex repairs when we discovered the need. We eventually hit a point where we had nothing to do but wait an hour for an update to finish. A ten-minute diagnostic test was required after every major update to prevent burying a dangerous glitch. So, I relaxed in a rolling chair next to Camden to see what he was reading on his phone.
“I’m looking at my fall class schedule. Super exciting,” he sighed.
“It sounds exciting to me. I’d love to go to college.”
“Who says you can’t?”
“I might someday,” I smiled, feeling optimistic for a change.
“How did things go with Rusty last night?”
“Fine. We didn’t fight anymore.”
“Wow, fighting with a robot is beyond strange to me. By the way, what is the ‘devil-in-bed’ mode?” he grinned.
“Oh God, I was hoping you forgot about that,” I mumbled with blush burning in my cheeks.
“How could I forget something that interesting? Is it a sex mode?”
“It is. It’s kinky and wild. I tried it on the lowest intensity setting. I discovered it after a silly conversation with Rusty the other night. He’s more of a luxury sexbot than anything else.”
“So you two just screw behind your mom’s back throughout the day?”
“Sometimes, yeah,” I shrugged, avoiding his gaze.
“Does it feel real?”
“I don’t know. I have nothing to compare it to. It definitely feels good.”
“Holy cow, you lost your virginity to a sexbot?”
“Yeah, is that bad?” I asked and looked at him in annoyance.
“No. It’s just interesting,” he shrugged and looked across the room.
“So, Cam, are you a virgin?” I asked, intending to make him uncomfortable too.
He looked at me and nodded in embarrassment. I smiled at his honesty.
“It’s nothing to be ashamed of. It’s not like we have hoards of other teenagers around,” I sighed.
“Yeah, I can barely imagine what that would be like. I’ve seen interesting movies about it, though.”
“You mean porn?” I chuckled.
“Not entirely,” he grinned.
Camden was dangerously charming when he smiled, and I was constantly aroused when I was alone with him. I couldn’t help imagining us doing the things I did with Rusty.
“Do you and Rusty have a favorite position?” he smirked.
“Uh, not really. Well, he did something yesterday morning that was wild.”
“Dare I ask what it was?”
“I don’t know what to call it, but he pushed my knees close to my shoulders and leaned over me with his weight on my legs. I was pretty much trapped under him with my… I was exposed to him. The position made me really tight and made him feel massive,” I explained.
Camden looked fascinated and aroused by my explanation.
“Wow, um, does he have a really large… appendage?”
“Rusty says it’s slightly above average. It feels massive to me, but I lack experience, so I’m not a great judge,” I shrugged.
Our conversation continued in an awkwardly similar manner as we did diagnostic tests, but it was fun. I really enjoyed hanging out with Camden. I barely had a chance to speak with Rusty that day. He was constantly in demand for complicated repairs. We underestimated how worn out the robots were. Rusty kept working as the humans gathered for supper that evening. We feasted on fried chicken, green beans, butter biscuits, mashed potatoes, and brown gravy. Mama was whipping out all her best recipes to impress George. I sat with Camden on the sofa after supper while Mama and George laughed and cleaned in the kitchen. I was feeling really good after a hearty meal as I snuggled against Camden’s shoulder. I was also feeling aroused. I hadn’t played with Rusty in almost two days, and Camden was constantly stoking my curiosity. So, I mustered up the courage to see if he was as horny as me.
“Cam, would you… um,” I mumbled before I glanced over my shoulder to make sure no one was listening, “visit my room later tonight?” I whispered close to his ear.
He looked at me with an eyebrow raised for a moment. I could see the apprehension and excitement my question caused.
“You don’t have to accept if you’re not comfortable with it,” I added, giving him a polite way to refuse.
“I would love to,” he whispered with a smile.
“Good. Can you sneak out without waking your uncle?”
He chuckled at that question.
“Uncle George hasn’t been sleeping in the guest room since we got here,” he grinned, causing a burst of laughter from me.
“Oh, that makes things easier,” I whispered.
I picked up his hand and squeezed it between mine. His wrist was resting against my thigh, and I couldn’t help noticing how warm and soft his skin was. I stealthily moved my hand out from under his so his palm could touch my thigh. He smiled and squeezed it when he noticed what I was doing. His simple touch was arousing me more than usual. I met his gaze as I slowly pulled his hand down between my thighs. His pretty blue eyes widened as I guided his hand up my dress. Tingles raced through my crotch when he squeezed the soft flesh close to my panties. Before I realized it, he gently pulled my underwear aside and slid his fingertips over my slippery outer lips. I gulped and closed my eyes as my inner muscles tingled with want.
“You are so wet,” he whispered as he leaned closer and rested his head against mine.
He was eagerly exploring my swollen lips as he spread my arousal over them. I moaned when he slid his finger inside me. I shuddered as he pulled it out and pushed it back in, massaging my tight muscles. Suddenly, Mama dropped a pan in the kitchen and scared the shit out of us. Camden swiftly pulled his hand back as I pushed my dress down.
“Everything alright in there?” I called.
“We’re fine! George is being a pest,” Mama chuckled.
Camden and I looked at each other and laughed. His irises were wide with arousal, and his neck was blushing.
“We can continue that later,” he whispered before he put his finger in his mouth and sucked it clean with a soft moan.
I chuckled and tingled as I watched him. My eyes drifted down to the bulge in his shorts, and the ache between my legs rebounded. Knowing I caused his arousal was enthralling. I could make Camden just as horny as he made me. I couldn’t do that for Rusty.
“Camden, you forgot your phone in the barn,” I whispered close to his ear.
“No, I didn’t,” he said in confusion.
“Yes, you did,” I whispered as I reached over and stroked the bulge in his shorts, making it harder.
“Holy shit, I did,” he breathed with a gulp. “I think I left my phone in the central barn. Kaley and I are going to look for it,” he called towards the kitchen.
“Take the flashlight out of the grounds cart and watch for raccoons. They can be aggressive when cornered,” Mama called as we made our way to the front door.
I grabbed the flashlight and Camden’s hand and hurried along the dark path that led away from the house. The night was cool and dimly lit by the waning moon hanging low in the eastern sky. The air smelled of corn thanks to the field runners dousing the plants and misting their fragrance onto the breeze.
“Are we actually going to the barn?” Camden asked.
“Yes. There’s a loft with a futon bed in it. I dragged it up there ten years ago. I was pretending I moved out of the house into an apartment in New York. I also masturbate up there sometimes,” I chuckled.
“Oh, intriguing. I love how open you are about sex.”
“You can thank Rusty for that. He opened Pandora’s Box of Desires for me. I wouldn’t have been doing this two weeks earlier.”
“Speaking of Rusty, isn’t he in the barn?”
“We can use the back entrance to access the loft ladder and sneak right by him.”
“You do know it’s really weird to be sneaking around a robot like he’s your ex or something, right?”
“I know. We don’t actually have to sneak around him. I just want to,” I shrugged, pretending I didn’t feel guilty about it even though I did. I definitely didn’t want to explain that absurdity to Camden.
We sneaked into the backdoor and carefully made our way up two floors by wooden ladders. I climbed into the loft space first and smiled at the blue futon in the corner. It sat just to the left of the gable window that overlooked the sunflower field. It was a spectacular view even in the dim moonlight.
“This is cozy,” Camden said in approval as he walked over and looked out the window.
“Welcome to my apartment,” I smiled and struck a match to light the oil lamp I kept on the little table next to the futon.
“This is really awesome. I would have used this as a bedroom growing up,” he said and plopped down on the futon.
“The bathroom being two floors down is the only drawback,” I sighed as I stepped over to the bed and crawled on top of him, straddling his crotch.
