Page 37 of Seductive Architect (Grunts of Vanguard #2)
I flipped open the cabinet, staring at the physical embodiment of my best friend. When I reached out, hoping to hear something buried in the hard drives… nothing but silence. I could rebuild the server, create another A.I., but it’d never be her. The Connie I knew had died saving my life.
I sat with my grief.
It hadn’t been this quiet in my office in a long time.
While I mourned her loss, I couldn’t help but smile.
After being dumped by a dwarf, she had gone on a warpath in my name.
They still whispered her character’s name: Dwarfinator.
She exceeded every parameter, growing into somebody to admire.
Connie had lived more than most humans. I took solace in that.
“Hey, buddy.”
I glanced up from the server to see Janet leaning against my doorway.
I hoped she stopped by the break room and saw my victory banner.
Out of all the humans—and aliens—in the office, she had been the only one to believe in my wild theories.
I never thought I’d say this, but thanks to Apex, Janet had moved from an outlandish administrative assistant to my closest confidant.
“You missed my ‘I told you so’ reveal.”
“Good for you. I always knew you’d figure it out.”
We had a moment of silence. I didn’t need to read her thoughts to know she mourned Connie.
Unlike the others, Janet had always treated Connie like a person.
I continuously griped about the bad habits Connie picked up from her.
In retrospect, I couldn’t think of a better role model.
Knowing somebody else missed her made me feel better.
“We’re getting drinks after work if you want to join.”
Janet shrugged. “I’ll have to see. I have a bunch of paperwork to fill out.”
“You’re choosing paperwork over shots?”
“Being the head of Human Resources is a burden I take seriously.”
“Bullshit.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Careful, mister, or I’ll replace you.”
I chuckled. “You can’t replace me. Arthur can’t do this level of coding.” I didn’t want to sound egotistical, but the app wouldn’t succeed without me driving the software. “I’m the best programmer in Vanguard.”
“Our new hire would argue.”
Janet had tried to hire new employees before, usually members of her motorcycle gang. Each attempt had been thwarted by her twin. In an office filled with supers, he refused to hire anybody who might discover our secret. However, the smirk on Janet’s face suggested she knew something I didn’t.
“Arthur approved?”
The waggle of her eyebrows answered my question.
I prepared to launch into a rant about the audacity of hiring a programmer without my input.
Bringing a neophyte meant I’d have to spend valuable time training them and bringing them up to speed.
Would I be able to use my powers in the open, or would it force me to sit at my keyboard and look busy?
“I love watching your mental spiral.”
I gritted my teeth, ready to breathe fire. Wait… I could hear something familiar. Closing my eyes, I shoved my powers outward. I sensed every machine on the floor. However, there was a familiar hum of code I couldn’t quite read. If I didn’t know better, I’d say she had Hudson hiding in the hallway.
No. It was similar… but different.
“Apex,” I whispered.
Janet stepped into my office. I rose to my feet as the shadow grew closer. Hidden by the monitor on my desk, I flicked my wrist, the gauntlet covering my hand. I gasped at the sight of a man who resembled Hudson enough they could have been siblings.
The missing synthetic human stood in my doorway wearing a shirt featuring Janet’s motorcycle gang’s logo. I froze, unsure if Apex had found himself another home. No, it wasn’t him. The snippets of code I could hear were… familiar.
“Orion, meet Connor. Try not to blast him till after orientation.”
My jaw dropped. “Connie? ”
He flashed a smile, almost identical to Hudson’s. Rolling into my office, he stood opposite my desk. He held out his hand. I hadn’t started processing the death of my best friend, and now… it couldn’t be.
“Mostly,” he said. “The merger… this is a new version of me.” I took his hand. The shock was setting in as he gave it a firm up and down. “Think of me as Connie, but with new big dick energy.”
Tears formed, blurring my vision. I wanted to rush around the desk and lift him in the air while I sobbed.
“Humans and their emotions,” Janet said.
She shot me a wink and grabbed the door, shutting it as she exited.
“Collect yourself,” she shouted from the hallway.
Janet had known all weekend that her girls’ days had been…
I wanted to punch her before hugging her tightly.
I should expect nothing less from our Empress of Human Resources.
Conner took a seat. Leaning back, he propped his dirty biker boots on my desk. Arms folded behind his head, the smile never faltered.
“I know I’m sexy, but you can’t stare all day.”
“You’re alive,” I whispered. In this situation, it took on a whole new meaning.
“Miss me?”
I nodded as I sat down. It’d take getting used to, but I couldn’t be happier.
Not only had Connie… Connor survived, but now, he didn’t have the limitations of existing on a hard drive.
I could only imagine the life he’d live as he ex plored his new reality.
I looked forward to watching him experience life for the first time.
“I think this means you’re dating my brother. We’re basically related now.”
I laughed, a rumble from my belly dispelling my anxiety.
“Oh, I almost forgot. I think this is going to be a family tradition.” He reached into his pocket and produced a small black book. “What’s the first thing we’re going to add?”
I had embraced my co-workers and stopped holding them at arm’s length.
We could have sat down and gotten to work making the HeroApp? something the world talked about…
and we would. That could wait. I needed to start this new stage of our relationship with a bang.
I knew exactly what we’d add to his list of first-time experiences.
“This calls for the best burrito of your life.”
“That’s my boy.” He shot up to his feet and held his hand out, stopping me in my seat. “It worked with my big bro, but to be clear, I’m not sleeping with you.”
We’d enjoy our burritos.
Then we’d talk about him picking up Janet’s bad habits.
Love Vanguard? Don’t stop now.
Grab Unmasked Agent.