A few months have passed since the app that Ted and Preston had developed has been greenlit and in that time it has gone from first being assigned the bland designation of Project Tango to being assigned an actual moniker, STORE. It’s an acronym and stands for Synaptic Translation Of Readable Entries. Ted hates the name, but marketing insist that it is a term that will, according to data, track well with the general population. Preston had urged his slightly older friend to accept the ridiculous naming convention in favour of continuing their work. And it worked mainly due to the fact that Preston admitted he too found the name headache inducing.
But that was not the end of the developments as the pairs team has swelled to more than three hundred, which has in turn increased progress on STORE, and has resulted in a reveal date of June 21st being set.
That is why Ted is right now is heading back toward his and Preston’s office, a space they were given less than a month into the projects start proper, after submitting, in person, the latest version for review by Rupert Santos and other executives at Albion Industries. Unfortunately on his way back toward the lift Ted catches sight of Rupert, who he is shuffling into a meeting room with other equally ranked company executives. At first Ted wonders whether he should reveal his presence, but quickly concludes not to as he carries on toward the banks of six lifts at the centre of the building. But Ted never makes it as he catches part of the conversation the executives are having, seemingly having failed to realise the meeting room door is ajar, as he is about to pass by. And curiosity gets the better of him as the mention is of STORE. Ted interested in hearing what Rupert’s opinion is of the project when not facing Ted and Preston, decides to listen in. He knows he shouldn’t but he just can’t help himself and to a point it is the executives own fault for not ensuring the room is properly closed. If it were the sound deadening membrane in the walls of the meeting room would have eliminated the chances of the sound escaping and being heard by passersby.
“So how goes the project Rupert?” A strong sounding female voice asks bluntly.
“Very well indeed Jennifer.” Rupert answers without giving anything away or asking in reciprocity how a project of her own might be going. Ted doesn’t know if the woman has a project of her own, but his guess would be she does.
“You’ll make reveal day then?” A digital sounding male voice then asks. It takes Ted a few seconds to work out why the voice sounds digitised but when he does he berates himself for not knowing that Rupert is on a conference call. It makes sense, but for some reason Ted hadn’t considered it.
“Without a shadow of a doubt Carlos.” Rupert replies with what sounds like pride in his voice.
Ted wishes he could see those present, but he knows that is impossible. He shouldn’t even be here and the fact that he is listening in on an executive filled call only makes it worse. Still he can’t pull himself away as he continues to eavesdrop.
“And what was the origin of the idea? Because we must say that it was a marvellous one.” The female voice of Jennifer, Ted is sure it is the same voice, queries.
“Oh you know how these things go Jennifer, they just come to you.” Rupert answers before a whole host of voices erupt into a round of laughter.
Ted isn’t sure he likes that statement as it sounds like there might be ill-intent behind it. But he says nothing and keeps listening while telling himself he’s letting his mind run away from him.
“Will it really be as successful as the figures suggest?” A new male voice questions with a spectacle tone.
“If the projections are to be believed, then yes.” A young sounding female voice answers.
“Only time will tell. But we are confident.” Rupert adds sounding smug.
“If true then you’ll be in line for a BIG bonus Rupert.” Another voice, again male, adds.
“We all will.” Rupert announces.
“And what about the project leads and their claim to this software?” Carlos asks carefully.
“STORE was developed on company premises, using company time and resources, so we’re covered there. Plus they won’t be with us much longer.” Rupert responds casually.
Ted’s eyes go wide and his hand clamps tight over his mouth in disbelief. He can’t believe what he’s just heard. Rupert and the executives plan on claiming STORE and pushing them out. This can’t be right. I must have misheard, are two things he tells himself as he holds his breath.
“When?” Another female voice, this one much older sounding, fires in query.
“Once the app is submitted for upload, and that shouldn’t be too far away now.” Rupert answers before taking a pause and then adding, “Maybe five weeks.”
“Good. We need this. Our last thirteen product launches have been met with lacklustre interest and even more tepid sales. This could not only reverse that but send us up and into the stratosphere.” Jennifer remarks before Carlos adds, “Are the patents filed?”
“They are.” The young sounding female voice confirms with no delay.
Bastards! Ted thinks. He can’t listen to this anymore. He’s heard all he needs to. They’re screwing him and Preston and they’re going to be left with nothing. He has to tell his friend, his colleague, his fellow co-creator. And with that Ted quickly shuffles off, making sure to stay as quiet as he can as he hurries to the banks of lifts. Thankfully there is one seemingly waiting for him which he boards. He isn’t alone as there are three other people in the lift as the doors slide closed, but Ted keeps his eyes averted and feigns being lost in deep thought. He doesn’t know if it’s necessary but he does it nonetheless, trying to make it appear as though he is not filled with rage, but he is. It’s barely contained, but he knows he has to keep it contained. That’s why he soon resorts to counting silently in his head, pausing only when the lift stops at the various floors it has either been called to, which is twice, or given as destinations for those on the lift, which is thrice. Then the lift reaches his own floor, the doors sliding open just in time as Ted is sure he can take no more of being in the metal box. He stumbles out of the lift drawing slightly quizzical looks from the others people aboard, but much to his relief the lift soon departs, leaving him able to take several deep inhale and exhales that allow him to pull his pulse under control. He still feels like punching something but at least there seems to be no danger of him taking it out on whoever is closest. And it would have been a whoever and not a whatever had he been forced to be in that lift any longer.
