Prototype Read online

  “You should arrive at SFO around one in the afternoon. I booked you on a nonstop flight.” I didn’t respond. “I need to give you instructions. What you’re going to do once you’re in San Francisco.” His hand wrapped around my arm, gripping me like I was a child being scolded. I yanked away as I spun around. Hell would freeze over before he’d get a chance to manhandle me. “Lauren, I have to upload the file,” he insisted.

  “Just give me the file.”

  “I can’t physically hand it to you. It’s up here,” he hissed as he tapped his finger against his temple.

  “How do you plan on me getting it then?”

  “It’s a wireless transmission. The lenses are encoded with patterns programmed to recognize and sync with each other. I have to look into your eyes.”

  “What? You’re telling me Roger invents this world-altering prototype; and in order to share files, you have to stare into my eyes?” Sarcasm dripped from my words. This was an all around bad idea.

  I started to feel the ebb and flow of the unchallenged power someone else had over the prototype in my head. What’s to stop him from sending me a corrupt file or a virus to destroy my mind? Or worse my heart forgets what my mind has stockpiled against him?

  “Wait a minute, Marshall. You’re telling me that just by staring into my eyes, you’ll be able to download a file into my head? I’m not comfortable with that.” I had to think of my safety now that Roger was gone.

  “There has to be another option. Can’t you download it onto my laptop and then I will upload it to this thing in my head?”

  I had to protect myself … Those were my conditions! He stood there silent and motionless like he was almost considering it.

  “Nope, that’s not going to work. It’s too risky. I don’t want it downloaded to any computers outside of our devices.”

  There was no way in hell that I was going to let Marshall, or anyone, download anything into my head. I had to think fast, I had to come up with something that would show him that I had options too. That’s when the idea to call Sam popped into my head.

  “Fine,” I hissed, “You leave me no other choice.” I stood firm, readying myself for what I was about to do.

  “Call Samantha Wilkins,” I said loud and clear for Marshall to hear. I focused on the icon with the phone receiver. It was ringing in my head as I watched the graphic equalizer bounce with every sound.

  “Hello, Lauren,” the sultry voice answered.

  “Hi, Samantha, I am here with Marshall and—”

  “Lauren, you are playing a very dangerous game,” Marshall yelled. “Whatever’s going on in your head, Lauren, you’d better think twice before you do something you are going to regret,” Marshall threatened. I was getting under his skin.

  I continued to talk to Sam. “I think you should know, while you were making future plans with him—”

  “Disconnect, Lauren, do it now!” Marshall interrupted. His body pulsated with rage. I pushed the fear down in my gut. I wasn’t going to let him download anything in my head.

  “Sam, you should be aware, Marshall’s been pushing for me to take our relationship farther. But I would have never considered sex with him if I had known about you,” I said loud and clear.

  I disconnected from Samantha, hoping what I said would bring her to my house. She seemed like the type of woman that would fight to save what belonged to her, Marshall being no exception.

  When I looked over at Marshall, his body was trembling and his eyes were thick with revenge. He came at me and caught me around my forearms, caging my arms to my sides. He was livid, his breathing ragged.

  “You just couldn’t leave it alone.” He shoved me and I stumbled back, losing my balance, my heel caught on the area rug and I fell backward cracking my head against the edge of my nightstand. The room swirled in my eyes as I lay there a moment before everything faded out to pitch black … I was going to die today after all. My sporadic breathing in my ears became nothing more than shallow huffs as I struggled to stay conscious, then everything was gone … yeah, I was dead.

  I opened my eyes to complete nothingness. There wasn’t even a beam of light from anywhere. Could it be that the prototype had malfunctioned and left me blind to the world, or could this quite possibly be my purgatory? Bewildered, I lifted my head and tried to gain my bearings. Slowly I began to see the faded bright colors of words blinking in my lower line of vision. The last thing I remembered was Marshall coming at me and now I lay here in my bed with the words FILE DOWNLOAD COMPLETE crowding my right eye.

