AUTHOR's P o V
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"We shall now begin the ceremony for the company merger between Ironscrapes and Nordstrome Corp. "
Mr. Takashi beamed as soon as he confirmed that every person he needed to attend the meeting was around. He was a board member from the Nordstorme Corp and was only second to Shantal to own the most number of shares in the company and for some unknown reason, he seemed to be highly in favor of Mathilde. Likewise, since the board of director was nor around, naturally, the job to facilitate the meeting fell on his hand.
At the same time, Mathilde also bring her own tech team that was lead by a Japanese national, Mr. Yakamura. He was the same person that came with Mathilde when they took 1096 at Harold's lab.
Mathilde was thinking of making use of the other party to her at explaining her proposal later on. As it turned out, she also chose this same day to intro
Left with no choice, Mr. Yakamura started making his way towards the exit along with his men. Today was supposed to be a big day for him as well just as how important it was for Mathilde. They agreed to be business partner and planned to venture robotics together. In fact, Mathilde let him in to her plan of stealing the idea from the Alpha Tech team and he did not say anything against it so long that his IT team would be the one who would take credit on this one.Indeed, birds with the say feather, flocks together.However, the last thing that he would want to happen was for his name to be dragged with a murder case while he was overseas. Getting himself involved to this would only make things harder for him. He did not want to attract unnecessary attention towards even if it was bad publicity. Thus, as soon as Mathilde gave him the signal, he left right away with no question asked.He left without uttering a single word
Even though Mathilde did not physically show any sign of resistance when she was asked by the authority to come with them, on the flip side, she certainly took her time to move away from her chair. Taking as much of their time as she could by dilly dallying was the most that she could do to express her defiance. However, not everyone has the time and patience necessary for them to wait at her do her thing at her own phase. So before Mathilde could even make them dance within her palms completely, Amanda already nodded her head to signal her men to escort the woman outside the room. On her way out, Mathilde purposely halted her steps to stop right at just when she was about to walk past Shantal. "Things will only get worse from here." She told Shantal with her voice laced with overwhelming menace. It was as if Mathilde was purposely trying to warn her niece about an impeding doom. However,
Shantal held her aunt's gaze until the authority dragged Mathilde away from her sight. Outside, Mathilde was fuming but she did not let it show on her face. She kept a straight face even when she walked past her secretary. However, all it took was an eye contact for the other party to know what her boss would want her to do in its absence. Meanwhile, in Mathilde's head she was thinking that none of what was happening at her was enough to faze her. She was confident that they would not find something that they could use against her. After all. she remain unpunished for years for a reason. She had long pulled the strings at the background and she would do it without second thought if the situation woulf call for it again. She would do it time and time again without the slightest hint of hesitation because she reckoned that she could just switch to a new identity if things blow out of proportion. So long as she was able to secure the techno
"Damn it!" Mr. Yakamura lashed out as soon as he was out of public eye. The he agressively three his shirt at his bed before turning around to face Mr. Takashi. "The police have gotten involved. I need to leave the country immediately. Those things that we discussed in front of 1096, last night---" He trailed off in the middle of his sentence as though he could not bring himself to say the word. "We gonna have to delete all of 1096's data before anyone could get their hands on him again." Mr. Takashi told Mr. Yakamura while they were in the middle of a conversation and when the other party was reminded of what happened, he became more frustrated because he recalled exposing himself in front of the robot at one occasion. "Make sure it is completely wiped. Are we clear on this?" If anything goes wrong, you will be the one taking the fall. Don't you ever forget about that." Mr. Yakamura let out an exasperated sigh after sayi