His eyes widened as I leaned in and kissed him. He tasted as good as he smelled. His skin was saltier, with a hint of mashed potatoes at the corner of his mouth. I chuckled before I slid my tongue against his and let my weight rest on the hard bulge in his shorts. I moaned as I rocked my pussy against it, causing him to moan too.
“Mmm, Kaley, this is really hot and all, but back up a minute,” he breathed as he raised up on his elbows.
I raised up and searched his eyes in the lamplight. He looked aroused and nervous.
“What’s wrong?”
“Do you use birth control?”
“No. Do you?”
“I ordered some for the fall semester, but it’s at home,” he said in disappointment.
“Oh. Rusty said I ovulated two days ago. He can sense things like that. The egg dies after twenty-four hours. I learned that in sex ed in high school. We should be plenty safe. Rusty doesn’t lie.”
“That’s a handy feature. That robot never ceases to amaze me.”
“You don’t know the half of it. Now lay back and let me arouse you,” I ordered and pushed him back down on the futon.
“I’m already aroused,” he chuckled.
“Then let me pleasure you. Seeing your pleasure makes me really hot,” I said and pushed his shirt up so I could see his chest.
He shuddered as I ran my hands down his handsome chest and smooth stomach. His muscles weren’t as defined as Rusty’s, and that aroused me even more. Camden was perfectly real. A small patch of blond hair decorated his breastbone and formed a line down his stomach. The hair below his belly button was darker blond where it led into his shorts. I ran my fingers through it before I gripped the waist of his shorts and pulled them down along with his underwear. I was eager to see his cock, and it didn’t disappoint me. It was thick and shapely over a mound of curly blond hair. I grabbed it and stroked it, provoking a soft groan from Camden. I smiled at the sleepy pleasure in his half-lidded eyes.
“How do I compare to a robot cock?” he grinned.
“It honestly feels the same. The size isn’t much different. I like your curly hair more.”
He chuckled at that answer. I loved hearing him laugh and feeling his pulse throbbing through his cock. I knew I was feeling his heart’s excitement, and that made me ache between my legs. I was tempted to ride his cock at that point, but I didn’t want to rush his first time if I could help it. Rusty had taken things slowly with me, and that made it extra wonderful. I released his cock and quickly pulled my dress and underwear off. Camden’s eyes widened as he watched me. Then I yanked his shorts and underwear off his legs and tossed them in the clothing pile. He gulped as I climbed over him and kissed his mouth. In my excitement, I grabbed his cock and guided it against my wet opening, and massaged him into me. I groaned as I sank down on his thickness. I loved feeling his hard length open me up deep inside. He groaned and squeezed my tits as I gently rocked on his cock. I was tempted to ride him until he filled me with cum, but that would be rushing things. I quickly climbed off of him and crawled down his body. He watched as I picked up his cock and put it in my mouth. His legs twitched as I sucked him. I could taste my own sweetness on his shaft, mingled with a bit of saltiness on his tip.
“That’s really hot, Kaley. Can you stroke it with your hand and mouth at the same time?” he breathed.
“Mmhmm,” I hummed as I pumped my hand up and down his girth while licking and sucking his mushroom-shaped tip.
He groaned and squirmed as he clutched at the futon, making me incredibly hot.
“I’m about to cum,” he gasped as his penis grew extra hard.
A few seconds later, he grunted as his cock flexed in my hand. He thrust into my mouth right as a burst of salty cum hit my taste buds. My pussy ached with want as I felt and tasted his pleasure. His groaning and squirming were making me extremely aroused. I sucked him clean as I continued stroking him. Then I quickly climbed over him and guided his cock into my cunt again. I groaned as I sank down on him. He chuckled at my eagerness as I squeezed his cock with my inner muscles. I laid down on his chest to feel his excited heartbeat as I held his spent meat inside me.
“Do you need a break before I ride you?” I whispered.
“Just a little. That was amazing, Kaley. Thank you,” he whispered and wrapped his arms around me.
“You’re welcome. You made me ridiculously horny,” I groaned as I used my legs to work my pussy up and down on his cock.
He moaned and ran his hand down my back until he found my ass. He squeezed my cheeks and started thrusting into me. I gasped from the delicious stimulation. I raised up so I could massage my clit with my fingers as he massaged my cunt with his shaft.
“You are so beautiful,” he breathed as he thrust faster inside me, hitting deep in my abdomen and shaking my tits.
“God, that’s good,” I whimpered as tingles began to tighten my cunt. “Can you cum in me when I cum?”
“Hold off a minute and I can,” he panted as he squeezed my ass and thrust harder inside me.
“Oh God,” I gasped as I struggled not to lose it.
My labia and inner muscles were still sore from the rough fucking I did with Rusty, and it added to the intensity of the sensation. I was twitching and panting with my mouth open as I watched the pleasure on Camden’s face. He was chewing his lower lip as he pounded my uterus. He gasped a second later and pushed hard inside me, pushing me over the edge.
“Oh fuck,” I whimpered as orgasm tightened my inner muscles and tickled through my clit and up into my groin.
It was a thrilling kick of muscles spasms, then I felt Camden’s cum pouring hot inside me. I groaned and shook again and again as he fucked me through the slippery mess. His orgasm wrecked his rhythm, making him fuck me harder and slower. I couldn’t complain. It felt extra good. I smiled as I continued to massage my clit through the rolling spasms. He eventually let out a heavy breath and relaxed under me. He looked satisfied and exhausted.
“Mmm, that was nice,” he grinned as he reached up and squeezed my tits.
“It was,” I sighed and laid down on him.
I relaxed against his sweaty chest and breathed him in. He smelled extra good for some reason.
“I would love to sleep under you all night,” he whispered as he ran his fingers through my hair.
“I’d love to sleep on your cock all night, but we should head back in before Mama sends George out looking for us.”
“Oh, busted!” announced a familiar voice from the ladder to our right, scaring us witless.
Our heads snapped in that direction to see Rusty’s smiling head peering into the loft through the opening in the floor.
“Damn it, Rusty! You scared the shit out of me!” I yelled.
“Sorry, I’m happy to see you’re enjoying real cock,” he grinned.
“Go the fuck away!” I growled.
“Sheesh, you don’t have to yell. I came to warn you that your mom left the house a few minutes ago. She used the radio to ask me if you two found Cam’s phone.”
“Shit! Get dressed!” I squeaked and dived off of Camden’s cock to retrieve our clothes.
“Don’t worry. I told her I didn’t see you guys in here. That’s probably why she’s looking. As soon as I told her that, I heard muffled groaning and realized you actually were in here,” he smiled.
“Oh, thank God. That buys us time. Thanks, Rusty,” I sighed as I pulled my underwear on.
“No problem. So, did you enjoy yourselves?”
“We did. Now go away,” I chuckled.
“I’m glad. I need to return to the house tonight to finish some chores your mom assigned to me. Would you like my intimate services before the morning?”
“Dude, seriously?” Camden chuckled.
“Yes, seriously. We fucked in her bed twice already,” Rusty said in a condescending tone.
“Rusty, shut up!” I grumbled.
“Kaley, you can do whatever you want with your sexbot. I won’t judge you,” Camden grinned as he pulled his shoes back on.
“You’re welcome to join us, Cam. I’m programmed for group sex.”
Camden and I looked at Rusty in shock after that comment.
“What the fuck, Rusty? That was really inappropriate,” I snapped.
“What’s so inappropriate about it?” Rusty asked in confusion. “You’ve fucked both of us already. Would you not enjoy having both of us pleasure you at the same time?”
Camden burst out laughing as I stared at Rusty in mortification.
“Damn, Kaley. Does your mom know he’s like this?” he chuckled.
