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"So, how was it down there?"
Panam was the first to ask the question, and we heard it as soon as we got to the shore and took off our masks. Luckily, the shore in this spot was gentle, and we could just walk out onto it. So, we didn't have to put in any extra effort.
"It was fine..."
I shrugged.
"Fine? That's it? Is that all you can say?"
Kiwi decided to join the conversation. The girls, by the way, had left Vic and Misty alone for a little while. From what I could see from the shore, though, they barely noticed, since in our absence, Misty had managed to move to Vic's lap. She was now swaying on them with her eyes closed, while Vic, with his chin resting on her shoulder, was stroking her stomach.
"No, that's not all... I can say a lot about the synchronization system for recording braindances and about the emotions and memories that washed over Judy as soon as we got down there... It's an indescribable feeling when someone is talking about the town they grew up in, and you hear children's laughter and feel echoes of their emotions..."
I shook my head.
"And also..."
I demonstratively, and secretively, looked around and, supposedly having made sure no one was listening, continued in a half-whisper.
"I saw Judy's childhood room..."
"And what was it like?"
Lucy also joined the conversation, and Becca looked at me with interest.
"It was girly..."
Judy looked down at the sand, while the other girls looked at me in shock. Disbelief was in their eyes, but from Judy, since we were still synchronized, I felt embarrassment. Just a sea of embarrassment.
"You... what do you mean by 'girly room'?"
Becca also decided to join the conversation.
"Wait, you were down there..."
The other girls looked at her in shock.
"Well, they swam inside one house, and also inside the church, but I stayed outside. I didn't want to get in their way of recording the braindance. And I was talking to you the whole time, so you know I was trying not to get close to them. So yeah, I'm also curious what David means by 'girly room'?"
"Exactly what I said..."
I shrugged and sent the girls a copy of the fragment that my optics had recorded in the background, specifically the moment when we were in Judy's room.
"No way..."
Becca shook her head in shock and looked up at Judy.
"That's... unexpected..."
Lucy was pretty reserved and didn't spill out any disbelief at her friend, just shock and a little bit of confusion.
"My grandma made this room for me, and I just didn't want to hurt her feelings!"
Judy couldn't handle all the attention and decided to start with a very weak excuse, especially since in her emotions, I felt shame for having to lie to her family.
"She's lying..."
I rat her out, if I can put it that way. And she, flinching, looks at me like I'm a traitor, but I just walk up to her and hug her from behind. Luckily, we've already gotten rid of our aqualungs, so there's nothing stopping me from doing that.
"Ugh... Lying?"
Kiwi looks at me in surprise.
"We're still synchronized, so we can feel each other's emotions."
I shrugged, as if it was a given.
"All of them?"
"Mostly, yeah, but only the strongest ones affect us, or the ones that she or I focus all our attention on."
"Mmm... so that's why you two..."
Becca nodded toward the reservoir.
"...were acting strange a couple of times. Like you were losing your balance and orientation in space..."
"Yeah..."
I nodded and bathed Judy in my love, which made her legs slightly buckle.
"We found out about it and decided to show how much we love each other..."
The girls looked at Judy with envy. Her eyes were slightly out of focus from the new rush of my emotions.
"...and I think I'll be in sync with each of you soon and show you how much I love you."
"Uh-huh..."
The girls now looked at Judy thoughtfully.
"I wonder... how much better would sex be in that state?"
Panam asked that question, but it made all the girls think. Even Judy, who had just come to her senses after my emotional outburst, immediately went back into herself, pondering the new thought.
"We have to find out..."
She grinned.
"We do, but this coming night is mine..."
Lucy looked at Judy, unflinchingly.
"But it's for science!"
"I've already been waiting too long... enough! I want to be a part of this family... Of course, you already consider me a part of this family, but I want to have sex with David, I want to get even closer to him... If you want, I'll test this technology during sex myself."
"No..."
Judy shook her head at Lucy's offer.
"You don't have anything to compare it to yet. You haven't had normal sex with David, so you just won't be able to adequately assess the sensations you'll be feeling..."
I sighed.
"Don't you think we've left Victor and Misty alone for too long? I get us..."
I nodded at Judy and Becca, as if to say who I was including in this "us" group that I was a part of.
"We have this test and all that... but you guys could have not left them alone..."
"Oh, come on..."
Kiwi looked at them and waved her hand dismissively.
"...the last thing they need right now is our company. Victor got Misty a little drunk, and a little while ago, he was listening to her crying and complaining, first about Mama Welles' unfairness. Then about the world itself... after that, she was talking about what a scumbag Jackie was, how he cheated on her, even though he tried not to show it, but she knew... she saw him a couple of times with his whores. Of course, she wasn't following him, but to run into him by chance a couple of times in this town..."
Kiwi shrugged.
"...it only seems like the city is big. Then she moved on to talking about Victor himself, calling him an idiot, and she told him that if he had been a little more persistent, she would have been with him a long time ago..."
