The Phenomena of Fireflies and Star... - Chapter 26: Chapter 26

October 27, 2023
Friday
Andrade Residence
9:21 AM
Ames wasn't planning on dressing up, but he did want to make a statement with his outfit: a beige oversized sweater, gray sweatpants, and basic slippers.
Whatever statement he wanted to put out had its own purpose.
He had made his decision. It was a good decision, and he didn't have to keep reminding himself of how much it would hurt. Not yet. He would have time for that later. For now, he had to keep in mind that he had made his choice.
He placed the laptop onto the dining table and opened The Mastermind. The agents should be arriving any minute now.
As for Max, he was in a place where he couldn't be found. There was no trace of him in the house at all. As per Eliza, there would be four agents: one paralegal from the Diameter, one R&D officer from Wang Industries, an IT specialist, and a transportation officer. If anything, Ames was weary about the "transportation officer". He wasn't stupid enough to think that a transportation officer would just be a driver. However, Eliza had informed him that he most likely wouldn't even see the person's face as the three other agents would be the active voices.
Every piece had been put in place.
All Ames needed to do was tip the balance to his favor every step of the way.
When he heard the low rumble of a vehicle come upon the gate, he felt a burst of heated tension in his chest.
'Dammit,' he thought, taking a deep breath and feeling the slight trembles from within him as he exhaled. 'Here we go. This changes everything. This changes everything, Ames. You better fricking pull this off.'
'You are a goddamn genius. Play your cards right.'
He heard car doors open, followed by three knocks on the gate.
'Here we go,' he thought, cracking his neck. 'I am Ames Andrade.'
'I'm a meek, unassuming, painfully idealistic, easily excitable, consequently gullible, and slightly irresponsible person.'
He walked forward, managing his breathing as he let his facade sink in.
'For as long as I need to be.'
"They like it when they feel like they're in power, Ames," he remembered Eliza saying. "Let them have it and then take it all back. And then some."
He walked out of the front door and headed for the gate.
He then pulled the gate door open slightly, taking a peek at the agents that had been sent for him.
'One female, two males. One in the car.'
"Good morning, Professor Andrade," the female agent approached. She looked prepared: dressed appropriately, hair in a neat bun, expression pleasant, and eyes sharp. She looked young. Younger than Ames, clearly. Her right hand carefully gripped the handle of an attaché case. "I'm Felicita Gambo. Diameter paralegal."
"Felicita Gambo," Eliza's words replayed in Ames's mind. "New blood. Got hired when the Diameter required help in the legal team. Fresh graduate. Very intelligent. She tends to be very dramatic in a casual setting. It could be her strategy, but co-workers say she likes to overcompensate in daily conversations, too. Brilliant mind. Can be idealistic. Good listener. Use that. She can be very humble in professional engagements, though, which means she may hide things up her sleeve. Interesting dynamic. Confusion is a good strategy."
"I'm with Doctor Branson Mortez from Wang Industries," Ms. Gambo continued, respectfully gesturing with her hand to a seemingly more cordial man in a white suit. As cordial as he appeared, Ames recognized that glint of arrogance in his eyes. He seemed to be in his late thirties.
"Wang Industries Research and Development Specialist, Doctor Branson Mortez, Doctor of Biotechnology," Ames recalled Eliza's words about the man. "Experienced and bright. Currently taking irregular classes in astrophysics. One of the brilliant minds behind the partnership. He once interned for Division. He's been busy at the Diameter for a while now, but I haven't received any official word about anything. Prideful man. You know how it is. Pride makes every target easy. Knowing that is already a big card. He's gonna' try to intimidate you. I can't even intimidate you, and he cannot intimidate me. But he doesn't know that."
"That's Mister Eli Cabaljo, IT Specialist," the paralegal added, gesturing to the other man, who looked more understated but still sophisticated. He definitely seemed more personable than Dr. Mortez to Ames.
"Eli doesn't talk much," Eliza's words about the man. "But he's a keen observer. Has been in many odd jobs before settling in Wang Industries. Street-smart. Very personable. Also, very honest. Keep an eye out. He's mysterious."
Ames maintained a smile as he acknowledged each one of them.
