2- Starting over… chapter two
Morning found Walter still sitting at his desk, despondent, drained, defeated, directionless. He got up, slowly went up the stairs to the loft to strip and shower, dry off and sit on the sofa in boxers mind still in a daze. He sees no change in his life than it was when he was nine- loft in his parent's barn or loft in his LA garage, all the same, a refuge from the outside world he may never, for all his vaunted IQ and extensive knowledge in numerous fields, understand. A world he has never been a part of, try as he may. WHY would the people he spent the past four plus years working with make the concerted effort to deliberately go out of their way to destroy him? Why, why, WHY. At long last he recognizes he is confronted by a question he is incapable of answering, a problem he cannot solve.
He got up and went into the bedroom and got dressed continuing to think. Dressed in jeans and t-shirt, he went downstairs to start coffee brewing and sat at his desk. While sitting there, he looked at the other desks and pulled out his phone to call the local thrift shop to come collect them and was told a truck would be there within two hours so he opened the roll-up door as well as the front door.
He went to each desk and made sure all drawers were empty. In the large bottom drawer of Paige's desk he found the heart shaped box empty of the chocolates he had given her that now held the notes he had left for her, a couple pictures of him with Ralph, and the cassette of his love song attempt. She left such mementos behind deliberately- did not even want to keep little souvenirs of him. He put the lid back on the box and put it on his desk.
Checking the drawers in Toby's desk he found two books, one a first year psychology textbook, the second was an old, worn copy of the Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders. Toby and his psychoanalyzing. Walter put the two books on his desk with the heart shaped box.
On to Happy's desk- all completely empty- hard to leave a message with tools.
Last was Sylvester's desk- the center drawer he found two pictures of Walter and Megan together- one as children and the second as adults. Probably the only pictures Sylvester had of Megan that had Walter in it as well. He put the two pictures in the heart shaped box. Went into the kitchen to get a cup of coffee then sat at his desk to await the thrift store truck.
"HELLO! I'm from 'Second Time Around Thrift Store', sent to pick up some office furniture being donated."
"Come on in, these desks and a couple chairs are all yours."
"Wow, these desks are in nice shape- sure you don't want to sell them?"
"Yes, just want them gone- hope the store gets a good price for them- pure profit, take those two chairs, too, leave that one."
"Have an estimated value for a receipt for your taxes?"
"Do you really think that donation will impact my taxes at the end of the year? Funny."
"Well, thanks for helping load them, thanks for donating, have a nice day."
After the thrift store truck left, Walter rolled the remaining chair beside his desk, then cruised the garage, pushed Happy's workbench to the back wall of the back-bay next to his toolbox. Three whiteboards he put against the wall close to his desk for future use. Then again went to sit at his desk to drink his coffee and look the place over. Certainly a lot of empty space now, he thought. Too bad there is no rocket to take up space and mess around with. While thinking that there was a knock at the door and Richard Elias walked in.
"Hey, Walter. When you sent me those specs for your redesigned booster, I was surprised. When I gave the file you sent to my engineers they went whoopee and went to work with it and legal started patent paperwork," Richard said sitting on the chair next to Walter's desk. "When you sent that you GAVE the design to me, I was… well, shall we say, a bit surprised. To just GIVE a valuable design to a billionaire is a bit strange. Want to tell me what is going on?"
Walter waved to the mostly empty garage space. "As you can see, circumstances have changed. I did some cleaning of the garage as well as my computer. As I said, I have no need for rocket components, you have rockets, so you were the logical person to give it to."
"Circumstances have changed? How so?"
"Scorpion is no more, working with Homeland is at an end. My former team members have left to form a competing business I alone could not compete with, so, as I said, cleaning out the old but have not yet decided what is the new to move on to." Walter said. "Scorpion Security Systems for my security programming is a thought. Possibly get into game development, already hacked two supposedly secure programs for the developers award so I could pay off the garage so that, while my former team members could drive me out of business, they didn't drive me into homelessness as well."
