Future Imperfect Read online

  Future Imperfect

  Published by Tyche Books Ltd.

  www.TycheBooks.com

  Copyright © 2016 Simon Rose

  First Tyche Books Ltd Edition 2016

  Print ISBN: 978-1-928025-45-0

  Ebook ISBN: 978-1-928025-46-7

  Cover Art by Henryca Citra

  Cover Layout by Lucia Starkey

  Interior Layout by Ryah Deines

  Editorial by M. L. D. Curelas

  Author photograph: Simon Rose

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage & retrieval system, without written permission from the copyright holder, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.

  The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third party websites or their content.

  This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations and events portrayed in this story are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  Any resemblance to persons living or dead would be really cool, but is purely coincidental.

  This book was funded in part by a grant from the Alberta Media Fund.

  This book dedicated to Maggie and Cole, loyal companions on a magical journey.

  Chapter One

  The Storm

  THE BASEMENT WAS filled with even more electronic junk than usual. Alex Mitchell, fourteen-year-old technical genius, had been taking equipment apart again. He was particularly skilled at taking computers apart and putting them back together. He’d even built a few computers himself. Alex’s best friend and neighbour Stephanie sat across from him at the scratched and battered old dining table. This was where they did all their work together in Alex’s basement. It was the beginning of summer vacation and they had plenty to do. Alex’s mom, Angela, was always bringing him home obsolete technical equipment that was going to be trashed at her office. Alex had always had an interest in electronics. His dad joked that when Alex had been in his crib if the baby monitor had been too close he’d no doubt have taken that apart too.

  Alex started working with old radios, TVs, DVD players, and small appliances such as toasters before moving on to more sophisticated equipment such as computers, laptops, gaming systems, and phones. Both he and Stephanie were also very skilled with tablets, cell phones, and iPods. Alex had mostly worked alone while growing up. Yet when Stephanie’s family moved into the neighbourhood a few years earlier, she and Alex soon realized they had a lot of the same interests. They were both proud to be geeks and nerds, something that made them stand out from the other kids at school. Alex and Stephanie were probably the only students who looked forward to a summer filled not with camps and outdoor activities but with rifling through electronic components in a gloomy basement. They’d even tried developing their own apps and gaming software.

  AS HE FOCUSED on the motherboard of the computer they’d been taking apart, Alex could sense Stephanie watching him.

  “What?” he said, looking directly at her.

  Stephanie’s fiery red hair was even more unruly than usual. Her freckles were also always more noticeable in the summer months.

  “You’re such a geek,” she said.

  “Me? What about you?”

  “Sure, I’m a geek too, but you’re a big geek. After all, you’re the one with the favourite pink screwdriver.”

  “It’s not pink,” Alex shot back, indignant. “It’s red, and it’s only the handle anyway.”

  “Looks pink to me,” said Stephanie, smirking.

  “The colour’s faded. It’s not that new, you know that.”

  “Geek.”

  She scowled at him but then followed up with a smile.

  It was hardly surprising that both of them were so interested in technology. Alex’s dad worked as a developer for Castlewood Dynamics, one of the biggest companies in Silicon Valley. His mom worked in the technical field for the federal government. Stephanie’s parents were also both employed by high-tech companies in the area.

  “Come on, you two,” Alex’s dad, Andrew, called from the top of the basement stairs. “We’re going to be late.”

  “I almost forgot about the presentation,” said Stephanie.

  “Okay, coming,” Alex shouted back to his dad.

  He and Stephanie were attending a presentation conducted by one of Silicon Valley’s leading young software developers. Andrew had managed to get them tickets, despite Alex and Stephanie only being fourteen years old. They put down their tools and stepped away from the table.

  “Hurry up,” said Andrew, when they reached the top of the stairs. “It’s raining like crazy out there. I’ll bring the car ’round from the garage to the front.”

  Andrew hurried outside into the pouring rain as thunder rumbled overhead. The garage wasn’t attached to the house so they couldn’t reach the car without going out in the storm. Lightning flashed across the sky as Alex and Stephanie quickly put on their shoes.

  “Wow,” said Alex, glancing outside. “It’s really coming down.”

  “Well, it sure beats having no rain at all,” Stephanie remarked. “I know my uncle’s been complaining about the farm. There’s been no rain out there for months.”

  “True, this’ll be a nice change for him.”

  Andrew sounded the horn as he brought the car to the front of the house. Stephanie raced over and clambered into the back seat. Alex locked the door to the house with his key then ran over in the rain to join her in the back of the car. They both fastened their seatbelts and Andrew drove away.

  ALEX, STEPHANIE, AND their families lived in a neighbourhood just outside San Jose. The presentation they were attending was taking place at a hotel downtown. The rainstorm was getting worse as Andrew drove along the twisting roads near the woods. There wasn’t much traffic and only a few other cars passed by on the opposite side of the road. Andrew’s windshield wipers were operating at top speed but hardly made a difference to the visibility.

  Andrew’s phone rang. It was Angela. He touched the screen to answer the call hands-free.

