0 comments/ 3878 views/ 0 favorites UnitedFutures By: Starscream_UK Negotiation Tactics His name is Viktor Kurienkov. Loving husband...devoted family man...prominent businessman. For the last two days he has been engaged in negotiations with UnitedFutures Incorporated concerning the acquisition of a small oil production plant that his company – Kurienkov Holdings – owned which had control of the primary distribution line that ran from the Caspian Sea, through the Ukraine and up into Germany. UnitedFutures had made him a very good offer – rather too good in her opinion – however it had failed to inspire him to sell. His name is Viktor Kurienkov...and now he is her target Encased in darkness, she watches from a small clump of bushes. Her eyes peer through the scope of the rifle and she sees the world in a sickly green hue. As she becomes one with the shadows, her vision takes in the sight before her. She watches as the overweight and balding Kurienkov tucks his nine-year-old daughter Irina into her bed in her room in the rented accommodation. Her intelligence had been accurate – he never travelled anywhere without her since the death of his wife four years ago. She smiled to herself. Good. Leverage. The door to the rented cabin opened. Her scope swung across and she watched as one of his four "assistants" – hired thugs would be her term for them – stepped outside, swinging a torch around. "There's nothing out here," He said in Russian, her educated mind translating the words a fraction of a second after they were spoke. "It must have been..." Pfhtt The bullet from her rifle struck him perfectly – centrally in the forehead, just above his eyes. She was already moving as he stumbled backwards and fell to the floor, blood trickling from the wound. Discarding the rifle, her body sheathed in a dark, seamless, form-fitting suit, she ran swiftly across to the cabin. Inside the power was suddenly cut, plunging the interior into darkness. The sounds of confused voices were like music to her ears as she slipped in through an open window – a window she knew had a faulty latch when she had booked it for the Kurienkov party. With her face covered with a thin black balaclava, she was almost invisible – except for the thin green sheen that covered her eyes. The ultra-slim night vision goggles were woven into the fabric of the clothing – and it enabled her to see as clear as day inside the pitch-black room. There were four figures in the room – and the one closest to her entrance was first. She slipped in behind him with the silence and grace of a stalking cat. In a flash her left hand was positioned over his mouth, her right cradled the back of his head. His body went rigid against the overwhelming force she exerted against it and without even really trying, she twisted his head, pushing down with her right hand and left with her other in a savage jerking motion. His vertebrae snapped with a rolling crunching noise, and she allowed his body to fall to the floor. Her eyes took account of the other occupants of the room – two of them reacting to the sound of the body hitting the floor, looking in the general direction of the now open window. At that point, she became a symphony of violence in the narrow space. She covered the distance between them in a matter of seconds. Her right foot snapped out before her, the slick booted surface smashed into the jaw of the man on her right, exploding with force against his jawbone. He staggered backward, hands to his face. His partner turned and raised his sidearm, a 9mm handgun. She turned to face him, and smashed a hard right fist into his face. His head snapped backwards on his neck as if it would come off, but miraculously he remained conscious. Her left hand snapped down on his, snatching the pistol out of it with a strength her slim frame belied. She then drove the heel of her palm into the middle of his face, shattering his nose and driving shards of bone on a lethal trajectory. She was rewarded with a dull thud as her foe fell backwards, lifeless. She caught a glimpse of the fourth figure in the room scrambling away towards the stairs. Refocusing her attention on the other guard, she took aim with the pistol she had liberated moments ago from his now dead colleague. Two quick gunshots rang out, acting as a short pause at the end of a crescendo to signify the end of her devastating ballet. **** As Viktor scrambled up the stairs, half running, half crawling up the wooden structure, the cacophony of sounds from the ground floor ceased. Fumbling with the torch in his fat fingers, he finally managed to switch it on. Spinning the small ball of light around him, he searched for the one door that he was looking for. Time seemed to slow down for him – in his confusion he was struggling to process his surroundings accurately. Eventually locating it, he stumbled forward, the cool metal of the door handle feeling strange to his sweat-soaked palm. The torchlight flew around the room – illuminating a tear-strewn face as a pair of bloodshot blue eyes stared back at him. As he mumbled something, he noticed that the artificial beam of light was reflecting off a sharp blade being held tightly against his daughter's throat. Viktor felt like someone had reached into his body and crushed his heart. "If you value the life of your daughter you will do exactly as I tell you." The voice was calm, feminine and in near-flawless Russian. Viktor held his breath for a moment. How had she gotten here before him? The soft breeze from another open window told him all he needed to know. "Don't cry Irina...everything will be fine..." he tried to look at his daughter, yet couldn't tear his eyes away from the blade. "Your father is right Irina," The figure shrouded in the darkness said. "No one else needs to get hurt tonight provided he does what I say." There was a long pause – Viktor could feel the sweat running down the back of his neck. "Now, on the table there is a document." Viktor looked across, swinging the torch over to the table and seeing a pile of papers. He then looked back in the direction of his daughter. "Sign it and place it in the envelope provided. Once you have done that, slide it across the floor to me." Viktor hesitated for a moment, alternating his view between the paperwork on the table and his daughter. He took a half step towards the documents and then moved back, closer to the bed. Irina screamed, as the blade was pressed tighter against her throat, straining the skin to breaking point. "Unless you wish to watch your daughter die right now, I suggest you do what I ask!" The woman in black barked at Viktor over sounds of the screaming girl. Viktor stumbled as he turned to the table. His hand shook as he grasped the pen, signing his name next to an ominous red X next to his typed name. Picking the papers up, he struggled to insert them into the envelope without creasing them. Once they were inside he slid them across the floor – where they came to a halt next to a dark boot. A hand swooped down and picked them up before he heard Irina scream once more. The torchlight swept across the bed – where he saw his daughter huddled at the foot of it, sobbing. Wrapping her up in his arms, Viktor watched the shadowy figure begin to exit out of the first floor window. "I...I know...who you are..." Viktor's voice was broken. The figure halted her exit and appeared to twist her head, looking straight at him. "Good," She said. "Then you understand that we can get to you whenever we wish if you fail to honour this contract." Viktor watched her vanish into the night as he felt the cool sting of tears running down his own cheeks as he held onto Irina as if his life depended on