Chapter 2: The Hidden Lessons

From the sound system, there was a very pleasing voice of an Asian woman that said, “Please follow the directions from the GPS.”

I was about to ask her questions when I realized it was merely a navigating voice prompt when the voice of the GPS immediately started to give me instructions to an unknown location...

While given my grandfather’s insistence that I do so, I was not in a hurry to see my Grandfather’s and now mine many holdings on that list, I was sort of hoping that I had fallen asleep on the roadside, and at any time an officer would come along and ask me what the problem was. but given what I now realized I shouldn’t put it off for much longer. They were running satisfactorily and could wait a bit while I figured out my next move.

I had wanted to get back to my work. I had imagined, in the beginning, I would just humor my Grandfather’s last wishes. Yes, I loved him, but he was dead now, did I really have to rush? Then I thought about the medical Nanos, and how they could have saved his life had they been ready sooner. I hadn’t been that interested at first, but now knowing grandfather had been murdered and had not died a natural death put an entirely different light on things. Seeing what Grandfather’s game was, I knew I was in for a number of new lessons, that maybe I shouldn’t put off. The ache of his death was still keenly felt, but I didn’t feel like we were apart anymore.

With this visit, I understood Grandfather had a plan, one I now saw more clearly. I realized each business was a piece of a larger puzzle, moves on our chess board, that had the goal of enriching all mankind, and incidentally keeping me alive at the same time. Maybe our shared vision in the common good was the reason he took such an interest in me. For right now, the immediate goal was to keep me alive.

I thought to myself, “I’m too young to die, and for sure I’m too young to have made the sort of enemies that I needed to be worried about them wanting me dead.

I received a call, and caller ID only displayed the name ‘Adam.’ Adam? I thought to myself. The computer?

I answered, “Yes?”

Adam’s voice on the other end quietly said, “Please follow the GPS directions. They will lead you to a safe house where you can rest tonight. Please carefully follow all directions given about speed and direction.”

Startled, I realized I hadn’t yet started. I must have still been in a daze. I was being reminded I had things to do.

The call ended before I was able to form a question, and I thought to myself, “What the hell?”

The GPS was already on, and the instructions were repeated by a lovely Asian voice. I found it easy to follow her instructions. After what had been some time and, which seemed very odd to me, seeing how I had been looking for a house ... I was guided into a warehouse district then told to drive up a ramp and enter the door of one of the many warehouses I had been driving past. I did so, and the door immediately closed behind me. What I didn’t see was the ramp descending into the ground that had led up into the warehouse behind me.

A single light came on, and there was the same man who looked like he could have been part of the presidential security detail, and as I recalled he could have been my worst nightmare, after all this seemingly deserted warehouse wasn’t that much different from a dark alley I had imagined. He was standing beside a rather plain late model sedan. Another security type stood just behind him.

He motioned for me to get out of the car, as the second man moved from behind him and opened my door.

Not really knowing what was going on I didn’t feel like I had much choice but to do it.

The man I recognized from before identified himself as ‘Nick’ and that he then told me he had been charged with my security.

The other man got in my Aston Martin, and then the lights went out, and a roll-up door on the other side of the warehouse opened, and he drove out with my car, along with a few others that looked exactly like it. Then it closed once again, with the single light coming back on.

The man who had identified himself as Nick opened the passenger door of the sedan and politely indicated I was to enter. He closed the door and walked around to the driver’s side, got in, then looked at me, then requesting, “Please fasten your seatbelt.” He did the same before starting the engine. From the sound of the door closing, I might as well be in a tank.

He put a hand to his ear as if listening to something, then motioned for the door to be opened and, the light went out again, as the door was rolled up, then he drove out, turning in the opposite direction.

About twenty minutes later we were into an older, single family type neighborhood. Turning onto a side street, we passed a few houses then turned into a driveway of a nondescript home and parked inside the garage. As Nick turned off the ignition, the garage door closed behind us.

