Accelerating Returns

  Chapter 16. Preparations

   At two o'clock in the afternoon on Thursday - the day before Ploof would show the world the new invention - Lucas Perth called Isaac into his office.  Isaac took forty minutes to get there.  When he finally walked in, Lucas wasted no time with greetings.

  "You took your sweet time getting here."

  "The BART train only moves a certain speed.  I was downtown, working on the project.  In fact, this is cutting into precious prep time."

  Lucas stood by his window.  "I called you here to talk about tomorrow.  I need to reassure myself of...what should I call it...your allegiance to the plan."

  About to sit down, Isaac stopped, dropped his backpack into the chair, and stood rigidly.  "Excuse me?"

  "I want to know if you have any side-projects planned for tomorrow."

  "You really want me to answer that question?"

  Lucas turned around and said, "I asked it, didn't I?"

  "After all the things I've done for you."

  "Don't act like we're married.  Just tell me what I need to know."

  Isaac said, "I guess now is a good time to tell you, that you are becoming a difficult man to trust.  You give no information, yet expect to receive everything."

  "What can I say?"

  "You can say something profound.  At least that would keep me believing."

  Lucas lifted his hands and quoted the New Testament.  "Well how about this then: I am the vine, and you are the branches.  Happy?"

  Isaac said, "No.  You call me and question my integrity.  I'm not helpless without your management.  I admit that you have organized some good jobs in the past, but recently you've slipped a notch."

  Lucas interrupted Isaac.  "That's why you're the Blocker and I'm the Broker.  I know the larger aim."

  Isaac bit his lower lip.  "You know, I've taken more risk as an operator than you have ever taken sitting behind that desk.  By the way," Isaac said, while unzipping his backpack on the chair.  "I ran a little background check on you."

  Using his foot, Lucas opened a drawer on his desk, and then he sat down in the chair beside the drawer. 

  Isaac continued.  "Remember that story you told me about doing six years in the Navy as a nuclear engineer.  Bullshit.  I talked to a guy from Axon one day in the food court.  Apparently, you told him about the years you spent, quote, babysitting a spreadsheet on a garbage truck production line."

  Lucas smiled.  "White lies.  I'm sure that you and you're partner don't tell the truth.  How can we afford to?"

  "Of course we don't.  But it made me curious enough about your past, so I chatted it up a bit with some of the other employees.  You tell a lot of different lies."

  "Well, thank you.  Every ear requires a custom plug."

  Isaac said, "No.  One plug works for every ear.  I have been telling the same lie for a long, long time.  You could say that it satisfies certain group norms within the corporate culture.  It's called trust.  That's why I had to look you up, to find out who the hell I'm working for."

  Lucas put his hand into the drawer and wrapped his hand around a nine millimeter pistol.  He invited Isaac to keep talking.  "So, did you find anything out, Isaac, or is this just for fun?"

  "I have the report right here."  Isaac reached into the backpack. 

  Lucas seized the gun and prepared to draw on Isaac, but instead of a weapon, Isaac produced a sealed manila envelope, and Lucas let the gun rest in the drawer.

  Isaac said, "This is an unopened report that I received yesterday from a private investigator.  I say again: this is unopened.  Now, for me to come into your office, on the day before my boss will reveal a product that I believe offers the greatest Block opportunity we have ever seen, and to stand here and listen to accusations from you?  Well, Lucas, that really, really makes me want to bury you."

  Lucas closed the drawer with his foot and folded his hands on the desk.

  Isaac ran his finger along the top of the envelope.  "It's almost enough for me to open this document, find out who you really are, and if needed, expose you."

  Lucas laughed.  "Almost?"

  "Almost.  But since I've been at Pelius, I've really come to believe in the cause, possibly more than I ever have before.  In fact, it was not me but my partner who never, not once, wavered through all the years of this dirty career.  Every time I was ready to throw in the towel, she kept the faith."

  Lucas nodded.  "That's good to know.  It makes me confident that your partner will do the right thing."

  "And now," Lucas said, walking to the window, "when I can see a great possibility for mayhem in the street, a public spectacle, a Block worthy of the greatest respect and admiration, you hold back and say to me, 'Wait, Isaac.  Wait for the greater plan to unfold.'  I will tell you one thing: I am deeply concerned for the direction of your management.  We could turn Pelius into a public travesty, a news bomb, with the kind of media scrutiny that...that would bring a deluge of public inquiry, months of Congressional hearings, years in court, and a full ethical rebalance of the whole system. It could prevent the progress of artificial intelligence for many years, and preserve human life as we know it."

  Lucas said, "Very true."

