D.I.A.N.N.E. Ch. 07

M met his gaze evenly. "I... just knew," she told him seriously. "I mean, all the data is there, and he's handled everything we've thrown at him thus far, but beyond that, I just knew he could. I'm sorry I don't have a more concrete answer, J."

J almost laughed aloud. "You went with your gut? You?" M never acted on hunches, she was the epitome of careful, measured, calculated.

She grinned up at him. "I suppose I did." There was an excited light in her eyes, like a girl who'd just done something she wasn't supposed to and gotten away with it. In her previous life, M had been a research analyst by day and homebody by night, not the sort of person you would expect to take many risks.

"Well now I've seen everything," J said, putting his hands on her slender waist. "I'm sorry I doubted you."

She stepped in closer and put her arms around his neck. "Forgiven," she said before kissing him briefly. "You were right, too; I could have been wrong about him."

Her warm body felt wonderful against his front. "Yes, but you weren't. Now, I say we move forward. Agreed?" His cock was responding to her proximity, swelling, and trying to lift where it was pinned against her belly.

"Mmm," she made a pleased sound as her eyes cut lower. "I could use some of that soon," she purred, meaning his growing hardness. "Let's make sure Twenty is well, then check the others before we have a break, yes?"

That sounded just fine to J. He released, watching her perky buttocks bounce with her steps as she returned to her place. She went back to work immediately, but not before shooting him a coy wink and a smile.

J returned the smile before pushing M's body out of his mind -- with some difficulty -- and set about wrapping up. What are we going to do with you, Twenty? he asked internally. What are they going to do with you when they think to look down? Nobody higher than H had shown any interest in M and J's work, yet -- they never did -- but sooner or later, somebody would notice young Twenty's progress.

So far, J -- with M's help -- had managed to keep Twenty's data lost in the terabytes of information that flowed through the Company's servers every minute, but that was going to become increasingly difficult as Twenty grew. J worked the problem in the back of his mind as he focused primarily on the tasks before him. Somehow, between M and him, they would figure it out.

***

--Friday, 28^th May, 1999--

I emerged from unconsciousness slowly. I was lying on my face, on top of the covers, my cheek wet with drool. With a groan, I pushed myself onto my back. It was more of a flop, really; my body did not want to obey commands. I was hurting everywhere. My head throbbed like a thousand metal drummers were pounding away inside a stadium made from my skull, blast-beats and all.

"Fucking hell," I mumbled thickly. This was like a hundred hangovers at once! What horrible disease had I contracted to make me feel so miserable? Then I remembered. Oh, right. The learning program. What had Dianne called it? Integrated Learning Platform? Just thinking about it made me wince, as if the thought itself hurt.

I'd left the curtains open last night, and deep orange light flooded the room, meaning it was late afternoon. I slept all day! With an enormous effort, I pushed my upper body off the bed and swung my feet around to rest on the floor. Dizziness threatened to pull me down to the floor, but I breathed deeply, evenly, until it passed. Minutes went by until I felt right enough to try and stand. I managed it, despite having to use the bedside table for support. From there, I shuffled for the kitchen, seeking to slake two needs: water and food, in great volumes. I didn't bother trying to get dressed; I didn't think I could actually perform the task right now. If anymore surprise visitors came around, they would just have to put up with naked Jake.

An hour later, I was nestled in the comfortable embrace of the plush leather couch with a blanket over me. The coffee table was littered with plates covered with the sparse remains of the meal I'd just eaten. Three meals, really, consisting of three ham sandwiches, a bowl of cornflakes, a microwave pepperoni pizza and a half pint of chocolate ice cream for dessert.

The food worked its magic quickly, and I was beginning to perk up as I sat flicking through channels on the TV. I kept glancing at my phone, wanting it to beep with a text from Debbie, but none came. Not wanting to think about her anymore, I started looking for something to entertain myself, something Dianne related, but low intensity. Not a game, but maybe a movie? I had the sense that despite starting to feel better, I would need more rest soon.

A knock came from the door, and I sighed heavily. Another unannounced visitor from the Company? Stubbornly, I stayed where I was. They could go away or let themselves in for all I cared. I may have been feeling a bit better, but I was nowhere near ready to be around anyone. The knock sounded again. A minute later, my phone beeped.

Are you going to let me in? It was from Debbie.

Keeping the blanket around myself to shroud my nudity, I shambled to the door and pulled it open. There she was, pretty as always in a white halter top and open denim vest, and a flowing, ankle-length skirt, white with big yellow flowers on it.

Still feeling foggy and slow, I was unsure what to say or how to say it. Judging by the uncertain look in Debbie's dark eyes, she was in a similar place. Those eyes widened as they flicked over my face.

"Oh my god, Jake!" she exclaimed worriedly. "Are you okay?"

