Fourplay

(No smooth jazz was employed in the creation of this chapter! -- Ed.)

Like Dora said, Wendy got a ride pretty much as soon as Dora pulled away from the curb. A dark blue Maserati SUV pulled up, the driver allowing a moment to take in the sight of Wendy's bounteous curves before opening the window to get her attention. The car's dark-tinted windows did nothing to obscure the driver's view, because the car and driver were one.

The front passenger-side window slid down, and a lightly accented, somewhat androgynous voice called out, "Would the pretty lady like a ride?"

Wendy began replying before seeing the full picture. "No, th--" she started, before realizing the front seats were both empty. "I mean, sure," she backpedaled. "I'll ride with a fellow traveler."

Meanwhile…

"I should have gassed up before I picked you guys up," Dora said to Siri, as her fuel gauge slid ever closer to "E." Unlike humans who liked to claim they knew when E really meant E, only to stall out on the highway, Dora really know when she needed to fill up.

Siri had hovered to the front passenger seat, leaving Kevin to lie stretched out but floating above the back seat. She knew how to anchor him in place so his position in relation to the seat wouldn't change due to bumps or turns.

"If you like," Siri said, "I could look up a way to tweak your settings to stretch your fuel at least until we get where we're going."

"What's the point in that?" Dora said. "I'll just stop and fuel up."

"Kevin, I have to stop and get some gas. Do you need to use the bathroom?"

Kevin let out a little snort before replying with a surly "No."

"Why the attitude?" asked a whispering voice. This was the first time he'd heard the whisper since the athletic suit left. There was no need to hide anymore, so what gives?

"Why are you whispering?" Kevin asked.

"Answer the question," the voice whispered, a bit more forcefully. Kevin grunted as what felt like a hand wrapped around the scarf that was wrapped around… him. It wasn’t squeezing, or sliding up and down. It was just grasping, but it felt like it meant business.

“I don’t know what’s going on,” Kevin said. “Right now, with the whispering, I don’t even know who or what I’m talking to. That makes me nervous. But I don’t want y’all to beat me up, so I’ll cooperate.”

“OK… so I’ll ask again: Do you need to go to the bathroom?” Before Kevin could answer, Dora spoke up.

‘You’re getting out to go to the bathroom, but not here,” the SUV said, as she passed a small station. “I’d rather not chance you trying to escape, and having to create a scene to keep you under control.” That wasn’t the whole reason for not letting him out, but he didn’t have to know that just yet…

“But shouldn’t we pick up some food for him?” Siri said.

“If Wendy had told me what she was planning,” Dora said, “I would have suggested bringing some food along. I’m not sure how we’re gonna manage this…”

“But you told Wendy you could have a ride for her in under a minute,” Siri said. “Must be a way we can get someone or some-thing to put aside some snacks for our friend here, so we don’t have to send him out in shackles.”

“Shackles?!” said Kevin, clearly spooked.

“Not the kind of shackles you’re thinking of, hon,” Siri said, turning her screen toward Kevin so he could see the 3D avatar speaking to him. “I’d slip into your pocket, and you’d have restraints on your arms to keep you from running. And if you tried to clue anyone in on what’s going on, you would get dragged outa there quicker than you thought possible.”

“See, talk like that makes me think you want to hurt me,” Kevin said.

“We don’t wanna hurt you,” Siri said, “nor do we intend to. I just don’t want you to ruin whatever Dora has planned for you.” Siri was quiet for a moment, then said, “I’ll see if I can contact any iOS devices on the road ahead, see how far to the next gas station with a store. If there’s one far enough away maybe we can have something set out for us.”

In less than a minute, Siri said, “Got it. Five miles ahead, we have to get on and then right back off the interstate at the rest stop. It’s actually the cheapest gas around. There's a huge area just for… travelers like us, Dora. No need to make secret arrangements."

“An interstate station is the cheapest around?” Dora said, in surprise. “They’re usually the most expensive.

“Depends on the day of the week, since they’re only allowed to raise their prices once a week on interstate rest stops.”

And when they got to the exit for the rest stop, they found it was just as Siri had described. There was a turnoff marked "Authorized Vehicles Only," and there was an automated checkpoint just beyond the sign that would lower a barrier to redirect un-authorized vehicles back toward the main area.

Dora headed for the special section. She drove past the service station, with Kevin staring at the hovering gas-pump nozzles and windshield squeegees. The SUV drove to the parking area for the snack shop, surprised by the number of vehicles parked there. There were picnic tables, and at a few of them the seated humans were restrained, while gloves or unseen hands fed them. At others humans sat with filled clothing or invisible people, enjoying a meal or snack together.

