Wombat's Writings
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TH - Chapter 44 - The Talk
🕑 Added 2024-11-28 21:25:14 +0000 UTCI was honestly a little relieved that there was no one in the ground floor lobby when Sklyer and I pushed our way inside. I didn’t really want to explain why the two of us waltzed in looking the way we did, while carrying enough weapons to level the building. They probably would have set off the security alarms, and summoned sector security, before either of us could explain.
The lobby was immaculate. Marble floors, real potted plants in most corners, and complex carved reliefs in the elevator doors. It's something I’d normally take the time to appreciate, if I wasn’t so tired right now. I stumbled over to the elevators and slapped my hand down on the ID verification panel. It scanned my implant for a moment, then immediately rejected my access.
“The building is in incursion mode,” Skyler explained as she rested her head on my shoulder to get a look at the display. “The protocol is to lock down all the lifts, and enable the exterior defenses.”
“But I really don’t want to take the stairs,” I groaned.
“Can’t you override it?” Skyler asked.
I blinked once, then placed my hand back on the panel. The security system did its best to keep me out, but it was no match for samurai class hacking tech. “I can disable the lockdown, but it’s probably better if I just re-enable a single lift. Once we’re up top, I’ll disable it again,” I reported.
“Then enable the freight one,” Skyler suggested. “Not sure if Howie will fit on a regular lift.”
I nodded, and pushed back into the security system. A few seconds later the oversized elevator at the back opened.
“Home, or penthouse?” Skyler asked after pushing Howie into the wood paneled car.
I groaned. I really wanted to collapse into bed, but there was something I needed to do first. “Penthouse,” I replied. “You can go down and change while I’m talking with the dragon.”
“I’m staying, I need to explain myself to her too,” Skyler said as she placed her own ID implant on the scanner and hit the penthouse button. “And don’t call your mother that.”
“Why not? She loves that nickname. She says it makes her feel confident,” I replied defensively as the doors closed behind us.
My stomach lurched as the elevator shot skyward. I normally hated using the lift, since it could take several minutes to reach the top when people were getting on and off. Now that it was just Skyler and I, it took less than a minute.
When the elevator finally dinged, indicating that we’d reached the penthouse, and the doors slid open, we were greeted by over a dozen people all pointing automatic weapons at us.
“We surrender?” I said lightly, half raising my hands.
“It’s fine, it’s the young ladies,” someone called from behind the security team, causing them to back down.
When the wave of muscle parted they revealed Agnes, my mother’s personal assistant, and Anties Choi and Yun, who’d served as my mother’s housekeepers for as long as I could remember. All three women were carrying heavy weapons.
“You should have called, your mother has been worried sick about you,” Agnes said. Despite being a couple inches shorter than I was, Agnes was one of the most intimidating people I knew. It wasn’t about her look, she was dressed in an upper class blouse and pant combo, a silk scarf, had rimless glasses, and black hair in a perfect bun, like always. It was her attitude. She always seemed to be in control of the situation.
“We were a little occupied,” I replied, unable to look the woman in the eyes.
Instead of yelling, she simply removed her glasses and stared at the array of weapons and armor we were carrying. “Indeed. Your mother is in the den,” Agnes declared.
“Thank you Agnes,” Skyler said softly. “If it’s alright, we’ll leave our stuff here. Probably better if we don’t walk in there carrying a ton of weapons.”
Agnes nodded sharply, began to turn away, but she paused half way. “I’m glad to see you’re both well, welcome home,” she said softly before walking away.
Skyler and I quickly shed most of our equipment, and piled it up next to the elevator. As Skyler slipped off Lala’s carrier my aunties gasped. “You’ve found another little one? On a night like this?” Aunt Choi exclaimed.
“Actually, we found her BECAUSE of the situation,” I said as I gently took the cat carrier from Skyler. “Would you mind taking her downstairs and making sure that she’s fed? You’ll probably want to keep her away from the others for now, but she really needs to be let out.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it,” aunt Choi promised, accepting the carrier.
