1096 P o V
~~~
They put me inside this huge box but did not even bother turning me off. Did they not know how much energy it took me to keep my system running? This was such a waste! I wanted to put myself on Stand By Mode to saved battery but they did something on me. Right now, the most that I could see was light coming from the small opening of my box.
While I was idle, I heard different familiar voice inside my head. They words played like a broken record in my memory.
"You will be a military robot."
"The world's most dangerous weapon"
"You are just a product owned by a man."
"You do not exist as a living creature so stopped acting like one."
"1096 you will be be friends with human."
"We will send you to your girlfriend."
"They would surely love and aSHANTAL's P o V~~~~~Alex and I were at my place right now but there was nothing left for us to. So we do nothing. However, despite our lack of activity, we did not get bored at all. Staring at the ceiling was all it took for us to entertain ourselves.My head was empty and I was just simply staring off the distance. That was when Alex started talking to me after a short while. I was able to hear his voice right away."What are you thinking about?"He asked so I turned my head to his direction to look at his face"It is a secret."I told him and this answer of mine made Alex bugged his eyes out. He could not believe his ears that I said that to him."Are you serious?"
SHANTAL's P o V~~~I was never that person who would bow down its head to someone just to fawn or curry favor; if anything, I am usually that 'someone'. Thus never in my life have I pictured myself to be swallowing my pride. Yet here I am, making my way to my aunt's office for the first time ever. With my head full with nothing but the thought of saving my old robot, I headed to the enemy's lair. I was just about to burst the door open and was planning at waltzing inside her office. However, I was stopped by Aunt Mathilde's secretary just right before the entrance."I need to talk to your boss so go ahead and announce my presence."I told the other party in one breath. I did not even give the girl a chance to talk to me. First of all, I am not at the liberty of time to be chatting with anyone, let alone be friendly. In fact, it was already considerate of me that I allowed her to stop me on my
SHANTAL's P o V~~~"Maam... Director Nordstorme came here to see you."The secretary said as soon as she opened the door and not long after, I was ushered inside. Meanwhile, I entered the room with my head held high. However, at the same time, I also made sure to tone down my attitude. After all, I came to see Aunt Mathilde with an intention to negotiate; if there was one thing I learned after doing countless business transactions with others, it would be about knowing the right time when you should mind your manners."Come in."She said and it did not take that long before I found myself standing inside the office of my enemy."Look who is here! Oh my dear niece, to what I owe the pleasure of your visit?"Aunt Mathilde beamed as soon as she caught sight of me. But I am not buying it. I was not born yesterday to be fooled by her facade. I knew well enough how pretent
SHANTAL's P o V~~~"Look who is here! Oh my dear niece, to what I owe the pleasure of your visit?"I noticed how Aunt Mathilde tried to inject as much enthusiasm on the tone of her voice when she said her greetings. However, in spite of her effort, I was still able to easily see through her disguise. She was not happy to see me."What a rare event"She insinuated afterward when all I gave her was a forced smile. She also flashed me a lopsided grin."Let us have a sit."She added as she invited me to take a seat on her sofa. She took her seat before me and so I just followed her example and did as what she asked me to do."So why are you here?"My aunt started as soon as we were both seated and so without trying to beat around the bush, I told her my plan right away."I planned to resign as a director."I said with conv
I was known for being impatient in the first place; so making small talk was never my forte. Besides it was one thing if I liked the other party. However, it was obviously the contrary. It was for that sole reason that when Aunt Mathilde asked for what business did I have for paying a visit at her office, I just told her my intention for coming over, straight to the point"I planned to resign as a director."I replied in one breath and when I did not get a response from her right away, I added"I will make no management decisions."That, however, managed to elicit a response from the other party. She deliberately tried to feign a shock reaction; albeit it was clear for all eyes to see that it was nothing but a fake."Wow."She said with a gasp but I would never gonna buy her acting; especially if she was that bad."In return. I have a condition."I added afterward with a straight face and this time, she repl
SHANTAL's P o V~~~"Leave the Alpha Tech team alone."I told my aunt with a straight face. In fact, I even made sure to make my voice as flat as I could. So that it would look like I was devoid of emotion when I told her those words; I wanted to make it clear to her that I did not came here to fool around. I am hell bent serious. On the contrary, instead of taking me seriously, all I get from her was an eye roll."In return of giving up the managerial power you have over the Nordstorme Corp, you want me to let you play the hero for the team that deceived you?"Aunt Mathilde answered me back with an overflowing sarcasm on the tone of her voice. So obvious that she almost made it so hard for me to pretend like I noticed nothing. However, I knew that letting my emotion to take over my action, would be a bad idea. It would surely do me no good. That was why, using all th
SHANTAL's P o V~~~"That would be when I did not know about your illness."Aunt Mathilde told me with a smug smile pasted on her face. Meanwhile, it took all my self-restraint not to lose my cool at that moment; but in my head, I was already pulling out her hair."You are in no condition to carry out your duties."She added as though she was not satisfied yet upon seeing my reaction."But that would not changed the fact that I earned a lot of money for this company"I replied to her in a matter of fact tone. However, despite of my quick response, the other party was still able to come up with something to refute me."But what do you think the world would think about your illness once they learned about it?"She asked me and without even waiting for my answer, she continued speaking."I am sure it would cause
SHANTAL's P o V~~~"Do you think you could still keep your position like this?"There was this unmistakable smugness on Aunt Mathilde's face when she asked me back that question and so right here and there, I understood that talking her out of her initial plan would not be easy. Left with no choice, I could only forgo the last of my remaining pride; I bowed my head and with a subservient attitude, I pleaded."Please...."I could not help but trailed off when I said the word. It sounded so strange for me. At the same time, I felt like it has a weird roll on my tongue. But I know well enough that this was the only chance I got and at this point, I am running out of option. I just hoped that the fact that I am willing to go the extent of being submissive like this would be enough to cause my aunt to have a sudden change of heart
"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