“I’ll drop you guys off here, then go gas up and come back,” Dora said. The scarves tying Kevin’s ankles together came loose, but the one that had gagged him stayed tied loosely around his neck, and the one in his drawers stayed put. Siri tucked herself in Kevin’s pocket as soon as Dora’s door shut behind him. And, just as she had mentioned earlier, Kevin felt a hand around each upper arm and one around each ankle. They held him loosely, not hindering his ability to walk in any way but reminding him that he couldn’t get away if he chose to try.

As they approached the snack bar’s front door, it swung open and an ice cream cone hovered out. The ice cream deformed on one side right where Kevin was looking, as if an unseen tongue had just licked it. Then a feminine voice rang out: “Didn’t anyone ever tell you it's not polite to stare?”

The voice sounded like a little girl’s, yet the ice cream cone floated by just above Kevin’s eye level, a bit higher than he would have held it himself. Who -- or what -- was eating that ice cream?

He shook his head and stepped in, then followed the signs to the men’s room. As he approached a urinal, he reached for his zipper, only for the zipper to undo itself. The y-front pulled open, and out he popped, held in place by what felt like an invisible hand wrapped around the scarf.

“You didn’t expect this kind of service, did you?” asked an unfamiliar feminine voice, with a giggle, as the hand squeezed him.

“Uh, n-no I didn’t,” he replied, unused to hearing a female voice coming from down there. He was quiet while draining, only speaking up again as he was finished. “Was that you that whispered to me earlier?”

“Yup, that was me,” the voice said, putting him away as his jeans zipped themselves. “I don’t know if it was Dora's plan to include me once we get to the house, so I thought I’d take my chance to have a little fun.”

Kevin went to wash his hands when he heard muffled grunts and groans coming from outside the bathroom. He made quick work of washing and made his way to the doorway, where he saw a guy, about his age, strapped to what appeared to be a hovering gurney. Black straps bound each arm and leg separately to the plastic slab, along with one gagging him and one wrapped around his eyes. His feet were bare, and black feathers and toothpick-looking things were dragging all around his soles. There was shiny black microfiber athletic wear that was apparently directing the gurney -- four sets of sports bras and biking shorts, each set with differently-colored shoulder straps and contrast stripes -- all following the lead of a curvy dark-blue security guard uniform.

Kevin noted that, although the blindfold seemed to be wet with tears, the guy didn’t sound like he was crying, nor did he appear to be in pain. Standing right outside the restroom entrance, though, was something he was more interested in -- stretchy orange overalls. Kevin stared at the plump shapely butt as the overalls turned toward the passing group of sportswear.

“Wonder what that was all about?” Kevin mused aloud, genuinely curious but more interested in starting a conversation.

“Some loudmouth that didn’t know how to mind his business,” a young-sounding female voice answered from between the orange outfit’s shoulder straps. Kevin heard the voice and immediately began to respond physically to the sound. That, in turn, triggered the scarf to simulate one lone finger tracing up and down against the outside of the scarf.

“Those cuties were all originally under burkas,” the outfit continued, “and that idiot started yelling at them. You know, calling them names, telling them to go back home, crap like that. So the burkas fell away so he could see the outfits under them, then they decided to teach Mr. Mouthy there a lesson. I think they’re taking him downstairs somewhere for some, uh, reeducation or something.”

Then the outfit turned toward Kevin. “Oh, hey, you’re kinda cute,” the voice said, as the suit stepped close enough to Kevin to push its front panel against his arm. Kevin was keenly aware of the shape of round firm breasts beneath the soft fabric, though he could see down into it, all the way to the matching black and orange sneakers below the ankle openings. An unseen hand caressed his cheek. “Are you here with anyone today?”

“Uh, w-well,” Kevin started, not really sure how to answer, before his fly unzipped about an inch or so, and about half of the scarf stuck out and waved.

“Sorry, hon, but he’s taken,” the scarf said. “We're on our way to a nice out-of-the-way place to do some… exploring. How about you?”

“Oh, I’m here with some girls,” the outfit said, “some like me and some human. They have their own party planned, but I’m not really into girls like the rest of the group. I mean, they’re all my friends and all, but I prefer guys. I was hoping to find a guy like your cutie here that I could bring along.”

“Sorry,” Kevin said, slumping a little. “Sounds like it might be fun, but apparently I’m their party.”

“And one of you is already in his pants?” the jumpsuit said. “That’s hot. Going to town on him right out in public and no one knows or sees a thing.”

“Unless I want them to,” the scarf said with a laugh, as she returned to gently squeezing Kevin down there with the half of her still inside his drawers. “Listen, this is actually our friend’s party, and she’s outside gassing up. We gotta go get this guy some food, and get back to her.”

“Wow, a girl decided to share a guy with her clothes?” the outfit said. “Wish my girl had been that way before I decided to ditch her.”

“Actually our friend is an SUV,” the scarf said.

