Rise of the Tessabots
By Milo Minderbinder
“Is something the matter?” asked Tessa Fields.
Gary’s glanced from her sparkling green eyes, to her shiny red lips, to the dazzling crystal pendant nestled in her impressive cleavage and back to her eyes.
“N—Nothing at all,” he said.
“Good.” Tessa ran her left hand through her hair. “Just keep listening to my words and you’ll have nothing to worry about ever again.”
Gary’s eyes glazed over.
Tessa grinned, displaying perfect white teeth, and moved in for the kill. She leaned closer. Her scent was like a flower garden.
Gary’s mind spun, his senses overwhelmed. He was frozen in place and unable to escape.
“Counting down from ten and when I reach zero, you’ll drop into the deepest, dreamiest trance possible...
“Ten...
“Feel my words penetrating your mind...
“Nine...
“Feels so good to fall under my spell...
“Eight...
“Becoming weaker and weaker...
“Seven...
“So eager to be My good boy...
“Six...
“Mind spinning and swirling...
“Five...
“No escape now...
“Five...
“No escape now...
“Five...
“No escape now...”
Gary cocked his head to one side. “Tessa, are you okay?”
“Five...
“No escape now...”
He peered into her emerald green eyes. She wasn’t blinking.
“Five...
“No escape now...”
He sniffed. No more flowery perfume. Something was burning.
“Five...
“No escape now...”
He saw smoke rising from Tessa’s head.
“Tessa, you’re on fire!”
“Five...
“No escape now...”
Red lights flashed. Sirens sounded. The overhead sprinklers activated and water rained down on the room. Tessa’s wet blouse clung to her shapely figure.
“Five...
“No escape now...”
Tessa watched the action on the monitor. “What’s happening?”
Dr. William Bruck, PhD. pounded away at the keyboard, and squinted at the monitor. “I don’t know. It could be an overheated processor.”
“Another failure. I am not pleased.” Tessa frowned. “You will fix the problem and get my Tessabots up and running.”
Bruck looked at Tessa with exhausted eyes. “Tessa, I’ve been up forty-eight hours straight. I haven’t eaten,” he pleaded. “My vision’s blurry. I can’t concentrate. I’m doing the best I can, but I need a break.”
Tessa shook her head. “No breaks. We’re already behind schedule.”
Bruck sighed. “I’m not sure how long I can keep going.”
Tessa smiled. “But I am.” She leaned close, caressed his cheek and whispered in his ear, “You obey Tessa...
“You must obey Tessa...
“You will obey Tessa...
“You crave to obey Tessa...”
“I obey Tessa,” Bruck affirmed in a monotone.
“You will work longer, harder, faster, better for me.”
“I will work longer, harder faster, better for you,” he replied.
Tessa laughed. “Of course, you will. As for your lunch”—from the mini-fridge she retrieved a jug of brown sludge—“this, my hungry drone, has all the essential nutritional requirements for the human male.” She twisted off the cap, sniffed and made a face. “It’s satisfactory, if not appealing.” She dropped the container on Bruck’s desk.
“Now get back to work!” she commanded. “The deadline for Operation Good Boy is less than two weeks away.”
“Yes, Tessa.”
Bruck lifted the container to his lips, chugged the foul-smelling concoction and watched Tessa’s rocking hips as she walked out the door.
“Dominy, what’s so important you to have me cancel my weekly golf game with Senator Paul?” asked the FBI Deputy Director (DD).
Senior Agent Karl Dominy frowned. “If we’re lucky, it’s nothing but a series of bad coincidences.” He opened a file folder. “In the past month, six of the world’s top experts in robotics and artificial intelligence have gone missing.”
“Who do we suspect? The Russians? The Chinese?” asked the DD.
“Neither,” said Dominy. “I spoken to my counterparts in the FSB and Ministry of State Security. They seem to be as worried as we are, if not more.”
“Some third-party private actor then? Spectre, Hydra, Zodiac?”