it. **** UnitedFutures European Headquarters London The transfer from the private airfield just north of the city to the gleaming steel and glass monolith located in the heart of the city had taken less than an hour. As she stepped out of the vehicle and approached the imposing structure, Eva Lake cut an impressive figure. A statuesque blonde with an athletic figure, Eva knew that she turned heads. However, her outward appearance belied the complete dedication she had to her employer and her devotion to being the best at her job. Entering the building using a pass card and making her way to the exclusive executive elevator, she passed only cursory pleasantries with those colleagues who greeted her. As she stepped out of the elevator and walked to one of the offices on the top floor, she paused for a moment, checking her appearance in the reflection of the glass. Opening the door, Eva stepped inside. "Good morning Mr Edwards," She said, addressing the head of UnitedFutures' Mergers and Acquisitions Division. The chair behind the desk swung around – a severe looking man in his early forties looked at her with anticipation in his eyes. "Miss Lake," He replied. "I trust that there were no problems getting the Kurienkov contract signed?" "No problem at all. The negotiations went exactly as I planned." Her matter-of-fact reply was what he had expected. He watched as she placed the briefcase down on his desk, opened it and removed the envelope from within. "Congratulations on your promotion to the Board." Eva added as Edwards opened the envelope and pawed through the contract. "Thank you Miss Lake," he said, his eyes gleaming. "This is the icing on the cake." He stood up from behind the desk and picked up his jacket. "Can I just say thank you for the opportunity to work as your assistant," Eva said as he opened his draw and removed a small box. "I've learned a lot from our time together." "Eva, if only all the assistants in this company were as...thorough and efficient as you are." Edwards handed the box to her. "Consider this a small token of my appreciation of your services." Eva opened the box – the diamond necklace within sparkled despite the artificial nature of the light illuminating it. "Thank you Mr Edwards," Eva said, closing the box and placing it in her pocket. "However, service to the company is reward enough in itself." "Indeed it is," Edwards said as he left the room. "I hope my replacement realizes what an asset he is getting with you as his assistant." Eva nodded as the door closed, allowing herself to wonder for a moment what the new occupant of the post would be like. Hopefully he has better dress sense, Eva thought as she turned her mind to what restaurant she would eat at tonight. UnitedFutures Ch. 02 Personal Assistant Brooklyn, New York 20 minutes into the future To Eva, the workshop reminded her of her father's workstation in the UnitedFutures San Francisco basis of operation. There were no clear surfaces and everything seemed to either hum, whir or buzz. She stood near the door with a briefcase in hand, dressed in a smart black business suit. Her ash blonde hair teased into an intricate bun as she stood patiently by the door, her dark eyes taking in everything in the utilitarian room. As the Executive Assistant to the Head of UnitedFutures Research and Development division, Lee Reynolds, Eva's duties encompassed a wide variety of tasks, from the mundane to the extraordinary; organising meetings with the other Department heads, arranging accommodation details whenever Reynolds took a business trip out of town, or even ensuring that documents were delivered on time to their recipients. "Well, I can assure you Mr Hawkins that UnitedFutures is very interested in your work." Reynolds said as he looked around the cramped workshop. He was a young man, mid-thirties and considered to be one of UnitedFutures young studs – an up-and-comer within the hierarchy, someone who senior management had tabbed for the fast track to the higher echelons. He ran his finger along one of the worktops. The journey downtown had taken longer than anticipated, however the potential rewards he had discovered within would more than make up for the inconvenience of a three hour drive in and out of the city. "And we are more than willing to compensate you for your efforts." "See, that's the point," Albert Hawkins replied. "BioTech offered me fifty percent more than you guys did...and...and I've gotta admit, it's tempting." "Really?" Reynolds said, genuine shock in his voice. "Fifty percent more?" "Yeah..." Hawkins confirmed. "Well, I can go a little higher..." Reynolds turned and nodded to Eva. She opened the briefcase and slid her hand inside. "Here's my counter offer." The words left his lips as Eva drew the sleek, narrow pistol out of the briefcase. Two short staccato bursts filled the air – and Albert Hawkins fell to the floor, two neat bullet holes in his chest. Eva walked across to his body and took aim, firing another shot into the back of his head. "Contact Dawson's unit, get them to clean out anything that's of any use, then sterilise the location." Reynolds said as he picked up a small cube shaped device from the counter. "Now, let's see what we can do with a compact sized fusion reactor shall we?" "Of course Mr Reynolds." Eva said as she returned the pistol to her briefcase and pulled out her cell phone. As she made the call to Dawson, she measured the list of her duties as Reynolds' assistant. Secretary. Bodyguard. Recruitment Advisor. Assassin. **** As the elevator descended through the levels of UnitedFutures New York headquarters, David Fenwick adjusted his tie. He found himself humming as he watched the digital display indicate that the elevator was now moving down through the basement levels of the gargantuan building. "So Mr Fenwick, it's not often that we have an auditor visit us." Andrea Spiro said, breaking the silence between them. She had found Fenwick's silence almost unnerving as they had journeyed together in the elevator and hoped to glean some sort of information from him as to his purpose here. "Well, it's come to the attention of the finance division that Research and Analysis has several projects that aren't clearly accounted for," Fenwick replied. "I'm here to determine if those projects are flouting company procedure and federal disclosure legislation, and if they are, recommend that they are decommissioned." "You understand that some projects within this department of UnitedFutures are considered restricted: commercial in confidence, right?" Andrea said. "And that..." "Whatever I see down here cannot be discussed with anyone lowered than senior board member level, yes, I'm fully aware of that." Fenwick said with a wry smile on his face. "And before you ask, the Chief Financial Officer has given me delegated authority to access any and all restricted projects; commercial or otherwise." The elevator pinged softly – the display read "Sub Basement 10" in large red digits. As the doors opened, Andrea handed Fenwick a pair of what looked like sunglasses. "Here, you'll need these." She said. Momentarily, Fenwick understood why. Stepping out of the elevator he found himself in a cold steel room that was flooded with a strange red light. As he stood there he could feel his skin tingle. "Decontamination process – the room is flooded with microwave radiation to destroy any harmful microbes." The light in the room dissipated and was replaced by a strange blue glow. Andrea opened a door opposite the elevator entrance. "Shall we continue?" Fenwick followed her from a few feet behind her, taking in the industrial complex he found himself encased within. He was used to the background hum of the