The day he dreaded had arrived. Another step toward swallowing his pride, if he had any left.
The day he could possibly turn his life around.
Having shaved thoroughly, showering 4 times, cologne, deodorant, and brushed his teeth twice, how much cleaner could he get?
Entro grabbed his coat and left his apartment. The only place he could wallow without judgment.
Stepping into the outside world, it was bright and loud, far outside of his daily comfort.
Lights flooded his peripheral as he walked towards his destination with his head down.
He would've preferred to leave at night when it was nice and quiet, but his appointment was at noon.
The streets bustled with life, children laughing, couples chatting, the occasional flash of luxury cars. Entro ducked his head, his coat pulled tight, as if the happiness surrounding him might rub off. Not that anyone came close enough.
Entro only needed to make the two-mile journey, finish his appointment, and hurry back to his home, where all would be quiet and comfortable.
Amidst his commute to a disguised interrogation, since that's all interviews really were, pedestrians avoided him like a plague . Clutching their children and purses they made a wide circle around him, or crossed the street should traffic allow it.
Why wouldn't they?
He looked like a pitiful escaped inmate; he had let himself go in recent years.
However, Entro had long gotten used to the way he was treated publicly; no point in crying over spilled milk.
As he approached his destination, casual strollers became sparse in population, opting for luxury cars and limos. Buildings transformed from apartments to high rise houses and skyscrapers with robotic appendages attached to every structure, allowing for fully automated accommodations like clean windows. Any individuals caught walking, primarily to flaunt their environmental awareness, wore opulent clothes and jewelry made from the same animals they claimed to be saving.
This only made Entro, in his greasy jeans and fleece jacket, stand out even further; not wanting any more trouble than he already dealt with, he sped up his pace.
One thing was certain: The wealthier the area, the more 'Voldstadt Industries' branding he saw, boiling his blood under his skin.
It took him slightly over 10 minutes to arrive, in front of a strip of futuristic buildings with excessive traffic coming in and out.
The entire complex was far ahead of its time. Humanoid robot servants directed traffic, handled security, answered questions for newcomers, and even recognized people who were previously kicked out attempting to sneak back in.
Entro entered through the main portion with a giant sign that read Voldstadt Enterprises.
'They could've changed the name, at least,' he thought bitterly.
Waiting in line to speak with a male robot outfitted in a suit and tie, Entro looked for changes to the area since he last found his way in here.
There were a few notable differences, corners of the room were obviously repurposed from larger projects to simple, he recognized repainted shapes in the wall, suggesting an object that protected the paint from wear and tear.
The robot's movements were more sluggish, less efficient, and more often than not they would have delayed reactions. Whoever headed these were not familiar with their inner workings and on the back of most, they were weld lines, as if someone cut into them and then sealed the hole created, an effort was obviously made.
Even the one he was attempting to speak with would slur its speech every 5th sentence, something everyone else didn't seem to react to. It wasn't right, such complex and beautiful creations should never be reduced to broken parts that run at minimum efficiency.
Once it was his turn, Entro conveyed his intentions with a hurried tone.
"I'm here for an appointment with the board of directors"
"Please state yurth name"
Unluckily, Entro landed on the 5th sentence uttered since the last conversation ended
"Entro."
"Your name is not down for any appointments."
That was odd, he was sure that when he scheduled the appointment, he used his name.
"Try again, Entro."
"Invalid."
"Deep search database, Entro."
"Invalid."
"Scour database, Entro."
"Invalid."
The people behind him in line were getting impatient now.
"Hey pal, can you stop holding up the line? If you're not supposed to be here, then don't be here, we have things to do!"
"Entro, appoinment."
"Invaleeed..."
Entro knew the problem, regarding why his name wasn't in the database, they couldn't let him live in peace.
"Deep search database, Entropy" he repeated, his voice strained. When the android slurred its reply, Entro clenched his fists, nails digging into his palms.
"Hello Mr. Entropy, I see you have an appointment today. I am calling over an assistant android to guide you to where you're needed, hang tight."
They couldn't just let me show up without some insult, could they? Leaning in, he muttered the override command, his voice like a scalpel cutting into the android's command system.
"Data recall 86, revert to file save 4, command key; Emperor's Will"
Immediately, the lights emitting from it's body dimmed for a second.
Once they came back on, they changed from their initial green hue to a bright and beautiful blue, and the demeanor of the android was vastly different.
Its behaviors devolved into that of a curious child, interested in everything it could see and everyone it saw.
"Hello, what is your name?"
Seeing the humanlike curiosity in the android's eyes broke something in Entro. Memories he tried hard to suppress surfaced.
Memories of being back in his workshop, finishing project after project with a smile on his face. Personally cultivating their personalities into something just as complex as any human being. Watching them take different directions, interests, talents, dislikes and favorites.
