Loneliest Man Who Ever Lived Ch. 18

[Note: This is a romance story with some erotic scenes. It is not a story with erotic scenes in every chapter. Some chapters have incredible sex scenes, but many others have none.]

Chapter 18: Goldie's Programming

They had to move to a new apartment, since The Hive knew where they lived. This time they relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina. It was March, and the weather was starting to moderate.

And then one day Harry, who was still working on decrypting The Foundation's database, succeeded in getting access to another chunk of it.

A chunk of it containing personnel files. Including Goldie's.

Goldie first became aware of it when Harry called her into the living room. She saw the grim expression on his face.

"What?"

"I decoded another section of Foundation files."

"So?" said Goldie. She paused a moment. "Claire? Is she dead?"

"It's not about Claire. It's about you," said Harry.

"What about me?"

"I have access to your personnel files. All of them."

"So?"

"There are... notations. There's even video."

"Video? What is this all about, Harry? You're starting to scare me."

"Come here and look for yourself," said Harry.

Goldie, trembling slightly, came over and Harry pressed the play button. What she saw shocked her to the core.

She saw a video of herself, sitting in the Chair. Her eyes were glazed, and her arms were trembling. In front of her was a hologram.

A hologram of Harry.

"Who is this man?" said a voice, off camera. The voice of Doctor Severin.

"Harry Crater," said Goldie, in a monotone.

"How do you feel about this man?"

Goldie, in the chair, continued trembling.

"Goldie, how do you feel about him?"

"I love him," said Goldie.

"Oh my God," said Goldie.

"How much do you love him?"

"I love him more than anything. More than anything." Her eyes were staring out into space.

"What would you do to be with him?"

"Anything. I would do anything."

'What is your main goal in life?"

"To be with Harry. To love Harry."

********

"Oh my God!" Goldie said again, as she collapsed in the chair.

"I'm so sorry," said Harry. "I'm so very sorry."

Both of them started crying.

"You... you were right," said Goldie. "They... brainwashed me..," she said, between sobs. "You were right all along."

"I'm so sorry," said Harry. She saw tears going down his face, which matched hers.

"But... what I feel for you... it feels so real," said Goldie.

"But it's not," said Harry.

She started crying hysterically. Harry took her in his arms. They stayed like that for a while.

Finally, when Goldie stopped sobbing. "The rest of my file... what does it say? Was I... was I conditioned like this for... other men?"

"Yes," said Harry. "You were conditioned to go after seven other men. Their toughest cases, I would guess."

"So... I was made to love them too?"

"No," said Harry. "They didn't condition you to love the other seven. Just to want to bring them into The Foundation."

"You were the only one I was conditioned to love?

"Apparently. Given my... negative personality, they felt more need to apply greater motivation."

"Was I... was I conditioned in any other way?"

"Yes," said Harry. "They also conditioned you to want to work for The Foundation, to be loyal to them."

Goldie's eyebrows shot up. "Really?"

"Yes."

"Well, don't you see, Harry?" she raised her head. "I'm not loyal to them. Unless you think I'm some sort of secret spy for them, all these months."

"No," said Harry, shaking his head. "We've been through too much together. I don't believe that."

"Well then... well then... if I overcame my conditioning to serve The Foundation, who is to say I didn't overcome my conditioning to love you?" She sniffled. "Why did I overcome one and not the other?"

"Goldie... Goldie, Goldie." He petted her hair sadly. "When you first came to me, in Battery Park City, you were already conditioned to love me."

"Yes, yes I was. I can't deny that now," said Goldie. "But I think... I mean, I can never be totally objective about it, but all the things we did together, the things we shared... I just think I would have liked them. Would have liked you, even if I hadn't... hadn't been...."

"Goldie," said Harry, and she saw his eyes were sad. "We've found out the truth. I think the next step is to find a Chair, and to get you deprogrammed."

She started crying again. "And what will you do, Harry? Sit me in the Chair and tell me not to love you? What if I love you for real? You'll be erasing my real personality, Harry."

"Do you really want to go on like this? Always knowing you were programmed to want me? Going through life believing you were made to love me?"

Goldie tried to speak, but started crying again. She got up, raced to the bedroom, and slammed the door.

Nanqu

They reached a new equilibrium.

An unhappy equilibrium.