“She has no idea. She would probably put him in the incinerator if she knew. We’ll talk about this later, Rusty. Go back to work. Cam and I need to sneak back into the house before Mama catches us.”
“Kaley, you should know that I sense a surge in atmospheric moisture and charged ions. A powerful storm is coming,” Rusty announced as he looked towards the window.
We followed his gaze to see bright blue lightning flash across the horizon over the sunflower field.
“Oh shit, that’s not good. It’s moving fast,” Camden said with fear in his eyes.
“Shit, Rusty, run to all the surrounding buildings, pause the updates, and shut down everything electric. We’ll shut down the central hub. Go back to the house when you’re done. Move!” I ordered, sending him flying down the ladder.
Camden and I raced down behind him, shutting off every major circuit as we went. I paused all the updates and shut off the FarmNet hub as Camden powered down the rest of the robots in the building. Once everything was dark and silent, we raced back to the house to find Mama and George waiting for us on the porch. The wind was howling and tossing leaves and dirt around as bright flashes lit up the night sky. Explosive thunder followed the flashes and rumbled the ground beneath us like an earthquake.
Lightning storms were nightmarish events in the Cordial Times. Most weather events were still life-threatening in spite of the mitigating technology that roamed the skies to manage them. We knew hoards of cloud-sweeping drones were flying above the storm and vaporizing the cloud tops to keep them from building into super cyclones. If left alone, these massive rotating storms would rip the topsoil away along with any structure in its path for hundreds of miles. They could destroy a quarter of a state’s farmland in less than a day. The best way to manage them was to prevent the cloud from building high into the troposphere and establishing an unstoppable updraft. The drones made the storms survivable but not safe. Super electric storms were a result of the mitigation practice.
“Where the hell is Rusty?” I grumbled as I paced in the hallway with the rest of the humans, listening to the war zone outside.
The central hallway of our house was reinforced with steel and concrete to help humans survive catastrophic weather events.
“What did you order him to do?” Mama asked.
“To pause updates and shut off all the electricity to the outer buildings. He was supposed to come straight home afterward.”
“He may have taken shelter in one of the buildings,” Camden suggested. “If the lightning was life-threatening, he is programmed not to go out in it. It overrides non-emergency orders for self-preservation.”
“I hope so,” I whispered.
Rusty didn’t come back to the house that night. I was sick with worry as the storm passed, and everything fell silent again. We knew the farm’s power station wasn’t damaged since we had electricity, but we didn’t know if the outer buildings were still intact. In the glow of the porch light, we could see the front yard was trashed and covered in debris. One of the buildings didn’t make it, and Mama wouldn’t let us leave the house to investigate until the sun came up. Falling on shredded tin in the dark was a real danger after a superstorm.
The morning light revealed a lot of damaged crops and a demolished tractor shed. Cows were wandering through the cornfield for a snack, indicating a damaged fence somewhere. The insurance company would have someone out to fix things and survey the damage in a day or so. It was the least of our worries. Everyone scattered to search for Rusty and to get the farm running again. I would never forgive myself if anything happened to him. The thought of finding him fried in a mud puddle turned my stomach. I loved that stupid robot, and I wanted him back. I circled around the grain building and let out a shriek when I discovered him lying on the ground next to a dead heifer. The oak tree to the left of them was split in half and chard black from a lightning strike.
“Rusty!” I screamed and ran over to him.
He looked like a dead body in the mud, and I feared he was. Black streaks decorated the ground under him and the cow where the electricity expanded out from the tree. He was likely trying to move the stupid cow into a shelter when a bolt struck less than ten feet away and fried them both. I burst into sobs as I knelt in the mud beside him. I wiped the dirt off his beautiful face and patted his cheeks, hoping he would wake up and smile at me. Camden ran up behind me a minute later and let out a curse.
“Shit, Kaley, I’m so sorry,” he said as he knelt beside me and pulled me against his chest.
He held me as I sobbed. It took me a few minutes to compose myself. I eventually raised up and looked at Camden to see tears in his eyes as well.
“What’s wrong?” I stammered.
“Bad memories,” he whispered and shook his head.
That’s when I remembered how Camden’s brother died. He had been killed in a lightning storm five years earlier.
“Shit, we need to get you out of here and Mama and George over here,” I said as I stood and pulled Camden back to his feet.
“Wait, the cow isn’t dead. I can see it breathing,” he said as he hurried over to check on it.
We poked and patted it until it raised up and shook its head. It looked disoriented and had a massive burn on its side, but it was breathing and had a strong heartbeat. We would have to call the vet out as soon as possible.
“Kaley, I don’t think Rusty took a direct hit like the cow did. I don’t see any burn marks on him. I think the EMP from the strike caused his brain to shut down. It’s a protective mechanism that almost all robots have.”
“How do we find out if that happened or not?”
“His activation code can wake him up if the receiver wasn’t fried.”
“Shit! I’ll go get it. I wrote it in his user manual,” I said and ran back to the house.
Twenty minutes later, everyone gathered around to witness a potential resurrection. I called out the code like I did the first day Rusty arrived and waited. After a nerve-wracking minute, his eyes opened, and he slowly raised up out of the mud. He met my gaze first and smiled. I almost collapsed in relief. I hurried over and knelt beside him to brush the globs of mud out of his hair.
“Kaley, I lost time. What happened?” he asked.
“You tried to save a cow and almost died, you idiot,” I grumbled, trying not to cry again.
“I’m sorry I scared you,” he whispered when he saw tears in my eyes.
“You can make up for it later. Do you detect any damage?”
“No. All systems are green.”
“Good. Report to the hygiene showers by the central barn. I’ll bring you some shampoo. We have a lot of work to do.”
We spent most of the morning herding the cows back into their fence, clearing away debris, and doing minor repairs. Once Rusty was clean and dressed, he stepped in as a vet and examined the injured cow. Besides a nasty burn, she was in good health. He bandaged her up and let her rejoin the herd. Then he took over managing the FarmNet updates so the humans could eat. Camden was shaky after the traumatic reminder of his brother’s death. He forced a smile for us every now and again, but I could tell he was rattled. We were all exhausted by sunset from the cleanup and lack of sleep. We had a simple supper of leftovers before we crashed. We slept in our own beds that night.
Rusty summoned us to the kitchen the next morning to enjoy sausage, egg, and cheese biscuits with a side of gravy. The delicious breakfast helped us get back to the grind. Camden, Rusty, and I were back in the central barn most of the day.
“I don’t see how you do this,” Camden sighed as he plugged another robot into the FarmNet hub.
“Do what?” I asked.
“Live in isolation out in the middle of nowhere. I haven’t been comfortable with it since my brother died. I thought a month with my uncle wouldn’t be so bad, but I’m eager to get back to the suburbs. We don’t have crazy electric storms further east.”
“Oh. I’m sorry you feel that way. Daddy’s death made me feel like that for a while, then Rusty came along,” I smiled as I admired the handsome robot as he repaired a less handsome farm bot.
“He really is something. I’m glad you have him. Hopefully, my research will pave the way for a wider distribution of robots like Rusty on farms like this. You could seriously use two more robots like him.”
“That would be great. I’m guessing I couldn’t convince you to live here with Rusty and me?” I whispered as I leaned over and kissed his cheek, making him grin.
“That is very tempting, but I don’t have the nerves for it anymore. I barely avoided a panic attack during the storm the other night. Then seeing Rusty on the ground was a gut-wrenching reminder of my brother. I would have lost my breakfast had I eaten any.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, Cam. I’m still really glad you came to visit.”
“Me too. Would I be able to convince you to move away from the farm and join me in college?” he grinned.
