Tom and Alice conveyed a feeling of happiness in the company of each other. Maybe, it was they way they would just gaze at each other, and smile without a need to speak. Or maybe, it was the way they always spoke so highly of each other. I cannot pinpoint it. The connection was special.

Tom was a ruggedly handsome man. His lanky frame made it difficult for him to navigate around women, often resulting in him stumbling or bumping.

Alice was just beginning her career as a military analyst when she met Tom. She had written her dissertation exposing members of the senate and congress in corrupt military operations. She was making waves, and gaining attention, right out of the gate.

Tom had a presentation at the Pentagon the day he met Alice. He had invented a life like robot. He hoped to mass produce them, and sell them to the military.

Alice was a few years younger than Tom. Her hazel eyes seemed to change color depending on the light. She wore little to no make up. She did not need to. She held her head high and spoke with conviction. Most men found her to be striking. Some found her intimidating. Tom liked her immediately.

The meeting at the Pentagon started off as most meetings there do. It was very, “a matter of fact,” legal disclosures. The robotics industry was booming. A lot of engineers had been coming in and giving presentations. As a result, Alice’s boss Erik seemed to be in a rush. Tom was going thru his sales pitch when Erik interrupted and said, “can we please just see robot?” Tom stopped the presentation he worked hard on preparing. He opened the crate to reveal his robot.

The robot walked into the room and introduced herself. She said”Hi, I am Eve.” Erik stood their in disbelief. He was doing math in his head. He was trying to calculate the odds of this robot looking like Alice. Did Tom and Alice know each other? He said “I hope this is not some kind of joke. I have much more important things to do with my time.” Alice and Tom immediately protested saying this was the first time they met. Tom assured him is was just a coincidence. Erik looked very skeptical. Then Eve said” One of my basic programming features is I can detect lies. I assure you they have never met. I am also programmed to only speak the truth. Please ask me anything you would like to know.”

Erik went through many of the standard tests with Eve. The government had a preconceived notion of what they wanted. He was very impressed with her programming. He brought a few other colleagues and scientists in to meet, and converse with her. He did not tell them she was a robot. They could not believe it when Erik revealed it to them. This was truly the most life like robot any of them ever encountered. Tom was granted a contract to build one thousand more.

On the way to his car, Tom bumped into Alice in the parking lot. Alice purposely went out to her car in the hopes he would stop and talk to her. She could not help but be flattered by likeness of the the robot. When Tom saw her in the parking lot, a smile came to his face. He became a little tongue tied at first. Alice realized he was nervous. She found it endearing. They got to talking and Tom invited her out to dinner. After dinner, they parked at beach. Neither of them wanted the night to end. They talked till morning as they watched the Sandpipers feed on worms, Tom tried to get the courage to kiss Alice. As they walked back to the car he took off his jacket and offered it to Alice. As he wrapped it around her shoulders he started to lean in. As his face got closer, she leaned in as well. They had their first kiss as the sun broke the horizon.

Over the next few months, they saw each other often. Both at work and after. Tom worked on finishing his contract with the government. Alice was hired as a full time employee. She was moving up the ranks quickly. They both felt their relationship, and work situation was extremely solid. They married soon after.

When Tom finished his obligations of the contract, the government asked him to stay on as a consultant. They had top secret applications they wanted installed in the robots. Tom was doing well financially and agreed .

They both worked a lot of hours in high pressure jobs. They had to find ways to connect. They were very resourceful in finding meeting spots at work to satisfy each others needs. All Alice had to do was wink at Tom, and he would follow her anywhere. Having almost been caught a few times, they went to a sub basement, hopeful of finding privacy. But what they found changed their lives forever.

The room they entered used to be where they stored old files. They entered the room, and without turning on the light, they immediately embraced. Alices back was against the door. Tom pulled her legs up around his waist. As he thrust into her the door rattled louder and louder. Alice tried to pull them over past the door. She knew if someone walked past, they would hear them. She did not want to get caught. As they slide over past the door, something was in the way. Caught in the throws of passion, Tom pushed what ever it was out of the way. As it fell over, making a loud crash, Tom had a bad feeling. What he pushed, felt like a body. He stopped abruptly. Alice could tell something was wrong, as she tried to catch her breath she asked Tom, “why are you stopping, what’s wrong?” As Tom searched the wall behind her for a light switch he said, “ I don’t think we are alone here.” Alice helped find the switch. They looked around the room, and could not believe their eyes.

