by Simon Archer
I was lost in my own thoughts, creating a backup plan just in case the Lindys didn’t want in when Charlie cleared his throat. I snapped back to the here-and-now and looked over at him.
“Tell me, Clark. How much have you thought this through?” Charlie asked. The question was unexpected.
“The details? Less than 24 hours. The chance to make an impact? My entire life,” I responded.
Leah looked at Charlie and placed her hand on his arm. Maybe their secret language went beyond just looking at each other because they smiled in unison.
“We’d love to take part in the project,” Charlie said and looked at Leah. She was wiggling in her chair with excitement. “That said, it may take a bit for our lawyers to make sure we can’t get sued, but as I have a bunch of those bastards on speed dial, I assume it won’t be much of a problem.”
I felt my entire body relax. I hadn’t realized how tense I had gotten waiting for their response. Leah’s excitement was contagious, and when she stood up, both Charlie and I stood with her.
“I have more ideas for events floating around in my head than I thought possible,” she said and clapped her hands together. I was correct in my assumption of her thought process, and that boosted my confidence in my decision to approach them even more. I enjoyed working with people whose minds I was in sync with.
Leah turned to go to the kitchen area, but Charlie stopped her. “Remember, babe. No business talk until we’re back home. Omnicorp is all over this place.”
“Of course not, silly,” she laughed back at him and was gone.
Charlie reached across the table, and we shook hands. It was another one of those moments when I felt my future had just picked a path. There were some details that I still wanted to go over with Charlie, so the two of us sat back down and started discussing the steps we’d need to take to launch our new business venture. Once we had a plan in place, we joined the girls in helping to feed throngs of hungry people just waiting for a taste of what the two best chefs in Elko had cooked up for them.
39
The next five days were filled with a frenzy of activity. We had little time to prepare before I was scheduled to compete in my next Platform match. I spent a great deal of time at the Lindy penthouse with Kennedi, Theo, and Charlie, hashing out the details of the cat girl modification business, which we’d named VGS for Vice Grip Solutions, Inc. When I’d talked to Theo about the venture, he’d expressed interest in becoming an investor. He had no real interest in working the business, but he wanted to support Kennedi and me while padding his retirement budget and saving for a surprise he’d planned for his wife.
Bev continued to teach Ellie her secrets in the kitchen. I had never seen so much food come out of one house. In a matter of five days, the two of them cooked for two more charity functions. They had a system between them that was as well-oiled as a noiseless sliding glass door. The best part was seeing the fun they had while they were doing it. At one point, Bev came to me and asked if I would have a problem letting Ellie move out of the loft to stay in the house permanently. The two had become practically inseparable.
I only connected with Leah a couple of times. She had immediately thrown herself into the planning of her new foundation for the humane treatment of cat girls with Macy by her side. She was calling it UsForThem. We did manage to strategize about her part in the launch of VGS.
In what seemed like a blink of an eye, the day of my next Platform match had arrived. I woke up that morning with an overwhelming feeling of pride. I was proud of myself, of Kennedi and Ellie, of the Cavanaughs and Lindys. I was proud to be about to step into a completely new adventure.
By this time tomorrow, I will have crushed Omnicorp and started the first day of the rest of my life, was the thought that ran through my head.
There was one stop I had to make that day before I could head to the stadium. I had to go see Sally. She’d been such an integral part of my success with the Platform from day one that I felt it only right to key her in on what was going to happen that afternoon at the stadium. When I returned from chatting with her, I was ushered into the house to eat lunch before we all left.
I walked into the house and was surprised to see the Lindys and Macy there. I hadn’t noticed their car out front. Everyone was seated around the dining room table except Ellie, who was darting in and out of the kitchen, bringing endless amounts of food, most of which I’d never seen, and depositing them on the table. When she’d brought out the last serving dish and set it down, she finally sat down to eat with us.
