Antitrust 2: The Return of NURV

[Writer]

(This is set two years after the events of the movie ‘Antitrust’. Add your characters using the format below and I’ll get the story started.)

 

Name: Danielle Richardson

Age: 27

Appearance: 5’ 3” tall, shoulder length black hair, blue-gray eyes

Status: programmer at NURV

Story: Two years after Synapse was ‘given back to the people it was stolen from’ former NURV CEO Gary Winston has been given another chance with his company. He has promised to rebuild his company the right way. He asked Milo Hoffman to join him, but Milo refused and Gary contacted one of Milo’s distant friends, Danielle Richardson. Danielle gladly went to work for the new and improved NURV. Then, Gary came to her with a problem he needed solved. People no longer trusted NURV to do anything for themselves. Gary wanted Danielle to come up with something big that would put people back into trusting NURV. She got to work on it and came out with two outstanding computer operating systems. With that, people began forgetting about Gary’s bad side.

 

(Ok people, get your characters in here and I’ll get the story started a little more.)

[jokemaster]

((I was beginning to wonder if I'm the only one here who had watched the movie))

Name: David Stern

Age: 27

Appearance: 5' 5'' tall, Dark brown hair, green eyes.

Status: Programer at NURV.

Story: A close friend of both Milo and Danielle, Milo asked him to take care of Danielle. He moved next door to her, and works at NURV with her.

[Mandalorian54]

What is antitrust?

[jokemaster]

It's a movie, kinda like the net. It's about a programer going to work for a Microsoft like company (NURV).

[Writer]

(I just want to remind you, NURV is now a smaller company than it used to be. Because of this, Gary gets involved a little more with the programmers that work for him.)

 

Danielle was sitting at her computer, trying to make sense of the code she had been writing. It was not going to work. She could see that much. But what was wrong with it? Or was something wrong with her?

 

She stretched and blinked her eyes. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that it was almost 6 AM and she had not had any sleep. Time for more coffee, she told herself.

 

As she stood up, she nearly ran into Gary. He always woke up and came in earlier than most of his employees, but Danielle had never known exactly what time he came in.

 

"I apologise," he said. "I didn't realize anybody was here."

 

"It was my fault," she said. "I wasn't expecting anybody and wasn't looking where I was going."

 

"How's it going?" he asked, peering at her computer. She shook her head.

 

"Not so well," she replied. "It doesn't make any sense."

 

Then she smiled. "I think I just learned the value of sleep."

 

Gary laughed and sat down at her computer. His eyes widened as he scrolled down over the code. "You're right. This doesn't make any sense."

 

He turned to look at her. "Why don't you get a few hours of sleep and then come back in. The others can take care of it until you get back."

 

Another programmer walked in. He greeted them cheerfully. "Hi Gary! Hi Danielle!"

 

Gary greeted him enthusiastically before turning back to Danielle who had gone back to her computer.

 

"Oh, no you don't," he said, pulling her chair away from the computer. He knelt down and saved her work, then turned off the computer. "Work on it some other time. You'll be much better after a couple of hours of sleep."

 

"You always win," she said, a smile crossing her face. "I'll be back soon."

 

Danielle walked out to her car and got in, pushing the seat back into a reclining position. Gary banged on the door.

 

"Go home to rest," he said. She sighed and pulled the seat forward again, put her foot on the clutch and started the car. Gary waved happily as she pulled away.

[jokemaster]

Back at Danielle's neighboorhood, David was getting up, he quickly got dressed and headed to his car. Once outside he saw Danielle arriving.

David: HEY! Pull an all-nighter again?

[Writer]

Danielle nodded. "Gary caught me this time."

 

Then, she laughed. "He wouldn't even let me rest in my car. Ordered me to come home. I'll see you again in a couple of hours."

[jokemaster]

David smiled as he went into his car, Milo would probably kill him if he found out Danielle was pulling all nighters. He pulled out of the driveway and headed for NURV.

