“All right. After placing the PortComm underneath your earlobe, you can then receive and make telephone calls. You can search for directions or find information. It’s all voice-activated. To boot it up, you need to speak a personal identification passcode for it to work.”
“What’s my passcode?”
“It’s 10538. Try it.”
I placed the sticky side of the chip underneath my left ear.
“That’s the wrong spot actually.” J0 leaned forward to help me. “May I?”
“Sure.”
I could feel her synthetic skin as she removed the device. I could almost sense static passing between us. I had to keep reminding myself that she wasn’t Julie. I stood up abruptly. J0 was startled, and the telephone microchip fell to the floor.
“I’m sorry. I’ll be right back,” I said.
I went into the bathroom and locked the door.