I looked around the table, and my mind drifted to the first meal I’d eaten here. It was practically a charity meal that Bev and Theo had so generously offered to the traveler and his innocent cat girl who’d shown up on their doorstep looking for work. The Cavanaughs had taken a chance on Kennedi and I and, try as I may, I still hadn’t come up with a proper way to thank them for all the ways they’d contributed to bettering my life. Now, looking at a full table surrounded by even more of the people, and cat girls, that had come into my life since I rolled into this nowhere town, I felt content.
I was marveling at the concept of finding the feeling of family at a dinner table in a desert town versus all the exotic places I’d traveled to and all the different people I’d met in my life when Theo stood up.
“None of us will be returning to this house the same after tonight,” he said as he raised his water glass. “Clark, Kennedi, Charlie, you will be needed in order to make so many cat girls’ lives better. Leah, Macy, you will be the spearheads to a cause that only you could handle with such grace and power.” Theo turned to Bev and smiled before continuing.
“Actually,” he started, “I lied. Two will be coming back the same. Bev, Ellie, you will both walk back in this house and still be the best damn chefs in the state. Hell, in the country!”
I stood to join him in the toast. Raising my glass, I said, “You will come back different too, Theo.” He looked a little puzzled for a moment, so I continued. “You will be the one who made possible all of the freedom from Omnicorp that will be gained. You took a chance on me by taking me to the Platform that first time and vouching for me as a contestant, and I couldn’t be more grateful.”
Theo just stood there, looking at me. If I hadn’t known better, I would’ve sworn I saw his eyes get a little misty. He looked down briefly, then stood up tall and raised his glass higher.
“To this table and all the tales of adventure that will be told around it for years to come.”
It was the most perfect wrap up to a toast I’d ever heard.
Once lunch was finished, it was time to go to the stadium. Kennedi had already packed my gear bag and put it in Theo’s truck. Theo, Bev, and Ellie rode in Theo’s truck, Kennedi and I were in my car, and the Lindys followed with Macy in their town car.
Kennedi was silent until we pulled into the warehouse lot and parked. She looked over at me and smiled. “You are going to be magnificent, Clark,” she said strongly.
“And you won’t ever have to worry about that beautiful tattoo on your wrist again,” I told her. She turned her hand over and looked at the symbol that marked her as a defective unit. She rubbed her other hand over it and smiled. Then we both got out of the car.
The eight of us gathered in front of the small, metal door to the building. The deep breath we each took in unison acted as a sort of silent locker room pep talk. We let it out, and we all stood a bit taller. Theo reached out and opened the door.
It wasn’t until the elevator doors opened into the stadium that anyone spoke. When we stepped out, Theo turned to me and offered his hand. “I can’t wait to see the look you put on Alan’s face,” he said.
I gripped his hand and nodded. “Me either!” Then our group split apart and went our separate ways.
Theo and Bev headed to the Lindys skybox while the rest of us, including Leah and Macy, veered off towards the ready room. Once we were in the ready room, I started to dress the part of the fierce competitor everyo
ne was expecting. The only step I skipped was rubbing dirt all over me. Ten minutes after I was completely prepped, we heard a knock on the door.
“It’s time,” the deep voice belonging to one of the black-suit twins said.
Charlie opened the door and stepped aside. Kennedi, Ellie, and I walked through, and the girls each took one of my arms. Both were dressed in skin-tight, black bodysuits with silver studs sewn down the seams of the arms and legs. They looked nothing short of dangerous, especially Ellie, since she was holding my whip. As we waited for the announcer to call my name, Leah and Macy joined Charlie just outside the door, closed it, and stood in front of it. Now that I was a two-time champion, the competition was introduced first. Soon we heard a voice over the loudspeakers.
“Ladies and Gentlemen! You’d better have your lucky rabbit’s feet in your pocket tonight!” the announcer yelled. “Our challenger tonight comes to us all the way from Brazil! Here is the man you’ll either love or love to hate by evening’s end… SEEEEETH BICKSON!”
