Chapter 7

I shot up in bed, wide awake. My heart was thumping in my chest and I was breathing heavy. I checked the time on my phone: 8:27 am, half an hour before I'm usually up. I didn't remember my dream from last night at all, I was just experiencing the aftershock of it. Lucky me. I'm not going to chance it by going back to sleep though, so I might as well get up. I got ready for the day and went into the hallway.

11-7's bedroom door was open, and I heard the tv playing some show. I walked out into the living room, expecting to see her, but she was nowhere to be found. I sat down on the couch and started flicking through channels. As I was flicking through the channels I heard a strange noise, so I turned down the volume.

It sounded like quiet grunting, and it was coming from the... bathroom. I cautiously made my way over to the door. Assuming someone didn't break into my house and decide to use the bathroom, 11-7 was in there doing - something. Normally, I would just walk away my face redder than when I arrived, but she sounded like she was in pain. I even heard something that sounded like someone was rubbing a balloon.

I didn't know what the hell was going on in there, but because of the ruckus she was making I felt compelled to speak up. I knocked on the door. "Uh, you alright in there... 11-7?"

I heard the sounds stop, but she didn't respond. "I might have some uh, laxatives if you need them. Not sure if they'll work on you though."

I heard a popping sound, and things were silent for a few moments before she spoke up. "I'm fine Lucas, thank you."

Definitely going to need to clean and sterilize the whole bathroom before I use it next time. "Oh, ok then. Good luck, I guess."

She didn't respond, and I just sat on the couch and turned up the volume on the tv until I couldn't hear her grunts anymore. Some time after I sat down I saw the bathroom door open, and she was carrying something in her hands. I didn't get a good look at it because the moment she came out of the bathroom she ducked into her bedroom. Whatever she was carrying looked somewhat big. What the hell was she doing in there?

I watched her bedroom door, expecting her to come out at some point, but she didn't. I kept watching tv for a few hours until I heard my phone start ringing. I looked at the caller ID. It displayed the word Manager back to me. Manny? What the hell could he want? I answered the call.

"Mr. Hickey, I have found an excellent opportunity to help restore your reputation." He sounded like he was out of breath.

Something already? Damn, he really worked fast for this one. Though I'm not much use to Advent with a tarnished reputation. "Don't keep me in suspense, what is it?"

"Do not interrupt me while I explain it." Manny paused for a few moments. "I have been contacted by several different news agencies that expressed interest in interviewing you about your "date" with unit 117-45-LH. I turned down all but one of those that asked. The one I didn't turn down has a good reputation. It's a woman by the name of Martha Clarks. She works for a pop culture news show, perhaps you've heard of her? " He stopped speaking.

I shouldn't be surprised, I mean he had 3 interviews lined up for me after I was nearly killed by terrorists. "Give me a break, It's been like one day since I found out."

He cleared his throat. "I understand Mr. Hickey, but you need to understand your position. I won't force you to do this. Whether you go or not is up to you, but this is in your best interest. I can try and salvage your reputation on my own, but I cannot guarantee my level of success. You would look better if you went to this interview, instead of hiding in your house. Think of it, you'd be representing yourself and standing up to your accusers. It would make you look strong and independent in the public's eye, which I believe is the image you wish to maintain."

I hate it when he's right. I sighed. "What will it be like?"

His tone changed, he sounded chipper, or as close as Manny could get to chipper. "It will be short approximately 5-10 minutes in length. The questions will be straightforward and easy. For once, all you have to do is tell the truth. This should be a simple task."

Maybe this won't be too bad. "Okay, I'll do it. Anything else I need to know?"

"You old driver Ronald will pick you up at 3:30 and get you to the news station at 4. Once you get there I'll brief you further on what will happen. You'll have a short meeting with Miss Clarks that I will observe, and you'll give the interview shortly after."

"Jeez you really planned all this out, huh?"

"You're a smart man Mr. Hickey. You know when to take an opportunity if presented with one. I had faith you would make the correct decision."

"Thanks, I guess. Talk to you later."

"Goodbye, Mr. Hickey."

I hung up and stared at my phone until the screen went black. I saw my face reflected back at me. What Manny said was true, this interview is an excellent opportunity. Assuming that Martha Clarks isn't going to try and goad me into saying something I shouldn't. Of course Manny is good at vetting those types, and I'm sure Advent still wants to help me with my reputation. I'm sure if I was unsalvageable they wouldn't hesitate to throw me under the bus. But I don't think I'm at that point yet.

I've got to prepare for this thing somehow. I could start with remembering what happened and once I've gotten that down I'll modify it to make me look better. As long as the questions are focused on what happened I should be ok. It's a short interview, she's not gonna have enough time to go on tangents. The more I think about this interview, the better it sounds.

I spent the next few hours preparing for my interview. Luckily, I wasn't distracted by anything during that time. My reptilian roommate must have been occupied with something because she didn't come out of her room until it was time for me to leave. I threw on my tan suit with a red tie, and walked over to 11-7's door.

0-

11-7 cocked her head. "You are giving an interview about the event that has caused you much distress?"

"Yeah, I'm not super excited about it, but I have to do it. Driver's here, so get ready quick. I'll be outside by the car."

She nodded and pulled her head into her bedroom before shutting the door.

Strange that she's been in her room all day, but it's probably nothing. After all, I was content with hiding in my house for the rest of my vacation.

I walked out to the car and there I saw Ron leaning against the side of the car smoking a cigarette. He looked like someone's grandpa, and in fact he was, he's talked about his grandchildren to me before. He had a thick grey moustache that spread across his upper lip, and had thinning hair up top that he usually covered up with a fishing-related baseball cap. He wore thick glasses because he refused to get any gene-modifications to fix his eyes, but despite that he's the best driver I've had.

He's never told me why, but I know why. It's probably for the same reason I've never used one of those gene clinics. Some of my neighbors don't care about that and they often brag about the new modifications they've gotten at neighborhood parties. For most of us we knew better. It's a rule that no one put in place and one we've never discussed: don't let Advent modify you. Course we can't criticize people for getting modifications either, that would make the unspoken rule, spoken and then the thin line we all tread would fall out from under us. We were lucky, due to our positions in society my neighbors and I were not "encouraged" to go to the gene clinics like most civilians were. Advent was already getting its use out of us. I don't know exactly what goes on at those clinics, but they aren't just for the benefit of humanity, of that I am certain.