  "But I can see by the look on your face, Mr. Perth, how badly you want to go after Talbot.  Makes me wonder what this is all about.  This is perfect timing to become the animals that Longstreet wrote about.  Or have you started to lose your memory.  Remember the saying, 'Once exposed, horrify'?  I know you remember it."

  "I do."

  "Then maybe you can explain to me why this public spectacle doesn't excite you like it excites me."

  Lucas said, "Because I want to see both companies fail at once.  Talbot is the biggest kid in the schoolyard and Pelius is the new bully."

  Isaac said, "But the mess we could create here at Pelius would have ramifications across the industry. The entire culture!"

  "It would, Isaac, but not nearly enough.  If one company falls, then every other company tightens its belt, stands up straight, and cleans house.  They unify.  They will only gain strength by singling out the freak and pointing everyone's attention to it.  In the end, it will be business as usual.  Now if you have two major companies crashing simultaneously, collapsing like twin pillars, then no one can escape.  Everyone will watch the industry, as a whole, instead of just a company."

  "You'd better be right."

  "Oh, I'm right."

  "For your sake, I pray that you are.  I still have a good name at Talbot and can find my way back in there if I have to."

  Isaac set the manila envelope on the edge of the desk. 

  "And after tomorrow, that's what I want you to do." 

  "Go back to Talbot?"

  "Absolutely.  Go find a place inside and find another weak spot in the marble of that pillar.  We want it to cave in on its own weight."

  Isaac paused and then nodded at the floor.  "I'll contact my references this afternoon."

  They looked at each other for a moment.

  Isaac said, "Is that it then?"

  "No."  Lucas drummed his fingers on his desk.  "I need your partner to move that money immediately.  I need it yesterday.  It was supposed to be moved the day she received it.  I'm not sure what the holdup is.  That's infusion money for Pelius.  I can tell you one thing - this company is already bleeding as badly as Talbot, but so far we've managed to keep finance high enough to feel no pain."

  "I'll pass the word."

  "Thank you, Isaac.  And thank you for trusting me."

  Isaac said, "If you are going to expose me, let me know so I can prepare to horrify.  And remember this - if I find out you lied about anything, all bets are off."

  "Oh, absolutely," Lucas said.  "I appreciate the notion." 

  When Isaac turned to leave, Lucas saw a smirk that concerned him, as if Isaac had a secret.  His nerves suddenly felt steely in his arms. 


 

  The office door closed, and when he heard the click of the latch, Lucas tore open the envelope and poured its contents onto his desk.  He thumbed through the pages of his background report and looked for details about his past.  Under many of the subcategories on the pages, the line beneath the heading said, "No information available."  One page contained every passport and drivers license photograph ever taken of him, and he was shocked when he saw the freckled photo that was taken at the Chicago DMV when he turned sixteen.  He could not believe that a background check dug up his earliest identification, because he had paid a lot of money to have his life erased.

  Sixteen was the last year of his life, according to government records.  The drivers license shocked him further when his eyes scrolled down to his personal information.  Below the picture was his childhood address in Chicago, and worst of all, his childhood name. 

  Jude Jovan.

  His phone rang, scaring him away from the background report.  

  He touched the speaker button. 

  A woman's voice said, "Mr. Perth?"

  "Yes?"

  "I need to meet with you."

  "Who's calling?"

  "An important donor.  Meet me at 1199 Valencia Street.  It's noisy there."

  "Oh?"  He fumbled with the phone while he grabbed a pen and wrote directly on the wood of his desktop.  "Who's calling, please?"

  "This is a two with eight zeroes.  If you're still interested."

  "Of course."  Lucas underlined the address on the wood, gouging deep into the walnut.  He said, "What time do you want to meet?" 

  "How about an early happy hour.  4:30."

  "Sure.  How will I know who you are?..." 

  The dial tone hummed in his ear.  He marveled at how quickly Isaac contacted his partner.  Their organization impressed him, but instead of feeling nervous to meet the woman, he simply reached into his desk drawer and packed the pistol into his briefcase, along with his background information.

   

  The appointment with the mysterious woman made Lucas nervous as the clock neared 4:30.  Wrapping things up in his office, Lucas stepped outside and told his secretary to forward all messages to his answering machine at home. 

  An executive assistant asked, "You're leaving early?" 

  Lucas said, "Tomorrow is going to happen whether I stay late or not.  I'll see you all at the party tomorrow afternoon."

  A limousine at the front door waited for Lucas, who rode to downtown San Francisco and 1199 Valencia Street.  During the ride he looked out the window and wondered how to approach this anonymous, ruthless Blocker.

 

  At the restaurant he stepped up to the waiter captain and told her his name.

  "Yes, Mr. Perth, please follow your waitress, Griffin.  She will take you back to your table."

