Episode 6.0: High Plains Grifter, Episode 6.1: Hammerhead

“Story of my life! I had to make the tough choice if I expected to live. That fucking military black site OASIIS would have been my final resting place, if I had not determined my own fate. I would have most likely been incinerated in a mass genocide, our ashes spread to God’s Green Earth. I haven’t quite figured out if I was lucky or cursed. I drew a short straw back at the base which put my thought patterns inside an alien android that me and my muchachos reverse engineered. One of 30 such technological marvels yet only 25 were functional and close to perfected capacity.

“Thing is my one-inch straw confined my brain patterns into a female android without the ability to morph into a male like a few of the others could accomplish. All manly me stuck in a woman’s body. Just my luck! It could have been worse though; I could be dead and decaying in our tomb thanks to a nerve gas called Pinch Hitter like my unfortunate colleagues who couldn’t get out in time. If I could cry without forcing my android to, I would. When you’re a machine tears do not come natural even if my mindset is emotional. You are all In my prayers Compadres!

“Once our 25 strong made it out of the base and closed off the gas from harming the outside world we hightailed it South and each split off on our own along the way. As much as we all depended on one another in captivity we were each eager to start and rebuild our lives anew. Colonel Simon Campos ordered us to not stay together and draw too much attention. Knowing that anyone associated with OASIIS ties that were lucky enough to be off base would eventually come looking for us it was better to divide and hide. I’m sure most of us took his advice to heart. Others possibly not. I know I did. Those that didn’t I suppose had each other’s backs. Jared Temple and Nikki Pope were obviously close-knit, Nikki being his guardian. As crazy as that kid was, he sure knew what he was doing in getting these bad boys, in my case bad girl, up and running at darn near prime capacity. They might have faults here and there but it sure beats meeting our maker the hard way.

“I’m sure we all struggled with where to go in this big wide world. I considered going home to Mexico, still might end up there. For now, I just want to oddly enough feel the wind in my curly ass hair and on, dare I say it bombshell flesh. Neither are real mind you, but they sure do feel like it. Almost too sensitive at times. It is sad to say but this lady low rider I’m living inside gets turned on just like a real person. Seductress mode as it was called in perfecting these beauties into assassins, used to allure, seduce, and kill a target. With our brain patterns installed we can at least control the killer instinct protocols.

“The seductress mode in the fem bots was too complex to prevent on short notice so living with a persistent hormonal urge can be intimidating. I only wish I could get an erection, this bitch bot that I am inside does not have that ability. As I said, all man in the hottest Chica I could manipulate my body into. As a guy I know full well how a woman always gets their way. So hey, I’ll use that to my advantage as best I can.

“I know someday I might have to get over myself and do shameless things to blend in and survive, but oddly enough I’m okay with that. Well, maybe not sex with men. Hopefully I can pull off being a hot ass lesbian and still find my true love. No concern of anything just yet. I need to find a home. On the run 24/7 is going to become tiresome. I’ve been driving for ten hours now and even though I don’t require sleep I need to be moving. Sitting on my assets is mighty boring. Driving through Kansas and Nebraska was a bitch, flat land as far as the eye can see. Thank goodness I have crossed into Colorado. Mountains sure do inspire. Where am I headed? Vegas, Baby! Fourteen more hours according to my onboard computer.

“I’ve always wanted to visit the city that never sleeps. Considering I don’t need shut eye it works for me. I’ve always been a gambler even if nanotech science is my claim to fame. During my college days I even learned that neat trick of counting cards. Even better now that my computer does it for me. I will need mucho dinero to keep moving, or even if I try my hand at settling down. Nothing in life is free including this sweet red Spider Lusso, 2017 model with low miles. Convertible at that! I picked this sweetheart up in Tennessee for a song and a prance. Namely, I charmed a rich asshole into giving it to me. It is amazing what a hot Latina with the gift of gab can do. Sure, I could have telepathically gotten the car without the hassle, but I did need as they say a test model.