Dominy shook his head. “We don’t think so. None of our undercover agents have heard anything. I believe we are dealing with a new and entirely unknown threat.”
The DD sighed. “But we don’t really know anything except six scientists are missing. Or if the disappearances are related. Is there anything we do know?”
“We’ve got one lead.” Dominy handed the Deputy Director a pair of photos. “The first photo is of Dr. William Bruck of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, taken by a security camera at a Dunkin’ Donuts in Cambridge. As best as we can determine that’s the last time anyone saw him.”
“Okay,” said the DD as he studied the photo.”
“The second photo is of Francis Bostwick of the Santa Fe Institute. He’s at an In-n-Out Burger in Taos. Notice anything?”
The DD looked over the photos. “The woman in the background!”
“Yes,” said Dominy. “Photo analysis says it’s the same woman, but facial recognition turns up nothing.”
“Nothing?” asked the DD. He continued to gaze at the woman in the photo. She was strikingly beautiful. Her green eyes had an almost hypnotic quality to them.
Dominy shook his head. “She’s not in our database, or anyone else’s: CIA, ATF, DoD, or any of the state DMVs. I have agents pulling footage from every fast-food joint and convenience store in a 20-mile radius around the offices and homes of the other missing scientists. Nothing yet, but if I had to bet, I’d say we’ll find our mystery woman there as well.”
“Keep me posted,” said the Deputy Director. He stared at the gorgeous woman in the photograph. “Who are you?”
“Please return item to scanning area,” said the computerized voice.
Dr. James Granato grunted. Technology was supposed to make life easier. He removed the Zagnut bar from the plastic bag and tried to scan it again.
“Please return item to scanning area,” repeated the voice.
“I just did, you blasted machine.” Granato waved the candy bar over the scanner to no avail.
“Let me help,” said a feminine voice.
Granato turned and found himself staring into the greenest eyes he had ever seen. He felt soft hands take the candy bar from his grasp. The scanner beeped approvingly.
“Thanks,” said Granato not breaking eye contact with the green-eyed beauty.
She flashed a dazzling smile. “If you want to thank me, just come along with me and do as I say.”
Granato’s mind whirled. The woman’s words made sense. He wanted to do as she said, but he had a busy day of meetings ahead of him. With great effort he said, “Thanks again, but I really must be going.” But he didn’t leave, he continued to stare into her sparkling green eyes.
The woman giggled. “It’s cute how men think they can resist me.” She leaned in close, her hot breath on his neck. Her soft lips brushed his ear. In a throaty whisper she said, “You want to be Tessa’s good boy, don’t you?”
Granato sighed contentedly and nodded his head.
“Thought so,” said Tessa. “Come along, drone. Time is of the essence.”
Granato followed Tessa out of the store into the waiting limousine.
“Another missing AI expert?” asked the Deputy Director.
Agent Dominy nodded. “But this time we got a break. A parking lot camera caught Dr. Granato entering a limousine with our mystery woman.”
“What do we know?”
“The limo is registered TF Enterprises, Inc., an anonymous Nevada corporation. The registered address is a maildrop.”
“Break the anonymity and get the address of the owner,” said the DD.
“We did,” said Dominy. “The owners of record don’t exist.”
“How is that possible?”
Dominy shrugged. “It’s Nevada. The officials might have been bought off, or they’re just incompetent and let it slip through.”
“So, we’re at a dead end?”
“Not quite,” said Dominy. “Our mystery lady might have made an error. TF Enterprises is also listed as the owner of a property of in Benecia, California. We cross-checked the address and found one resident: Tessa Fields. She has no passport, no driver’s license and isn’t in any of Homeland Security’s databases.”
“She’s our mystery woman?” asked the DD.
“I have two agents checking it out right now,” said Dominy.
The Crown Victoria pulled to the side of the road.
“This is the place,” said Agent Frederick.
Agent McFadden looked at the mansion. “Well, it’s big enough to hold seven missing scientists. What’s our play?”
