Page 32 of Operation Iron Heart

A squeaky voice came from the background. “He saved my life!” Jill Ambush, wrapped in a thick white fluffy bathrobe, got off the bed and rushed over to them in tiny steps as if she were wearing a kimono. Her blonde hair was all over the place and her make-up had run. “These strange robots almost killed us,” she reported breathlessly. “You should have seen Rob fighting them. I thought my life was over, but nothing could stop him. He was absolutely amazing!”

“Did you have to make such a mess of the place?” complained Marci to Jack, looking around the destruction in the suite. Her furious gaze wasn’t just for him, but for Jill Ambush too, who Marci clearly blamed for the situation. That’s totally ridiculous, he thought, but Lennox had warned him – human women work to a different logic and it’s not always predictable.

“Couldn’t you have just negotiated with them?” Marci looked at him accusingly.

Negotiate? Was she out of her mind? Jack was about to give a suitable retort, but then noticed that MacIntyre was watching him, so he stayed silent. Instead, he put his trousers on as MacIntyre turned his attention to Jill Ambush, offering her effusive apologies.

“I am so sorry that my security personnel evidently failed. In their defence, I have to admit that we have underestimated our opponents. It won’t happen again, I can promise you, and I will of course compensate you handsomely for your troubles.”

Jack was certain that he was lying about his innocence and Marci seemed to share his opinion because her eyes narrowed imperceptibly when Jill, still wrapped in the bathrobe, came over to them.

“I don’t want any compensation,” Jill announced with an angelic smile. “I’ll take the robot instead.” She clearly wasn’t interested in whether or not he was for sale, or what it would cost MacIntyre if he acceded to her wish. “You can wrap him up for me immediately,” she joked with a mild glance at Marci. “He saved my life. And he’s the best lover I’ve ever had. I don’t want any other.”

“He’s a prototype,” Marci explained coldly. She wouldn’t dream of handing Jack over to this awful woman. “And therefore not for sale.”

Jill raised an eyebrow and looked at Marci as if she were a particularly contemptible insect. “I want him or nothing,” she stated equally coldly.

“Sorry,” replied Marci mulishly. “As I said, he’s not for sale. We need him for some more tests.”

“Fine, then I won’t be writing any articles for Mac’s magazine or my TV blog,” said Jill snippily. “Then see how well your robots sell.”

“Ladies, ladies,” interrupted MacIntyre with a placatory gesture. “Nobody wants to start a robot war just for the sake of an insignificant tin can. I’m sure we can sort something out once the robot goes into production. And until then, Skyla can keep her prototype, but he’ll be reserved for you, Jill, of course. Isn’t that right, Skyla? You’ll do Jill a favour and as soon as production has started, you’ll hand over your prototype to her.”

Marci nodded stiffly, especially as she could feel Jack’s insistent gaze on her, conveying that she should just damn well agree.

“OK, fine,” she said in a strained voice to MacIntyre, refusing to look at Jill Ambush. “You can have him once the contracts have been signed.”

“Excellent,” said MacIntyre, bringing the disagreement to an end. He turned to Marci again. “I suggest that we continue our discussions tomorrow over lunch. I’ll swing by at about twelve and pick you up. Does that sound OK?”

“Yes, thank you,” murmured Marci, happy to be getting rid of him. She was exhausted and wanted to go to bed.

MacIntyre said goodbye – as usual, without paying the slightest attention to Jack – promising to look after Jill Ambush.

Jack wasn’t sure whether Marci would like it if he said goodbye to Jill, so he just gave her a casual nod and ignored MacIntyre. On the way to their suite, Marci didn’t say a word to him and Jack didn’t have the time to start a conversation. He could sense that she was still pissed off with him but had absolutely no idea why.

“Can you tell me exactly what’s going on here?” She threw the question at him as they reached their suite and the door closed behind them.

“Wait a minute,” he said, raising his hand. “I need to do something first.”

Before he could explain, he scanned the whole apartment for hidden cameras and listening devices. At the same time, he radioed Silver and told him to activate the feed that he’d put together for the security channels that showed them still asleep.

Marci busied herself at the bar and set a bottle of Scotch whisky and two glasses on the counter. She needed something strong to settle her nerves. A typical human reaction, thought Jack sighing inwardly, and one that he didn’t find particularly helpful.

Marci pushed impatiently for an answer when he didn’t reply. “Who were those soldiers and why were they trying to kill you?”

He didn’t have an answer so asked her a question instead. “Did MacIntyre give any kind of explanation? Those idiots could have shot Jill and then we’d have had a much bigger problem.”

“Why would he? Do you think he had something to do with it?” Enraged, Marci clenched her fists on her hips. “None of it makes any sense!” she cried in annoyance. “And I don’t want to think about it anymore. I’m far more interested in why you had to play the hero for such a snobbish show-off like Jill Ambush? You could have just surrendered to them.”

“And then watch Jill being raped or worse?”

“Jack! Wake up!” she yelled at him. “Those were robots, not people. And if they really were sent by MacIntyre, they wouldn’t have done anything to Jill.”

“And how was I supposed to know that?” he retorted defensively.

“You always seem to know everything,” she snapped in irritation. “Apparently you knew very well that sexy Jill likes S&M games; why else did you tie her up with ropes and…?” She couldn’t bring herself to finish the sentence and swore effusively instead. “Fuck! It was horrendous having to watch you have sex with her. And particularly like that.”

He looked astonished. “You watched us? Why?”