heavy machinery within many of UnitedFutures buildings when it came to the Research and Analysis department, however this was something else. The steel walkway seemed to be taking them even further into the bowels of the building. "You're breeding nano-cultures down here, right?" Fenwick said as he looked at the large glass storage tanks that were seething with thick, brown organic soup. "How do you get around the problem of the porous nature of glass at a molecular level?" "Very impressive Mr Fenwick," Andrea said, looking over her shoulder at him with a sly grin on her face. "I wasn't aware of any scientific background in your personnel file." "Oh there isn't," Fenwick said as he stopped to admire one of the large tubes. "However, I try to read all the memos that are sent around, plus I spent a summer interning at the Michaelson Institute in Arizona when I was at University." Andrea nodded, visibly impressed. "We use a diamond polymer coating that's sprayed onto the glass to plug the holes and create an impervious seal." She explained. "Here, see for yourself." Fenwick reached out and touched the glass. The texture beneath his fingers was coarse, unlike anything he was anticipating. "The cultures inside these tanks are part of a program to create an artificial immune system stimulant, one that human physiology won't reject." "And I'm assuming that you use an intense magnetic field to imprint the nano-machinery onto the biological template, right?" "My, my, you're full of surprises aren't you?" Andrea said. "Well, if you like this then you'll love what's in here." She directed Fenwick to the end of the walkway and yet another heavy doorway. Entering a much larger, circular room, Fenwick found himself staring at what he could only describe as a steel sarcophagus. Cables and tubes ran too and from the metal construction – several clear ones seemed to be carrying either waste products away from the tube or nutrients to it. As he approached the construct, Fenwick became aware of the fact that there was a clear glass panel located on the top third of the device. A brief moment later he realised that there was a face staring back at him with a defiant green eye boring into his soul. "Mr Fenwick," Andrea said. "I'd like to introduce you to Veronica Goddard." **** "Is this everything that you could retrieve from the Hawkins workshop?" Eva asked as she looked down the list of items that had been documented by Dawson's recovery team and checked them against the items in the storage room. He grunted something. "I'm sorry? What was that?" "I said yes, it is." He grumbled. Eva put the clipboard down and stood up to the burly, balding hulk of a man, staring into his beady eyes despite the fact that he towered over her by nearly a foot in height. "Do you have some sort of a problem with me Mr Dawson?" Eva asked, defiantly challenging him. "Because if you do I'm sure there are several ways we could resolve it." Dawson looked at her for a minute. "Forget it," Dawson said before turning away. "I'd just break you anyway." Eva watched him and his team file out of the room in silence. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes as the door closed. Confrontation is inevitable, she thought. After thirty seconds, Eva pulled her cell phone out of her jacket pocket and rang Reynolds. "The recovery team has completed its work," She said. "Shall I hand this over to Ingram's team?" "Yes," Reynolds replied. "And once you're done there, come up to my office. I have something that I need you to deal with personally." **** "I don't mean to sound rude," Fenwick said, looking at the scarred face staring back at him. "But I understood that you were dead – the victim of some sort of accident in the laboratory in our London office." "Reports of my demise were greatly exaggerated," The grating voice leaked out of the small speaker attached to the side of the large metallic chamber. "However, as you can clearly see, I'm not quite the woman I used to be." Fenwick could see that the left side of Veronica Goddard's face was severely scarred and her left eye socket was completely empty. Her head was devoid of any hair and what he could see of her torso seemed to mirror the scarring of her face across the left side of her body. "We were able to get Ms Goddard into the chamber you see here shortly after her accident," Andrea said, stepping forward so that Veronica could see her. "It was fortunate that her line of work at the time was mutually compatible with her injuries." "The nano-culture project right?" Fenwick said. "You're a very astute man Mr Fenwick." Veronica's artificial voice complemented him. "However, I'm afraid we were forced to move to the human trial stage somewhat earlier than we originally anticipated." "You're using the cultures on yourself, aren't you?" Fenwick said. "Which explains the black hole in the funding." He looked around at the room he found himself in, seeing everything in there with in a new light. "Have you any idea how many company regulations you've violated?" He alternated between looking at Andrea and Veronica. "That's before I even start to think about Federal statutes and what the liability the Company has incurred..." "Mr Fenwick, please understand," Andrea said. "We did what we did to try to preserve Veronica's life – her work in this field is truly ground-breaking and will put UnitedFutures at the forefront of nano-technological innovation. If we hadn't taken this step, all of that knowledge, that competitive edge, would have been lost." Fenwick looked at Andrea, then at the figure encased in the metal tank. "You understand that at the end of all this I have to do my job," he said. "I..." Veronica said, pausing and then glanced across with her one remaining eye at Andrea. "No, we understand that." "Even if I recommend decommission of this project?" Fenwick said. "And – by extension – decommission of yourself?" "If that is your decision then so be it," Veronica said. "After all, our first loyalty is to the Company." **** The West African Republic of Kuanga Perched on the ridge above the imposing structure, she hides in the darkness. Her mind runs through the options available to her as she stares at the prison half-embedded into a mountain that bears the same name – Nu Gazi. As Eva considered her options, she recalls that this is the deep dark hole that people vanish into in this area of the republic if they "upset" the current regime. Looking through image enhancing goggles, she can see that the building is impressively fortified so a full frontal assault is out of the question. Not my style either, she thinks. Glancing over at the narrow, winding road that led up to the prison she checks her watch. The delivery truck is right on time. Her body encased in its skin-tight suit, Eva wasted no time in running towards the edge of the ridge, gracefully throwing herself into the air. Her landing was just as elegant, coming to rest on the top of the delivery vehicle as it turns the final corner of it's approach. Lying flat against the trailer, she is practically invisible to everyone around – which is her aim. Nu Gazi prison houses around three hundred inmates – of which only one is a concern of Eva's. However, nearly two hundred assorted mercenaries and general scumbags, all under the banner of the Kuanga National Guard, also guard it. Even with her heightened skills and superior training, the only way she can pull this off is to apply her intellect to the issue at hand like it was a crossword puzzle. Once inside the compound, Eva acts decisively. Certain that the perimeter guards haven't noticed her, she dismounts from the delivery truck and vanishes into the shadows cast by the building