Read SHIAM Conspiracy- Book 1 for Free Online Page A

almost, but not quite sense.
Or was it simply his logic drawing unsubstantiated conclusions?
Magic had almost certainly been used. Otherwise, how could the
thieves possibly have pulled this off?
    They were now standing back in the kitchen
area. Out of curiosity, Zak walked over to the food processor
sitting on the counter and brought up the menu. Everything for a
well-rounded diet was there on the list, which included a variety
of meats, vegetables and fruit. There was even a separate menu for
deserts and snacks. Opening the refrigerator next to the counter,
he found milk, eggs and mayo among the contents. Shaking his head
in amazement, he stopped taking inventory. The fridge was better
stocked than his own.
    “So, this thing eats regular food and it
cooks as well?” He still found it difficult to believe. It made him
feel violated as a sentient being somehow. “If it can consume
garbage, why cook the food? Why not just eat it raw?”
    “Contrary to what you may think, we do have
the ability to taste,” Dr. Rose replied. “We cook to enhance the
experience of eating.”
    “Is that right!” Zak turned away from the
refrigerator and scanned the loft again. “Why aren’t there any
security cameras in the living quarters?”
    “We wanted to allow Derek as much privacy as
we could in his home environment.”
    “Wasn’t that thoughtful.”
    “Would you like to be constantly on
display, Mr. Harris?” Dr. Rose said angrily.
    “I’m not a machine...a potentially psychotic
machine,” Zak said.
    “Derek is not dangerous!” Dr. Rose added more
softly, “He is not some sort of monster. This is not his
fault!”
    Zak didn’t reply. After a pause, he said, “I
can see where Grimrok wanted this kept quiet. The world government
would be on him in a heartbeat. Removing the SCE is against the Android Containment Act . Grimrok could lose his business
over this.”
    “That’s why you’re here, to see to it that
doesn’t happen,” Vennhim said.

5
    T he trip from Zak’s Slough Street loft to
the cab waiting at the curb left him dryer than his earlier dash to
the Grimrok building had. The torrent of rain had slowed to a
drizzle, although heavy black clouds still hung over the city. In
the early evening the lower edges of the dark mass took on an ugly
dirty brown with the reflection of city lights. Strobes of
lightning still flashed across the darkness and a steady rumble of
thunder promised the foul weather would soon return. A kaleidoscope
of color danced across the wet pavement of the street, illuminated
from neon signs on the buildings across the street. Zak opened the
rear door of the cab and climbed in.
    A blast of what was known as circuit music
assailed him when he opened the door to the cab. He was pleased to
find a Human driver behind the wheel. The taxi companies had begun
replacing their cabbies with SHIAM units. The fact that the
androids required no rest breaks and never considered strike action
for better pay was just too appealing for these companies to pass
up.
    As he settled into the back seat, Zak got a
better look at the cabbie in the dome light of the car. His first
impression was that this Human driver was not as preferable as he
had first thought. If bizarre was the flagship of youth, this kid
sailed on it. His dirty brown hair hung in tight curls around the
crown of his head, while the sides had been shaved smooth. Peach
fuzz took the place of a beard, and he had been pierced and fitted
with rings in just about every conceivable area of his face. He
wore a bright purple shirt with a lemon yellow scarf loosely
wrapped around his neck. Zak didn’t even pretend to understand
current subculture fashion trends, but he knew enough to identify
the kid as a circuit head . The kid was swaying in his seat
to the ear-splitting rhythm of electro music that played on the
cab’s comm unit, his head bobbing on his shoulders like some
animated figurine. Without missing a head-bob, the kid looked into
the rear