'They're probably reading me as much as I'm reading them,' Ames considered.
"Come in, please," Ames said, pulling the gate door open wider for the agents to enter. The three of them walked in, and Ames closed the gate door behind them. "I haven't prepared snacks. I'm sorry. I wasn't told the exact time of your arrival."
"That won't be necessary," Dr. Mortez replied. Bass voice. Hoarse. Ames noted that the man could be a smoker.
"Please lead the way, Professor," Ms. Gambo said.
"You can keep your shoes on, by the way," Ames said as he walked ahead of them and led them into the house. "I haven't even dressed up. Goodness."
'Goodness,' he thought sarcastically, closing the door behind them. 'Goodness.'
"I must tell you," Ames prefaced, putting the laptop down on the center table of the living room. "I haven't logged in for a while now. I've been very busy with other ventures. I'm actually quite worried about it. I might've left it hanging for too long without much security."
The three agents sat down in the living room, sharing one sofa. The Mastermind cast its red glow upon them.
"I didn't study programming formally, you see," Ames added, taking his own seat on the comfortable armchair adjacent to the sofa. "I just had a plan in mind."
"The Synapse was a business risk on our part, to be honest," Dr. Mortez said. "Release was approved too early by the former chief. He wasn't the brightest strategist. Appointed by, uh, politics."
'Bashing a former superior,' Ames noted, maintaining eye contact, but without the authority he normally exuded. 'You are something, Doctor.'
"We discontinued it, but we could no longer control buyer behavior," Dr. Mortez went on. "They couldn't figure out what to make out of it anyway. Until you, Professor."
"Please, Doctor," Ames replied, feigning flattery. Being active in plays back in grade school and years of speaking in public surely helped. "Thank you, but no. I just didn't think putting a leash on a tiger was smarter than building a much bigger cage. Didn't think building a tiger a much bigger cage was smarter than letting it be in its natural environment, either."
"What you built with the Synapse was impressive," Ms. Gambo added, putting her attaché case over her lap.
"Also, mildly concerning," Dr. Mortez remarked. If anything, Ames noticed that the specialist's gaze sharpened a bit with his statement. "College professor with an extensive academic record and counting. You might be in the wrong career, Professor. Men like you, at your age, should have your own consultancy."
'Oh, you're reading me, huh?' Ames thought, trying his best to not be sharp in his reactions. Not yet.
"Well, I have a mission for education, Doctor," Ames pointed out. "My chosen field. Hence, The Mastermind, which I sadly am not the most careful with."
That came to Ames as a double-edged sword, and he hated it.
But he continued anyway.
"A mission?" Dr. Mortez inquired. It was almost a demand, the way it sounded.
"Yes," Ames said, putting up a warm smile. An idealistic smile. The smile he used in public speaking. Except that what he was about to say really was what he intended The Mastermind to be. "Free education at the hands of anybody with a good enough phone or device. If you can't bring them to school, you can bring the school to them. Plus, it develops as they develop. Almost infinitely. With periodic assessments similar to the usual academic progression seen in tertiary education. Similar, but adaptive. Advanced."
"Free," he reiterated, looking at the paralegal emphatically.
"Right," Dr. Mortez commented. There was sarcasm in his tone, but Ames didn't mind.
"That's a noble mission, Professor," Ms. Gambo said. "Except that such level of liberal access to a growing pool of knowledge can mean a disruption in many sectors and industries. Businesses. Education, for one. It's a bummer of reality, but you do realize that what you've created is a meteor strike, right? You put it out there, it's going to leave a crater."
'I'm starting to see how you work, Miss Gambo,' Ames thought, maintaining eye contact with her.
"I want to help people, Miss Gambo," Ames chirped. "First and foremost. Perhaps ultimately. However way I can."
"Noble again," Ms. Gambo replied. "Also dangerous, Professor. We're talking premature economic shifts larger than you could ever imagine. You're going to need help. The Mastermind will need protection."
"Your heart is in the right place, Professor," Dr. Mortez said. "But the strategy is blind. Forgive the lack of a better word. It's a little misguided. Misdirected."
