November 1, 2007
“The plan is working.”
Zark Muckerberg looked at his desktop screen. He was right. It was. He turned around to look at his friend Beff Jezos who stood there smiling, his smile sinister, reminding him of the clown from IT. Other than his creepy smile, his large head was oval shaped and his ears were elongated and pointy. To Zark, Beff Jezos looked like a mix between Humpty Dumpty and Dumbo.
“Yes it is. You were right. Making our users sign up for Terms and Conditions was a brilliant idea. No one ever reads what it says.”
“Exactly. Now we just wait and watch the numbers, watch them go up and up and up. More users agreeing to the Terms and Conditions of BookFace and Nile.”
Then Beff laughed, his laugh wheezy but sinister. A chill went down Zark’s spine. Zark turned back to the computer, scanning the screen, watching the numbers increase incrementally. He smiled. It was only a matter of time.
“It’s only a matter of time”, Beff said as if reading his mind. “Before every single person will have agreed to our Terms and Conditions and then we will have complete control of the world.”
Then he laughed again, his laugh taking over the room. Zark joined in and laughed with him. He knew, soon they would have control over all humans and then they could do whatever they wanted with them.
Chapter One
Gill Bates chopped up the last of the wood and placed it in his wheelbarrow to take back to the cabin. He needed the firewood. It was going to be yet another frosty evening. Looking up he could see the sky darkening. It would be night soon.
Gill pulled up his balaclava over his face to keep out the cold and began guiding the wheelbarrow down to the cabin, pushing it through the slippery trail, his dog Scruffles clambering on behind him.
After a couple minutes he reached the edge of the cabin where he stopped the wheelbarrow and parked it to the side. He then grabbed three pieces of firewood and carried them inside the cabin, pushing the door open with his foot. With a thud he dropped the firewood by the door and walked into his home.
He removed his jacket and balaclava, feeling his rough beard with his hands, enjoying the feel of it. He hadn’t shaved in a while.
He hadn’t been living here long. Only a few months. But he enjoyed the solitude, the peacefulness. It had been two years since he had sold half his company Softmicro. The year was now 2020. The world had changed drastically in the last two years, the technology heightened, but he shut it all out. He didn’t care for any of that anymore. He was done with that life.
He walked into his kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee, sipping at it slowly, cautiously. He had all the time in the world. He could enjoy his cup, whilst in the past he would gulf it down as quickly as possible.
He pondered his previous life. Decades ago he had created Softmicro and it had become one of the most successful companies in the world. But then enough was enough. He grew tired of it, the long hours, the stress, the constantly improving technology which was sometimes immoral and made Gill feel guilty.
It was as if it had all been a dream, as if the last forty years had not even existed. He wished they hadn’t in a way. This world, this peacefulness was so much calmer.
He lived in a cabin half an hour away from downtown Seattle in the forests and the trees. It was not far away enough. Gill sighed and picked up a book and began reading, a book on the dangers of technology oddly enough. He began to understand what so many people had been afraid of.
As he took another sip he suddenly heard a beeping sound. Surprised, he set his cup and book down and began walking towards the source of the sound. It was emanating from his bedroom. He walked into his bedroom, the sound now louder and shriller.
He listened for the beeping and noticed the sound from behind him. He turned around and looked into his closet. Then he knew.
Quickly he opened the closet and opened up the box containing the first ever Softmicro computer developed by IBM. He pulled it out and the beeping sound stopped, as if relieved that Gill had found it.
To Gill’s surprise the computer was on. It had somehow turned on. He placed the computer on the floor where it suddenly made some mechanical sounds. Then the incredible happened. There was a voice. A voice talking to him.
“Gill? Gill? Can you hear me?”
Gill’s went pale. It couldn’t be. That voice. How could it be? That man had died years ago.
It was Jeve Stobs.
“Gill if you’re hearing me, this is an urgent message. The world is in danger. You need to save it. Zark Muckerberg and Beff Jezos have taken control of all humans.” There was a pause as the computer stalled and made a momentary mechanical sound before continuing.
