Birth of Adam (Artificial Intelligence Book 2) (2 page)

Amanda and Claire sat across from each other in a booth of a popular bar, shouting over the noise of the band.

“Maybe he was just feeling guilty and wanted you to tell him it wasn’t such a big deal,” Claire suggested.

“Well, I’m not going to lie just to make him feel better. It was a terrible thing to do.”

Claire nodded. “I still don’t understand how he contacted you.”

Amanda frowned as she considered this. She had been on Claire’s computer. “He must have set up a net over Luke’s email address.”

“Can you do that?”

Amanda nodded, but then realized it wasn’t something a novice could do. In fact, to put a net over an FBI home address would not only be difficult, but dangerous as well. Even if Chad could do it, why would he risk destroying his career, when all he had to do was ask Luke Gallagher where she was?

Suddenly a chill ran through her. She hadn’t been talking to Chad. She was sure of it. Whoever had communicated with her was a computer wizard, far better than she’d ever been.

“What’s wrong?”

Amanda stood up. “I’ve got to make a phone call,” she yelled. “I’ll be right back.”

She pushed her way through the crowd, into the long hall that hosted the bathrooms and a pay phone. She leaned against the wall, waiting for a gorgeous blond stud to finish his call.

“I can’t come over tonight. I’ve got to study for my health science exam,” the young man said and listened impatiently to the reply. “Well, it’s not that easy. I’ve still got to study.” He listened some more then replied, “Of course not. You know I love you. I wouldn’t do that.”

He noticed Amanda leaning against the wall and gave her a grin calculated to make her swoon.

He was impressive. Not even Amanda’s thirty-seven years made her completely immune to its promise. She smiled in return.

“Look, one of the other guys needs the phone now, and I’ve got to get back to studying... Yeah, I will. I promise. I’m not lying to you. Right. We’ll go out tomorrow night and celebrate my passing the test.”

He hung up and turned to face Amanda. “You’re the singer, aren’t you?”

“What?” Amanda said.

“At the music recital today—you were the girl singing, right?”

Amanda doubted this handsome young man had gone voluntarily to a music recital. “Afraid so. I hope you weren’t too bored.”

He moved closer and leaned his arm against the wall, hovering over her. “Not at all. You’ve got a real nice voice.” His gaze moved appreciatively up and down her body. “Real nice.”

“Thank you.” Amanda ducked under his arm and grabbed the phone.

“When you finish your phone call, find me at the bar and I’ll buy you a drink.”

Amanda had to admire his cocky self-assurance. “Sorry, but I’m here with a friend.”

The boy looked surprised by her rejection, then shrugged as if it were her loss.

She watched him walk down the hall and into the bar. What a pompous ass.

Amanda returned her attention to the phone. She dialed Luke at his house and waited while Julia called for him.

“Amanda?” Luke said when he picked up. “Where are you?”

“In the Old Town Pub. Some weird things are going on.”

“Like what?”

“Did you get my email?”

“No. When did you send it?”

“Today, around three.”

“Hold on, I have my remote connection on. No, there’s nothing from you.”

“Look for Claire Jackson.”

“Got it,” he said, then paused for a moment to read it. “Don’t like that.”

“It gets much worse. Right after I sent that, Claire’s computer went black and someone started chatting with me on the monitor. He said he’d been searching for me for a long time. At first I thought it was Chad.”

“Chad Taylor? I doubt Chad would contact you by email, Amanda.”

“That’s what I realized afterward. Chad couldn’t have been the writer. He would never have been able to locate me. Besides, this wasn’t email. This person was sending messages through DOS. This writer must have a net around your email address that searches the content of your messages, and once I wrote you, he was able to follow it back to the originating computer. That’s the only way he could have located me on Claire’s machine right after I contacted you.”

“Now you’re really scaring me,” Luke said. “What do you mean he’s searching my messages?”

“The only person I ever knew with the skill to do this was my college boyfriend, Carl Gates, and he’s dead.”

