Cross My Mind

TRAGEDY STRIKES

……

Inside the warehouse, Reece was seated on the computer immersed in the thought of how she could improve MEDULLA’s processing functions even better by upgrading its software to fit its new body better. After two weeks of watching it grow by learning and perfecting many skills, she knows there would come a time when powers of the world would come for it.

Even more so is the fact that Neuratechnologies have a washed up version of it; at the time when MEDULLA started uploading itself into the new robotic body, it told Reece that it has detected what looks like a copy of itself in the Neuratechnologies supercomputer.

Although Reece is not so worried about Akihiro’s claimed copy of MEDULLA because she knows that she made MEDULLA’s AI in a way that makes copying it impossible, but she is keeping at the back of her mind, the deadly potential it holds when used for destruction as a digital weapon.

“I have to make MEDULLA to be able to predict and evade all possible persons and groups who may come after it, I have to make it smarter. I will also need to consider altering its body a little to make it even more durable. I am finally ready to hand this over to you, this will be my greatest gift to you my dear child” she said. And continues to run a simulation software she has been making for the last six years.

At the entrance of the warehouse, just before Agent stone goes in, Donald came running back towards him and shouting his name.

“Mr. Simon James, Mr. James”. Donald shouted.

Agent stone has really gotten tired of dealing with the Donald who he knows is only trying to be nice to a superior who may be able to chip in a word or two for him to be recommended as an inspector in the near future, however Donald has no idea that Simon James has long been killed and in fact; the person he is talking to right now is working for who killed Mr. Simon and is currently on a Mission as an assassin to kill yet another person who is hiding in the facility.

Agent stone turned around and faced Donald who is approaching in a jog, profusely sweating and panting.

“there is no iPhone on the roof of the car, we should report it immediately to the guards or use find my iPhone application and locate it using GPS” Donald said while panting.

Agent stone did not respond for a moment because he was busy thinking of the best way to get rid of the young worker even if he has to kill him. “it cant be in public” he thought, looking at over five different security cameras located at different places around the facility which he deduced based on their angles must be covering all of the area, including where he and Donald were standing.

“leave that for a moment, i will locate the phone right after I am done with my supervision for the day since it is getting late, why don’t we start?” he asked.

“that could work too. In that case, we have to first register your arrival at the administrative office so that all the administrators of the various units will be notified of your arrival and be requested to be available in each of their warehouses for efficient supervision and evaluation. Follow me please”. Donald said.

However for some reason, Agent stone feels that he is not very satisfied with the method as announcing his arrival may alert Shadrach to hide Reece properly and erase all traces of her being in the facility.

“if I were him, that is exactly what I will do. But either way there is nothing that I can do other than follow it through and hope I am still able to find my target and complete my mission this time” he thought.

“alright, lets go” he responded to Donald and the two of them begin to walk away from the warehouse that Agent stone knows has a probability of having Reece or Shadrach inside. ‘whichever among them I find is progress as well. If I happen to find Shadrach first, I know just how to make him give her up to me’ he thought as he walks.

After three minutes of walking away from the warehouse, the two arrived at a storey building with a sign board that says “ADMINISTRATIVE BLOCK”.

They went in and spent a few minutes in some offices here Donald has done most of the work for Agent stone by giving him all the forms he was to fill and telling him what it means. After about a total of an hour in the building, they two were finally cleared to go ahead and do their jobs and Agent Stone was led back to the warehouse they were in front of before just as tone has instructed him to.

Reece has finished running a simple simulation on the program she is working on and it did not go the way she wanted, she decided it is time to wash up and rest before Shadrach and Zoe return. She stood up and walked out of the warehouse, on her way to the living quarters.

Before Agent stone and Donald could arrive, just when they can see the entrance of the warehouse from the distance, a woman wearing a jeans trouser and a sweater was seen walking out of the warehouse and it took agent stone one look to know that it is Reece.

He quickly increased his walking pace and Donald followed him in suit. By the time the two of them arrived in front of the warehouse, Reece has gone far in the direction of a tall building that is surrounded with trees and gardens.

