Chapter 2
754 Words
The next day, I took the day off from my dark web gigs. Canceling three urgent bounty orders set me back a thousand bucks.
One of the employers sent several messages through the anonymous client portal.
A: Isn't it because you flaunt your s*x appeal to hook clients on the dark web that you land so many contracts? Now that you're fully booked, you're getting a big head?
A: You stood me up. Which lowlife are you seeing now? Want me to set up a livestream to help you hit your quota?
I ignored the remarks and blocked their comms.
Chris was driving, Shirley sat in the passenger seat, and I sat in the back. They were discussing plans for a private island resort.
Chris said, "Use the top-tier security system. All ballistic shielding needs to be max thickness. The ocean-view suites need two separate layers of acoustic isolation, and all communication links must be encrypted. Station a few people fluent in six foreign languages at the port reception. You don't need to worry about hospitality."
Shirley leaned back in the passenger seat, nodding occasionally.
Chris added, "The sea breeze is strong near City Hall. Wait in the car when we arrive."
When we arrived at the City Hall tax approval hall, the official in charge came to greet us, giving us a once-over. He asked, "Which of you is the property owner of the private island?"
Chris reached out and put his arm around Shirley's shoulders. He said, "She's my girlfriend's younger sister. She'll be fully in charge of this island from now on."
The official led us to the signing desk, pointing to the additional exemption clauses on the approval document. He said, "This area has a high tax-exemption tier, and capital flows are unregulated. The only catch is that the annual verification fees are rather high."
Chris said, "Money is no issue."
The official asked Shirley again, "Do you have any specific requirements regarding the scope of special exemptions for the port area?" he asked.
Shirley glanced at him. She said, "Whatever."
Shirley stood next to Chris while he signed and didn't say another word.
When Chris went out to the car for the offshore fund paperwork, the official came over to me. "Your little sister's got quite the attitude on her," he said.
The moment the approval was signed, a sharp, tearing pain shot through the back of my neck. Chris looked back at me. "What's wrong?"
I said, "Nothing."
I thought he was going to reach out to support me, but he took off his coat and draped it over Shirley's shoulders. He said, "The sea breeze is strong, Shirley. Don't catch a cold."
Could androids even catch colds? I gritted my teeth, straightened my back, and stood up straight.
On the way back to the castle, Chris turned his head to speak to Shirley. He said, "I'll figure out funding for the second phase of island construction. If it's not enough, have your sister take a few more bounty contracts on the dark web."
At ten in the evening, I logged back into the dark web broker platform. The three new cross-border data-breach gigs went smoothly. It was past three in the morning by the time I finished running the final command sequence. The buyer sent the remaining payment and messaged.
A: Nice work.
I confirmed the remainder had cleared and killed the remote session.
The back of my neck started throbbing again, relentless and sharp. I went into the bathroom and turned sideways to look in the mirror. The back of my shirt collar was stained with a patch of dark-red blood. I swapped in clean gauze and hand-washed the bloodstained shirt.
The next morning, before I could even get out of bed, Chris flung the door open. He said, "Shirley says her stomach's acting up. Take her to a private clinic."
Shirley didn't have a pain module; she couldn't feel stomach pain. Unless her digestive circulatory system had malfunctioned, creating abnormal internal pressure that tripped an automatic alarm response. I couldn't peel back her epidermis to examine her in front of Chris and Sophia.
When I walked into the living room, Chris was crouched by the sofa, holding Shirley's hand. He asked, "Does it still hurt? Would you like some hot water first?"
Shirley glanced at him and nodded.
She had no idea what pain was. And my neck had bled all night, and not a single person had bothered to ask about it since yesterday.
- Writer
