Re: Life - Business & Technology

Chapter 46 - Visit From The President

February 2013, Future Med.

"Good to see you, Vince. The injured are resting in their rooms. Seven of them suffered from non-fatal bullet wounds to their limbs and will fully recover in a month, though one had a leg blown off from an RPG blast." Dr. Sera explained.

"Is there anything Future Tech can do?" Vince asked, concerned.

"Heidi and I have begun a joint project between Future Med and Future Robotics. We're developing cybernetic limb and organ replacement methods. The smart nanites will act as a control mechanism within the blood, allowing users to manipulate the implant or metal-alloy limb." Dr. Sera explained.

"The concept sounds promising. Make sure to contact David to work out FDA testing. You'll end up helping plenty of people if this works. I'm willing to provide as much funding as I can with projects like these." Vince instructed.

"Alright, while we're on topic. Smart nanites have changed my view of the medical industry. For example, our cancer treatment project is progressing at an astonishing rate. In the worst cases, we can technically remove the organ hosting the tumor and replace it with a synthetic one."

"We can also design smart nanites to fight cancer cells at earlier cancer stages. Body function performance-enhancing nanites are just around the corner, Vince." Dr. Sera explained zealously.

"Cancer?! How much funding do you need? $10 billion or $50 billion?" Vince excitedly asked.

[Curing cancer? That's amazing!] Vince thought.

"An additional $5 billion to our 2013 budget would suffice for now." Dr. Sera replied.

"Granted. When you succeed, you'll be a legend in the medical industry, Dr. Sera." Vince declared.

"Thanks for the confidence, Vince. We'll pass the FDA trials and deliver a profitable product for Future Tech soon." Dr. Sera replied.

At Kandahar, Price went shopping and bought Andrews International and all its assets for $2 billion, including 10,000 active personnel and combat training facilities across the United States.

[We'll have to start guarding more key telecommunications hubs Future Tech had bought around the world soon.] Price thought while browsing the company equipment store.

At the executive level, staff can order most of the available Future Tech equipment. Lower-level employees can only order company consumer products with a few exceptions.

Price placed his orders for new vehicles, weapons, and armor for Future Security.

Vince decided to expand the Hive Mind Manufacturing division. He was expecting more orders from the military and regular consumers based on their popularity and effectiveness.

Vince visited Andreas in his office at the headquarters.

"Andreas, I'll be investing $35 billion in our Hive Mind division. Consult SpaceX about their large manufacturing buildings and integrate some at the tech campus. We'll be constructing large planes the size of Boeing Globemasters soon." Vince instructed.

"Understood, Vince. Patel and his department have implemented smart nanites with our high-precision Hive Mind suites. As a result, producing smart nanites now is less than half the cost as it was a few weeks ago." Andreas replied.

"That's perfect! I'm expecting smart nanites to be in hot demand for the foreseeable future. I appreciate your hard work, Andreas." Vince stated before bidding farewell.

Ashkan was detained at a US military base while being interrogated by CIA agents in a pitch-black room.

A CIA officer shined an intense light towards the prisoner's face.

"How many more active insurgents are in Afghanistan?" the officer asked in Arabic.

"I'll never answer. You know this. What you don't know is that I'm just a small cog in a master plan," Ashkan replied.

"What do you mean, Ashkan?" another officer asked.

"You will know soon. We will rise and destroy your infidel way of life. We will cleanse our lands of western sentiment from the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Daesh will crush you." Ashkan said before turning silent again.

The Daesh precursor organization from Iraq originally sent Ashkan to Afghanistan. They entrusted Ashkan to disrupt NATO forces and plant IED traps on all the major highways.

Ashkan was doing well the past two years, killing and injuring many US troops with IEDs and ambushes.

The Future Tech IED sweeper bots cleaned out all their traps in Afghanistan and left Ashkan in a bind.

He needed to deliver results and decided to attack Kandahar and instill fear into the enemy.

His plan completely backfired and left him with no army and freedom, though he still believed in the cause.

[It was a risk and would've been a glorious victory, but it was God's plan, and I accept my fate.] So Ashkan thought in the pitch-dark prison cell.

March 2013, Oval Office

President Obama had his secretary clear his schedule for the next day.

He decided to visit Future Tech headquarters in Texas. His staff notified Future Tech and the City of Austin about the president's visit to prepare with ample time.

