Modifying the Contract (Ch 13 -final)

General · Post by **General** » Tue Mar 29, 2011 9:11 pm

Mike awoke an unknown time later in the cabin of a small jet aircraft. He blinked several times and wiped the sleep from his eyes as bright sunlight illuminated the small but expensively furnished interior. As his vision focused he could clearly make out several large leather chairs, similar to the one he was sitting in, along with a small conference table and a bright display on the wall. The display showed a news report of the rampage he’d just experienced but the volume was too low for him to make out over the drone of the engines.

Just as Mike was about to stand up, a overstuffed recliner between him and the monitor slowly spun around, revealing a older man in a grey suit. His face was covered in a wrinkled smile that seemed to go all the way back to his thinning white hair. He appeared frail at first, but Mike could sense a definite sharpness behind his eyes. “Ahh you’re awake,” the old man chuckled, “good. It seems we got you out of there just in time,” he said as he gestured over his shoulder at the display. It was daytime now in the city and under full sunlight the collateral damage became evident. “The governor is furious,” he chuckled again, “she’s has the Highway Patrol rounding up anyone even remotely connected to the event. At first they billed it as some sort of mechanical malfunction, but you lucked out again. Local cops actually picked up the guy responsible for the hack as he tried to sneak away. It won’t be long before he’s traced back to Allied.”

Mike didn’t know exactly how to respond. The last thing he remembered was diving into what he presumed was a Walmart Consortium limo and speeding away. Nikki was…disabled he thought and he remembered being drugged. His hand drifted down to his chest where he could still feel two small bumps from where the darts hit him.

“You’re probably a little confused,” the old man continued, “and that’s to be expected. I have to apologize for the darts…and disabling your android. My security forces take their job very seriously.” He paused for a moment then shook his head, “Dear me, where are my manners,” he stood up and extended his hand towards Mike, “I’m Andrew Walton.”

Mike moved to stand up but Andrew held up his hand to wave him off, “I’m Mike Kugel. Thank you for your help,” he croaked. He rubbed his throat as it felt like half his words got stuck on the way out. Andrew sat back down in his seat and taped a few keys on the armrest. Instantly a beautiful flight attendant, in a very sharp uniform, gracefully slid into the room with a large glass of water. She offered it to Mike, who took it with a nod and another croaked thank you. He too several sips of the cool, fresh water before he tipped his head back and downed half the glass.

As Mike set the glass down, Andrew started speaking again, “I’m sorry again about the sedative. I’ve been told it can cause dehydration. And don’t worry about your android; she’s safe in the back, but just inactive. You may trust her, but she’s still an Allied assassin android, and I need to be cautious.”

“I understand,” Mike nodded. It wasn’t like he had much choice in the matter. He was on a private jet, flying who knows where, and sitting across from one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in the world. He wasn’t one for posture and protocol, but he knew when be polite and go with the flow. “Alison said you were interested in my offer?” he asked cautiously.

“Oh yes we are,” Andrew laughed, “while Allied Industries isn’t exactly a peer organization, they have been a thorn in my side for some time. Between what you’ve already told Alison, the data files we can extract from your android, and their little blunder last night, we have the opportunity to destroy them and take what pieces we wish.”

“Please forgive my candor, but it doesn’t sound like you really need me, you have all the evidence you need. Why all this?” Mike asked as he gestured around the plane. “Why not just take the files from her mind and dump us on a curb somewhere?”

“Ahh my boy you’ve been working for companies like Allied for too long,” the old man chuckled. “Not everyone is so willing to screw over their fellow human being for a buck. Sure we’ll make a fortune off this case, and technically no I don’t need anything else from you. But I didn’t get to where I am by disposing of those that volunteer to do me a favor.”

“So what can I do for you?” Mike queried.

“Help us get the data we need from your android,” the old man explained. “Assist my engineers in building a solid case that Allied is using our patented technology. Try to link it to every product possible in their line, but I want to keep this honest and iron clad. No fudging data or stretching the truth. When you’re up by two touchdowns with ten seconds left on the clock, it’s not the time to start cheating.

