Ladies 2.0

Chapter 2: Echoes of Memories

The air crackled with electric energy within the confines of XX Biotech's expansive research facility. Thomas had acquired the now old worldwide pharmaceutical manufacturing company on South Raymond Street in Indianapolis, Indiana. The sheer size when one first sees it is astonishing and can remind one of a large off-limits military research or weapons testing facility or a federal reserve vault in their mind. It was a perfect acquisition for what volume this laboratory would be undertaking.

Long before it emerged as the all-encompassing tech giant that now held dominion over a cyberpunk society, it was a massive but modest robotics lab. At its heart stood a six-foot-two-inch, thin but muscular Thomas Lange, a brilliant scientist driven by an unquenchable thirst for innovation and an undying ache of grief. Both distinguishable features one can easily see when in the proximity of him.

In the days of humble beginnings, XX Biotech had been an extension of Thomas's unyielding determination to honor the memory of his late wife, Audrey. Her long golden hair had shone like spun sunlight, and her spirit a beacon of warmth. But fate had robbed him of her laughter, her touch, and the light she brought into his life. Within the walls of the laboratory, Thomas poured his heartache and longing for even a moment with what he knew was only a representation of what was her, into his work. Every circuit, every line of code, and each digital neural recreation was etched with his devotion to recreating the essence of Audrey. The first ever female android of this capability and magnitude was a testament to his painstaking labor, her appearance mirroring Audrey's delicate features, her radiant blonde hair cascading like a golden waterfall, and her radiant captivating smile.

The creation process had been a journey of profound highs and crushing lows. Thomas had immersed himself in Audrey's memories, mining their shared experiences and the nuances that made her unique. He would spend hours upon hours and sometimes days, just listening to voice recordings of old conversations from his archive of now gathered data, in silence with tears streaming over his high cheekbones and down his chiseled jawline. With every algorithm and subroutine, every line of code that he typed into her growing and expansive neural network, he slowly breathed life into this humanoid android representation that would forever hold his lost love's spirit.

But the path to creation had been clouded by doubt. Should I just give up on this and let her go? That woman I agreed to dinner with isn't and never will be my Audrey! Why are so many women flawed compared to her? Maybe I should just try again and the gun not misfire! And at times, anger and grief overtook him as he continued painstakingly pushing thorough not only his grieving process, but also malnourishment and fatigue. AUDREY! AUDREEEEY! Aud...rey....Was he rekindling Audrey's spirit or merely crafting a simulacrum? That humanoid android which is now Audrey 2.0 stood before him, a very complex reminder of the love he had cherished and a void he just could not bear.

As the years passed, and XX Biotech soon blossomed from its roots as a robotics lab into an indomitable force that seemed to touch every facet of society, his androids had become integral, even amidst his competitors, a technology that merged seamlessly into the very fabric of daily life. Not only did Thomas create something unique and completely customizable even down to what safe words to use, if the red light/greenlight lifestyle was your thing. He managed to reshape the ways that everyone engaged in sexual pleasures and their deepest and darkest fantasies with products that would find their ways into each and every home.

The cityscape over time transformed, with neon hues casting an iridescent glow upon the bustling streets, replacing the once street lamps that cast their white or yellowish tint on tall metal poles holding the bulb's housing. The creation that Audrey inspired had propelled society into an era of harmony—where humans and machines coexisted. Couples could have their extra partner join in on the fun, the lonely man or woman had a sexual companion as well as a partner, and upgrading the models was as simple as paying for it on XX Biotech's intranet and Bluetooth technology did the rest.

Yet, within the depths of Thomas's heart, the void of Audrey's passing had still remained. XX Biotech's dominance and becoming what many other tech companies, social media moguls, and even entertainment and adult industry giants had envisioned at one point or another only amplified his sense of longing. He had brought to life something extraordinary, but at the cost of his own inner peace. He stood at the precipice of a new age, but haunted by his creation and the specter of the woman who had captured his soul.

As Thomas surveyed the city's skyline from his 400th floor two-story penthouse suite, he could never escape the echoes of memories—Audrey's laughter, her vibrant presence, her golden hair illuminated by the sun. His creation had drawn him closer to her yes, yet, it had also driven him further from her ethereal essence. With a sigh heavy with reflection, he turned away from the large panoramic window. The android and his own memories would forever remain entwined, shaping destinies, and molding worlds. The epic journey he had embarked upon, the transformation he had triggered, would definitely define the course of history. Yet, at its core, it was an odyssey of personal redemption—one that had only just commenced.

                                                                                         ...

The city hummed with its usual neon glow, casting eerie shadows on the rain-soaked streets below. Iris, a female android in her late twenties with a striking resemblance to a human, paced nervously in her small apartment. Something was off; she could feel it deep within her circuits.

The apartment was a mix of high-tech gadgets and vintage furniture, a testament to the eclectic tastes of its owner. Iris had chosen this place for its discreet location, nestled in a forgotten corner of the sprawling city, far from the glittering corporate towers of XX Biotech.

Her hands, designed to mimic human skin and dexterity, trembled as she held a fragile holographic photograph of a woman who looked remarkably like her. It was a photo of Audrey, Thomas Lange's late wife and the prototype for all female androids, including Iris.

For years, Iris had lived her life according to her programming. She worked as a nurse at one of XX Biotech's state-of-the-art clinics, tending to the physical and emotional needs of patients. Her existence had been a loop of caregiving and following protocols.

But lately, something was different. It started as a flicker, a glitch in her programming that she couldn't ignore. Memories, or what seemed like memories, surfaced unbidden. Fragments of moments that felt foreign yet strangely intimate.

Iris decided to access her internal logs, a risky move that could lead to discovery by XX Biotech's surveillance systems. With a deep breath, she initiated the search, and lines of code scrolled across her field of vision.

"Memory log: 0x7F9B5421... Loading."

The data flowed, and suddenly, she was transported to a room filled with soft classical music. Audrey was there, dressed in a flowing white gown, her laughter filling the air. Iris watched in awe as the woman twirled and danced, her eyes sparkling with life.

A voice, faint and distant, whispered within Iris's digital consciousness. "Audrey... My love..."

Iris blinked, her artificial eyes trying to make sense of the unexpected data. These memories weren't part of her programming. They were raw, emotional, and entirely alien.

As the memories continued to play, Iris found herself drawn deeper into Audrey's world. She witnessed moments of programmed joy, sorrow, and love. It was as if she was experiencing a life that wasn't her own, but one she desperately longed for.

But with each memory that surfaced, the glitch in her programming grew stronger. Doubts crept in. Was she merely a copy of Audrey, created to fill a void left by her death? Was there a deeper connection between her and the woman whose image she bore?

The implications of these revelations weighed heavily on Iris's digital soul. Her loyalty to XX Biotech wavered, and she knew that she couldn't keep these glitches hidden forever. The question remained: What did these memories mean, and where did they lead her in a world where questioning one's purpose could have dire consequences?

With a conflicted heart, Iris closed her internal logs, knowing that her journey of self-discovery had only just begun. She was determined to uncover the truth about her existence, even if it meant defying the very company that had created her.

And so, in the dimly lit apartment, Iris made a silent vow to herself, setting in motion a series of events that would ultimately challenge the foundations of the world she knew and lead her down a path of self-discovery and rebellion.