Greg walked out to the mostly empty waiting room, shoving his hands into his pants pockets. He slid down to sit on one of the uncomfortable single sheet waiting benches along the walls. A “safety feature” decided on due to the fact that even the bolted down single chairs were deemed unsafe due to constructs being able to rip them from the floor, not that they were typically programmed to do so. He rubbed at his eyes, the exhaustion from travel finally setting in.
“Are you all right, sir?”
He nearly jumped at the question, unable to focus for a moment. Finally, he noticed the family’s construct, an almost too tall figure dressed in a fitted suit with an eerie but rather lifelike face. “Oh, Kato. I thought you’d be in helping with Armand.”
“This hospital does not allow for unauthorized constructs in with their patients, sir. I was told to wait here.”
Greg scoffed. “You have better abilities than most of the equipment here. I’d have thought that would be enough authorization.”
Kato bowed slightly. “It’s not my place to argue that, sir.”
Greg let out a heavy sigh as he leaned back.
“You seem tired, sir.”
“It’s Greg, Kato, and it’s been a fairly long day.”
Kato stood for a moment, probably processing this. The figure then bowed. “I’m sorry, I meant no offense. I believe the penthouse should be empty, perhaps you would like to retire there, Master Gregory.”
Greg huffed as he shifted and stretched before standing. “On second thought, I think I prefer being called sir…” He took a deep breath, then looked at Kato. “Since when do we have a penthouse?”
“Master Armand purchased it when the divorce went through. He’s been staying there since.”
“Divorce? What divorce?”
“Between Master Armand and Miss Sakura.”
“Who the fuck is Sakura?”
Kato stared back unfazed. “I apologize, sir, I forget that you were… detained. Master Armand got remarried to a Miss Sakura Temira-”
“Sakura Temira!” Greg interrupted. “Why the…” He inhaled rubbing at the bridge of his nose. Greg took a step back as he forced a smile. “Why did he do that?”
“I’m afraid I can’t say for sure, but I believe he said it was because he didn’t want Landon to grow up without a mother.”
“And who’s Landon?”
“His son, sir.”
A lump settled in Greg’s throat at the words. “I have a nephew?”
Kato nodded. “That has traditionally been the correct term.”
“And… Armand doesn’t live with him?”
“It was decided about a month ago that due to Master Armand’s health having a place in the city closer to medical help would be for the best. Miss Sakura didn’t want to move the children so suddenly, so they’re still in the mansion till a proper buyer takes up the property.”
Greg scoffed throwing an arm up. “There won’t be a buyer; that place costs more credits than every base in the Division’s budget combined!”
“Still, Master Armand believes it is in the family’s best interest to keep the mansion listed-”
“So let me just make sure I have this straight.” Greg took a deep breath as he stretched, a painful smirk crossing his face. “Angeline has left us broke, the bitch of the Academy is currently staying in our mansion-”
“Master Gregory!” Kato quickly scanned over the room, though still gave the young man a disproving sort of glare.
“And Armand is currently dying while he can’t even see his own kid!” He let out a nerve racked laugh. “I thought he’d have a handle on things… He always has a better handle on things…”
Kato leaned in closer. “Master Gregory, if you draw any more attention to yourself the attendant is going to call an inspector.”
Greg glanced over to the metal spear housing the construct program for the waiting room attendant. Kato must have hooked into the hospital’s mainframe to know the thing’s response. Then again, he was probably checking Armand’s vitals that way. It, Greg mentally corrected himself, Kato was just a pre-programmed machine.
He’d once asked Kato and even it stated that it rather avoid the confusion by just being thought of as a helpful machine. That was unfortunately rather hard by the lifelike features from even Kato’s aging manufactured build. Greg just found it easier to think of the construct as just another person.
Greg sighed, putting his hands in his pockets. “Sorry. I suppose I should see this penthouse. It’d probably help to start planning things from there.”
~~~~
The building was about what Greg expected; one of the tall metallic apartments close to the heart of the city. Closest to the medical district, which made sense with Armand’s current health. It was also just across the street from Tribulation Park, and only a decent walk through there to the Division’s main base.
The penthouse in question was on the building’s top floor, and had nearly three more floors of its own. It made the building one of the tallest in the city, second only really to the main base, though it was hoped one would never see the upper floors there.
It was designed in a “classic” pre-cohesion style, with lots of fake molded materials standing in for things that were either considered “too expensive” or there wasn’t enough of to meet total demands. This wasn’t helped with the International Division’s official stance that everything before the cohesion was not to be celebrated or utilized do to either being poorly made or harmful. It didn’t stop people, or even the Division itself occasionally still using pre-cohesion materials considering the majority of current technology was based on pre-cohesion advancements.
The front room was at least interesting; high white synthetic walls contrasted with a dark floor probably meant to be wood, though the pattern didn’t quite look right. Probably due to the Eco-Purest movement that deemed wood to be to precious to even replicate. Greg frowned as he crouched down to touch it. A long forgotten memory jumped to mind, though it felt as close as the distant laughter from it.
“Come on! We can play in my room!” a voice shouted, far away, yet familiar and comforting.
It was the whispers that made his skin crawl. Greg couldn’t quite make out what they were saying, but whatever it was seemed extremely important. He tried to focus, but a painful dread settled over him causing a slight headache. Placing a hand over his mouth, he hoped the tense feeling in his throat wouldn’t come out, either as a scream or...