“Do you want anything to eat? You must be hungry!” aunt yun asked once we’d finished shucking our gear. Even though we’d picked up a meal half way through the patrol, my stomach still growled at the mention of food.
“Maybe just some soup, or leftovers,” Skyler suggested, with a sly smile. “We’ll take it downstairs after talking to mother.”
Aunty yun nodded, then ran off towards the kitchen. The automatic rifle still slung over her shoulder.
I made sure to re-engage the elevator lockdown before turning towards the livingroom. “Guess there’s no point in delaying this any longer,” I muttered. Skyler and I quickly made our way through the titanic suite, past the various offices, the ballroom, and myriad of other rooms my mother had created for hosting guests, and into my mother’s living area. As we pushed open the last tasteful, but heavily armored, door that led into her inner sanctum the hallway gave way to a massive open area.
The opposing wall was almost entirely made of glass windows, and normally provided a breathtaking view of the harbor, and city in general. Right now they were all darkened, and partially obstructed by a massive retractable TV hanging from the ceiling. Arranged in a loose circle in front of the TV was a collection of modern, but comfortable white couches and loungers, and right in the middle, with her back to us, was my mother.
“Hi mom, we’re home,” I said brightly.
My mother spun about so fast I thought she might have hurt herself, before she threw herself over the back of the couch and ran over to us.
“Reina, my baby, I was so worried,” she cried as she grabbed me in a bone crushing hug. “I feared the worst when you didn’t return from your fathers place on time.”
People regularly commented that I got my looks from my mother, and they were right. Azumi Tanaka was a beautiful, long legged woman that looked like she stepped right out of the mega city of Seoul. I guess my grandfather’s genes must have been exceptionally strong for me to retain so many of her features, instead of inheriting my father’s ugly mug.
She was the CEO of Synthesis Systems, the biggest biotech corp on the west coast, and also an extremely emotional person.
“I’m fine,” I said as I stroked her back, “and Skyler is too. I’m sorry that I didn’t call, but I was a little busy, and I felt it would be easier to tell you about it face to face than in a call.” Skyler looked like she wanted to join the hug, but she held back. She didn’t need to, my mother had accepted her as part of the family nearly two years ago when we first started dating. Turns out she shouldn’t have held back, because after a few seconds my mother pulled her into the hug too.
“It’s good to see you again,” Skyler said softly.
The hug went on for a good few minutes before my mother pulled away, grabbed Skyler and I by the hands, and pulled us towards the sitting area. “Now, tell me where you’ve both been all day, and why you came in from the ground floor instead of through the garage.” She deposited Skyler and I on one couch, then pulled one of the chairs closer so we could talk. “You nearly gave Agnes a heart attack, she thought someone was taking advantage of the lockdown to attack me.”
“Yeah, I'll apologize to her a little later,” I said as I rubbed my neck. “I didn’t think about how that might look from your side.”
"I expected you to come home hours ago, but instead of you I had a full squad of soldiers stop by to deliver you grandfather’s remains,” my mother explained. “I was so confused when they told me it was at your request.”
“They did? Good, that takes a load off my mind,” I muttered.
“Reina, tell me, what is going on?” my mother asked seriously.
I reached down and grabbed Skyler’s hand, took a deep breath, looked my mother square in the face and told her the truth. “Mom, Skyler and I are samurai.”
Comments
Shannon Livingston
We'll see!
HikinBear
How? As a mother: Proud and worrying. As a CEO of a Corp: Calculating. Which side will win?
Shannon Livingston
Well, not only wanted to see her expression, but it's kinda an important conversation to have over a phone. How do you think she's going to take it?
HikinBear
Ripped that bandaid off. Yeah, she wanted to see her mother's look when she announced that bombshell. tyftc!
Shannon Livingston
Thanks for reading
Freya
Tyftc