I was waiting for the GPS voice to say, “You have arrived at your destination. You may now exit the vehicle.”

Nick just got out, turned and looked at me. He then moved around the car and opened my door. Startled, I made to slide out before realizing I had forgotten to release the seat belt.

I was undoubtedly covering myself with glory before this man charged with my security. As before he kept a straight face, reaching in saying those seatbelt releases could be tricky, setting me free from it. I didn’t have much dignity left as I finally got out of the car.

Nick said, “We will be here overnight, you should be safe here.”

“Look,” I had tried to say...

He held up a hand stopping me as he said, “I understand. I’m here to protect you, not judge you. I’d be nervous, too, if I had just learned someone was out to kill me, and there were people I didn’t know trying to protect me.”

Somehow, I didn’t think he would be, but I found I had nothing more to say.

He was right, though. Finding out your life is in danger was putting me off stride.

Nick led me to the house entrance. Opening the door and checking inside, he then stepped aside to let me enter.

Upon entering, the inside was a replica of a Japanese house surrounding a garden, none of this was discerned from the outside appearance.

I was startled to find two rather young Asian females standing side by side, who then bowed deeply before me.

“Welcome home, Master,” they both said in a singsong voice in unison, before rising.

Thinking to myself, “Whoa,” I couldn’t say I was not pleased. There before me were two of the most beautiful examples I had ever seen of my secret fetish. One I had not even revealed to my grandfather. I had expected another rather imposing secret service type fellow, and suddenly there he was, behind the two girls.

He said, “We have been assigned to you for your stay, here.”

Thinking, “We?”

The girls bowed again, then approached knelt and removed my shoes and socks, replacing them with soft slippers. I noticed they didn’t do the same for Nick. The other secret service type had disappeared.

Nick said, “It was felt that since you had already seen me, it would be better than being challenged by a lot of new faces.”

Nick then added, “Given the danger that you now realize you face, your Grandfather assigned me to be the head of your security force.” I thought to myself ‘Security Force,’ suddenly realizing I was being thrust into a world I had been trying to avoid.

I was beginning to wonder who was doing all this feeling.

I was then surprised when I heard the voice I now identified as ‘Adam.’

It said, “I have determined that you have not been followed to this location. I instigated a city-wide search of the car following you using traffic and security cams, as expected it didn’t take them long to regain and trail the Aston Martin after it left the warehouse. Having them follow it should add considerably to time it will take them to determine your new location.”

“I currently calculate it will take 36 hours 12 minutes and 45 seconds for them to find this location.”

Nick then informed me, “You can reclaim the Aston Martin when you reach the ‘Compound.’”

This was all over my head, and I didn’t have a clue as to what was now going on. Then Nick handed me another tape player.

“Oh, really?” rolling my eyes and stroking my forehead. Grandfather must have loved that show.

Pressing the play button of the cassette player music started then faded, followed by my grandfather’s voice, “Greetings, Jim. By now you have received the Medical Nanomites and implant. I apologize for the entire cloak and dagger thing. I just didn’t want whoever killed me to get to you before you received them. I am placing yours, and my hopes for the future, onto you.

Since I was unable to determine who was seeking my death, I had to be careful about how I told you about these things. They have covered their tracks well, leaving few I could trust. I know it must be someone within the family, and you know what that could mean.

Yes, I did, all too well, and it was not good. I listened as Grandfather continued, “It seems that anyone I took more than a passing interest in within the family, was placed under some sort of watch, some have even been killed.”

“Oh, it was all neatly done. I’m surprised I have lived as long as I have. I guess once becoming aware my life was in danger made it harder for them.”

I tried digesting that

Grandfather continued, “You are my one real hope for the future. You were never the short-sighted, greedy one. I recognized that early on when you were very young and started making plans for your eventual takeover. However, I then found out about this plot.

“I wish I could tell you more, other than it has been years in the making. Whoever it is, this person has been very patient. I suspect it may be one of the younger family members or their father. In any case, they got careless.

