Chapter 16: Rendezvous

Hadrian had to go through many hoops to arrive at the location I had set out. Amahle and I had hoped to get someone on our side, but Hadrian was the best person to sway. Still, we had to be sure that Hadrian wasn’t trying to lead the authorities to us, and given their ingenious capabilities, this was difficult to rule out.

First, Hadrian went to Echo City Park without a phone or any device capable of being tracked. To confirm, I called Henrietta, promising her I would owe her several favors for her help. She agreed, and upon questioning Hadrian Jade, called me back to say the first obstacle was cleared.

Next, Hadrian was given a location by Henrietta, as well as a clean phone made secure by Amahle. They took a cab and within minutes stepped out at a random location in the upper east side of Echo City. There, I called them.

“Hello?” Hadrian asked, smiling.

“Hadrian, walk to your right and make a left at the intersection,” I said. Hadrian complied, walking calmly. They turned left.

“Stop there,” I commanded. They stopped. “Go into the diner.” Hadrian walked in. The diner was working normally, which was odd for a meeting point with a wanted criminal.

“Where should I go now?” Asked Hadrian.

“Tell the man at the counter ‘Red Magenta Flour’,” I responded. Hadrian nearly laughed. They went and told the man, who led Hadrian to a back room, where Amahle and I sat.

It was a dusty room, generally used for storing tables. There was no connection, and if one stayed in it too long, they would most likely either have a headache or irritated sinuses. It wasn’t pleasant.

“Hadrian, it’s good to see you,” Amahle said.

“Amahle Imada, it’s been some time,” Hadrian responded. This confirmed the extent of Hadrian’s knowledge, and by extension, Anders’. Still, I expected a tad more surprise.

“Well, it’s good to see you,” I added. “You can take a seat if you want.”

“Nathaniel Hensley,” said Hadrian. They took a seat, never removing their gaze from me. If I weren’t a fugitive, I might find this strange. I suppose I still found it strange. “How did you get on the screens?”

“Amahle figured that out,” I answered. Hadrian did not look at her.

“And when you were in Antler that day, when we met, what were you really doing? I was told by Anders’ assistant that you came up to return my wallet, but I recall no such thing.”

“Well,” I smiled, finally encountering someone interested in my exploits, “I had to listen in to what you were discussing with Anders.” I paused, realizing something. “Why didn’t you report me for being up there?”

Hadrian kept their intense eye contact, as if I were an assembly of knotted strings they wanted to untangle.

“I wanted to know what you were doing. It’s the same reason I followed all of your directions to come here. You’re quite…” Hadrian trailed off, still staring at me. I cleared my throat and looked at Amahle. She appeared quite amused at the interaction, though her smirk stopped when she realized the pressing issue at hand.

“Hadrian, focus,” stated Amahle. Hadrian switched their attention to her. “The reason we agreed to meet you is that we need your expertise.”

“Expertise? In what?”

“In Perma Tech. Nathaniel heard you talk to Anders. He’s planning on controlling it remotely. I assume you know what that means.”

“Yes, I suppose I do.” Hadrian’s expression drifted from Amahle’s words, as if there was a voice elsewhere, reminding them of something. “What do you want to know?”

“Well, do you know why Anders asked for that?” Amahle questioned. Hadrian smiled.

“I believe I do, Ms. Imada.”

There was a silence as Amahle considered what to do next, and I gauged Amahle’s current level of annoyance. Finally, Hadrian spoke.

“When I watched you speak on screen, I was shocked. Then, Anders told me some interesting things about you. He told me you thought Perma Tech was ‘depressing’. Nathaniel, I have worked on many problems, but they are almost always straightforward. If I solve them, it’s good. You piqued my curiosity. What is it about Perma Tech that you don’t like?”

I considered Hadrian’s question. I recalled my answer to Anders, on that day in the park. I suppose I was speaking from my gut, as a reaction to something I hardly understood. I decided I would do the same here.

“Anders told me his goal was to make something that never disappeared. It wasn’t Perma Tech itself that I found depressing, but why he was so motivated. He thought that his meaning would vanish if people died, if things broke. I found that sad. I still find it sad.”

“Fascinating,” replied Hadrian, staring into my eyes.

“I think so too,” I said. “Now, can you help us?”

Hadrian sat back, one knot untangled in their brain.

“Yes, what do you want to know?”

Amahle took charge.

“Can Perma Tech be removed from a human?”

“It can,” Hadrian answered immediately. I was happy to get one bit of good news.

“Second, can Perma Tech be autonomous? Can we make it so Antler doesn’t control the person directly?”

“You can.”

Amahle and I met eyes. This was going better than expected. Hadrian began to hum.

“Although, now that I consider it, you cannot be autonomous, or off-the-grid,” they corrected.

“What? Why?” I asked.