He pulled his cigarette out of his mouth and waved at me as I was walking up to him. "Howdy."

I smiled. "Ron, you old fuck, I thought you were dead. They really let you out of the hospital this soon?"

He chuckled. "No, ya see I had to break out, the police are still after me. But ya know it takes a lot more than a bomb blast to keep this ol' soldier down. What happened to you? I saw the interview when I was layin in a hospital bed, but ya know how these things go."

"Good to hear. Yeah, what you heard on the news was true. I killed one of those terrorists and barely got out of there with my life."

"I wish I was back there with ya and not knocked out in the front seat. We coulda gotten all of them bastards, instead of just one. Speaking of that, where's your en-tour-age."

"Trying out a new word?"

"I figured I should try and learn some new ones. I'm starting to get tired of using the same ones."

"Good for you. She'll be out in a bit. She's getting ready."

He got a look in his eye. "She'll? She's? You holdin out on me boy?"

Oh great here we go. "It's not what you think, she is just - my bodyguard."

He took a long and thoughtful drag from his cigarette. "Oh I think it's exactly what I think it is. You sweet talked Advent - and somehow got yerself a hot and bea-u-tiful broad to guard you. I've seen some of them girlies walking around on patrol a few times, and they ain't half bad lookin. So, she's livin in your house, huh?"

"Well, of course she lives with me, that's Advent's policy. But she is not..."

"Oh ho ho, someone's red at the cheeks. Give me details boyo. Do you like her? Is she a looker?" He cupped invisible breasts in front of his chest, still holding the cigarette. "How large are her assets?"

I was about to again attempt to explain an important detail to him, but 11-7 made her appearance, so it was unnecessary. Ron was mid-puff when he saw her slither out of my house. He looked to my left and his eyes widened. The smoke he was breathing out got caught in his throat, and he broke out into a coughing fit.

He leaned over while he was coughing. "Why - didn't - you - say she was - a goddamn snake." He struggled to get that sentence out while he was coughing."

I spoke quietly to him. "I was trying to Ron, but you kept interrupting me, you jackass."

After a few deep breaths He straightened himself out. He looked at 11-7 again, seemingly appraising her with the focus of a jeweler as she was slithering over. He elbowed me and whispered. "Well she does have pretty large knockers fer a snake. S'pose I can't blame ya." He started to cackle after saying that.

11-7 looked at us both through squinched eyes. "What are you two taking about?"

God this is so embarrassing. "Nothing." I gestured to Ron. "This is..."

He took his hat off and did a little bow. "Ronald Gallagher, best diver in the city. At yer service mam." Always the show off, guess he really has healed up.

She cocked her head. "Your designation isn't Ron?"

Ron put his hat back on and looked at me with an eyebrow raised. I answered the question he didn't ask. "She's asking about your name."

He looked back at her. "No mam, it is a nickname."

"Nick - name?"

He removed his hat for a second and scratched his head. "It is a name my friends call me, but not my real name. My nickname is short for Ronald"

She pondered what he said, and glanced my way a few times while she was thinking. Then she looked at him. "May I call you Ron?"

He smiled. "Well, seeing as you were so polite about it, sure."

She smiled slightly. "Thank you... Ron."

He returned his attention to me. "So I'm taking you to an interview huh. Thought you were on vacation?"

"I am, this isn't technically for work. It's for me."

"Well, I reckon we best get a move on then. You can tell me the details while I drive."

The drive to the news station was uneventful. Ron seemed to be getting along well with 11-7 after his initial shock, which wasn't surprising. When Ron wasn't around his wife, he spent most of his down time leering at anything with tits and two legs. Though 11-7 doesn't have legs, so I guess it's just anything with tits now. I was quiet for the drive, going over what I had planned to say for the interview in my head.

"We're here!"

I shook myself from my thoughts "Huh, what?"

Ron looked back at me. "Get yer head outta yer ass, ya got an interview ta do."

"Right you are, I'll see you around."

I stepped out of the car and squinted my eyes. I put my sunglasses back on and got a good look at the building. It was standard fare for a building on the outskirts of downtown. White colored metal, covered with picture windows. The shape was blocky with lots of hard edges. No effort put into the look of the architecture at all. Definitely a building made after the invasion by Advent. The only thing on it that made it stand out from the buildings around it was the sign above the entrance that read: The Public Echo, in blue text.

As I walked towards the entrance I heard 11-7 slide up next to me. She spoke, to my surprise. "Are you certain you want to do this?"

I looked at her. She seemed somewhat concerned, but I couldn't tell if it was for me or for herself. "I don't want to do this, but that's life. More often than not I have to do things I don't want to. It's not like someone else could do this interview for me." Her concern remained, but I could tell by the way she looked at me that she understood why I was going.

We walked through the glass double doors and went through a small security checkpoint. A man in a black suit walked up to me once we were through. "Mr. Hickey I presume."

"That'd be me."

"If you'll follow me I can take you to your room. Your manager is waiting for you there."

I followed the man to a staircase. We were about halfway to the next floor when I heard 11-7 say something. "Is there an elevator nearby?"

The man and I turned around and saw her at the bottom of the stairs. Her hood was contracted slightly and I noticed the tip of her tail was curled up.

I'd never thought about her climbing stairs until now, so I spoke first. "You can't climb stairs?"

She furrowed her brow. "I can maneuver up stairs... Just not stairs that are this steep while wearing all my equipment." Considering how thick her body is, I can see how it would be difficult to get any traction or purchase on these stairs. Good thing to note if I ever get chased by a Viper I suppose.

The man responded. "There is one down that hall and to the left. The room is on the second floor. Mr. Hickey and I will wait for you outside of the elevator."