[Writer]

Danielle was back at NURV no more than three hours later. She sat down at her computer and prepared to turn it on, but realized that it was already on. The code that she had been writing when she left was pulled up and made a lot more sense than it had that morning. Danielle looked at the ceiling.

 

"David, did you mess with my code?" she called.

 

"No, he didn't," a familiar voice said. "I did."

 

"I didn't think you wanted to help NURV, Milo," she said, turning to look at him. He shrugged.

 

"I'm helping you, not them," he said. She laughed.

 

"And I'm helping them," she replied. "In that case, you're helping me help them."

 

"Don't do that again," he said. His eyes burned into hers and she felt a little uncomfortable.

 

"Do what?" she asked.

 

"Don't work all night," he answered. Her smile returned.

 

"You used to do it," she smirked. "I bet you guys do it all the time."

 

"The only time I ever did that was when I still worked for NURV," he said. "And only then because I suspected something."

 

"Oh come on, Milo," she objected. "Gary's Synapse days are over. He's a much better person now."

 

"Oh, yes?" he growled. "Bad habits are hard to break. Place some cameras in his house next time you're over there. Moniter him. See exactly how much he's changed."

 

"You're crazy," she retorted. He shrugged.

 

"Just do it, Danni," he said. "See just how much your boss is changed."

 

Milo stood and headed out, but nearly ran into Gary. Gary's face lit up when he saw Milo.

 

"What a surprise, Milo," he said. Then, he smirked. "Couldn't keep yourself away, could you?"

 

"I was just leaving," Milo said icily. On his way out, he stopped where David was working.

 

"Keep a closer eye on her," Milo told David. "If she doesn't plant cameras in Gary's house, you do it. I smell a rat."

 

Then, he straightened and walked out.

[jokemaster]

David grinned at Milo's instructions, if there was something he liked to do, it was planting cameras. He quickly went back to work, and found himself going over to Danielle's computer

"You got the icon problem solved yet" He said, while passing her a note saying "are you going to plant the cameras?"

[Writer]

Danielle shook her head at David's question and then looked at the note. She looked sharply at David and shook her head firmly. She bent over the note and scribbled a response. Then, she crumpled the paper and tossed it back to him.

 

"I'll tell you why not later," the note said. "After work."

 

Then she tossed her head, causing her black ponytail to whip around and hit her in the face. Calmly brushing it out of the way, she went back to work.

[jokemaster]

David also went back to work. He managed to solve a few of the smaller problems while there. He also kept his eye on Danielle, he hoped she wouldn't pull an all-nighter again.

[Writer]

After work, Danielle met up with David as they walked to their cars. Danielle wasn't sure how Milo had found out that she was staying up all night, but she wasn't about to test him.

 

"I'm not the type of person who would spy on somebody," she finally told David. "Besides, didn't you hear about Milo's Building 21 infiltration faliure? If Gary and his people could figure out what Milo was doing, they could sure as heck figure out that Gary's house has been bugged."

 

She walked on for a moment, then turned her eyes on him. "What did he tell you as he walked out? Milo, I mean."

[jokemaster]

"To tie you to the bed tonight and make sure you don't go to work in the middle of the night."

[Writer]

"Whatever," she shrugged. "You're a liar and I know it. What did he really say? I mean it now. If you don't tell me, I'll tie you to your bed so you can't get to work in the morning."

[jokemaster]

David shrugged.

"OK, he just said to keep an eye on you. Make sure nothing happens."

[Writer]

Danielle shrugged. "What's to look out for? I know how to take care of myself."

 

Before David could respond, Gary called out to them. They turned around and waited for him.

 

"I just wanted to invite you two to a party at my house," he said. "We're celebrating NURV's recovery from my bad choices. It's on Friday night at 7:30. Can you come?"

 

Danielle thought about it for a while. Then she smiled. "I would love to."