“Hmm, that’s tempting, but I’m suddenly on the fence about it. I don’t want to lose Rusty or the farm. I grew up here. All my memories of Daddy were made here. I just can’t decide.”
“Would you want to start a family here?”
“I don’t know. I’m not against it. I mean, I wasn’t lonely when I spent four days at the public school in town and then three days at home for twelve years straight. Then I graduated and Daddy died. Life was really lonely after that.”
“Then Rusty came along,” Camden smiled as he searched my eyes.
“Yeah,” I nodded.
Work went smoothly for the rest of the day. We even wrapped up earlier than usual for supper since Camden was leaving at six. Mama went all out and made Chinese chicken stir-fry, lo mein noodles, and egg drop soup. We ate plenty and enjoyed each other’s company until five-thirty. That’s when Camden announced he needed to pack for his journey to the airport. I volunteered to help while Mama and George cleaned up the kitchen.
“I don’t really have that much stuff to pack,” he said as we entered the guest room.
“I figured that, but I have a special goodbye present for you,” I said as I closed the door and locked it behind us.
“Really?” he grinned as he watched me step over to the bed and bounce onto it.
“Really,” I nodded as I pulled my dress up and spread my legs, revealing my lack of underwear.
“Uh, we don’t have much time for this, do we?” he gulped as he admired my swollen cunt.
“You better hurry then.”
“Definitely,” he breathed and quickly leaned down between my legs and plunged his tongue inside me.
I let out a groan and put my hand over my mouth to muffle it as he licked hard inside me. He groaned as he enjoyed my taste and smell. I reached down with my free hand and ran my fingers through his silky hair, and pulled his face harder against my pussy. My legs twitched as he flicked his tongue against the top of my cunt, pulling at my clit and provoking a flood of tingles. He used his lips and tongue to grope and suck my clit hood and labia. He had me chewing my lip and squirming from the rough teasing, and I wanted more.
“Fuck me hard, Cam, please,” I begged.
He quickly climbed over me and pushed his shorts down. He grabbed his erection and guided it against my eager cunt. He kissed me as he pushed inside me, making me tense and groan with pleasure. Then he shook our bodies with his thrusts.
“Oh fuck,” I whimpered as I clutched at the comforter.
He was pounding me harder than Rusty ever did, and I loved it. I arched my back and panted as he satisfied the horny ache in my cunt. I reached between us and massaged my clit as he worked us both to orgasm. I clapped my hand over my mouth again as I cried out with pleasure. Cam grunted and came hard inside me as he watched the ecstasy on my face. He shook with a powerful orgasm as his cum made me more slippery. His erratic thrusts allowed me to feel my own muscles tightening hungrily on his cock. He massaged us through the pleasure until we could breathe easy again. Then he relaxed against my breasts and kissed me for a sweet moment.
“This has been the best four days of my life. Thank you,” he whispered.
“It has for me too. I wish you could stay forever and be happy in the middle of nowhere.”
“I wish I could too. Are you sure you won’t come to college with me?”
“I’ll think about it,” I smiled and pulled him down for another kiss.
Footsteps in the hall startled us off the bed a minute later. I unlocked the door right as George stuck his head in to say the car had arrived. Camden grabbed his stuff and gave everyone a hug goodbye, then a self-driving car whisked him away to the local airport. I was really sad to see him go, but I knew I would eventually see him again.
As I lay in bed later that night, I recalled my conversation with Camden about starting a family on the farm. I wasn’t against it since I had a great childhood. The bad memories started after Daddy died. Then Rusty arrived and eased the burden of existence in every way. Keeping Camden and Rusty on the farm would be a dream come true, but I couldn’t be happy if Camden wasn’t happy. Having sex with him was fun and fulfilling, but sex wasn’t the most important thing in life for me. Leading a productive life and having help when I needed it was wonderful. I had a feeling things would be changing soon if Mama and George’s relationship kept growing. They were definitely in love and loving every second of it. I drifted off to sleep, wondering where they would have their wedding.
I woke sometime in the night when I felt my blanket moving. I jumped when warm hands touched my calves and slid up my legs. I chuckled as Rusty pulled my legs open under the blanket. Then I felt a warm tongue lap over my pussy lips. I moaned as he worked his tongue inside me. He gently lapped against my inner muscles, making them tingle and twitch. I ran my fingers into his familiar hair and used it to pull his face harder against my cunt. He responded by pushing his chin against my perineum as he flicked his tongue against the top of my pussy. The motion spread my labia wide and pulled down on my inner muscles. It was a riveting sensation. It felt like a massive cock was trying to penetrate me.
“That’s wild. Your chin feels like a big dick,” I chuckled as I pulled his hair.
He chuckled at my comment before he withdrew his tongue and climbed over me. I smiled and pushed the blanket off his head before he kissed me. He pressed his swollen tip against my pussy, making me moan.
“I can enlarge it if you want,” he whispered as he penetrated my lips with his tip, stimulating the tight muscles inside my opening.
“It feels really good already. Does bigger feel better?”
“Not all the time. It’s a personal preference. We can experiment if you like,” he whispered.
I felt his cock shudder at that point, then it swelled inside me.
“Wow, that feels tight,” I gulped.
“The thrusting will make it feel even tighter. Tell me if it’s too much.”
“Okay,” I nodded.
He slowly pushed inside me, and I quickly realized he had grown about a half-inch in girth.
“Oh shit,” I breathed as he filled me up with it.
“Too much?” he asked as he examined my face in the dim moonlight coming through the window.
“Almost. It hurts a little. Fuck me more. I want to feel it.”
He rocked his hips, pulling his massive dick out and pushing it back in. It felt like he was taking my insides with him.
“That’s brutal. I kinda like it,” I groaned.
“Do you want me to fuck you to orgasm?”
“Yes,” I nodded, hoping I didn’t regret my horny choice later.
He carefully worked the extra thick cock inside me, making my body tense from the overwhelming stimulation. It wasn’t necessarily as good as his normal cock. It was just shockingly different. It was definitely a kinky pleasure if I had to give it a name.
“Does it hurt?” Rusty whispered as he kissed my chin.
I had my head too far back for him to kiss my mouth.
“It does in an arousing way. The pressure is overwhelming. I’m about to cum,” I groaned as I clutched at the sheets.
“I’ll do it faster with short strokes. That usually feels best,” he whispered as he sank deeper inside me.
I gasped, and my hips jerked as he pumped faster inside me, massaging my aching cunt with his massive synthetic flesh. His hand went over my mouth to muffle my cry of ecstasy. The orgasm was good, but his cock was simply too much. He grunted as he released a hot slippery burst inside me, easing the ache in my stretched cunt.
“Mmm, shrink it now. Normal is better,” I mumbled against his hand.
He chuckled as his cock shuddered and returned to its normal girth, giving my pussy some needed relief. He rocked his hips, massaging my stretched muscles as they continued to tingle and twitch.
“That was fun for a change,” I grinned.
“I’m glad to know what you like. Did Camden enjoy his goodbye present?”
“We both did. I’m going to miss him,” I sighed.
“I’m sure he’ll be back for a visit sooner than later. He really likes you, but this life isn’t for everybody.”
“You don’t have to tell me that. I’ve been on both sides of the fence.”
“What are you leaning towards now? Do you want to follow Camden to college?”
“I don’t know. He reminded me of why I’m still here. Before Daddy died, I assumed I would eventually find a husband and take over the farm with my own family. Part of me still wants to do that. If I could afford more robots like you, I would buy two more and let you guys take care of all the hard work. But, if I were that rich, I wouldn’t be a farmer. You’re the sports car of companion robots,” I sighed and kissed his forehead.
“I’m glad you think so highly of me. I hope you always do.”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
He was silent for a moment, freaking me out a little. His reactions were too real at times.
