Free Beast Machine by Brad McKinniss Page B

sir! They’re on their
way as quickly as they can get here!” replied Jeffrey. “There’s
also two architects with vast amounts of knowledge on modern
architecture! One is a relative of Frank Lloyd Wright!”
    “ Excellent! Excellent!”
shouted Chairman Obelis. “Come join me and enjoy the sights while
we wait!”
    “ The sights weren’t that enjoyable,” thought
Jeffrey.
    “ Of course!” said Jeffrey.
He jogged over to Chairman Obelis like a dog that hadn’t seen his
owner in weeks, a stupidly-happy smile covering his entire face.
Jeffrey was only an inch or two shorter than Chairman Obelis, but
he had short dirty blonde hair that contrasted Chairman Obelis’
short, curly black hair.
    “ Remember what I told you
about that silly “Teach a Man to Fish” quote, right?”
    “ Load of
horseshit.”
    “ Yep! It’s complete
horseshit, Jeffrey. Always remember that.”
    Jeffrey put his arm around
Chairman Obelis and Chairman Obelis put his arm around Jeffrey as
they stared at the abandoned mining facility that will soon become
their operation hub and the facility where the majority of their
experiments will take place.
    “ Do you believe what you’re
trying to do will actually work?” inquired Jeffrey.
    Chairman Obelis removed his
arm from Jeffrey and heavily pondered the question Jeffrey asked.
Chairman Obelis knew it would be a difficult task even with his
wealth, intelligence and overwhelming determination.
    “ I believe that as long as
I am alive, there is a substantial chance that this will work and
that we can save humanity from itself,” said Chairman Obelis. “I
have done so many things in my life, but, Jeffrey, this means the
absolute most to me! How many men can say that their work directly
affected humanity?”
    Chairman Obelis began to
pace. “It can’t be much more than the fingers on our hands,
Jeffrey. I want this to be my mark on humanity. I desperately want to save
humanity so my mark can be remembered. This may be a sneaky
approach to helping humanity, but we need to get dirty to help
everyone get better.”
    “ But, sir, in all due
respect, you have made numerous and incredible marks on humanity!
There are so many people alive, and educated, because of your
generosity! What more do you have to gain?”
    A hefty voice bellowed from
the nearby SUV, “He wants complete control and power – it is what
every man wants that already has everything.” A short, brown man
walked towards the pair. His weight made his white lab coat unable
to close; the coat made noises as he walked since it brushed
against his belly. Whoosh, whish, whoosh,
whish.
    Stitched into his white
coat with red thread was the name “Dr. Takeo Silva.”

Chapter 9
    Dirty, Smelly
Business
    “I am quite pleased for you
to join the campaign, Doctor Silva. We needed a man like you at our
side,” said Chairman Obelis as he handed a martini glass to Doctor
Silva. Chairman Obelis took a quick whiff of his own martini. “It
adds an aura of sophisticated, thorough science to the campaign. I
appreciate your presence greatly.”
    “ It’s truly an honor, sir,”
smiled Silva. Silva and Chairman Obelis clanked their glasses
together and laughed, like they were best friends reuniting for the
first time in decades. The olives lightly bounced around in each
glass. “This is the good stuff. I haven’t had a martini this good
since Chelsey was alive.”
    “ Who’s Chelsey?” asked
Chairman Obelis. Of course, Chairman Obelis already knew that
Chelsey Donovan was Silva’s former lover and that she had died, but
information regarding her life was scant. She was a nobody with a
nobody job that the world was ready to forget, aside from Silva.
“Was she important to you?”
    “ Chelsey was my,” he paused
to sip from his martini glass to gather confidence, “Chelsey was my
lover, my muse and – most importantly – my dearest friend.” A tear
dropped from Silva’ left eye. “She inspired me to continue to
pursue the cure