“Is something wrong?”
He froze, bile settling in his throat. Taking a few deep breaths, Greg tried to calm himself. “I’m fine.” He shook his head, realizing that wasn’t the question. He collapsed to the floor, pulling his legs to his chest. “It… it’s nothing.”
Kato walked over. “I noticed your heart rate has been raised since visiting the hospital.” He set a tray down beside Greg. “I hope you don’t mind, Master Gregory, but I took the liberty of making some tea.”
Greg glanced at the steaming cup Kato had set down. The bile turned to a heavy lump as a cold calm settled over him. “Thank you, Kato.”
“It’s my pleasure.” Kato took a couple steps away before swiftly turning back. “I recall you said you were tired; perhaps you would like to see one of the bedrooms?”
“That… would be nice.”
Kato ran a hand over a small panel in the wall causing a holographic image of the apartment’s schematics to appear over the room. The construct let out a soft buzz that nearly sounded like a sigh as it made a series of hand gestures that focused the image down to a more visible size. “If you like, Master Gregory, the main bedroom is available.” Kato pointed as the room in question expanded to take up the size of the hologram, now comfortably between both of the construct’s hands.
Greg grimaced. “I’d really rather not sleep in Armand’s room…”
The construct glanced at him. “Master Armand prefers to sleep in one of the guest rooms.” Kato made a few more quick gestures changing the hologram yet again to a different smaller room. “One just off the kitchen.” It pointed through a nearby archway into a bright sitting room. “Down that way.”
A strange burning sensation started in Greg’s nose. He cautiously rubbed at the bridge of his nose. “Kato… You wouldn’t happen to know who owned this place before Armand, would you?”
“By my research, It seemed to be Master Dalton.”
Greg nodded glancing around the room. “I thought so. I think I’ve been here before.”
“I wouldn’t know, Master Gregory; I only have access to the Division’s past records.”
Taking a careful deep breath, Greg closed his eyes. “It says father bought this place to be closer to the main base, doesn’t it?”
“That is in the official record, yes.”
“This is where he used to bring my mother…”
Kato tilted its head as if confused. “I wouldn’t know; that-”
“Isn’t in the official records,” Greg concluded with the construct. “It wouldn’t be. I’d think it’d be highly illegal enough to sleep with a Sendian-!” He forced out a laugh.
Kato didn’t respond, but then the construct probably didn’t have a parsed response for such an accusation.
Greg pressed at the bridge of his nose as he tried to calm his breathing. “Sorry. I… I didn’t mean to…” He sighed, covering his mouth. It didn’t calm his stomach any, but it was at least slightly relaxing. “I just… The records system the Division uses…”
The construct swiftly turned pointing down a nearby hallway. “The main bedroom is this way, Master Gregory.”
Greg huffed, following fairly close behind.
~~~~
The window took up an entire wall; a design factor that was definitely considered unsafe even though windows long since had stopped being made of anything remotely breakable. It was the first thing that drew the eye, and such was what Greg walked to on entering the room. Tribulation Park just below barely looked like a green blob, then again it was hard to tell much apart with the lack of movement that caused the city itself to barely look real. Of course, right across spoiling much of any view was the towering Division main base. The setting sun reflecting off it’s multi-mirrored surface made it blinding to even try glancing at, so one’s eyes either focused down to the park extremely far below or back in the room.
Greg shook his head as he finally turned away. “I can understand why Armand won’t sleep in here, now…”
“Will this be adequate enough for you, Master Gregory?”
He turned to the door, where Kato still stood waiting for a response. The rest of the room seemed rather bland, actually. Just more dark colored possibly wood tiling. There was a slightly worn if nice carpet, unfortunately the pattern was mostly covered by the large canopy bed. Greg sighed, lightly rubbing at his own forehead. The exhaustion was starting to eat at him more than he thought. “It’s… more than necessary,” he replied, leaning on the doorway just to stay upright. “Thank you, Kato.”
Kato instantly stepped forward, wrapping an arm around Greg.
Greg tensed instantly. “What are you-”
“You’re clearly exhausted, Master Gregory.”
He tried pulling away, but the construct’s grip was tighter than expected. “I’m not five!”
Kato pulled him over to the bed.
“Kato! Stop it!”
The construct froze, inches away from the destination. Its face clouded for awhile before settling to a strange flat line of a frown. “I apologize, Master Gregory. I only meant…”
Greg scoffed. “It’s all right.” He playfully patted at the construct’s fake cheek. “But seriously, I can do this myself. Isn’t there laundry or dishes to attend to? Maybe a security protocol to check?” Greg yawned, taking the last few steps to sit down on the side of the bed. “I can’t really be the most important thing you have to attend to right now?”
“It is my duty to keep the Othellen family cared for.”
Greg smiled, leaning back. “Like I said, I’m fine. Can’t you… check on Armand or something?”
Kato froze, its face a blank for a few minutes. “Master Amand’s vitals have normalized, though his brain pattern seems to suggest he’s currently unconscious. If this data is correct, then there is nothing I can do for Master Armand while he is in this condition.”
“Oh, great,” Greg replied blandly. He yawned again, laying back on the bed. “Then just leave me alone; I don’t need your help.”
The construct bowed its head. “Of course, Master Gregory.”
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