  “What the hell!” I tried to scream but my sternum hurt so badly, like someone had swung a sledgehammer a million times against my chest and stomach. The shooting pain radiating through my diaphragm was paralyzing. Maybe death would have been easier than this. I bit my bottom lip hoping the pain would subside in my chest. It didn’t; I pressed my hands as hard as I could against my sternum and got up from the bed to leave.

  Hobbling across my room with my chest feeling like it was going to crumble under my hands, I pulled open my bedroom door and instantly met Samantha face to face. She was furious. We both stared at each other; circling like worked up boxers, our hands clutched in fists ready to fight, waiting for the other one to blink.

  “Who the hell downloaded the file into my head?” I demanded. My fists still primed to fight, I made sure to keep at a good striking distance.

  “I did,” she answered. Her eyes glowed with satisfaction as we continued to circle around in a dance of wills.

  “How do I know you’re telling the truth?” I snarled.

  “You don’t,” she answered

  “Where in the hell is Marshall?” I retaliated.

  “It doesn’t matter. He told me what you did. What were you thinking? You’re lucky he didn’t kill you. I would’ve killed you!”

  “He’s already tried to kill me! He made it perfectly clear he’ll harm my mother. So go ahead and try it.” I released my fists and motioned her to start something. She just looked at me and dropped her hands. A moment marked by anger, fear and pain dissipated in her stance. She was giving up. Surrendering to what I stood for. Maybe through all of the bullshit, she was starting to see the light.

  “Marshall wants me to see if you can access the file. If you have any questions—”

  “I don’t need your help to do my job,” I interrupted. I dropped my hands; the pain in my chest swelled fast. “Aahh,” I groused.

  “Are you okay?” Sam took a step closer to me.

  “I’m fine. Keep your fucking hands off me.” I pushed her away as I straightened up.

  “Well, Lauren, after what you did, I could give a rat’s ass about helping you.”

  “And your threat is supposed to be helpful or convincing?”

  “Hey, all I need to do is make sure the file transferred so.”

  I stood frozen where I was, thinking about her words and the empty threats she spewed at me just mere seconds ago. She rolled her eyes and pointed to the bed.

  “Would you prefer the chair?” she asked as she collected my desk chair and rolled it over to the bed. “Either one you’re the most comfortable with.” What the hell was I supposed to do? If I didn’t find out what she downloaded, I was going to be screwed anyway. I walked over and pressed both hands against my sternum before I slowly sat on the bed.

  She rolled my desk chair in front of me and spoke in her sexy, breathy tone. “Pull up the folder labeled, m-t-c-c-d, delivery date and location.”

  “Why should I trust you?” I asked.

  “Because right now, I’m all you’ve got,” she answered.

  There was at least one thing I remembered Roger telling me. Nobody could access the files in my head unless they could mimic my vocal tones and patterns. That was one of the security protocols he designed for the device. Even if someone downloaded an unknown file into my head, they couldn’t access it or open it. Nice job, Roger. A pang of sadness filled my heart. Even though I wanted to soak in the pain of Roger’s de
ath, I had to figure out what Marshall’s plans were.

  “Are you going to California with Marshall?” I asked pulling my hair back from my face and smiling as pleasant as I could. I didn’t want her in my head … and I was willing to do about anything to avoid it.

  “No, now that Roger’s gotten himself killed, I have to do his job.” I felt my body flinch and my mouth fall open. I wasn’t ready for her callous, cold hearted words.

  “Can’t you do the job in California? Wouldn’t Marshall want you to meet with the buyer? You seem to be pretty knowledgeable about it.”

  “I am not that involved Lauren; I just know how these types of deals go. I worked for—” She stopped and cleared her throat. “I know these people and what they want.” She tried to correct her words a little too late.

  “Who are they? What do they want to do with Roger’s technology?” I pressed just enough, hoping she would volunteer some information.

  “They are people that don’t have time to play games.” She spoke cautiously, keeping her words vague as she stiffened. “They want the technology that Roger invented and the rights to all of the future software upgrades,” she volunteered in a whisper.