“They made all users sign the Terms and Conditions and then they changed the details of them. And now they have complete control of all humans. They’ve created an army. There isn’t a single human alive who has not agreed to the terms and conditions. You’re humanity’s last hope.”
This couldn’t be happening. This couldn’t be true. Humanity’s last hope.
“Gill they will come for you too. You need to save the world before it’s too late.”
And then there was a gurgling sound and the recording cut off. Then the IBM computer short circuited, the electrodes and elements being destroyed, the computer nearly exploding in his hands. Suddenly Gill knew what he had to do. He had to save the world.
Chapter Two
Gill knew what he had to do, how he could save the world. There was a way. Quickly he grabbed his things, told Scruffles he would be back and then hurried out the door.
He jumped into his jeep and began driving. He had to drive to Seattle. That’s where they would be. It wasn’t too far. But first he had to go to his former Softmicro headquarters. He needed to do some things. They would let him in. They knew him well enough.
He hurried over to the Softmicro headquarters, entering through security without even a blink. They knew him like he knew they would. The security guard at the gate looked him up and down, then smiled and waved him through enthusiastically as if he were rounding third base in game seven of the World Series.
He walked into his old office, relieved to see that it had been left untouched. Quickly he logged onto his computer and began entering the data he needed to do. Quickly, efficiently, he entered the code, tapping, and clicking until his fingers hurt. This was the only way he could save humanity.
After an hour of intensive work, he was finally done. He headed back onto the road. Now he just needed to confront Zark Muckerberg and Beff Jezos.
He remembered them all right. Zark, his smug slimy looking face. He always had that smug, arrogant look like he knew better than everyone else.
And then of course there was Beff. He could never forget that creepy smile, those hideously long ears, that oval shaped ball head. The thought made him nauseous.
He shrugged off the thoughts. He would have to encounter them. Then he could think about their ugly faces.
Finally Gill reached downtown Seattle. It was eerily quiet. No cars were out, no pedestrians walking. He drove his jeep, following the quiet road until he reached the Nile company headquarters. He hurriedly parked the car outside the building and exited the car.
“Well well well if it isn’t Gill Bates. We were hoping you’d show up.”
Gill knew that voice. He turned around. It was Beff Jezos. Next to him stood Zark Muckerberg. Both had smug looks on their faces.
“You’re too late. We have control over all people. They have agreed to the Terms and Conditions of our services and now we own them.” Then he smiled. Gill did really hate that smile.
“This plan has been in the making for a long time Gill”, Zark said. “Now we have finally accomplished it and you can’t stop us. You’re too late. The world is ours.”
“You two amuse me. Did you just thing I couldn’t reverse the plans?”
Their expressions changed dark, confused, as if unsure what Gill meant. It was Beff who finally broke the silence.
“You’re too late Gill.” There was a shift in his voice, as if fearful but trying to keep it together.
Beff then took out his phone and pressed some buttons. Then he placed his phone back in his pocket and smiled.
“You’re too late Gill. Now you’re going to die. I’ve sent our people on you. They’re on their way.”
“Is that so? Well let me just say Beff, that Zark seems to have forgotten that I still have a 1.6% share of BookFace.”
“What is he talking about”? Beff roared at Zark.
Zark had gone pale and was shaking. Gill smiled at his discomfort.
“What that means, Beff, is that I have some control over BookFace and having control means that I was able to access the files and change the Terms and Conditions so that, should we say, it’s more convenient for humanity’s sake.”
“What have you done Zark”? he screamed. “Let’s go. We have to leave!”
“Not so fast.”
Gill heard the sounds before they arrived. The people. Arriving in numbers. Angry. Angry at Beff and Zark for manipulating them so easily.
“I must say”, Gill said. “You two disappoint me.”
With that the crowd slowly surrounded themselves around Beff and Zark, slowly closing in on them.
“Wait Gill please! I beg you. Don’t do this. We messed up.”
“Sorry. You’ll see what it’s really like to control the people.”
And with that he turned and walked away, relieved to save the world from the villains Zark Muckerberg and Beff Jezos. As he departed away he was left with the desperate screams from the two evil geniuses.
