This story takes place before Chapter 27 of Not as Planned. I've written it from Halfred's POV as a bit of a challenge to myself. Let me just preface this with the fact that I know very little about technology… soooo….. forgive my attempts.
You Got Me a What?!
Spare Apartment, RCM Security, Trenton
The room was quiet like it often was when we were together but not being intimate. It was peaceful and reassuring. With Diana sat on the couch, completely engrossed in whatever she was doing on her laptop, I was free to do whatever I pleased. So long as I didn't leave the apartment. I'd learned that during these times, despite the fact that she was paying absolutely no attention to me whatsoever, sneaking away would anger her immensely. Which would ultimately lead to her asserting her power over me. In the bedroom. And while she always made sure my needs were met, the moments leading up to my release could be absolutely terrifying when she was trying to prove a point. I tried, as much as possible, to not provoke her to that point.
So while she was quietly entertained, I sat at the table with my iPad, working on the schematics I'd started earlier in the week. I'd had the idea the moment I saw Tank's prosthetic arm and how rudimentary it was - I wasn't even sure it fit him right. It had a little bit of functionality – a pincer like grip with some ability for individual finger movement, but not a lot. In the line of work he was in, it would be a severe disability. I couldn't imagine him walking the streets with an arm like that, it would be worse than going armless. At least with an entire missing limb there could be rumours circulated about how he lost it. Something tougher than the gangrene that ultimately prompted it's amputation.
I'd taken it upon myself to design some modifications that would improve his quality of life. I didn't think it would ever get to the point where the modifications would be implemented, which was a shame, but I thought it would be good to have the ideas on file. Maybe I could work on it as a side project if I could get my hands on some more stills of his right side. Easily enough done, I could have hacked the system with one hand tied behind my back, especially before I redesigned the firewalls.
Pinch zooming on the sketch as I looked for a way to fit a grappling hook in amongst the mess of compartments and mechanisms I'd already drawn in, I let out a small sigh. This would be epic if I ever got to build it.
Diana let out a sigh as well, though her attention was still glued to her screen. Usually, a sigh like that meant she was close to being done with whatever it was she was working on. Not done as in almost finished, but done as in sick of it. Now was a prime opportunity to bring up a topic that mattered to me, before she was completely over it and used my body as a distraction from her work. Maybe Diana could think of a way for me to gain access to Tank's arm so I could better understand how it works. Google searches and medical articles were helpful, but hands on knowledge was key. If I brought up the topic now, I could possibly get a decent discussion out of her. And as an added bonus, she would be grateful for the distraction.
It was a win-win situation.
"Tank's arm could use some upgrades," I stated, trying for a casual tone, one that didn't suggest I was working on an agenda. I needn't have put in so much effort, though, as she was still too involved in her laptop to be concerned with my tone.
"What do you mean?" she asked, shoulders straightening ever so slightly from the hunched posture she'd taken on as her session extended.
I shrugged, despite the fact that she couldn't see me. "I dunno," I said. "Just, like, some additions to make it more functional. Like screwdrivers and stuff."
There was a long pause. I thought she might have returned her full focus back to the screen and not paid my statement any attention, but then she shrugged. "I suppose."
That was as close to an agreement as I was likely to get with Diana, especially without her full attention, but the fact that she was still distracted could also be useful. If I could get her to agree to something before she realised what she was doing I could be working on a robotic arm before long. I had to be cautious, though. Too much too quickly and she'd become suspicious. Keep it simple for once, Halfred, I encouraged myself dragging all five fingers across the screen to switch to the 3D view I'd mocked up earlier.
"I think I could do it," I mentioned, still trying to keep that casual tone.
"Do what?" Diana asked. Apparently I'd paused a little too long in my contemplations and she'd lost track of the conversation, delving back into the document she was working on.
"The upgrade," I said simply.
This caused her to look up from the device on her lap for the first time. She stared at me for several seconds, a calculating expression on her face. Probably, she was replaying everything I'd just said in her head, making sure she was up to speed. Though she could also be trying to think of how on earth I could manage to add a screwdriver to Tank's arm without making it look stupid.
"Come off it," she finally said, screwing up her face. "People train for years to make those prosthetics. You really think you can do better?"
Rather than try to argue my point verbally, I stood from my chair and crossed to sit beside her on the couch. I deliberately sat so that our thighs were touching, because I knew that if I sat any further way she would just proceed to pull me into her lap, and even in the private of the apartment it was humiliating. I held my iPad out for her to see, setting the image to slowly rotate while I spoke. "See, if we use a titanium frame for strength and utilise the unused space in this section here, we should be able to insert some tools and mechanisms to make it similar to a multi tool and-"
I trailed off. An unconscious glance toward her face showed that her eyes were glazing like they always did when I started talking about anything even vaguely technical. My time to get everything I needed to say was limited. Before long she would be completely zoned out, thinking of things of a primal nature, rather than the technical drawings I was showing her.
"And with a switchboard concealed under the synthetic skin layer it should be easy to-"
I didn't get any further. Diana had set her laptop on the coffee table when I approached and was now removing the iPad from my grasp to set it beside it. I let her, but not before I managed to turn it off. I had an intricate system of passwords and gestures to protect my files. You could never be too careful, especially when Diana was involved.
Once the devices were out of the way, she pushed me back and climbed over my lap, straddling me. As far as our intimacy goes, it was a mild session. Almost boring compared to the balls to the walls events that she usually subjected me to, but it was satisfying none the less, and an hour later we were lying in a tangled heap on the floor between the couch and the coffee table where we'd tumbled at some point. Diana had my glasses on her face and was moving them up and down as she stared at the couch. She did this sometimes when she was lost in thought, something about helping her focus, or channelling the nerd thoughts. I just laid there, trying to not bring attention to myself.