'Tell me more,' Ames thought. He had to make sure he didn't look riled up. He had to play along. Let them have the power. If the plan had been different, however, the arrogant prick would be wiping his drool off the floor.
"Imagine that kind of power within more capable hands, Professor," Dr. Mortez went on. "Not to say that you aren't capable. It's just that you're not looking big enough, and that's a route to damage. Big one. Something as advanced as The Mastermind would be better off in different fields. Say: medicine, biology, science, computer engineering, biotechnology..."
"Superhuman research and development?" Ames couldn't hold it back. He wasn't sure if he was going to regret it, but he'd already said it. It was defensible, but it had surely caught the agents a bit off-guard. He kept his face straight, still holding their gaze.
"Why, um, yes...," Dr. Mortez's slightly surprised reply. "That was an interesting assumption, but yes."
"Not interesting at all, Doctor," Ames pointed out. "The Creaton is public knowledge. The same goes for Division's operations, including the New Age Initiative, and Wang Industries being a big company. Why else would you be interested in a program like The Mastermind? Which makes use of the Synapse's intelligence? When the Diameter called me last Wednesday, I had some time after to really think about why two big entities would be contacting me about my work."
Ames was really enjoying how he was slowly turning the tables on them, but he had to keep himself in check. He couldn't just ramble on.
"It seems like you know a lot about that, Professor," Ms. Gambo commented.
"I watch the news," Ames replied. He was glad that his heart wasn't beating fast. So far, he was doing well.
It seemed that Dr. Mortez wasn't used to being answered to whenever he bared his fangs. His breathing was very audible, even if he was keeping a collected face. Ames may not have lasted long as a Signos, but he surely had been the most perceptive one.
"And I want to hear more," Ames said more softly, reverting to his earlier mode. The agents seemed unsure how to proceed. "I'm listening."
"You see, Professor," Dr. Mortez seemed to have gotten his voice back. "The level of intelligence that The Mastermind has could help Division accelerate the research on and development of superhumans. Not to mention, medicine and healthcare. Law enforcement. The justice system. Imagine contributing to a future of progress. A future of biotechnological advancement. Scientific breakthrough. With more capable hands, you could be helping more than the educational field. You could be helping so much more."
Ames feigned wonder, but he kept it subdued. He kept it balanced with academic curiosity. He had to. He wasn't just somebody in their eyes, after all. To them, he had been intentionally mischaracterized as meek and idealistic, among other things, but he was also a high academic. He found it funny, however, how Dr. Mortez was more than excited to jump on what was being fed to him.
"Go on," Ames urged, narrowing his eyes in pretentious interest for full effect. He had foreseen this.
"It's a pretty big concept," there was Dr. Mortez again with his passive-aggressive choice of words. "Isn't that what you want? To help people? To do good?"
'Interesting wording there, Doctor,' Ames thought.
"We came to talk terms, Professor," Ms. Gambo definitely was politer. She did have her own ways, which would've worked if she were using them on somebody else or, at least, somebody who wasn't prepared for her. "We have here some paperwork—contracts—that you can look into, should you be interested. We strongly believe that you can achieve more impressive feats by sharing The Mastermind with us. We can help you help, but we can keep things balanced."
Ames had to admit. They had a point. What he did propose was quite a game-changer, and he was aware that it could lead to imbalance. He had taken his time in realizing that. If only they didn't have other plans, Ames would've considered bending to their will. He delayed his response, instead looking at the attaché case that the paralegal was holding.
"We have here a contract and other paperwork that you'd benefit from looking into," Ms. Gambo continued, opening her case and pulling out stapled documents. She reached over to him, handing the papers. Ames took them carefully.
What he was about to do was important. He began reading the contract. He had to make sure that he checked everything. The more he read through it, the more surprised he was. Genuinely.
'Eliza wasn't lying when she said they'd try anything,' he thought in disbelief as he read through the contract. For the most part, the content was standard. The offers were grand, however. That was saying the least. 'Shared ownership of The Mastermind, consultancy position, automatic hiring, Board position, a monthly salary of eighty thousand pesos, fully sponsored academic ventures, a pair of houses and lots, and benefits.'
'They're not playing around.'