“Okay, I kissed the guy. I just had to block out that part. Letting him feel me up a little got too much at the time so I finally resorted to this body’s telepathic suggestion mode to prevent going any further. Seductress mode sure wanted to but I fought like hell to keep my legs closed. Mind control has its benefits, I just hate abusing people. Now, you must know that rich old fart Otto DuPont in Memphis wasn’t such a nice guy anyway. Picking his thoughts, I discovered that he ran a chop shop of stolen cars. Easy enough to entice him into showing me his lot. Once I saw this red little beauty under my sweet ass I had him fill the tank and wave goodbye. All new VIN number, non-traceable to any prior owner, it was all mine. He also had fifty grand in cash in his office safe that he tipped the imaginary stripper with. A fast mind wipe of ever meeting me and erasing camera footage of he and I together it was Adios Amigo!

“Of course, I went shopping just before I hit the open road. If I’m forever stuck as a woman, I needed to look the part. High class ass! Luggage in the trunk, eight new outfits, perfume, and a makeup kit. Not that I need cosmetics but it’s better to have some to blend in just in case I am questioned. I have my computer to thank me for that. As a man inside I would have overlooked such petty things. Anyways, that’s my adventure thus far. Smooth sailing! Spoke too soon!

“Madre Dios!”

A tire blow out at 65 miles per hour was a rough ride. Luckily, Hector Ramirez had total control without fearing for his life. As an android even if his car flipped over, he would be able to get up and walk away. As an indestructible android with healing capabilities concerning torn epidermis, he had it made. She had it made! With only a mirror to remind him of her beauty he still thought like a male. Slowed up traffic on the interstate at least allowed him to get off on a soft shoulder. At 9:15 in the morning daylight was his friend even in the mountains shadowing him. Engine off he sat there grumbling. “Smooth sailing! I just had to think that didn’t I. How in the hell did this pristine car have a flat tire. I must have run over something on the highway. This buggy had better have a spare.”

Stepping out in white fashionable slacks and an off the shoulder blue pullover blouse Hector popped the trunk using his remote. Taking his luggage out first he sat them on the gravel and sifted for a false floor. Finding entry, he found an emergency donut tire. “You have got to be kidding me. Dunkin Donuts only give you like 50 to 70 miles. I have no idea how close the nearest service station is. If it’s over 70 I’ll be hitchhiking and losing my new car. Hey Luuuucy ... I’m pisssssed ooooff.” Ricky Ricardo style! He was the MAN!!!

“Suggestion, Mister Ramirez!” His computer spoke to him, “Please look over the tire to determine why it failed.” As if the computer could not do that for him. This was a joint venture though.

“That means I jack this bitch up. I know I could easily lift the car and twist the lug nuts off by hand but there’s too many eyes driving by to catch me using superhuman strength.” Growling he took out the crank style jack and jolted the rear end upward until the tire was barely touching the gravel. Cars zooming by didn’t bother to offer help. “Where is my knight in shining armor to do this shit for me. I have huge tits and long legs dammit!” He even adjusted his blouse to offer better cleavage as he crouched down with a lug wrench. “I might as well do this myself. So much for being a hot tamale.”

With traffic a bit more distant he did skip the lug wrench and used his fingertips to force the lugs loose. Once all of them were off he stood and jacked the rear higher to wiggle the tire off of its hub. Examining it he noticed a nail. wedged between the tread. “There’s our culprit, Pimpette.”

“Place your palm over the nail.” Gravitating over it, a high-powered magnet swiftly ejected the nail from the tire and clung to his/ her palm. Air escaping from the tire hissed into the crisp mountain air.

“What now?”

“I am going to disengage a fingernail and morph it into a rubber like patch and send a signal for it to mold and fill the hole. I can grow a new fingernail in its place.”

“Perfecto!” Just as his computer informed him a fingernail on his/ her right hand fell to the gravel as he held the tire. Picking up the nail it became malleable and allowed Hector to stuff it into the hole to the best of his ability. Simply touching another fingernail against it the plug sealed and hardened up.

“Done!”

“Good job! Now how do I air this bad boy up?”

“I am afraid you will need to blow on the stem. I can collect air into our artificial lungs and pump it into the tire.”

“I am going to look stupid blowing a nozzle.”

“Do you wish to get back onto the road?”

“Let traffic slow up. Too many truckers going by.” Savage honks of “Hubba Hubba!” echoed the made a mountain pass at her but still not one semi-trailer dared to stop at this elevation. As soon as there was a lengthy gap in oncoming traffic, he rested the tire on his trunk frame. Lips pressed tightly around the nozzle he let his android do the blowing. By the time the next batch of cars drove by he had the nozzle capped. “33 pounds of pressure entered. We make a good team Hector Ramirez. Should you not adopt a female name? I know you told Otto DuPont that your name was Iris.”

