Katherine

“That’s a very generous offer Katherine,” you smile at her, “but I’ve got a counter offer you might be interest in considering.”

She raises an eyebrow at you expectantly. You lower your head towards her slightly and with your fingers gently pull away the adhesive strip securing an inch long patch of artificial skin and hair to your scalp. Beneath it is the barely protruding widened head of the datapin socketed there. You give her just a glimpse and then cover it back up. Katherine’s face has drained of color.

“You probably know what that is, but in case you don’t it’s a high capacity datapin drawing full spectrum sense information from a variety of cortical implants. I have just recorded everything you said, so unless you want me to show it to Mr. Weiss you’re going to do exactly what I say.”

“Y-you can’t,” Katherine splutters, “Weiss will know you’re working for someone else, he’ll know you recorded the whole thing.”

You shake your head and continue smiling.

“I can crop this data in a twenty dollar editor and just give him the part that he needs to see. That should be enough to get you – how do these guys operate? Beaten? Killed? Will they put a zip shot in the back of your head and feed you through a thermal depolymerizer? Maybe they’ll just make it so you never work again.”

Katherine’s shoulders sag visibly and you can see tears welling in her gray eyes.

“What do you want me to do?”

You slide your hand under her jacket and around her slim waist, the silken fabric of her blouse and the warmth of her body pleasant to the touch. You pull her against you and look down into her eyes. Your other hand reaches into her jacket and squeezes her breast, fairly small, but firm and with a shape that is enticing.

“For now,” you say, your breath hot on her lips, “I just want you. Soon I’ll have other things I want you to take care of for me.”

The door to the mini-mart jingles as someone else enters. A tall slim man in a cowboy hat begins walking towards the coolers.

“Follow me to my car, we’ll leave yours here for now.”

She complies, trudging dutifully behind you and climbing in to the passenger side of your car. You see her nostrils flare, obviously detecting the scent of your encounter with the prostitute still lingering inside.

“Don’t worry Katherine,” you smile cruelly, “there’s still plenty left for you.”

The car lifts off and you set the navigation computer for your apartment. Katherine rides next to you in silence, her will to resist totally broken. As you dip beneath the glittering towers of the city and dart through the metro lanes towards your apartment you consider what you want her to do for you first.