Chapter 6: What It Takes to Steal

I had never considered how the smallest change could make someone familiar become a stranger. My previous line of work largely dealt with staring at faces, picking out the one that might be unique enough to catch attention from potential customers. Amahle Imada had the most unique face I had ever seen. This was not the sort of compliment you should ever give someone. Usually I would use the word beautiful or distinguished or anything but unique. Yet those were not the first words that sprang to mind when I saw her. Amahle was metal. Her eyes steel, her mouth rose gold, her hair bismuth with an undercut. I suppose the first time I saw her I was so distracted by what she said I didn’t notice these things, but I was also quite sure if these features were indeed there before, they were magnified now. Either way, she fit more into the fashion world than as the COO of Antler.

When I finally saw her at the conference, I was seeing all this as if for the first time. She told me that we could speak later that day, and I agreed. While the rest of the world panicked over the implications of Perma Tech, I was worried over a dinner. Hundreds of millions considered the future of humanity, and I was considering what to wear. I went with a bow tie and a blue pocket square. I was excited.

She had called ahead of time to secure a table at a restaurant downtown. By the time I arrived, it was raining. I got there on time, while she was running late. As I waited, I decided to get a drink and an appetizer. I was curious as to why she chose that particular restaurant. It wasn't the most expensive or the most cozy or the most anything. I couldn't imagine anybody considering it their favorite eatery, but there were people there anyhow. One thing I did notice, without the sharpness of mind to cut to the meaning, was that they had no monitors. It had become a norm to me, during my two-month tenure in this city, that every establishment had screens of some sort. It was curious, but I accepted it as a business failing to stay modern.

An hour after I arrived, I turned my gaze and saw Amahle dressed for the rain, her face finding mine almost as fast as I found hers. Despite our limited interactions, I reacted to her as I would a close friend. She didn't smile or wave, making her way to the seat with a rushed fervor that couldn't bode well. I was beginning to wonder if these meetings I had were ever of the good kind. Anders, Henrietta, Amahle—maybe Will would call me out for a nice non-work-related drink. A man could dream.

"I just got back from Shanghai," she explained hurriedly. "I was supposed to get back a few days ago, but the plane was delayed due to the weather, so I can't take the blame. Anyway, we need to talk, as I'm sure you’re aware."

"Did you get my messages?" I asked her. She waved away the question with her hand as she settled into her seat.

"Yes, but it wasn't like I could change my schedule, so you were going to wait for me either way," she said while taking off her jacket. Her logic was sound, but it was one annoying sound.

"I suppose. Why did you choose this location? Childhood favorite?" I asked.

"No, but I do like it," she answered. I looked at her. She appeared the same in every regard, though when I looked in her eyes-

"Why are you staring at me?" she asked.

"Why, I love you."

This, of course, made her stare at me more. She did nearly smile. It was tough to make her laugh.

"Okay, I know this is all confusing, but do you remember what I told you the first day?"

"Of course, and I'm sure you know that's the most confusing part."

"Yes, well, whatever questions you have, drop them. What I said wasn’t a lie, nor was it an office prank.” The waiter came by and handed Amahle a glass of water. “I heard you met with the boss."

"I did. He's quite the character. May I ask, what were you doing before this job?" I asked. Amahle glanced at me, annoyed at my curiosity. Then, she smirked. I couldn't tell if it was genuine.

"Why don't you guess?"

"Well, I'll try," I responded. I had hardly spoken to Amahle, but she was by far one of the most galvanizing individuals I had ever met. We were around the same age, but she wore the years better than most models I had worked with. Her proficiency at presenting, her moral code—they were all signs of one who was decidedly overqualified for any business. Any company large enough to influence a nation’s economy was hard to contribute to without giving up something once held dear. Amahle held all her cards. She wasn't one of the ancient businessmen of the modern world, amputated from their moral suicides, left crawling across the remainder of their life toward a death they can only hope is the end.

"This is your first job, isn't it?"

Amahle smiled at me. I felt wonderful.

"Getting a Ph.D. took a while."

I looked at her. I forgot to speak.

"It's surprising, I know. It's also not really the reason I met with you here."

"Right, right. You want me to steal the newest tech to come from Antler," I said in a loud voice. Amahle hardly reacted.

"That's exactly right. I've heard that you met with Anders. I hope you didn't pass out from fear. Many do."

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"No, I was able to keep myself conscious. He explained to me some things."

"He likes doing that. A bit too much, really. I suppose that happens when nobody ever tells you to shut up."

"You really don't like him."

Amahle stared at me. I got the feeling she hated hearing me state the obvious. Perhaps she just hated me.

"So, what did you get your degree in?"

“Here I thought you would know already. Mathematics and Economics.”

“Aren’t those the same thing?” I replied. There was a long pause as Amahle sipped her water.

“Okay, so I can imagine what’s on your mind, vis a vis the proposed theft. Your thoughts must be magnified now that it's been revealed to the world.”

“That’s correct.”

