“Sequence complete. Current Date:
April 25, 2002. Restoring control of the vehicle to the driver.”
The jeep pulled out of the alley and onto
the main road. It ground to a halt outside the hotel and the
driver stepped out. A man walked down the steps to the car and
tipped his hat.
“Good morning, sir.”
The driver looked at the man with contempt.
“I need somewhere to park my car while I am here.”
“Certainly sir, there is an underground
car park at the rear of the hotel. Would you like me to have
the car driven there for you?”
“I most certainly would not!” he
said adamantly, looking at the valets. “I am not having
my car wrecked by a spotty-faced youth barely out of kindergarten.”
On the outside he was furious, but inside
he was grinning like a Cheshire cat. He stepped back into the
jeep, and closed the door angrily. “I will be back in ten
minutes with my things,” he said, handing the man a sheet
of paper. “See to it that my keys are ready for me.”
“Certainly sir,” the valet said
hurriedly.
The jeep drove off and into the car bay underneath
the hotel. As the driver switched off the engine, he opened
the glove compartment. “Level One lockout. Disable all
systems and secure the vehicle when I leave.”
“Please
enter security code for Level One lockout,” chirped
the car.
“Computer, initiate Level One lockouts.
Authorisation Code: J-A-C-2-7-5-1,” he said solemnly. “Restore
on active DNA.”
“Codes
accepted”, chirped the car. As the glove compartment
went to close, the driver pulled out a watch and put it on.
He stepped out of the jeep, which automatically closed and locked.
The man walked towards the lift and got in.
He knew what had to be done, but he was not looking forward
to it.
“Too many memories. Too many familiar
faces,” he whispered, as the lift began its ascent.
“Are you sure I can’t carry that
bag for you, sir?”
“No, thank you,” said the man,
holding the laptop case tightly. The staff at the main desk
had prepared all of the necessaries before the lift had reached
the floor. With a frown on the outside, and a silly grin on
the inside, he had been put in the hands of the concierge, who
was carrying his two heavy suitcases. The laptop case, however,
the man was not
going to let out of his sight.
When the concierge had gone, taking with
him a very large tip, the man collapsed on the bed and sighed.
“Next time an assignment like this comes up,” he said
to the world. “Remind me to politely decline.”
The man glanced down at the green display
on his watch and sat up sharply. “They’ll be here
shortly,” he said quietly. “And then the fun REALLY
starts.”
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