Her question stumped me for a second. What did she mean? "Uh, I think so," I started to say, but she overrode me.

"You look awful! Are you sick?" Instead of moving away as someone might when contagion was a risk, she stepped closer and put her palm to my cheek.

Not wanting to tell her the real reason - I wasn't sure I was allowed as per Company rules - I admitted that I was feeling a little under the weather. Not technically lying, but not the whole truth by a long margin.

"Well, come on then," she said almost brusquely as she started forward. It was move aside and let her in, or be pushed in. "Let's get you back to bed."

She was in the apartment too quickly for me to respond. I followed her to the bedroom, which she reached much faster than I could. When I rounded the doorway, she was pulling back the covers and plumping the pillows, like she was a nurse and I, her patient. "Um, Debbie," I began awkwardly, wanting to discuss the other night. "We should-"

"Shush, you," she chided softly as she came to me and pulled the blanket off my shoulders before hustling me into bed. I wanted to resist, but my body sought nothing more than to lie down again. "Do you need anything?" she asked as I got settled. It really was a comfortable bed, the best I'd ever slept on. She sat next to me, her face a picture of concern.

"Just you," I said sleepily. The words were off my tongue faster than thought. Some part of me believed I shouldn't have said that, but it was too late, and the bed was too comfortable, and Debbie was here, with me. Everything felt just right.

"Well, you've got me," she told me before bending to kiss me.

Had I heard that right? Did she mean she wanted to be with me? I was still deciphering the meaning of her words as I slipped into sleep.

*

--Saturday, 29^th May, 1999--

Morning light brought my eyes open right before a great, jaw-cracking yawn took hold. I stretched, extending and contracting taut, supple muscles and tendons, reaching my arms up above my head and arching my back, pushing my heels away from my body. At least, I tried to do all that, but my right side was weighed down by something warm, soft and smooth.

Debbie murmured softly in her sleep as she was shifted a little by my movements. Her face was resting on my shoulder, her arm and leg across my body. I didn't need to pull back the blanket to know she was as naked as I.

Wait, what? Taut and supple? A small part of my brain wanted to go back to the physical changes I'd undergone in my sleep, but that part was dominated by a much larger. Debbie was here. Naked. In my bed. With me. A broad grin split my face. She does like me!

Her eyes came open then, bright and clear despite her just waking up. "What are you smiling about?" she asked sleepily before yawning. She snuggled in closer as I wondered what to say.

"Just feeling good," I replied honestly, putting my hand on her shoulder. She made a happy sound and pressed herself more tightly against me, which happened to include her smooth, bare sex on my thigh. I was stiff as a board in a heartbeat, creating a small tent in the covers. I glanced down at the protrusion with ambivalence; it was larger than the tent I would have made a week ago, but still hardly impressive. Still, Debbie didn't seem to mind.

"Someone's awake," she murmured into my chest as her knee bumped my erection.

"He likes to get up early," I answered casually. "He's a real doer."

"I can attest to that," she said approvingly as her hand trailed down my chest and stomach. She didn't touch my cock right away, but instead lightly traced fingertips all around it, teasing the sensitive skin there. I inhaled sharply at the sensation, my hips lifting as I tried to push my dick into her hand, but she kept with the teasing.

Not satisfied, I growled and launched at her, nuzzling her neck as I pinned her beneath me. She squealed and giggled as I kissed and nipped at her ears, chin and throat. Her thighs parted beneath me and I settled between them as we tussled playfully. Perhaps by happenstance, or perhaps because we both wanted it, I slipped inside her, our eyes widening in unison as our gazes locked.

"Oh, Jake," she whispered as I pressed forward. She was wet and ready, and I moved in her easily. I had no response but a deep, satisfied groan. Sex with Debbie had been amazing the other night, but I'd been a little drunk. Now, sober and fully aware, I was seeing stars.

I began to thrust, slowly at first, but with increasing speed as my arousal spiked. Debbie's arms and legs held me tightly against her, unwilling to relinquish her hold. Our mouths clashed often, tongues battling in a hot, wet duel as our bodies writhed. The covers were soon kicked off, and I braced myself on my arms, lifting my upper body to gain more leverage for my driving hips.

Now I could see Debbie's body in all its beauty; her plump breasts bouncing above her soft, almost-flat belly. Further down, the sight of my cock sliding in and out of her bare, pink pussy was almost too much for me. In fact, it was too much. With a strangled grunt, I began to come, overwhelmed by the intense pleasure of the moment. Panicking, I pulled my cock free of its sweet confines, but Debbie shook her head and knocked my hand away, seizing my spasming rod and slotting it back inside her. A couple of ropes escaped, splashing onto her belly and mound.

"I want it in me," she said in a breathy voice. "It's okay, I'm protected." Her cheeks and chest were flushed with arousal, her eyes lidded as she watched my face.

