Seanday Massacre 3/6: No Substitutions

Shit, this workout was hard, but I was really seeing the gains. I slapped my pecs one at a time and then flexed for the mirrors. "Not bad," I muttered to myself.

In the locker room Rex--the gym owner--walked over. "You want to help out with the stand at the expo?"

"Can't sorry. But I know someone looking for work. Is there any money in it?"

"$60, but we need him over tonight to help setup the booth and then hand out flyers tomorrow."

"You know Daniel?" I asked.

"The guy you share the house with?"

"Yeah, I'll send him as soon as I get back." I replied.

I showered slowly, taking the time for my muscles to recover--so relaxing. It was two in the afternoon by the time I'd sorted out my kit and started to drive home. I had to cut my workout short today, I would normally be leaving the gym around four but I had a lot scheduled for the afternoon.

I'd only been driving for a few minutes before I received a message with a picture, and almost hit the car in front when I saw it. Pulling over I waited for the inevitable call.

The phone rang. "Hi," I answered. "Calm down," I replied to the irate client on the phone. "The picture was taken at the club? Just forty minutes ago?" I covered the handset and cussed under my breath. "Yes, yes. It was me. Everything was cool." I hated lying. "I understand your concern and to show good will I'll discount the work by $5k." There was silence, and then they agreed on the compensation. I told him I'd call in a few days, and hung up. Anxiously I checked Instagram, and then smashed my head on the steering wheel in frustration, "Why?" My blood was boiling as I continued my journey. I knew exactly what had happened.


I arrived home and burst through the door. "Where are you!" I shouted. "I know you're in here!"

"Fuck, your back early," came a nervous voice from lounge.

"Yeah, I'm fucking back!" I yelled, as I entered the room. Inside Theo was standing, fixing a towel around his waist.

Three steps and I was in his face. "You STUPID fucker!" I growled, even though he was several inches taller than me and a good twenty pounds heavier he still flinched.

"What?" he pleaded desperately, "I didn't do anything."

"I thought you were smarter," I muttered pushing him against the wall with two fingers. I showed him the pictures on Instagram. "You fucking IDIOT, You posted pictures?"

I pushed the phone in his face, swiping from picture to picture.

"Not only did you go back to HIS house you decided to try on some of his clothes as well!"

"I just couldn't help myself," he whispered playing with his pecs.

"Unbelievable. But wait there's more! AND it gets better!"

I flicked through the pictures again, by this time he wouldn't even look me in the face. "After picking through his clothes you decided to go outside, and USE his CAR!"

"Good Lord, you even went shopping, bought a load of new clothes on HIS credit card! $500! You are mad, there is no question."

I groaned looking at the last picture and looked at him. "You are the king of stupid. PLEASE! Tell me you didn't go to the Police Precinct. Oh wait I guess you did!" I pushed the phone in his face again, "Here's the evidence of you impersonating a police officer. Tell me what you did, and the FUCK you'd better not lie."

He swallowed several times. "I-I went to the precinct--it was busy, I don't think anyone saw me. I got his uniform, and gear and took it to the restroom. Then I tried it on," he told me. "His undershirt smelt strong, I liked it," he added smiling. I frowned, and his smile vanished.

"And then you took a photo and posted it on HIS Instagram! Perfect! Then what did you do?"

"Put the uniform and stuff back and came home. I didn't know you was coming home early. I thought that's what he would do, post stuff all the time."

"He's meant to be out of state, you idiot!" I muttered pushing my palm to my head. "This is so fucked up."

I grabbed his hand and he dropped his towel. I tapped at his finger tips; thumb, middle, ring, ring, thumb, little finally middle again.

There was a hiss of escaping air, and Theo's head split and parted down to his neck. A dark seam, etched its way down his torso and his broad chest and trunk peeled back. "Get out," I growled at its occupant. Daniel my room mate climbed out and sat on a bench.

"You know this unit is married with two young kids right? What the fuck would you have done if you'd bumped into them?"