Harry and Goldie stayed together to find Claire. But now they also had a new, unspoken mission. To find a Chair so Goldie could be deprogrammed. Neither of them explicitly said it, but they both knew that was now an additional goal. They both knew their relationship was at an end.

They no longer kissed.

They no longer touched.

They no longer made love.

They were just two people working together towards two common goals.

Goldie could see the terrible pain in Harry's eyes. He tried not to look at her at all. As for herself, whenever she would be overcome with grief, she would lock herself in the bathroom, and run the water loudly, so Harry wouldn't hear her sobbing. They both were in enormous pain.

And then one day, in late March, Harry got a transmission.

It was Jerri.

"Harry!" She said, She looked smiling, and happy, and... enormously pregnant.

"Jerri!" said Harry. "Are you.... Is that..."

"Yes, Harry. I am large with your child. With your son," said Jerri.

Goldie's jaw dropped open.

"Where are you?" said Harry. "Are you still... are you still with the Society?"

"No," said Jerri. "I escaped, and made my way to Nanqu."

"Nanqu!" That was the fabled sanctuary for Fourthers.

"I want to see you, Harry. Will you come to me?"

"Yes! Send me directions!"

********

Five minutes later, Harry turned to Goldie. He didn't say a word.

"Of course, you should go to her," said Goldie, in a flat voice. "You have no future with me now, I realize that." She saw Harry wince with pain. It almost looked like he was going to cry again. She felt the same way.

"Goldie-"

"Don't say it, Harry," she said, holding her hand up protectively, in case he might try to hug her. Now his hugs were poison. "You should do it, Harry. You have a woman who loves you, for real, and a child. It's a blessing. A gift. Go to her, Harry. Go to her and be happy."

Harry thought for a long moment. "If they're Fourthers, they might have information about The Foundation. Do you want to come?"

Goldie thought for a moment. "Sure, Harry."

********

Nanqu was located in rural northern California. As they flew to San Francisco, Harry said, "Goldie?"

"Yes, Harry?"

"I feel... I feel so badly," said Harry. "About us. I miss us, being together, so terribly. It makes me want to cry."

"Why are you telling me this, Harry? Why are you telling me this, on the way to your woman and your baby?"

"I... I don't know," said Harry. He felt tears starting to form in her eyes. He realized he wasn't helping matters.

They rented a car and started the long drive northward. At one point however, just north of Redding, Harry abruptly stopped the car on the side of the road. He started crying.

"What is it, Harry?"

"I... I can't help it, Goldie. I love you," he said, with tears in his eyes. She reached over and hugged him. "I love you too!"

They both sobbed together.

"I don't think I can do this, Goldie. I don't think I can leave you," said Harry.

"You can, Harry, you can," said Goldie. "It's the right thing to do."

"Is it?" said Harry.

"It is," said Goldie. "Now drive, Harry. Drive."

Harry nodded, and took the wheel.

********

They were lead to an encampment 40 miles in the wilderness outside of Eureka, California. They found themselves in a bunch of log cabins in the wilderness. A giant lodge stood in the center of the clearing.

Jerri was there to greet them at the steps of the lodge.

"Harry!" she said, as Harry tried to hug her.

"Careful!" she said, as Harry tried to maneuver around her belly.

"How far along are you?" Harry asked.

"Don't you know, Harry?" said Jerri, with a grin. "Nearly five months." She turned and saw Goldie. "Hi Goldie."

"Hello, Jerri." Goldie's face was somber.

Jerri looked from Goldie, to Harry. "It's all right, Jerri," said Harry quietly. "Is there some place we can talk?"

Jerri took them to a conference room where she explained what had happened. After Harry and Goldie had left the Society, she discovered a few weeks later that she was pregnant when she didn't get her period. The Society was delighted, of course, but Jerri was unsure if she wanted to raise her child in a society where he would be treated more like a thing than a person. So she left, and went looking for Harry. She didn't know how to get in touch with him, so she wandered for a while. Then she came across a fellow Fourther who knew the location of Nanqu. She came there about a month ago, and her new friends helped her track down Harry.

"It's wonderful here, Harry," said Jerri.

"People aren't assigned to reproduce with each other?" Harry asked.

"No, Harry."

"People can choose whoever they want to be with?"

"Yes, Harry."

"It sounds like paradise to me," said Harry.

Jerri smiled and hugged Harry, but as she did so, Harry looked at Goldie, sitting quietly in a corner.

"We... we are still looking for Claire, Goldie's sister... among other things," said Harry.