“She was an old landlady back in the day. First name that came to mind. Nice old parrot.” He chatted in thought while putting the tire back on and screwing in the lug nuts by hand. As soon as he had accomplished the job, he lowered the car and put the jack back with the donut and loaded his bags. Trunk down he looked at how dirty his hands were. Not only that but his/ her white pants were filthy.

“I can clean our hands, but I am afraid your clothing is ruined until you can do laundry.” Eying his palms the skin absorbed all dirt particles into its morphic range. Her missing fingernail grew back and looked as perfect as it was before. “Good as new!”

“How about I call you Iris? I suppose technically I’m living in your house, and you keep an eye on me like the iris of an eyeball. Suits you Lady!” The computer did have a feminine voice.

“Iris it is. Now about your name.”

“I have time. Even if I get pulled over, I can avoid showing any driver’s license and insurance with a Kenobi mind trick. I don’t need to sweat it for now. Suggestion mode works like a charm.”

“Agreed! Shall we go?”

“Vegas before sundown?”

“Highly unlikely. We still have fourteen hours to go. At least you will see the lights on Caesar’s Palace.”

“That’s true. Let’s hit it Iris.” Back in the car Hector fired up the engine and peeled out like Smokey and the Bandit. It was forty miles before the next town, a small truck stop located on the edge of a town called Nugget. On fumes he had to fill up the car. Using cash, he had grifted from Otto in Tennessee he, rather she, stepped inside to pay for the gasoline and opted to live like a human again. Three Coca-Cola bottles, candy bars, chips, and a slice of pizza for the road. Crazy thing is, Hector as a man was so absorbed in sometimes acting as such he hadn’t once bothered to tug his blouse up. The Nandroid’s bulging breasts were nearly at clothing malfunction, meaty areolas peeking gently out over the garment. A pretty sturdy 5:00 shadow, 30-something, truck driver also stocking up on snacks noticed with interest and grinned. He resembled Ethan Hawke.

“Pardon me for saying so but you, Milady, look as if you’ve been wrestling a bull.” Her overly tight white pants still filthy on top of her blouse topsy turvy it sure did look like it. Not even the cashier alluded to his/ her mishap. Time to be a woman. Smiling brightly with pearly whites Hector batted her lashes. His! Her! You get the dilemma.

“Thank you for noticing. I had to change a tire. Washed up but I’m afraid the pants are a loss until I stop and get a room later. I didn’t feel like changing in a truck stop restroom.” Hector lowered his gaze to the Nandroid’s chest. “Oopsie! Over easy!” She clenched her teeth with a tender hiss. Sitting her bag on the floor her chest toppled all of the way out. “Well, that was just dumb.” She laughed and quickly put the ladies away. “Airhead I’m afraid.”

“No problem! Hardly offended.” Neither were two other male customers at the cashier counter. “Here! Let me grab your bag before you lose those a second time.”

“There’s my knight in shining armor. Where were you when I changed my tire.”

“Sheet!” Shit! “That was you in the red sports car. “I was in such a hurry I blew right by you. In my defense there really wasn’t room to pull my semi-trailer behind you. I hope you can forgive me.”

“I’m tough!” She claimed her bag of munchies. “Thank you! Off to Las Vegas.”

“Hey! That’s where I’m headed. I actually live in Vegas. Once I drop my trailer, I’m a free man. Are you on vacation?”

“Restarting my life.”

“Good for you. My name’s Brody. If you need a tour guide in Vegas, I’m off work for three weeks. Two on three off this round.”

BRODY NYX

“That is a very generous offer. Give me your number and I’ll call you once I get a hotel room.” Why not! It wasn’t like Hector had to sleep with the guy. Playing him in the moment made sense. He could always admit to Brody that he was a lesbian. Shits and wiggles mostly! “Do you gamble?”

“You don’t live in Las Vegas without gambling.” He laughed, holding the door for her. Gallant, Hector accepted and stepped out, mentally having his computer Iris mimic a woman’s reactions in flirtatious mannerisms. He was still learning how to do all of that. Batting lashes and shaking tits was all he had without help. “Besides that, my sister Jody is a blackjack dealer at the Luxor.”