With that 11-7 quickly slithered off down the hall. We made it up the stairs and waited outside of the elevator. It sounded with a ding and as the doors slowly slid open I saw her looking irritated. I couldn't help but chortle at the thought of a trained Advent soldier being unable to use certain kinds of stairs. She stared daggers at me in response, as she moved out of the elevator.

It was a short walk the rest of the way to my room. I said goodbye to the man and walked in. It looked the same as any other waiting room I'd been in. Few comfortable looking reclining chairs, big mirror, and a small fridge with some refreshments. Manny was pacing around in the corner of the room with his hands behind his back when we walked in. I stepped to the side of the door, so 11-7 had room to enter.

Manny looked over at me and grinned. "Welcome Mr. Hickey. Punctual as always." He turned his attention to 11-7. "Unit 117, I do believe this is the first time I've seen you in the flesh. How are you liking your assignment? I hope Mr. Hickey hasn't been giving you too much grief."

Her body language changed the moment my manager addressed her. She seemed more rigid and her movements were deliberate, mechanical almost. Her tone changed too, and she spoke with little inflection. "Mr. Hickey has been accommodating and friendly towards me. I have no complaints about my assignment." It was strange to hear them talk about me. Most people would consider this to be rude, but as usual Manny probably knew that and didn't care.

"Good." He lifted up his spectacles for a moment and scanned her face. "Not too friendly, I hope." she shook her head almost imperceptibly and that seemed to satisfy him. Manny turned his gaze to me. "I wish we were here under better circumstances, but as you know Mr. Hickey you have an interview to do. Miss Clarks shall be here shortly, so I'll brief you now." Manny and I sat on two chairs that were across from each other with a coffee table in the middle.

The brief was short and sweet. The interview length had decreased by a few minutes, which I didn't mind, but it seemed pretty straightforward. 11-7 initially seemed interested, but after a few minutes that interest disappeared completely. She was sitting on one of the chairs with her body stretched out on the floor. We had gotten far into a discussion on strategy for the interview before I heard a knock at the door.

"May I come in Mr. Hickey?" The voice was feminine sounding and it was muffled through the door.

I looked from the door to Manny. He spoke up. "Come in Miss Clarks, we are sufficiently prepared."

The door opened and I finally got a look at Miss Clarks. She was younger looking than I expected. Fair skinned and had a face that was pleasing to the eye. Brown eyes, and long brown hair. She wore a black coat over a white blouse, and a medium length black skirt that held tightly to her body. Her whole look screamed librarian at me.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you Mr. Hickey." She walked towards me and offered her hand for me to shake. I saw 11-7 tense up out of the corner of my eye as I shook it. "How are you doing?"

I chuckled at her question. "I've been better Miss Clarks, I've definitely been better."

She smiled. "Well I hope to change that. All too often people's lives get ruined over rumors and... misinformation. I want to give you a space to tell the world what really happened, whatever that might be."

Yeah, out of the goodness of your heart, huh. Or is it because you want the ratings. "That's a nice sentiment. So, what do you want to discuss before the interview?"

"I want to get to know you better before the interview, so I know who I'm interviewing. Talking to a person face to face is so much more interesting than reading and doing research."

I shrugged. "I guess I can see that. Well let's get down to business. I sat back down in my chair and Manny got up out of his, and gestured for Miss Clarks to sit in it.

She seemed conflicted and looked like she was about to speak before she decided against it. Then after a few moments she decided to speak. "I was uh, hoping I'd have Mr. Hickey all to myself for this conversation."

Manny gritted his teeth audibly. "That wasn't what was agreed upon Miss Clarks."

She looked like she had been caught stealing something. "I know, I know. It's just I want him to act casually around me so he'll be more comfortable during the interview." Yeah, or she's gonna try and get me alone so she can record me saying something stupid. But honestly I'm not even getting that vibe from her.

I waved Manny over. "Let me discuss this with my manager."

He walked over. "I don't know why you are even entertaining this Mr. Hickey. This is not a good idea."

"It would make me look more genuine. I just want to confirm some things with you before I decide. Does she really have a good reputation? And is this place funded by Advent?"

He nodded. "She has not tried to entrap any of the people she's interviewed, and her interviews tend to be more casual in appearance. So she is likely being genuine with her intentions. The Public Echo is partially funded by Advent, but not completely. I still would advise against this Mr. Hickey."

I glanced back at 11-7, she was watching Miss Clarks closely. She met my gaze when she noticed I was looking at her. Unfortunately, she didn't offer any hints as to what she was thinking and went back to watching Miss Clarks after a few moments.

I decided to agree to a private conversation with Miss Clarks. "I'll do it, since it'll help with the interview."

I saw a spark behind her eyes ignite. "Thank you so much. You won't regret this."

She sat down in the chair across from me, and I watched as Manny and 11-7 left the room. Manny left immediately, but 11-7 took her sweet time, and stared down Miss Clarks the whole way out, even casting a final hostile glance before closing the door. Why is she so hostile towards Miss Clarks? She must have picked up on something I didn't, this may have been a bad idea.

Miss Clarks seemed oblivious to 11-7's hostility. She was focused entirely on me now. "I'm so happy you agreed to this. You have no idea how hard it was to get this interview. I was actually interviewed by your manager yesterday, and he did his research on me."

I nodded. "Yeah, he's good at what he does, I can't deny that. So, uh how do you want to do this Miss Clarks?"

She giggled. "Well you can start by dropping the formality Lucas. You can call me Martha."

"Ok Martha, so what did you want to talk about."

"Oh I just want to learn about your background a little, but I think we should start with an easy one to break the ice." She got a serious look in her eye. What... is your favorite color?"

My favorite color, what is this preschool? I sighed "Red."

"Oh come on, liven up. You know your manager isn't here anymore. You don't have to score points by picking Advent's color."

I snickered a little at that. "Alright, but red is actually my favorite color. Kind of convenient since it's plastered everywhere though."

She nodded and pulled out a notepad. "Likes the color red." She spoke aloud as she wrote on the notepad. "It's a start. Why do you like the color red?"

"Well, I just do... I guess it's a color that's really eye-catching and it's the color of passion."

"A man of passion then. Should I make a note of that?"

