Cold Hands

By Martin Ivanov

Have you ever dreamed of a park where everything is allowed? A park that can offer you the pleasures of every era and life through every age that humanity has passed through? Well, "Cold Hands" will transport you to a place from real life where Hugo Barnes, an elderly inventor who has spent his life making robots, has finally found a way to use them. Hugo invites you and the main characters from the book on a journey that he calls a test. But is he testing the park or themselves...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Martin Ivanov
• Release date: Feb 29, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224802593

Book preview

Prologue

Hugo Barnes, dressed in his finest suit, which he usually wore only for the company's most important meetings, held a screwdriver in one hand and a small steel cap in the other.

Stu?

A young man, no more than twenty-five years old with auburn hair and red glasses, stood near him. Hearing his name, he jumped and quickly approached Hugo. In his hands, the boy held one of the latest tablets on the market. On the back of the tablet, instead of the brand's logo that manufactured it, was the logo of Elysium A, which depicted the letter A being torn apart by two robotic arms.

Stu, are you there? – Hugo repeated. He watched the machine in front of him and waited for a signal from the young man.

Y-yes, Mr. Hugo. – Stu stood at attention.

Are you ready to launch?

Stu hesitated with his answer. Hugo knew him well and gave him time. Stu was intelligent, among the smartest Hugo had met. But he was not decisive. He needed time to reconsider everything, to process it in his mind, to evaluate the potential benefits and harms, to calculate how exactly to proceed without offending anyone or causing harm, and then to act. Workers like him were the best, and every boss loved having people like Stu. But those like Stu could never manage people, processes, or even families. They even struggled to find a woman to live with. Not that they were bad people, but simply because those like Stu lacked the courage to tell a woman they loved her. Hugo liked Stu and wouldn't exchange him for anyone else in his company. Because Stu was the best worker anyone could have.

I'm ready, Mr. Hugo. – Stu exclaimed and stood his ground.

In front of Hugo stood a pile of iron in human form, turned its back to him. It had long, black hair and no clothes. The curves of its body were entirely realistic, though in places, the skin was open, revealing various cables, and in places on the body, red or green lights shone. And although it resembled a human, more so a woman, because of the long black hair and smooth skin, the body was pale. The skin, if it could be called that, was almost transparent, with well-lubricated gray irons visible underneath at places.

Hugo adjusted two electronic components at the back of the machine's head, attached them to two different terminals, carefully twisted the bolts on each of them, and tapped each once with the screwdriver. The last step wasn't necessary, but it was a kind of superstition for him to ensure everything was alright. He placed the steel cap in its place and put a bolt on each of the four corners. From the table, he took something that looked very much like a scalped piece of meat from which black hair hung. With his fingers, he felt for the attachment points and gently hooked it onto the machine's cap. He closed the other open areas on the back of the invention before him and adjusted the skin at the necessary spots.

Stu's tablet lit up, and he almost exclaimed in surprise.

Brace yourself, Stu. It's not your first time.

Stu smiled. Hugo watched him. Now everything was in his hands. He hated this moment the most. He had done his job. He always dressed in his finest clothes for every new robot. This one wasn't his favorite, his favorites were the first ones he made himself at sixteen. Now, at sixty-two, with a belly and ailing heart, he could only earn money, manage the youngsters, and connect the last two wires in the robots' heads. The blue and yellow ones. One served to disperse plasma throughout the robot's body, the other to connect its brain to the main computer at the headquarters. Without these two wires, the robot would be just like those toys in stores, worth less than a tenth of his inventions.

Stu pressed something on the tablet, and with every button he pressed, his smile grew bigger.

Suddenly, a noise came from inside the machine. It was normal; its mechanisms were moving for the first time. It needed about two hours of operation for the oil to spread everywhere inside it. All the red lights on it turned green, and then they went out. Hugo also heard the pump dispersing the plasma. The plasma with artificial blood.