'As long as I have the robot, I can start anew and build another identity somewhere else.' That was what she kept repeating to herself as she sat on her cell. She repeated it inside her head over and over again as though she was actually reciting a mantra. Meanwhile, Shantal, Alex, and the others were also at the station during that time. For some reason, Jodi went missing in action but she advised them that she would be running late. At the same time, she gave them her assurance that she would come to meet them at the station as soon as she was done dealing with her presonal stuff They were in the middle of completing everything necessary to speed up the progress of their criminal case against Mathilde. But in actuality, it was Shantal's secretary who was doing most of the work. The rest were only required to attend because their individual statements has to be included in the official repo
Alex and Shantal looked at each other and right at that instant, they saw their own expression being reflected by one another's face. Meanwhile, without tearing her eyes away from Alex, Shantal reached out to her pocket to get her phone.She wanted to make a call and instruct someone to go and find her robot. But she eventually froze because she realized that there was no one she could turn to aside from her cousin when it came down to dealing with her Android Partner.With trembling hands, she slowly turned to Jodi for support and it was at that moment that Shantal realized how thankful she was to have her cousin's company at that time. Shantal could not for the life of her understand why she was so affected. She reckoned it was perhaps because the feeling of being helpless was not something she was familiar with. She was used to getting what she wanted; like everyone was at her beck and call.Shantal chew
Almost in an instant, Jodi was able to come up with a plan right away. As soon as she broke the hug with Shantal. Jodi took her own phone and started calling the Alpha Tech Team. However, this time, she chose to call her boyfriend first over Harold."Hello?"Rico picked up the call right after just a few rings but he sounded relatively distant and somewhat cold compared to his usual attitude towards her.It has not been that long yet since they started dating so Jodi wondered what went wrong because the last time she checked, their relationship was doing fine. As a matter of fact, they texted all night the other day and even went to bed with sweet messages address to each other.But even thought Jodi noticed that Rico was acting weird, she decided not to pay it heed in the meantime."We need your help. 1096 went missing."Without going in circles, Jodi
"They need our help to find the robot. 1096 was nowhere to be seen."Rico stated with distraught written all over his feature. Meanwhile, distress made its way to the group's faces the moment they learned the situation from Rico. It was not only Shantal's side who got upset after hearing the news. Apparently, the Alpha Tech team also received the news with the same degree of apprehension. Everyone was visibly perturbed because of what happened and it was clear for all eyes to see that they were all worried."1096 disappeared? That can't be."Mike muttered softly in complete denial as he could not bring himself to believe his ears. They were aware that Mathilde did something to their robot as soon as they brought it to their site. In fact, the moment the team of technicians in Mathilde's side tried to lay their hands on 1096 with the purpose of removing its GPS function, they got notified by the system right away. A
"Gosh it's good."Harold said when he got to taste how refreshing the drink was. When he looked at the other two guys, he saw them gesturing to their head but he did not give them much attention."Yes.Sam repeated the same thing with a voice and face devoid of emotion."Something needs fixing."Harold told Sam afterward and so Sam fought back to urge to do and eye roll before replying flatly to him."Okay."This time, Harold noticed that Rico and Michael still keep on doing the same thing so he asked them instead,"What? Is your scalp itchy.""No."The two answered in unison. Jodi on the other hand who was watching all of this farce unfold right before her eyes, could not help but let out a sigh."You sure are made for each other."She said to no one in particular and it was also as seemed she was only talking to herself."Anyway. Michael, I need you to go to Casterly."
"I am right here. Respect my existence."Michael insinuated afterward before he sarcastically added,"Do you guys want be to get you a room instead?""I should not have fallen asleep that night."He muttered to himself as he recalled the night Jodi asked Rico out for a date. He believed that if only he was not asleep that time, then maybe Jodi would also consider dating him.On the other hand, Rico seemed to be out of it and oblivious of him."Lover."The other party mumbled to himself as he observed the tarot card in his hand.'"I did not know this will happen. I feel so lonely."Michael muttered to himself out of despondency and while he was in the middle of self pity. Someone walked into the room.They though the one arrived was some random girl who was in full glam and obviously had just gone to salon for her touch up when it decided to have some coffee."Wow! I told her she would be pretty."