“Are we sure he’s dead?”

Amanda was about to say yes when she paused. “I’ve always assumed he was. His lawyer returned my program as part of Carl’s will.”

“But you didn’t attend his funeral?”

“No, and I never met the lawyer either. He sent the package by mail. My God, do you think Carl could be alive somewhere?”

“Worth checking out. What did you two chat about today?”

“He said he missed me. Something about time apart being good for both of us, but he kept returning to his memory of me. Then he talked about New Zealand, saying I’d betrayed him.”

“Betrayed him?”

“Yeah, that’s why I thought it was Chad. When I asked if he was Chad, he indicated he was and asked me if I was happy he’d destroyed the program. At the time I was so caught up in my feelings that I didn’t realize it couldn’t be Chad, so I got angry and shut down the computer.”

“What was your answer to his question?”

“That destroying the program had hurt me very much.” She thumped her head against the wall. “I probably shouldn’t have said that...”

“No. If it is Carl, it’s probably better that you did. Our profile on the hacker Einstein, which you claim was Carl Gates, indicated an unstable personality of high intelligence, a person who didn’t think normal laws and rules applied to him.”

“That’s pretty accurate.”

“Would he kill someone who’d destroyed his program?”

“I can’t believe he would. He was short-tempered and impatient, but I don’t think he would murder someone, if this was even him. Can’t you determine whether he actually died or not?”

“I’ll get to work on that right after we get off this phone call.”

Amanda’s heart stopped. “You don’t think he’d hurt Chad, do you?”

“If he holds Chad responsible for the destruction of the program—”

“My God, I may have put Chad in more danger. I thought I was talking to him, and I accused him of betraying my trust when he destroyed the computer.”

“That’s not good. Look, let me get to work on this. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. You aren’t at the pub alone, are you?”

“No, I’m with Claire.”

“Great. If I recall, she weighs maybe ninety pounds. Are there other people in the bar who can see you two to your dorm?”

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. Just take care of Chad.”

***

Claire frowned when Amanda returned to the table. “I was beginning to worry about you. Is something wrong?”

“I’ll tell you later. Do you see anyone you know here—someone who might give us a ride home?”

The tall, handsome guy who had been on the phone leaned over their booth. “I’ve got wheels,” he offered, then turned to Claire. “Hey, girl.”

“Hi, Mark,” Claire replied with her brightest of smiles.

“You know him?”

“Most of my life. He’s a friend of my brother’s.” Then she looked at Mark. “Where’s Beth?”

“She’s got the flu. So I’m a free man tonight. May I?” he asked, pushing himself in next to Amanda.

Amanda could either scoot over or have him sit in her lap. She scooted as far over as possible. He followed her in until his leg pressed against hers. He leaned back and rested his right arm across the back of the bench, forcing Amanda to lean forward to avoid the caress of his hand on her neck.

Amanda faded into her own thoughts as Mark and Claire discussed various people they had both known for years. 

Was it possible the person who’d contacted her had been Carl? If so, why had he never let her know he was alive before this? In fact, why fake his death at all?

She remembered Luke saying the FBI had a whole team searching for him. Maybe they’d gotten too close. Maybe he’d needed to start over.

She felt uncertain of her feelings about that possibility. She had been so angry with Carl when they’d broken up that she couldn’t remember if she’d ever actually loved him. She had respected him, listened to him, but mostly, she realized, she had been intimidated by him. It had actually been a relief to get out from under his never-ending criticisms. The thought of him being alive and wanting her back in his life was not a happy one. The idea that he might harm Chad Taylor for destroying the program terrified her.

Claire cleared her throat.

Amanda realized both Mark and Claire were looking at her, waiting for a response. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Mark offered to drive us home,” Claire repeated. “I said his timing was impeccable, because we needed a ride.”

“Yes,” Amanda replied, aware that Mark’s hand pressed against the small of her back, trying to slide beneath the waistband of her jeans. She turned to him. “Shall we go, then?”

