by B. B. Hamel
“Oh, did I?” I give her a little grin.
“What are they?”
“You’ll find out tomorrow.”
She narrows her eyes at me. “David.”
“Tomorrow. I’m starving right now. How’s dinner sound?”
“Dinner sounds good.” Her expression softens. “So, uh, tonight, are we…?”
“No,” I say. “Not tonight. Just dinner, and dinner’s optional. I can take you home. I have an early morning tomorrow.”
She hesitates a second. “Dinner’s optional?”
“Absolutely,” I say. “The contract is for your pussy, not your stomach.”
She snorts a little laugh, which is cute as hell. “Okay, fine,” she says. “Dinner sounds good.”
“Come on.” I take her by the hand, completely on reflex. If she notices and thinks it’s strange, she doesn’t pull away. We walk hand in hand back to the town car, get in back, and head off to eat a meal together.
It’s hard to explain, even to myself, what I felt when I watched her look at the Mark 2 back there. It was something special, almost transcendent, to see someone so in love with an idea come face to face with the physical manifestation of that idea. It was like love, or maybe like sex, but either way it was beautiful. I’m happy I showed her.
And I’m happy I take her to dinner, because she’s really, really good company.
9
Emma
Sven gives me a dirty look when I show up for work the next morning, and I’m pretty sure I’m fired.
But he doesn’t say anything. I head to my cubicle and sit down, trying to put Sven’s nasty face out of my mind. I feel him lingering in his office, staring out at me, but I don’t look back. I try and chalk it up to the guy being his usual insane self, and push it out of my mind.
Besides, nothing can bother me right now. I just saw the coolest thing in the whole freaking world last night, and even got to ride in it. Dinner afterward was spent peppering David with questions, most of them super technical and boring, but he answered every single one the best he could. By the time the waitress asked if he wanted dessert, I totally forgot why we were out in the first place.
He was supposed to fuck me. Instead, he took me home, kissed me on the cheek, and left with Maudette trailing behind him. I stood in the doorway, staring after them, not sure what the hell to think. And when I turned back into my apartment, I was met with a sparkling clean kitchen, living room, bathroom, and bedroom. Apparently, Maudette likes to clean.
Now I’m not sure what the heck to feel. I thought this contract thing was just an excuse for him to fuck me over and over, and I was more than willing to be a part of that. Maybe I can’t get pregnant, and it’s not fair to string him along that way, but I need the money and I know he can afford it. The morality of it makes me nervous, especially considering I freaking went to school for ethics, but whatever. I’m trying to think more about my daughter than about ethics right now.
Still, there’s something more going on. I don’t get why he went to all that trouble to show me that car, let me ask all those questions, and to give me a nice meal but not bother fucking me.
I realize with a start that I’m disappointed. I wanted it last night. As much as I was nervous, I wanted him to take me back to his apartment, spread my legs wide, and slide his big cock deep inside. I wanted him to fuck me like that first time.
He didn’t and now I’m just even more confused than normal.
“Did you hear?”
Larry leans out around the side of my cube, startling me a bit and pulling me back into the present. “Hear what?”
“Project’s scrapped. We’re being moved.”
I blink, not sure what to say. “The project’s… scrapped?”
He nods a little. “Sven’s pissed. Our whole division’s pissed, honestly. We’ve been working hard for like six months.”
“What… was the project?” I ask him.
He stares and laughs a little bit. “Good one. Anyway, doesn’t matter. Our work’s being handed over to some other division and we’re being moved.”
“To where?”
“Mark 2 debugging.”
I can’t help but grin. He gives me a weird look and shakes his head, sliding back into his cube. I laugh to myself, trying not to be too loud, but I’m so excited that it almost hurts.
Mark 2 debugging. That means we’re going to be working with the car in its final hours, getting it ready for launch. I’m going to be a part of the team that gets the most advanced and important self-driving car in the world out on the roads, and I’m so excited.
“Emma!” I look over and Sven’s standing in his office doorway, looking dour. “A word, yes?”
I nod and quickly stand up. The others in the cube farm stare at me as I go, their looks ranging from curiosity to outright hostility. I follow Sven into his glass-walled office and sit down at one of the chairs in front of his desk.
“So, you hear?” he asks.
“We’re being moved to Mark 2. Debugging.”
“Yes, yes, that is true.” His face is blank for a moment. “And it is your fault.”
I sit a little straighter in my seat. “Excuse me?”
“Your fault. We work for months, many month, on my work. We type, we squash bug, we build magnificent repositories of brilliance, and now, all gone. All gone, because of you.”
I stare at him and realize that he’s actually angry, not just Sven-angry. He thinks we’re being transferred because of me…. And I think he’s right.
This is why David took me to see the car last night. He was thinking about doing this and that was some kind of test. Apparently I passed it, and now we’re being put on the most important team in the whole freaking company.
Sven should be excited. His team just got a big bump, but obviously this isn’t what he wanted.
“What were you working on anyway?”
He waves his hand at that. “What does it matter? Project now in hands of stupid people, who will fail to realize my vision.”
I sigh. I don’t think I’ll ever find out what this group was actually doing before I joined up.