"What, you need to make a note of that? I thought it was obvious."

She started laughing, and it took her a few moments to calm down. "I'm sorry, you'll have to forgive me. I'm somewhat of a fan of you."

I find that hard to believe. I'm not a well known actor, and it's hard to believe my interviewer just so happens to be a fan. "Are you now... Tell me, what's your favorite performance of mine?"

"Ooo, that's a toughy." She paused for a few moments to think. "I really liked your performance in Intruder. Your portrayal of a man just trying to protect his family was powerful, and that scene when the wife died was so sad. I cry every time I see it."

"I wasn't expecting that. Didn't Intruder do bad at the box office though?"

She nodded. "It did, but it wasn't because of your performance."

"Well, thank you. I try to put my all into my roles, even if I play a small part. Kind of ironic that's the only movie I was the lead in and it bombed... Let's move on to your questions about my background."

Martha was scribbling furiously and looked up at me after I suggested we move on. "Oh, ok. I just want to make sure I have your background right." She flipped back in her notepad and assumed a more professional seating position. "So, when you were younger you lived on a farm with your parents?"

"I did."

"What was that like?"

Thinking back on my younger years always brings back bad memories. I sighed. "It was alright. Had a big family, so I was never lonely. Plenty of brothers and sisters to keep me company, but there was a lot of work to be done, and all of us had to pull our own weight. We had to work together as a family to overcome a lot of challenges, especially during Advent's... liberation."

She wrote some things down. "Interesting. Do you keep in contact with your family?"

I shook my head. "Not really, they never approved of me leaving, or of my choices after leaving. I doubt they'd want to talk to me, even after all I've done for myself... Course it's my life to live, not theirs."

"Why did you leave?"

I chuckled at that question. "Why does anyone move out of their parents house? I wanted to see what was out there beyond the fence of the farm and the small town we lived near. I wanted to come to the city and make something of myself without their help. Plus I was never really cut out to be a farmer."

Martha's cheery disposition turned more solemn. "That must have been hard on you... I can't imagine not speaking to my parents."

"Yeah. Well, I get by, and it doesn't bother me that much anymore."

She scribbled on her notepad some more. "What was your relationship with your parents like before you left?"

"What is this, a therapy session? I don't see how my relationship with my parents has any bearing on the interview we'll be doing today."

She looked a little caught off guard by my outburst. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to overstep my bounds. I was just trying to get a profile on you, in case you wanted to do future interviews with me."

"Well that's fine, but let's just stick to the script. And don't ask me any questions like that when we do the actual interview."

"Don't worry I won't ask you anything like that. I want to get your side of the story on the air, not your background."

"Thank you."

An alarm started to go off. She looked at her phone and pushed on the screen. "Well, that's all the time we have together for now.' She stood up, and walked over to me. I stood up too. She reached a hand forward for me to shake. I shook it. "It was interesting meeting you Lucas, I can't wait to talk more, in front of a camera. See you in 20 minutes."

She turned to leave the room, and I couldn't help but notice the way her hips swayed as she walked out of the room. As soon as she left 11-7 and Manny came back into the room. Manny was impressed with my ability to keep Martha talking about nothing important, even though I was just answering her questions. 11-7 didn't say much, she just nodded at me when I looked at her. I prepared some more and sat around drinking cans of apple juice, because that was the only non alcoholic beverage they had in the fridge, waiting for the interview to start. Eventually I heard a knock at the door, and walked off towards the set.

The interview room was well lit and clean. There were a number of staff walking around adjusting the lighting and various other things, and a man stood next to a large camera. The interview area was set up to look like a living room. Carpeting on the floor two comfy looking chairs separated by a few feet. There were some water bottles on a wooden table that sat in between them. Around and above the area being filmed it looked like a steel and concrete warehouse. I guess that's how it always is with people, they only care about what's on the surface, or what they can see.

Philosophy aside, I saw Martha was already sitting in her chair, so I sat down in my chair across from her. She spoke first. "Are you ready Lucas?"

I nodded. "Ready as I'll ever be."

The tv camera guy counted down from three using his fingers and we were live. Martha gave her introduction. "I'm here today with actor Lucas Hickey, who you may know as Private Johnston from the popular show Home-Wreckers. He has been in the public's eye recently because of some gossip about his relationship with his bodyguard." She paused for a few moments and looked over at me. "I think we should address the question that's on everyone's mind before we get into the details. So tell us, are the rumors true?"

I shook my head. "No, this is simply a made up theory that came from a few photos. A theory that some journalists jumped on to get the story out first without bothering to investigate."

She smiled. "And that's why I brought you on, so we could hear the truth. Which leads me into my next question, what actually happened that day at Advent Burger?" She leaned forward slightly after finishing.

I paused for a few moments to gather up my thoughts. "My new bodyguard had been assigned to me recently, and now that I had some protection again I felt safe enough to go out."

I paused for a few seconds, so Martha butted in. "I'm surprised you would go out so soon after the terrorist attack."

I chuckled. "Yeah, well Advent assured me I would be fine, so I trusted them. Haven't been attacked since that day, so they were right. Anyway, I decided to go to an Advent burger. And, of course, my bodyguard had to come with me, for my safety. So we went to Advent Burger together."

"Then your guard was there to protect you?"

"Yes, exactly, but apparently that's not obvious to some people. I was a bit hesitant to bring her in with me, but it was better to not take that chance."

She paused for a few moments before responding. "That explains why your guard was there with you, but why were you eating together?"

I cleared my throat and swallowed. "It would have been rude if I was stuffing my face in front of her, and didn't offer to get her something beforehand."

She seemed satisfied with my answer. "My, such a gentleman." She laughed after saying that. "So, what exactly is your relationship with your bodyguard?"

This question was the one I prepared for the most. "We interact with one another, but we are not friends. Our relationship is strictly professional. I don't know her very well, at best we are acquainted with one another." Not exactly true, but I've got an image to keep, and I cannot leave this open ended.

She referred to her notes after I answered the question. "One of the rumors that has been circulating is that it lives in your house with you."