The robot's color changed from white to pale, then to pink. The cheeks of the almost real woman opposite him blushed and became redder. This was a new feature and it worked. There were even a few pimples. After all, everything had to be perfect for the clients, which didn't mean perfect robots, but realistic ones. Otherwise, it was beautiful. It had a long, Native American face, and its eyes seemed blacker than its hair, although that might have been due to the darkness. He assumed they would place her in the land of the Firsts. She resembled a warrior woman. Hardly fitting into the modern World. He couldn't imagine her as either a housewife or a stripper. Nor as a court lady. Her gaze was martial.

His creative team would decide. He had gathered them over the years. They were smarter than him. And youth was the best skill a person could learn.

The black-haired woman's eyes moved under Stu's influence. Then her hands slowly rose, despite the still awful noise that spoiled the entire pleasure.

The robot-girl raised one leg, put it down, and then raised the other. Stu smiled. He leaned her forward, then back. He rotated her head with the tablet as far as the device allowed. The robot could do more, but that would not be real anymore.

I think she's ready for automation.

I'm pressing! – Stu's voice sounded decisive. One of the few times it did.

- The tablet screen lit up in green and reflected in Stu's glasses. He didn't put down the tablet, but he wasn't pressing anything on it anymore.

Under the noise of grinding iron, the black-haired woman turned to Hugo. She was taller than him, and he had to slightly lower his head to look her in the eyes. She was naked, which didn't yet bother her. Her moral functions would activate after the psycho test that a team of over twenty psychologists would subject her to. Although they were imparting consciousness, every robot seemed to be born with the beginnings of it. Hugo saw divine intervention in every robot, although he himself was a God to them.

The black-haired woman raised her hand and pointed it at Hugo. He smiled.

- Nice to meet you – She spoke very clearly, like a human – Nine thousand six hundred and seventy-five.

All robots introduced themselves by their production number. She still had no real name but pronounced it confidently as if she liked it. And Hugo thought, only a few more until the ten thousandth.

Welcome, Amara.

The name came to him just like that, but he liked it. He would suggest it to his creative team.

The black-haired woman smiled and slightly tilted her head to the side. Hugo took her hand.

She's cold. Hopefully, they'll find her nice gloves.

Reality

1

Daniel Hawk lived in a small, single-story house with several rooms. Excluding the bathroom and toilet, which were next to each other and separated, the house featured a large living room with a kitchen, two bedrooms, and a utility room where the washing machine, dryer, and other large household appliances were stored due to lack of space elsewhere. Entrance to the house was via three steps leading up to a brown door, and the main hallway ran straight through the house, exiting out a back door of the same size and color as the front. This back door opened onto a small garden where Emma, his girlfriend, grew several types of flowers and a few herbs.

Emma was in the living room. In the evenings, the street lamp directly outside their house provided just enough light for them to dine without turning on any indoor lights. It wasn't about saving electricity, but there was something magical, even romantic, about the external light—though he'd say romantic, Emma would scoff at him. Yet, she loved the light just as much, even if she wouldn't admit it.

This time, Daniel sat next to her, not across the table where he usually sat. He tossed aside his small suitcase, which he had taken to work, and placed his hands on the table, looking at Emma.

Won't you at least wash up? Emma slowly swallowed her food, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye.

Daniel reached into his jacket pocket and, with the same enthusiasm he'd come home with that evening, pulled out two tickets and placed them on the table. Emma glanced at them and then returned to her dinner, an odd mix of vegetables and nuts.

Daniel waited for her to ask about the tickets, but she didn't. So, he decided to just tell her.

Invitations.

For?

A technology park. Have you heard of FutureRobot?

No. Her response was cold.

Daniel looked for a spark of curiosity, gratitude, or even interest in her eyes, but found none. Still, he continued.

It's a park full of robots. For the first time, something like this is being opened to the public. You can immerse yourself in any era. There are all kinds of robots, and they're all like real.

Emma dismissed it as akin to one of those silly computer games. No, no. I don't have the time.

It might sound like that, but it's quite real. I saw one of the robots. They sent us a video. I can't show it to you, but they are... really like real, truly.

And you have invitations because?

Because I work in the field. You know what I do.

