FB: Chapter 15 – Best Friend Bethany

I looked at my former best friend sitting across the table from me. She had come up all the way to upstate New York to see me. Thankfully she had let me know ahead of time. She asked to stay with me. I had arranged an AirBnB room for three nights instead. I tried not to be judgmental, since from her perspective we were quite close, while I had ten years to grow more distant.

“I was getting worried about you. Locked up all day,” Bethany said.

“It is my job, Beth. I take it seriously.” We were at a coffee shop, and I was enjoying some tea and a puff pastry.

“Hmm. I heard you made it big. Paying for my room, having your own home. Remember when we used to chat about how we would travel and be rich,” Beth said. I nodded at this and quietly ate my pastry. “Now you made it. Come on. We should travel around the world, live a bit.” I shook my head at this statement.

“Sorry, but that isn’t in the cards for me. I have to get to sleep in a few hours to be up for my session tomorrow,” I replied.

“Is Exponential really that good?” Beth asked me while leaning back in her chair. I wouldn’t call her a cow, since that would be rude. Instead, she was the type of girl that the guys liked to look at. While her shirt was a bit tight on purpose, it was on the more conservative side for what she liked to wear. She was clearly making an effort not to appear completely shameless. We had done gymnastics together growing up, hence the friendship. I was too jaded and a bit too different after all the extra years I had experienced to still like her as a close friend. Still, there was a part in my heart that cared for her and what had been lost.

“It is that good. I believe Exponential is the future.” She let out a hum and smiled at me. I had changed too much and forgotten about her. It was hard to reconnect. I was mentally a much older adult. This was a major downside of traveling to the past.

“Then hire me. I know other people are doing that. I considered it myself, but I don’t want some skeevy nerd perving on me,” Beth replied. I considered that option. She was a friend, even if an unreliable one. If I did bring her on, it would be the first step towards forming a guild. I had toyed with the idea, but I just didn’t have the time to invest into something like that right now.

“You won’t be playing with me, and you will be locked into a contract if I am paying for a capsule. Half of everything you earn would go to me for one year. After that we can renegotiate, but you would be locked into a non-compete, non-guild clause for a year following if you quit without approval,” I explained. Bethany looked thoughtful for a bit enjoying her latte.

“Why wouldn’t I be playing with you? We could team up. You could show me the ropes?” she asked. I shook my head.

“I am playing solo and prefer it that way. I don’t have time to hand hold you. In about a year from now, I will be looking to start up a guild and would love you to be a part of that if you are interested. At the moment though, I need to focus on developing my character,” I explained.

“Isn’t half a bit much?” she asked with a pout.

“No. With how expensive a capsule is, it is fair. I am also not requiring you to earn a specific amount or how you have to earn money. So, if you can figure out a way to make a lot more, well then you make more,” I said.

“What if I can earn enough to pay for a capsule myself?” she asked.

“If after a year you want to go off on your own, that is fine. It isn’t easy to succeed in Exponential as one might think. But that is the basics of the offer if you are interested,” I told her. I could use some side income. It would cost about 3 gold coins, or 600,000 dollars to set up the basics for her. But I could see starting a professional guild in time. Beth would be a great recruiter, but I needed to see if she could handle being on her own first.

For 10 gold coins or 20,000,000 dollars I could have a capsule apartment complex built. Just rooms with a capsule and a cot with a shared living room and kitchen. It would cost 300 dollars per square foot. Each room would require about 200 square feet. Very small, but doable. Hallways and bathrooms would add another 100 square feet per room. A common area would be 900 square feet. With an elevator and everything else, I could easily fit in 200 capsules at that price.

Well, I would set up Beth first and then arrange for the construction. It would be a large investment and strain my finances. It would take a year to build, and the capsules needed would cost 100,000,000 dollars or 50 gold coins at the current market rates. Which meant even more money.

I could afford this along with my descent plan, but then I would have no money afterwards. Still, having a dedicated force would allow me to reach heights I was incapable of reaching on my own.

“Hmm, fine keep your secrets. I am interested. Waitressing is going to be the death of me.” We had been on the gymnastics team together and we had both been cheerleaders. She had been fun to hang out with, but now I had other priorities instead of partying. Beth had too much energy in her to sit still. While we had drifted apart later on in high school as she focused more on boys than on her studies. Also, this meant she could live rent free for a year. I knew she would accept.

“Where to set up your capsule,” I muttered, thinking over the situation.

“Why not your house?” she asked. I liked having a dedicated internet line for myself. It was critical for how I was fighting. I needed that bandwidth for the smooth flow of movement. Also, Bethany would be a terrible roommate and would distract me.