It didn't work.
As I took a deep breath, which in turn lifted Diana an inch or so, since she was sprawled across my chest, her head snapped around to look at me. The sight of her eyes focused completely on me, magnified by my glasses which she'd settled on her nose, was rather disconcerting, but I met her gaze resolutely.
"You should tell Tank about your plan," she said firmly.
My brow furrowed of its own accord. It wasn't that I didn't really want to take on the challenge of upgrading the prosthetic. I just didn't think Tank held a very high opinion of me. I certainly didn't want to be alone with him if I ever did scrape up the courage to suggest it. I didn't think he'd go for it. Not if I suggested it. But Diana and Tank had history. He'd been her boy toy in the past. If anyone knew how to manipulate him into giving up something vital to his survival, it was probably Diana. God knows she's got a talent for it. The key here was to carefully manipulate Diana into doing what I wanted. I'd watched her carefully for a while now, and I thought I'd picked up a few tips.
"He'd never go for it," I said with an ever so slightly resigned shrug.
"Sure he would," she assured me. It was quite possibly the most supportive thing she'd ever said. It had me wondering if my manipulation was working or if she had an agenda of her own here. Anything was possible with Diana. Like, maybe she was just trying to goad me on so she could watch me fail. I tried to put those negative thoughts out my head and focus on trying to convince her that I couldn't possible even attempt to suggest this plan to the large, one armed man.
"I'd need to borrow his prosthetic for several weeks," I pointed out. "He kinda needs his arm. There's no way he'd part with it for that long."
I thought that pointing out the futility of the idea might persuade her to do my bidding. Apparently I'd miscalculated, though, because all she did was shrug, give my shoulder a hard bite – the way she showed affection – and said, "Suit yourself." In the next moment I was alone on the floor, my glasses resting on my chest where she'd discarded them as she stood. I didn't have the pleasure of watching her pert behind as she walked away, because a) there was a coffee table in the way and b) my vision was blurry without my glasses.
I sighed and dropped my head back to the floor. Back to the drawing board it was, then. I'd have to scour the security feeds for some usable frames to base my measurements off. Maybe I could buy a second-hand prosthetic on eBay.
*o*
Two Days Later: Parking Garage, RCM Security, Miami
After a long day of trying not to look suspicious or nervous while Diana practically sexually harassed me in the airport, and the plane, and the airport again, and then, just for good measure, the SUV on the drive back to the building - I was lucky I wasn't pulled aside for a random strip search – Greg pulled the SUV into the parking garage and proceeded to the elevator ahead of us. I'm pretty sure Diana's antics had made him almost as uncomfortable as I was.
I'd just opened the trunk to pull out our duffle bags when Diana appeared beside me, her tote bag slung over her shoulder. "I have a present for you," she announced.
My spine stiffened, immediately on edge. The last time she'd uttered those words, I'd been strapped to a wall upside down while she had her way with me. Apparently the harness that kept me from falling was my gift. I let her keep that one. God knows she would be the only one putting it to use. As much as I'd eventually enjoyed the end result, I was not a fan of the blood rushing to my head.
"Oh?" I managed to squeak out, keeping my gaze on the bag I was dragging toward me.
Out of the corner of my eye, I watched as she pulled her 'present' from the tote bag and offered it to me with both hands. A gasp escaped me and my resolve to not look directly at whatever she revealed shattered. "Is that-?" I asked, turning to face her fully, my eyes roving hungrily over the item.
"Tank's super basic robo-arm?" Diana finished my question for me, a smug smile spreading on her lips. "Why yes, I believe it is."
My hands were itching to look it over my closely, but I had some more questions first. Namely, how she'd manage to get it to Miami. "Did you have that in your bag when we went through airport security?" I asked. I could only imagine what they'd thought of that.
Diana rolled her eyes. "No," she said sarcastically. "I wore it as a hat."
I couldn't help the way my face scrunched into the picture of disgust. It was a natural reaction. "That's creepy."
A sigh fell from her lips and she switched her hold to one hand, shoving the other onto her jutted hip as she gave me a look. "If you don't want it, I can take it back," she said.
"How did you get him to agree to it?" I asked, ignoring her words. I needed all the facts. I needed to know if I needed to make my way to a safe house to avoid being pulverised by a very large black man.
She shrugged. "I showed him your sketches."
"YOU WHAT?!" I cried, louder than I'd intended.
Her face was the picture of confusion, so perfect in its expression that I knew it could be nothing but fake. "Did you not hear me?" she asked innocently.
I gripped the strap of my satchel bag where it crossed over my chest, wanting to dig my iPad out and make sure everything was exactly how it should be. "Those sketches were in a password protected file on my personal iPad. In. My. Hand," I pointed out, totally losing my grip on my very mild temper as I raised my voice at the woman. "How did you even gain access to them?"
"I watch you closely," she replied calmly. "I've learned a thing or two."
"Just-" I stammered. "But-" I felt my face heating and could only imagine the shade of red it was turning. "My sketches!" I finally bit out.
Diana was getting exasperated now, a clear sign she was losing patience. "Well what did you expect me to do? Steal it while he was sleeping?"
I hesitated, aware that my answer could offend her. "Kinda…"
She snorted, relieving a tiny bit of the tension that had gripped my chest. But then she spoke and it all came back to me. She was one hundred percent done with my reaction. "Do you want it not?" she demanded.
I didn't think a second longer, grabbing the arm from her hand and making a dash for the stairwell. "I'll be in my lab," I called over my shoulder as the door closed behind me.
If you'd like to see more of Diana and Halfred please let me know. Or let me know what other scenes you'd like to see me add in here.