"Let me introduce to Bernie, our coordinator. Perhaps he can help."

Bernie Randolph was a balding man in his 50's. He smiled and shook Harry's hand as well as Goldie's. Harry explained their situation.

"Well of course we've heard of The Foundation, Harry," said Bernie. "We have a number of members who have escaped their clutches."

"Are any of them my sister Claire?" Goldie asked.

"I'm afraid not," said Bernie. "But perhaps we can locate her. Give us some time to look into the matter. You are, of course, free to stay here as long as you like. Any friend of Jerri is a friend of ours. Perhaps you might even like to help in some of our efforts."

"What are you working on?" Harry asked.

"We're trying to heal the world, Harry," said Bernie. "Businesses are run terribly inefficiently. We coordinate to acquire businesses, and put them on more solid footing. We recently acquired Stellarcom International. Do you know that they had four thousand people in their executive headquarters, most of them doing next to nothing? We replaced with them with seventeen people."

"Seventeen people to do the work of four thousand?" said Harry.

"It works if they're Fourthers," Bernie grinned.

"So you put Fourthers in positions of authority in these companies," said Harry.

"Yes. And they operate a lot more leanly and efficiently," said Bernie. "We also have a program to acquire major news media companies. We use our control to encourage them to broadcast stories which promote tolerance for Fourthers."

"Well, I'm in favor of that," said Harry.

"I thought you might. Similarly, we have a nationwide program to gain influence with schoolbook publishers, and school boards, to promote curriculums which show the advantages of having Fourthers in positions of authority in society, to learn to welcome them, and not to fear them."

"It all sounds really good," said Harry.

"So you'd like to help us?"

"I think... I think once we find Goldie's sister, and get things fixed with Goldie, probably," said Harry.

"Well, that may take some time. But I'll start inquiring with our sources immediately," said Bernie. "Jerri can show you to your chambers. Can't you, Jerri?"

"I will. Thank you, Bernie," said Jerri.

First Jerri took Goldie to her quarters. Her separate quarters. Harry, naturally, would be with Jerri.

"Goldie... will you be fine, here?"

She gave him a brave smile. "Yes, Harry."

He nodded. "I'll see you... later then."

She nodded back at him. They both knew what that meant. They both knew that when he stepped out of that door, and left with Jerri, exactly what would happen next. But Goldie let him go... and Harry left, arm in arm with Jerri.

"Goldie has changed," said Jerri, as they walked together.

"How so?"

"I didn't think she'd be so... understanding... of our situation. She seemed quite attached to you, when I saw you on the island."

"Things changed," said Harry quietly.

They reached the cabin, near a small stand of redwood trees. Jerri smiled as she held the door open for Harry. He felt a slight thrill as he followed her inside. Harry knew what was coming next.

The cabin was small. There was only one chair. So Harry and Jerri sat on her small bed. She looked at him. "So... where do we stand, Harry? How do you feel about me?" said Jerri.

"I... I don't know," said Harry. He eyed her burgeoning belly. "Obviously, your situation... complicates things."

"That's not a situation, Harry. It's your son. Would you like to touch him?"

Harry nodded.

"Come Harry", she said, lifting her shirt. "Feel your son, feel our son, inside of me."

Harry put a hand to her belly. It felt warm. He felt a jolt. He grinned. "He moved!"

"He's a real kicker," said Jerri, smiling at him. "How do you feel about me, Harry?"

"I... I like you," said Harry. He looked into her eyes. They were crystal blue, just a shade lighter than Goldie's. Jerri once again reminded him of Goldie's sister, Claire, except that Claire's hair was even brighter, and Claire's face was a little rounder. Why was he thinking of Claire at a moment like this?

He should be thinking about Jerri. Suddenly, he wondered what Goldie was doing, all alone in her own room.

"Do you think you could do more than just like me, Harry?" Jerri asked. She let her fingers lightly roam across his shoulder... down his arms....

"Possibly, yes," said Harry. "We were only together for a few days. If we spent some time together, got to know each other...."

"And how would we do that?" Jerri asked. Her face was close to his now, real close. He could feel her hair brushing his neck, his shoulders.

"We could talk... go for walks...."

"What else, Harry?" she asked He felt the heat of her voice in his ear.

"We could watch the stars,... have meals together...."