“Then we are drawing up ground rules. If you break them, you will get one warning and then kicked out. No guests. No touching my capsule or setup. You clean up after yourself and purchase your own food. No eating mine. No leaving dishes in the sink or to do later. I am serious Beth. I will have an agreement drawn up, and if you mess around, you are out,” I told her.

“Don’t worry. It will be great!” she said and got up to give me a hug. I couldn’t get angry with her. She had a kind heart even if she was a lot to handle. That was why I liked her. I also knew this was a potential disaster in the making, but Beth brought good vibes.

“Alright. Let’s go to a lawyer and get it all settled.”

“Wait, why do we need a lawyer?” Beth asked me.

“To write up the contract for you staying in my house and for working for me in Exponential.” I could upload a contract online and QAI would take it into account. It was common practice years later. I mentally shuddered at the contract I had signed for my employer in the past.

“A bit weird, but okay! This is going to be amazing. Thanks, you really are the best friend I could ask for.”

“Thanks Beth, sorry if I am so serious, but my work is stressful and long. Once I am done with my beginner town, we can hook up in game. Won’t be for a while though.”

“Now I am really curious what you are up to.” I was going to include a non-disclosure agreement as well.

After our meal, it was easy enough to find a lawyer and throw money at them to get something simple typed up and then notarized. They probably thought I was on a lark, but the work agreement was standard in the future. The housing agreement was more complicated, but I made sure that it was noted the capsule would be my property and access could be cut at will.

Once everything was signed with multiple copies, I placed a platinum capsule order on my phone. Then we went to my house. “What’s with all the flood lights, cameras, and super fence?” Beth asked after I pulled in the driveway.

“Security and to keep people away. Grab your suitcase, I will show you to your room. The pass code is 87651 and a key is needed as well.”

“That is way too long,” Beth said.

“Just count down from 8 and then skip to 1 for the last number. It is easy enough to remember.” She pulled out her phone and made a note on it. I wanted to sigh at that, but that was classic Beth.

“Are you okay?” Beth asked, a bit concerned. I reached my door and began unlocking the three heavy duty locks.

“Just like my safety, nothing has happened, but you can never be too careful. That is my food box next to the door. Don’t mess with it.”

“Food box?”

“I have food delivered daily so I don’t have to prepare it. It costs $50 a day. If you want the service, you will have to pay for it yourself.” She pouted a little bit but was smiling. “Kitchen is right ahead. Then the living room where I am set up. There is enough space next to me here for another capsule.” I pointed at some open area in the living room. The anti vibration pad wasn’t that big, but she didn’t need something like that. She wasn’t about to become a professional combatant like I planned to be.

“I have the master bedroom upstairs, but you can pick one of the two other bedrooms.” I had ordered beds and had them put in, in case my family visited. “There is a workout room off to the side instead of a dining room. If you have laundry that needs to be done, put it in a basket. There is a cleaning service once a week with the schedule posted near the security computer, and I can’t have any smells near my capsule.”

“Smells?” Beth asked me.

“It impacts the immersion. Any type of distraction. That includes smells and why there is no door from the living room to the kitchen because I had the doorway removed. You can use my non-scent cleaner and towels for the capsule after a session. Trust me, you want to wipe it down.” Beth walked over to my computer set up with security cameras showing up on the monitors.

“You really got the entire place wired up, but not very homely. No couch or TV,” she said with a frown. “Also, it is dark with those thick curtains covering the windows.”

“I don’t have time for any of that. Beth, I take Exponential very seriously. I am giving you this chance since you are my best friend, but don’t mess about here, alright?” I stared intently at her and the message seemed to sink in as she nodded back at me.

“Fine. I get it. Let’s see my room.” She picked one of the rooms and began unpacking. I went to bed.

The next morning, I got up with my alarm. I got up at 3 AM normally. It took half an hour to wake up and then a 12 hour session would take me to the afternoon. I would have the afternoon free to run an errand if needed and exercise before going to bed before 7 PM.

I spent the entire day grinding and moving more money out of Exponential. It was a lot of money, which was one reason why everyone was trying to sign up to get in anyway they could. The capsule for Beth would arrive in 5 days. The benefits of ordering platinum, the waiting list was quite short as the order list at this level was quickly being cleared out.

Once I was done, I got out of the capsule. I put on a bathrobe I had next to the capsule. “Really, going nude into the game? I never knew you liked to show yourself off,” Beth teased from the kitchen area as I got some watered down juice to rehydrate.

“Clothing is a distraction,” I replied tiredly.

“Wow, I knew you were hardcore, but that is next level.” I rolled my eyes. “Why not wear a leotard?”

“I prefer not to. Another reason for the no visitors rule,” I said tiredly.