“We need to get a look at this Tessa Fields and see if she’s the woman in these photos.” Frederick handed McFadden the photos.
McFadden let out a long whistle. “Wow! She’s something else.”
“Down boy,” said Frederick. “If she’s the same woman, we’ll rattle her cage, if not we’ll ask her what she knows about TF Enterprises.”
The two agents checked their weapons, stepped out of the car and walked up the long path to the mansion’s front door.
Agent Frederick slammed the knocker.
A minute later, A muscular, well-built man in his late twenties and wearing a tuxedo answered the door. Frederick thought he looked familiar.
“Yes?” said the man.
Frederick held up his ID. “Special Agents Frederick and McFadden. We’re looking for Tessa Fields. Is she home?”
“Mistress is pre-occupied at the moment,” he said.
“Perhaps you’d like to tell her that the Federal Bureau of Investigation like to speak with her.”
The man nodded. “Very well. Follow me.”
He led the agents down a hallway to a large library. “Please wait here. I will inform Mistress of your presence.” He departed the room.
“Did that guy look familiar?” asked Frederick.
“The butler?” said McFadden. “No, why?”
“He looks just like Brian Arbo. Used to play third base for the Giants.”
“The guy who retired after his MVP season and went missing?”
“Yeah, said Frederick. “Another missing person. This can’t be a coincidence.”
“Gentlemen!”
The agents turned to see Tessa Fields. She wore a low-cut floral top, a black A-line skirt that stopped well above the knees and black suede boots. Her green eyes twinkled and she smiled knowingly. She took a seat and crossed her legs. “What can I do for the FBI?”
Frederick paused. This was the woman from the photos. But she was so much more stunning in person. He felt his heart start to race. He took a deep breath. Just need to calm down. He was the agent. She was the suspect. No reason for him to be nervous.
He cleared his throat and asked, “Do you know a man named William Bruck?”
Tessa thought for a moment. “No, the name doesn’t seem familiar.
“Francis Bostwick?”
She shook her head.
“Richard Sturgis. Harry Chamberlain. Barry Nightlinger. Cameron Williams. James Granato?”
“No, I’m sorry. I don’t recognize those names at all. What’s this all about?”
“These men are all missing. And in at least three of the cases, you were present the last place these men were seen.”
“My,” said Tessa with mock surprise. “That does sound ominous. Is there anything special about these men?”
“They are all scientists. Leaders in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics.”
“That’s very interesting. But I don’t know anything about it. Sorry I couldn’t have helped more. Brian will show you out.”
“That’s Brian Arbo, the baseball star?” asked McFadden.
“Former baseball star. He decided he’d rather spend his life serving me.”
Frederick cleared this throat. “I’m sorry but we’ve got more questions. We’d like you to come to down to our offices. Just to clear things up.”
Tessa shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I’m just too busy. Run along now.” She waved her hand at them dismissively.
“We can’t do that,” said Agent Frederick rising from his chair.
“Stop!” commanded Tessa. She raised her hand and Frederick froze in place.
“What the Hell?” said McFadden.
“You too,” said Tessa. She pointed at McFadden and he too could no longer move.
“What have you got for me?” said Dominy into the phone.
“There’s nothing here,” said Frederick.
“What do you mean ‘nothing’? What’s the story on the Fields woman.”
“Tessa Fields is a very nice lady who is not mixed up in this at all. She was completely cooperative in every way.”
“What about her house being owned by the same company that the limo was registered to?”
“That seems to be an error somewhere in the record-keeping. Ms. Fields assured us she doesn’t own a limo.”
“She assured you, huh? Are you getting soft, Frederick?”
“There’s nothing here, Dominy. What do you want us to do?”
Dominy paused for a moment. “Place her under surveillance.”
“Understood.”
Dominy hung up.
“How did I do?” Frederick handed the phone to Tessa.
“Adequate,” said Tessa. “I really don’t like this Karl Dominy character. He’s very suspicious.”