"You know, way back when you were working on your rocket I said you might be happier working in the state of the art labs of my space program than out of a garage. I make that offer to you once again…. since your 'circumstances have changed' as you say."
"Thank you for the offer, Richard, but I will remain here working out of the garage. I certainly have the ways and means of making income through my security programming, and assorted other interests. Should you need anything I may be able to help with, just message me the particulars and I will do what I can, but for the foreseeable future, my work will be done here."
"Well, once we see the results of the redesigned booster testing, we will go from there. You will probably be hearing from me or some of my people in time. You change your mind, you know how to get hold of me." Richard said getting up and headed for the door. "Have a good day, Walter."
Walter sat up and brought the desk top keyboard closer to use and started on the security program for the two developers he got the award funds from.
Three days of coding and the first developers program was ready. He sent a message under the Scorpion Security Systems heading the cost for the program could be deposited in a holding account until they approved the program to be released to the on-line bank account the award was deposited.
Three more days and the second developer's program was ready as well, so again, sent the message of price quote and a holding account until approved and funds deposited in the on-line account the award was deposited.
Once those programs were completed, Walter took a rest from the computer, closed up the garage, drove to the beach to walk and people watch. After a long walk, he sat on a bench and watched people. Children playing in the water, surfers out bobbing around, people laying on towels to tan and give themselves skin cancer, a bunch of people playing volleyball, joggers, five doing yoga poses together. At dusk when the cloud bank moved on-shore most everyone cleared off the beach leaving sea gulls to swoop around, and sand pipers dashing along the water's edge. Walter continued to sit and watch the waves and birds then got in his car and returned to the garage.
In the morning Walter dressed and descended the stairs to start coffee and his day, opening the door and shutting off the security system. Returning to his desk he opened the laptop on the corner of his desk to check mail. Sipping his coffee, five messages down the list was a message from an unknown source. He checked and opened it to discover a message from Ralph.
Walter- My e-mail is being monitored so it has taken me a while to set up a satellite system to route around to prevent its being found. Sly is good with computers but not close to our expertise so this should be safe for communication. Everything here is in an uproar. From the last few visits their business to compete with Scorpion is taking jobs so they are working OK. How are you, and what have you been doing? I will stay in contact as much as possible, but to ensure not being discovered, messages may be few and routing may be interrupted and through unfamiliar sites. No matter what, know I will be here for you. Ralph
Walter took the time to peruse the routing, to ensure any tracking would be sent off to Baltimore. Then hit reply:
Ralph- thank you- it is great to hear from you, buddy. I could not initiate communication not knowing the situation. Sly should be easy to evade- he is good, but not close to your level. How are you? How is your mother? Scorpion is ended though I am restarting Scorpion Security Systems as I can code without needing others- working alone is always the safest. Already paid off the garage so at least won't be homeless. You need not inform me on what the team is doing- they will not be competing with me- know I hope they do well in their endeavors. Keep up with your classes and keep me informed on how you're doing as often as possible. Know I love you, and thank you- keeping in touch with you will help me stay sane. Walter
Walter sat back with a whole new attitude. He was thankful for Ralph's getting in touch- that gave him one lifeline to keep him anchored. He was never so thankful for someone to get him focused and back on an even plane. He had things to do for future- get his business going, continue putting away funds for Ralph's future attending university. That was his number one task- getting Ralph's future trouble free so he can pursue whatever degree he wants and further the scientific frontiers as he will be capable of doing.
Walter continued to think- when the 'team' gets their business established- while they could all walk away from him, he could not cut the ties of years of being a team. He may have been their 'boss' but he made the decision on bringing each of them into Scorpion and looked on them as friends and family much more than as mere employees. He sincerely hopes they do well and flourish in their endeavor.
He rose to get more coffee when there was knocking at the door so he went to open it and there stood a man and a woman, both with bright green hair, a 1952 Jaguar XK120 drophead coupe behind them.
"Can I help you?"
"This is Scorpion Security Systems, right? You are Walter O'Brien?"
"Yes, on both. Come in and let me know what you need."
"We are Seth and Sarah Clements of Number One Security Systems. Heard of us?"