“What’s wrong with you?” Preston asks as Ted slides into their joint office, closing the door behind him and then turning the lock. It’s not a lock that would hold if anyone really wanted to get into the office. But it’ll have to do Ted knows as he turns toward Preston whose desk faces the door. Ted having decided to push his back up against the cheap laminated wood of the door. He doesn’t really see Preston even though he is looking right at him.
Preston immediately feels panic beginning to well up in his stomach at the sight of his friend because of the look on his face and wonders what could be the cause. Whatever it is would have to be big, Preston knows.
“Ted, you’re scaring me. Say something.” Preston remarks after a while and following a loud gulp that he could hear in his own ears. His eyes are locked on Ted who is delicately licking at his slightly parted lips.
Preston has never seen his friend and colleague perform the action before and it does nothing to ease the panic he now feels.
Preston wonders if he should say something else but before he has the chance to Ted finally speaks, though his voice is distant and hollow as he does, “They’re cutting us out.”
At first Preston is confused by the lack of context, as well as brevity of the statement but then it dawns on him what Ted might be referring to. But that can’t be right Preston tells himself, and that is exactly what he wants to say to Ted. Instead, he simply asks, “What?”
“I heard Rupert and some execs talking. They’ve filed patents for STORE. Patents are under ownership of Albion.”
“So?” Preston remarks in a quiet voice. He feels now as if he is watching this scene from the perspective of a spectator, instead of being an active part of the conversation. It’s a weird feeling that he finds makes his skin crawl as he wishes he could break out of, but he can’t.
“We developed the app on company time using company resources.” Ted says from behind his pale as a sheet face. Except now Ted is actually looking at his friend now and not simply through him.
“What the…” Preston begins but never finishes as it dawns on him where Ted is going with his statement.
“You have got to be fucking kidding.” Preston then blurts only for Ted to shake his head in response. The shaking of his friends head does nothing to dispel the disbelief he can feel spreading inside his chest. The utter disbelief starting to feel like a ten tonne weight is atop his rib cage, slowly crushing him alive.
“Heard it from the lips of those we serve themselves. Right before they made it clear that they plan to can us.” Ted informs before letting out a long loud sigh.
“When?” Is all Preston can bring himself to ask in reply.
“Whenever, we hand the launch version of the app over to be uploaded. They’re estimate is five weeks.” Ted answers before his face twists into a snarl of unbridled rage. It’s a sight that scares Preston, even if he does entirely understand why Ted is so angry. He wishes he felt the same but he doesn’t. He’s in shock, plain and simple. Maybe he’ll get to Ted’s stage in time, but right now he isn’t.
“We need to buy as much time as we can.” Preston says without thinking. His voice still sounding distant to his own ears, so he wonders how it sounds to Ted’s, but his friend has no issue hearing the words he has spoken.
“Delaying shouldn’t be too difficult. It’s not like those corporate dipshits understand what we’re doing.” Ted fires back with disdain.
“I know, but we need it to seem legitimate. If it doesn’t they may just remove us before we have a chance to get back at them.”
“True. Got any ideas how we’re going to get some payback? I have a few.” Ted says in such a way that it makes Preston feel uneasy. He’s never seen Ted like this. In fact, he didn’t even know his friend could be like this and that in turn makes Preston wonder if Ted knew he could be like this. Something tells Preston that Ted would have doubted it if he’d been asked before today. But then neither of them thought that the employer they had worked tirelessly for would try and eject them after around ten years of service apiece.
“Ted we can’t do anything rash.” Preston declares hoping that Ted will see sense.
“How about ruin their precious reveal with a leak that’ll spoil the details ahead of that June 21st reveal they have planned?” Ted offers with a sick twisted grimace of a smile carved across his face.
“Yeah, yeah that should do some damage to them. Rain on a few parades, so to speak. Good idea Ted.” Preston exclaims after a short pause. A great mountain of relief has lifted from Preston who was convinced Ted would suggest something quite insane. But he hasn’t, which is a blessing.
“We have to do it soon though. We can’t wait too long, for obvious reasons.” Ted soon reasons without really giving a reason at all. Instead he simply insinuates, but it’s enough for Preston. He doesn’t need a reason. He completely agrees with this idea, but he wouldn’t have wanted to go further.
“April 16th should work, don’t you think? Just far enough ahead of time to dampen spirits but not so far out that we might have been axed.” Preston offers but he gets no verbal reply from Ted who simply smiles, his white teeth visible as he does. Preston takes that as a yes in the moments before they begin their planning and preparations for what and how the spoilers will find their way out into the wild.
Simon A Jackson - Writer 