“Well, Nathaniel, I’ll have to ask you to drop it.”

“Well, Amahle, I’ll have to ask you to explain yourself.”

“Do you remember that paper I referenced when we first met? Your stare tells me no. Pretty much, if the consumer doesn’t have requisite knowledge of the product, the entire system is liable to collapse. You are still looking at me blankly. Anders just gave a speech, introducing the product. Therefore, the consumer knows enough.”

“Amahle, you and I both know that’s not true.”

The waiter came by again to pour water into Amahle’s glass. The entire time, I was entranced in a staring contest with one of my bosses. It was quite awkward. The waiter finished pouring and left. Amahle continued her silence for some time, her face neutral. I still preferred this to Anders.

“Do you know who hired you, Nathaniel? Not who approved it, but who actually suggested you?

“You?”

“That’s right. At the time, I thought you were necessary. I’m sorry to say that’s not true anymore.”

Anger flooded inside me. Amahle’s eyes widened. The anger suddenly stopped, replaced with clarity.

“When you were gone, what happened? Don’t try and lie to me, I know that’s against your code,” I said. Surprisingly, Amahle didn’t smile or get annoyed or any of the emotions she had shown up until this point. It was a foreign expression, something I imagined she rarely ever showed.

“Why won’t you just believe me? I’m telling you that you don’t need to do it anymore.”

“I believe everything you’ve said, except when you were talking about the conference. I don’t take you as someone who lies unless it’s important. If you want to fire me, I can’t stop you. In fact, you could have done that without meeting me in this diner. I imagine you have some sort of plan, and you’re just hesitant to tell me what it is. Well, I’ll let you work through whether or not to tell me. I’m in no rush.”

She sighed. A lot of people in my life sighed. It must have been a coincidence.

“Yes, I did have a plan. The problem is this, Nathaniel: whether it succeeds or fails, I lose.” She laughed. “I like to think of myself as someone motivated by the right reasons. Not altruistic, but as close as I was ever going to get. That was a lie.”

“Amahle, if you hired me, you probably know all about me. Not many people do, so it’s refreshing. I’m not the best person at overcoming self-preservation. Not when I was a kid keeping my candy hidden in case my friends asked for some, and not today, when I told the waiter to charge you with my meal. What I will say is that it’s a trait I’ve always envied. You’re teetering on the edge, where I would be firmly placed in selfish territory. That is an accomplishment by itself.”

“Did you really hide candy just so you wouldn’t have to give it to your friends?”

“Yea.”

“Wow.”

“Did you hear anything else I said?”

Completely ignoring my question, she pulled out a folded piece of paper from her jacket pocket. Such a minor behavior, she was able to do with a swiftness and grace that stunned me. The fact that such a small detail had that effect on me was, by itself, stunning. She unfolded the paper and set it on the table.

"This is the room you will be going to. In it is what you are stealing. I'd prefer you memorize it, but if you need it, take the paper with you," Amahle said hurriedly.

I didn't look at the paper.

"What changed your mind? Was it me?” I smiled.

Amahle inhaled.

"You know, when I first met Anders, he had brought me in for a job interview. I didn't understand it, of course, because I never had a job before. So when I walked in to meet with him, I saw people waiting outside who fit the bill. And for some reason, I was there. When we spoke, he told me many things. One was why he called me in. He said 'Evil companies may profit, but they fail nonetheless. The only business impervious to failure is that which has simplified itself into a necessity, one will not disappear and cannot be replaced. Evil is but a tool imposed by those too hasty to seek immortality.' He said that to me pretty much right away," she added with a smile. "I didn't know what he meant. I still don't. He sounds like a madman in some ways. Perhaps he is one. He hired me so his company wouldn't fall into the evil abyss he feared. But, Nathaniel, I am now quite sure I was unable to stop it."

“You’re quite dramatic.”

“So are you.”

I sat back, contemplating what she said. It certainly filled in some of the gaps, though I didn’t know what she was so afraid of. What did she stand to lose, other than her job?

“In this room,” I said while tapping the paper, “That’s where the prototype is? The one from the conference?” She nodded. “See, Amahle, I think Anders has pulled one over on us. It’s not just the phone. In his office, he turned the windows into Perma Tech. I don’t know how much he’s changed. Is there any way to steal the main server and shut it down at once?”

Amahle looked as though she had just bit into a lime.

“Nathaniel, that’s not how this works. That’s honestly not how anything works. You want to steal the server? It’s good you know how to sell because anything with computers is not your forte.”

“Point taken, but I was just brainstorming.”

“Nathaniel, just go to that room. Steal what’s in there, and make a run for it.”

I finally felt something click in my mind. It was not a Sherlockian solve, but rather the right question.

“The phone isn’t the real prototype, is it?” I asked. Amahle did not correct me. “What am I going to steal?”

The rain became deafening as she explained. We parted ways shortly after, Amahle going to her car and me signaling a taxi. As I opened the door to my apartment, I felt the initial pangs of hunger. It was quite unfortunate. I was really excited about that dinner.