I nodded. "It is standard procedure that Advent security staff live with the person that they are protecting. Before I had her, three Advent troopers were living in my house. There are additional measures in place to protect me at home, but I won't go into detail about them for obvious reasons."

She laughed. "Are you sure you don't want to give us detailed information on your security system?"

I chuckled and shook my head. "No, maybe if you got me drunk enough I would."

As Martha laughed again, she looked over at the cameraman. He signaled to her by holding up two fingers. "One final question, I noticed you've referred to your bodyguard using she and her during this interview. What is that about?"

That was unexpected. I paused for a few moments to think of a response "Well, she's not an it. - I mean, she can not only talk, but she can also hold a conversation... It would be demeaning to refer to her as an it." This next line I just thought of will probably get Manny's dick hard, if he has one. "Besides, it is the Elder's will that we all live together in harmony. We should all respect our fellow earthlings, no matter what they look like." I smiled after saying that. God that's so cringy, I hope it's not showing up on my face.

She looked at the camera. "That's all we have time for today unfortunately. I must say, I'm convinced. But don't stop here guys, carry on the conversation online. And remember to keep tuning into The Public Echo for your professional pop culture news." She looked over at me. "It's been a pleasure Lucas."

"The pleasure was all mine Martha."

We shook hands and the camera man gave us a hand signal that implied the broadcast had been cut.

Martha laughed. "Wow, you are really good at this. I even threw you a curveball there at the end."

I shrugged. "When you do public speaking and Acting as a career you tend to get good at it."

"You're not upset about any of the questions are you? I didn't want to press you too hard."

I shook my head. "I think we stayed on track, which was the important part. I'm feeling pretty good about this interview. But I've got to go meet with my manager. I'll see you later."

She looked like she wanted to say something, but she didn't stop me when I walked away. "Goodbye..."

The walk back to my waiting room was short and once inside I was greeted by a pleased Manny.

"I couldn't have said it better myself Mr. Hickey. Once again you prove your value to Advent."

"Hey thanks, maybe we should celebrate a little. There are some drinks in that fridge other than apple juice."

I saw his eyes widen in surprise, but he didn't say no. I went over to the fridge and grabbed myself a beer and handed one to him.

I looked at 11-7, but when her gaze met mine I couldn't tell what she was thinking. She seemed reserved. "You want one?"

She shook her head, and didn't speak. After that she avoided looking at me. I went and sat on a chair.

Manny looked over at me, still standing up. "This isn't Liquor Mr. Hickey."

I cracked mine open and took a sip. "Nope, but it does the same thing as liquor. You just have to drink more of it."

He nodded and gulped some of it down. I saw a look of disgust spread across his face. "It tastes disgusting."

I laughed at that. "Most people don't drink it for the taste. Least, I don't." I took another drink.

He sat down across from me, examining the can in his hand. "I suppose a celebration is in order. Your performance was exemplary today."

I knocked back a few beers with Manny as we discussed my performance in the interview. As I was starting to feel buzzed our conversation topics shifted to small talk. 11-7 observed us, but her gaze was empty. I detected no emotion from it, and she didn't speak to either of us.

"So, you like alcohol. Better be careful, it might grab hold of you like it did the Native Americans."

Manny shook his head. "Don't compare me to them. I have the ability to stop whenever I want to."

"Have you ever been to a bar, or a club? There are all kinds of drinks you can order. Most of them taste better than beer." I said as I finished another can of beer.

He shook his head. "Being surrounded by a large grouping of intoxicated humans with loud music playing is not worthwhile, when I can buy drinks somewhere else."

"Ey fair enough. It's about the experience though. The music's usually not terrible. Just beats with synth and shitty pop music. You can ignore it."

"I do not understand why anyone would want to go."

"Some people go to meet other people..." It was then I got a really good idea. "Hey, I just thought of something. I feel great after that interview. What if I went down to a club, and showed the public that I'm still - on the market."

His lips stretched into a wicked smile. "I like the way you think Mr. Hickey... but is this strictly for business, or pleasure?"

I shrugged. "A little of both I guess."

"What club did you have in mind?"

"Hmmm, could try the new one downtown. I think it's called Exxsite or something."

"I can easily get you in. When did you want to be there?"

"Sooner rather than later."

He nodded. "I will return to my abode and organize it. You'll receive a message if I'm successful."

He strode out the door, leaving me and 11-7 alone. I drank in silence for a while, then I turned around to look over at her. "Great interview huh." I did a fist pump with my arm as I said that.

She looked at me with a neutral expression, and spoke with a tinge of animosity in her voice. "Yes, very - professional."

I laughed. "That's it? I killed it out there! I had that interviewer eating out of the palm of my hand."

She looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language. "You did good."

She's talking like Manny is still here. "Lighten up a little 11-7. Manny's not here anymore, you don't have to be so serious around me."

She was about to respond, then I heard a knock at the door. I opened it and saw a familiar interviewer standing there. "Oh, Martha. Hello."

She started playing with her hair a little, and didn't meet my gaze. "Hey, I was wondering if you'd want to go to a party later. I'm allowed to bring one guest and I figured why not you."

"Uhhh. Well, I already have plans unfortunately. Sorry, maybe another time."

She met my gaze. "Oh don't be sorry. Here's my number if you ever want to do something." She thrust a piece of paper in my hands and left the door way, walking down the hall.

I watched her walk down the hall and went back into the room when I saw her turn a corner. As I was looking at her number I saw 11-7 watching me with great interest out of the corner of my eye. I chuckled and ripped up the paper before shoving the pieces in my pocket.

11-7 spoke up. "Why did you just rip that up?"

"Huh" I looked over at her.

Her eyes were squinted and she seemed very invested in my answer. "That woman gave you a way to contact her. Why did you destroy it?"

"Oh, that's easy. Journalists and vip's don't mix. Things just wouldn't work out between Martha and me because I can't trust her. Never know when she might turn on me to get out some big story to further her career."

She looked satisfied and pondered what I said. "I understand."

I sighed. "Yup, that's the position I'm put in. It's difficult to find people to hang out with that you can trust to not stab you in the back first chance they get." I took another swig from my beer.