“Seems I was not dying soon enough, so someone tried helping it along.

“You don’t stay the head of the family for long by being careless. I let your father know of the threats and attempts on my life. He will only be able to delay his own death for a short while; he was never all that clever. Still, it might buy you enough time to find the true traitor to the family.”

“No! Not my father as well? I thought. No, I didn’t want that to happen. While there’s no significant love there, he is still my father - and husband to my mother. Could she be in danger as well?

Grandfather continued, “I hope you will benefit from the tour of your holdings; I have taken the liberty of having all the latest advances delivered to the ‘Compound.’” There was that word again.

“I’m an old warhorse, and as much as I was able to keep up with the newest developments, I still felt myself falling behind. “You young kids seem to come by it naturally. I know when I was your age I did the same to my father and grandfather. So, I know you will not let me down.”

He sighed at this point, then added, “This ‘tape’ will self-destruct in five seconds, but Adam has a copy of all my tapes for you. Please forgive an old man his follies. I could visualize him winking at me as he said it.

I’ve left several different ones for you. They will be triggered by various key elements.

Ask Adam for them as you feel the need. Good luck, Jim.” The tape ended, and there was the smoke and hiss as the little reel tape met its fate.

As always, more questions than answers, just what was new about that?

Nick said, “I will be driving for you from now on to your other destinations.”

I asked, “Do you know where I will be going?” He shook his head no. “That will be given to me as needed.”

He then said evenly “Your credit card usage will show a purchase of a first-class plane ticket to Japan, and other purchases, once the plane is scheduled to land there. It will look like you are checking out a lab doing the same sort of research you been doing for your Ph.D. Please do not approach or use any ATM’s that might give the lie to that. If you need anything just ask any of us. We will get it for you. Then he added, “We will also be changing vehicles at each stop.”

Adam spoke just then, “I will be tracking your movements and will determine if you have been reacquired as a target. So far, their intel communications seem to show you have been lost, and it appears someone is being reprimanded for it.”

I thought to myself, I couldn’t be happier for them, but I knew it wasn’t any of my doing.

Adam went on, “Nick, your people, did very well placing the monitor on the vehicle that was following Jim. With it, I have been able to determine frequencies and channels. I am now attempting to follow communications to a ‘command and control’ center to determine the prime motivator.”

I asked, “And how well is that going?”

Adam replied, “Very well! I should have a report for you soon.”

Me, “What? Soon? How can that be? Grandfather had been trying for years and had gotten nowhere with finding out who it was.”

Adam, without emotion, replied. “I was not fully put online until shortly before your grandfather’s untimely death. There was some lag as system checks were made, and my programming updated and confirmed.”

Still puzzled, I said, “Continue.”

Adam replied, “I am a first generation fully independent AI. Prototype. As such there was a shakedown period where this unit was not fully functional. This is being corrected. Additional functions will be added over time.”

I asked, “I take it, you’re still not yet fully functional?” Interesting! My life was in the hands of untried machines. Just what could go wrong?

Adam unemotionally said, there were still many areas still being checked, and patches were ongoing, he had been brought online prematurely by the impending nearness of your grandfather’s death, and his grave concerns for your life. Unfortunately, it had not been in time to be of help to him.

Adam then asked, “Would you like a report on my updates?”

AIs not being in my field of expertise, I felt I probably would not understand his explanation. So, I declined to hear his rundown of updates.

Adam then asked, “Would you like a report on my updates on who has been following you?”

Rolling my eyes; really, ya think? Then I chastised myself. It was a machine after all, so I merely said, “Yes.”

Adam then reported, “Identity of the responsible party now stands at 23%. Rapid progress has been made with Nick’s team placing a monitoring device on the vehicle that had been following you. That being established, it has been determined that another’s family’s frequencies, and codes are being used, but the traffic is being routed through thousands of family channels.”

“The people following you are agents, known to belong to another family group. However, it seems that they are reporting to someone within this family.”