You're not even in the same company. I've never heard of this... FutureRobot... No. I've never heard of it.

Hugo Barnes? Does that name mean anything to you?

Not at all.

Typical. You're not from those circles. Probably why. They've sent invitations to people from all walks of life—IT, doctors, accountants, pilots... a bit of every field.

And somehow you're one of the invitees. Isn't that a bit suspicious?

Daniel was disheartened by her words. Didn't she realize how good he was? That his twelve years at the company weren't for nothing. And that he hadn't remained in the same position but had climbed up the career ladder, greeting each new year with a step up in the company. Well, not every one of the twelve years, but since his internship there, he was now just two steps below the executive board, and technologically, he considered himself the best. He had often told her about his work, ready to do so again, but it increasingly felt pointless.

Yes. And there are two invitations. He continued with the same hope.

Who will you go with? Emma asked as if she didn't know the answer.

With you, who else.

Emma said nothing more and returned to her meal. Even angry, she was beautiful. Her thirty years were beginning to show on her forehead, but she remained a woman who would turn heads. Dark-haired, dark-eyed, with thin lips and slender. She lacked bust but had a sweet behind. He loved watching her dance while cooking, though she hadn't danced in a while. Now, she just went to the kitchen counter, mixed some things in a bowl, and sat down to eat. She didn't even wait for him to come home anymore.

To be honest, I think it's silly. Are you sure we won't be wasting our time?

In two to three years, the whole world will be talking about this. Trust me. Even my company is astounded by the scale. Hugo's dream has been years in the making, but aside from interviews, nothing else was shown to the world. Until now...

Another billionaire's whim. Sorry, babe, it sounds stupid.

It's going to be very expensive later on. Now you have the chance to enjoy another world for a whole week. For free.

A whole week? A whole week with robots? No, no. This thing has no future. I don't understand it as much as you do, but I've heard about similar things with robots before. It's interesting at first, then no one cares. And this will die. I'd rather not waste my week.

It was one of those days when Emma was again in a bad mood. It was happening more frequently over the last few months. It wasn't always like this. Except for the first two months after which Daniel found out she had cheated on him, they hadn't had any problems in their relationship. And their relationship had lasted for ten years. Well, everything was fine until recently, when her cold attitude became more frequent.

Emma worked as an intern at an architectural firm. For many years after finishing her studies, she was a waitress because the tips were very good, and she had no intention of spending her time studying. But as the years passed, the tips increasingly went to her younger colleagues, leaving her with just the smiles of customers, which didn't bring in money. At twenty-eight, she started studying, and at thirty, she was taken on as an intern. The pay wasn't much, but Daniel brought in enough for both of them. They lived well, the finances were sufficient, the rent was not high, the neighbors were cool, and their sex life was good. But only when she was in the mood. If not, she usually lay on her back and let him do his thing. Then they both fell asleep, separated from each other.

Daniel stood up and took off his jacket. The two invitations were still on the table. Emma looked everywhere but at them. The street lamp outside flickered, and for a moment, the room darkened.

Could you turn on the light?

Daniel reached for the nearby switch, and the room lit up. He thought they would talk more about the park. He had researched so much that he needed to share it with someone. But it seemed it wouldn't be with her.

You can go with Jasper or Colin if you want so much.

I wanted to go with you. This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing.

Emma smiled. But it wasn't the smile he loved to see; it was more mocking.

No, dear. How long did you say? A week?

He didn't answer. He took the jacket and invitations and went to the bedroom. He threw everything in for laundry and lay on his back on the bed. One of the invitations was in his hand. Hugo Barnes invites you to the first time travel journey.... That's how the text began. After many explanations, which he knew by heart, the invitation ended with, We are not magicians, but we are damn good with machines.

Emma was right. But not about the park. Her next options were Jasper and Colin.

2

Two evenings had passed since his conversation with Emma. He thought about the park all the time. But now, it wasn't a machine approaching him, but a person. Colin had kicked the ball forward and was chasing it with all his might, aiming to pass it by him.