“In exchange for your help we will grant you a 1% finders fee on any profits we make on this deal,” Andrew said with a knowing smile. Mike’s head raced to roughly calculate what that might mean. Allied was worth roughly $100 billion with almost that much in raw sales every year. With all the shit that’s gone down lately, and the bad press of the trial they could lose half their value. Even if the Consortium made $25 billion once all the dust settles, that would still be $250 million. As the scale of that number rattled around in his brain he could do little but take another sip of water.

“In addition, until this whole thing blows over and your safety can be guaranteed back on the mainland, I’m going to put you up in one of our corporate houses. It’s on a private little island in the south Pacific that we use for delicate research that we want to keep away from prying eyes. It’s safe, completely controlled, and has the facilities to perform the research we need.

“Do we have an accord?” Andrew asked softly.

“Umm, yes. I think that is a most generous offer,” Mike stammered.

“Good, please take a look over the language of our arrangement and sign when you’re ready,” Andrew replied. Suddenly Mike noticed a formally dressed female standing beside him with a datapad that she extended to him. “I really hate legalese, so I try to keep all contracts in simple English. But the lawyers always push back. Hopefully it came out somewhat comprehensible. If you have any questions, Summer here will be more than capable of helping you.”

“We should be landing on the island in a few hours,” Andrew explained. “Look over the contract, and try to relax. And if you’ll excuse me I’m going to try to catch the end of my game.” The old tycoon gave Mike a nod and turned his chair back around to the large video screen. The channel flickered from the news, past a few other programs, to land on what looked like a college football game.

Mike smiled as Summer pulled up a chair beside him and held the datapad between the two of them, “Let’s start with section one shall we Mr. Kugel?”

Mike awoke to the sound of tropical birds singing in the warm spring air. He propped himself up in the king sized bed that dominated the center of his large airy bedroom. Semi-transparent linen curtains danced in the breeze that drifted from one end of the room to the other. He loved the fact that the little island had very flew flying insects and he could keep the windows open almost all the time. He rolled out of bed and stretched, getting a few satisfying cracks out of his back and neck. Wearing nothing but a pair of thin cotton boxers he slowly strolled out of the bedroom, down the hall and into the large main room that served as his living room, dining room and kitchen.

Nikki sat in a lounge chair on the large porch that sat out a set of open double doors. “Good morning Mike,” she said as she set down her book and looked out over the white sand beach and turquoise bay in front of her. “Did you get some good rest?”

“Yes thank you for letting me sleep in,” Mike cooed as he leaned against the porch post and drank in Nikki’s body with his eyes. As always she was beautiful, and he’d grown quite fond of her habit of wearing nothing more than a colorful skimpy bikini. “You and Natasha were insatiable last night. I’m surprised I’m up before noon.”

“She was a lot of fun,” Nikki said as she raised one eyebrow. “I’ll definitely add her to my favorites list. Oh and she wanted to say she was sorry she couldn’t stick around this morning, but her shift at the lab started at 8.”

“It’s not a big deal,” Mike chuckled, “we can always call her back if we want once she’s off shift.” Over the last several months, he and Nikki had settled in to their island lifestyle. At first he was very busy preparing for the lawsuit, but once that work was done, they had nothing to do but sit back and let the legal process lurch forward.

The island was small, but well supplied as it hosted a major research lab and data recovery warehouse. About a thousand people and almost ten times that many androids lived and worked on the island. One of the many perks Mike was granted was use of any off duty androids for anything he desired. He and Nikki had turned it into a daily game of going on the local network and choosing their companion, or companions for the evening. She had her detailed mental scorecard of everyone they’d sampled and with a few exceptions they’d enjoyed someone new every night.