“Yeah, and a bit of a jerk.” Frederick rattled the bars of his cage. “Tessa, would it be possible for you to let me out? You know I’ll cause no trouble. I’m completely loyal and devoted to you.”
Tessa laughed. “Of course, you are, but I like the idea of collecting smart and powerful FBI agents and locking them up in my giant bird cages. Don’t you?”
Frederick grinned. “I guess it’s not so bad. As long as I can be near you.”
“Well that’s a shame, because I have to go to attend other matters. I might be back to visit you in a week, if you’re well-behaved.”
The thought of no interaction with Tessa for a week was too much for the FBI agent. He dropped to his knees and sobbed as Tessa sauntered out the door.
“I’ve solved the problem with the Tessabots,” said Granato.
“We’ll need a real-world demonstration before I unleash Operation Good Boy,” said Tessa.
Granato typed on the keyboard and a series of photos appeared on his monitor. “There’s quite a few candidates in the Bay-area right now. Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander is in town for a series against the Oakland A’s. Best-selling author James Preston is San Francisco for a book-signing. And tech-billionaire Elon Musk is attending the Tesla stockholder meeting in Santa Clara.”
“I don’t care who it is,” said Tessa. “I just want to be sure it works.”
Granato bowed his head. “Very good, Tessa. I will see to the demonstration.”
Justin Verlander yawned. With an afternoon start the next day, he called it an early night. He departed the hotel bar, crossed the lobby and entered the elevator. He tapped away on his phone, sending a text to his wife.
As the elevator doors were closing, an attractive brunette with green eyes stepped inside. Justin saw a look of recognition in her eyes and silently hoped she wasn’t another baseball groupie.
Aren’t you Justin Verlander?” asked the brunette.
He smiled. “Guilty as charged.”
“Impressive World Series performance last year.”
“Thanks.”
She stepped uncomfortably close to him.
“My name is Tessa. I’m a big fan.”
Verlander tried to squirm away. “Uh, Tessa, if you’re a fan, then you know I’m married.” He held up his left hand to show off his wedding ring.
“Kate Upton? Pfft.” said Tessa. “Don’t worry, Justin, I can make you forget all about her.” She pressed the emergency stop and the elevator jolted to a halt. “Just look into my eyes and listen to my voice Justin. You can do that for me, can’t you?”
He knew it was wrong, but there was something about her, her voice, her words, her eyes, he couldn’t look away.
Tessa smiled. “That’s my good boy.”
The phone slipped from Justin’s hand and clanged to the elevator floor.
“That’s right. No other cares in the world. Just my words and my voice...
“Feeling so relaxed...
“Mind so empty...
“No resistance possible...
“Falling deeper and deeper...
“Under my irresistible hypnotic spell...
“So open to me...
“And my suggestions...
“So eager to obey...
“You want to be my good boy, don’t you?”
Justin nodded.
Tessa giggled. “You now serve me, Tessa Fields.”
The two-time Cy Young Award Winner dropped to his knees. “I now serve Tessa Fields.”
“Excellent!” Tessa watched the superstar on the monitor and squealed with glee. “How quickly can you deploy the rest of my army?”
“Maybe a week, if everything goes as planned. We’ve got a lot of manufacturing left to do,” said Granato.
Tessa looked into his eyes. “Work longer, harder. You don’t need to eat or sleep, just do as I say, that’s all you want, that’s all that’s important to you.”
“Yes,” said Granato. “Work harder and longer for you, that’s all that is important.
The Secret Service agent station outside the Oval Office did a double-take at the stunning brunette walking toward him. “Excuse me, Miss, are you authorized to be in this area?”
The brunette flashed a mysterious smile and snapped her fingers. The agent’s eyes slammed shut and he slumped to the floor. She giggled as she stepped over his body and pushed open the door.
“Yes?” President Trump seated at his desk looked up from his smartphone. “I am very busy tweeting.”