“The changes I made to Perma Tech, at the behest of Anders. What you heard on the top floor. That update means the two qualities are inseparable. Either you have Perma Tech under the eye of Antler, or you don’t have it at all.” Hadrian turned their attention to Amahle, who was scowling. “At the time he asked me, I didn’t know what he had done to you.”

“And yet you still did what he said,” quipped Amahle. Hadrian didn’t seem fazed. Rather, they considered what Amahle said quietly and deeply.

“Yes, I did. That was the first time I didn’t quite like what I was doing. I suppose it’s why I liked your speech, Nathaniel. It’s why I ended up here.”

I sighed. This wasn’t ideal. Still, we had the best chance to figure all of this out right in front of us.

“Hadrian, what does the update entail? You said Anders could control her. What do you mean?”

“Oh, you didn’t listen in to that part of the conversation?” Hadrian asked. I cursed myself for not eavesdropping long enough. “It’s not as though she can be controlled like a puppet. It’s more so that the personal algorithm can be modified.”

“The damage algorithm?” I questioned, remembering Amahle explaining it to me one night.

“Yes! Excellent, Nathaniel,” Hadrian exclaimed. “The reason he gave me was so if my algorithm turned out to have some flaw, it could be fixed. However, I know now that’s not the only reason. He could edit it to consider anything damage, or nothing at all. I don’t believe he’s tested it, but I imagine any number of outcomes would be possible now.” Hadrian briefly looked at Amahle, but I couldn’t tell if there was sympathy in their eyes.

“Well,” I said, hoping to catch some new idea, “You can remove it. How long would that take?”

“It would be quick, but I assume that’s not what you want, is it?”

I almost answered before I realized Hadrian was speaking to Amahle.

“It’s not, Hadrian. I’m impressed by the foresight of someone who just invents on the whim of another.”

“Thank you,” replied Hadrian. The two of them locked eyes in a battle I could not follow.

“What are you talking about, Amahle?” I asked, confused as I had ever been. She stared at Hadrian for a few moments, frustrated, before Hadrian decided to answer for her.

“If she gets rid of Perma Tech, there’s no proof of any claims you made on your broadcast, Nathaniel. There’s no proof that Antler implanted a human with their technology, nor is there proof that it’s a bad thing. You’re a marketing man. You know how quickly the public will learn to love Perma Tech once your claims are proven untrue.”

I ran my hands through my hair, at a loss. Amahle’s situation was more dire than I had thought. However, the solution seemed pretty obvious. She would have to remove the Perma Tech and live to fight another day. She was an honest person and cared about things I rarely considered, but even she had to fold when the cards were against her.

Hadrian was right. People were desperate to love Perma Tech, so as soon as I became a lying criminal, there would be nothing holding them back. Everyone would buy Perma Tech.

“To answer your question, Nathaniel, it would take minutes,” Hadrian added. I nodded, contemplating the potential outcomes. Now that I considered it, erasing the proof meant that I wouldn’t be able to show the reason for my crimes. It was the easy answer for Amahle, but the worst one for me.

“Amahle-” I stated, before noticing something strange. It was just Hadrian and me in the room. “Where did she go?”

“She went to get some water,” they answered. I mumbled agreement at first. Then it hit me.

“She doesn’t need water!” I exclaimed.

“Oh, right,” replied Hadrian, casually.

“Hadrian, check if she’s outside!” Hadrian obliged, peeking their head out from the door.

“Not here, Nathaniel.”

“Oh God. Hadrian, I don’t know where she is.”

“She’s not on the run, is she? She won’t get arrested for walking around. That’s just you.”

“That’s true, but Amahle is usually careful. She does things with thorough preparation. I think whatever she’s doing, she has no backup. She has no preparation. She’s winging it.”

***

Walking along a bridge over the clean body of water known in Echo City as Rainbow River was Amahle Imada. She was furious but clear of mind. Those she walked past didn’t recognize her but stared all the same. She kept walking, past the end of the bridge and into the heart of the city. There were headlines on all the screens, and the buzz of the passersby was louder than ever before. This was a city on high alert. Amahle navigated her way to a crowded block, where stores and restaurants were abundant, and photos were taken at an alarming rate.

Amahle pulled out her phone and began recording.

Everyone watched in sync as a new face appeared on their screens. Those standing near her looked up and down, confused by the sudden intrusion and what this woman had to say. There were shushes and confused noises as more people recognized that yet another announcement was going to be made. The crowded street was soon quiet, or as quiet as it could be. Amahle spoke.

“Anders, Nathaniel, all of you who don’t know whether or not to put your trust in a company like Antler, just listen to me. I am Amahle Imada, COO of Antler Industries, and I cannot die. At least, I cannot die in any way a human normally can. I was made immortal against my will by Anders Askeland, as a reward and a threat. I don’t care anymore. I am immortal, but I am controlled. All I hope for is that you see the danger.”

Those around her laughed, frowned, and became puzzled. One thing was true, for those nearby and in the city as a whole. They were listening.