That in itself was interesting; it meant whoever it was had close ties to another family. Not having been interested in keeping tabs on the political aspects of the family dealings, I didn’t currently have a clue who it might be. But I was going to make it my business to find out.

Adam concluded, “Will there be anything else?”

Was it asking a question? I mean it had before, but those had seemed to be a programmed response. This seemed more a random request for information. So, I decided on a little test of my own.

“Yes, I would like a ham and cheese on rye,” My request apparently had nothing to do with the matter at hand.

Adam’s reply was near instant. “Would you like that with or without Mayo, Mustard or pickles?” There was that ambiguous humor again. Had it been programmed with a sense of humor? Dr. Bellows had assured me it had none but was he really an expert on the matter?

The girls giggled. My attention returning back to them, how could I have forgotten them.

Adam continued, “The females Nicky and Wind Song should be more accommodating and fully capable of making you the requested sandwich.” Interesting not only did it recognize it was a food item but with its various options as to its making.

I, having almost forgotten about the two girls, and now I finally knew their names, just not which was which. But clearly, they both thought it was funny.

Adam asked, “Will there be anything else?”

Again, a question. Another trick question came to mind, but this time I felt it be best to leave well enough alone. I sensed my Grandfather’s hand in this. As much as I would have liked to pursue it, I had other things that needed more immediate thought.

“No, nothing further for now! I take it you will be monitoring me from now on?

Adam replied, “Your safety is my prime directive, your monitoring fall within that directive. Your Grandfather insisted my programming to be directed to that purpose. It will constantly be updated as determined, and resources allow.”

“Will you be monitoring me all the time?”

Adam replied, “Your safety is my prime directive, monitoring you falls within that directive; Your Grandfather insisted my programming to be directed to that purpose. It will constantly be updated as determined, and resources allow.”

I questioned, “Determined by who?” I wondered. Not realizing I had thought out loud.

After a pause, I heard Grandfather’s voice, “Feeling a bit Rebellious at having decisions thrust upon you. I can’t blame. It has been a trying day.” Had it only been a day?

“Let the girls fix you your sandwich...” How had he known I had asked for that? “ ... and then let the girls take care of you and relax you.” And just how had he known the two girls were here now?

If I hadn’t witnessed my Grandfather’s funeral, I would swear. He was somewhere watching me. I wasn’t the type to believe it, but it seemed like a ghost was following me. I shook off that feeling as there had to be a more reasonable explanation.

“Grandfather?” I asked.

“Aww, always the one to ask questions. Your safety will be determined by all that have a stake in it, including yourself as this is all relatively new to you. My fault really, I shouldn’t have kept you so much in the dark about your security. Nick warned that this might happen, I should have listened to him on this one.”

“For now, these decisions will be made for you, and as you become more familiar with them, you will have a definite say in them.” I heard a sort of grumbling in the background. Can a machine talk to itself?

“For now, I suggest you just roll with it; you be making many critical decisions soon enough.”

What did he know that I didn’t?

Adam came back as if the question had never been asked, “The monitoring of your Medical Nanomites is mandated until the vulnerable areas of data transmissions have been negated. Visual and audio can be turned off at your discretion. Turning such off might impede immediate aid if such is needed. However, both females, Nicky and Wind Song have been cleared to render such immediate aid, as needed. As your physical security also falls under my domain, my physical aid is limited to what I can do with the nanites within you, and to ask for help from your security detail of which the females Nicky and Wind Song are a part of.”

I sighed hearing that, as I looked at the two girls, or women as they may be, were they actually a part of my new security detail?

With Adam’s next statement, “If you wish privacy, I can deactivate Visual and audio monitoring in your immediate area. Such actions are not recommended.” I couldn’t help but wonder, was Adam psychic, as well as having a sense of humor?

Nicky or Wind Song, I still didn’t know which was which, piped up. “Adam, we will watch over the young Master, ‘Command Nicky, Wind Song, alpha prime.’”

Adam replied, “Acknowledged.” Another mystery was unfolding before me.

