“Jane, Isha, Natasha… are you three alright?” a woman they didn’t recognise came running up to them. “Stacey gave me a rundown of what happened. I’m so sorry it got that bad…”

“Cassandra?” Isha asked in her Texan accent. “Pleased to finally meet yah, ma’am…” She shook her head out of embarrassment. “What I meant to say was…”

“It’s okay Isha, I’m used to this…” Cassandra dismissed. “Are the three of you hungry? Do you need a shower? A change into real clothes?” She looked at Jane with dry blood in her hair. “Kira! Take Jane to the showers, and find her a change of clothes. Preferably nothing too girly.” Cassandra didn’t give Jane much of a choice but she did need it. Cassandra turned back the other two. “I’ll show you where the beds are. I've only just arrived myself and need to stake my claim as well.”

Jane hadn’t really focused on the car ride and so had no idea where she actually was. They were at an old campsite, giving them a private area where they had lodges, a mess hall, showers and other buildings they could repurpose. It was a nice hide away that was easily secured.

“Showers are through there,” Kira finished the brief tour. “We have plenty of clothes, what’s your size, I can see what I can find.

“I don’t know my size…” Jane looked down at the patient scrubs. “These are all I’ve worn in the last 5 years.” Kira shook her head with the realization of who was in front of her.

“Oh yeah…” she now felt awkward. “I’ll get a few things for you to try on…” Kira quickly made her way back towards the camp, feeling red in the face.

Jane walked cautiously down the exterior hall, to the shower block. This was the first time in five years she was trusted to walk somewhere by herself, the first time since becoming Jane. She entered the room with the showers and went to one and shut the door. She took off her clothes and slid them under the gap. Seeing herself naked never got old and it always came with guilt.

The way Jane had combatted the guilt was to always wash herself as quickly as possible. Dry herself off with minimal touching and to get dressed again. Jane treated this like a body on loan even though it had been hers for five years and there was no way of giving it back.

This time Jane was a little slower. She didn’t linger on Lauren’s body but she stayed under the water for a long time, letting the warm drops wash over her face and skin. She grabbed the body wash and loofah provided and washed the areas she was sensitive in touching. Then grabbed the shampoo and washed her long hair.

“I brought you a towel and a change of clothes, hopefully they’ll fit.” Kira said wanting to get out of there as soon as possible. “Laura should be back soon.”

“Thank you,” Jane replied, listening to the footsteps depart. Once Kira was gone she turned off the water and opened the door, peaking to make sure no one else was there. She grabbed the towel left for her and wrapped herself up as she looked at the clothes on offer. She had been given sandals, a pair of jeans, pink briefs, and a light brown shirt with the campsite’s logo on it.

Once Jane dried herself she quickly got dressed. Everything seemed to fit her mostly fine, if a little bit loose. When she put on the shirt she positioned her wet hair to cover her braless top. She walked out of the shower complex to see Natash and Isha also dressed. Having been able to pick out their own clothes. Natasha was wearing a sleeveless blouse and skirt as well as high heels. Isha was dressed in jeans sporting a campsite themed belt buckle, button up patterned top, and had a cowboy hat and boots. Her waist long hair was also now loosely braided.

“It’s so good to be out of those horrible scrubs,” Natasha broke the silence. “We’re in cabin nine, with Cassandra. Not sure if you’ll stay with us or not. You seem to be a big deal around here, why is that?” Natasha asked in her reporter tone.

“Yes, I want to know too. You knew what was going on, Cassandra… that Doll mentioned someone named Laura. And that rude soldier almost called you by your wife’s name,” Isha questioned in her normal accent. They weren’t accusations but they got close.

Jane looked her friends in the eye and gave a polite smile. “You know that I was once a guy named Ben and that this is my wife’s body.” See gave Isha a guilty look. She wanted what Isha wanted but she was married. “Well I didn’t tell you everything. The Doll I tried, she’s sentient, a mix between my mind and Lauren’s I named her Laura while I was her. The last six years she’s been setting up all this trying to rescue me and Lauren. She’s been giving Dolls sentience and spreading the word about what Raymond and the Company have been doing online.”

“I remember finding those forums, it’s what led to my imprisonment when I asked about the rumors.” Natasha acknowledged the claim.

“Why didn’t you tell us this sooner?” Isha sounded a little hurt.

“Laura’s an illegal AI, the company has been after her for years. They tried to gaslight me into thinking she wasn’t actually real. I don’t think they thought she was real. So I kept quiet and didn’t dare say anything about her. You never knew who was listening in.” Jane reached for Isha’s hand. “I would’ve told you if I could.” Isha nodded and gave Jane a smile as she took her hand.

“Let’s go get something to eat,” Natasha suggested. “I want something I can cut with a knife.” The three of them headed to the mess hall where Cassandra was already waiting at a table. There were a few more people at their own tables, most wore some sort of combat gear as some Dolls were standing against the wall on charging stations or doing other jobs.

Jane paused as she recognised one of the Dolls straight away. She backed off as she came closer.

“They look like Lisa,” Isha nudged Natasha and gestured towards them. “What’s wrong?” She noticed Jane backing off.

“If Lisa was thirty years younger…” Natasha commented. “Something the matter?”

“It appears I’m causing Jane some distress… The last time she saw this body things went terribly wrong.” Stacey informed them. “I should’ve considered this, I apologize…” She went to leave. “Before I go I’d like to let you know how sorry I am for what you went through today and the loss of Cassie and the others hurts me deeply. I would also like to inform you Laura has almost arrived. I hope you don’t mind but I’ve already placed a food order for Jane.” She gestured towards Cassandra’s table and left the mess hall.

Jane walked over to the table with Cassandra while the others went up to order something for themselves. “It’s so weird seeing you in person,” Cassandra said as she swept a strand of hair behind her ear. “While it was mostly Cassie talking to you I did observe. I’m sorry she didn’t make it, but she put her patients first. Speaking of, I'm sorry for everything that’s happened to you.”

“It’s weird seeing you too…” Jane acknowledged. One of the blank faced dolls brought food to the table. “Thank you,” Jane said to the Doll.

“That one is a drone, they’re autonomous, their hardware doesn’t allow for a personality. They just fulfill a task given to them by Stacey.” Cassandra explained as she took a mouthful of food.

Jane gave a silent nod as she looked down at the food in front of her. It was a bland meal with meat, mashed potato and vegetables but it looked luxurious compared to what she had eaten for the last five years. She picked up the fork, a utensil she was forbidden from using and slowly picked at her food.

“That looks divine…” Natasha commented as she and Isha returned to the table waiting for their own food. “Mind if I have a bite?” Jane wasn’t feeling too hungry, her nerves were getting the better of her so she slid the tray over to Natasha. “Thank you,” Natasha dug in.

“Natasha!” Isha scolded her in her Texan accent. “You’re about to get your own tray. Let Jane eat.” Isha pulled the tray back from Natasha as she finished chewing a piece of meat. “Jane please eat,” Isha reverted to her usual accent.

Jane looked down at the food even less hungry now as a younger man came into the mess hall and headed over to the table.

“Jane… Jane Smith?” He asked her as she was thinking about eating.

“I guess so…” Jane responded she had never used her last name since becoming Jane it was still hers.

“I was sent to inform you, Laura just got back into camp and to take you to her ah… residence.” The man was quite formal.

Jane nodded and got up off the table as Isha and Natasha went to follow.

“Girls I think this is a meeting Jane needs to have alone…” Cassandra suggested, gesturing back to the table.