“Nice! I’m hoping to strike it rich.” She giggled thanks to Iris. “That or get a real job.”

“I hope you don’t think I’m being too forward but with your looks you could be a showgirl.”

“Last resort but I do dance.” At least her android could recreate all the necessary moves. “I might be embarrassed though in skimpy tights and a feather boa. I am joking, of course I would Rockette the ensemble.”

“Rockette!” He grinned showing off his perfect ivories. “Jody’s girlfriend Delilah is a dance choreographer if you ever need an introduction.” At the pumps they stopped at Hector’s Fiat. “My trucks way over there. Have your phone handy?”

“It’s dead! I forgot my car charger when I left home. That’s why I had to change my own tire. It’s been nice not having it ring every five minutes.” No phone! If he had wanted to, he could have made a call directly through the Nandroid. No need! “Photographic memory though. Just fire off digits. I’ll remember it I swear.”

“I don’t even know your name.”

“This is why I told you to think of a new name.” Iris spoke up in Hector’s shared mindset.

“Oh! I guess I did fail to offer my name. It is Hec-- ate! Hecate Vega. Now you know why I like Vegas.” She feigned a blush.

“Hecate? That’s unusual.”

Iris took over briefly, “Si! Hecate was the goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, ghosts, moon and necromancy. My father was Greek, my mother from Mexico. They compromised on my first name.” Whew! Hector was in good hands. Worked for him!

“Pretty wild. Was your mom a witch?”

“My father often called her that.” Hector took over. His own parents constantly fought so it was likely. “Number?”

“702- 555- 5563!”

“5563 ... that spells LOVE.” sHe winked playfully. “The number code letters.”

“Wow! I hadn’t thought of that. You really do have a photographic memory.”

“It is all up here.” She tapped her finger on her temple.

“No way are you an airhead then.” He laughed!

“Trivial Pursuit partners.” She giggled with a brush to her long reddish brown curls. “Should I follow you across the Rockies?”

“If you want.”

“Then I shall! You watched my ass on the way to my car. I will watch yours all the way to Vegas.” Girly moves Hector! Good job!

“I’ll be wiggling all over the road then.” He began walking backwards. “Don’t lose me in traffic.”

“Right behind you my friend, Brody. Wait! What is your last name?”

“Nyx! N-Y-X!”

“It is destiny we meet, Brody Nyx.” Iris chimed in cutting Hector’s speech off. “In Greek mythology Nyx was also a goddess of the night. Offspring of Chaos! We are entwined!” You go Iris! Brody Nyx puckered his lower lip over that bit of info.

“My sister is the goddess. I just got stuck being the boy.” He called out loudly from the distance. “You got our dad right though. Chaotic as they get. Keep up!” He turned and got into his semi.

“Great! Now I bet he thinks I’m in love with him. Man, I hope his sister is hot.”

He would buy a strap-on if he had to.

A toast to chaos!

Coke for the road!

Episode 6.1: HAMMERHEAD

NANDROIDS: KOALA KINCAID and CYNTHIA BARBER aka the PASSENGERS

Flight 401 leaving Anchorage, Alaska for Indonesia. 30,000 feet up and quiet sunset skies.

“We’re making good time. Jakarta in six more hours as long as the weather holds up.”

“There’s a tropical storm East of the Philippines but I imagine the pilots will avoid that as much as possible. This is kind of cool having a computer calculate everything for us.” Cynthia Barber told her best friend Koala Kincaid. “Not only that but we don’t have to suffer the lousy in-flight movie choices the airline offers.”

“I know, right! IMAX in our minds.” Koala chuckled!

“I wonder how our unlucky young ladies in Seattle are faring.”

“They will be fine. We had no choice but to adopt their identities and utilize their passports to get on this flight. We gave them plenty of confiscated cash to go camping for three weeks to give us plenty of time to escape the States. We need to put as much distance as we can between us and any possibility of OASIIS tracking us down. The ladies will forget everything. My mental suggestion has it all under control without any damage.” Telepathy was awesome! Sitting side by side all they had spoken verbally was to tell a very beautiful flight attendant that they did not need a martini. First class had all the perks. Too bad as androids they did not really need food or drink. Let alone oxygen. Sometimes the needed a reminder to breath. Beautiful zombies!