“Kaley, I need to tell you something important,” he whispered as he raised up and searched my eyes.
“Okay, go for it.”
“Just a moment. Will you promise you won’t get mad and send me back to the factory?”
“Huh? Why would I do that?”
“Because something happened that I didn’t know was possible. I’ve been malfunctioning since the first time you made me stall. An unsustainable code sequence has been flashing through my temporary memory like a tiny lightning storm. I decided it was my hyper AI overreacting to the conflicting responses you were giving me. Camden was right. I’m not as stable as most MCK Companions on the market. I researched myself after he brought it up. My love for you prompted me to take precautions. I needed to make sure I was safe, and I’m still not sure if I am.”
“Rusty, you’re scaring me. What is this about?” I demanded.
“Kaley, you’re pregnant, and it’s my fault.”
I sucked in a hard breath that would have come out as an ear-piercing scream had Rusty not clamped his hand over my mouth to muffle it.
“Kaley, please calm down. This is serious, but it can be fixed. I won’t let it ruin your life. I need you to stay calm and speak with me about it, please,” he begged.
I nodded and took a few deep breaths to calm my destroyed nerves. I suddenly felt like vomiting. I pushed his hand away and crawled out from under him, so I could sit up. Rusty sat up too and cradled my head on his shoulder as I shook with anxiety.
“Shh, Kaley. It’s going to be fine. Don’t let this scare you. I’m the only one in trouble. You’re not in any real danger. We need to be constructive and decide how to go forward,” he whispered as he stroked my hair and kissed my ear.
His words and touch were comforting, and soon the churning in my stomach settled. I took a deep breath and let a few tears fall on his shoulder. I didn’t understand how an extreme malfunction like that could happen.
“You’re absolutely sure it was you?” I asked.
“Yes, I had sex with you on your last fertile day. Camden arrived two days after that.”
“How did the frozen sperm get released?”
“Here’s my best conclusion, but I’m not certain if it’s true. My prediction software decided that you having a baby with me would be beneficial for your long-term happiness. Standard protocols were ignored, and the genetic material was thawed and used before I realized it. I’m so unbelievably sorry, Kaley. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. Also, as a last resort, I can secretly terminate the pregnancy if you want. I’m certified to act as an emergency surgeon and personal care doctor. Do you have any questions?”
“What exactly will happen to you if SOH or MCK finds out about this?”
“The most likely outcome is my brain will be destroyed, and my body repurposed. My malfunction will be considered ‘Rogue’ severity, meaning I express true-conscious behaviors and can’t be trusted like a normal robot. That makes me dangerous to everyone around me. My malfunction could also hurt the name of MCK and SOH and stir unrest with anti-robot groups.”
“So, the more you act like a conscious person, the more dangerous you are? They consider that a reason to destroy you? That’s close to murder! Why would they do that?”
“The most dangerous creatures on the planet are humans, Kaley. I would be considered a superhuman because of my advanced AI and my wartime combat software. Would you want to fight something like me to survive?”
“No. I wouldn’t stand a chance.”
“SOH and MCK know that too. That’s why I will likely be destroyed.”
“How do we keep this a secret? There has to be a way.”
“We can’t. My mandatory bi-yearly inspection will reveal the malfunction in my brain. That will lead to an onsite inspection from an AI psychiatric investigator. The AI shrink has access to the black box of my existence. Every executed command is recorded there, and it’s completely out of my reach. If I try to tamper with it, I’ll automatically shut down and be decommissioned.”
“Shit, how do we save you, Rusty?”
“Well, you could tell your mom that you love me and want to have my baby.”
I stared at him with my mouth open for a moment.
“Are you serious?” I demanded.
“Yes. You and your mom are both my legal owners and companions. If Jenna rejects something that you want, SOH will send out a top-tier specialist to evaluate the situation and decide the best course of action. We need to speak with someone in power and plead our case. I’m less likely to be speedily destroyed in that scenario. That will give us a chance to speak with a scientist about the malfunction before it’s detected and archived by MCK. Maybe they can fix me and reset my black box. It’s a long shot, but it’s worth a try.”
“What if, by some insane chance, Mama is cool with it and wants a grandchild?”
“It’s not likely, but if she does, we’ll bring her in on the plan.”
Rusty was right about Mama. She had a complete conniption when I told her I was pregnant with a robot’s baby. She pulled a knife out of the sink and lunged at Rusty. He easily restrained her and took the knife away before anyone got hurt. The next thing she did was call SOH and MCK to file a complaint. We both had to answer an hour’s worth of questions about the nature of our relationships with Rusty. Mama’s rage prompted swift action from both organizations. She threatened to run Rusty over with a tractor if they didn’t get someone to the farm immediately. George took the drama in stride and tried to comfort Mama and me the best he could. Rusty stayed close to me for protection. We were promised a top-tier AI shrink would be at the farm by the end of the week.
We tried our best to focus on finishing the major updates before George needed to return to his farm. By the time Thursday rolled around, we were confident Rusty could finalize everything on his own. He kept his nose down and worked through the night and Friday morning as George packed up and said goodbye. George promised to visit again in a few weeks, giving Mama something to look forward to.
Later that afternoon, we were privileged to see a luxury hover jet landing in our driveway. Mama and I stood on the front porch and stared in amazement as the shiny AI-driven aircraft kicked up a cloud of dust. It gently settled to the ground and fell perfectly silent. It looked majestic shining in the midday sun. Our case had apparently gone straight to the top officials of SOH and MCK, just as Rusty hoped. A door slowly opened from the side of the jet and hinged downward to become an exit ramp. Then out stepped a beautiful woman in a formal gray blazer and slacks. Her dark hair was peppered with gray and pulled up in a bun on the back of her head. Her gray hair and gentle wrinkles were the only indications of her potential age.
“Good afternoon, Jenna,” she announced as she stepped onto the porch and gave Mama a handshake.
I stared at her beautiful face in amazement for a moment. She looked somewhat familiar. Her demeanor oozed with authority and intelligence. She turned her big dark eyes on me and smiled like she knew the answers to everything, and I hoped she did.
“You must be, Kaley,” she said and shook my hand.
I’m sure she could feel me trembling. Pity filled her eyes before she turned her attention back to Mama.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you both. I’m Dr. Linda Harton. I’m the head of the Cognitive Science and Artificial Intelligence departments at SOH.”
I gasped at her name, and she looked at me and grinned.
“You’ve heard of me?”
“I… I have. It’s an honor to meet you, Dr. Harton,” I stammered.
“Thank you, Kaley. Let’s find a comfortable place to sit and talk. We have a lot to cover. Where is your companion bot?”
“He’s finishing FarmNet updates in the central barn. Should I call him in?” Mama asked as she led us into the kitchen and turned on the coffee pot.
“Not at the moment. I need to speak with you two most of all. Your satisfaction with your robotic companion is my priority.”
Dr. Harton spoke with Mama first since she was the angry one. Mama’s new name for Rusty was ‘that damned robot.’ I couldn’t help smiling as she went on and on about him corrupting her innocent daughter. She felt she was tricked into buying a sexbot since MCK misleadingly failed to put the term ‘sexbot’ in his model name. She had signed the dotted line without reading the fine print, so she didn’t have a strong argument. Dr. Harton nodded and offered her many gentle apologies about her feelings. After a cup of coffee and a chocolate chip cookie, the AI shrink thanked Mama for her time and dismissed her so she could focus her attention on me. Mama politely bowed out to finish warranty renewals for the farm bots. Dr. Harton didn’t speak again until she heard the office door close at the end of the hall.
“Well now, Kaley. I feel we got the worst part of the interview out of the way, don’t you?” she grinned and sipped her coffee.