Football was their favorite pastime, and nearly every week, at the end of one of the long workdays, they gathered to play. Now, they were there with seven other guys.

The teams were divided into two, each comprising five players. Jasper had been chosen for his team, and Colin for the other. The goals and the field were not like the real ones, being at least twice smaller in size, but usually, that was enough to play a few friendly matches. Jasper weighed over 110 kilograms and usually, during friendly matches, people of his weight stood as goalkeepers. Mainly because they occupied more space in the goal, and at such a short distance, reflexes weren't as crucial. Daniel was better as a forward, but in this match, he decided to stay back in defense.

Colin, another close person to him, was on the opposing team and was eager to play. Not because he loved football that much, but because Jasper was guarding the opposite goal. And he loved scoring against him. That was their perpetual joke. Colin had a strong shot and bombarded the chubby goalkeeper with as powerful hits as he could. Jasper caught almost every shot, but a lot of swearing was thrown Colin's way.

In the end, Colin's team won. The winning goal was scored by Colin himself after he was left one-on-one with Jasper. While the hefty friend cursed him and tried with all his might to kick him deliberately in the ankles, Colin managed to dribble the ball between his legs and score. Most of the other boys, who were also acquaintances of theirs, burst into laughter.

After showering, they stood in the steamy changing room. Jasper had only a towel covering his private parts. His chubby body sagged where it was fattier, and he breathed heavily. He had dark blond hair, almost ginger, and slightly bulging mustachios. He was likable but very overweight. The latter didn't stop him from being successful with women and changing them constantly. Daniel had stopped counting or remembering them. Jasper introduced them to him, and Daniel just waved dismissively. Jasper was synonymous with miracles when it came to picking up women.

Colin stood upright in front of them, naked except for his boxer shorts, holding a towel he waved in front of himself more to create a breeze than out of boredom. The air in the bathroom was indeed lacking. Colin was the tallest of the three, had very light eyes, and dark hair. He had no beard and always dressed neatly. If it were possible to play football in a suit, he would do it. Even now, next to his luggage, there were formal shoes, something like sporty trousers, a white T-shirt, and a light jacket.

Where have you been, Dani? they called him that for short. Haven't seen you for two weeks. Emma must be keeping you tight. Jasper and Colin exchanged glances and chuckled softly.

I've been swamped with work, guys. Daniel first looked at Colin, then at Jasper.

That's what Jasper says too, but I saw him last night. Had no time to go out, but a little later, he's in a bar. Embracing a redhead passionately. Did she fall for you, Jasper?

Jasper spread his arms and kissed the air with closed eyes. No words were needed. Colin and Daniel laughed.

At least you're good there, because as a goalkeeper...? Colin wanted to tease him.

No problem. Last night, I scored a lot of goals between the legs of a real woman, Colin, Jasper caught the towel that was the only thing covering his naked body and threw it at their tall friend. Lately, you've only been scoring with men.

If you must know, Jasper...

No need to tell me. I haven't seen you with a woman once.

Actually, Colin was moving into a defensive phase.

No actually, Jasper cut him off. You haven't been laid since last year.

Colin tried to say something else but stopped himself.

He's going to talk to me about women and legs... Jasper stood up as he was naked, and his attribute freely waved, reached out to Colin, and pulled his towel back.

They often argued like this, and it wasn't unusual for them. It was like an unwritten game where the idea was to insult the other as much as possible. Naturally, those with bigger egos had a hard time enduring, but their anger didn't last long.

Jasper, can you cover up? Daniel tried to start from afar.

As if you haven't seen it, bro. Why is everyone acting like prudes today?

Jasper pulled up his shorts and put them on naked. He put on a black T-shirt that covered his fat and was even a size bigger than what he usually wore. And that was saying something.

Have you heard of FutureRobot?

Both looked at him strangely. They hadn't heard. He could tell just by their looks.

Some new virus? Colin laughed.

No. A company.

Right, something else with your IT stuff.

Almost, but something bigger.

Bro, just spit it out because I'm running late, Jasper was looking at his watch and tapping his foot impatiently.