  “Where are you?” asked Angela.

  “On the road,” Andrew replied. “Just taking Alex and Stephanie to that presentation.”

  “Okay, well, I just got home and John Hartfield called. They got your proposal and they’d like to set up a meeting as soon as possible. Did you only give him the landline number here at home?”

  “Yeah, didn’t want his number showing up on the Castlewood cell. The company tends to keep an eye on all that. He must have called just after we left. So did he want me to call him back right away?”

  “No, he said he’d be tied up at Hartfield Tech for an hour or so, but he’ll be at the office until quite late. I told him you’d probably call him back as soon as you got home.”

  “Okay, I could do that. Wow, it’s really coming down hard here. I can hardly see the road up ahead. Is it raining there as hard as it is here?”

  “Yeah, really heavy. Anyway, so you’ll call him later? He said he’d be available on his cell until later tonight. He’s waiting for your call.”

  “Yeah, okay. I’ll be back as soon as I can and I’ll call him.”

  “Okay, drive safe.”

  “Will do. Bye.”

  Andrew pushed the button to end the call.

  “What’s Hartfield Tech?” Alex asked.

  “They’re a new company in Silicon Valley,” Andrew replied. “They do similar work to what we do at Castlewood.”

  “Robots and drones and that kind of thing?” said Stephanie, very intrigued.

  “Yes, but they’re just starting out, so they’r
e nowhere near as big as Castlewood. Hartfield do a lot of research and development, the same as what I do now. I might go and work for them but it’s only an idea right now. It doesn’t hurt to talk to them.”

  “Have you talked to Mr. Castlewood about us coming in to the office to see all the labs and testing areas?” said Alex.

  “I did, yes. He knows how smart the two of you are, but it’s not the right time at the moment.”

  “But you said we could come.”

  “No, Alex, I said I’d ask him and that I thought it might be a good idea. Look, he knows you’re a very bright prospect for the future, no question there. You too, Stephanie.”

  “Thanks,” she said.

  “I’m sure there’ll be a time to visit soon,” Andrew added.

  “But when?” asked Alex.

  “Not right now,” Andrew replied, firmly. “We’re really busy with so many projects at the moment and they’re all at a crucial stage. We’ve got deadlines for the government contracts as well. Hopefully when things quiet down a bit you’ll both be able to visit.”

  Alex and Stephanie looked really disappointed.

  “Hey, come on, guys,” said Andrew, smiling. “It won’t be long, I promise. Man, this rain is something else.”

  The wipers were still going back and forth at full speed but it was very difficult for Andrew to see the road ahead clearly through the windshield. He reduced his speed as they approached a bend in the road. There were no visible headlights belonging to other vehicles, but suddenly Andrew’s car was slammed into from behind. Andrew struggled to control the steering wheel as the car spun wildly toward the side of the road. Alex and Stephanie both screamed as the car collided with a tree on the roadside. Despite wearing his seatbelt, Alex was flung against the side of the car, bashing his head on the doorframe. Stephanie was knocked unconscious by the impact, and Andrew was slumped across the steering wheel.

  Alex was only half-awake when he noticed two flashlights approaching the wrecked vehicle. Perhaps someone in the other car was coming over to help? He saw several shadowy figures obscured by the torrential rain as they approached the car and opened the driver’s door. Alex also thought he heard a woman’s voice.

  “Is he alive?”

  “Looks like it,” said one of the figures.

  That was last thing Alex heard before he lost consciousness.

  Chapter Two

  Unwelcome News

  ALEX WOKE UP in a hospital bed. A small needle was taped to the back of his left hand. A plastic tube led to a plastic bag containing saline drip hanging on a metal pole beside the bed. A middle-aged man in a white doctor’s coat was checking Alex’s pulse and taking his temperature. Angela was sitting beside the bed.

  “Where am I? What happened?” said Alex, trying to sit up.

  “It’s okay,” said Angela, gently placing her hand on his arm. “You’re going to be fine.”

  “Calm down,” said the doctor, gently removing the needle from Alex’s hand. “You’ve been asleep for a while but you seem to be making a good recovery.”

  “What about Dad? Is he okay?”

  “We don’t know,” said Angela.

  Her voice quivered slightly, and her bright green eyes appeared paler than usual. She looked as if she’d been crying. Angela gently squeezed Alex’s hand, her round, friendly face forcing a smile as she held back her tears.

  “They haven’t been able to find him.”

  “What do you mean?” Alex asked, scarcely believing what he was hearing. “He was in the car with us. He was hurt, I think, when the other car hit us. I remember some people from the other car were trying to help us. What do you mean they haven’t been able to find him? Is Stephanie okay?”

  “Yes, just a few aches and pains but nothing serious,” Angela replied. “She was in here overnight but her parents took her home this morning.”

  “What time is it?” said Alex.

  “Almost five,” the doctor replied. “I think we can send you home. If you feel dizzy or anything like that, be sure to get to a clinic.”

  He turned to Angela.

