" You are late!!" Victor's voice boomed across the vast hall.....enhanced underlined with brewing fury.
"Elias is gone, unfortunately.....but the family grapples with issues that threaten its dominance. Max has proposals, what do you bring.... more scandal" Victor's said disdain written all over his face.
Meeting his gaze evenly Jason said " my heartfelt condolences to grandfather, he was a great man, perhaps new eyes at the AI divisions should suffice" his tone uncaring.
" Snort! New eyes from who, you? Ha! Prove it...or stay out of the way" his tone mocking with a hint of threat.
Shrugging he stepped to the side.....smoothly blending into the background.
The grand hall of Madox orbital estate was a testament to unchecked extravagance. A circular plate-like disk suspended in geostationary orbit above the mass of chaos of the earth's atmosphere.
Gigantic view port dominated one side of the wall, projecting the planet below like a catalytic storm. Continents riddled with megacity span hundreds of miles, oceans choked with pollution and mutations.....storm wrecking the atmosphere amplified by centuries of neglected climate.
In the hall, holographic chandelier floated mid- air casting a purple glow on the occupants present....their augmented forms a blend of human and machine.
As the meeting ended, Jason lingered in the shadows as family members started socializing. Regrets from the past pulled at him....but now he was different with the power and technology at his disposal, he could do virtual anything.
Taking what he had denied himself in the past, women...power, he would have them all starting with her...
His eyes flickered to his grand aunty Elena Madox, he stood alone by a viewport, her elegant shuttle against the earth's haze was.... steering. Her actual age is 120 years old but with biotech, she maintained a somewhat youthful vitality
From her green hair flowing down her back to her emerald eyes that held grief...from her brother Elias death....she was influential in the family's inner cycle and had control over some dominating assets and a majority stocks in possession.
[Opportunity, pheromone simulation! Approach her]
Weaving through the crowd, he walked toward her. Her mature curve through her purple cybernetic gown steering his pulse.
[Pervert!] Ava snorted
" Shut up" he replied, grabbing two crystals glass from a robotic waiter...some grape wine, variant and non intoxicating to enhanced bodies.
"Madam Elana" he said his voice was soft and charming.... Ava's subtle twist. " You look like you could use a drink" offering one. " Sorry for your loss.... grandfather was everything to you....."
She turned, her eyes.....augmented with subtle iridescent flecks.....meeting his. Surprise flickered in her charming gaze, then softened. "Jason, I didn't expect... kindness from you. You've been distant...since..."
He leaned against the railing by the viewport, looking down at the planet below
"Distant?.....Yeah, a bit....a habit I have to break ." The words echoed the regrets of his past life....away from his real mother, calls unanswered as she faded away.
"Tell me about him" he said turning back to her "The man behind the empire. Not the legend...the real Elias." He chuckled
Elena sipped on her drink, her slender hand coming into view.....a small smile breaking through lightning up her face.....her lips enticing
Damn! Jason gulped " she was stunning!"
"He was a brilliant man, ruthless when he needed to.....kind in private. His implants... they failed so suddenly. The regulators are calling it a glitch, but I wonder.....maybe...The AI core he was integrating..." Sigh! She exhaled at the end.....shoulder sinking.
Jason's interest tingled...mirroring his own past work. "AI can be useful at the same time, volatile. I've... dabbled a bit...maybe I can look into it."
He placed a hand on her slender arm.... tender, brief but intentional, Nova stimulated a subtle warmth through his skin mods.....No! wait, he didn't have mods. It was all him....his body, amplified by the AI's psychological hacks.
She didn't pull away. "You? Dabbling? You've changed, Jason. Less... reckless...and more...." Holding a gaze for a couple seconds before she broke it. He thought he had seen a ting of blush on her neck..... attractive
[Seed planted!, Nova said Attraction vector rising.]
As they conversed, Jason's mind wandered to inventions. He needed tools and materials.....external ones, since he has sworn off cybernetics.
Retreating to a side hall after excusing himself, he scavenged parts from a maintenance panel: a micro comm unit, some wires...tiny like his hair, a spare processor chip as thin as his finger nails.
With Nova's guidance, he assembled a crude earpiece, linking directly to the AI's interface for realtime update. No invasive merge allowed.....just a tool....
[Primitive, but will do.....for now] Nova's electronic voice rang in his head.
Testing it, Jason ordered "Analyze the room." The earpiece buzzed faintly releasing a tiny pulse of electromagnetic vibrations.... discreet
Feedback; "Max plotting with co aides....lip-read suggests an alliance to put you down for good.... Victor's vitals rising steadily...possibly from stress from stock losses".
Satisfied, Jason placed it in his pocket.
The empire's AI division was indeed under fire post-Elias uncertain death, global regulators from the United Earth Council were probing... subtly. " The implants failures," fearing widespread damage. Madox tech powered quarter of the world's enhancements. And no risk was being taken, in a world of 25 billion people, that was 6 billion plus people.....a scandal could topple their dominance.
Regrets loomed as he watched Elena from afar, her form graceful amid the sorrow and grief. In his past life, he had let connections slip away. Here, he will build them slowly....seduce, ally, conquer. But coldly, ruthlessly to his enemies gaze triming to his brother surrounded by women. A murderous gleam in his eyes.
As if sensing his gaze, Max turned meeting his gaze. He excused himself from his group walking towards Jason his head raised high..... haughty.
Drinking nonchalant as Max slid in, voice low... predatory " see you talk with Elena, stay off. She is not like your cheap games".
Smiling he replied" just catching up bro, no tension needed" he chuckled.
Eyes squinting max tries to read through Jason.....falling horribly " I hope so " he dropped leaving with a huff
[Childish pest!] Nova snorted.
[Threat level rising, you should prepare counter measures....]
"Soon Nova....soon...."
The fractured legacy loomed large, but Jason was not the same any longer nor the past disappointment. He was the wolf, sharpening his claws.....in the dark waiting...