Then the girl that had spoken, “I am Nicky, and this...” pointing to the other, “ ... is Wind Song, we serve at your pleasure. Then they both bowed low as before.”

Then the other spoke, “Do you still wish for a ham and cheese on rye sandwich?” Wind Song continued, “It would be our pleasure to serve you in the making of this.”

Actually, I could smell that a much more pleasant meal had been prepared, and the desserts, if I was reading this right, should be most tasty as well.

“No, I believe I can tell you have something much better already prepared. I will have that.”

There were hands raised to cover their mouth some giggling behind them. With that, as I was led to the dining area. I believe I mentioned that the house behind its facade was distinctly Japanese, the dining room was no less so.

The meal was delicious, but I couldn’t tell you what it was I ate since the company and entertainment far outstripped the experience of the meal itself. Could I really do justice in describing my evening? Chuckling to myself, I admit that no, I’m just not that good a lyricist. You will just have to imagine being entertained by two beautiful and highly skilled and intelligent women; and then admit that your imagination, too, had failed you in envisaging the actual experience.

The meal completed, I was led to the ‘Bath’ which was also of Japanese décor (as was much of the house. Bathing is an integral part of the daily routine in Japan. Baths are for relaxing, and the body must be cleaned and scrubbed before entering the bathtub or furo. This is typically done at a small faucet or shower located in the same room as the tub, while seated on a low stool. A traditional Japanese bathtub is square and deep enough that the water will cover the shoulders but requires the bather to sit with the knees drawn up to the chest. The tub water is used to rinse the body by scooping it up with the provided scoop. Baths in Japan are for soaking and relaxing, not cleaning the body. The tub shape is smaller and deeper than is common in Western homes.) accompanied by their cute giggles, and smiles, modestly hidden behind their hands.

Boldly they started undressing me in preparation of a bath, removing each article of clothing with accompanying cascade of well, let’s face it, I was in lust, and the two seemed more than agreeable. Just how could these two girls be both bold, and seemingly embarrassed, at the same time. Needless to say, they had my unflagging attention! The whole time.

They did not seem to be shy young virgins. They appeared too delighted at the prospect of what was to come. Their knowing hands left me no doubt that I was in for a most pleasant evening. I was washed, soaked, and then washed again, in preparation for bed.

I hadn’t realized just how long I had gone without sexual release. It was all I could do to control myself, or I would have exploded well before the main event, shaming myself in front of both girls.

However, they seemed to know what they were about. The girls teased me throughout the bath, with their competent hands heightening the experience, but without a premature firing. But I can tell you; it was a very near thing!

By the time they were done, I had found I was relaxed, seemingly in full control, and no longer on a hair trigger.

They had been naked as well, and I saw their flawless almond toned flesh, enticingly formed breasts, and nicely trimmed, but well defined pubic hair. While they looked like young girls, their actions spoke differently. Sex didn’t seem to be the forbidden subject as it was in the more prudent America.

I was then dried with luxurious towels, powdered, and helped into a silken kimono. I was then led, not into a bedroom as expected, but into a room with cushions surrounding a low table. I was then disappointedly left alone, having expected something different.

The room was oddly laid out, not in the expected American style, but again with a Japanese décor, as had been the bath, and dining area, with traditional woven tatami mats of the Japanese covering the floor. The walls looked to be atypical Japanese Sliding Shoji Screens.

From the outside, the house had a facade that looked like just another modest suburban American home, but the inside more than met the criteria of a Japanese luxurious country home. It was well camouflaged. Had my grandfather used this home before? If not, how had he guessed my hidden preference?

I then heard the delicate music of a Koto, the most relaxing tones and a voice that was equally so, before the sound of a Shoji Screen sliding back drew my attention as one of the girls followed by the other made their way in, wearing the most beautiful kimonos I had ever seen. I had made a minor study of such things Japanese and could tell that both were priceless. The girls had been done up almost like a traditional Japanese geisha minus the white face, something that should have taken her hours to prepare for, but I could have sworn it had not been that long a wait.

