"Deal with the Devil" - Reboot.exe - S1 Chapter 14.

## Deal With the Devil

Jenn

"Deal with the Devil" is the fourteenth chapter of season 1 of Reboot.exe. It was released on 27 March 2021 and is narrated by Dave.

## Synopsis

Out of character, Dave confirms the name of Oscar's company as "Amben Pharmaceuticals."

The police arrive, and begin scanning the area looking for the non-city member. Pr0 is lead into a back room where cloned bodies of multiple ages and sizes are being grown in vats. They are scanned, as is Pr0, and they all come up clean. Pr0 is not sure if this covers him being in the city, or just access to the pharmaceutical buildings, but regardless, the police leave, and Pr0 is taken into a back room to get properly dressed for the evening. Pr0 picks an outfit with Seb in mind, as he has been one of the only role models he has been able to cling to. Makeup is reapplied to his face, hiding all of the previous damage, as well as a new gauze bandage.

Seb talks to Oscar, and reveals that he has been approached by someone looking to spy on this conversation. Oscar is perplexed, and states that Amben more than likely wouldn't be implicated in this, due to the fact that all they do is make bodies - and this is an attack on Reboot.

Seb hands Oscar these listening devices, and in return, he hands them to Jeeves to be destroyed, and requests something of the other butler, Gerard. Gerard returns with another box of similar listening devices - and explains that a bargaining chip is still a bargaining chip, but you need to know when to put more cards in your hand. Oscar effectively gives Seb the right to spy on them.

Eve runs a quick diagnostic on Pr0 sensing that he's nervous. He admits that he is scared of what's going to play out tonight.

After a bit of awkward waiting, a modern day limousine pulls up. Seb quickly begins to run Pr0 through what will be happening that night. He describes a bit about Isaac and Persia, being a powerhouse couple as they balance each other out. They are the head of the Oceania business of Reboot - which is a relaunch of Isaac's parent's company, where it was started, but now has other locations across sea. The business started out as a technological company, but has now since developed into consciousness transfer. Reboot Corp got in contact with Amben, where Abmen was supplying all of the bodies that would eventually be rebooted.

Over the past few years, Reboot has started their own cloning process as they have reached an equivalent level that Amben has, and has stopped buying a large percentage of their supplies from Amben. However, Amben progressed far beyond what their previous standards where, as well as Reboot's currant ability by creating the Bespoke. These two companies merged and now have created an even better bespoke, with the mind transference.

Nyla is sitting in the limo looking at a data slate as the rest of them enter the limo. After an uneventful ride, they arrive at Docklands in Melbourne, and are taken to a private pier, and then onto a large yacht. After boarding, they are given free reign over the boat and to go where they please. Seb and Pr0 walk over to Oscar and Nyla at the bar, and Eve heads off onto the deck.

As Eve approaches the front of the boat, where there is someone with bright pink, short hair leaning over the front of the boat on their elbows. This person is incredibly athletic, and wearing yoga clothes. Eve decides to leave her alone, look around the deck of the yacht a bit more, before heading back to the bar.

Isaac and Persia eventually make their way down, and start their grand entrance. Isaac approaches Seb, and compliments his parent's work on making Seb look as good as he does now. He questions what he has been working on. Isaac then introduces himself to Pr0, who responds saying his name is Peter. Pr0 and Seb notice some mannerisms in him that are familiar, and a little "Ugly." Isaac suggests that they update Eve into a Reboot corp. drone as it can out preform Eve in almost every aspect.

Being seated at the table, their attention is drawn a little bespoke boy, no older than 14. Gold spun into his hair, and eyes a vibrant yellow. His eyes go from a tablet, to everyone else in the room, and then back to the tablet. After pressure from Isaac, the boy introduces himself as Uriel, his son. The pink haired bespoke lady returns, and is reveled as Gabby, their daughter.

In the meeting they begin discussing new plans for marketing Reboot, one of which being the reduced waste. If a bespoke doesn't come out exactly as planned, it will have to be disposed of - but this can be thwarted as the A.I. will be preforming the process, and eliminate the possibility of human error. This will in turn quadruple their profit, reduce their cost of production, and make Reboot slightly more obtainable.

Pr0 then asks about the future and long term of Reboot - how if the slums, and everyone outside the city collapses beneath them, that they won't be able to hold a profit anymore. Isaac quickly jumps in to say that lowering the barrier for entry for NuYou is going to be a great thing for the slums as the hope of possibly obtaining it will keep them from causing a social uprising.

Oscar begins talking about how Amben will hopefully be alongside Reboot, and this grand re-launch, saying that the human creativity and hand in creating the bespoke is an incredibly important touch, using Isaac's children as examples.

Pr0 interjects again, saying that they are acting like kings on their thrones, when instead, they could be Gods if instead they offered their support to the slums and making it that much more obtainable.

While this is being suggested, Eve takes notice of how incredibly perceptive Uriel is. He has watching Oscar and Nyla very closely. Eve is able to even take note of his emotions, sensing that Uriel wanted them to mention lowering the cost and making it more available to the slums. Uriel has been almost impossibly accurately recounting the entire engagement - which has been disguised as a simple tablet game.

Isaac listens to the suggestion heavily, and asks Seb for more information. He begins to explain that there are people in the slums that are worthy of being saved. That they have proven / are proving themselves to be beyond a victim of circumstance, and that Seb is incredibly good at finding these people. Isaac grows increasingly excited about this idea, and how they can somewhat rig the system to hand pick some slummers to receive NuYou to sell the dream to the other slummers. Isaac excitedly asks if there is anyone who's journey they can publicize and exploit for this new idea. Seb mentions Songbird - even lying about how she's going to choose this body she gets, but it has to be incredibly marketable.

Isaac announced that he had called this meeting to originally cut ties with Oscar and Nyla, but has put that aside now, to continue talking with Seb, and seeing what other ties he has that are able to be exploited.

\*A guide to who owns what\*

Oscar and Nyla (Seb's parents): Amben Pharmaceuticals. They produce the Bespoke, as well as clone and grow bodies to eventually be Rebooted.

Isaac and Persia (Uriel and Gabby's parents): Reboot Corporation. They produce NuYou as well as prosthetics and different drones.

-YHTris

## TL;DR

* The police arrive to Amben. Nothing is out of the ordinary, and Pr0 is successfully recognized as property of Amben
* Seb reveals to Oscar that he has been approached, and asked to spy on this conversation. Oscar takes those listening devices, and gives him some of their own.
* It is revealed that Amben and Reboot have been working together for a very long time, as Amben has been providing Reboot the bodies, but Reboot has been slowly phasing out the need for out of company bodies to keep the cost low.
* Upon meeting Isaac, Pr0 notices something familiar about his mannerisms, and that there is something "Ugly" in him.
* As the meeting is about to begin, Uriel and Gabby are introduced as Isaac and Persia's children who are both clearly bespoke, Uriel being a newer model, who is incredibly perceptive. As the conversations continue during the course of dinner, Eve spots Uriel tracking the conversation with impossible accuracy
* Isaac announces the new plans for Reboot will lower the production cost, eliminate the risk of waste that comes from imperfect bespoke, and slightly lower the barrier for entry of obtaining NuYou.
* Pr0 and Seb convince Isaac to bring NuYou to the slums, and Isaac agrees to this as it will be one of the largest publicity stunts that will get the slummers on his side that he can think of.
* Isaac asks Seb if he knows a candidate to exploit and make the dream a reality, and he mentions that he does know a girl that could use the "new opportunity" - referring to Songbird.
* Isaac agrees to this new venture excitedly, talking about how successful this exploitation is going to be for their company.

-YHT