and it's constant rotation of searchlights. Eva recalls where the target will be right now – in the process of approaching the medical wing after her weekly check up. Eva can see the building at the side of the main wing of the prison – it's less than five hundred yards from her current location. Through the goggles she notices that three guards flank the woman – Meredith Driscoll – presenting Eva with a difficult, although not insurmountable, problem. Unclipping the pistol from her belt, she breaks from the cover of the shadows as the searchlight sweeps past her and begins to swing around in a 180-degree arc. Eva knows that she has sixty seconds before the light sweeps across the path linking the prison to the infirmary – she lifts the pistol and aims at the guard to Driscoll's left – forty eight seconds – the body hits the ground with a cavity in his skull. Thirty-eight seconds and the second guard slumps to the floor – the high powered round severing his spinal chord from behind. His spasms prompt Meredith to stop in her tracks. Twenty five seconds and the third guard is falling to the floor – a large hole has erupted in her forehead, tearing a hole in the thick tresses of blonde hair that had been so painstakingly teased into a bun that morning. As the final few seconds tick away and the spotlight sweeps over the three dead bodies in the grounds of the prison, Eva has managed to secure Meredith Driscoll inside the only operation Helo-90 Stealth Interceptor that Nu Gazi prison has available and is sixty feet off the ground before anyone can react. "What...what just happened?" Meredith asked, still in a state of shock at the events that had just unfolded over the last minute and a half. "I have a job offer for you," Eva said, pulling her balaclava off her head before passing Meredith a small business card. "And I would advise you to accept it." "What happens if I don't?" Meredith asked as she looked at the small white card emblazoned with the words UnitedFutures on it. "Then I hope your work on manipulation of the human genome has given you the ability to fly." Eva said matter-of-factly as she piloted them away from the cacophony of sirens and searchlights now below them. UnitedFutures Ch. 03 Battery Park New York City The rain drummed against his umbrella to the point that it practically drowned out all other sound. As his fingers fumbled with the key to his three-floor Brownstone, David Fenwick was aware of a car pulling up along the sidewalk. He looked over his shoulder and saw a jet-black sedan sitting there with its engine running. The rear window rolled down smoothly. "David," The woman's voice called out to him. "Do you have a minute?" Fenwick recognised the dark haired woman sitting in the back of the car instantly. Her name was Monica Braccia and he knew she was trouble. He turned back to his door and tried to get the key to fit in the lock. "David, please -- we need to talk." Giving up with his key Fenwick turned around and looked at the car. "What have you done to my front door?" He said as he walked down the short flight of stairs to the sidewalk. "Get in." Monica said, opening the door for him and moving across the back seat. "It's important." "It had better be." Fenwick grumbled as he folded his umbrella and shook the water from it before getting into the sedan. **** "Here's the new key to your front door." Monica said, handing him the key. "I knew it -- I knew you'd screwed about with it." Fenwick cursed. "Where the hell do you get off fucking around with my stuff?" "I'm sorry David, but I needed to be sure you'd speak to me." "What could we possibly have to talk about?" He countered. Monica handed him a piece of paper. "What's this?" His eyes scanned the paperwork, his facial expression mirroring the feeling of shock running through his body. "Where did you get this?" "You of all people should know that I have my sources," Monica said with undisguised glee in her voice. She then handed him a small USB stick. "That's the electronic version of the data -- feel free to verify it at your leisure." "What's your interest in all this?" Fenwick asked as he pocketed the USB stick. "I just thought you should be aware of it." Monica replied. "I have no professional interest in it -- but I figured it might be beneficial to someone in your position." Fenwick nodded. "Drop me off here." He said as he gestured to the coffee shop at the corner of the road. The car came to a halt and he opened the door. "When did you stop trusting me David?" Monica's question made Fenwick laugh as he got out of the car. "The day I realised you'd bugged my office for the government when we were having sex in there." He popped open his umbrella. He heard Monica sigh even above the sound of the rain. "This has been fun -- we should do it again some time." Monica said with a smile on her face. "Fuck you." Fenwick said as he slammed the door shut. Without looking back, he began to walk back towards his home in the pouring rain, his mind clouded with disturbing thoughts. **** "Good morning Veronica," Fenwick said as he entered the compact surroundings of the hub beneath UnitedFutures New York office. "How are you feeling today?" "My progress is measured in molecular increments so everything is relative," Veronica growled back at him. "However, I find your chipper demeanour this morning slightly irritating." "Sorry about that," He replied. "So, how much do you remember about your accident?" "Fortunately very little." Veronica said. "A flash of light; searing pain down the left-hand side of my body and then darkness. My next memory was waking up in this pseudo-prison." "What about who was present in the lab? Any recollections of who was around that day?" Veronica shook her head in response. "I read the official report into the accident," Fenwick said. "The investigating officer determined that there was a fault in your equipment that caused the explosion -- a faulty electrical supply cable -- that it was your negligence that directly led to the blast." He paused for a moment. "How do you feel about that?" "Angry." Veronica's response was instant. "I always maintained flawless control conditions -- I refuse to believe that I would have been so careless in allowing something like that to occur. I checked and double checked everything in that laboratory before I began my test process." "And yet, when people are under duress it's likely that they make mistakes." "Other people make mistakes Mr Fenwick," Veronica countered. "I don't." "The accident cost you a great deal, didn't it?" Fenwick added. "Both personally and professionally." "You know it did." Neither of them spoke for a moment. "I was being...considered for the post of Senior Scientist within the division until it was snatched away from me." Fenwick could see the mixture of anguish and anger on her face, even within that metal sarcophagus. "Had it not been for Andrea's actions I'd be dead. As it is, it's doubtful that I'll ever have full control over my body again, that's without considering my options with my eye." "Have you considered a prosthetic replacement?" Fenwick's question seemed to be genuine. "Maybe a cybernetic implant or a transplant from a suitable donor?" "Do you know anyone with a spare left eye?" Veronica couldn't hold her venom back. "Well, you'll be pleased to know that I'll soon have the report finished." Fenwick said. "Have you made a decision yet?" Veronica could feel her stomach churning as she asked him the question. "Not yet." Fenwick said before changing the subject. "I found something last night that I need to ask you about." Fenwick paused for a minute as he sat down and activated the terminal in the room. "What is