SHE STOOD AS HE stepped in the room. She had been sitting on a chair by the dining table. He’d forgotten about his assigned companion as he hurried to get back. Some privacy so he could see the file from Honey was all he could think about. That and the dark reverberations from meeting his hooded host.

“Hi,” she smiled. Her smile was open and friendly.

Her face reminded him of Honey. Little red cupid’s bow lips, wide, high cheekbones and a delicate, pointed chin were like Honey’s. A small, narrow nose and dark, serious, almond-shaped eyes. She was petite and very curvy. And he couldn’t tell whether she was real.

“You’re Joel? Call me Aisha. Do you like that?”

Joel’s mouth was dry.

“You’ll have to tell me how I can entertain you best. What do you like?” He couldn’t speak. Even if he knew what to say, he wouldn’t have been able to make the words come out.

She smiled again and tilted her head down. Then she looked up at him. “You like me forceful or passive?”

She waited a moment.

He held up his hands and said, “There’s something I need to do. Privately.”

He frowned. She paused and watched him for a moment. Then she moved near and touched his hand. “Tell you what. I’ll go and get you a drink, okay? Beer, rye, what would you like? Maybe a sandwich.”

He asked her, “What are you going to have?” She waved a finger. Then he began to wonder. Maybe she was a fleshbot. Would he be able to tell? He’d heard of fleshbots but there weren’t any in his village, at least not as far as he knew. They were talked about, usually in huddles and whispers. Mostly they were a thing in survivor cities.

He was becoming more confused by the moment. He had almost no experience with alcohol. “Man, I’m…” He didn’t know what to say. “Okay. I’ll have a beer, yes?” She waited.

“I know, I’ll get us both a beer and a rye. You want a fresco, too?”

He shook his head. By a ‘fresco’ he thought she meant a synthetic fruit cordial. But he wasn’t sure. They didn’t have too much manufactured product in the village. When she stood to go to the kitchen, she leaned forward and gave him a smile. “We’re going to have fun. Okay?”

He nodded. Joel wasn’t sure how any of this was supposed to work. He thought that it was probably a trick or some kind of a trap. That Aisha was here to observe him and report on him.

All he wanted was to see the file from Honey.

He set up the tunnel as quickly as he could. The code wrap was easy enough to pull together but he was anxious. That made him impatient. And nervous. Whether Aisha would come back before he’d read or seen the file. If she would be able to see what had been on the screen. Whether she would report what she saw, or even if she was monitored while she was in the room with him. He had no idea about any of it.

He hoped he could get a look at Honey’s file while Aisha wasn’t here. Then at least that part wouldn’t be a problem. The tunnel was up. He found the file. It was audio and video.

He clicked to open it. It was slow to respond. Impatient with the delay he clicked again. That cancelled it opening.

Once more he clicked it to open. Clenching his fists to stop himself rattle clicking, his knuckles whitened.

Her face appeared on the screen. His heart banged and his throat tightened up.

She was pale and static. Leaned toward the screen. She looked anxious. The background wasn’t her room. From the frozen blur, he couldn’t tell where she was.

The file said it was video, but she wasn’t moving and there was no sound. It was the lag from the tunnel. He sat on his hands to make himself wait.

Finally it started to play. His chest filled and his breath caught.

Honey blinked slowly as she smiled. “Joel, I’m going to give this to someone, okay? I hope you’ll come looking for me. I think you know where.” How long ago had she recorded this? It looked like she was at home, in the kitchen maybe, but he couldn’t see enough to be sure.

She grinned as she blinked, “I’m pretty sure that you will look for me. It was sweet that you used the calls and the passphrases when you are there last. I know you only did that that on my account.” She looked around, nervous. He felt an actual tug of pain in his heart.

In the background he heard vehicles.

She frowned. Her eyes moved rapidly. She looked anxious. “Joel, they’re coming for me now.” She bit her lip. He wanted to reach out to her. “It’s because they took you, I know it is. I don’t know any more than that. I just want to tell you,” He choked as her eyes darted around, “Look, don’t worry, okay? It isn’t your fault. None of it is. Whatever happens, don’t feel like you’re to blame.”

She bit her lips together. “Joel, you’ll always be the best friend I ever had.” Then, quickly, she said, “Keep the faith. Be the change.”

And she nodded, “Remember.”

The image went dark. He sat still, looking at the blank screen.

Aisha opened the door and came back in with a tray.

Empty inside and deflated, he watched her.

Her walk had confidence, like it was a slow dance. She was nicely rounded and in all the right places. She’d brought a bottle of water, a tall glass of ice, two beers, shot glasses and a bottle of bourbon. She set out the glasses and bottles onto the small table.

“That should see us through for now.” She smiled. She asked him, “You like to dance?” he shook his head. “You like me to dance?”

He didn’t want to do anything. Nothing at all except bust out of there and find Honey. He couldn’t even fantasize a way that he could do that. It crushed him inside. He didn’t even know where he was. He could be anywhere. Anywhere at all. He had no idea.

And she could be anywhere, too.

He said, “I don’t know what’s supposed to happen here, but…”

“Nothing is supposed to happen.” She touched his forehead with her finger. Then she lifted his chin. She gave him a soft, sweet kiss on the lips. Just for long enough to be too short. Her voice lowered. “This is a time for you, soldier. You can do whatever makes you feel good. Whatever will help you to relax.”

His lips were tight. He looked in her eyes. Not knowing if they even were real eyes. She was close. And soft.

He raised a hand and ducked away. Standing he said, “Look, I can’t do this right now.”

“We aren’t doing anything, Joel. And we aren’t going to do anything. Nothing you don’t want to do.”

His fists balled. He bit his lip.

She smiled and said, “It’s a friend, right? You’ve got someone special?”

“Yeah… kind of. Not really.”

“So, you’re saving yourself.”

“No.” He thought about that. “Well, no, I didn’t think I was.”

“You are though, right?”

“I guess I am. I never thought about it that way before.”

“They’re lucky.” Her smile softened. “Do they know?”

“I don’t know. Probably not.”

“Mm,” Her head tilted to one side. She nodded. “I think they do. They’re still lucky anyway. Even if they don’t know it.”

His eyes lowered.

She said, “Did you go to leave a message?”

He looked back up. He hadn’t thought of that. If he left a message at the gate of Hopes,’ would they take it? If he left it there, she might be able to get it.

His voice was firmer. “There’s something I have to do.”

She smiled as she nodded. “I understand.”

“Maybe,” he sat in front of the screen. Before he opened the tunnel he looked in her face. “Can I trust you?”

“Yes,” she smiled, “Of course you can.” But her head was shaking. She pressed her lips together. Her eyes were insistent as she shook her head once more.

He understood. “Can you get us something to eat?” Her smile spread. “Maybe some eggs?”

“Yes, Joel. Of course. I could fix a salad, too.”

He was about to tell her ‘no.’ Quickly she said, “I know a great dressing for salad. It takes me quite a long time to make it, though.”

She was giving him time. “That sounds perfect.”

She nodded and picked up the tray. “Eggs and salad. And I’ll make toast.”

He knew he shouldnt shouldn’t trust her but he had no choice.