“Hmm, I get it, don’t worry. I borrowed your car to get some food,” she said while eating some cereal. “This place is boring.” There were only a few sad bars in the area. No clubs or anything else exciting.

“That is fine. Capsule will arrive in five days, so maybe six.”

“We should go out, celebrate!” Beth said.

“Sorry, I have to get up early,” I replied.

“When do you get up? I had been hoping to catch you in the morning.”

“Three,” I replied.

“Three? Wait, three in the morning? Jesus. What are you doing?”

“Work. If you want to get good and make money you need to put in the work,” I countered. “I suggest you read up everything you can online and make a plan once you enter Exponential.”

“Maybe. Anything to do around here?” she asked. I knew she wasn’t going to do much research. She never liked homework.

“Not much. This place has nothing. You should really study Exponential before your capsule arrives. Where you will start. The build you want. How the in-game mechanics work.” This place would stay boring until they built a QAI node in the area.

“I will have to look around. No problem with the car?” Beth asked.

“Charge it up, and if you break it-“

“I buy it. Don’t worry. I won’t put a scratch on your baby.” Beth left after that to go out to a bar. I did note that she washed her cereal bowl and put it away which made me smile. After getting a shower and eating, I went to my home gym in the former dining room.

I went through my stretching routine and then lifted weights to make sure my muscles didn’t atrophy from sitting in a capsule all day long and to keep my body tight. I got a shower and once that was done, I saw a car pull up in the driveway, then a second one. Right on time. I was dressed in my pantsuit as I went outside. It was in the evening but still light out.

“Hello,” I greeted the man and the woman with a smile. They were the owners of a local design and construction firm I was looking to hire. After introductions, we went on a tour of the nearby property first that I had purchased next to my house.

“I own everything up to this marker. I am looking to build a complex with 200 units at 200 square feet each and a bathroom that is around 30 square feet, as compact as possible. Five stories tall, but the hallways need to be wide enough to accommodate Exponential capsules and the rooms each need to have double sliding doors. Anti-vibration is a must for the building and each room, along with very good air filtration and two elevators, both large service ones. Finally, two large common areas with a living area and kitchen.” I handed over the drawings I had made along with notes on what I wanted.

There was talk about zoning, parking, drainage, time frame, as we walked about, and the man took photos. After the walkabout we went inside my house, and I showed them the size of the capsule and the anti-vibration pad along with the hookups needed.

More pictures were taken along with some measurements. I handed them a rough sketch of what I wanted. “Well not counting the capsules themselves, you are probably looking at 25 million and two years,” the woman explained. I frowned at those numbers.

“Why that much and the long time frame?” I asked.

“The bathroom for each room, ventilation, and power hookups. You wanted a backup power supply as well. With the amount needed, you are looking at some industrial sized batteries. Also, a basement gym and elevators. We can trim it down, but it is clear you want quality. Anti-vibration is another factor, but I can say 25 million as an initial estimate and feel confident about that on my end.” I slowly nodded at that.

“Yes, no cutting corners. But the time frame. Two years is too long. If I said one year, how much would that add to the cost?” I asked.

The pair looked at each other and the man spoke this time. “The problem are the permits. You would have to cut through a lot of red tape. To rush things, that means having a lawyer speed that up, instead of going through the regular process. We can do it and get results, but it isn’t cheap.” I waved my hand for him to just get to the number.

“Another 5 million if you want the building done in a year. If you want it done in half a year, then another 15 million on top of that. That would include a donation to the local government for infrastructure to speed things up.” I nodded at that. So, a total of 45 million for half a year.

“Alright. But I want penalty clauses included regarding the time frame regardless of what happens, and an independent inspection of the building once completed, while going with the half a year option.” The woman smiled at me. Time was the biggest issue.

“Not a problem. We will get the drawings made up along with the contract, a week?” the woman asked the man.

“Make that two weeks. We will need time to look at the anti-vibration requirements, but we can begin clearing the land ahead of time to get things rolling. We should be able to start that in good faith with the downpayment you made until we have the contracts ready,” the man explained.

“I would like to look at the future as well, since I would want to build several of these buildings. So, when your team is surveying the land and you are considering building the first building, please keep that in mind,” I said.

“How many more of these buildings?” the woman asked.

“Probably another 99 if I can manage it,” I said, and their eyes went wide. “The first one is to make sure everything is done properly and the way I requested.” My phone began to vibrate.

“We will have to look at working with the local government to build up local utilities. We will include projections for more buildings,” the woman explained.

“Sorry, I have a phone call. We are done?” I asked and they both gave an affirmative. I noticed the call number was from Suit Loan Shark.