'If they weren't planning to use my program on superhumans, I would've made a stronger consideration of an agreement. The salary itself is no joke. The properties offered are generous. The shared ownership will still grant me power. To an extent.'
Ames wasn't going to lie to himself. The perks were glaringly beneficial. He could definitely use some of these perks. His current salary was enough to get him through, compensated for by his investments and his savings. He was still paying for the house.
All of the enumerated perks had explanations, and Ames found them to be well-written. The terms and conditions were also pretty standard, expanding upon his potential role should he agree to take the offers.
He could definitely take the leap. He could definitely sign up.
'This is really something.'
"I find your offers very interesting," Ames looked up from the papers. "Something tells me you're going to be needing my help quite a lot. How can you assure me that this will pull through?"
"Division and Wang Industries take contracts very seriously, Professor," Ms. Gambo said. "Talent is an invaluable asset to us, but we make compensations for it anyway."
The paralegal then put her attaché case down to its side on her lap and opened it like a laptop, proceeding to unzip an inner—almost concealed—compartment and revealing wads upon wads of money.
'Crap,' Ames thought, surprised by the amount of money before him. 'They're really into this.'
"One hundred thousand pesos upfront," Ms. Gambo said, a smile forming on her lips. "Should you make an agreement. Sealed by your signature on every page of the contract."
"Imagine the increased number of people you could help, Professor," Dr. Mortez weighed in. "No loopholes. More industries. A stronger Mastermind. Imagine being part of Philippine History's milestones. And being rewarded for it."
'Something tells me they really want The Mastermind,' Ames thought. 'And they really need me to jump in with it. I could retain control.'
"If I agree to this, I need to be part of the research and development," Ames said. "Every step of the way. There's so much good this can do. If this can help more people..."
"You will be there," Dr. Mortez interrupted. "We assure you of that."
"I would like a pen, please," Ames asked. "You might want to check out the program, too. Please."
Dr. Mortez immediately pulled out a pen, handing it over to him.
"That's a good boy," Dr. Mortez remarked. "That wasn't so hard now, was it?"
Ames put up a smile as he received the pen. In his periphery, he could see Mr. Cabaljo beginning to work his way into The Mastermind.
Using the red pen to trace the words on the contract, Ames proceeded to reread the document.
'This is really something.'
'If they weren't planning to use my program on superhumans, I would've made a stronger consideration of an agreement.'
'Except they are.'
"SNIKT-THRR-SNIKT!"
An unusual series of mechanical shifting sounds erupted loudly from the laptop, drawing out startled gasps from everybody. It was so ear-piercingly scandalous that Mr. Cabaljo was petrified in uncertainty for a while. Ames put his fingers into his ears, glaring at the disruptive sounds coming from his laptop.
"What the hell?!" Dr. Mortez exclaimed, hands over his ears.
"What did you do, Eli?" Ms. Gambo demanded.
"I-I logged in...," Mr. Cabaljo stuttered, trying to type onto the keyboard. "I, uh, signed up and logged in."
"Let me see," Ames demanded, setting the documents and the pen aside and rushing to his laptop, watching in horror and awe as The Mastermind glitched apart in sharp flashes of red.
"The hell..."
'I swear if Mortez complains one more time,' Ames thought, feeling the drive to clock Dr. Mortez in the neck. He held back.
The screen glared in red for a while before shutting down in black.
"Oh my god...," Ms. Gambo uttered in shock.
Ames tried the power button.
No avail. Even if he pressed it for a long time. Nothing.
He stepped aside, his glare latching onto Mr. Cabaljo, who looked back at him in apologetic panic.
"What the hell was that?" Ames kept his voice contained, but his finger was aimed sharply at the device.
"That's a good question, Prof," Dr. Mortez tried it. This time, he succeeded. Ames transferred his glare onto Dr. Mortez, his jaw tightening as he unloaded his frustration on the surprised agent with his eyes.
"I suggest you be very careful with your words and your tone of voice in my house, Mortez," Ames said. Mortez stared back at him, but the man's arrogance had been curbed by a desperate need for self-control. "As far as I'm concerned, my program and my laptop are ruined. And your contract does not have my seal."