  “Who am I supposed to meet?” I asked.

  She rubbed her hands up and down her thighs, clearing the perspiration that pushed from her pores as she looked around.

  “You’re meeting with the president of Spartacus Industries. Marshall’s meeting with their competition and I am the one that will upload the pass code to the company who wants it the most.”

  “Name? Give me a name?” I demanded. The more I procrastinated opening the file, the better sense I would have of its contents. She hesitated for a moment and then began to talk.

  “His name is Alejandro, and his company is in—well, let’s just say—it takes technology, modifies it then advances it way beyond our conceivable potential. He is a very powerful and very hazardous man.”

  Her words sat heavy in my gut. It was inevitable that once the technology was sold to Alejandro, his company will choose to do whatever they want with it, including selling it to our country’s worst enemies. I had become nothing more than Marshall’s whore and he was nothing more than my pimp.

  I needed more information on this Alejandro and what he was planning on doing with the prototype technology. I decided to open the file Sam downloaded into my head.

  “What was the file name again?”

  She rumbled it off like it was a phone number. The file opened my entire focus was on the information that filled my eyes. It was all about Spartacus Industries’ history, their mission statement and high-level management names with contact information. I immediately saw Alejandro’s name and I focused on it. His file filled my eyes. Captivated by his life, I forgot Samantha was in the room.

  “File minimize,” I muttered.

  “What, you’re not crazy? No brain eating virus?” Sam’s sarcasm was thick.

  “No.”

  “Ok—well give me a minute—let me pull up the file.” Her expression preoccupied by her eyes dancing back and forth. A few minutes passed when she started to talk.

  “Ok, now let me see—”

  “What are you doing?”

  She held up her hand with her pointer finger across her lips, her eyes widened as her face owned the flush that rose against her cheek bones.

  “Hi, Marshall—yeah the file is downloaded; she’s awake and I was able to test that the file transferred completely—no—yeah, ok, see you, What time again?—Ok, good. Bye.” Her attention focused on me again.

  “Well, let’s get this done.” Samantha seemed to be a little warmer to me; as if we were friends, only I knew better. Being in my line of work you learn how quickly people could turn on you if you had something they needed. “Lauren, make sure you pull up the file on Spartacus Industries and study it. We can’t afford any mistakes. Marshall will be following you to San Francisco, no matter what he tries to tell you. He is booked on the next flight out after yours.” The warmth in her voice continued.

  “What is this?” I questioned. She didn’t answer, and instead continued to instruct me.

  “You need to read and reread the document labeled mission before you touch down at SFO. Use your time wisely. You will only get one chance at this!” A scowl broke across her face as she spoke. Preoccupied, she turned and scampered out; finally, I was alone.

  Out the front window I noticed the only light outside was the glare from the crescent moon and the dusting of stars in the sky. Even though I was passed out half the day, my body still reacted to the pull of the moon. I was tired and the muscles across my chest ached. I slipped into the shower, let the hot water slide and dance across my skin, relaxing me enough to feel the stress dissipate through my skin. I pulled the towel across my skin before I put on my favorite pair of pajamas and decided to make my way to the kitchen for a glass of water. Alone, exhausted and ready to call it a night, I surely wasn’t expecting to hear footsteps creeping up behind me. I spun around and found Marshall entering my kitchen with Sam trailing. Her eyes, focused on me and her eyebrows raised as she mouthed, read the document labeled mission behind Marshall’s back. I nodded.

  “Marshall, call me when you have her in the air,” Samantha breathed and walked out, making sure not to acknowledge me as she left. I turned with my glass of water, not looking at Marshall and headed toward my room and wordlessly pointed to the guest bedroom as I passed it. I heard the door close before I shut my bedroom door and locked it behind me. I crawled into bed … I was mentally spent and physically done and I just wanted to get a good night’s sleep.