He smiled and stood up. “I’ll go get the car. You guys start walking down the street, and I’ll find you.”

Amanda looked at Claire for an explanation as Mark sauntered back toward his friends at the bar. She didn’t like the leers that came her way as he rejoined their conversation.

“He doesn’t want to be seen giving us a ride home. Beth is very jealous,” Claire explained.

“From what I can tell, she has reason to be. I don’t think he works hard at either honesty or faithfulness.”

Claire nodded. “I guess that’s true when it comes to his girlfriends, but he’s been a loyal and good friend to my brother. The only fight they ever had was when I decided to fall madly in love with Mark. Charlie wanted to beat the crap out of him for seducing me. But Mark hadn’t seduced me. He’d treated me just as he always had—like a kid sister.”

“Well then, do me a favor. When we get in the car, you get in the front seat with your
ersatz
brother. I’m not in the mood to be pawed.”

Claire nodded understandingly.

They had only walked a block from the pub, but Amanda sensed danger lurking in the dimly lit street. “Maybe we should go back and call a taxi. I think Mark has blown us off.”

“He said he’d be here, and he will.”

“Maybe he’s got a flat, or he found a prettier girl who wanted a ride.”

“He wouldn’t do that. He’ll be along—just keep walking.”

At the end of the second block, Amanda stopped at one of the few phone booths that still existed in NYC. “We’re calling a taxi.”

Claire didn’t argue this time. She looked a bit frightened by the dark shadows and deserted streets as well.

Just as the taxi company answered the phone, a hand pushed the receiver down, disconnecting the line. “Oh ye of little faith,” Mark said as he pressed himself against her backside and slipped his hands around her waist.

Amanda turned and pushed hard against his chest to prevent him from coming any closer. “I thought you’d forgotten us.”

He smiled and looked down at her resisting hands in amusement. “Not likely. My car won’t start, so Jeff’s going to give us a ride home.”

“I’ll just call a taxi.”

“No trouble. Jeff and Claire have hit it off. I thought they might.”

Claire lean against a yellow car, her back arched in a model’s pose. Smiling and batting her eyes, she left no doubt she was smitten by the young man.

Amanda was glad Claire had found someone of interest, but sorry about the timing. It meant she would have to sit in the back seat with Octopus Hands.

To her surprise, Mark behaved himself on the drive to their dorm. She was about to refuse the guys’ offer of escorting them to the lobby when she caught sight of a black Lexus near the entrance. As they walked from the car to the lobby of the dorm, Mark’s hand pressed lightly against the small of her back, but it was more of a protective action than a sexual one.

As they passed the Lexus, she memorized the license plate. Once safely inside, she excused herself and left Claire in the lobby with Mark and Jeff.

***

Amanda had just finished giving Luke the license plate number when the door opened and Claire entered with the two guys in tow.

“The black Lexus is out there!” Claire said, her voice shaking with fear and anxiety.

“I know. I memorized the license plate as we walked by.”

“We walked by it?” Claire squeaked in terror.

Amanda attempted to hide her smile. “You were preoccupied.”

“God, Amanda, how can you be so calm about this? Somebody’s stalking you! It’s like New Zealand all over again.”

“Everything’s okay. Luke’s going to check it out.”

“Luke?” Mark inquired.

Before Amanda could thank the boys and get rid of them, Claire replied, “He’s in the FBI. He’s working the case.”

Amanda cursed herself for having said anything to Claire about this whole mess. “He’s a friend who happens to work at the FBI. He said he’d find out who the car belongs to.”

“You know a Fed?” Mark’s eyebrows rose.

Amanda glared at Claire and opened the door to their room. “It’s late, guys. Time to go.”

“It’s not that late,” Mark replied, sitting down on her bed.  Jeff took his cue from Mark and sat down on Claire’s bed, pulling her down next to him.

“I’m sorry, but I’ve had a really long day and need to go to bed,” Amanda reiterated, holding the door even wider.

“That sounds okay to me,” Mark replied, lying back.

