Mechanical Gods (lgbtq+)

Interlude Part I -- The Windy City

     Owen Kirsch faced the smiling beautiful blonde Android across from where he sat, a large digital poster plastered onto the white walls of the SynTech office Tower up on the 123rd floor, which was the highest floor of the building. The woman in the poster was dressed in her standard Android uniform, albeit its sleeves had been cut to reveal its toned arms, and its blonde hair let down to her shoulders, giving her eyes a sultry look.

     Owen had been staring at the poster for what seemed like hours when it was only minutes ago since he arrived. Though, instead of feeling lust and desire as what the sign tried to incite from its voyeur, it just creeped him out. He got up from his seat and walked over to the next sofa staring out of the window instead.

     Owen became nauseated once he realized he's standing in the tallest building in all of Chicago Metropolitan Area. The storm outside cast a gloomy shroud around the city, blanketing it in a hail of white and cold, chilling anyone caught in its wake. If it were sunny, he'd see the entire city from up here, though he sighed in disappointment from missing a great view.

     Owen's watch told him that it was five minutes past three, and yet it felt like it was already seven in the evening.

     I shouldn't be here, Owen thought, I should be at home with Mary and the kids.

     Own was supposed to be enjoying Christmas with his family, but when an early morning call from the head boss demanded a meeting, Owen could not refuse or else risk losing his job. He was only an analyst after all, and he didn't want to part with the ninety grand a year especially when they're in the process of buying a house.

     Beyond the window was a swirling storm of screaming white, of howling winds that gripped the city, swamping landmarks and towers by the massive whiteout. Owen couldn't even see the other building towering beside SynTech Tower. He could still feel the winds blow and prickle his skin when he arrived on the parking lot, and even with the heater turned way up inside his car, it still felt like it was below freezing. He shivered at the thought again.

     Heavy footsteps rang out from the corner, and it came from a man with large black boots making a rhythmic clamor against the marble floor, solid and tough in his demeanor like a soldier. He was broad and massive, easily several inches higher than Owen's five foot and six-inch frame. Compared to the man, he was standing in front of a giant. The man's face was stern as he approached Owen, making him gulped down the fear crawling up to his throat.

     "Mr. Kirsch?" asked the man in a gruff voice.

     "Yes, that's me." Owen extended his hand out, but the man refused to shake it. He awkwardly recoiled it back into his pockets.

     "Follow me, sir. And don't lag behind."

     "Of course. Lead the way."

     Owen found himself in a large and long hallway that led to one door at the end. On each side of the hall were the different Android models, displayed on a rectangular platform, for the past twenty years, all arranged from the oldest to the newest ones once they got closer to the door. They held blank looks as Owen passed by, and they didn't even acknowledge his presence, forever frozen in their state. 

     The man approached the door, and a panel opened at the side. He placed his palm on the pad's surface, scanning his fingerprints. The doors opened, revealing a large foyer with a circular staircase going up another floor.

     "Mr. Shaw will be waiting for you upstairs," said the man.

     Owen stepped into the foyer as the man walked back to where they came from, closing the doors behind him. Owen climbed up the stairs into another circular room of an office, and instead of solid walls, he was surrounded by glass windows from the floor to the ceiling. Even the concave-shaped roof was made of glass, seeing through the large wintery clouds beyond. The only thing that wasn't glass was the hardwood floor. Owen felt naked standing in the middle of it like he could feel the cold seeping through from the outside.