Orexin?" Fenwick said as he flicked through various folders on the large screen. "How have you found that?" She asked -- the tone clear despite the metallic quality of her voice. "It's on your private server -- tucked away amidst a bunch of defunct files as one of the last projects you were working on before your accident." "What are you doing routing through my private server?" "I'm an auditor; I can do whatever I like." Fenwick said, turning around in his chair and getting up from it. He walked across to the hyperbaric chamber. "Now, we'll try this again. What is Orexin?" "It's nothing; a simple chemical compound that I had been working on in my spare time as a potential replacement for our Modafil-X product line." "The amphetamine replacement drug we sell to the Military to decrease fatigue and increase combat awareness?" Fenwick asked. "I didn't realise there was a project to replace that?" "There wasn't." Veronica said. "I had been tinkering around with a new compound, something that provided more longevity than the Modafil-X managed. Orexin could have produced results far in excess of those achieved with Modafil-X if it had ever gotten beyond a theoretical stage." Fenwick walked back to the desk and picked up some papers. Returning to the chamber, he held them up so Veronica could see them. "Well, it appears that I'm not the only one who has been going through your private server," He said as she began to read the documents that were pressed against the glass. "Because someone has decided to push Orexin to full field testing -- in a town called Villagran in Mexico." Fenwick shook his head. "Looks like I'll have to submit an expenses claim for some overseas travel." **** "My name is Fenwick, I have an appointment to speak to Mr Reynolds." Eva was slightly surprised how Fenwick addressed her -- his tone was oddly quiet and respectful, not at all like how other members of the division spoke to her. Whilst many of them had their suspicions surrounding her duties, the deliberate lack of clarity around her role had prompted rumour and speculation to become rife. "Please take a seat Mr Fenwick, Mr Reynolds will be with you shortly." She watched as Fenwick sat down is a small seat across from her desk. As Eva tapped away at the keyboard, she tilted the monitor slightly, allowing the camera located in the rear of it to make a cursory scan of the man dressed in a dark blue suit. There was a slight ping sound as the device completed its scan of the visitor -- Eva noted that there appeared to be nothing untoward in Fenwick's demeanour, in fact he seemed strangely relaxed as he waited. "Your Mr Reynolds' personal assistant, right? Miss Eva Lake?" Fenwick said. "I understand you used to work for Edwards over at Mergers and Acquisitions before he was promoted." "I did." Eva's response was reserved, unsure as to where Fenwick's question could be leading her. "He was my first supervisor when I started here ten years ago; he picked me straight out of grad school and took me under his wing -- nice guy." He replied. Eva nodded in agreement. "Tell me," Fenwick's voice was suddenly quieter. "Did he still no clue when it came to his colour co-ordination between his tie and his shirt?" Eva barely managed to suppress a smile with the door to Reynolds' office being opened. "Mr Fenwick," Reynolds said, extending his hand to his visitor as he got out of his chair. "It's so good to finally get to meet you." "Well, it appears that both of our schedules have been somewhat hectic." Fenwick said, dismissing the comment. "However, now is as good at time as any to discuss my initial findings." "Excellent, excellent," Reynolds answered. "Come in, have a seat." He looked across at Eva. "Hold my calls Miss Lake." **** "So you can understand my position." Fenwick said as Reynolds examined the documents. "It's clear that someone has exploited theoretical research data held in the late Veronica Goddard's files without consulting with Internal Security or Corporate Governance." "So I see," Reynolds replied, casually glancing through the documents. "How do you see this issue being...resolved?" "Well, the issue of the products at hand is secondary to the breach of company protocols," Fenwick said. "There's also the fact that someone has pressed ahead with this field test without sign-off from the Executive Board -- as you're aware, all activities like this need to retain an element of plausible deniability -- we are potentially compromised in a situation like this. However, before I can accurately assess our liability in this issue I'll need to make a full inspection of the location and verify the field test results first hand." "So, you're actually going to visit Villagran?" Reynolds asked. Fenwick nodded. "I understood it was something of a war-zone down there." "I have to -- it's the only way to get a good look at what's been going on and hopefully find some answers." Fenwick replied. "Besides, just how bad can it really be there?" **** Ciudad Victoria, Mexico 5 days later Fenwick looked out across the vista of the urban environment that surrounded him. The high-rise towers of the city seemed to be doing everything possible to make their occupants forget about the squalor they precariously sat atop of. The stifling heat outside wasn't bothering him tonight -- courtesy of the artificial environmental control within his suite -- but his mind was rolling around a series of thoughts that were beginning to give him palpitations. Villagran was at the forefront of the Mexican government's war on the drug cartels that held the Tamaulipas area of the country in a stranglehold. Fenwick had spent three days wandering around the small border town before returning to the large city of Ciudad Victoria to contemplate the findings. As he looked through his notes, Fenwick found himself reaching an inescapable conclusion. His life was probably in imminent danger, yet he knew he still had a duty to the company to report his findings back to his superiors, regardless of the personal cost. Switching the light off in his room and preparing himself for bed, he took the time to close the curtains that blotted out most of the light pollution that the city was famous for. Sitting back in his chair, Fenwick closed his eyes and waited. His patience was rewarded when the sound of the heavy glass doors to the suite were carefully slid open. Fenwick realized that he was actually holding his breath as he saw the silhouette enter through the curtain and approach his bed. Even in the nearly non-existent light, he could see that the figure was reaching out with something. His curiosity satisfied, David Fenwick flicked a switch. The lights in the room flared into life -- the undeniably feminine figure approaching the bed stopped in her tracks. Fenwick could see the slender arm that was reaching towards the bed held a silenced pistol in its grasp. "I think that's far enough Miss Lake," Fenwick said. "After all, we wouldn't want to damage the pillows in the bed there and incur any penalty charges." The figure twisted her head towards him -- he could see those same eyes that had studied him in the office glaring at him from behind the ultra-thin goggles. "Why don't you put the gun down and we can have a reasonable and sensible conversation like adults." Eva paused -- she knew she should just shoot this man as Reynolds had instructed her to do -- yet something made her stop just short. Something about his sincere and direct way of talking to her made her question herself. Against her better judgement she placed the pistol down on the bed and pulled the mask from her face, allowing her blonde hair to spill out over her shoulders. "I'll give you two minutes," Eva