Tom Clancy's DARK ABYSS - an Apple Loving Individual romance

Chapter 6 - an Unorthodox Arrival

Chapter 6 – an Unorthodox Arrival

Friday, May 19, 2023
02:11 Kiev Local Time
European Atmosphere at 30,000 feet

It was a pretty long flight and the team were already hovering above the European wildlands. While the team knew everyone already, it was Lucas' turn to get to know each and every one. So, in what was supposed to be a serious flight, the crew got to know each other even more and socialize.

Hunter told the same story to Lucas, which he told to Auburn and Meadows. "So, you got her fired from Walmart?" said Lucas.

"I didn't get her fired, she chose to misbehave with me back then. She got herself fired." Hunter said. "Even if I didn't complain against her, she'd lose her job back then. This was in April 2021, few months prior to the automation of cashiers in the grocery store in favor of self-checkout stations."

"Well, I don't disagree with you on that. Myself born in 1993, growing up mainly during the 1990s, 2000s and seeing how many stores and businesses closed down in the late-2010s; I have to say, the retail apocalypse has really done a number, to the way people go about buying things nowadays."

"It still sucks though. I'm gonna miss those good old days!" said Auburn.

"What good old days?"

"You know? When people actually used to work at the grocery stores. Human employees!"

"You said it, sister!" said Meadows. "Reminds me of how I worked at Kohl's, but I was working thirty hours a week as full-time. They stopped giving forty hours a week, four years ago!"

"That also explains why part-time jobs nowadays in Texas, pay you $13 an hour, but for only twenty hours a week." Lucas said. "Just like how most jobs there are thirty hours a week, where the employees work four seven and a half-hour workday. Only corporate level jobs existed at thirty-five hours a week, for five seven-hour weekdays, but no one goes beyond that."

"Do you think machines taking away our jobs is a good idea?" said Spade, in concern.

"What does it matter? After all, we're in the U.S Army. The minimum wage jobs will be the first to go, especially in grocery and retail. Not to mention custodians and janitors, being replaced by Roomba® Vacuum Cleaners."

"I agree with Lucas; the man has a point!" said Hunter. "All other jobs would take another fifty years at least to disappear." He then laid back in his seat and adjusted it to go back a little.

"By then, I'll be long retired and won't even know what it's like to drive anymore!" exclaimed Meadows. With her statement, everyone began to laugh.

It was a pretty good time for Lucas and the team, as they were having a great time. They still had a little more than two hours before they arrived at Kiev. They did enjoy themselves as they also ate whatever snacks they had with them. Lucas wasn't even missing his family much as he was relaxed and calm now.

Meanwhile, back in Houston; Angela had gone shopping with Lance and Peyton and was returning home with groceries. She stopped to collect the mail on her way home. After arriving home, Lance and Peyton helped their mother put the groceries away. Then they went to play with their toys in the living room. Angela noticed something that came in the mail, for Brian. Then she remembered the words Brian spoke to her on their wedding day back then. Brian had promised her, they would never keep secrets from one another.

She then sat in the living room, opened the envelope then noticed a check, as well as a letter. The check had an amount of $625,000 and was from the online app stores, where Brian had uploaded the firewall and network security app, he spent months on, to create and sell to consumers. Then she viewed the letter: