Thatcher Blue sat on the dark green leather couch, sipping hot tea. Today was to be a great day, he could feel it in his bones. And the bones never lied.
He walked through the apartment preparing for the long ride to the office. Checking his mail at the counter while the lift rose to his level he found an interesting bit of news. The Clan Corps. was purchasing it’s only real rival in a stock for cash trade worth an estimated $500 billion. This could make the day longer than he had hoped for, and the night much shorter.
She never mentioned the deal, did she not trust him, or was it news to her also?
As he walked through the anteroom and out onto the balcony he watched a cascade of geese as they flew towards the horizon. Weaving to and fro due to the currents of hot and cool air as it rose from the lake below. The sun was already hot on his cheeks, only a few clouds filled the sky above him. For a moment he stood there in the heat, then flicked a dial on the deck railing. With an audible hiss of electricity the sky and all objects with in his view morphed into a different scene. This one was more to his mood.
The brilliant blue sky had become a multi-layered mess of clouds and fog. Rain fell from the gashed skies, thunder could be heard from the distant light show. It was cold now, this one was more to his mood.
Upon leaving his home Thatcher settled into his car and closed his eyes. As the tiny magnetic motor raced his vehicle up to speed he reviewed what was to come. 84 was going to make this one uncomfortable, at best, and very painful at worst. He knew he could possibly even lose his commission over the things he had done in the last few weeks.
The vehicle slid quietly into the drone of mid morning traffic, several times he placed calls to agents still in the field. The last call was to 144, his newest machine.
“Are we on track 144?”
“Yes Sir. Allow for the travel time and time on world to set up the company, all is as you have instructed.” 144 said quietly as he stood in a dark room somewhere. Sounds of travel filled the vehicle as Thatcher considered the company 144 mentioned. Company was the word chosen for the particular mission.
Assassination was not a pretty word, in fact it was a word never used by Thatcher or any of his machines. Thatcher gazed out the window across a swift running river, and wondered aloud, “We do things we may not be proud of, but they are to be done for the sake of the society,” he turned back to the monitor.
“144, proceed with caution and report only to me. Things may change here beyond my control. Clan Corps is making the move on System1 today. If you need me, take the high road.”
“Understood.” with that the image of 144 faded quickly from the monitor. 144 had to be the one to make sure things went as they had planned. Assassination was a word they did not use.
*******************
Thatcher waited patiently for 84 to enter the room. “Good morning 87.” 84 said lightly as he walked into the office from behind the bookshelf. 84 was a good man in Thatcher’s mind. Strong, decisive and caring for the people who worked for him. “What have you done…and when will we see the results?” he asked as he set in the chair as it softly began to hum from the warming and vibrations.
Neat story! 🙂
-Nania