It wasn't a job for him, it was a passion, through his work, his understanding of people improved.
Pleased with the help he just did in programming their androids, Entro followed the one constantly gesturing for him to follow toward the back of the building.
Here, things were far less flashy and fancy, which indicated it was not for public access under normal circumstances.
The walls weren't painted as consistently, nor were the floors as spotless.
There were many large inventions scattered about while individuals with lab coats appeared to be closely investigating them, with a few small ones cordoned off with caution tape; the entire place looked like a maze turned into a warehouse.
He passed a display case holding a prototype he had designed years ago, the plaque beneath it crediting someone else entirely. His jaw tightened, but he kept walking
But Entro and his escort did not stop at any of the displayed contraptions, continuing deeper into the rear end of the company building, it didn't take them long to arrive at the doors of a board room.
"Your meeting is through those doors, if you ever need any more assistance, please let me know."
The android did a bit of a bow.
"Alright"
Once given the verbal command that it was free from its task, the android dismissed itself and disappeared towards the direction they had just come from.
'Okay Entro, keep your temper under management'
Stepping through the double doors, Entro mentally steadied himself for whatever they threw his way.
"Leave and wait for us to call you in."
'Huh?'
Although it took him a second to interpret the words, his body was already walking back out of the door, driven by pure embarrassment.
He could hear the snickers and chuckles as he shut the doors behind him. Once they closed, several voices could not hold their laughter back.
"The great Entropy, obeying orders like a scolded puppy, who would have thought," one voice exclaimed.
"How does one have the entire world in their hands and allow themselves to be reduced to such a pitiful state, I would have killed myself if it was me!"
Nearly the entire room burst into hysterics, it took several minutes before they all calmed down and donned their professionalism once more.
"Come in, Mr Entropy"
Especially humiliated, having heard everything from outside of the door, Entro approached the table boldfaced and with a neutral expression.
"I'm here about the job offer you extended me; I would like to know the terms of my employment and my wage."
He noticed a few looks of triumph getting passed across the room as their terms were explained by a rotund big wig sitting at the head of the table.
"As blunt and straight to the point as always Entropy, glad to see you haven't changed. To be brief, Forty years," the rotund man said, sliding the contract across the table. "A generous term, don't you think? After all, where else would you go?" The others chuckled; their smiles venomous.
Entro stared at the paper, his hands itching to rip it in half, but instead, he reached for the pen.
Entro gritted his teeth as he was handed a contract stating he would be working, exclusively bound to the company, for the next 40 years.
The pay alone was insulting; before he made his debut, most geneticists could make $35 an hour. After his rise to fame, more money was being invested into science than ever before, raising the average to $48 minimum.
They didn't bother offering half of that.
Normally, anyone in this situation would scoff at this contract and walk away, but Entro didn't have a choice. Every single job he tried to get ahold of, the employer would excitedly discuss a high position plus incredible pay, only to get back to him later that they wouldn't be hiring him.
Nobody would even take him for a job working as a cashier.
He wasn't stupid.
Entro had a strong suspicion. This contract that left no room for discussion and gave no benefit towards him in the slightest, the sneers around the room, the looks of triumph. Everyone had something to do with his present condition, all to trap him in this contract for the rest of his life and profit off of his labor, it was detestable.
He signed it, and just like that, his future was gone, not in flames, but cold and icy poof. Forever to remain, forgotten and unwanted by anyone.
"Thank you for your cooperation. There will be an android waiting outside to take you to see your workspace and you will begin tomorrow, you're dismissed."
As Entro turned to leave, he heard someone loudly clearing their throat. Dismissing it at first, he kept walking, only for it to resound louder this time.
Knowing it must be someone signaling him, but not wanting to stay here any longer, he faced the table of pompous bastards once more to assert their intention.
"I said, you are dismissed."
Entro, on a normal occasion, was very capable of concealing his emotions. This, however, boiled the pot over before he could get a lid on it.
Entro's fists clenched at his sides. He didn't trust himself to speak, but the rotund man cleared his throat again, louder this time. "Yes, sir," he spat through gritted teeth, each word like acid on his tongue. The room erupted in laughter as he turned to leave, his jaw set tight...
Without waiting for a response or reaction, Entro left and slammed the door shut behind him.
Knowing they couldn't antagonize him too much on the first day, the board members ignored it.
Outside, Entro stomped after an android leading him to where he would be working his life away for the next 4 decades.
Forty years. They'd won the battle, but they'd made one mistake, thinking they'd won the war: they'd be lucky to get forty days out of him.
Entro followed the android, his mind already working through ways to tear their empire down from the inside.
Within a few short minutes, he was standing at the entrance of where he was supposed to waste his life away for years on end.
The lab was a shadow of what it once was, cluttered, chaotic, and stifling. Entro stared at the mess.
"Oh no," he muttered softly.