He mumbled something. "I can't hear you!"

"I'd have winged it," he repeated looking at me like a scolded child.

"Don't be stupid, the marriage had been in place for six years."

I checked the interior for damage. "Why did you do it? You know this unit belongs to a client. He called me on the way home, and sent me the picture of you in the club. Jesus, what a fuck up."

"I just wanted to see what it felt like, to be big."

"You are big though, you train most days."

"I know, but I'll never be as big as him," Daniel replied nodding at the exo-suit synth.

"Daniel, you're a good mate. You clean up, cook, do the washing and the other chores. You don't have to work, but I know you like to earn some money for yourself. But this is bad news, I've lost $5k in compensation."

"I'll pay it back, I'm sorry."

"It's not the money, it's why you did it, after I told you never to touch the units."

"I'm sorry," I pleaded again.

I pulled off my shirt, and started to tap at my finger tips. There was a hiss of air, and the body I'd been wearing for so many years parted down the centre.

I stepped out of the suit and stretched. Daniel's eyes were wide. "Why did you do that?" he asked nervously.

"I've spent a lot of time and effort integrating Rory into society. In reality his body is only ten years old. But I built it to look like a twenty-three year old. It's a show piece, a demonstration of my skills in building these suits. But it only works if my true identity," I pat my much slimmer frame, "remains hidden."

From a draw I pull a silver cylinder, Daniel looked at it, then back at me. "I can keep secrets, you know that. What I did was stupid. You can trust me--please."

"Stand up Daniel." He obliges unquestioningly. We're around the same height, although my friend is now more muscular. I wave the cylinder either side of his head and look at its display. "Ok, I can see the problem."

I think for a moment. "I've got you a job for tonight, and the bodybuilding expo tomorrow. But--

I look at the display again. "I don't think I can trust you by yourself." I stand the cylinder on the shelf, as numbers stream across it surface.

I reach up to Daniel's face and he grabs my wrist. He looks me in the eye. "I know I did wrong, but I'm really trying to be a good guy. Don't make me do any bad things." He releases my hand and I chuck him on the chin.

"You've got too many secrets, I can't risk it." I take his hand and touch out a thirty-two point sequence on his fingertips. His eyes close and as before the surface of his body fractures and splits open.

The interior is empty, I study its surface. It hasn't been opened for over four years. Daniel was my prize creation. An obedient servant with such a complicated AI that he was undetectable. But something needed fixing, and we both had commitments.

Climbing into Daniel's frame, I aligned myself and with a hiss his body closed around me. I felt the prickle of sensors attaching to my limbs, I gasped as my own face was sucked into the contours of Daniel's.

I blinked getting used the weight and size of my new host. I rubbed my stubbly beard admiring the work, Just like Rory and Theo--everything felt totally natural.

After a few minutes Daniel's memories started chattering into my consciousness, I smirked at the vision of him to jerk off in Theo's body. Although he shot strings, Daniel was sterile.

Jumping around, and stretching I accustomed myself with Daniel's athletic body, something quite different to Rory. At Theo' body I pressed his palm, and the shell sealed. Unlike Daniel, there was only a rudimental AI, they couldn't talk or think--just enough to lead them around. I took Theo into the workshop and left him standing in the corner. After sealing Rory, I took him there as well and 'parked' him next to the big guy.

I didn't have time to fix Daniel, so Rory would have to 'fly out' to see a sick relative while his 'business partner' looked after business. At least until Theo could be returned to his owner.

But I needed to get ready, I'd told Rex that I'd help out tonight. By the time I'd reached Daniel's bedroom I'd completely submerged myself into his cocky, confident, happy-go-lucky personality. The one I'd designed for him and snapped a picture of myself in the mirror.

It was already like second nature picking out clothes to wear, I looked in the mirror and smiled.

"Maybe Rory can take extended leave," I surmised, "if something needs signing I can always jump back inside Rory." I smirked again and left for the gym to meet Rex.