Amanda could see Claire was not going to support her on this matter. Jeff had her under his thrall.

“Forget this!” Amanda muttered beneath her breath. She grabbed her pillow and stormed from the room. She could hear Mark and Claire calling her, but she ignored them and headed down to Ellen’s room. Ellen’s roommate had dropped out of school several weeks ago, so she had an empty bed. Amanda was certain she’d be alone.

Ellen had been sleeping but, after a brief explanation of the situation, willingly let Amanda bunk with her for the night.

***

In the morning, Amanda woke up in fear. Someone pounded on the door. Where am I?

She calmed as she focused on Ellen sleeping in the bed across the room. She rose and opened the door, expecting it to be Claire trying to find her. She was wrong.

“You shouldn’t open doors without asking who it is,” Luke scolded her.

“It’s a dorm,” she replied, “not a private residence. What are you doing here?”

She couldn’t see his eyes behind the dark glasses he wore, but she could read the annoyance in his stance. “It was you who called me last night, wasn’t it?”

She stepped out into the hallway and closed the door behind her. “Yeah, but I didn’t think you’d fly up here. I know you’ve got better things to do.”

“Maybe, maybe not. You seem to draw serious trouble. Maybe this is exactly where I should be.”

“Let me get some clothes and brush my hair, then we can go somewhere to talk. Hopefully, those guys went home last night.”

“If you’re talking about the guys in your room, no. One of them seemed very possessive of you. Boyfriend?”

Amanda shook her head in disgust. “Ride home. Claire knows him.”

“Well, he’s sleeping in your bed, not Claire’s.”

Amanda looked up at the expressionless face. “And you’ll notice I was sleeping here.” She stopped and stared down the hallway at her door. “Was Claire all right?”

“She appeared to be contented with her company,” Luke replied dryly.

No doubt, this was his understated way of saying they were making out, which she didn’t wish to see. “On second thought, I don’t need to change clothes. Let’s just go somewhere casual for breakfast.”

As they entered the parking lot, Amanda looked around nervously.

“Expecting trouble?”

“Just looking for the Lexus. Did you find out who it belonged to?”

“I did. It wasn’t the same person who was on the computer.”

“Who was it?”

Luke didn’t reply.

“Who was it?” she asked again.

“I’m not at liberty to say. I did talk to the guy. He won’t bother you further.”

“Why can’t you tell me who it was? Do I know him?”

Luke opened the car door for her. “I’m not at liberty to say.”

“Why not?” God, it was like pulling teeth.

“Because I’m the Assistant Director of the FBI, not your private investigator. Now get in the damn car.”

Amanda obeyed, but maintained a surly attitude throughout the ride and breakfast at Denny’s.

Luke seemed very willing to let her sulk in silence. In fact, he seemed to enjoy the peaceful quiet of their meal. As the waitress handed him the check, he looked at his watch. “I have to be back at the airport in three hours. So tell me, who was this guy in your bed?”

“Mark somebody. He’s a friend of Claire’s brother. He and his friend gave us a ride home last night.”

“Then you and he aren’t serious?”

“We aren’t anything.”

“Is there anyone else in your life?”

“No. I’m a hundred percent focused on my music.”

“Do you ever think of Chad?”

“I’ve taken up watching football,” she admitted.

He smiled. “He’s having a good year.”

Amanda nodded and wondered why his observation made her so sad. Shouldn’t it make her happy that Chad was having a good year?

“Well, he can probably focus better since he got rid of so many problems in his life,” she muttered.

“I told him you had a copy of your book.”

She stared up at Luke in shock. “I hope you also told him I destroyed it!”

Luke nodded. “Learning you had a copy, after the way he treated you, scared the hell out of him. I told him how you destroyed it in my presence. He now accepts you never meant him harm.”

Amanda sighed and fought back the tears threatening to fall. “Well, he’ll change his mind once you tell him about Carl.”

“I don’t intend to tell him.”

“Why?”

“As you said, he’s having a good year. And just between us, it will be his last. I’d like him to leave on top.”