Aiya contacted Vince regarding the presidential visit after she received the notification.

"I'll have the penthouse and offices ready to welcome President Obama and his entourage. I shall also notify the executives who may want to meet His Excellency." Aiya stated over her smartwatch.

It was one of many new smart devices that will start selling in a few months.

"Thanks for the heads up. Ready a Future Security escort equipped with Dragonflies and Stingrays. They will meet Air Force One at the airport. Would you please tell my mother to attend the welcoming?" Vince asked.

"Understood," Aiya replied before closing the comlink channel.

[It's the perfect occasion to wear the new suit mom gave me for Christmas.] Vince thought.

A contingent of FS operators boarded three Stingrays at the headquarters' helipad.

They arrived at the private hangar and secured the perimeter with Dragonflies.

Air Force One landed half an hour later.

[A security escort, how thoughtful.] President Obama thought.

He walked off the plane surrounded by secret service agents and was welcomed by a peculiar-looking human.

Aiya curtsied with respect before speaking to the President.

"Welcome to Austin, Mr. President. My name is Aiya, Vince's butler bot. I invite you to board one of our Stingrays prepared to fly us to the headquarters." Aiya stated.

The secret service agents were skeptical about the request, but President Obama didn't mind as he boarded the flying vehicle immediately.

[The Stingray is beautiful. It looks and works like a V-22 Osprey but with turbofans instead of traditional propellers.] Obama pondered while he watched the city pass by through the windows.

The three Stingrays landed vertically on the helipad without issue.

Aiya guided them towards Vince's penthouse below the helipad.

"Welcome to Future Tech, Mr. President. First, I would like to introduce to you my mother, Leah." Vince stated.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Leah." The President said as he kissed her hand.

"I never imagined having the chance to meet our president. It's an honor." Leah replied.

"It was inevitable considering how brilliant your son is," Obama stated.

"Would you like something to eat or a tour first?" Vince asked.

"A meal would be delightful," Obama replied.

The maids prepared Austin favorites for the President to try while their group conversed in the living room.

"The Stingray we flew in was marvelous. I'd like to meet the person who designed it." Obama stated.

"Heidi and the robotics division designed the bulk of it, but the Future Tech F1 team consulted with aerodynamics," Vince replied.

"Has Future Tech designed other aircraft?" Obama asked curiously.

"We have a turbofan armored troop transport, a long-haul cargo plane, and an advanced stratospheric recon UAV in production," Vince replied.

Kyle, Jessica, Rick, and Sarah made their way to the penthouse living room to meet the President.

Vince introduced each of them as co-founders of Future Studios and good friends.

They conversed in small talk for a few minutes before the President decided to start the tour.

Vince showed Obama around the building avoiding the most secure areas, and introduced him to Dollar, Heidi, Patel, Andreas, Morgan, and Ms. Taylor Miller.

Vince explained the many projects Future Tech was researching at a surface level which intrigued the President more and more.

"I can't believe your company is using nanocomputers in such a sophisticated way. Your products are genuinely futuristic, just like your company's name." Obama declared excitedly.

[That's not really why I named the company Future Technologies but close enough.] Vince thought.

"Wait until you see what's going on in Future Med. It's down the street. We'll get there faster on a FAV-1." Vince offered while they left the headquarters.

A Future Tech security squad was waiting for them in front of the building.

Vince and Obama entered the FAV-1 parked next to the security squad.

The President entered the vehicle out of curiosity and was surprised when the FAV-1 started levitating over the street.

"Is it even legal to drive this thing in the city?" Obama asked out of concern.

Stats last time checked:

Future Tech current valuation - $300 billion

15 million BTC (currently trades at $1,000)

$50 Billion cash in Future Tech

11,000+ employees (FT AI, Future Studios, Hive Mind Manufacturing, FT Micro Devices, BitCash, FT VR, Future Tech F1, FT Investments, Future Arms, Future Med, Future Tech Robotics)

20,000+ operators under Future Security

Personal Vehicles: Klassen Phantom, Agera R, Agera SFV, Boeing Luxury 787 Dreamliner

Five company collaborators (Epic, Koenegisegg, SpaceX, Tesla, Hyundai C&E)

Dozens of investments under Future Tech Holdings (i..e., Instagram)