Have you heard of Hugo Barnes... The Historical Park, anything?

Have you heard this, have you heard that... Are we on some quiz show?

Colin was also starting to get nervous.

In short, guys, I've got two invites to something new. Something Hugo Barnes has been developing for forty years.

Wow... How grand, Jasper said sarcastically without even looking at him.

They're opening a park with robots. Real robots.

Real robots?

Absolutely. With faces, arms, legs, blood.

And where is this?

On the outskirts of town. So far, it's only open to people with invitations.

And you have invites because?

Deja vu. He had to explain again.

Just accept that I simply have two invitations. For a week in the park.

A week? What are you going to do there?

I have no idea, but it's something grand, I assure you. No one has heard because Barnes wants to get feedback from the invitees first. He's invited people from every profession.

And you're one of them?

Let's just say yes.

Great, so you're saying we won't see each other for another week?

No, guys. I want one of you to come with me.

Ah, Emma? Did you guys break up? Jasper stood up and raised his hand clenched in a fist. Finally!

No, no. Nothing like that. She just doesn't want to go.

She doesn't want to? And she'll let you go for a week with robots? Actually, it does sound a bit childish. Her husband comes home and invites her to a show for irons. Big deal. And for a week. It's a bit much.

Heard from the side, it indeed sounded quite childish. Had he explained it properly to Emma? Maybe he was at fault. Just talked about robots. What woman is interested in robots?

Apparently, I can't explain things properly...

That's right. And you're wasting our time, Colin was already almost at the door of the changing room. The steam from the changing room had already dispersed, and the air was much cleaner.

The robots are real. There's no iron on them. The irons are inside them, but you can't see or hear them. And as far as I know, their consciousness is entirely independent.

You mean it won't be full of cables?

You won't see a single cable, I promise you. Not a cable, nor a drop of oil.

And what are we going to do there?

I don't know. But it's a whole city. And depending on what time we enter, there will be everything from police officers and snack bar vendors to prostitutes and... well, everything you can think of.

Prostitutes? You mean I can fuck robots? That was the keyword that always piqued Jasper's interest. Daniel was starting to regret not starting with that.

I guess so, but I don't know how safe it is.

Bro, I've been with all sorts of women, but never with robots. But to tell you the truth, I wouldn't stick it in iron. That thing is dear to me.

We're not going to fuck robots, bro. We're going because it's free. When it opens, none of us will be able to afford it. People like us will only watch the ads on TV and drool.

I'm in. And anyway, I'm dealing with one... Well, I won't tell you about it.

And that doesn't stop you?

He wants to introduce me to theirs. The idea is a perfect hideout for a week. But I've watched a lot of movies. And in all of them, the robots turn against humans. If it's the same here, just say so now. I'll go to her parents. It'll be safer there.

Look, it's not certain. But there's no problem with the park, bro. Everything's in a testing period.

That's exactly what I'm worried about.

Shall we go, Jas? Colin was still at the door, listening. He wasn't talking to them. His look was slightly confused and slightly annoyed.

Wait, Col. This is starting to appeal to me more. Imagine yourself at a pool, sitting on a lounge chair, and around me four blonde ladies bringing me drinks and sitting in my lap.

Ladies, but made of iron, Colin corrected him.

Ah, Dani, Jasper turned to him, you said two invites.

Yes. That's the other option. I don't know which of you to give it to. And if both of you want it, I'll give up my spot.

Jasper and Colin looked at each other. Colin stepped back almost immediately.

You guys go. It sounds dumb to me anyway, Colin opened the door and left. Jasper looked at the door behind him for a long time, then turned to Daniel:

I think I offended him earlier. I don't think he's gay. I just haven't seen him with a girl for a long time. Sort things out with the iron whores, bro. I want to be the first man to put that thing in a place where oil flows.

Well, you probably won't be the first...

Both laughed.

3

The dark streets near the hall where they played suddenly shifted from narrower to brighter and busier ones. While the hall was up in the park, close to the mountain's start, his home was almost at the other end of the city, and the deeper he went into it, the more people and cars appeared.