The Meeting

  Colonel Forester, a Net Lord in his echo-suit, a woman in black with a full face mask, General Underwood and Frankie are seated around a table.

  “So,” Underwood says, “Where do we begin?”

  Earlier...

  Colonel Forester is standing behind oneway glass, on the other side Bucket is laying on an operating table, unconscious they are operating on his eye replacement. She did this to him. If he wasn't close to her, if they weren't together, Underwood wouldn't have pressed him that hard. He has no reason to forgive her.

  And she didn't wait a second to go rushing into Arthur's arms once she got the report Bucket was killed. She's dreamed of Arthur coming home some day, wanting to be with her and raise Oscar with her.

  Her eyes are blood shot, she takes a long drag of her cigarette, her hand on the glass she exhales.

  “He's not just a soldier, is he?” Arthur asks her. She tries to say no but chokes on the words. “Why did you lie to me? We haven't seen each other in 6 years, I had moved on, I'm fricken married. You could have sent word that I had a son.”

  She turns to him, distraught, “Yes, I forced you to sleep with me. Clearly you had no interest and caved like I was holding a gun to your head.” She knows he still has feelings for her, like he did from the moment they met years ago. She gently places her hand on his shoulder “There are many things I could have done Arthur, there are many things you could have done as well. I thought you would have come back for Maria.”

  “She made her fricken choice and sent me away.” He takes a deep breath, “I have moved on from her, if she had let me know about her condition and side deals I could have helped, we wouldn't be in this position with Jennifer, my daughter would have grown up with her father.” Taking a step back her hand falls from his shoulder, he crosses his arms, "So, what's with Bucket?”

  She looks off to the side, “He stole my codes, he played me. I thought I could get him under control by being close to him... I developed feelings for him and...”

  “That sounds like a lot of fricken deja vu." He scoffs, "I was your first assignment, how many 'assignments' have you had?”

  She has a broken look on her face, “How could you say that? Do you know what it's like? Wanting you so bad, watching you daily as you and Maria get closer and closer, then she lets you go. You come into my arms, and fuck off to Australia without even saying anything.”

  “Well, actually I went to Japan first.”

  “Still on the other side of the bloody world.” She says with a wave of her hand, “You're the first man I ever loved, the father of my son. But in the short time I've known Blake he's been more loyal, shown more compassion and been willing to put more on the line then anyone I've ever known. And I didn't realize it until I thought I lost him. Dammit!” She turns and starts pacing, “There have only been two guys I've been serious about. After all this time both of you are here at the same time.”

  “Well this isn't ideal for me either. I have to travel back home at some point and tell my wife about the last night." He says, turning away, his back to her. "I want to see Oscar.”

  She moves closer to him, reaching out with her hand she abruptly pulls it back. “Yes, just spend time with him, please don't tell him who you are yet. He's six but pretty smart. Have you thought about what you and Maria will say to Jen?”

  He lets out a big sigh, “Frick, probably best we see how that chat goes first. I don't suppose there is any way to talk with Jen without her?”

  “Arthur, that's your problem, I have my own fucked up life to sort." She says, walking to the exit. "I need some air, if anyone asks I'm going to see Edgar.”

  He smiles, “I still remember the first time I met you. Edgar and you were talking.”

  She smiles thinking of it, “Yeah. Life was so much simpler then.” She walks over to him and they embrace, “You were never 'just an assignment.' Part of me still loves you.” She pushes off him and walks out the door.

  The room has a large white oval table in the middle, surrounded by simple wooden chairs painted white. The fluorescent tubes above provide the cool, tired light. The room is old, but little used, the walls a synthetic canvas covering, muffling sound. A short woman dressed in all black with a full facemask is at the end of the table, her presence adds to the coldness of the room.

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  “Maria.” The Colonel says.

  “Jodi.” The woman says.

  The Colonel walks over, sits beside Maria. The pause a moment in silence. The Colonel speaks first, “So what's with the mask?”

  “It's symbolic; I'm not in the Collectives group thought, I am a mere advisor.” She says in a calm tone. “My job is to advise and help them integrate.”

  “You've stayed with them two years past what you agreed to. Even Arthur hasn't heard from you.”

  She slams her hand on the table, “He left.”

  “You told him too.”

  She takes off the mask revealing a hard face with furrowed brow.

  “It's amazing Maria, I didn't connect it until I saw your face just now,” She says, in a kind tone, “Other than Jens eyes she's the spitting image of you Maria. She is an amazing agent.”

  “She wasn't supposed to be, she was supposed to have a cushy life as a royal.” Maria says.

  “Maria, I explained this to Arthur, I have my own fucked up life to sort. Don't take that one out on me."

  She scoffs, “Yeah, I can see he spent some time with you after he left.”

  “Oh piss off. You're determined to be a little bitch because of Arthur and I last night, aren't you? You had your chance, you damn well know I was all for him the moment we met. That's fine though, you got together, would still be together if you didn't lie to him." The women glare at each other, Jodi's look softens, "Is your health Ok at least?”