The crowd booed loudly as my competitor walked tall out onto the Platform, brandishing his whip like he was ready for the Spanish running of the bulls. As soon as the crowd died down a little, the announcer continued.
“Now, we know you’ve waited. We know you’ve wagered. We know you’ve wanted…Your champion…CLAAAAARK WATKINS!!” he screamed. Everyone in the stadium got to their feet and started screaming. That was our cue.
I started to walk towards the Platform, Kennedi on one side, Ellie on the other. When we became visible to the crowd, they got even louder. The noise was ear-splitting. When we got to the edge of the Platform, the three of us turned around and stared up at the Omnicorp skybox with as much disgust as we felt for them. We turned back around, the girls let go of my arms, and Ellie handed me my whip. They stayed at the edge while I walked to the middle of the Platform.
“Now, gentlemen,” the announcer started. I put my hand on his arm to stop him. He looked at me like a robot whose system had just been shorted out.
I stepped towards my opponent, who instinctively took a step back. “Come here. There is something you need to know,” I told him.
Seth took a hesitant step forward, whip poised to be used at a moment’s notice.
“Look,” I began, “you are going to make a lot of money tonight and avoid that painful-ass pit of needles below us just as long as you keep that whip on your side of the blue line for a few more minutes.”
Seth stared at me, understandably confused, but took a step back, anyway. I turned to the announcer and took the microphone out of his hand. I raised both arms in the air, one holding my whip, the other holding the microphone.
The stadium exploded once again with the sound of the fat-walleted spectators filling its seats. It was time to give them a show they didn’t know they’d come to see. I brought my arms down and waited a moment for them to quiet. When the roar had dulled, I raised the microphone to my mouth.
“You all came here to see me win a fight, didn’t you?” I yelled into the mic. The crowd screamed their agreement.
“You all came here to see this poor chap try to beat me, didn’t you?” Again, cheers of approval.
“Well, you are going to see him beat me, AND you are going to see me win a fight!” I screamed.
The crowd was suddenly confused, and a hush fell over it. I took a step back and turned in a circle, so all the people in the crowd knew I was addressing each and every one of them.
“Now, that may not make a lot of sense at the moment, so let me help clarify it for you! How many of you have met my cat girls, Kennedi and Ellie?” I asked the crowd.
A good many of them piped up with screams of ‘yes’ and ‘me’. I waved Kennedi and Ellie out on the Platform with me before continuing.
“Many of you have admired the unique, spunky, energetic nature these girls have, have you not?”
Each time I asked a question, the room got louder.
“Well, there is a reason you’ve not seen your CGs like this. That same reason is why, right now, each one of you has had your digital banking information hacked.” I lowered the mic and let the people mull about each other over what I could possibly mean.
“Do you remember the last fight, when my whip was examined by Omnicorp for an illegal addition?” The crowd screamed its ‘yes.’ “I wanted to see if Omnicorp had access to my private information, so I talked about the illegal whip where Miss Ellie here could hear me. The only way they could’ve known I was possibly modifying my whip was if they extracted information from her when she updated… And that is EXACTLY what they did.”
The crowd went nearly silent. The people were looking at each other and up to the Omnicorp skybox and back at me. I had accomplished one step on tonight’s agenda. I had needed to get their attention. Now that I had it riveted on me, I continued.
“Looking past the fact that many of you have cat girls of your own with access to private info, each and every one of you placed your wager with one tonight. The very next time the CG that took your bet updated, which happens multiple times a day, Omnicorp data-mined every last bit of your information,” I yelled into the microphone accusingly.
I felt the beginning of panic start to swell in the room as the attendees started talking amongst themselves and making calls to check their accounts. I let the crowd get just a little more frantic before moving on.
“How many of you know Charlie and Leah Lindy?” I asked the crowd. The answers came floating down. I don’t think a single person in the room didn’t know them, and that was what I was counting on. “Now, how many of you have met the Lindys’ CG, Macy?” Most of the heads in the room were nodding, confirming that they were familiar with Macy.