Somewhere in the dim recesses of my brain that weren't overcome by lust, I remembered Debbie saying she was on birth control the other night, but I barely heard her right now as I shuddered through one of the most intense orgasms of my life.

When the pleasure finally abated, I was still moving in her, and she was still lifting her hips to meet mine. As was common for me, now, I felt no soreness or sensitivity in my penis. In fact, I quickly began to feel like I hadn't come at all. Seeing no reason to stop, I smiled down at her. "Want me to keep going?"

Gripping my upper arms tightly, she nodded eagerly. "Yes, please." The hunger in her voice inspired fresh lust in me, and so I set about giving her the best I possibly could; long, solid strokes that impacted with a sharp slap as our bodies collided. Debbie urged me on, taking all I gave and asking for more, forcing me to draw on new resources, muscles that until recently, I had not known I possessed.

I was beginning to realise that Debbie was highly orgasmic. She quivered beneath me from time to time, sometimes shaking, sometimes stiffening, sometimes making no noise, sometimes whimpering as if she was in pain, but the first time I stopped, wondering if I'd hurt her, she shook her head wildly and bucked her hips up, urging me to keep going.

We fucked until our bodies were coated with sweat, the sheets a tangled mess on the bed. Finally, we reached a point where we could handle no more. Well, I thought maybe I could, but Debbie eventually disengaged, telling me through panting breaths she needed a break. She lay on her back, eyes closed, cheeks flushed as she breathed through pursed lips.

Feeling cocky that I'd been able to fuck her into such a state, I grinned and relented, settling in beside her while she caught her breath. "I think," she managed after a minute, "that I'm going to have to be careful with you, Jake London."

"Why's that?" I asked, propping myself up on an elbow. I touched her arm and she flinched a little at the contact, apparently still too sensitive, even there.

"I'm not used to-" she cut off, interrupted by another shudder as an aftershock seemed to run through her. "Used to it being like that."

"Like what?"

"Like... Well, you're like a machine. You just keep going!" She managed to open her eyes and turn her face to mine. "I'm more shocked than ever that you don't have a girlfriend, or at least a fuck buddy."

My rapidly inflating ego swelled further. Thank you, Dianne! "Well," I began, not really sure what to say to that. Was she probing to see if there really was anyone else? That thought also had me wondering again about my relationship with Debbie. Did she want something more? "I suppose everyone has a hidden talent, somewhere."

Debbie eyed me for a moment, her thoughts unreadable. "Fair enough," she said finally, then grinned widely. "I look forward to making use of your talents more often."

While that sounded grand to me, I wanted to know more. "Do you mean, um..." I trailed off, suddenly uncertain about how to approach this. "You and me, you know, together?"

Debbie wiggled in closer, until her face was almost directly beneath mine. "Would that be okay?" she asked hesitantly. "If I was your girlfriend?"

"Yes," I replied immediately, my heart swelling with affection. Was I falling in love? "That would be okay."

Her smile was brighter than the noonday sun coming through the windows. "Then I would love to be your girlfriend," she said, right before I kissed her softly, tenderly.

All too soon, however, she was pulling away, sudden uncertainty crossing her face again. "There's something I wanted to say to you, now that things are getting serious." She met my eyes gravely. My heart skipped a beat. What could be so serious? I encouraged her to go on. "The other night, with Jessica," she began, looking away. "I can be... pretty wild, sometimes."

I would have laughed, but she looked so vulnerable that the mirth died before it formed. "I did notice that," I said gently. "What's the problem?"

"It's just that... well... guys I've dated have had trouble with that side of me," she confessed quietly. "You know, they get jealous, or want me to change once we're together officially, you know?"

"Really?" I asked, genuinely surprised. "Your boyfriends have had an issue because you also like girls?" When she nodded, I shook my head. "That's... surprising. I thought all -- or at least most -- guys would want a girl that likes girls, too."

Debbie shrugged uncomfortably. "I don't know. Maybe it's just the ones I've dated, but I wanted to bring it up, just in case. I really like you, Jake, and I want you to know this now, rather than later." Her eyes found mine again. "I played the cute, good girl at first. To be honest, I use that act a lot with people, but inside, I'm much more than that."

I nodded slowly, meeting her gaze evenly. What she was saying was really no surprise to me, except for the bit about past boyfriends taking issue with her sexuality. As far as I was concerned, she was a huge gift, the sort of woman most guys can only dream about. I don't know who she'd been dating, but they were idiots as far as I was concerned. "I know you are," I told her earnestly. "And I'm never going to ask you to change. I promise."

This smile would have melted the ice on Mars had she pointed her face that way. As her lips found mine again, I admitted to myself I was very quickly falling for this girl in a way I had never experienced before.

***