The old man made sure Mike and Nikki had the best and set them up in one of the executive houses on the tip of the island. They had a bit of a walk to the main village but the remote location offered them wonderful privacy. It often felt like they had the whole island to themselves.

Mike was about to ask Nikki if she’d like to join him in the large outdoor shower when he heard the soft chimes at the front door. “I’ll take care of that,” he said as he left Nikki and slipped through the house, “Come on in!” he called with a friendly tone as he reached the kitchen.

“Good morning Mike,” a young woman said as she opened the front door and walked in with a wide, flat basket. She was Kaiko, one of the many friendly service androids on the island, and as with every morning, she brought an assortment of fruit and baked goods for breakfast. She was a petite girl, with deep bronze skin and Polynesian ethnic features. “We’ve got fresh mangos and bananas along with two still warm croissants.”

“Thank you Kaiko,” Mike said with a smile as he accepted the basked and handed her back the empty one from yesterday.

“And the Director asked me to give you this,” Kaiko said as she handed Mike a thick paper envelope. “Have a good day.” She turned and left the house as he bit his lip and looked at the letterhead.

Mike slid his finger under the sealed edge and ripped the letter open. A wide smile grew across his face as he scanned the first sheet. Andrew Walton was an older businessman and still believed that certain things should be done in writing, real writing not just email. “Nikki, take a look at this!” he said excitedly as he dashed back towards the deck. He led the letter up so she could see it and explained its’ contents. Even though she read it in a split second, she found his human tendencies charming. “Formally inform you that the case of Walmart Consortium vs Allied Industries has been decided in favor of the plaintiff. The plaintiff is awarded all assets and technology of the defendant at the current price of $78.4 billion.”

Mike paused with an idiot’s grin on his face looking at Nikki. “I knew we would win,” she calmly replied, “it was only a matter of time.”

“I know,” Mike shrugged, “but to see it here on paper makes it feel more real. It’s finally over, and we’re stinking rich to boot.” He leafed through the other papers that handled his formal commission fee. He’d have to fill in a few details and sign half a dozen places but by the end of the day he’d be wealthy beyond his wildest dreams.

The last few pages caught Mike by surprise. He had to read it over a few times before it fully sunk in. “Get this,” he chuckled, “on top of everything, they’re giving me a job offer. They’ll set me up with a lab here, or anywhere else I want, to do research or tinker on whatever I want. They’ll even throw in a small team of technicians and scientists.”

“You know you don’t really have to work,” Nikki pointed out. “The interest alone on your assets could make the payroll of many small companies.”

“I know, but I do miss my work. There was something very fulfilling about being able to create and push the boundaries of technology,” Mike explained. “Well what do you think? Are you happy here? Would you want to stay?”

Nikki stopped for a moment to really ponder the question. With her programming limits gone, she was free to explore and do whatever she wanted. She was no more bound to Mike than he was to her. They had ceased being assassin and target, or master and slave and become just two people. Her mind processed through thousands of scenarios of what she could do but none were as enjoyable as remaining here with Mike.

“Yes I am happy here,” Nikki replied warmly, “I would love it if we could stay here, together.”

“Well then it’s settled,” Mike said with a clap of his hands. “I’ll fill out the paperwork and run it over to the main office later this afternoon. In the meantime, how about some breakfast?”

“That would be wonderful,” Nikki replied. Mike carefully set the papers down on the kitchen table then collected Kaiko’s basket along with a few glasses, a carafe of orange juice, a knife and some napkins. He set them down on a small table next to Nikki and settled into another chair on the opposite side. She poured the juice as he sliced into the mango and slipped a juicy wedge into her mouth.

Nikki savored the sweet flavor and the texture of the flesh for several moments before swallowing, “Why don’t we do a little celebrating tonight? Shall I see if Luba and Ariel are available tonight?”

Gorgo · Post by **Gorgo** » Tue Mar 29, 2011 9:45 pm

Bravo! Bravo, my friend! Bravo!