Walter chuckled, "you are not here to assassinate me are you? I hacked your system and offered you a replacement for less than the award you gave for the hack."
All three entered the garage, Walter waved them to sit on the sofa in the common area.
"Would you like some coffee? I was just getting some."
"Yes, thank you, black for both of us."
Going into the kitchen area Walter poured coffee for all and set their cups on the coffee table.
"So what can I do for you?"
"We wanted some information so came to talk to you in person rather than through messaging. How long did it take you to hack our original program?"
"Three days of intensive focus."
"We have gone through the program we got from you and neither Sarah nor I nor any of our people have been able to get through yours. How long did it take to code your program?"
"Not long, I code quite quickly. I dare say before coming here you did some research on me. If so, you know I am quite adept on programming."
"Yes, we did do a search on you, but as you well know, on-line information is many times enhanced, malicious, biased, or flat-out wrong. We prefer to have face to face time to judge for ourselves."
"Why?" Walter asked. "You offered the award, your program was flawed, I offered and you purchased my replacement program that is flawless- end of business transaction. Why are you here?"
"We would like to hire you." Seth said. "Your expertise is unrivaled so well worth bringing into our sphere."
"I have a business, why would I join another? Yours is not the only system I hacked for the award- I needed funds quickly at the time. That need has been alleviated, so now able to work at leisure on whatever I want. Why would I go under another's supervision?"
"Does not hurt to ask," Sarah said, speaking for the first time. "Most people prefer to work with others, in a larger enterprise for the secure job income."
Walter chuckled. "If you did a search on me, you are well aware there were others in Scorpion- they have all left. Obviously my working with others is not optimal, hence my business focus has changed from a team to myself. Working code is not a group endeavor, and can be quite lucrative, especially security systems for businesses."
"Seth, think this is a lost cause," Sarah said rising. "Thanks for the coffee and your time, Mr. O'Brien. We will be in touch in future. You may not work with us, but would you take on a job if the parameters are given?"
"Scorpion Security Systems is always open to requests," Walter replied also rising to see them to the door. "The Jag have the original drivetrain?"
"No," Seth replied with a laugh. "An American transplant to ensure dependability. Have a pleasant day, Mr. O'Brien. You will be hearing from us in future." They both got in the car and left.
Walter returned inside and closed the door to put coffee cups in the dishwasher and refill his own then return to his desk. Interesting pair- green hair is a bit off-putting, though, especially on adults. The laptop signaled new mail:
Walter- Interested in checking over the system incorporating the new booster design? Richard
Walter sat back to think of Richard doing all he can to pique his interest….. and found it worked, so hit reply"
Richard- Interested. Give date, time, and where to meet. Walter
In short order new mail alert:
Walter- Tomorrow at ten, I will meet you at the gate. Richard
Well, tomorrow will be an interesting day spent with Richard checking over his space project and fighting off his attempts to pull me in as an employee, Walter thought. Fun day. Then he pulled the desktop keyboard closer to use and continued to go through his computer files to gather the now unneeded Scorpion/Homeland files to transfer. Amazing how much room was taken up with these files. There was a lot of data included. He opened one file up that had pictures of Bosnia, data on the pilot, his plane and the system needing to be salvaged as well as the case summaries written by everyone involved. He closed it up and added it to the files to be transferred and continued going through the system. He opened another file- the CIA case with Sima and the blown up jet. He sat back looking at that file recalling his saying he loved Paige's voice in his ear. He sat up and closed that file- thinking that was one of the first steps into his discovering the real meaning of love. What a joke, thinking back he wondered now if it was worth his taking that step.
Coming to the realization that hours had passed, he locked up, set security and hiked up the stairs to shower and get some rest. Laying on his back across the bed with his hands behind his head he wondered if Paige ever thought of him, if she wishes she had kept his love song cassette, if she has discovered a new man better suited to her. At that thought his chest constricted, and he turned over pulling the blanket over him for warmth that was nothing remotely like the warmth he felt from Paige when in his arms. He closed his eyes and willed himself to sleep….. in time he did.