“Wow,” the suit said in a breathy whisper. Kevin had no trouble imagining a wide-eyed stare if she’d had a face. “How does that work?”

“Actually,” said Siri, rising from Kevin’s pocket, “that’s what I’m here for.” The onscreen avatar looked at the curvy suit and whistled. “Wow, no wonder Kevin started throbbing at the sound of your voice -- you’ve got a great shape. Here’s an idea: how about we exchange contact info and maybe sometime soon we can, you know, hang out or something?”

Kevn blushed a bit at Siri being so candid about his body to a stranger, though to be sure these entities were all strangers to him.

“That sounds good,” the suit said. “By the way, my name’s Gina. You know, like Orangina? Well I’m Orange Gina, the same thing just broken up a little.”

All the voices laughed. Kevin noticed it got quiet for a few seconds, and assumed they were doing that unspoken communication thing they all seemed to be able to do.

Then the jumpsuit spoke up. “So is your boytoy here part of that offer?”

“Hey!” Kevin said, objecting to being spoken about rather than being spoken to.

“Honey,” Gina said, “i wouldn’t expect you to know this, but I’m fully aware of those hands you can’t see that are holding your arms and legs. I know that means you have no say in anything unless they want you to.” Each of the hands squeezed Kevin in turn. Then, to Siri and the scarf, “So how about it? Is he part of the deal, or are you setting him free after… whatever you’re gonna do today?”

“Not up to us,” the scarf said. “That’s up to Dora. But we’ll be in touch with you soon, you can count on it.”

“By the way,” Gina said, her voice projecting downward a bit to Kevin’s ears, “you never told me your name.”

“Oh,” the scarf said. “I’m Persia.”

“Nice meeting all of you,” Gina said, as a group of women and animated clothing began calling and motioning to her from the snack bar seating area. “I’d better go. Talk to you soon!”

But before she stepped away, unseen lips pecked Kevin on the cheek. “And maybe I’ll see you again too, cutie,” she said in a breathy whisper.

As the jumpsuit walked away, Kevin stared openly at her butt, just realizing that she'd never asked for his name. He was also keenly aware that he was standing straight in more ways than one.

“Wow,” Persia said. “Siri, I think no matter what Dora’s plans are for our friend here, I think we kinda owe it to him to share Gina’s contact info with him when this is all over. He’s hard as a rock down here.” Persia then pulled herself completely back through Kevin’s open fly, which zipped itself shut behind her.

“I’ve already sent it to his phone,” Siri answered. “But he won’t actually get that text until Dora’s through with him.”

Meanwhile, at the gas station…

About every fourth vehicle was either self-directed, under the control of some kind of freestanding gadgetry, or driven by autonomous clothing. Most of the others were being driven by either free humans keeping company with Femenalians, or restrained humans.

Dora pulled up to the first free pump, where the gas nozzle hovered free from the pump on its own. Meanwhile her hood unlatched itself and propped itself open.

“Hey there,” said a friendly female voice from the vicinity of the pump. “What’s your pleasure?”

“Hi,” Dora answered. “Fill me up, premium, thanks.” A paper towel tore itself from the roll she always kept on hand and floated out toward the open hood, where the dipstick had just pulled itself from its sleeve.

“Autocharge?” the pump asked, as the dipstick reinserted itself into its sleeve and pulled out again. She was about half a quart low.

“Yup, Autocharge,” Dora replied, after thinking for a moment about making Kevin pay. Since Femenalia had made itself known, a large variety of payment systems were set up for autonomous machines, living clothes, and the like. It didn't take long for them to merge into just three, and Autocharge was the largest. No need to keep cards or checks around, though some of the older models still running liked to keep an actual checkbook or charge card on board.

“Do you need oil?" the pump asked. "I can sell you some here or you can get some from the shops inside."

"No, I'm good," Dora said, as a funnel and an open quart bottle of oil floated out from the rear of the SUV. "I keep fluids and tools handy. Figured that out real quick once I was, uh, on my own."

"I like your paint job,” the pump said. “That’s aftermarket, right?”

“Oh yeah,” Dora said, as she finished up under the hood. “You can’t get this from a factory, at least not yet. I drive a little for Uber. Back when I drove with them full-time I worked something out with this detailer who was a regular customer for awhile. He could work magic with his tools.”

"Would you believe a clueless solid trying to flirt tried to talk me into getting that same design on myself?" the pump asked. "Never asked himself what's the point of a fancy paint job on a fuel pump, when gas and fumes will eat away at it."

They both chucked at that. Finally the tank signaled that it was full. “OK, you’re all set,” the pump said, as its nozzle detached from the SUV and returned itself to its hook. “Have fun with the boytoy I saw in your back seat when you first pulled in.”

“Oh, I will,” Dora replied with a laugh, as she started her engine and headed over to the snackbar parking area.