said. "Then I'm picking up the gun and shooting you." "I'll be done in one," Fenwick replied. "Then you can spend the other minute deciding what to do next." He paused for a moment as he stood up to remove his robe -- and she saw the wetsuit he wore underneath it. Eva suddenly realised how he had been able to avoid her thermal scan of the room. "It's come to my attention through my involvement in auditing another project within the Research and Analysis Division that it someone is looking to sell an intellectual property right of UnitedFutures to one of our main competitors." Fenwick said, moving across to pick up a bottle of water from the table. He kept his movements slow and deliberate so Eva could see that he wasn't acting in a threatening manner towards her. "Now, I've traced the source of the potential leak to someone quite high up in the department -- and your presence here has just confirmed my suspicions." "What do you mean?" Eva asked, crossing her legs. Fenwick returned to his chair. "I'm assuming that Reynolds sent you down here with orders to remove me and to secure whatever information I had gathered from the field test he had running up in Villagran, correct?" Eva nodded. "He said that he had evidence that you were passing information on UnitedFutures operations to a member of the Senate investigation committee." Eva said. Fenwick laughed. He picked up the small USB stick that he had been given a week ago in the pouring rain and threw it across to Eva. "Close, but no cigar." He added as she snatched it out of the air. "Reverse that whole statement. I have received some information from someone on the senate investigation committee and they gave it to me as they thought it may be of use to me." Fenwick paused for a moment. "Now, I'll freely admit that there was once a personal connection to this individual, but that's all a matter of public record within the Corporate Governance division." "How do you mean?" Eva asked, suddenly unsure of the situation she found herself in. "Look at the data on there, and then you can tell me if you think I'm wrong." She looked at the data stick, then at Fenwick. Eva got up and grabbed his laptop. "I'll get us some room service shall I?" He said. She looked at him, and then shook her head. "I'll have a club sandwich." She mumbled as he picked the phone up. **** "Let me get this straight," Eva said as she finished eating her sandwich. "You think that Lee Reynolds -- the head of the Research and Analysis Division -- is looking to sell a prototype drug called Orexin to BioTech Industries? One of our main corporate rivals?" "Precisely." Fenwick replied as he swigged his beer. "I also think that Reynolds is involved -- indirectly -- in the attempted murder of Veronica Goddard." "What do you mean, attempted?" Eva asked. "Veronica Goddard died a year ago in a laboratory accident." "That's what they want you to believe." Fenwick said. "However, I can assure you that Veronica is alive and...sort of well, although that situation may not remain the same for much longer." "Look, I'm not stupid, but why is this Orexin drug worth all this?" Fenwick leaned back in his chair and smiled. "Imagine what you could accomplish if you never had to sleep," He said. "Think about it -- we spend a third of our lives asleep. What could you do with that extra time?" Fenwick waited for the idea to sink in with Eva. "That's what Orexin does -- it eliminates the need within the human body for sleep." "Oh wow..." Eva muttered. "But...but there would be consequences to that." "Indeed," Fenwick said. "Resource consumption would sky rocket, the environmental impact would be horrendous and that's without considering the fact that after 11 days without sleep you're going to suffer a massive psychotic break..." His pause was pregnant. "But..." Eva added. "But you couldn't sell something like that to a major corporation without some sort of documentary evidence of it's worth. A proof of concept, if you will." He took another drink from the beer. "Which is where Villagran comes into the picture." Fenwick swiped a chip from Eva's plate. "If there was a living, breathing test subject who had been subjected to the Orexin drug for, oooh, I don't know, let's say a month without any side effects that would surely be enough to prove that the drug works." "I don't understand, how can you prove any of this?" Fenwick handed her the piece of paper that Monica had given him on that rainy night. As she took in its contents she shook her head. "How could he do this?" "Very easily." Fenwick said, taking the piece of paper back from her and carefully folding it up. "Let's assume that Reynolds was presented the product and saw its value -- however, he couldn't present it to UnitedFutures as a completely original piece of work because the baseline patents for it were already registered within the company database." He twirled a fork between his fingers. "So he would need to approach someone externally to offer them the product for a price." "So, you said something about needing a test subject." Eva said, absorbing what he had just told her. "Do you think there is one?" "I already know who the test subject is and where he's being held." Fenwick replied. "A six year old boy went missing from the town of Villagran three nights ago following, by all accounts, a very professional raid. There's a boat moored in the bay that's registered to BioTech -- I would guess that's where they have him." Eva nodded. "I'm guessing that his immune system has somehow rendered the more toxic aspects of the drug inert -- so it's just a matter of extracting the safe drug compound from his system to duplicate it." He looked out of the window for a moment. "I'm sure someone with your skills should be able to resolve that particular matter and make sure that we're able to secure the test subject. Then we'll return to New York and present the matter to the board." "And just what are you hoping that will achieve?" Eva said. "I don't think that Reynolds is the type of man to resign." "Oh you never know; people will do the strangest things under pressure." Fenwick replied. "Now, I have to arrange our flight out of here with the local field office and send my report on my other work to the Chief Financial Officer." He began to unzip the wetsuit that he was wearing. "Eva, remember that the child on board that boat has company property running through his veins -- we have to get it back." UnitedFutures Ch. 03 **** New York UnitedFutures Headquarters, 5:04 am The heavy-set door to the tenth sub-level of the hub beneath the New York swung open. Three different pairs of footsteps were audible -- each striking the metal floor at irregular intervals. From Veronica's vantage point, she saw Andrea appear to her right, flanked by two men. "Andrea, how nice of you to visit me at this early hour." Veronica said. Andrea's face remained impassive. "I'm sorry to have to do this to you Veronica," Andrea replied. "But Fenwick submitted his final report last night." She paused for a moment. "He recommended that your project on the nano-cultures be decommissioned." "Really?" Veronica could hear tools being removed from boxes and saw both men disappear from her view. "That wasn't how I read the document." The screen behind Andrea sparked into life -- and David Fenwick's report was projected onto it. "In fact, I think if you look here..." One particular section of the report was suddenly highlighted. "He's actually stating that he thinks additional resources should be directed towards the project." Andrea looked at Veronica, her eyes ablaze with anger. "And he found something rather illuminating within the security tapes..." The screen suddenly shifted. The