She lowered her head and stared at the ground for a few moments. Then she looked back up at me. "Do you trust - me?"

I chuckled and pointed at her. "You're funny." She looked uncertain. "Course I do, you haven't given me a reason not to anyway." Jeez that was a weird thing to say, maybe I'd better slow down on the brewskis.

She turned her head and I saw a small grin cross her face. I got a message on my phone and looked to see who it was. It was Manny, and he got me a spot at the club I mentioned.

"Looks like we're going on a field trip."

She looked back at me, and cocked her head slightly. "What do you mean?"

"Manny got me a spot at the club I mentioned earlier."

"You want to go out now?"

"Yeah, why not? Could be another opportunity to dispel the rumors."

Her hood contracted slightly, and she shook her head. "I don't think it's a good idea, so soon after the interview."

"Oh please, don't be so negative. Anyway, we should get going. Ron is waiting for us."

As I left the room I noticed 11-7 was hesitant to leave, but soon after I was in the hallway she slithered out and caught up to me. As we got to the stairs I felt her tap my shoulder.

I turned to look at her. "I'll use the elevator."

"Ok." So I followed her to the elevator. Kind of weird that she requested that I go with her, but whatever. When we got to the door she slithered in, and gave me a strange look when I walked in behind her. It was a little cramped, but she coiled up her body so I had some space.

I looked up over my shoulder at her. "You know, you're really good at that."

She squinted her eyes and looked down at me. "What am I good at."

I gestured to her body. "The coiling... thing. I mean, you are like massive and you somehow always manage to take up so little space. It's impressive."

She gave me another look that made me feel like I was the giant alien in the elevator, instead of her. After a few more moments the doors to the elevator opened and soon after we were outside and climbing into the car. Ron was pretty enthusiastic about me going to a club and said I should get out like this more often.

As we were driving down 11-7 broke the silence with a query. "Why are you going to a nightclub?"

"It's to uh, pick up chicks, and to show I'm still on the market."

She was quiet, probably processing what I said, for a few moments. "Acquiring young chickens? And you're attempting to sell them? But there are none anymore. It is Advent policy that people are not allowed to own any animals. I would have to report you, please reconsider this Lucas."

I heard Ron start laughing. "You don't know diddly squat, do ya snake."

She looked at him and furrowed her brow. "I know what is illegal and what isn't."

"Chill out there, I'm not doing anything illegal. That was just an expression."

She looked at me indignantly. "What does picking up chicks mean then."

I chuckled. "Well uh, it's when you go out and look for some ladies, converse with them for a bit, and try to convince them to come home with you."

Ron stopped at a red light and looked back at me. "You are too... tech-ni-cal with your descriptions. You won't catch any honeys talkin like that."

I pointed at myself with my thumb. "I am a master of seduction. Just you wait and see, I'll bring back a Gal with me."

"Might get cramped in the back if there's three of ya. She'll have to sit up front with Uncle Ron." He patted the passenger seat in the front.

I laughed at that.

11-7 thought about this for a few moments, and her tongue was flicking out much slower than usual. "I do not think you will have much success Lucas." She stated it like a fact, but I think she was joking around.

I heard Ron burst into laughter. "See, even the snake is questioning your ability."

I looked at her and she was snickering to herself, like a child. The audacity of this alien. "Oh what do you know, you didn't even know what picking up chicks meant."

She stopped snickering and looked at me with a smirk. "You are correct, I didn't, but I've learned much about human behavior since I received this assignment."

I poked 11-7 in her shoulder pad as I spoke. Her hood flared out and her eyes widened slightly. "I'll show you. Maybe I'll bring back 2 or 3 girls just to show you how wrong you are."

She squinted her eyes and leaned her head closer to me. "We will see."

So she accepted my challenge, great. There's just one problem: my confidence is a leaning tower that is currently being propped up with cans of beer. Judging from her body language she seems pretty confident in her assessment of me. There's no way she could know I'm inexperienced with this, can she smell the virgin on me? Not that I am a virgin, I just don't do this on the regular, or at all really. Why am I always getting into these stupid situations.

The rest of the drive there was relatively quiet, with 11-7 casting me a snide glance every once in a while. I thought about what the hell I was going to do when we got there. Soon enough I heard the sound of muffled beats and EDM. I looked out the window as we pulled up. It was almost dark out now, the street and the sidewalk were lit up with intermittent street lights that cast a hazy white glow over everything. The building itself was black with white stone tiles adorning the wall. There were no windows, just a door, and a glowing white sign that spelled Exxcite. The clean minimalist look of it made it stand out from the buildings that surrounded it. Well that, and the long line of people standing along the sidewalk to get in.

He pulled up on the other side of the line. "We ave arrived. Jesus, I'd hate to be standin in a line like that."

I smirked and looked at him. "You think I wait in lines old man? You forget, I work for Advent."

I opened the door and stumbled out of the car. I looked back and saw 11-7 slithering out. Once she was out, It took me a few moments to gather my thoughts, but I told her my game plan. "Now listen, not everyone is as used to you as I am, so when I'm making my moves..." Shit, I lost my train of thought. "Could you like, guard me from a distance?"

She nodded. "I wouldn't want to hurt your chances Lucas; I will observe from a distance." She leaned forward slightly. "But I will be observing closely."

"Uh, good to know, follow me, and don't talk to anyone."

As I walked up to the door of the nightclub I noticed that some of the people standing in line shot me nasty looks. Eh, their fault for not being famous. I walked up to the bouncer, who was a behemoth of a man crammed into a black button up shirt and black slacks. He was almost as wide as he was tall, bald with a short trimmed beard. He was already talking to some people, so I waited for him to finish with them. He let them walk in and then turned his attention to me.

"Sorry buddy, you and your..." He was looking at 11-7 and her plasma rifle. He seemed to be slightly unnerved.

"Bodyguard."

"You and your... bodyguard will have to get in line."

"I should be on the VIP list, look up the name Lucas Hickey."

"Okay, I'll look." He started typing on a tablet device he was holding. After a few seconds he looked back up at me. "Yeah you're on the list, you can head on through."