  The waitress led Lucas to the rear of the restaurant, toward the exit, and finally to a small table hiding from the view of the large crowd.  He turned a corner and there sat a strikingly beautiful woman, dressed casually. 

  "Hi Lucas."  She got up from her seat and kissed Lucas on the cheek.

  "Hello."

  She kissed him on the other cheek.

  "Thank you," Lucas said, surprised from the personal greeting.  "Kisses, wow.  I didn't expect that."

  "I think we've known each other long enough for any type of greeting imaginable, Lucas."

  He nodded and tried to read the situation in front of him, not fully trusting her.  This was his first planned meeting with a Blocker, since only by chance he had met Isaac.

  She asked, "How many years have we been together now?"

  He said, "I think it's been twelve years."

  "Oh, I think more than that." 

  "Maybe so."

  She said, "You look different than I would have expected."

  He tilted his head.  "I am pleasantly surprised.  I had no idea you were so attractive.  What can I call you?"

  "Julia."

  The waitress came to the table and placed a glass of water in front of them both.

  Lucas waited for the waitress to leave.  "So.  To what do I owe your company?"

  She said, "Let me get to the point.  Does that suit you?"

  Again, he nodded, making a conscious effort to keep his answers short and laconic.

  "What if," she said with a narrow smile, "I delivered the cash to you right now, in a briefcase."

  Lucas said quietly, "No way.  I can't take it."

  "No?"  She pulled a briefcase onto her lap.

  "I hope you're joking."

  "You don't want it anymore?"

  Lucas scoffed.  "Of course I want it."

  "Then take it."

  "Not like this."

  "What's the problem?"

  Lucas leaned down close to her ear.  "The system I set up is meant to manipulate the location.  Not like this.  I'm not carrying that much cash into a bank.  Do you want me to go to jail?"

  She said, "I went to a lot of trouble to liquefy the funds.  What's the problem?"

  "Listen, I don't even need to explain that to you."  Lucas sighed.  "I'm not going to let it play out this way.  There is a proper channel.  This is the wrong channel.  No, I can't take this.  I'm sorry.  No."  He shook his head and smiled, "But please - take your percent in cash.  Absolutely, take your cut out.  Deposit the rest into the account I asked you to deposit it in.  You need to move that money now.  Today."

  She said, "I understand.  Yes.  I understand.  I just really wanted my last job to end cleanly, that's all."

  "Ok, Julia.  You get that money into my account by this afternoon, and I will give you another five percent.  Is that what this is?  Are you trying to negotiate more money?"

  "Not at all, but I'll take it.  I'll need at least a full business day to get the money moved."

  "Tomorrow afternoon then."  Lucas pushed his chair back and pulled out a business card from his coat.  While he wrote his address and cell phone number down on the back of the card, he said, "Contact me as soon as it's done.  I'll be waiting to hear from you."  He stood up to leave.

  "You don't want to sit and talk for a bit?"

  "Sorry.  Not much of a chatter."  He smiled.  "If only I could take you as my date tomorrow.  You would be great company."

  "I don't need to see Marshall Ploof usurp Spiro Ling's invention."  She winked.

  Lucas laughed.  "Exactly."  He admired her while he placed his business card into her hand.  He asked, "Is Isaac on the level about tomorrow?  He seems a little edgy."  He waved his hand in front of his face.  "Forget it.  No, don't tell me.  All I need to know is that your work is done.  You both have amazing talent.  Longstreet would be proud."

  After taking a drink of water, she said, "I just want to say thank you, Lucas, for helping the cause all of these years."

  "That's very kind.  Don't think about it that way.  We are all in it together."  He turned to leave.  "Good luck." 

  "Luck," she said, "has nothing to do with it.  It's about trust."  She lugged the briefcase off the table and onto her lap.

  "True," Lucas agreed.  "Very true.  Call me when the money is moved."

   

  The next morning, before the unveiling of Ploof's great invention, Lucas had to attend a morning meeting with Arrica and ten other managers, including Basil, who had become cozy with Arrica.  The gray daggers in her eyes rarely came out anymore as her incendiary nature cooled.  Because of it, Lucas disclosed less information to her with every passing month, but kept handing her glossy, rosy reports that kept her away from the research and development department. 

  Although he disliked her soft attitude, she treated Lucas well and sometimes invited him over for summer barbecues on the porch, and even took him to an occasional Giants game.  When they went to see a game, Lucas sat in Conrado's seat, a place of honor for anyone, as if a king had frequented it at
one time.  Arrica even acted like her father while they attended the game, getting to know the new hot dog man, and Lucas played along, feigning interest behind his sunglasses and a snug, black Giants cap.  Her good will made him wonder if she was working a scheme against him.  No one behaved nicely without a motive. 