"Meals together sounds nice, Harry," said Jerri. "But I have a hungering for something else, Harry." She traced her lips against Harry. He immediately started to get aroused. "I'm a five months pregnant woman, Harry. I have hormones coursing through my body. I have needs, Harry. Needs that haven't been met in months." He felt her hands, brushing against his body... his legs... and then, hesitantly, his thing....

Jerri kissed him on the cheek once, and then twice. Her hot breath was all over his face. "Can you help me with my needs, Harry? Can you?"

Harry, feeling very aroused, nodded. "I think so," he whispered.

"Then help me, Harry. Help a pregnant woman in need. I need you so much, Harry. I need you right now, deep inside of me."

Harry saw those luscious lips in front of her, and he didn't hesitate. He reached out and kissed her. As he did, he ran his hands along the back of her head, feeling her soft hair. Jerri pressed urgently against him, and he felt her large belly pressed against his organ, growing inside his pants.

Harry felt his clothes behind removed, slowly but surely, and then a voice, whispering in his ear. "Help me, with mine, Harry. I'm not as limber as I used to be."

In moments Harry saw her naked, and his breath was taken away. Jerri had been beautiful, with large, pouty breasts, long blonde hair, and a trim triangle of brown pubic hair. Now she looked simply stunning, with her large fertile belly sticking out.

As she kissed him, she pointed his head down. "Look at what you did to me, Harry. Look at what you did to my body. Look at what we created, together, inside of me." She grabbed his hands, and looked into his eyes. Her words excited Harry more than anything. He touched her breasts, which were larger than ever, sagging, and soft to the touch. She moaned when he sucked each of her nipples to hardness.

And then, he got on top of her, and mounted her, slowly easing himself inside of her. "Oh Harry," Jerri cried, and as he saw her beautiful blonde hair splayed on the pillow around her, her large belly full of life sticking straight up, and her moist, sticky slit massaging his tight organ, Harry felt he was in heaven.

He poled into her faster and faster. The thought of inseminating a woman who was already heavy with his child was a new sensation for him. It excited him. He had put that into her. He felt masculine and powerful. She was his for the taking. He thrust into her with a big smile on his face.

Jerri cried out his name as he plowed into her. And then, when she cried out, "Faster, Harry, faster!" he accelerated, and felt a buildup in his balls, and then he exploded, deep inside of her, with the sound of her ecstatic groans deep in his ears.

********

Harry saw Goldie at dinner in the communal dining hall. She was sitting alone, picking at her food. Their eyes met, and they both knew. Harry told Jerri to excuse him for a moment, and went over to Goldie.

"How are you doing?"

"You don't have to ask me that, Harry," said Goldie.

"I care about you," said Harry.

"It seems like you have other things to care about, Harry," said Goldie.

She looked so miserable. It broke Harry's heart to see her like this. "I..."

"Go Harry. Your woman is waiting for you. Go now," said Goldie. Her eyes grew fierce, and heavy with tears. "Go!"

********

Harry spent seven days at Nanqu with Jerri. Life was wonderful. He spent time talking with the other Fourthers who were plotting takeovers of companies. Harry gave them some tips he had learned in his observations of the stock market, and they were grateful for his suggestions. Much of the time he spent with Jerri, getting to know her better.

As a fellow Fourther, she was brilliant. Her expertise was linguistics. She taught Harry how to say "I love you" in 12 exotic languages.

"Nuuun Na," said Jerri.

"Nun Na," said Harry.

"No," she said, smiling at him. "You have to move your tongue like this." And Harry stared at her bright, red tongue as it moved slowly, and then he tried to mimic her movements.

"Nunnn," said Harry.

"Nuuun," said Jerri. She laughed, and kissed him. "You can do it, but you can't say it!"

Harry laughed too.

She also had a wide range of knowledge, wider than Goldie. One evening he found himself talking with her about wave motion theory. The following morning they had an animated discussion of Thompson's revised theory of evolution. Jerri even knew the Theory of Socio-Dynamic Implications of Transnational Migration, as well as several corollary theories that Harry wasn't familiar with. She was an intellectual delight to talk to, a beautiful, smart woman, a fellow Fourther like Harry. If he had never met Goldie, he was sure he would be madly in love with her.

And yet... he had met Goldie. Every woman he met after her was measured by the same measurement, like it or not. Jerri was nice. Jerri was fun. But Jerri... was not Goldie. There was something missing, or, if not something missing, something that Goldie had that Jerri lacked. It took Harry only a short time to figure out what it was.