"Thank you." I walked past him into the nightclub. I'm sure he was happy to get away from us. The moment I walked in all of my senses were bombarded. There were flashing lights of different colors, some generic electronic music with a repeating beat was playing loudly, and it smelled like sweat and alcohol. The inside was sizable, sporting many tables, a big dance floor with a DJ booth, and more than one bar. It was packed, why there had to be at least 100 people here.

I looked at 11-7 she was scanning the entire room, probably looking for potential threats. I walked over to an empty table and as she followed me, she got plenty of looks on the way there, but it didn't seem like she cared. Lucky for her I guess, too focused on her job to realize how much she stood out. All these people, it's been ages since I've done something like this. I might need a shot of liquid confidence, maybe even 2 or 3.

"I'll be going up to the bar, so where do you want to sit?"

She didn't even look at me, she continued to survey the surrounding area as she spoke to me. "This spot has a sufficient view of the bar, I will be here."

"Ok, I guess I'll holler if I need you."

She regarded me with a serious expression. "That won't be necessary."

"O-kay? Good to know, I guess." I walked up to the bar and sat on an empty barstool. The bartender walked over to me. He wore a black button up shirt and black slacks, same as the bouncer out front; must be their uniform.

"What would you like to drink, sir?"

"Uhhhh, just get me a shot of vodka, and a rum and cola."

"Right away sir." He typed on a tablet on a stand and gestured for me to pay. I waved by phone in front of it. While he made my drinks, I surveyed my surroundings. I saw two girls, who were attractive looking sitting together at the end of the bar, there's a mark. I also saw a more mature woman sitting alone at a table looking somewhat sad, mark number two. I heard the bartender set my drinks down, so I turned back to face the bar. I slammed the shot and took a few big gulps of my rum cola, before heading over to the two girls. Here I go.

As I approached they were talking about someone named Jessica. I interrupted them. "So, how are you ladies doing tonight?"

They both turned to face me, and seemed interested in my sudden appearance. The one on the right was a longhaired blonde and was wearing a tight purple dress. The other one was a brunette with short wavy hair in a modest black blouse and trouser combo. The blonde spoke first. "We're doing great, super excited about getting into this club."

The brunette shared her sentiments. "Yeah, the wait to get in took for-ever."

"That line did look pretty long, course I got it right away, so the wait wasn't too bad for me."

The blonde looked surprised, but the brunette wasn't impressed. "Yeah, right. Who are you?"

"The name's Lucas, Lucas Hickey. I'm an actor, been in a few movies and TV shows."

The brunette frowned. "I've never heard of you." The blonde seemed to be in deep thought about something.

Well that's understandable, not everyone knows who I am, but this exchange isn't going well, time to change the subject. "I noticed you ladies didn't have any drinks, so I figured I'd come over and fix that problem."

The promise of a free drink did catch the brunette's attention. "I could use a drink, what about you Stacy?"

"I'll get one too."

"Go ahead and ask the bartender I'll pay for it."

The two women got their drinks and were sipping on them happily.

I leaned onto the bar and tried to sound serious for a moment. "Now, let me ask you ladies a question real quick. Have either of you had an officially recognized hero buy you a drink before?"

The brunette responded. "No, I haven't. Who are you?"

I started to explain to them who I was, and what I did as a job. The brunette seemed to be interested in me, but just as I was about to seal the deal, the blonde spoke up. "I thought I recognized you, you're that guy who fucked his viper bodyguard. Oh my god, he's the Advent snake fucker, Skylar." Instantly the brunette backed off.

God - fucking - dammit. I cleared my throat. "Those are unsubstantiated rumors that were peddled by shitty journalists."

They didn't respond. "Look, I just did an interview about this a couple hours ago..."

They still didn't look like they believed me. This went south very fast, guess it's time to go big, or go home. "You know hypothetically speaking, if I could keep a creature of that size - satisfied, that would be good for you wouldn't it?" I raised my eyebrows a few times in quick succession, for added effect.

Disgust crawled across both of their faces. The blonde spoke up first. "You're a creep."

I looked to the brunette for support, but she turned away from me. Then they got up and walked over to some girl that was waving at them, presumably that was Jessica. Damn, I was so close, stupid blonde. If only she was airhead type, I could have gotten some action. I finished the rest of my rum and cola, and got a refill. After chilling at the bar for a few minutes I decided to try again. After all, not everyone thinks the same, time for round 2.

The rest of the night went just as terribly, as I tried talking to various women. Some recognized me as the Advent snake fucker, others said they had boyfriends that were just not present apparently. Hell, a few of them just outright ignored me. Tonight was not going as well as I hoped it would, and it is not giving me the self confidence boost I so sorely needed. Throughout that time I kept looking back at 11-7, expecting her to be laughing at my failures, or at least to cast me a smug look. But every time she bore a neutral expression and seemed to be more focused on her job than mocking me.

After all that failure I just decided to sit at the bar, I was tired and didn't feel like talking to anyone else. I sat there sipping at my rum cola until it ran out, then I started chewing the ice that was leftover. I sat there alone for quite some time, then I felt a tap on my shoulder and saw an arm reach in front of me and set a drink down.

"Need a refill mister?" The voice was feminine and I kind of recognized it, but I couldn't figure out who it was.

I turned to face the mystery woman. "Hey, thanks... Claire." This night was about to get even worse.

She sat down next to me, and I looked her up and down. She was wearing a black crop top and a short skirt that barely made it to her knees. She brushed a few strands of her brown curly hair away from her face. "Long time no see Lucas, having some trouble with the ladies tonight."

"Yeah, I would have preferred the long time no see. And what I am doing is not any of your business."

She made a fake shocked expression. "So rude. I know we separated on not the best terms, but that was like 3 years ago, you should let it go."

She's just trying to get me riled up, and you know what, it's working. "Listen you lucid bitch, you cheated on me. I don't want anything to do with you."

"I know, you hate me. I'm not asking you to forgive me, I just want to talk is all. You're the only person I know here."

I looked at her face, she was as drunk as I was. Not worth the energy. "Whatever, I don't care."

"So, how have you been. You know, I still watch some of your movies now and again."

