The Red Men by Matthew De Abaitua Read Free Book Online Page A

very important for all of us.’
    ‘Yes?’
    ‘I want permission for my red man to take control of one of the Dr Easy robots.’
    ‘Wait there.’ Florence opened up a channel for Morton Eakins to listen in.
    ‘You know that is out of the question.’
    ‘But is it, though?’
    The Dr Easy avatars were all under the control of the Cantor intelligence. It would have to give permission for a red man to take control of one of the robots. Cantor was very sensitive about
crossing that particular line. Monad had to use its advantage discreetly. That was the deal. So long as the weirdness stayed under the aegis of a corporation, people would accept it. Otherwise the
mob would come with flaming torches and burn us alive. Florence quoted this for Alex Drown’s benefit. To her credit, Alex kept her temper at bay.
    ‘Is Morton listening to this?’ she inquired.
    ‘I am,’ he said.
    ‘Let me explain my reasoning. Our applications for the red men have been devised from a very male perspective. The red men are modelled on masculine desire. They offer a version of
yourself that is harder and faster. A power fantasy. We’re missing a major market here. Women’s needs. It only struck me once I had a child. There are now two versions of me: the mother
and the manager. Reconciling these respective duties is impossible. Sure I could get help. A nanny. Au pair. Nursery. But what if my red man could look after my child while I went to work? I would
be free of the guilt which comes from having another woman raise my child. Do you see, Morton? This could open a whole new revenue stream for us in childcare. The Dr Easys are soft and yielding.
Cantor designed them to be comforting and familiar, to be a shoulder for mankind to cry on. If my red man is given permission to inhabit a Dr Easy, then I know the person looking after my child has
all the maternal feelings that I do.’
    ‘Legal minefield,’ said Morton.
    ‘Its an awful lot of money to pay for a baby-sitter,’ added Florence.
    ‘Do you have children, Florence?’ asked Alex. ‘I am guessing not. OK. Let’s flip it,’ she continued. ‘Look at this way: how about I stay at home and look
after my child while my red man uses the Dr Easy to attend meetings, mainly the ones in the evening, when I’m doing nothing more than taking clients out for cocktails?’
    This was Alex Drown’s genius, pushing a point of view, selling the brand. She always got her own way. Here was a classic bait-and-switch. She had no intention of letting her red man look
after her baby. That was just misdirection. This was what she really wanted.
    ‘Monad promises to lighten the load of the modern executive. That load is not just about mining and presenting data. It’s also a problem of presence. These days we all need to be in
two places at once. Sometimes a face on a screen is not enough. It’s about relationships. Actually being there. Come on, Morton, all I am asking is that the board put it to Cantor. If it
works out, I’ll cut you in on the credit. Not saying “no” to an idea can be as important as having the idea yourself.’
    A meeting was called. Management still relished their places around the mature cherrywood boardroom table when it came to the weighty decisions. Screens and conference calls were acceptable for
thinking on the fly. Due consideration required the presence of natural materials of a heft and weight befitting their responsibilities. Alex Drown submitted her proposal. It made business sense.
That was not the debate. The question was how to persuade Dr Ezekiel Cantor to allow it, for management was still in the dark concerning the motivations of the artificial intelligence. You do not
challenge the goose as to why it lays golden eggs; you merely provide it with a pleasant environment to continue its profitable ovulation.
    Embodied by a Dr Easy, Cantor rose at the end of Alex Drown’s presentation then paced the cavernous underground boardroom to show the