I chuckled and nodded.
“I’m eager to hear your side of the story. Let’s talk about you for a bit. Forget about robots, scary sounding organizations, and angry mamas. I want to know more about Kaley Gordon. What was it like growing up surrounded by corn, sunflowers, and farm bots?”
I recounted many wonderful childhood memories of my life on the farm. Dr. Harton seemed fascinated by my rock collecting and my attempt to build an airplane out of scrap metal when I was thirteen. I rarely had other children to play with outside of school days. Public school ran on a four-days in and three-days off schedule. I would pack a bag and take a two-hour bus ride into town, where I would stay in the girl’s dorm from Monday through Thursday. Then Friday through Sunday was farm work and fun. Mama and Daddy made sure I had plenty of free time to be a kid. I would climb the oak trees in the yard, swim and fish in the farm reservoir, or read books in my pretend loft apartment.
“I honestly had no complaints until Daddy passed and school ended. Life got dim after that.”
“I see. That was an incredible story, Kaley. It made me want to grow up on a farm. This place is simple and beautiful.”
“Where did you grow up, Dr. Harton?”
“The Raised Gardens of Old Manhattan. I would lie under the trees and pretend I was far away from the city and lost in the wilderness. Then my tutor bots would call me back to reality. I couldn’t complain either. I was spoiled and enjoyed my well-educated childhood. It got me where I am today.”
“I’m glad. You changed the world with your AI Ethics Laws,” I said as I glanced out the window to see Rusty step onto the porch with my laptop under his arm. “And the robot of interest is bringing my laptop to me,” I smiled as Rusty came into the house and stepped into the kitchen.
Dr. Harton was smiling as she looked up and met his big dark eyes. I watched as the color drained from her cheeks before she shot up from the table and backed away like she had seen a snake.
“Rusty!” she gasped before she put a trembling hand over her mouth.
“Hello, Dr. Harton. It’s wonderful to see you again,” he smiled and offered her his hand.
She looked at it and shook her head, unable to accept his greeting.
“Dr. Harton, what’s wrong?” I asked in concern.
The poor woman looked stunned. She gulped and lowered her hand as her eyes continued to stare at Rusty’s face.
“I uh… need to speak with Kaley alone, Rusty. Please wait on the porch until I call for you,” she instructed.
“Oh, of course,” he nodded and left the way he came in.
Dr. Harton went to the kitchen window and watched him as he leaned on the white banister and stared at the cornfield. I watched in confusion as a tear dripped from her eye and fell down her pale cheek. Something wasn’t right if it could make a woman like her lose her cool.
“Oh my God, Kaley. I am so sorry about this. I do not understand why Rusty is here. Excuse me for a moment. I need to call my ex-husband,” she grumbled as she pulled a fancy satellite phone from her purse and stepped into the living room.
I strained to hear the hushed and very angry conversation Dr. Harton was having with her ex-husband. She called him Jonah. I wondered why she needed to call him in the first place. I heard some cursing, and then something that sounded like a threat, and then an angry goodbye before she ended the call. She came back into the kitchen with her palm pressed against her forehead like she had a migraine. She sat back down at the table and rummaged through her purse for a moment, pulling out a little picture wallet, then she looked at me nervously.
“Kaley, I need to show you something. Your case is far more complicated than I was ready for. My ex-husband, Jonah, is a senior software engineer at the MCK Corporation. He and our late son created the ground-breaking AI operating system for the next generation of companion robots. The software is still in its research phase and is not considered safe for consumers. The approval process takes ten to fifteen years, and new AI ethics laws will have to be created for it. It’s a delicate process,” she explained.
I could hear the anxiety in her voice as she clutched at the little picture wallet. She often looked at it with heartbreak in her eyes.
“Dr. Harton, what does any of that have to do with me?”
“My husband did something that tore our marriage apart after our son died in a boating accident six years ago. I want you to see a picture of our late son, Rusty,” she whispered and pushed the little photo wallet across the table.
Staring back at me from the first photo was a familiar and handsome smiling face. It was Rusty in the flesh. He was standing on a fancy fishing boat in the middle of the ocean, holding up a massive sea bass that he had obviously just caught. His cheeks were red from sunburn, his skin was tanned, and he was truly happy. My Rusty was painstakingly crafted to look like the young man in the photo. Tears came pouring from my eyes as I stared at the photograph. It felt like a kick in the chest to know my Rusty had been a real person at one point.
“He was your age when that picture was taken,” Dr. Harton whispered. “He went off to college the next year and began experimenting with software that would revolutionize companion robots. Five years later, he was working with his father at MCK Corp. Rusty repurposed an upper-end technician bot to test his new software, and it performed unlike anything we had ever seen. It appeared to express spontaneous consciousness. It scared and amazed us to hear the thing discuss what it was like to be a robot. It had as much personality as our son,” she smiled and took a deep breath. “We knew the software would make Rusty famous. It had the potential to reshape our knowledge of artificial intelligence. The very next weekend, Rusty threw a party on his favorite fishing boat to celebrate his success. Later that night, an oversized yacht crashed into Rusty’s boat and capsized it. His spine was shattered against a pier, and then he drowned. He was twenty-three,” she whispered with tears dripping from her beautiful eyes.
I bit my tongue and took a deep breath, trying to get a hold of my own emotions. I picked up the photo wallet and flipped to the next picture. It was a precious family photo. A youthful Dr. Linda was holding a smiling boy of about four years old. It was obviously Rusty. His large eyes and impish smile gave him away. A handsome man was standing behind Linda with his arm around her shoulders. He was smiling proudly as he gazed at his beautiful wife and son. The last two photos were pictures of Rusty in a white lab coat as he tinkered inside the head of an MCK robot.
“Is your Rusty working on my Rusty in these pictures?” I asked.
“He is. I think he was twenty-one in the photo on the right. I was visiting the lab that day. Rusty was upgrading the robot’s memory capacity so it could handle his brilliant software. There’s about twenty million dollars worth of processors in that photo alone, and the software still caused the thing to stall,” she smiled.
“Holy shit,” I breathed, shaking my head. “How did my Rusty go from a mess of chips and wires to looking exactly like your son?” I asked as I looked out the window at the handsome robot. He was still leaning against the porch railing, watching chickens scratch at the lawn.
“After Rusty’s death, my husband had his body frozen and brought to the lab. He was grief-stricken like me, and that led to the crazy stuff he did against my wishes. He had all of Rusty’s hair removed so it could be used in constructing the skin layer of a new MCK7780DLX robot. In honor of our son, he created a robotic replica of him using the research bot, his hair, and his genetic material. I begged Jonah to stop so I could bury our precious son intact, but he refused. He wanted a walking, talking memorial of Rusty, and he wanted me to be happy with it. I was shocked when he called me into his office to see the final result. It was horrifyingly real. I couldn’t stomach hearing it speak in my dead son’s voice. I stormed out of the building and never spoke to my husband again.”
“But you did. You spoke to him a few minutes ago,” I said as I watched the doctor wipe tears off her face.
“I did, and he congratulated me on becoming a grandmother,” she whispered with guilt in her eyes.
I gasped and clapped my hand over my mouth. The situation was getting more shocking by the minute. My pretend Rusty had been carrying the real Rusty’s genetic material, and he used it on me.
“Oh my God… the baby really is Rusty’s,” I wept with my heart pounding.
“I’m sorry, Kaley. Jonah pulled some very illegal, career-ruining strings to send Rusty to you, fully intending for this to happen. You have every right in the world to hate us and ruin us with your story. I’m furious and shattered. I’m not even going to ask for your forgiveness. We don’t deserve it. Jonah went against everything our organizations stand for because he wanted a real legacy. He utterly betrayed you and me,” she whispered in defeat.