"Professor Andrade, there has to be a way," Ms. Gambo jumped in, her composure faltering with every word. "Please do consider."
Ames latched his gaze onto her next.
"Maybe it's a good thing this whole thing's busted, Miss Gambo," Ames said, his head tilting as his glare pierced right into her eyes. "After all, I just realized I was about to be bribed into a contract. What a convenient wake-up call."
Ames walked over to his chair. He grabbed the contract and the pen and put them on Mortez's lap.
"Get out of my house," Ames declared, finger directed to the front door. The agents stared at him with disoriented looks for a while, not sure how to act in the turn of events.
"I said...," Ames reared up. "Get out!"
Blinking into compliance, the agents got up on their feet and walked hurriedly out the door. Ames followed behind them as they argued with each other in their march out. He stopped by the porch column, keeping a sharp eye on them as they helped themselves out of the gate.
Mortez, however, took one last look at him. It was a confused, bitter, and resentful look.
Ames maintained his glare on the man, his head tilting as a gesture of challenge.
Nostrils fuming in contained anger, Mortez disappeared behind the gate door after he pulled it into a close.
Ames couldn't move for a while. The morning had been intense. He barely noticed that his heartbeat had picked up.
Slightly.
The sounds of car doors slamming and the vehicle driving away gave Ames a bit of comfort.
'They're gone,' he thought to himself, putting a hand on his chest. He let out one long breath before walking back into his house. 'I want no trace of those clowns in my house.'
He went for the sofa, checking for anything they might've left behind. Nothing. Nothing of theirs on the table, either.
'They're gone. It's done.'
He saw his laptop next, and he could feel himself filling up. It started with a breath. The breath was followed by a tremble. It was a slight tremble, but Ames knew that he would burst into tears if he said the wrong word.
'It's done.'
'It's all done.'
'It's gone.'
He let out another breath, pulling out his phone from his pocket. He pressed the Stop Recording button of the voice recorder app, saving the sound file. It was a ready contingency plan. He then called Eliza next.
His friend readily picked up, her greeting voice concerned and hasty.
"It's done, um," Ames said, exhaling. There was that tremble still. He didn't want to cry. He'd done the right thing. The best he could do. He knew in his heart that it was the best thing to do. It was the right thing. The good thing. "They're gone. The Mastermind is dead."
"We did it, Elle. We did it."
Abundanza Mega-Mall
Commercial District
12:38 PM
Max looked down at the flash drives in his hand. There were three. He put them safely in the breast pocket of his denim jacket.
All that Eliza knew about him was that he'd been told to get her secondhand laptop, which couldn't possibly be that old.
Eliza had no idea that he knew more than she thought he did. He wasn't going to let her have a hint, either.
He'd been waiting by the atrium for some time now, observing the mall-goers as they went about in their leisure, carrying shopping bags and chatting with their companions.
Someone tapped him on the shoulder from behind. Turning to look, he found Eliza standing behind him, carrying a briefcase. She seemed to have come from her office.
"Hey, Max," Eliza said. She looked troubled, but her professional demeanor prevailed. She then handed him the briefcase. Her pulsations weren't as palpable as Max would've wanted, but he could detect a mix of worry and perseverance in maintaining an exterior of calm. "I can only be here for a while, but here it is."
"He was really bummed about his laptop crashing," Max commented, receiving the briefcase carefully. "Thank you for your generosity."
"It's an old gaming laptop," Eliza said, gesturing toward the briefcase. "I no longer have the time."
"He'll be real glad 'bout this," Max commented.
"I hope so," Eliza replied, a courteous smile on her face. "I have to go, but tell Ames to call me if he needs me. Anytime, 'kay?"
"Sure."
"Great. Bye, Max."
"Bye, Eliza."
With that, Eliza politely turned on her heels and walked off. She wasn't as effervescent today as she normally was, even in her attempt to be professional, and that bothered Max.
'Eliza's trying so hard not to look upset,' he thought, sighing at the idea of Ames being in a much tighter spot. He definitely would be. Max had never wanted to hurry home this badly before. He had nothing else to do here anyway. 'I better get to Ames.'