footage being replayed on the oversized monitor relayed the events of a fateful afternoon in London. Andrea watched as she saw images of herself moving around the laboratory, switching several power cables with ones from a small black bag. "Tell me, what did Reynolds' offer you?" Veronica asked as the footage continued to loop over time and time again. "You knew he was my competition for head of the department. Did he offer you a place at his side if you removed me from the picture?" "Jardine, Mitchell -- shut her down now!" Andrea barked. Both men moved around to the front of the hyperbaric chamber. As they reached out towards it, there was a loud hissing sound from the machinery itself. "I wouldn't do that if I were you gentlemen," Veronica warned them. Jardine reached out, his fingers just brushing the metal of the chamber. Explosive bolts erupted, jettisoning the exterior of the capsule at speed. One section of the metal casing tore through Jardine, removing his right arm and shoulder from his body. His body hits the floor as blood pours from the wound. The shattering glass peppered Mitchell's face -- with one particularly nasty shard entering his neck. Stepping out of the chamber and into the recycled air of the hub, Veronica Goddard stretched her arms and looked over at Andrea, now backing away from her boss. "As you see, I kept the full details of my progress a secret from everyone," Veronica stated as she took another step towards Andrea. "So now I guess it's just you and me." "Veronica...I...I...look..." Andrea spluttered, realising that everything had gone wrong. "Hold your tongue Andrea," Veronica gleefully replied, her voice dripping with venom. "Unless you want me to break it down into individual DNA strands?" **** Mexico 3:42 am The stillness of the air did nothing to suppress the adrenaline she felt flowing through her veins. As her small boat approached the large yacht from the rear, Eva braced herself for what was about to come. Cutting the engine she allowed the tide to slowly push her darkened boat towards the gleaming white vessel that sat low in the water. She kept her profile within the boat low, hoping that -- if spotted -- her body suit would disguise her appearance enough that a casual onlooker would think that it was just another boat that had slipped its moorings and was drifting aimlessly around the bay. Once she was close enough, she engaged a small electronic clamp that held the boat firmly to the fibreglass hull of the yacht. Carefully making her way onto the boat, Eva crouched down and looked around -- noticing that there appeared to be a figure standing at the rear of the boat. Carefully edging her way along the deck -- and securing a small black bag she had bought with her -- Eva found that she could hear something like a tap running. The closer she got to the figure she realised that whoever it was had chosen to urinate over the edge of the boat, gripping the metal railing with one hand and aiming directly into the sea. Shaking her head at the lack of common courtesy, she paused as she reached striking distance. The sound of the zipper being pulled up was Eva's cue. As the man turned around he saw a dark shape flying towards him. A gloved hand clamped across his mouth, preventing him from crying out, as another grabbed the lapel of his jacket. Powerful leg muscles propelled him backwards, slamming him into the metal railing with force. Eva saw his expression change at the moment of impact -- from one of surprise to a mixture of anger and shock as his body connected with the barrier. Eva felt a small shockwave run through his torso as the force of the blow cracked something in his spine. She pulled her hand free from his mouth as his weight was transferred from his legs to her hand that was holding his jacket. The impact of the collision had definitely broken something in him, but Eva couldn't be sure if the momentary failure of his legs was due to shock or something more permanent. In one fluid motion her free hand pulled back and she slammed her palm forward into his face. Blood erupted from his nose and he was clearly stumbling towards unconsciousness courtesy of her attack -- the force of the blow knocking his torso backwards enough for Eva to grab his legs and propel him over the edge and into the inky black sea. If he survived her initial assault then he'd eventually succumb to the effects of fatigue in the cool ocean water. Looking back at the small crew cabin, she opened the bag she had bought with her. Screwing the silencer in place on the barrel of her pistol she took a moment to remove a small round metal canister and gripped it in her hand. If everything went according to plan, she wouldn't have to fire her pistol once. Approaching the cabin door, Eva pressed a small button on the canister. Opening the door, the two men sitting inside looked up, obviously expecting their colleague. They both looked confused at the sight of the black body-suited woman standing in the doorway. Eva threw the canister inside and quickly closed the door. Eva saw the small flash through the tiny windows and the sounds of two voices reacting in fear as the room quickly filled with gas. Eva counted in her head to ten and then heard two thudding sounds. She continued to count, knowing that after thirty seconds the lethal gas would become inert. As she reached twenty-five she felt a hand powerfully grip her shoulder and pull her backwards. Hitting the floor hard, Eva heard her pistol spin across the deck. "Might have known you'd be down here." She recognised the gruff voice immediately -- it was Dawson. "Pity, looks like you have to go as well. You, then the Auditor." Eva spun her legs around as she saw Dawson pull a knife free from his belt. Managing to get onto her feet just as Dawson drove his boot down into the space where her head had been. Spinning on her back heel, Eva slammed her foot into the back of Dawson's head, only to find him grabbing her leg at the same time. He used the momentum of her attack against her, swinging her around through the air. Eva collided with the edge of the cabin -- the blow driving the air from her lungs. The next sensation she felt was that of the deck of the boat rushing up to meet her. Stunned, Eva felt a hand grab her and lift her up -- and then a crushing sensation around her throat. "You know, I always wondered if you were Reynolds' whore as well as his secretary." Dawson said as he held Eva in the air. She could see the knife poised in his right hand. Despite the fact she was already becoming light headed by the lack of oxygen she knew this was her chance. Grabbing Dawson's wrist, Eva twisted it and dug her thumb into the soft tissue at the base of the palm. His reaction was exactly as she had hoped -- his fingers reflexively released their grip the knife. Her movements were a blur as she snatched the knife out of the air and slashed at his left wrist. Dawson's screams filled her ears as she hit the floor. Kicking out powerfully at his knee, she pulled the steel blade back. "The correct term," She hissed. "Is Personal Assistant." She drove the knife up through his chin and into his skull. His body fell to the deck, twitching spasmodically. Pausing only to retrieve her pistol, Eva opened the cabin door. Now to retrieve the test subject, she thought. **** UnitedFutures New York Office 8 hours later "...As you can see from the projections, we estimate that a working adaptive nano-culture inspired cure to the common cold should be within our reach by the end of the current quarter." Lee Reynolds stood at the head of the table and addressed the senior members of the executive board. Today was going to be his day, he felt sure