Chapter 444

The Boring Company’s On-site Office

... Grinning at Hall, Jeff asked, “Need any help with your things? Lunch should be ready shortly.”

As the three stepped out onto the small porch of the trailer/office, Jeff turned to the bemused supervisor who had walked to the door with them. “Mr. Higgins, you should probably inform the helicopter pilot that Mr. Hall will no longer need a ride. He’ll be staying with us until we get him set up with his new job working in one of Frank Wainwright’s companies.”

“The billionaire?” Higgins asked with a frown.

Jeff grinned back. “Yep. He’s going to interview Mr. Hall personally. And by the way, Mr. Higgins, if the boring company screws with you, come see me. We can always find jobs for good people – always.”

Jeff, Kayla and Hall were several steps from the trailer when Higgins called out, “Mr. Hall, for whatever it’s worth, while I was at the airport waiting to board my flight back to Denver, I sent an e-mail to the CEO saying you were the best assistant I ever had, and I wanted to go on record as strongly disagreeing with your firing.

“And Mr. Matthews,” he continued, “I just might be needing that job when he reads the e-mail.”

“It’s open. Just give me a call,” Jeff returned over his shoulder as he and Hall headed for his quarters to pick up his gear.

In the supervisors’ residence trailer, Hall said, “That’s not necessary...” as Jeff grabbed one of the young man’s bags. When the admonishment didn’t work, Hall quickly grabbed the other bag and hurried to keep up with Jeff and Kayla.

The uniformed guard, odd rifle strapped to his shoulder, saluted Jeff as they walked through the gate. The day was bright and clear, the temperature hovering in the low forties, but Hall noted that, yet again, Matthews seemed to be totally comfortable in a short-sleeved pullover shirt and jeans. Even the wind that had blown almost constantly since Hall had arrived on the mountain, was much calmer today. Most of the snow had melted, other than some of the giant pile built up by the plow’s daily clearing of the parking lot.

As the three walked up the steps and onto the back stoop, the helicopter that had been waiting for Hall lifted off.

Hall was careful to wipe his feet on the mat as he stepped into what he knew had to be a mudroom, but this one was much bigger and more elegantly appointed than any he had ever seen before.

As Jeff held the hallway door open for Hall and Kayla, he addressed the young man, “Normally, you would hang the jacket you’re wearing and your heavy coat, either here or at the garage entrance, but you might as well keep them with you in your suite for now, since I don’t know when Mr. Wainwright will return. He told me he might be gone for a few days when I talked with him this morning.”

“So the job isn’t a done deal?” Hall asked as they started down the most elegant hallway he had ever seen.

Kayla chuckled and said, “Oh, if Mr. Wainwright said he was going to hire you, then you can bank on it.”

Jeff glanced over at the young man. “She’s right. The job is most definitely a done deal, but Mr. Wainwright and his wives had the opening of a new plant they had to attend, so they left right after his board meeting this morning. But he wants to talk to you and get to know you a bit before he decides where to put you.”

“I’ve ... Uh, Mr. Matthews, I’m in over my head here. I have no idea how to talk to a billionaire. I can’t even imagine him taking the time to see someone like me.”

“I felt the same way when I first met him, but he and his wives are good people, and ... more down to earth than you could probably imagine.”

There it is, Hall thought. Wives! I know all those women are married to Matthews. They just plain acted like wives in that tunnel, and they were all over him and obviously worried sick. Now he mentions Wainwright’s wives – plural – so he has more than one, also. How the hell do I act? Mr. Matthews implies that I might be here for a day or two, at least. Where do I eat? Do I eat with the servants?

A few moments later, Jeff pushed a door open into the biggest and most amazing kitchen Hall had ever seen, where a number of women were working. As soon as he realized it was a kitchen, Hall’s mind faltered, because at least some of the women working in here were the ones he had already seen as they came running into the fortress looking for Matthews. And ... they had all acted like wives, hugging, kissing and worrying over him and his injuries, yet these same women, and others, were working in the kitchen.

Kayla, intending to help with lunch, kissed her husband and hugged Hall, telling him she would see him when lunch was served.

Something must be wrong. It’s hard enough to believe that all of the women that ran into the tunnel are his wives, but now they’re working in a kitchen. Rich people don’t work in kitchens or do manual labor of any kind, do they?

His thoughts were interrupted by Jeff saying, “I’ll introduce you to everyone at lunch, but first, we need to get you settled in your suite.”

As they continued on down the hallway, Jeff motioned to the next door on the left. “That’s the dining room we’ll eat in.” Then, a little farther along, they turned into a giant room on the right. As they stepped past the threshold, Hall saw a fireplace on the left big enough to put a bed in. Finally tearing his eyes away, he focused on a wall of glass. I didn’t know they could make a piece of glass that big, he thought, then the engineer in him really woke up. How did they ever mount that thing, let alone get it up here?