"I'm fine. Where is your fiancé anyway. I'm sure he'd have something to say about you talking to me."

She made a dismissive gesture with her hand. "Oh Mark, he's working overtime at the gene clinic tonight."

I scoffed. "He let you come here by yourself, what a cuck. You two are perfect for each other."

She frowned, seems like I finally got under her skin. "I could say the same about you, and that bodyguard of yours." she smirked.

OK, that is the last time I take that sitting down tonight. "Oh would you shut up. We lived together for a few years, you know I hate those fucking aliens. I don't even like talking to them, much less fucking one."

She took a sip of her drink and smiled coyly at me. "People change Lucas, and it has been a while since we lived together. Never knew you were such a freak underneath that soft exterior, makes me wish we didn't break up."

"Just get the fuck away from me. You've had your fun, now go find someone else to cheat on your fiancé with."

"I would never cheat on my fiancé, you are so childish."

I stood up and pointed at her. "Childish! I..."

Just as I was really about to lay into her 11-7 slithered up beside me and spoke. "Is this female bothering you Lucas?"

The sudden appearance of 11-7 startled Claire for a few moments, but after the initial shock was over a devilish smile grew across her face. "So, I finally get to meet her. The hussy you replaced me with."

11-7 observed Claire closely. "Who is this female Lucas? Is she one of your old bodyguards?"

I looked down at the ground and rubbed my forehead with my hand. "No, she is my ex girlfriend."

"That's right. I am, and I am not going anywhere."

I looked up at 11-7, she was relaxed. Her sharp crimson eyes had softened and I think she was offering me a look of sympathy. She must understand what's going on. I don't know how though. I'm betting she saw this exact scenario in a movie. "Could you get rid of her, she is bothering me."

She nodded and moved in between me and Claire. "Ok, fine. I'll go somewhere else. You don't have to push me. But let me tell you something snake, girl to girl. You can do so much better than that pathetic loser standing behind you. He's got a lot of baggage you don't need in your life. Just look at him, he can't even get rid of me himself. He has to get you to do it for him."

Yeah, because I'd look real good getting into a fight with my ex girlfriend at a nightclub. Luckily I didn't have to say anything. 11-7 hissed at her, and she ran off somewhere in the club. 11-7 turned around to face me. I was expecting her to mock me, to say that she had won our stupid little competition, but surprisingly she didn't. She just offered the same sympathetic look she did before. "Are you ok, Lu..."

"Yeah, I'm fine! And I'm not letting that retarded bitch ruin my night, again." I chugged the rest of the rum cola Claire bought me and ordered another. "Keep watching me, I'll be out on the dance floor."

She looked concerned as I stormed off, but did not say anything. I spent the next hour or so drinking and dancing, after a while, I started to get tired, and my head started to hurt. So, I walked over to where I saw 11-7 sitting. I saw her head focus squarely on me above the tables and the people. It was like a prairie dog poking out of a hole. It made me laugh. She tracked me with her eyes as I approached.

"Ready - to go."

She squinted her eyes and her tongue flicked out slower. "Lucas you sound strange?" Then she looked away and quickly scanned the immediate area.

"I don't know what you're saying. Let me tell Ron ta pick us up." I started typing on my phone but I was having trouble clicking on Ron. "Hey, yu got hands, righ. Could you click on Ron for me?"

I reached my arm out to her and stumbled forward. I would have fallen face first on the floor, but she moved her tail under me. I heard a meaty slap as I landed on it, but it didn't hurt. The scales on her tail were soft, and it was yielding on the surface with a firm muscular interior, it felt somewhat warm too. It was quite comfortable to lay on, like a tepid mattress. My eyes drifted shut and was content to be where I was, but I felt her wrap her tail around my chest and got pulled up on my feet.

She looked very concerned now. Her usual steely disposition while on duty had shattered like a pane of glass. "Lucas, talk to me, are you ok?"

"PShhh, yeah I'm good. Just a lil inebriated. Coul you click Ron. Iss right there."

She did what I asked, and Ron picked up right away. "I've been waitin for ya to call, so did ya catch any tail?"

"Nah, tail caught me, but had fun. Talked to lots - a women."

I heard him laugh. "Sounds like you had fun, I'll pull out front where I dropped you off."

"Ok - bye." I hung up and tried to walk forward by myself. For some reason the ground was shifting around and I was having trouble placing my footing. I stumbled forward and grabbed onto a table. 11-7 moved herself under my arm, and supported me as we walked out the door. Her head darted side to side as we moved forward, checking around the club for threats presumably.

She looked concerned and I felt bad, so I tried to alleviate that. "Aww, you worried bout mee?"

Her brow furrowed. "Yes I am. Have you been poisoned?"

I let out a loud belch. "In a maer of speakin."

She kept looking at my face to check on my condition as she walked me out the door. Once we were outside it was even darker than before; there was a full moon out tonight and the sky was full of stars. I was entranced by the beautiful night sky for a few moments before the sound of a passing car brought me back down to earth. My eyes drifted over to the viper that was basically carrying me. I could sense the determination radiating off of her and I couldn't help but examine her as we headed towards the car. Now, I don't know if it was the streetlights, the moon shining down, or all the alcohol I drank, but she looked... different. The way the light refracted off her orange scales made it look like she was glowing and it highlighted the features on her face and body; her lithe and supple body, with humanlike features. Maybe the snakelike features weren't that bad either... That, coupled with her soft worried expression that replaced the usual serious one, and her striking dilated crimson eyes, which were staring deeply into mine...

"Di you do some'n with your whole look? Cuss you look - good tonight."

Her eyes widened slightly. "No, I look the same as I always do."

"Huuh, thass cool. Thanksh for carry me."

She nodded. "You're welcome - Lucas."

Shortly after that exchange we reached the car and I crawled in. I don't remember much after that. I heard 11-7 talking to Ron, and she sounded worried, but I think she calmed down after a while. I remember her walking me to the house and I made it to my bed. When I was in it I remember feeling a sharp pain on my hand, must have hit it on my desk, and then I got really tired after that and fell asleep.