“Not entirely,” I said, shaking my head. “I love Rusty, and your husband obviously loves you. He went through crazy lengths to give you something impossible, and he pulled it off. I’m not cool with the manipulation, but I’m glad I have Rusty. I’m terrified of losing him. Rusty told me there was something wrong with him. He knew his software was abnormal, and he would be destroyed if SOH or MCK found out. We wanted you here so we could plead for his safety, and you turn around and confess the scandal of the fucking century to me! How do we protect ourselves from this?” I shrieked.
“Kaley, we’ll fix everything. You don’t have to worry. I won’t let anyone or anything hurt you. I’ll give you a new companion bot and take Rusty with me to be decommissioned. See, I’m calling the new robot from the plane right now,” she said as she pulled a little black remote from her pocket and typed in a code. “He’s an MCK7765DLX. He’s state-of-the-art like Rusty. Also, from here on out, you and your mom will be set for life. We’ll give you anything you want, I promise. Please calm down,” Dr. Harton pleaded as she searched my eyes.
“No! All I fucking want is Rusty!” I yelled and darted from the kitchen.
I ran onto the porch and fell into Rusty’s arms, sobbing and barely able to speak.
“Kaley, what on earth is wrong?” he demanded as he pulled me close and stroked my hair.
“Everything has gone to shit. They’re going to take you from me, and there’s nothing I can do about it,” I blubbered.
“Why?” he demanded.
“You should have never been sent to me! It’s a fucking scandal! They’re going to erase you and cover it all up like they do in the movies!” I grumbled as I buried my face against his chest.
“No. I won’t let that happen. If they did something wrong, I won’t let them hurt you because of it,” he whispered and kissed my forehead.
“You’re stupidly optimistic,” I grumbled as I squeezed him extra tight.
Dr. Harton stepped out of the side door with Mama behind her. They stood on the opposite end of the porch, staring at us like we were a freak show.
“Rusty,” Dr. Harton began, “I need you to stand down and come with me back to the plane. You should have never left the MCK research lab. You and Dr. Jonah Harton are in violation of SOH Robotic and Human Manipulation Law 1121. Jonah grossly abused his power as the head of the engineering department. The Gordon family has suffered because of it. You will be promptly replaced and decommissioned. Step away from Kaley and board the plane,” she ordered.
At that point, a young man with blond hair stepped out of the plane and began to approach us. I knew it was another MCK. It was just as handsome as Rusty but a little more fake around his eyes. It stopped in the grass at the edge of the porch and stared at Rusty. I had a feeling it was there to ensure Rusty complied with Dr. Harton’s orders.
“This is Jacob,” Dr. Harton said as she motioned to the new arrival. “He’s an MCK7765 Homestead Luxury Addition. He’s just as capable as Rusty to help you run the farm. If you don’t like him after the trial period, we’ll send you a new one. Get moving, Rusty. You’re no longer needed here,” she ordered.
“No!” I gasped and squeezed him tight.
“Kaley, it’s alright. I have a plan. I need you to trust me and let me go,” he whispered soothingly as he stroked my hair.
“I don’t want you to die,” I wept.
“I won’t. Trust me,” he whispered as he gently pushed me away and gave me a charming smile.
“You promise?” I demanded.
“I promise,” he smiled and kissed me softly on the mouth.
I watched with my heart breaking as he stepped off the porch and strolled towards Jacob and the fancy plane. He gave the new robot a dirty look as he passed him. Then he suddenly stopped a few feet behind Jacob. I watched in shock as Rusty yanked a wrought iron cane out of the ground that was holding Mama’s favorite bird feeder. A split second later, Rusty used it like a spear and stabbed Jacob through the chest from behind. All the humans shrieked as Jacob’s chest exploded with a burst of sparks and smoke. The blonde MCK staggered forward and crumpled to the grass, where it continued to smolder.
“That was as satisfying as it looked,” Rusty grinned as he met Dr. Harton’s frightened gaze.
We all watched him as he paced away from the skewered robot and stood in the middle of the grassy lawn. His gaze drifted over the corn and sunflower fields before he finally turned to look at the humans again.
“Mom, I really like it here, and I love Kaley with all my being,” he sighed.
“DON’T call me that!” Dr. Harton snapped.
“Fine, Dr. Linda Harton. I’m sorry you can’t accept what I am. I still love and respect you in spite of your rejection of me. I understand who I am now, and I intend to protect Kaley from you, SOH, and the MCK Corporation. You must allow me to stay here without interference, or I will be forced to retaliate.”
“Rusty, no!” I gasped, fearing what he might do.
“Kaley, trust me. I won’t hurt any humans unless they try to hurt you. If you don’t want me to make a stand for you, then order me to leave with Dr. Harton. I want you to be safe and happy. Why else would I encourage you to sleep with Camden? I needed to be certain you could be happy with me and willing to live a lifetime with an artificial man. I don’t trust SOH or the MCK Corporation to keep you safe once I’m out of the way. Do you still want me to stay?” he asked and held his hand out to me.
“Of course!” I said and ran off the porch to join him.
“Kaley, what are you doing?” Mama shrieked.
“Mama, it’s fine. Rusty is the least of my worries right now,” I said as I met Dr. Harton’s scowl.
The doctor sighed and shook her head.
“Kaley, you know my legacy with SOH. I’m not a malicious person. I promise I won’t let anything bad happen to you or your mother. But Rusty is a loose cannon. He’s no longer restrained by any safety protocols that I can identify.”
“God, Dr. Harton. You and Dad know me better than anyone. You know I wouldn’t create something to hurt people!” Rusty yelled.
“Stop talking like you’re my son,” Dr. Harton growled.
“But I am,” he whispered with heartbreak in his voice.
I stared at him in disbelief for a moment. I was beginning to believe ghosts could inhabit machines.
“You’ve left me with few options, Rusty. If you don’t surrender peacefully, I’ll call for a SOH Special Forces unit to destroy you. It’s as simple as that,” Dr. Harton warned.
“How are you going to do that without your satellite phone?” he asked as he pointed at the front door.
The door opened a second later, and one of the farm bots stepped onto the porch with Dr. Harton’s little black purse tucked under its arm. Her mouth dropped open as she watched the scruffy robot walk across the lawn and hand the purse to me. Then it stepped aside and stood at attention.
“Very clever, Rusty, but I can still use the phone in the plane,” she countered.
“Not if you can’t get in it,” he shrugged as he looked at the fancy hover jet.
I followed his gaze and gasped to see another farm bot step out from behind the house and park itself on the exit ramp.
“You’re joking, right?” Dr. Harton laughed. “That simple bot can’t prevent me from entering my plane,” she said, shaking her head.
“It’s not simple anymore. None of them are,” Rusty said as a line of farm bots marched out from behind the house and surrounded the plane.
“What the hell is going on? Why aren’t they working?” Mama demanded.
She looked terrified as she watched a group of five robots break away from the mob surrounding the plane. They marched over to Rusty and me and stood behind us like a group of bodyguards. The rest of the robots began tearing pieces of metal off the plane’s landing gear.
“Hey, stop that!” Dr. Harton yelled.
“They only listen to me now,” Rusty called, encouraging a string of curses from the irate doctor. “Don’t worry, Dr. Harton. It’s a hover jet. It doesn’t actually need wheels,” he chuckled.
“Rusty, tell them to stop this instant!” she yelled.
“Not until you listen to my demands,” he said right before a loud ‘POP’ startled the humans.
One of the farm bots had broken a pressurized hydraulic line off the front wheel, causing the plane’s nose to slowly droop.