of it. And if today didn't work out in his favour, then he always had other irons in the fire. "Profit margins on this product alone will outstrip the company profits for the last year in their entirety." "It certainly looks like a viable proposition," Edwards, the former head of Mergers and Acquisitions, added. "What's the potential for expansion of the technology to other areas?" "Unfortunately, Dr Spiro hasn't arrived for work today -- I believe she's at home with a cold," Reynolds comment prompted several chuckles from the board members. "However I expect that she will be back in tomorrow, she would be better placed to explain the other applications for the technology. I can say that there are clear applications in other areas of the medical field and we envisage that there could be a military application for the product too..." "Possibly in conjunction with the Orexin product that you've been field testing down in Mexico? Or is that after you sell a licensed UnitedFutures product to BioTech Industries and jump ship?" The question from the rear of the conference room rendered the room silent. Board members looked at the door -- where David Fenwick was standing. "I'm sorry," Reynolds said. "But what are you talking about?" "Members of the Board, my name is David Fenwick," Fenwick was followed into the room by Eva, who was carrying a familiar brushed steel briefcase in her hands. "I'm an auditor appointed by the Chief Financial Officer, Miss Rahjak, to investigate a substantial black hole in the budgetary documents submitted by Mr Reynolds division this year." At this point, Survinder Rahjak nodded, indicating that this was the case. "I have proof that not only has Mr Reynolds been planning to steal a company product and hand it over to BioTech, but that he was implicitly involved in the attempted murder of a colleague on company premises, something which leaves the company open to a wrongful death lawsuit should the family of the victim choose to sue." Fenwick inserted a small USB stick into the projector. A slide show began automatically, flashing up detailed documents highlighting the evidence to support his statement. "Is this right?" Meredith Evans, acting CEO of the company asked. Reynolds remained silent for a moment, his mind whirring into gear. "These documents are fabrications designed to discredit me," he said, gesturing towards the images flashing up on the screen. "My service record with the company is exemplary, my loyalty beyond question." "Then how do you explain this?" Fenwick pulled a piece of paper out of his jacket pocket and unfolded it. The same piece of paper that he had been given by Monica Braccia and -- in turn -- he had shown to Eva. As he placed it on the table for Reynolds and the board to see, he provided a commentary. "A contract between BioTech industries and yourself for delivery of the Orexin compound, complete with authenticated DNA signatures." The room was silent for a moment -- then Reynolds exploded, grabbing Fenwick and pulling him in front of him as a human shield. At the same time, something glinted in the light of the boardroom in his left hand and a cold metal blade was pressed against Fenwick's throat. Several of the board members were out of their seats by this point. "Very impressive deductive work Fenwick," Reynolds hissed. "Now, unless we want to have a nasty stain on the boardroom carpet, I suggest that every stays calm and does precisely what I ask." Reynolds looked directly at Eva -- who now had a compact pistol in her grip and was aiming directly for him. "Especially you." "I want access to the roof and the helicopter prepped to leave." Reynolds continued as he backed up towards the door. Eva took a step towards Reynolds and Fenwick. "Stay there, otherwise I'll open up a vein." "Mr Reynolds, this really isn't the way to conduct yourself in front of the board." Eva said, edging forward once more. "Now, if you'll put the knife down we can discuss this like adults." She tried her best to mimic the way that Fenwick had spoken to her a few nights ago, taking the opportunity to take a third step, this time slightly to her left. "What?" Reynolds almost laughed. "I don't think you understand, I'm the one in the position of autho..." His statement was cut off by the sound of the gun in Eva's hand erupting. Reynolds' head snapped backwards, followed by his body a moment later. As he hit the floor, Fenwick looked at him, then at Eva. "Good shot." He complemented her. "I told you he wouldn't resign." Eva replied. **** Battery Park Tuesday morning "So, where's Andrea?" Fenwick said as he appraised the figure sitting on the bench in Battery Park. Veronica looked up at him and smiled. "Oh, she's around here somewhere," Veronica replied as she sat on the bench, basking in the morning sunlight. It suddenly struck Fenwick what was different about her since he last saw her -- she now had a blue coloured left eye. "I take you found a...willing donor?" He asked, gesturing to her replacement eye. Veronica's expression reminded Fenwick of a cat toying with a mouse. "You might say that." She bought her hand up and stroked the skin of her bald head. "I'm thinking of keeping the bald head look -- I've gotten used to it over the last year." "It suits you. So, I'm curious; how do you intend to explain your Lazarus-like return from the dead? "You'd be surprised what modern science is capable of achieving Mr Fenwick." Veronica quipped. Fenwick's mouth creased into a smile. "How did you know that Andrea was trying to get my..." Veronica chose her words carefully. "Project...decommissioned." "I didn't to begin with." Fenwick replied, noting that she had now removed a pair of dark sunglasses from a case and wiped them with a cloth before securing them in place, covering her eyes. "I made an educated guess as to who had access to your private server -- Andrea was the only person other than me, so she was the logical choice in that respect. After I saw the security camera footage from London, coupled with Reynolds running a field test of Orexin down in Mexico, everything fell into place. I imagine that with you out of the way she would be able to present your work as hers without fear of anyone accusing her of plagiarism." "Well, thank you." Veronica replied. "You don't need to thank me," Fenwick replied. "The position of Chief Financial Officer is going to become vacant in a few weeks time. I intend to apply for it and a recommendation from someone such as you as the head of the Research and Analysis Division will go a long way to securing my nomination as the most suitable candidate for the role." "Interesting," Veronica smiled; realising Fenwick's angle had been there to see from the first day he had met her as she was encased in her hyperbaric chamber. "So, what's in it for me?" "The position would afford me the opportunity to provide you with access to the financial resources your projects require, plus protection from the Oversight Committee," Fenwick said, noting Veronica's wry smile. "I've seen some of the things you were working on before you were cooped up in that chamber -- all of them could be financially beneficial to the company with the right support and backing from someone who understands your work." Veronica nodded as her mind started to spin out ideas. "Of course, you realise that the post of Chief Financial Officer is one that has an extremely high turnover rate." "Indeed," Fenwick agreed. "Which is why I would need Eva as my assistant. Her credentials are second to none in the company." "Naturally," Veronica added before extending her hand. Fenwick shook it. "I think I'm going to look forward to working with you for a very long time Mr Fenwick."