  His own relationships were strictly for show.  At company picnics, Lucas called an escort service or asked a young woman to accompany him, and he found it easy to keep the focus of conversation away from himself, since he always made sure he picked an aggressive social climbing escort as his date.  Ultimately, his dates ended up as good networking opportunities for the woman, which suited him fine.  Very seldom did he pursue a date after the initial outing, making his appearances as asexual as possible and letting rumors to his orientation roam from one end of the spectrum to the other.  Whenever by chance a rumor reached him, sometimes occurring when he rounded a hallway corner into the middle of a conversation among his employees, he looked sternly at the speaker and walked past with an angry stare, causing a stir among the group.  However, as soon as they could not see his face, he smirked, knowing that the rumor mill harmed nothing.  Rumors gone unanswered served him best, because the fictions made him into a caricature, and therefore ultimately left his own history, home, and preferences untouched. 

  Relationship talk was the last thing he expected to hear from Arrica that afternoon, but toward the end of the meeting, she singled him out by asking him who he intended to bring to the ceremony on Friday, for Marshall Ploof's big moment and the post-party. 

  Arrica said, "Who is your date for tomorrow, Lucas?"

  Lucas said, "Excuse me?"

  "You seem kind of distracted," Arrica said, making the other members of the meeting laugh lightly.  "I know you're not nervous about the product, so it must be your date."

  Every pair of eyes in the room found him and waited for a response. 

  Arrica said, "Is this finally a girl you can take home to mom?"

  Going with what had worked in the past, Lucas said nothing.  To defuse the stares, he put his elbow on the table, shielded his eyes, and groaned.  The people around him laughed, and one woman patted him on the shoulder, showing good-natured pity for Lucas.  He pulled his hand away from his eyes and said to Arrica, "I thought you were my date."

  Arrica laughed.  "Are you asking me out?"

  Lucas drew nervously on the table with his finger, acting like a teenager. 

  "You mean to say that I'm the type of girl you want to take home to mom?"

  At least Arrica knew how to end an uncomfortable moment.  He laughed louder than anyone.

  Smiling in the corner and staring off into space, Basil listened to the discussion, and rather than letting it politely die, scared it up again. 

  Basil said, "Lucas, forgive me for asking.  I had the day off yesterday - my sister was in town - I took her out for an early dinner.  We were downtown. I know the odds are slim," Basil said, "but I swore that I heard your voice."

  Lucas said, "Oh?"

  "Yes, and I didn't say anything because it seemed like you were talking to someone...and it sounded kind of important, maybe like a date.  Like someone special."

  Lucas laughed.  "That's news to me. No.  Wasn't me."  Lucas scratched his ear.  "Must have been someone else."  Playing it cool, Lucas shrugged and shook his head, but Basil's comment irked him, and he wished the fool would go deaf and mute.  

  Basil said, "Good thing I didn't yell then."

  "Good thing."

  Basil said, "I thought she might have been your date for tomorrow."

  Lucas killed the conversation.  "Can we drop the fucking subject, please? Who are you bringing, Basil? Your wife?"

  No one said anything more about dates.  Everyone looked at Lucas in disbelief. 

  Basil stammered.  "Good one, Lucas."  His voice wavered with embarrassment.  "I didn't mean to pry. If you'll excuse me."  Basil got up to leave, insulted at the outburst.

  Arrica said, "No, Basil, please."  She reached for his arm, but Basil pulled it away from her.

  When the door shut, Arrica said with disgust, "Lucas, I hope something terrible happens to you someday.  I can't believe you. I can't even begin to tell you how inappropriate that was, and if it weren't for the product release, I would ask for your resignation right now."

  Regardless of the impact of Lucas's comment, he knew that the rumor of Lucas dating a woman would spread after the meeting concluded, and that was a potential problem for his goals.  Even among the top tier of professionals at Pelius, they passed notes like high school cheerleaders, and Lucas considered them all slightly inbred after so many years of late nights working together on intense projects.  Everyone at Pelius in the same pay grade seemed to end up sleeping with one another at some point.  Perhaps that fact alone made promotion additionally inviting at Pelius, offering a fresh set of people to undress.  With most of the upper classmen at Pelius divorced or suffering through a third or fourth marriage, Lucas felt that Arrica's pack of wolves would be the perfect bundle of hides to get nailed to the wall of the Senate, when the investigations started.  The assembly at Pelius, a terrific cast of cutthroats, took a long time to nurture.  In another year, they would be a collective body that the world could join together in feeling unanimously ashamed about. 

  The fall of Pelius was merely a contingency plan.  Lucas kept his focus on the main goal, which was to raze everything that his father had ever built.