Chapter 2: Innovation

  The next day, at 10:30 AM, Odin looks out upon Midgard from his fifth floor office of the Odin Tech Headquarters in Asgard. In his left hand, he's flipping his phone around.

  Scar: The investors are ready for you, sir.

  Odin: Finally.

  Odin walks into his meeting room to the left of the office and finds a new face there.

  Odin: You look startlingly familiar.

  Omni: I'm Omni Ethos of the Ethos corporation. I just bought fifty stocks from your company.

  Odin: Well, thanks for the cash. Anyway, let's make this quick. You all like phones, right? Incredible audio, but Man are there a lot of buttons! What if we used touchscreen tech to replace these buttons, only leaving volume and power buttons? I give you, the Flat Phone!

  Odin slides his phone to the center of the table.

  Odin: You may touch it all over, if you wish.

  People start passing the phone around.

  Odin: It has a power port and an audio jack. For power, we'll use the most generic cable out there.

  Stan: What's so special about it?

  Odin: Did I forget to mention, apps may use any interface they want to. No more being limited to keyboards and number pads.

  The phone finds its way back to Odin.

  Odin: These things will be in all cell stores this October. Perfect time to buy Christmas gifts. And with that, this meeting is over, but the day is just a baby. If any of you can be there, I'm having a party at my place this evening. Later.

  At 2:12, on the train home, Odin sits in the food car, leaning his back on the bar.

  Odin: (Where do I know that man from?)

  Omni walks into the room and sits at the bar.

  Omni: Red wine, please.

  Sam: Coming right up.

  Odin: You must be stalking me. Should I call a guard?

  Omni: You're the one that invited us.

  Odin: You're fun, I see.

  Sam: Here you go, sir.

  The bartender leaves Omni a glass and bottle full of red wine and Omni gives him a hundred dollars.

  Omni: You're quite the intelligent man. How do you come up with a phone, or a home computer?

  Odin: Not really sure myself. A big Bang just sort of went off in my head one day.

  Omni: I know the feeling...

  Odin: Oh, yeah? What've you made?

  Omni: Mostly medicine. Penicillin. Melatonin. Seat-belt.

  Odin: Really? Thanks for improving my race cars.

  Omni: Anything for the safety of the people...

  Omni takes a swig of his wine.

  Odin: Have I seen you on TV?

  Omni: I've been in a number of ads.

  Odin: (That isn't it. Could he be the same guy from five years ago?... Nah!) That's it. I must've caught one while drifting off.

  Omni: Anyway, what'll be the main course tonight?

  Hours later, at Odin's house, seven people are hanging out on the main floor, including Odin and Omni. There are four pizza boxes on the dinner table. Odin sees Omni walking downstairs.

  Stan: And, my wife said-

  Odin: Hold that thought.

  Odin walks downstairs and sees Omni going through his papers.

  Odin: Whatcha doing?

  Omni: I'm-

  Odin: Stealing my plans?

  Omni: Stealing your plans?

  Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

  Odin: Are you?

  Omni: No. Just looking at your thought process. It's very similar to mine.

  Odin: Genius comes in pairs.

  Omni: Interesting little thing. If you put some of these together, they kind of look like a metal suit.

  Odin: Heh. Caught me. That's for a secret client of mine. I'm sure you understand that sort of deal.

  Omni: Oh, I do. Tell your friend that I want my jewel back.

  Odin: Hmm. He'll get the message.

  Omni: Good. Because, I'll be back for it.

  Odin: We'll see.

  Omni: That said, I must be going. I hate pizza.

  Odin and Omni walk back upstairs. Odin watches him leave as he leans against the back kitchen wall. The party continues for a few more hours as people leave, one at a time. Odin puts the leftover pizza into one box and puts the box in the fridge. He then walks down into the basement and the hidden walls open themselves.

  Odin: Scarlet, bring me the suits.

  The unfinished suit rolls to Odin as the MK.1 walks to him. He takes off the helmet from the MK.1 and puts it on the table. He then puts on the right gauntlet of the suit.

  Odin: This new helmet is a great improvement.

  Odin punches the helmet and it crushes like a can.

  Odin: But, I can do better!

  Scar: I believe that to be a poor decision. There were some valuable components in that helmet.

  Odin: Get to work on those robot builder arms. In the meantime, I'll make a suit so strong that Omni won't be able to handle one inch of my full frontal assault! I'll come at him so hard, he'll explode At The Sight Of Me!