“I’m sorry, Sven,” I say. “I really am. I had no clue David was going to make this choice.”
“Yes, well, David likes you, yes? Clearly likes you very much. He said so to me, said that he needs you on team. I say, take her, I don’t need her, take her away from me, just leave me alone. But no, he wants everything, typical David, like spoiled toddler.” He spits his words out like poison, and I have no clue how to feel about it. I’m not surprised that he was quick to turn on me, though.
“I really am sorry,” I say again, meaning it. “I never wanted you to lose your project. I didn’t ask for this.”
He looks at me silently for a second, and I think he might attack. I can imagine him jumping over the desk in his flamboyant bright orange track suit and strangling me to death. I bet nobody would help me, and they can all clearly see what’s happening.
Instead, he sighs and shakes his head. “I do not know what you did, but I know David very long time. I’ve never seen anyone with such effect on him, yes?”
I frown a little bit. “What do you mean?”
Sven just shakes his head, sighing slightly. “Report to David’s office. He asks for you.”
“Right now?” This conversation is all over the place, and I want to know what he meant by that other comment.
“Yes, please, right now. Go before I throw you through glass wall for ruining my project.” He says that last part with a little smile, which is the first time I’ve ever seen him happy.
It’s pretty horrifying.
I quickly stand and leave his office. I think he might actually follow through with his threat if I stay there a second longer, and my mind’s reeling anyway. I grab my bag from my cube just as Mel pokes her head out.
“Hey, Emma. Come here.”
I pause before walking over to her. She looks up at me and blinks.
; “What’s up?” I ask.
“Listen,” she says softly, forcing me to crouch down to hear her. “Everyone hates you, except for me. Okay? I think this is awesome.”
I stare without saying anything. “Are you serious?”
“Sure. We all wanted to finish the project, you know? Some of us were pretty invested.”
“What was the--?”
She cuts me off. “Anyway, I don’t care. It was stupid and I’m glad we’re moving on to the Mark 2. I mean, it’s exciting, right?”
“Really exciting,” I say. “But I wish you hadn’t told me they all hate me now.”
“Oh, they’ll get over it,” she says, waving a hand. “They’re a bunch of boners.”
I snicker a little bit. “Yeah, they are a bunch of boners.”
“Anyway, just wanted you to know that you have an ally on the team.”
“Thanks, Mel. That means a lot.”
She shrugs and adjusts her glasses. “Us ladies gotta stick together, right?”
“Right,” I say. “Girl power. All that.”
She snorts a little and turns back to her monitors. “Bunch of boners,” she murmurs and chuckles to herself.
I sigh and get up, walking away. I hurry past a few desks. Monk tosses me a dirty look but it doesn’t sting as much as it would if Mel hadn’t said anything. It sucks that everyone thinks I ruined their project when I really didn’t have anything to do with it, but I can’t control their perception of me right now. I can only do my job and try to make them see that I’m not the cause of their problems.
Getting involved with David is making my life more complicated. I get to the elevator and step inside, and fortunately it’s empty. I keep thinking about what Sven said back there, about my effect on David or whatever that means. I didn’t know I affected David at all, at least beyond the contractual obligations. I know he wants to fuck me, which he’s making pretty clear, but I didn’t think it went beyond that.
But of course it does. I mean, it has to, otherwise he wouldn’t have wasted his time last night getting to know me and letting me have that awesome time in the Mark 2. I realize now that it was some kind of test for this, but there has to be even more to it that I’m not seeing.
I sigh as I step off the elevator. David’s secretary is sitting outside his door and she looks up as I approach. “Go on in, honey,” Lucy says. “He’s waiting for you.”
I smile and knock once before pushing open the door. David’s sitting at his desk, his face frowning slightly as he looks at his monitor.
“You called for me?” I ask as I shut the door behind me.
He nods, not looking over. “Take a seat.”
I walk over and sit down. He’s engrossed in whatever he’s looking at, and when he finally finishes, he smiles slightly at me.
“Thanks for coming up,” he says, and leans back in his chair. “I assume you heard the news.”
Excitement rumbles in my stomach. “You’re moving us to the Mark 2 team,” I say.
“That’s right.” He laughs. A little bit. “Actually, you guys are going to be the whole team.”
I raise an eyebrow. “I thought you had people working on it already.”
“Not really,” he admits. “Aside from Dirk and myself, there are only maybe ten people involved directly with the Mark 2. I’m getting some pressure to launch as soon as possible, so I’m using you and Sven’s team to pick up the pace.”
“You keep it small for security reasons?” I ask him.
“Exactly.” He sighs. “Too many damn leaks these days, no loyalty. But I know Sven very well, and his team of weirdos will be perfect.”
I flinch. “They’re not weirdos.”
He grins at me. “Yes, they are, and that’s including you.”
That annoys me a little bit, but I don’t know why. Those people don’t like me at all and I barely know them, but I still feel somewhat protective of them. It’s strange how being a part of a team can make a person feel that way.
“But look, we don’t have time to discuss this,” he says, standing up. “We have a meeting.”
I lean back in my chair. “Meeting?”