  “Yes.” Her look softens, “All my cells have been cycled out. I don't have the DNA enchantments from the fusion anymore, it's a side effect of the process.”

  “I know it's not what was planned. But I work with Jen a lot, I think she's ready.”

  “As much as I hate Arthur for what happened, I'm happy I'll be able to meet Jen again.”

  “We don't have much time. Are we united in this Nadine situation?”

  “Yes, the Net Lords clearly broke the agreement. Underwood will try to side with the Net Lords, our sources say. ”

  “So,” Underwood says, “Where do we begin?”

  “For the record I am 1091ian Grey, you may refer to me as Ian. I am the Net Lord representative.”

  “I am Frankie, an advisor for the Collective, I will defer decisions to the Governess.”

  “I am the Collectives Governess, I relay and represent them.” Maria says.

  “I am...” The Colonel is cut off by General Underwood.

  “I am General Underwood, the sole representative of the crown and the military on the mainland. I ask that the Colonel be removed from this meeting as her presence is redundant.” He says, looking at the Jodi with a haughty arrogance. She glances at him with a crooked cocksure grin and a slight head shake.

  All eyes go to the Colonel. She straightens in her chair, arms outstretched with her palms flat on the table, barely a crease in her dress uniform. She addresses the room, “Everyone at this table knows me, and Underwood as well. Nothing has changed in regards to my presence in the meetings of 2201, 2207 and 2215. I represent the Military, as always, Underwood represents, what, I guess whatever direction the current winds of power are on the mainland are. But we are not on the mainland, we are here to discuss the Net Lords breaking our agreement on involuntary mecha-bio hacking.”

  “The crown is ready to overlook this.” Underwood says.

  “Yes, well the Crown is not even the full representation of the mainland.” The Governess says.

  “The Governess is correct.” The Colonel says, ”All of us present were here during the 2215 Agreement, in fact the Net Lords were the ones most insistent on the strict rules of involuntary mecha-bio hacking of any sentient beings. Tell me Ian, what has changed?"

  The emotionless echo-suit looks around the room, “You're allowed to live because we can't be bothered to wipe you all out.” He says, his voice dripping with disdain.

  The Colonel speaks, “Yes, we're all aware of the history. But we also all agreed no mecha-bio hacking, no changing base level memories, cells or DNA as this leads to a degradation of all beings. Tell me, how would a mecha-bio virus affect the stasis pods in the Hive?”

  “Are you threatening us, Colonel? You're flea shit, this is a waste of time.” The Net Lord pauses. “I have a more senior leader that would like to speak.”

  “Can you hear me?” A different voice comes from the echo-suit.

  “Yes.” Underwood says.

  “Good. It's not relevant who I am, but I am the Net Lords, I am the Hype.”

  “We know who you are and recognize your authority.” The Governess says.

  “I recognize your authority.” Underwood says.

  Jodi is silent, she does not have knowledge of this individual. “Continue.” She states.

  “Ian can not hear what is currently being said, so it is only I and everyone in this room. I am the one that pushed for the mecha-bio ban.”

  “A wise decision.” The Colonel says. “Tell me, what do you have to say that you do not wish your own people to know?”

  “Ha, the reports are correct about you Colonel. You know the least of me out of everyone in the room yet get right to the point. The Net Lords are like my children, only 30 to 160 year old children. They bicker and mostly don't listen to me, I keep the Hype running. They don't fully comprehend your comment about infecting all the stasis pods with a mecha-bio virus, they think it's just 'some threat'.”

  “Such tech is bad for everyone.” The Colonel says.

  “Agreed. The one you know as Nadine, she is a thorn in my side. She holds too much power within the Net Lords.”

  “Is she acting on her own?” The Colonel asks.

  “Mmm, it's more than a few of them. Their numbers are growing. It would be best for all of us if she were gone. For good.”

  The Governess speaks. “The Collective will have no part in cleaning up your internal mess.”

  “What are you asking?” Underwood says.

  “He is not asking anything, Underwood. Not yet. You seem to be jumping ahead before he speaks.” The Colonel says, narrowing her eyes as she looks at him. He glances at her and looks away fast.

  “Well, to start I ask you turn over the one you call Nadine. Second, I ask that you find your way into our Hive and eliminate her in her stasis tank.”

  The Colonel looks into the lifeless eyes of the echo-suit, there are no physical cues but she can tell he's more desperate then he's letting on. Or perhaps that is what he's just trying to present. “I wish to speak with you, right now. Alone."

  There is a long silence, all the others in the room curiously look at her.

  “There is no way...” Underwood starts.

  “Quiet.” The Net Lord says, Underwood immediately stops talking, “Very well Colonel, can the rest of the room give us some privacy?”

  They all stand, as they file past her they try to get her attention; her gaze does not leave the Net Lords.