Ah... I see... basically, Vic is getting a lot of news, and Misty is just enjoying the arms of a loving person...
"Hmm..."
I looked at the couple one more time.
"Looks like they'll be together after this meeting... and that's good."
"Yeah..."
All the girls agreed with me on that.
We walked over to the table and all gathered together again.
"So?"
Victor looked at Judy and me.
"What are the results?"
"Well..."
I shrugged.
"...let Judy tell you about that. It's her project, after all, and it's only right, if she wants to tell you, of course."
Judy nodded at me gratefully.
"The technology still needs a little work, but in general..."
Then Judy told Victor what she was going to do, how we helped her, and what the result was.
"So... you felt each other's emotions?"
"Uh-huh... and we still do. For example, right now, David is bathing me in a feeling of pride. He's proud of me, of what I've done, and of the fact that my idea has taken a big step forward."
Judy looked down at the table.
"And in return, Judy is showering me with her embarrassment."
I smiled.
"Ugh... you could make a ton of money on emotional unity chips..."
Vic shook his head, but Judy just waved him off.
"We already have money. Although you're right, we could make an insane amount of money on this if we needed to. But as it is... it's a hobby. David is actually going to modify gaming capsules from the past into training ones..."
"Seriously?"
Victor looked at me in surprise.
"Uh-huh..."
I nodded.
"...in theory, it shouldn't be too difficult. Of course, we'll have to update the hardware a little to match the times, but we won't have to touch the software at all. A shard already has a lot of info, but it's..."
I snapped my fingers a couple of times.
"...impersonal... you just get knowledge that you still have to work on to turn into skills. And if you want to drill those skills down to the level of reflexes..."
"That's true..."
Vic nodded.
"...and you want to use the capsule as a way to get real skills?"
"Exactly. Although we'll still have to work on everything, and the first versions will be terribly uncomfortable and completely bugged out..."
"That's a given. The first versions are rarely completely successful, and I'm more than sure that when you get home and check all the data you got during the dive, you'll find a ton of different errors."
"Can't argue with that..."
Judy nodded, agreeing with Vic.
"Can I look at that braindance?"
Misty was distracted from her meditation, deciding to join the conversation.
"Of course!"
Judy was happy that Misty had decided to join the conversation herself. It was a big step, since before, she was mostly pulled into conversations. But here...
"Although first, the material will have to be processed, cut out all the extra stuff, leave everything necessary, and boost some emotions and muffle others..."
"And you're going to do all that yourself?"
"Of course!"
Judy even seemed a little offended by Misty's question.
"I'm a Braindance Master!"
At that moment, I got a call from an unknown number. Judging by it, it was from a public phone booth.
"Listening..."
I focused on the call, distancing myself from the conversation with the girls and Vic.
"Martinez, I have Alvarez, and if you don't pay me..."
"Ugh, you're getting on my nerves, Parker..."
I shook my head.
"...I'm not an idiot who would get scared by your words and forget that Judy is right here with me and..."
"Did I say Judy?"
"Judy..."
I didn't hang up the call and spoke out loud, but at the same time, I made sure Parker didn't know that I had started talking to Judy.
"...call your grandma. Someone's telling me that some Alvarez is with Parker..."
"Just a second."
"And who do you have with you?"
"Oh... did Judy not tell you that she has a grandma? Looks like you're not as close as you thought!"
Parker's voice had a mocking tone.
"So Judy has a grandma?"
"Yeah, and I've taken her hostage. And I want you to pay me a million eurodollars for her life, and also give me Judy."
I blinked in surprise.
"David, my grandma answered, and she's fine. She's at home, and no one has come to see her or visit her..."
I nodded to Judy.
"Well, you won't get Judy, but I'm willing to pay if it's about her grandma's life."
"You don't get to set the terms..."
"And how do you imagine handing over Judy?"
"You'll knock her out and deliver her to the place I tell you... a chip with the money should be with her."
I sighed.
"You don't have a choice anyway, because she'll hate you no matter what. Either for not saving her grandma, or for selling her."
"Alright..."
I tried to make my voice as sad as possible.
"Where do I deliver Judy and the money?"
"I'll send you the address in a message. And you have to come alone. I've hired some good runners, and they'll make sure that no one from your gang interferes with the handover..."
"Alright..."
The call ended. I didn't threaten her, because it's stupid to threaten someone who has "taken a close person hostage." It'll only make them angrier.
"Judy, we have to deal with Parker. She's demanding a million eurodollars and you, for your grandma's life and freedom..."
"But my grandma's fine..."
"This time. What about the next?"
Judy sighed.
"I guess the vacation's over?"
Vic grinned sadly.
"Yeah... sorry, but we have some urgent business to take care of."
"It's fine..."
Vic looked at Misty affectionately.
"...we'll find a way to finish this day together..."
"Uh-huh..."
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