Chapter 17: The Season for Taking

[Annika 25]

"Maybe you should go to a doctor about your cough." Annika suggests. She does not sense that Annette is annoyed or that the conversation is inappropriate. She is not very good at picking up on the emotional cues of humans. She exists to do a job and her world revolves around that mission. Annette's health is a threat to Global Bank.

[Annette Rosenthal]

"Health care is for the weak." Annette replies bitterly. She pushes the glass door of her hotel hard and stumbles into the lobby. This catches the attention of the hotel workers, one of which tries to help her regain her balance. She scowls at him and he backs off. "I'm going to my room. You can stand guard outside." She orders the machine, then, takes the elevator up to the room. She enters and slams the door behind her, locking out the android and any further conversation on the matter.

[Annika 25]

"I will find a doctor or some medicines for Annette. I will not let her die." Annika decides. The door slams and she stands outside of Annette's room. There, she stands in the hall. She waits and watches for any sign of danger, but, her mind continues to ponder who she will talk to. She needs drugs or a doctor. She will make sure that Annette lives a long and healthy life. Without Annette, who would run the Global Bank? Would the Creditors be deactivated? Annette was the best person for the job with many years of experience and a long record of a job well done.

[Bonifaz Artz-Lehrer]

Bonifaz remains in the front seat of the van that is delivering illegal medicine to secret hospitals and buyers in Helsinki. If all goes well, a lot of money should be made for his father's company as well as Null. But the work is dangerous. Bonifaz looks out the window of the passenger side and wishes that Heikki and the woman would hurry unloading. It's not like they have all night. He looks out the window into the night and thinks. He thinks about Emmet and others who were involved with Null. He thinks about the events concerning Jack at Keitoleinen's mansion this past winter. Those events seem long forgotten now. The world has settled back into order again.

[Max Alexander]

Max was deep into his coffee when he was startled by the woman asking him about M TV.

"Oh heavens. Sorry about that. M TV is going well. We are doing a few meetings and focus groups, gathering new ideas. We are planning on adding a few channels with a few different kinds of shows. Mix it up a bit. This wont be for a few years down the road, but it should be marvelous."

Another man showed up. Max had met him before. Dinari Dollar. Owner of Allmart. He offered him a peep. A small marshmellow treat from years back. "Sure, i'll try one. What the hell. I have not had these in years." He took the treat and ate it quickly. Satisfying his taste buds.

"Thank you. How are things at Allmart?"

[Dinari Dollar]

"Things are always awesome with Allmart. Always." Dinari replies. He also eats a peep. He gets sugar on the table and eats another. "I don't care if they found out that these things give you eye tumors (back in 2030) they're awesome." He says of the peeps.

"Yeah, things are good with Allmart. Business seems to be up this year. Especially in our junk food section. People seem...snacky."

[~Ophelia Vespera~]

Spring time was the best time in Ophelia's business when all her flowers thrived and people were in the mood for some fresh flowers. The economy was also doing considerably well in comparison to the winter months, which also helped a great deal to get her business back on the ball. For the first time in a while she was busy, trimming and primping up flowers for various ocassions, including one wedding and an extravagant graduation ceremony at a college. She had to try several arrangements and improvise since she was running out of certain flowers. She reluctantly decided to order some of the flowers she was low on from the American Allmart company. It worried her to order flowers from anywhere, since most flowers from big companies were somehow modified to look 'more beautiful', but also die faster.
Her order came just in time when she was cutting the stems of her last carnations. The delivery man set the bins on the counter and Ophelia looked at the flowers.

"What are these?" Ophelia asked in a slightly horrified voice as she took one of the carnations out. Ophelia had ordered white carnations with red.. The spots of red though on the white carnation that she pulled out, were like polka dots on an old man's underwear! Plus the flowers were abnormally large, bending the the elegant long stem down.

"They're carnations, ma'am.. White with red.." the man hesitated handing her the clipboard for a moment, "Is that not what you ordered?"

"W-well yes that's what I ordered! But these are NOT right!" Ophelia exclaimed in a completely appalled voice.

She dropped the festive clown 'carnation' on the counter and picked up her own naturally grown one, putting it right up to the delivery man's face.