“But he needs to know—”

“Actually, he doesn’t. On my advice, he has excellent security now, so he’s as safe as he can be. Knowing would only be a mental distraction.”

Amanda nodded, but she remained worried. Carl Gates could get around any security.

“We have to be in agreement on this. If you plan to tell Chad, then I need to tell him now. It will throw him off his game and, honestly, will probably make him an easier target, but it’s your decision.”

Amanda stared at him in confusion. She knew Luke and Chad had become good friends over the last year, so why would he place this decision in her lap? And why would she tell Chad anything? They hadn’t spoken since New Zealand.

“Well, I don’t see why it should be my decision. I’m the screw-up who has put him in danger.”

“Not intentionally,” Luke countered. “But I’m worried you’ll feel a compulsion to confess it anyway.”

“Who would I confess it to?”

“Chad.”

“Then you can stop worrying. Chad and I are not communicating.”

“You appeared most willing to communicate with the fellow—or the person you believed to be him,” Luke reminded her.

“Yes, I was willing to talk to him. I don’t hate Chad. He hates me.”

“You don’t hate him for destroying your program?” Luke challenged.

“No. It was cruel and hurtful and it proved to me he really did dispise me, but I can’t return the feeling. He’s still the nicest guy I’ve ever met.”

“So you could forgive him for what he did? Abandoning you to a serial killer? Destroying your program? Turning against you without giving you a chance to prove yourself?”

“For the record, he did not abandon me. I forced him to leave. And I understood why he didn’t believe my insane explanation of how I came to write his life story. And due to that life story, I understand why he detested me enough to destroy my program and why he continues to loath me.”

Luke breathed in and out slowly as if having a mental debate. He then locked eyes with her. “Chad stopped hating you months ago.”

Amanda stared at Luke in shock, then turned her head as tears welled in her eyes.

“Hey, that was supposed to be good news.”

She nodded. “These are good tears,” she assured him, and wiped her eyes. “You have no idea how hard it is to be in love with someone who hates you.”

Luke frowned. “I’m not saying he wants to get back with you.”

“I never thought he would. I was probably all wrong for him anyway—certainly not his ‘type’. I’m just happy not to be hated. And unless you have to tell him, for his safety, please don’t mention my latest screw-up.”

“Consider both of us under an oath of silence. Now tell me more about Claire’s friend.”

Amanda told him the little she knew, and when he continued to push, she accused him of interrogating her.

“Sorry, professional habit.”

She laughed, then asked how things were going with Julia.

He smiled. “We’re expecting our first child in March.”

The news pleased Amanda. “There were two good things that came out of my New Zealand trip—my new career and you moving to the East Coast.”

“There was more good than that, but those are two very fine outcomes. I have never been happier, and you’re becoming one hell of a singer. I’m sorry I missed your last performance.”

“So am I. Then you could have chased away the stalker and I wouldn’t have tried to contact you by email and by doing so put Chad into danger.”

He sighed. “You’re determined to take the blame for that, but if you knew all the facts, you would realize Chad deserves as much, if not more, of the blame.”

She was about to argue that was impossible, but realized it could be true in one circumstance. “Is Chad my stalker?”

“I’m not answering that. And if this discussion ever comes up between you and Chad, please remember I didn’t reveal who was stalking you. I only told you that I’ve handled the situation and it won’t happen again.”

“Why was Chad stalking me?”

Luke looked at his watch and declared he had to go. He wanted to leave her at the restaurant, but she cajoled a ride to the music center.

“I’ll give you a ride only on the condition we don’t talk about Chad.”

Once securely buckled in, she decided to test the boundaries of their agreement. “Was it a happy stalker or an angry stalker?”

“Why did this Mark guy think you were willing to sleep with him so soon? Had you been flirting with him at the bar?”

“I’ll answer your question if you’ll answer mine.”

“It was neither,” he replied.

His short answer annoyed her, so she returned the favor. “Narcissism and no.”