Ignoring the stunned look on Hall’s face, Jeff said, “This is our living room. Just thought I would show you where we hang out before I take you to your suite.”

“Mr. Matthews...” Hall began.

“Jeff. Everyone calls me Jeff.”

“Uh, my first name is Michael. All but my mom call me Mike.”

“Okay, Mike. Let’s get you situated in your suite. This way.”

Once out of the living room, they turned right and walked on down the hallway, took a right, then eventually took a left before Jeff stopped at the second door on the left.

“This place is...”

“Big,” Jeff inserted with a chuckle. “It was originally designed and built to be a conference center/retreat for the Wainwrights and some of their employees, but logistics in the winter made it difficult to get everyone up here ... and back, so I wound up with it as partial payment for one of my inventions. Several other people live here with us. You’ll meet most of them at lunch. And know this, Mike, you’re welcome here, so just relax and enjoy your stay. Oh, by the way, if there’s anyone that you need to notify or talk to, feel free to use the phone and give them the number so they can call back if they like. Our AI will find you and direct any call you get to you.”

“AI?” Mike wondered aloud as Jeff ushered the young man into the sitting room of the suite and on through to the bedroom.

“Artificial Intelligence.”

“Uh, I’m familiar with the term, but I didn’t think our technology was far enough along for that to be an accomplished fact just yet. So, you’re an inventor and have invented an AI?” Mike asked as he hung his coat and jacket in the closet that Jeff had opened for him, then put the case he was carrying beside the one Jeff had just set in there.

“I’m an electrical engineer, and I have invented a couple of things, but I didn’t have anything to do with writing the code for the AI. Several of my wives are responsible for him.”

“Him? The AI has a gender?”

Jeff chuckled. “You’ll have to talk to my wives about that. He/it sounds male so I usually refer to the AI as if it has a gender.”

“Bathroom and shower are through there,” Jeff said as he motioned. “Feel free to use anything in the suite, and should you need something else, just call out, ‘Computer, ‘ and ask the AI for whatever you need. It will direct you. You can also ask him if you need to reach any of us. He will either call the person you ask for, or direct you to them. Oh, yes, we don’t have servants, so keeping your suite neat is up to you. A vacuum is in the closet off the sitting room, and additional bed linens and towels are in the closet in the shower area. Should you need to wash clothes, anyone here will be glad to show you where the washers and dryers are located, or, as before, the AI will direct you.

“I’ll leave you to get settled in. Lunch will be in thirty minutes, and we dress casual. Remember, anything in the suite now belongs to you, so use it as you see fit. When Frank and his wives get back from their trip, he’ll talk with you, but don’t sweat it. A nicer guy doesn’t exist.”

As Jeff started to leave, he turned back to say, “Oh, I almost forgot. There’s a map of the Retreat in the drawer of the coffee table, should you decide to explore on your own. We have a game room, theater, swimming pool, and an exercise area in the basement, and also tons of movies accessible through your TV or the big screen in the theater. Oh, yeah. If you don’t have a suit with you, there are guest swimsuits available in the pool area. The AI will be glad to direct you and answer any questions you might have. He’ll respond anywhere in the building. I’ll be in the living room until lunchtime, should you care to join me.”

As soon as he stepped outside the suite, Jeff told the AI to introduce himself and respond to Mike’s wishes. The Prime had seen the look on Hall’s face and knew he wanted to check out the AI. He was right, because as soon as Hall had finished exploring the suite, he sat on the couch in the living/sitting room wondering just what had happened to him. Looking around a bit guiltily, he tentatively said, “Computer.”

Nothing happened.

Then remembering that Jeff had said to call out, he spoke a little louder and with more of a commanding voice, “Computer!”

The big screen on the wall came on and a man seemed to look directly at Hall. “Good morning, Mike. Forgive me for presuming, but I heard you say that all but your mom called you Mike. Is that the form of address I should use?”

“Uh,” the stunned young man returned, then, “Uh, yes. That’s perfect. Is there a prescribed way for me to address my wishes when I call you?”

There was a slight hesitation before the AI responded. “I am fully cognizant of all words and terms used in any online dictionary available to the public, and that includes most colloquialisms and slang as well. I must admit, there have been times when I had to ask for clarification, but those incidents are becoming quite rare.”

“So if I asked for directions to the swimming pool...”

“Are you asking for directions to the swimming pool, Sir?”

“Uh, no, not now, but if I asked later...”

“Then I would give them to you and observe your progress in order to assist should you go astray,” the AI answered.

“Oh,” Mike responded.

“Sir? What do you require?”

“Uh, nothing. I was just learning how to address you.”

“That is quite all right, Sir. Please feel free to call me at any time.”

“Uh, computer?”

“Yes, Mike?”

“Can you see me?”

“Yes, Mike. I see you clearly. Is there something wrong?”