“which building is that?” Agent Stone asked.

“that will be the living quarters, I have prepared a room for your stay, but you said that you want to finish all your work today and leave; it is a shame since I got you a deluxe suite which only Government officials visiting could stay in normally”. Donald said.

“in that case, take me there, I feel a little tired after going up and down before I eve started the inspection. I will rest the day off and start early morning tomorrow”. Agent stone responded.

Donald was overjoyed to hear this because he was hoping to bribe Supervisor Simon James into recommending him for the next training course to selection of the astronauts who will carry out a five days supply delivery mission to the international space station. His intentions were for Simon to be impressed by his wit and effort in making sure he is comfortable in the deluxe suite.

Donald lead the way to the residential quarters, as they enter Agent stone looked around him and was surprised to see that there are only two surveillance cameras at the entrance of the building. The two of them entered the lobby and were greeted by a beautiful receptionist dressed in a blue uniform who handed Donald two room key cards together with a slip of paper that has the apartment WIFI access password and a list of telephone numbers for the reception, room service and the restaurant.

“enjoy your stay here and feel free to give us a call if you need anything sir” she said to them as they approach the elevator. The two entered and ascended to the upper floor of the building which is a two storey.

On the second floor, Agent stone caught a glimpse of Reece entering a room at the end of the hallway connecting all the rooms and he was happy that Donald was leading him in that direction. They reached the end of the hallway and Donald took one of the two key cards and swiped it at a door that Agent Stone has initially thought would lead to afire exit staircase but as soon as it opens, he realized immediately that it was a VIP accommodation built with maximum privacy in mind.

As the two step into the deluxe suite, Agent stone made sure he memorized the room number he saw Reece walking into, it is the first room to the right just before his room.

“this will be an easy job since there are no cameras inside the hallway, the only problem is this kid Donald, he is a good kid but his persistence is annoying and would get in the way of my mission. Unfortunately I will have to take care of him too” Agent Stone thought in his mind.

Inside the room, agent stone waited for over an hour to see if Donald would leave him be for the rest of the day, but he has show no sign of leaving as he is busy trying to make conversation and make friend with him.

Agent stone in his expertise, tactically closed the windows of the room and locked the door without arising Donald’s suspicion, using his distraction skills, he had him occupied on his phone looking for a non existent article he told him he has written on a subject Donald had earlier shown his interest in.

From behind, he sneaks closer to the younger man seated on the bed occupied by his phone; he pulls a string from his sleeve and within an instant, wrapped the string on Donald’s neck and stepped his right foot on his back and pulled the string back with all his might.

Donald started struggling and kicking and punching his hands around the air in an attempt to break free from the strangulation but t no avail. About a minute later, his movements have slowed down but Agent Stone maintained his pull on the string until Donald was no longer moving at all. He let go of the string and unwrapped it from his neck, letting it go were it recoiled right back into his sleeve.

He checked Donald’s pulse and confirmed that he was dead, then turned him face up on the floor to look at his face. His face is red with tears all over, his eyes have distended and look like the were about to pop out. Agent stone used one hand and closed the eyes.

“you are a good kid, but I have work to do too” he said. He pulled the body and stuffed it into the closet, freshen up by washing his face and combing his hair. Then he picks up his brief case and opened the hidden compartment where he pulls out different plastic parts and arranged them into a gun. He pulls out the a small plastic bag containing specially made bullets that can be used in the gun. Once he was ready, he straps the gun to his hip and wore his suit on top, walking out of his room.

As he opens the door, he caught another glimpse of Reece in the elevator just as he walks out of his room, she was wearing a gown this time around.

“what luck you have Dr. Reece, but that will not be enough to keep you alive today” he murmured to himself as he walks to the stair case and ran down as fast and expertly as he could. Since the building is a two storey building, he arrived at the ground floor faster than Reece and waited at the bottom of staircase for her to leave the elevator so that he could tail her and take his chances.

A few seconds later, the elevator door opens up and she walk out of it, heading straight to the exit where he tailed her all the back to the warehouse.