"That robot was sometimes human and sometimes a robot for me and that was why others who can't understand my situation mistakes me as someone who hallucinates and believe a robot as a human just because I am treating it just like one. But for my opinion, my situation was no different from those who loves their pets so much, they even considered them as their child and called themselves as furparents.""My emotions were input into that robot and that person. That is how this miracle happened. That fact completely changed the way I view things. This will be yet another scoop for the reporters present. Nordstorme Corp will go from financing mergers and acquisitions to investing in futuristic industries that involved human sensibilities. Just like what Alpha Tec Inc pioneered years ago.""This is your first change in business strategy in 15 years. Do you have anything mapped out?"One of the reporters raised a question just like what a normal press conference should
On the flip side, just like what Shantal assumed, Mr. Takashi with Mathilde's instruction called for an emergency meeting on that afternood. Which happened to coincide to the time when Shantal will hold her press conference.Moreover, since Mathilde would not be able to make it there since she was still held in prison, her secretary presided the meeting."We shall begin the emergency board meeting."Secretary Ye declared loudly and her voice reverberated in the room. Jiro was also there along with other board members."The agenda is the dismissal of Director Shantal Nordstorme and the cause is as you were all informed. An illness."She continued while everyone was silent and anxiously prayed so they could ever this meeting once and for all. On the contrary, Mr. Takashi was nodding his head on the side and though he was anticipating for this day come.Mr. Takashi nodded his head toward Secretary Ye to signal her to start it once and for
In there, Jodi found a list of shares under her name as well as a soft copy of memorandum of renunciation address to Shantal with her name on it and it was then that Jodi realized that her mom had already long planned about it ahead of the time.As it turned out, Mathilde was thinking of using her influence to oust her cousin out of the position.In addition, inside the flash drive she also found an old email account with records of bunch of emails and it took Jodi more than four hours to go through all of them.But by the time she finished reading the exchange of chats Mathilde had with her hitman, Jodi's eyes was bloodshot.It was unsure if this was cause by her prolong exposure to the screen or if it was exhaustion that was doing this thing on her body, but when she get up from her chair, Jodi balled her hands into a fist.She slammed the door shut behind her back as she left the office and on the screen, the last conversation
It was late in the evening when Jodi received a call out from nowhere. When she checked that registered on the caller ID, she was surprised to see Jiro's name.Truth be told, he was the least person he would expect to contact her. After all, the two of them never talked to each other for ages.Jiro used to be a good friend of hers as well. Just like how she and Shantal were cousins, Jiro and and Zorens were first cousins too so naturally all four of them get to know each other and as a child, they eventually became acquaintances in no time.Besides, since Zoren's parents were a family friend of the Nordstorme they often had an opportunity to hang around during their childhood.However, ever since the day Zoren committed suicide due to the incident regarding the Nordstorme controversy, Jiro also stopped communicating with them.So this made Jodi wonder what had come to Jiro to decide and phone her at this time of the night.But
"In other words, she wants me to become director and cover up all his shortcomings?"Mr. Takashi insinuated after his contemplation. He did not exactly declined the offer this time, unlike before. Although he also did not directly implied that he would do it.Nonetheless, Secretary Ye considered his response as a good sign. At least, the other party was no longer adamant at turning them down.So with the same insinuating manner, she answered him back."That would make it easier for you to do your duties once you become a director. All that was left for you now is to leave Ms. Shantal Nordstrome no other choice but to step down and abdicate the position of board directory to your hands.""Ousting her is not enough. He will just come back. We must make sure he loses the will to come back."Out of nowhere, Mr. Takashi declared with conviction and for a second, the secretary was taken aback by this.One moment, he almost drove her a
"You told Jodi about everything?"Mathilde asked her secretary as soon as the two of them were finally allowed to have some private conversation within the prison hall where she was currently detained. Panic was noticeably present on the other party's face when she raised her question. Meanwhile, the secretary remained silence yet that was all enough for Mathilde to guess her response and not long after that, her shoulders dropped on the side when the realization hit her."I guess she was bound to find out about it sooner or later."She muttered under her breath with despondent undertone.An exasperated sigh escaped Mathilde's lips afterward. But then, she suddenly tenses up when she recalled about something else.Leaning towards the other party all the while grabbing a hold to the iron bars, Mathilde looked around her warily first to make sure that no ears were on them.Only when she confirmed for the umpteenth time that no one was listenin
Adelaine Smith's P o V~~~~While Jodi and I were driving down the road looking for any sign of the robot, I received a call and when I checked who it was, I found out that it was Amanda so I accepted the call right away."Ms. Smith, the robot just got on the bus number 707."I heard her voice telling me the moment it picked her call"Great! Thank you for the information."I replied and not long after that, she hung up on her because I reckoned that it would be best if I could relay this news to the other search parties. In this way they would also know where to start looking. Of course, the first one that I tried to call was my lady boss. However, to my dismay, I was only redirected to the voice call feature of the phone.'The number you have dialed is busy at the moment. Please try your call later or leave a message aft