The Engeneer

The Monster

Episode 10: The Monster

It was a warm late afternoon and clouds were beginning to form outside the popular restaurant called Reiko's Bar & Café. It was close to six in the early evening and the city streets were beginning to die down as the night time partiers began pouring in. Men and women ending their daytime work were enjoying a relaxing drink and plates of appetizers at bar. Seated on a barstool was fourteen year old robotic prodigy Hiro, drinking some hot chocolate that Chef Jim had made for him. It was nice being the owner's son. The dark-haired, razor cut style, Asian boy was thoroughly enjoying his hot sweet beverage. His mother didn't allow him to drink coffee, even if every teenager did it. Hiro was perky enough without the caffeinated drink in his system.

Hiro didn't dare contradict his mother's statement but he knew that chocolate and sweets had more caffeine than coffee. He figured that if he shoots his mouth off, his mother would just penalize him and ban him from eating sweets just to teach him a lesson. He was studying one of his textbooks for class when something caught his attention on the television news.

"This just in. Another mysterious disappearance of a robotic scientist. Professor Irahara was last seen leaving his office last night to head home. "

"Another man who deals with robotics goes missing."

Hiro looked from the TV over to the dark maple oak bar counter to see Chase cleaning a beer glass.

Chase was an eighteen year old college student. He mostly bar tended after his classes. He wore a smoky grey beanie on his head with strands of his yellow blonde hair sticking out. His layered look began with a white long sleeved undershirt, a dark, navy blue t-shirt with an art design on the chest, straight cut blue jeans, and blood red and jet black Van sneakers. His black apron was tied around his waist with the words Reiko's in white script at the bottom right. It was very odd for a bartender to not wear a regulation uniform. But it didn't seemed to bother the customers or the owner, Hiro's mom, in the least.

"You should be careful yourself."

Hiro just shook his head. "I'm just a robotic engineer student. No one even knows who I am or what I do."

"You're a fourteen year old super genius, aren't you?" Chase did not believe what he was hearing. "How many fourteen year olds go to a big time robotics school?"

"Really?" Hiro put down his textbook as he looked at Chase with a sarcastic expression. "There are a lot of young kids, who are even younger than me, who go to college. And genius is a common word thrown around when someone can out smart them." Hiro was not mad at Chase's choice of words. It was true that he was smart enough to go to college at fourteen but because of a little science lab explosion that happened more than once, the young college genius was forced to take online classes. It did bring a smirk to Hiro's face, picturing the look of terror his teachers would give him when he had to come in for a mandatory presentation.

Chase held his hands up in surrender. "Sorry, Hiro. Didn't mean to offend you."

The sound of a swinging door opening and closing alerted the two to Hiro's mom, Rin, the owner of this establishment. She was carrying a crate of wine glasses that were recently washed from the kitchen and began to place them in the rack above the counter. "He's just annoyed that we have to go to his daddy's stupid demonstration." Rin placed the rest of the glasses under the counter as she counted inventory.

"Why do we have to go, again?" Hiro groaned at the thought of going to his father's presentation.

Hiro's father was the Shin Ishiyama, the proud owner of Robotics Future. A huge, well-known company that produced robots of all varieties for any category of use. Whether it be the typical factory line or as a protection barrier for military purposes. So, when news of Shin Ishiyama's unveiling a new robot that not only could be deployed for military defense but also for environmental disaster purposes, every interested reporter and investor immediately hopped on a jet to be the first to see the robotic inventor's latest invention.