  Of course, I didn’t sleep well. Thoughts of California pushed their way into my subconscious. My alarm clock belched an awful sound at five am causing me to spring up. Pain shot through the back of my head and down into my stomach. I couldn’t let the pain slow me down today. Of all days, today I had to be at the airport by seven thirty. I fumbled for the lamp next to my bed as it lit the room just enough to see where I had to go. I flipped the covers off, slipped into my robe and headed to the kitchen.

  The guest bedroom’s door was pushed opened enough to see if Marshall had spent the night. The bed was made and the only evidence that anyone was even in the room was the small black duffle bag that sat at the end of the bed. I followed the aroma of French Roast coffee that wafted from the kitchen, feeding my addiction to caffeine first thing in the morning.

  “Good morning,” Marshall said in a more than acceptable chipper voice. I noticed his hair was wet and combed tame. Damn him, he must’ve showered while I was asleep. His dark blue t-shirt showed off his muscular back while the edges of his sleeves hugged tight to his biceps. His denim jeans tugged at his backside and pulled at his thighs, bunching just enough at his ankles. I knew he was bad for me, a poisonous strike from a dangerous snake. But there was that miniscule part of me, the crumb that tainted my whole body that believed I could wake up to him every morning, make all my fantasies a reality. Reality is what I needed. He was the reason I was hurting and I didn’t want to forget that—ever.

  “Morning,” I managed to mumble. I reached past him and grabbed a coffee mug from the cabinet.

  “I found some eggs and bread. I thought you would want to eat something before we rushed off to the airport.” After filling my coffee cup, I went into the dining room and cleared some of the papers that took possession over my table before sitting down and sipping my coffee. I think he got the feeling that I wasn’t happy with him. His voice rose from the kitchen.

  “How do you like your eggs?”

  “Over easy,” I huffed. Funny how forced my statement seemed since there was nothing easy about today.

  “How about over hard? The yolk broke,” he called.

  “Fine.” That was more like it anyway.

  Marshall breezed out of the kitchen with a plate in each hand. He busied himself as if he was a waiter, sliding the plate down in front of me, before pulling a couple napkins and forks out of his back
pocket. He straddled the chair across from me and lowered himself in front of his breakfast.

  “Lauren, the client you’re meeting in California is very important to me. His company represents the future of my business—of our business.” He swung his fork in a circular motion toward me. “I need to know if you are going to follow through with this.” He looked at me, his eyes drew narrow. Demands pressed at my chest and my answer swelled from my throat.

  “Marshall, I have no idea what you want me to do. All I know is that you’re sending me to California, and you’ve set up meetings with some buyer. I know he’s interested in the technology in my head. I know you’ve threatened my mother’s life and I know you’ve left me no choice. I have to do this for you. That’s all I know.”

  He rolled his eyes as he pulled his lips into a slight haughty frown.

  “His name is Alejandro, I met him back in 2002, when his business was new and he was young. He had this idea that he’d be able to change the world, but the world … well, it got the better of him. From that point on he has done what he wants to whomever he wants, when he wants. Lauren, he’ll take Roger’s work and transform it. Just think, there will be a day when everyone will have this biotechnology in their head and it will be because we didn’t give up. It’s exactly what Roger would have wanted us to do.” His eyes gleamed.

  “Marshall, I’m not a fucking idiot, let’s just call a spade a spade. You are selling it to him because he is going to pay you a shit load of money for the product.” I stood up from the table and continued. “Tell me you took care of us. You, know, the three of us that still has the prototype in our bodies. You at least took care of that, right?”

  “Yes, I did. Alejandro will have exclusive rights to all of the technology and software upgrades … except for the five … ummm, well, the three prototypes that are activated and in use. Lauren, we will have hardware and software upgrades for life.” His words were like poison being thrust through my veins. Life?

  “I’m going to fly to California next week,” Marshall droned before he shoveled another cluster of scrambled eggs off his plate. I remembered what Sam told me about Marshall being on the flight right after mine. I was skeptical and didn’t trust either of them completely. I snatched both of our plates and took them to the sink before I walked back and confronted him.