The investigation was not going well. Posing as a magazine interviewer, Dawn had talked her way into the office of the matronly CEO of Nexus Software Solutions, a data management company that was both a contractor and a competitor of Midas. From this nearly as loft perch, there was quite a good view of Midas tower.
“You seem awfully young to be a journalist,” Mildred O’Dell said. Dawn squirmed in the simulated leather chair.
“It’s the newest thing in avatars,” she said. It was not a particularly good lie.
“Is it?” Mildred said, and pushed a button on her desk.
The City: 069: Mildred
January 1, 2015
Free Fiction, The City 140 Characters, Dawn, Drabble, Mildred, The City, The Daytrippers Leave a comment
The City: 030: Paulo
November 7, 2014
Free Fiction, The City 140 Characters, Dawn, Drabble, Ingmar, Paulo, The City, The Daytrippers, Xue Leave a comment
Paulo nodded at the American punk girl.
Do you think the one has to do with the other? Is Midas screwing with the trains to manipulate the market?
Xue shook her head.
Too expensive. Midas owns too much of The City to wreck it’s productivity.
Maybe a rival? Ingmar offered.
The timings too close. The announcement about the trains came before the sale.
I got a peek at the meeting. The new CEO’s avatar looked weird.
Weird how?
I don’t know. Out of sync. Kind of creepy.
I’ll look into it. Paulo offered. He was always trying to impress Dawn.
The City: 029: Nora
November 6, 2014
Free Fiction, The City 140 Characters, Dawn, Drabble, Hiro, Nora, The City, The Daytrippers Leave a comment
Nora frowned after the cat and sat down on the bench next to Hiro. She furiously typed into her messenger. Between the six of them, they spoke ten languages, but there was not one they all shared fluently. So they typed, and used translations to be understood.
Paulo and I had an awful time getting here. The trains are all shut down. Nora wrote.
A woman got hit by one. Hiro replied.
Impossible.
Is it? Dawn typed. Or is it just so unlikely that it never happened before? The Man sold out and the trains stop. No such thing as coincidence.
The City: 028: MacBeth
November 5, 2014
Free Fiction, The City 140 Characters, Drabble, The Cheshires, The City, The Daytrippers Leave a comment
MacBeth the Cat sunned himself on an outer wall of Osaka Castle. He enjoyed the spot because it was always warm and sunny during the day, and there were many small birds and squirrels to chase. Below him, a crowd of humans, teenagers, he noted, was gathering. Lazily, he cataloged and recorded their identities and conversation. He wasn’t listening, but the recording went on automatically. A pair of additional humans climbed the steps and joined the group. A female, identified as Nora O’Reilly, location: Donegal, Ireland, reached up a hand to pet him. He hissed, and bounded into the grass.
Hugh J. O'Donnell 