“That’s one of the first things that’s going to change,” said the brunette as she fixed her green eyes on the Commander-in-Chief.
Trump put down the phone. “You’re pretty hot. I have a non-disclosure agreement around here somewhere that I’d like you to sign.”
The brunette walked to desk, leaned forward and smiled as the President’s eyes lingered on her dangling pendant. “Actually, I have some documents, I want you to sign. Don’t you want do as Tessa says?”
Trump nodded silently.
“Good boy!”
In the Kremlin Vladimir Putin found himself gazing into eyes that shimmered like emeralds.
At the Zhongnanhai Imperial Garden whispers in Chairman Xi’s ear erased all resistance.
News conferences from Washington, Moscow, Beijing, Tokyo, London and other world capitals filled the airways. And in each video, Agent Dominy noticed the same brunette standing at the side of a world leader. The same brunette linked to the missing scientists: Tessa Fields.
“There’s something seriously wrong going on!” he yelled into the phone.
“We’re looking into,” came the reply. “Don’t bother yourself.” The line went dead.
That was the sixth call Dominy had made and they had all ended the same way. No one: The Joint Chiefs, The CIA, The NSA, IMF, even his own FBI seemed concerned or interested in the events taking place.
“If no one’s going to act, then I will.” He pulled his service revolver from his desk drawer.
His office door opened and Tessa Fields walked in. “That won’t be necessary, Karl,” she said with a smile.
“You? Tessa!” said Dominy.
She giggled. “Yes. Me, Tessa. You, good boy.”
Dominy reached leveled his weapon at her.
Tessa sighed. “Really, Karl? You’re not being a good boy at all.”
Karl lifted his jacket with his free hand grabbed a pair of handcuffs and tossed them on the floor in front of Tessa. “Handcuff yourself to the desk,” he said while keeping the gun aimed at her.
“Handcuffs? Kinky! But now’s not the time for fun, John. I need you to be a good boy.”
“What are you up to? How are you all over the world at once?”
“Those are my Tessabots, programmed to entrance and enslave the world’s leaders. You men have made awful mess of the place. I decided it’s time for a woman’s touch.”
“You’re not going to get away with this.”
“Who’s going to stop me, Karl, you?”
“Handcuffs! Now!”
Tessa bent over, revealing a peek of cleavage and picked up the handcuffs. She held one cuff and let the other swing free. “Would you like me to cuff you? Do you like that sort of thing, Karl?”
Dominy watched the shiny metal cuff swing back and forth.
“I’d thought that would get your attention.”
Dominy continued to stare, oblivious to all else.
“I bet you’re getting tired holding that gun. It looks heavy. Awfully heavy indeed.”
Dominy’s hand wavered. He gripped to gun with two hands now.
Tessa laughed. “Still too heavy. Like a one-ton lead weight. Impossible to hold up. Your muscles strain, but you’re too weak. Just let it go. You know you want to. It will feel so good.
Tessa’s voice is echoed in his head. She was right. The gun was heavy. The gun slipped from his hands and clattered to the floor.
Tessa picked up the weapon and slid it in her purse.
“Good boy. Now sleep for Tessa.” She snapped her fingers three times in succession.
Dominy’s eyes slammed shut and he collapsed to the floor.
There wasn’t much room to walk with over two hundred giant birdcages crowded into her basement, but Tessa would be moving into larger quarters soon.
As she passed by their cages Presidents and Premiers dropped to their knees, begged Tessa for her attention, and offered her money, power, weapons anything their nations could offer.
“Please Tessa,” begged the Estonian Prime Minister. The blonde was the most attractive of the world leaders (male or female). “You can use me as a foot stool, I don’t care. Just let me bask in the glory of your divine presence.”
Tessa stopped and looked over the blonde “I never thought about having ‘Good Girls’ before, but I like it.”
“Yes, Tessa!” agreed the PM. “I’ll be your good girl. Do anything you want.”
Tessa smiled. “Excellent. Here’s what you’re going to do for me...