[jokemaster]

David: Sure, just let me change clothes

David was wearing the typical first shirt and pants you can grab from your closet.

[jokemaster]

((I'm having surgery today and I'll be gone for a while, I'd appreciate it if anyone could control my character.))

[Writer]

Danielle laughed and bonked David lightly on the head. "You might need a little sleep. Friday's tomorrow."

 

Gary laughed. "Tomorrow, David."

 

"Right," David replied, smacking his own head. "See you both tomorrow at work."

 

He turned to walk to his car and vaguely motioned to Danielle to follow him. She waved to Gary and he smiled and went back inside.

 

"This is our chance to place the cameras," David whispered when Danielle caught up with him. Danielle frowned.

 

"Enjoy yourself," she said. "I'm not doing it. I'll moniter them with you, but I'm not placing them."

 

She turned to her car. "No, I'm not even going to moniter them."

 

She got in her car and drove away. David sighed and followed her. He knew he'd have to convince her to see the footage if Milo's suspicion was right.

[jokemaster]

((OK, I'm back.))

David arrived home and collapsed on his bed, he was going to need his rest for the party. He fell asleep in moments.

[Writer]

Danielle couldn't sleep that night. Her mind kept chewing on Milo's words, "See just how much your boss has changed."

 

She hated him for saying such a thing, but hated herself for even considering its truth. She tossed and turned until she fell asleep.

 

((I'll not be here for a couple of weeks. See you when I get back.))

[Writer]

The next day, Danielle tried to act as if it was the same as always, just another day at work, but she couldn't get Milo's comment out of her head. She kept at her work, but couldn't help but be distracted. When the time came to get ready for the party, she left NURV and went home, leaving the code with only a few additions and modifications to it.

 

When she got to Gary's house, he welcomed her with a smile. She returned his smile and went in. He commented on her dress, which was deep blue and really brought out the blue in her eyes. She was the first person to get there and so Gary talked to her about her progress on the software.

 

"It's really been a hard day today," she said. "I just haven't been able to concentrate."

 

"Is there a reason?" he asked. "Or are you just not paying as much attention as you should?"

 

"I don't know," she replied. "I think something's bothering me, but I just don't know what."

 

But she did know. She was being bothered by the thoughts of what Milo had said and what David was planning to do that night. She knew that she shouldn't tell Gary what was going on, but she was having a hard time with it. She trusted Gary and hated to think that anybody might not.

 

Another ring from the doorbell jolted her out of her thoughts. Gary went to answer it.

[jokemaster]

The person at the door was David, he saw that only Danielle and Gary were there and joked "Did I get the wrong date again?" He began to chat it up with Gary, and the other guests started to arrive, once about an hour went past, he went out to the bathroom. Or so he stated. In fact he took out a bag of cameras smaller than a fingernail and began installing them in corners of every room, giving them a view of the entire house. He also installed them directly in fron of monitors for a clear view of every computer. Once he was installing the last one, in a dark room with the lights off, a gaurd discovered him. "Hey you!" Said the guard. David made a break for it, knowing the gaurd had seen his face. The gaurd drew his gun and shot twice, one bullet missed and one grazed David's leg. David saw that it was slightly bleeding, though none of the blood was on the floor. It didn't hurt a lot, which meant he was still a bit in shock. He returned to the bathroom, and exited it as if though he had been in there, while going down the stairs he purposely tripped and fell a bit. After he told everyone "I'm OK" He approached Danielle and told her "Old injury just flared up, I have to go home." and headed to his car.

[Writer]

Danielle nodded, but inside she was rolling her eyes. The only injury David had ever had was a broken arm. She knew him well enough to know that. He had almost been caught planting cameras. To help him out, she feigned sympathy.

 

"Are you gonna be okay?" she asked. Gary appeared to feel the same.

 

"If you get it back under control within an hour, please come back," he said. "We'll be sad to lose you right now."