The room contained hundreds of robots. They were all of the same design as Tom’s. However, each robot had different faces. They had faces of politicians from the house and the senate. Someone had stolen Tom’s design. “ They must planning on replacing the real politicians with these robots,”Tom said, as his heart started to race. To which Alice replied, “I knew everyone in Washington was corrupt!” She went to continue, but Tom cut her off. He said, “you don’t have to convince me dear, but this is not the time or the place.” They knew their lives were now forever in danger. They had to get out of there immediately without being seen. There was an exit at the top of the stairs. It led to the parking lot. By the time they got to Alice’s car, she was shaking. It was a Friday afternoon. They did not have any further appointments. They figured nobody would miss them, if they left. Tom never saw Alice upset like this before. He offered to drive home.

On the drive home, Alice and Tom tried to come up with any possible reason that things were not as they seemed. A lot of the people they worked with and trusted had to be involved. They felt betrayed. Then that hurt started to turn into anger. Alice was pissed! Her boss Erik had been lying to her face the whole time. She slammed her fist on the dashboard and said to Tom, “I think I have a plan!” They decided they would use the robots the same way these traitors intended.

As soon as they got home, they went downstairs to Tom’s lab. He had a few spare robots that he made in case their were any defects in the ones he already delivered. All they needed to do was remake the faces and change the voice program. Then they could send the robots to work, in place of them. They would then head to a cabin her father left her. It was in Northern Maine. It was a long shot. But if it worked, it would buy them a few days. That was all they needed. They worked straight through the night.

As the sun started to rise they were exhausted. Tom insisted they eat something. Alice was not hungry, but she knew Tom would not let up until she ate.

After they finished, they decided they would take turns getting rest. They still had a lot to get done before their twelve hour trip to the cabin. Tom took first watch. Knowing they would never be able to return home. Tom packed the car the best he could.

By Saturday night they robots were finished. Tom was an amazing programmer. The robots not only looked like them. They also mimicked there mannerisms. Even down to how Alice snorted a little when she laughed. Alice jokingly asked Tom, “ Is yours going to trip over it own feet?” Tom feigned a smile. He asked Alice if she could make them some food. As she prepared supper, Tom ran to the store to get some supplies, and fill the car with gas .

After they ate, they decided to get on the road. Tom would drive first while Alice tried to get some sleep. There wasn’t any traffic most of the way. Tom drove all the way into Maine before Alice woke up. Tom tried to get some sleep while Alice drove the rest of the way.

The cabin was on a river in the middle of the woods. They had to hike three miles to get there. It was redone by her father before he passed. Nobody knew it existed except Tom and Alice.

There was a lot of work to be done before the Maine winter came. They barely had time to sleep. When they did, they did it in shifts.

They always made time to satisfy each other’s needs in the past. However, Tom seemed consumed in building a transmitter. He kept telling Alice that he loved her, but she couldn’t help but to feel pushed away.

Winter was creeping in early. At the end of October, a tropical storm found its way to northern Maine. The river surged and the cabin was washed away. Their only hope for safety was to find a way to cross the river a get uphill. They headed upriver. Maybe they could find a fallen tree.

The rain was coming down in buckets and they could barely see as they forged their way on foot. There were mudslides on the edge of the river, lightning was hitting trees all around them. They finally came across a tree that was big enough for them to cross the river.

Tom helped Alice up on the tree and started to follow. As the pair crossed, they noticed a figure waiting for them on the other side. The closer Alice got to the figure the more confused she became. As she climbed down off the tree she gasped “Wait! How could this be?” It was Tom! She looked behind her and it was also Tom. They both called for her insisting they were the real Tom.

Alice realized she needed to find out which Tom was real immediately. But how? It was hard to focus with rain pelting her face. The two Toms were now next to each other. Alice yelled out, “where did we first kiss.” The real Tom answered, “ sunrise at the beach!” Alice lunged at the Tom robot in anger. As the robot tried to grab Alice, Tom picked up a large branch and swung at the robot. He knocked the head off. He then push the the robot into the raging river.

Alice embraced Tom. She never felt safer in his arms.