“it seems I am in luck today” he said and proceeded to check his gun for the last time before he sneaks into the warehouse as stealthily as he could. Once inside, he was face to face with Reece, who was standing with her arms folded inside the warehouse as if waiting for him.

“who are you and why are you following me ?” She demanded.

Agent Stone was caught off guard and in response, he almost pulled out his gun and aimed at her, but he noticed the cameras at the entrance of the building and realised that he is probably being recorded.

“I think you must have mistaken my intentions, my name is Supervisor Simon James and I am here for the yearly inspection of this facility and make a report of the progress and lapses that have been encountered. Forgive me if it looks like I was stalking you. By the way who are you?” Agent Stone asked in return.

“I am Reece, I’m a guest here. Your timing is bad because the facility officials have just left to get groceries and I am the only one here” Reece said.

“That will not be a problem, they should be notified of my arrival soon so I am sure they are on their way back here as we speak. In the mean time, can you show me around?” He asked.

“No problem, follow me” Reece said and started leading him into the facility.

While inside, Reece led him to the storage unit and asked him to help himself to the logs posted on the walls at each corner indicating the stock of items available and the number and types of equipments that have been used up.

Agent Stone used the opportunity and studied the warehouse, he noticed all the security cameras and have deducted the exact spot where he believes is the surveillance blind spot and begins to craft in his mind, how he would strategically lure Reece over there and he would quickly pull out his gun, shooting her in the head and heading to the parking lot to escape before anyone could notice what he has done.

All of a sudden, the Man with the Deep voice in his ear buds said.

“we have taken care of the surveillance cameras in here, go ahead and do your job”.

‘I could have used your help with the administrative recording as well earlier, but thanks for the cameras too' Agent Stone thought in his mind.

At this point in time, Reece is standing in front of him, next to a large wall mirror and she quickly froze as if she has just heard what the mysterious man has just relayed to him.

“is everything alright, you look stunned” he asked her.

“Everything is alright, except the fact that your Mustache is about to fall and I can tell the difference between a real hair and a wig. So can you now tell me who the hell you are?” she asked while looking at his reflection on the large wall mirror.

“It seems that your senses are sharper than you are given credit for. However, you wont be able to escape me today” he said as he pulls off the wig and mustache with one hand, and slowly creeping his other hand into his jacket.

Reece quickly pulled out a small wrench from her pocket and hit the large wall mirror, shattering it to pieces and making large shards of glass rain on both of them. Agent Stone pulled out his gun but could not fire at Reece because she has jumped behind a large half disassembled jet engine, using it as cover. He dodged the shards of glass and advanced towards her.

Reece knows that if she does not get out of the warehouse, she would soon be dead so she took the fifty-fifty chance of surviving and dashed out of her cover, running at her top speed towards the door. In her peripheral vision, she can see Agent Stone aiming what looks like a transparent plastic stun gun at her, and in a second, with a clicking sound instead of the loud boom of a gun shot, Reece felt a brief warm sensation on her lower left abdomen and a few seconds later she was on the floor with a biting hard pain emanating from her abdomen up her neck.

She can see Agent stone who has now walked to where she was grabbing her abdomen in extreme pain and aimed His gun at her head. In a brief moment, all went blank with another clicking sound.

“Head to the parking lot and get out of there right now, your escape window closes in fifteen minutes” the man with the deep voice said to Agent Stone.

He put his gun back in his hip and dashed out of the warehouse, heading straight to the parking lot.

Shadrach, Zoe and MEDULLA have just returned, having received a massage from Donald three hours ago that there is going to be a routine inspection and the supervisor is already at the facility. Zoe parked her car and the three of them got off just in time to witness Agent stone walk right past them to his Brand new Tesla R-23 which has its butterfly doors up in the air as the man approached it.

“Cool car dude” Shadrach shouted to him but to both their surprise, the man simply ignored them and drove off as soon as he got in the car.

“What a jerk. All the rich people these days have their heads stuck deep in their ass to have basic decency and respect for other humans” Zoe lamented as they walk towards the Warehouse with MEDULLA holding lots of Groceries in different bags.