  “I think he’ll be fine after a good night’s rest, but keep an eye on that head wound. We’ll need to see him again for a check-up in a couple of weeks. You can give us a call to set up an appointment once you know your schedule, no worries. If you can just stop by at the desk and complete the discharge paperwork.”

  The doctor left the room.

  “How did I get here?” asked Alex. “And where’s Dad?”

  “Luckily, a truck passing by found you and Stephanie unconscious in the car at the side of the road. They called an ambulance and the paramedics brought you here.”

  “But where’s Dad?” Alex repeated.

  “Like I said,” Angela replied, calmly. “We don’t know. The car keys were still in the ignition and his wallet was on the floor but there’s no sign of him. There are some police officers here, Alex. They’d like to talk to you before we go home.”

  “What about?”

  “Just some questions about what happened and if you remember anything. They already chatted with Stephanie earlier but she doesn’t recall anything after the car hit the tree.”

  Angela went over to the door and opened it. A male and a female police officer stepped inside.

  “Hello, Alex,” the woman said, smiling.

  She extended her hand and Alex shook it gently.

  “I’m Officer Marino, and this is Office Henderson.”

  Marino had short dark brown hair and kind brown eyes. Officer Henderson had short cropped black hair and wore a much more serious expression.

  “I’m glad you’re feeling a little better,” said Marino. “We won’t take up too much of your time. I’m sure you’re ready to go home.”

  “If you can just tell us a little more about what happened,” Henderson added. “Anything that might be of help in our investigation.”

  “Where’s my dad?”

  Officer Marino looked over at Angela, who nodded.

  “We don’t know, Alex,” replied Marino. “There’s no sign of him at the point on the road where the car was hit.”

  She glanced over at Angela again before continuing.

  “We think he may have been kidnapped.”

  “Kidnapped?” said Alex, in astonishment.

  “It’s just one of the leads we’re following,” said Henderson. “We spoke to Robert Castlewood earlier today. He agreed that, based on your dad’s recent work on some highly sensitive projects at Castlewood Dynamics, kidnapping’s a real possibility. Can you tell us what you remember about the accident?”

  “It was really raining hard, I remember that,” Alex began. “My dad could hardly see through the windshield. He’d just finished speaking to my mom on the phone.”

  “Were there any other cars or other vehicles around?” Henderson asked.

  Alex shook his head.

  “No, we didn’t see anyone on the road, but then another car came out of nowhere. It must have skidded on the wet road or something. It hit us from behind and my dad was trying to steer but then we hit that tree. I remember banging my head against the doorframe. I saw my dad wasn’t moving in the front seat.”

  “Do you remember seeing anyone else?” said Henderson.

  “I’m not sure,” Alex replied. “I was only half-awake. I think I saw some people with flashlights. I remember thinking that it must be someone who’d stopped to try and help. They opened my dad’s door and they were talking, but I don’t remember what they were saying.”

  “That might have been the people from the truck that found you or the paramedics,” said Marino

  “I think one of the voices was a woman’s, but I really don’t remember, sorry.”

  “That’s fine, Alex,” Marino replied. “I know this is difficult for you.”

  “Anything else?” asked Henderson.

  “No, that’s all. I blacked out after that until I woke up here.”

  “Thanks, Alex,” said M
arino, smiling at him once again. “And thanks, Mrs. Mitchell. This might be of help. If you think of something else, Alex, please get in touch.”

  She placed a business card on the table beside the bed.

  “We’ll be in contact, Mrs. Mitchell,” said Henderson, “about when you should come down to our office. Thank you again for all your cooperation at this difficult time.”

  “Thanks, Alex. Get well soon,” Marino added.

  She and Henderson left the room and headed down the hospital corridor.

  “Okay, let’s get you out of here,” said Angela. “I’ll go and fill out this paperwork while you get dressed. The front desk’s just outside—you’ll see it right away. I’ll wait for you, okay?”

  She gave Alex a brief hug and a peck on the cheek.

  “Get dressed and I’ll see you out there.”

  ONCE ANGELA HAD left the room and closed the door, Alex climbed out of bed. He was a little unsteady on his feet but attributed that to the fact that he’d been in bed for a while. He also figured he was probably still feeling the effects of medications and painkillers. Alex’s clothes were in the narrow closet, carefully hung there by Angela while he was sleeping. He quickly got dressed, taking care to pull the shirt over his head gently to avoid disturbing the dressing covering his wound.

  Once he was dressed, Alex looked at himself in the mirror. The dressing was quite small, and he hoped that the wound wasn’t that severe. His thick brown hair was a tangled mess, and in the absence of a comb or brush he smoothed it down with his hands as best he could. His blue eyes were remarkably bright although he had to admit he looked exhausted.

  Alex yawned as he reached for his shoes. He sat down on the bed, slipped his feet into his shoes, and tied the laces. He stood up and grabbed his jacket from the closet. With a final glance around the hospital room, Alex picked up the police officer’s card from the table. It had Officer Marino’s name, phone number, and email, as well as the crest of the local police department. Alex slipped the card into his wallet and went to meet Angela at the front desk.