I will admit that with the cliffhanger you had at the end of the last chapter, you actually had me a little worried. Guess I'm just too used to stories like Bubblegum Crisis, where the bad corporate monster ALWAYS seems to get away with what they wanted.

Again, a wonderful story.

liliwinnt6 · Post by **liliwinnt6** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 12:52 am

the final chapter came that fast?

General · Post by **General** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 4:20 am

It has been almost a year in the making and at 57,848 words, is by far my longest work yet.

I'm happy with how it turned out but as always I'm excited to hear feedback or criticism.

Too long? Too much action? Not enough 'action?' Poor story quality? Plot holes? Shallow characters?

Also if folks are interested, I could always write up a short coda about what happens when Luba and Ariel come over.

DukeNukem 2417 · Post by **DukeNukem 2417** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 6:19 am

In the words of my least favorite WWE Superstar (as much as I loathe him, his catchphrase sums up your work perfectly):

AWESOME!

NukuNookee · Post by **NukuNookee** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 8:28 am

General wrote:It has been almost a year in the making and at 57,848 words, is by far my longest work yet.

I'm happy with how it turned out but as always I'm excited to hear feedback or criticism.

Too long? Too much action? Not enough 'action?' Poor story quality? Plot holes? Shallow characters?

Also if folks are interested, I could always write up a short coda about what happens when Luba and Ariel come over.

Just right on length. Action was more than sufficient, and the story was well written. The wrap up was a bit quick, but satisfying. The short coda might help a bit on that.

Since 1/2 the characters were androids, shallow characters really wasn't an issue. The android characters were well written, and Nikki had some real depth, due to her age / experience.

Very well done overall.

MalcfunctionCrazyfor · Post by **MalcfunctionCrazyfor** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 8:19 pm

The story was amazing to follow. But like some others said here, the ending seemed a bit rushed. If anything I found some questions still left hanging in terms of plot twists, such as Nikki's memories being very slowly unlocked by the worm that Mike installed, I always thought that would lead to an interesting turn, but it seemed left out in the air.

Other than that though, great story, props mate.

General · Post by **General** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 8:39 pm

I will admit that by this point in the story I'm eager to move on and there is a bad tendency to rush.

As for the memory worm, my intention was that it's climax was when it allowed Nikki to override her orders and save Mike from the falling tool. After that and her subsequent crash she had total control over her own faculties, and deleted all of her orders. The implied point here was that she had transcended her android nature and become more human. She chose to stay with Mike rather than being compelled via his programmed orders.

In the future I have to try to make a point to write the last few chapters and let them 'age' a bit before I post. Maybe after reading them through few days/weeks later I'd see any missing plot and expand.

Thanks for the critique; I always appreciate good feedback and I'm glad you enjoyed the story.

DollSpace · Post by **DollSpace** » Fri Apr 01, 2011 1:47 pm

Very good! The ending was a bit rushed, yeah, but that can be cleaned up in revisions. It's a great read and I look forward to anything else you decide to post as well! Thank you for sharing it with us.

Sthurmovik · Post by **Sthurmovik** » Sun Apr 03, 2011 1:56 pm

Great story. I wouldn't have agreed with all your choices and I might be tempted to say that you guy your characters such a deep hole that they needed an unlikely bailout, but it worked out pretty well and had pretty good balance. I look forward to your next piece.

Brytestar · Post by **Brytestar** » Sat Apr 09, 2011 7:36 pm

Congrats! I was hoping that you would be online again soon. There is something unfinished..

rabiator · Post by **rabiator** » Mon Apr 18, 2011 2:42 pm

Very nice story, with a real plot which is not something to take for granted in this genre

As the Big Database Cleansing announced by Robotman draws close, this one is what I'm taking the time to save to my archive. Just in case...

Brytestar · Post by **Brytestar** » Sat Apr 23, 2011 3:38 pm

Modifying the Contract (Ch 13 -final)

Modifying the Contract (Ch 13 -final)

Re: Modifying the Contract (Ch 13 -final)