“Sure, with some investors from China.” He comes around the desk. “Come on.”
“Wait, hold on.” I stand up, but I don’t follow. “You didn’t tell me about any meeting.”
“I didn’t?” He grins at me and cocks his head. “Huh, I really thought I mentioned it last night.”
“You definitely didn’t.” I glare at him, starting to panic on the inside.
“Come on, you’ll do great. Just sit there and smile until it’s time to answer their technical questions.”
“Can’t you do that?” I ask him, heart beating fast.
“Sure,” he says, grinning, “but this is going to be more fun. Come on, you gonna stand there all day?”
He leaves his office and I hesitate. I wasn’t prepared for this at all, but he’s the boss. I can’t exactly turn him down.
I hurry after him, nervous as hell and not sure what to expect.
10
David
I step into the conference room, glancing once over my shoulder at Emma. Her eyes are wide and she looks nervous, which is exactly why I didn’t want to tell her about this meeting.
I needed someone to explain some of the technical aspects of the Mark 2 to these businessmen, but I couldn’t invite a typical engineer. Dirk is my normal guy, but he’s been a little erratic lately, for personal reasons. I could do it myself, but these men respect a leader that delegates, so I’ve found that it goes over better when I have someone else do some of the explaining.
Emma is perfect for this. She’s smart, polite, and easy-going. I didn’t want to tell her about this ahead of time, and risk letting her ruin her own self-confidence. I can tell that she’s an incredible person, but if left to her own devices, she’ll sometimes get in her own head. I’m hoping that springing this on her will negate that trait and let her natural personality shine through.
Maybe I’m wrong, though. She looks like she’s about to pass out.
Three older Chinese men dressed in dark suits stand up. A younger assistant stands behind them, and their female translator smiles warmly as the men come around the table to greet us. They don’t need a translator, since I know they speak perfect English, but it’s all part of the game they like to play.
“Hello, gentlemen,” I say. “It’s good to see you all again.”
They each speak in Mandarin, and although mine is a little rusty, I know it’s general greetings. The translator does her job, though, and once we’re finished shaking hands, I turn to Emma.
“Emma, this is Mr. Chen, Mr. Xu, and Mr. Jian.” I indicate each man in turn. “Gentlemen, this is Emma May, a young and promising engineer in our Mark 2 division. She’ll be sitting in on the meeting, and she’ll be answering your questions later on.”
They shake her hand and she nods to each of them respectfully. When the formalities are over, we all sit down. Olivia is already at the table, and she gives me a little nod, her eyebrows raised. Clearly I forgot to tell her about Emma, which I know I’ll get shit for later on.
The meeting starts, and it goes about as expected. These men are here as ambassadors of their respective companies, each one interested in the technology we’re creating here. At least, that’s what this is on the surface.
Truthfully, I’m pretty sure these men have ties with the Chinese government. I can’t prove it, but I’m pretty sure that’s the real situation. We’re ostensibly negotiating contracts of potential sale and manufacture through their facilities, but I know they’d need government support if that would ever actually happen.
Olivia does most of the talking, naturally. She’s the real negotiator here and knows more about the minutiae of this business than I do. I glance over at Emma and smile at her. She looks like she’s about to pass out, probably because she’s quickly realizing how important this meeting is.
“Gentlemen, we’
re talking ten billion dollars over three years,” Olivia says. “These contracts will bring a lot of money and industry to your country.”
Mr. Chen says something in Mandarin, but he speaks too quickly for me to follow. “Mr. Chen is worried that your autonomous cars aren’t safe,” the translator says. “There have been reports surfacing about the Mark 1.”
Olivia glances at me and I look at Emma. “Would you like to take this one?”
For a second, I’m afraid she’s going to get up and run out of the room. She looks like a deer in headlights, ready to bolt but unable to. I’m worried that if I say something, she’ll simply sprint off.
But that look only lasts a bare moment. She quickly composes herself, smiles, and takes a breath. “Safety is a huge concern for us,” Emma says, the translator speaking softly to the men. “We’ve improved our LIDAR, radar, and camera sensors to the point where every pebble will be accounted for by the Mark 2. But most importantly, we’ve been taking the ethics of these cars seriously, and we’re working on a comprehensive ethical algorithm to help guide our cars safely through crowded, busy streets.”
I blink, completely surprised by that last part. The three men glance at each other, and Mr. Wu speaks up, not bothering with Mandarin. “What do you mean, ethical?” he asks, his English flawless and with a slight British accent.
Emma smiles at the men. “At this point, our technology is incredibly accurate and precise, but the way that we think isn’t, or at least it isn’t yet. We’re developing a whole new methodology to calculate the way cars move through streets, all with the end result of fewer accidents and fewer injuries.” She pauses a second, like a showman in his element. “Hopefully, by fewer, we’ll see absolutely none.”
The men murmur to each other and I want to laugh out loud. As far as I know, we’re not actually developing this algorithm, but it’s exactly the kind of thing Emma’s been wanting to work on since I met her originally. And now she’s using it in a meeting with incredibly important foreign businessmen, effectively holding me hostage. Now these men are going to want to learn more about this algorithm, and I’ll have to deliver.