"This is a REAL carnation! See? THAT flower is just a deformed freak of Allmart!"

The delivery man stared at the carnation, nearly going crossed eye from how close she held it. He shook his head and handed her the clipboard.

"Dunno what to tell you ma'am.."

She gave an exasperated sigh, knowing it was no use getting mad at the poor delivery man. She signed the paper on the clipboard, gave the money, and the delivery man left.

[Jack Kruschev]

Anth walked about the streets of the world through various teleportation booths. He had officially been to nearly every continent and was fairly content.

Returning to Dublin, he walked out of the booth and began to walk some more. He'd only been gone for a couple hours, but has been all over the place already. He traveled quite a bit for Genetech, but not as much as he just did.

Sitting at a local diner, he ordered a glass of tea and opened a magazine to see what was new in the world.

[Jumala Keitoleinen]

(To Ophelia)

Keitoleinen enters a quiant little flower shop, hoping to buy something for Linnea. Linnea is always upset with him, so maybe some nice flowers will smooth things over with her. Keitoleinen begins to wander around the store, wondering what sort of flower would be most appreciated by Linnea. He passes some roses and lilies, but nothing catches his eye. Maybe this is a waste of time. He doesnt know anything about flowers anyway. He looks over at the woman who just got a delivery of flowers. She must be the florist there.

"What is the best kind of flower to get for someone who dislikes you?" Keitoleinen asks the florist while he looks over some purple flowers.

[Dr. Lonnrot Kukkanen]

(To H)

The hard day's work is catching up to me, I can just feel it. The constant shuffling of papers and documents along with regular counseling appointments is extremely cumulative, and it's starting to get to me. I don't like it, but that's just the way reality is, I guess. Work, work, work. The money is great, the work isn't.

Plus, today was supposed to be my day off. I am supposed to be chilling at home, drinking some water, and taking a bit of red leaf. What the hell is this?

Sighing, I get up from my desk and leave.

[wyvernlord]

Using a match to light a cigar, Tyler sat in a ditch a few miles out of a large Artz Lehrer Pharmaceuticals factory in Germany. The wind blows hard, so Tyler must work to keep his cigar lit.

He'd just a few hours ago gotten an order from Scrag to destroy the factory and everyone inside of it. Money was money, and Tyler didn't care about others, so this was going to be easy. Father Manala may be an ass, but his servants payed well, and that was all that mattered.

[Zindy Zonedk]

Zindy Turns her head to the door when the driver opens it She the Quickly lights up her cigarette and brushes off her Dark blue jean’s, jumping out of the van to the ground Then takes one quick puff before lifting a heavy box and unloading it.

“Well, Only 2 to 3 times a week really.” She then answers as taking another puff of her cigarette then lifting up another box taking unloading it too Then saying “ How about you?” As she looks at the surroundings cracking her uncles before lifting a another box.

[Hilja Kukkanen/Sasha Pisarev]

After getting some much needed rest, I decide to call my brother and see what he is up to. He's always working very hard and I really admire that. So, I get up, shower, and get dressed. After having some cereal I make the call. Ring..ring..ring...
I wait for Lonrott to answer.

[Heikki Toivonen]

"Only a few times." Heikki replies to her. They finish unloading for this drop off and money is given to Bonifaz, though later, when all is done, some will be shared. The company gets paid first of course. Heikki hops back into the van and looks back at the boxes pushed inside. So far, there hasn't been any trouble from the anti drug commission or the Manalists.
Heikki leans up against a box and decides to make more small talk. He is a little lonely after all. Anyway, he is curious. "Where are you from?" He asks Zindy.

[Momo Kurokawa]

"I was thinking...Dinari..that the former United States would be a good place to test some of my new technologies. Would you be willing to sell me some land?" Momo asks Dinari. She slurps her tea loudly and turns to Max Alexander. "You're looking good. Do you have a girlfriend?" Momo asks between slurps. When the tea is gone, she orders another...as well as a raisin scone. She thinks a little about the idea of buying land in America. She's been doing some testing in Northern Ireland, on land sold to her by Calithin Crest, but, she needs more land.