With graceful movements, they entered. It was to be a continuation of the most pleasurable evening of my life up to that moment. It was an evening of pure enjoyment with intelligent conversation, games, and with the hidden musical entertainment, ending not in the unveiling and ravishment of the girl-woman as I had thought, but still, I was pleasantly and wholly relaxed. I instead was subdued by endless cups of saké. If we had sexual intercourse, it had been done in such a way that had milked me dry in every way imaginable, and some I hadn’t even thought was possible. You couldn’t call it fucking or even sex since this went far beyond that and was deeply satisfying to the soul. It was nothing like the western male’s idea of what a geisha was, and not the more strictly ‘entertainment only’ of the actual Japanese geisha. It was a dream fulfilled that hadn’t even been imagined yet.

The next day I found a different car in the garage. Nick, as promised, drove me to my subsequent discovery.

The robotics company was just not as understated as I had found the Medical group to be. What I was shown was a wide range of robotics, capable of, well, everything: from space exploration to deep sea work to the repairing or making even the most delicate devices. I was led to believe that hardly anything was beyond their capability. While I was most impressed, there was nothing here that I couldn’t find with other similar companies.

None of this seemed to capture the cutting edge I was expecting, in short, there was any number of companies capable of the same sort of work. There just didn’t seem to be that promise that I had gotten from the medical group. There had to be more, here. I would have to dig deeper.

I was led to another office similar to the one I had seen in the medical group; it had all the earmarks of being another of my grandfather’s hidden messages.

This time I had a better understanding of what I was looking for. However, in this case, the ticker tape machine was a dead end. Oh, there was a message there, alright. It was another joke from my grandfather asking if I thought he was so lazy as to use the same trick twice. I was going to have to get better at this. He may be dead, but that was no reason for me to think that had in any way diminish his thought processes. After all, he had been very much alive when he created these puzzles.

I would have to look for a different clue. Actually, I found it more quickly that I thought I would. It was a glass much like the one that had taken my blood sample as the med lab. I placed my hand on it and felt the pinprick.

For some reason, I was not surprised when I heard Adam’s voice. “Welcome, Jim, the room is secure.” Then Grandfather’s voice as he chastised me for taking so long to find the plate. I was reasonably sure he was half kidding, (and if so just how had he know how long it had taken.) as it wasn’t meant to be easy. I was then given a quick briefing and then asked to request one Dr. Benton Quest to the office.

We went through a similar password exchange, and he then filled me in on what my grandfather had found of interest, here.

I half expected a sales pitch, but was startled when he pulled out a gun. But he didn’t point it at me, but at a curtain that had a water tank behind it. Shooting at it at the almost point-blank range, not only had the water tank not been shattered but the curtain didn’t seem to be disturbed at all. I was invited to feel the cloth of the curtain finding it soft and subtle. I immediately thought he had fired blanks. He handed me the weapon, and I unloaded it checking the bullets, then having me reload after satisfying myself that the bullets were real, he asked me to fire through the curtain. Again, it seemed like the curtain was undisturbed, then he told me to shoot directly at the tank, which immediately exploded with a shower of glass and water.

I knew hype when I heard it, but after the demonstrations, I was left believing it. Okay, what gives, looking at and feeling the of the curtain again.

Dr. Quest then explained that it was an unexpected discovery, made as they were working with nanorobotic assemblers. “Ah, I thought to myself, ‘a nano connection!” though I didn’t say it out loud.

He had me try to pick up a barbell weight that looked to be at least 500 pounds. I failed miserably only managing to lift just one end a few inches. He then slipped on a suit that looked similar to a typical sweat suit of pants, and a pullover, of what I guessed was of the same material. A pair of gloves and foot coverings were next. Both the gloves and the foot covering seemed to mesh into the sweat suit seamlessly. He then walked over and picked up the weight with one hand. You could have knocked me over with a feather. “An Iron Man suit?” Though it looked nothing like one.