The Stronghold

The News

Turning off my ringing phone I sighed, raking a hand through my hair. Ever since I'd woken up phone call after phone call had come through, demanding to ask why I'd dropped all the companies I managed. Unable to tell them the truth I had just given a mumbled reply and then hung up.

But businessmen, of course, are persistent. And so my phone was vibrating and playing tunes until I was sick to death, I having ignored most of them.

"You've made the headlines, sir," Kevin said, flying over with a newspaper outstretched in his robotic, claw-like hands. I took it reluctantly and my eyebrows shot up.

'Rogers Ruins Economy' screamed the text. I groaned and threw it across the table, hitting my head on the desk and staying there.

"I knew that this was going to be trouble," Georgina muttered, picking up the newspaper and reading the article. "Do you want me to read it out?"

"Eurghng..."

"I'll take that as a yes." She flipped the paper open and started to narrate the bad news.

"Ever since this morning, as the first calls rolled in," she said, "Pepper Rogers, billionaire scientist, has been ignoring his companies.

'Giving no reason as to his sudden decision to break off from the world his various previously-managed companies have taken offence and are looking for new managing directors. Many of these businesses are banks, laboratories and even a branch of the NHS.' Is that still running?"

"Yes."

"Oh, okay. 'Keeping only his own company, Spirit Metal, Rogers has declined to comment. More information will be placed on the website.

'Here at The News we give Mr Rogers a piece of advice: go back to what you're best at, managing companies and inventing in the safety of your own home. Now you are open to attack and will be constantly harassed.

'This may be the biggest mistake you've ever made." Georgina finished and refolded the paper.

"Was that written by Lotte, by any chance?" I murmured, still not looking up. Lotte had become a journalist after coming back to life, working for (and running, thanks to me) 'The News', the worldwide newspaper that wrote whatever they wanted as well as telling the story plainly and clearly. It was good if you wanted facts and an opinion to talk about, bad if you wanted the weather as everything was rainbows in Lotte's world.

"What do you think?" Georgina replied, sliding the paper across the table towards me. I ignored it and sat back, hands behind my head, staring at the ceiling glumly.

"Sir, there are reporters outside for you," Kevin said. I moaned and buried my head in my hands once more.

"Send them to the conference room," I ordered. "I'll be there at some point, I need to get changed out of my pyjamas first."

*

Sat at the front of a large, airy room behind a long white table I watched as the reporters filed into the room. I'd changed from my blue nightwear into a black, pinstripe suit, open collared and tieless.

"They're all in," Kevin said, flying past my head and settling on the desk for added information. He was a little like a mobile computer that could think and give you the correct data without you asking it to.

Immediately a forest of hands was raised. I hesitated, unable to decide, panic setting in.

To save my skin Kevin decided to take charge. "The lady in the green top," he said in a pleasant, almost-human voice. A while ago his speaking function had broken down and I'd had to redesign his voice, much to my sadness. My dad had made him in the first place and had given the hoverpod his voice, a husky, voluminous sound that had first spoken to me to tell me I wasn't allowed alcohol.