The receiver quieted, and I was myself again. Now I understood why June asked me if I’d ever died. She knew I was about to die in another man’s body. Unfortunately, I was still alive. Dying in Clinch’s body gave me a sense of relief, though. I escaped from his aches, struggles, torments, and agony over leaving his family. While offensive at first, Shine Mind’s kiss turned out to be the best part of dying. I longed for Diana to press her warm lips against mine. Not that she ever would.

I was all alone. Only my non-sentient robots remained. They never complained. Never left. Never forgot me. They simply did what I asked and waited for me to ask again. They were the reliable ones that had helped me build my other inventions. They could walk uptown to buy my food and supplies, assist me in the bathroom, and so on. They could drive me places. Well, they could if my two rebel robots hadn’t stolen my car.

A message popped up on my monitor: Set yourself free.

Set myself free? Free from what? My body? My life? My mind? How? By accepting my disabled life? My brain had developed a receiver now. The ADAC could put me in anyone at any time. Alas, I’d no longer feel Diana’s caresses as she placed and removed the head cap.

No.  I’d hang on until I could make my final exit. I’d have to live in other people’s bodies for a while longer, that’s all.

Another message popped up: Ready to be Blake Brimstone again?

 Sure, why not? Before that happened, though, I made a few phone calls.

The kind you only make once.