  Scar: Yes, sir.

  Meanwhile, James' bedroom has a prince-sized bed in the center of the wall on the right of the door. There's a computer on a desk in front of the bed and a closet to the right of the bed. The film “Milk Blasters 2” is playing on the computer as James reenacts the fight scene on screen with kitchen knives in each hand. On his head, there rests a pair of wireless headphones that are linked to his computer. James stops and pauses the movie. He then sets his headphones on his shoulders.

  James: (This was fun, but rest must be had. Tomorrow, I will-)

  A muffled banging of metal comes from the basement.

  James: (At work at this time of night, are we? Let's see what has gotten into you)

  James walks down to the basement and finds the two suits destroyed and one new pair of legs in development.

  James: Another failed test?

  Odin: No. Just got this gust of wind in me. Need to use it before I lose it. How was the movie?

  James: Good. How was the bash?

  Odin: Good, for the most part. What's with the knives?

  James: Oh, nothing.

  James puts the knives in his left hand.

  James: What part went wrong?

  Odin: I, uh, met Omni Ethos. Some big medicine guy. Turned out to be a jerk.

  James: What a shame. Well, don't work your head off.

  Odin: Don't sleep your head off. I'll want to show you this baby tomorrow.

  James: Very well. Good night.

  Odin: Buona notte.

  James walks back to his room and sleeps with his action posters around him while Odin spends the entire night finishing the suit. James then walks in on Odin putting the helmet on the suit.

  Odin: And... Done. Witness my masterpiece.

  James: You stood up all night, yes?

  Odin: Forget that. This... This suit is slimmer, faster, stronger, and it can fly. I think.

  James: You require slumber. Allow me to help you upstairs.

  Odin: Nah! I can get there. Just watch me!

  Odin stands up and stumbles forward and James catches him.

  Odin: Thank you.

  James: Do not mention it.

  James manages to get Odin to the living-room couch before he passes out.

  James: (Why must you work so long? Is this to protect me? If so, thank you, but do not kill yourself in the process)

  For breakfast, James feasts on an apple and then brings a carrot out to Socrates. As he walks back inside, James puts his headphones on and pulls out his phone. As he brings up the music app, Scarlet speaks.

  Scar: Possible threat detected. A Solid Unit is coming this way. Unknown pilot. Odin must get ready.

  James: Unfortunately, he is in a short coma. I will have to take the lead.

  Scar: I advise against this action.

  James: It must be done.

  James walks downstairs to the new suit.

  James: How does this suit work?

  Scar: I will link this Solid Unit to your neural pathways so you may subconsciously control its actions.

  The suit opens and James climbs into it. As the suit closes, the display inside turns on.

  Scar: Updating neural link... Update complete.

  The ceiling opens up. After a couple of attempts, James flies out of the basement and walks to the front of the house. Before long, a massive Solid Suit arrives.

  Scar: Disguising voice.

  James: Why are you here?

  Omni: You Know Why! Give me my gem before I Rip It Out!

  James: Nice one, although unoriginal. Next time, maybe tell me you'll splay my guts across the field. Spice it up a little bit.

  Omni charges forward and James dodges, letting Omni run past him.

  Scar: Weakness detected. Many vital components can be found in the back of the Solid Unit. I would suggest using a missile on the back plate.

  Omni turns around, aims his arm at James, and fires a missile at him. The blast sends James back twenty feet. Omni then charges towards James again and James aims his left arm at Omni before firing an electric missile at him. This causes Omni's suit to be paralyzed.

  James: (An electric missile? I like this one)

  James quickly gets around Omni and shoots a missile into his back. The large suit then falls to the ground.

  James: That was easy. Did you try? I did not catch it.

  Omni gets out of his suit and turns to James.

  Omni: Heed My Words! I'll Take My Legacy Back If It KILLS ME!

  James aims his left arm towards Omni and readies a missile.

  James: That is enough. Leave before I kill you.

  Omni runs away, leaving the massive suit behind. James picks up the suit and takes it into the basement. As the ceiling closes, James takes his suit off and walks to the bottom of the stairs.

  Scar: You did well in that fight. The Solid Suit comes naturally to you.

  James: Is that not the point of its neural link?

  James walks up to the living-room, sits at the end of the couch, and turns the TV on to a game show.