“Well, I’d like you to see something…” I looked to the entryway to the stadium and saw Charlie, Leah, and Macy heading towards the Platform. I held my arm outstretched toward them to redirect the crowd’s attention. The room was all but silent as they walked out. Then the silence was broken.
“GIVE ME THAT MICROPHONE!” a panicking voice yelled from behind Kennedi and Ellie. I looked back and saw Alan Graves running as fast as his lard-legs would carry him. Shortly behind him was Henry Blackwell. “YOU ARE GOING TO PAY FOR THIS, CLARK! YOU CAN’T DO THIS!”
Kennedi and Ellie turned around to face the two Omnicorp executives just as they reached the edge of the Platform. Alan and Henry hadn’t made it two steps onto the Platform before the girls were in front of them. It was like watching the most graceful twisting of black material as the girls stepped forward and stopped them.
Alan tried to push Kennedi aside only to find that she was unmovable. As he tried to go around her, she wound her tail around one of his ankles, causing him to fall forward. Before he hit the ground, she reached over and grabbed both his arms, pulled them behind his back, and kept them restrained with one hand. As Kennedi held her arm out to the side, Alan was suspended mid-air like a damn hammock in her grip.
Henry saw his colleague go down and reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife. He started slashing toward Ellie. She stood there and smiled at him for just a second before stiff-arming Henry’s knife hand, causing the knife to go flying. Then she stepped beside him, spun around, so they were standing side-by-side. In less than a split-second, Ellie had her tail wrapped around Henry’s torso, pinning his arms to his sides, with the tip tucked right under his chin. Then she back-kicked his feet out from under him, putting him on his knees. She reached beside her and grabbed Henry’s hair. At the same slow pace that she pulled his head backward, the razor-sharp spike in her tail started to unsheathe, right along his neck, with the tip pressing up under his chin.
By the time Alan and Henry had been thoroughly put down, Leah, Charlie, and Macy had made it the Platform. Kennedi turned to the side, still holding Alan, to allow room for them to pass. They came forward and stood beside me. I looked back up at the crowd.
“Now that we have that ugliness shut up, I want to hand you over to the family you a
ll admire, Charlie and Leah Lindy, and their CG, Macy!” I shouted just before handing the microphone to Charlie.
Charlie immediately turned and gave the microphone to Leah. She took it a turned a slow circle to look at the entire stadium before putting it to her face. “There’s someone I’d like you all to meet,” she said as she faced Macy and reached for her hand. “This is my good friend, Macy. A lot of you know her as the shy, even scared-looking, servant cat girl, and until a day or so ago, that’s exactly what she was.” Leah’s voice got more commanding as she continued to speak. “Then, this man here,” she pointed at me, “this man devised a way to free her from the Omnicorp viruses that were not only data mining illegally but also stunting her AI systems from maturing naturally. She told me once she had been modified that…” Leah trailed off, clearly emotional as she recalled Macy’s release from Omnicorp’s grip.
Macy gently reached over and took the microphone away from her. “I told her that it felt like I had been released from a vice grip that had been crushing my internal systems.” She pushed the microphone into Charlie’s hands and turned to hug Leah, who had tears streaming down her face. She was smiling, though.
The demonstration of the care Leah had for Macy had a good number of the women in the crowd crying.
Charlie stepped forward and spoke next. “My wife has long hoped for a way to help cat girls not be treated by people as slaves. What she didn’t know, what none of us knew, is that Omnicorp was fucking around with their systems to have them act like slaves!” he yelled powerfully. “This man,” Charlie started as he put an arm around my shoulder, “has made it possible for our cat girls to be themselves. He’s made it possible for your interactions to feel more human, for a true loyalty to be built between you and your CG, for you to have fun with the CG addition to your home, all while locking Omnicorp out of YOUR personal business, and out of THEIR systems!” Charlie boomed at the crowd.
