Disclaimer: WookieeBeta still does not own Yuugiou. Please call off the rabid lawyers. They're slobbering on her keyboard.
Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude
Chapter Thirteen: Personal Projects
By WookieeBeta
Kaiba opened the door almost before the American knocked. "Good morning," he said in greeting.
Smith jumped. "Oh! Good morning," he replied quickly. "You ready?"
"One moment." Kaiba stepped back inside just long enough to close his laptop and slip it into his briefcase; it was all the luggage he had, and there was no way he was leaving his briefcase behind for even a moment. "Now I am."
"Great! I'm parked just down the street." The white-haired man gestured to an unobtrusive pickup idling on the corner. Kaiba eyed it warily for a moment, automatically thinking of all the ways an assassin could secrete a remote-operated bomb in the front seat alone, before shaking himself and realizing he was in one of the few places he was decently safe. Not only had KaibaCorp.'s technology not been introduced in America yet, he knew from past experience that Galveston was notoriously slow to adjust to new systems. Mostly because a lot of the newer technology was extremely vulnerable to the salty air, and thus almost everything had to be reengineered to be corrosion-resistant. And it was highly unlikely that any of his usual enemies would have followed him halfway around the globe to a desert island.
He opened the door and climbed into the passenger seat, crossing his long legs and resting his feet on his briefcase. "About how long is the drive?" he asked.
Smith thought for a moment. "About four and a half hours, unless traffic's really bad - if so, five. Plenty of time to sleep, if you want to."
Kaiba shook his head slightly. "Will it bother you if I work on my laptop?"
"Not at all."
Wordlessly, Kaiba keyed his security code into the hidden panel on the side of the briefcase, then entered a completely different code into the two more mundane locks on the top; the case clicked open, and he pulled his laptop back out and flipped it open. It was still on. He entered yet another different password and accessed the KaibaCorp. mainframe.
"What're you working on?" Smith asked, glancing at the screen. Kaiba hesitated for a moment, but decided the man was just curious; after all, the screen was in an odd mix of English, Japanese, and computer code, and even the least inquisitive of people would have to wonder a bit.
"It's a new prototype design for another game system," the CEO explained. "I've already built the first version and run it through my initial testing sequence; this is the third version so far. The final product should be released in three months, along with a new series of games - the one I'm researching for included."
Smith whistled. "How many people are working with you on this?"
"One, if you count my beta-tester."
Smith blanched. "You're doing all this yourself?"
"As soon as the product and first game are finished, I'll turn my code over to my Board of Directors. They'll complete the project while I start on the next one."
"And how long ago did you start this?"
"Last Monday," Kaiba smirked. He had to admit, it was amusing to see the American so impressed. Here in this "greatest of countries" it apparently took a year or two to release a new game, and three to five for a new system. For a long time, it hadn't been so different in Japan; then he'd taken over KaibaCorp. and everything had changed. His company was still the fastest and most efficient, but the smaller companies were slowly beginning to catch up.
The hours passed slowly. Smith was obviously tired, but he was hiding it well, and as the sun began to rise he seemed to shake himself out of his stupor. Kaiba, of course, was wide awake; he had time to upload a fully revised set of plans to the central computer, e-mail his Board the new projected release date, and program almost half of a new game designed chiefly for Mokuba. Like several of the kid's other games, it would never be released to the public; they served threefold as gifts, an enjoyable way for Kaiba to sharpen his programming skills, and a chance to test out new innovations on a willing subject.
He'd just finished creating one of the key fight sequences when Smith interrupted his work, announcing that they were almost there. The CEO quickly shut down his computer and stowed it back in its usual home in his briefcase. He smirked; soon, he would defeat Noa totally and completely, finishing what he had started back in the virtual world.
A/N 1: Sorry for the shortness - the next two sections needed to be together, and besides, this was a longer scene than most.
A/N 2: Title change only. – WB 09Nórui2006