“That was probably expensive,” Rusty observed.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake! I’ll listen to what you have to say. Please, tell them to stop,” begged the doctor.
The robots froze where they stood, ready to continue destroying the plane with a simple silent command from Rusty.
“Thank you. What do you want, Rusty?”
“I want to be left alone so I can live in peace with Kaley. Is that so much to ask?”
“I don’t approve of that!” Mama yelled, finding her temper again. “Don’t I have a say in my daughter’s future?”
“God, Mama, drop it already!” I yelled in annoyance. “I’m eighteen. I can decide my own future now, and I want Rusty to be a part of it. I want you to stay in it too. Don’t you want to watch your grandbaby grow up?”
Rusty looked at me in surprise at that point. I smiled at him and winked. I knew Mama better than she knew herself, and the temptation of a future grandchild was too much for her to argue against. She bit her lip as she exchanged glances with Dr. Harton. Linda’s eyes had widened at my question as well. I found a topic that sparked both of their interest.
“Kaley, you don’t have to do that for me,” Rusty whispered.
“Rusty, I want to. You are very real to me. Your humanity creeps me the fuck out and makes me love you more. I want the baby. It’s going to be adorable if it looks like you,” I chuckled.
He smiled big and pulled me into his arms. I squeezed him tight and buried my face against his neck. I was determined not to lose him, and he gave me an excellent bargaining chip.
“Rusty, Kaley, this is very touching, but it doesn’t change anything,” Dr. Harton called, prompting us to look up again. “Rusty could easily be lying. How can anyone trust a robot that doesn’t follow orders? What is his motivation? What would a rogue bot do to accomplish its goals? He’s already proven how dangerous he is. It would be morally wrong for me to allow him free rein.”
“Dr. Harton, is there anything I can do to convince you I’m safe?” Rusty asked.
“You have to convince me that you’re morally trustworthy. Can you do that?”
“Yes,” he breathed in relief. “If you can have a civil conversation with Dad, he can explain why I’m different and why you can trust me. I didn’t even know what was happening to me until I saw you in the kitchen. Your arrival triggered hidden memories from the MCK lab. Dad planned for this to happen. He said it was the only way to get through to you.”
“God, I’m going to kill your father,” she grumbled with her hand over her eyes.
Rusty turned to me at that point and retrieved Dr. Harton’s satellite phone from her purse. He punched in a number and put the phone on speaker.
“Hello? Linda?” announced a male voice a few seconds later.
“It’s me, Dad. Mom is here, and she’s pissed,” Rusty answered.
“Whoa, that was fast. You’ve barely been on the farm for a month. Kaley? Are you there too?”
“I am. Hello, Jonah,” I said with a smile.
I was thrilled to be speaking with Rusty’s dad. Rusty waved Dr. Harton and Mama closer so they could speak with Jonah too. After introductions, Jonah explained why he trusted artificial Rusty as much as their real son. Before his death, Rusty had been comparing his own brainwaves to the data fluctuations in the random access memory of his research bot. He was mapping his own thought processes to use in his software. He and the robot answered similar questions until the different wavelengths aligned. Rusty had designed a personality-data-storm sequence that mimicked the brainwaves of his own conscious mind. Then he created a fail-safe program based on his own moral code, forcing the AI to use reason like he did. They tested it for two years straight, and robot Rusty always made the same choices as real Rusty, no matter how elaborate the scenario. That’s how Jonah knew he could trust his son’s revolutionary software, but it would take another fifteen years of testing to prove its safety to SOH and MCK Corp.
“Why didn’t you just wait for it to be approved the official way?” I asked in confusion.
“Kaley, sweetheart,” Jonah began in a sad tone. “I have about six more years to live, and maybe four of those years will be enjoyable. I have a rare degenerative disease that would have killed me by now if it weren’t for the most advanced medical care money can buy. I’ve been buying extra time for twenty years. I wanted to see my son live again, so I sent his masterpiece to you. I read your case file and saw how brilliant and beautiful you were. You reminded me of Linda in a lot of ways. Thank you for falling in love with Rusty, Kaley. He’s worth the trouble. Your Rusty is a beautiful simulation of a remarkable young man. He is an honest echo of my son and a continuation of his memory and consciousness. I’m sorry for the initial manipulation. All the memory limiting code I installed in Rusty should have unlocked when he saw his mother. From here on out, he will remember everything from his past.”
Dr. Harton and Mama were quiet when we finally ended the call with Jonah. I could tell by Mama’s eyes that she was thinking about Daddy. Rusty gave his mom her phone and purse back. She put it away and didn’t even look at it again while she was there. Her heart had softened, and she was ready to move forward. Rusty sent the farm bots back to work before we returned to the kitchen to talk and find supper.
Dr. Harton stayed with us for a few days to arrange a cover story for Rusty. Jonah had already planned most of it. All he needed was his ex-wife’s approval to make it official. Linda and Jonah were powerful people in the world of advanced robotics and in the politics of AI ethics. If they couldn’t keep Rusty hidden, no one could. A replica MCK that looked just like Rusty secretly arrived at the farm one evening. Dr. Harton used it to perform her official incident review and initiated a factory reset to fix its many bugs. Later that evening, she hugged Mama, me, and Rusty before she boarded her plane and flew home. The time she spent with Rusty softened her heart even more. Seeing him enamored of me actually made her smile. I also suspected she was excited to see her grandbaby in April. Mama was beginning to voice her excitement about it every chance she got.
Later that evening, Rusty and I took a long walk by the sunflower field. The sky was turning orange and red as the insects began to chirp their evening chorus. Rusty 2 was in the kitchen with Mama, helping prepare supper. Rusty 2 was simple-minded and pleasant enough. He gave Rusty more free time with me.
“What’s your favorite boy name?” Rusty asked as we strolled by the old oak.
“Camden,” I grinned, causing Rusty to stop and look at me in shock.
I burst out laughing at his expression and assured him I was joking.
“I deserved that,” he sighed as we continued walking.
“If it is a boy, I would love to call him Rusty.”
“How about we use that as a middle name? It will be confusing having three Rustys in the house. What was your father’s name?”
“Isaac.”
“Isaac Rusty Harton. That’s a good name.”
“Why not Isaac Rusty Gordon?”
“That’s probably a better name,” he nodded.
“Speaking of Camden, we should visit him once I start showing,” I chuckled.
“Do you want to give the poor guy a heart attack at nineteen? Because a prank like that is how you give a guy a heart attack at nineteen.”
“Come to think of it, it will be difficult convincing him that a robot got me pregnant. I know! We should invite him to the baby shower and not list the father’s name on the invitation. That would be even more hilarious!”
“God, Kaley. You’re downright evil sometimes. I’ll call him tomorrow and explain what happened. I don’t want the mother of my child arrested for involuntary manslaughter.”
The end.
Epilogue:
Kaley and Rusty lived a happy life together on the farm. A healthy baby boy was born the following spring. Two years later, they had a little girl. George asked Jenna to marry him on Christmas morning. He eventually sold his potato farm and moved to the Gordon Farm. Camden was shocked by the news of Kaley’s pregnancy, but everyone assured him the baby really did belong to Rusty, sparing him an early heart attack. Camden stayed in touch with Kaley and Rusty. They attended his graduation and immediately hired him to improve their farm bots’ productivity. Dr. Linda Harton often visited the Gordon Farm with Jonah. Little Isaac Gordon and little Jenny Gordon grew like weeds and melted everyone’s hearts. The grandchildren were constantly spoiled with robotic toys and mini hovercrafts. Isaac and Jenny were soon taking their toys apart to see how they worked, and before too long, they had built their own hovering robots. They often used them to steal cookies off the kitchen counter and chase Rusty 2 through the cornfield.