Hello darkness my old friend

Rowan was floating in the void. He would feel like an astronaut if there were any stars. If there were anything at all surrounding him he might have not felt so desperate to try to exit the darkness. There were no sounds, no light, no smells, and nothing too touch. His fully immersive VR experience turned into a full sensory deprivation experience.

"Maybe the loading time is so long.", Rowan tried to console himself.

The voices in his head were all he could hear. The sense of time had long been washed away by the darkness that surrounded him and the only clue was his voice he created by himself.

Meanwhile, NovaTech's jet was about to land and the PR guy had finally some good news for his boss.

"It's been handled. We leaked a false story that the kid went into an epileptic seizure and banged his head while wearing the helmet repeatedly which resulted in some unforeseeable consequences." "

"Where did the leak come from?", Robert asked.

"Hospital staff is not paid much.", replied the PR guy.

"I see. Everyone has a price as usual. ", Robert smirked.

Rickman looked at the two with disgust as he reminisced how he found himself working with Robert.

He was an MIT graduate and Robert was a Harvard graduate and the two universities are close so they met at a party. Back then Robert was a different person but to survive in the business world your moral compass needs to adapt. You have to be ready to be as ruthless as your competition or even worse than them.

Rickman made a game and a simple 3D visor in college which was ahead of its time but he needed someone who understood the business side of things so he asked Robert for advice. That simple favor turned into a 16-year-old partnership and a business worth tens of billions of dollars.

Rickman knew he would probably still have been toiling away in a garage while his research would have been stolen from under him and made other people rich if it were not for Robert.

Robert also knew how lucky he was to meet Rickman at the right moment. Both of them basically got what they wanted. Rickman got unlimited funding for his research and both got rich from the fruits of it. Rickman just could not stand the lies and hypocrisy of the modern world. He knew it was not Robert's fault but every time he looked at him it made him realize he gave him the tools and power to do what he did. They were partners in name only and they avoided each other as much as possible.

The legal team was already waiting in the limos parked at the airfield as the rest disembarked from the airplane.

As Robert entered the limo he greeted the lawyers.

"Hi. Where do we stand?", Robert asked.

Mr. Fitzpatrick the head of the team replied.

"It's too early to tell. It depends on what happens to the kid."

Robert frowned and said, "Tell me numbers."

"If the kid dies and his mother takes us to court we are talking 100 plus with a sympathetic jury. Not that they would ever see them if we fought them but the negative press involved would cripple your company's stock price. 100 million will feel like peanuts compared to that.", Fitzpatrick replied.

"What if he lives?", Robert asked.

"If he makes a full recovery which according to my talk with Rickman is highly unlikely a 100 or 200 grand would do. If he stays a vegetable we are talking the same amount or even greater than if he dies.", Fitzpatrick replied.

"What do you suggest Fitz?", Robert anxiously replied.

"I suggest offering his mother 20 million dollars and coverage of all medical expenses until his full rehabilitation in exchange for a nondisclosure agreement right away regardless of what happens in the future. She is a single mother with two kids. I am sure she will see the light if it shines sufficiently bright.", Fitzpatrick stated with a tight smile.

Just as Robert wanted to suggest a lower number Rickman who was also in the limo said: "Do it."

Fitzpatrick looked at Robert and he just helplessly put his hands up. Fitzpatrick knew he had the two biggest shareholders of NovaTech in the same car and also knew their history and relationship so he just confirmed he understood.

Rickman knew he overstepped his actual authority but he didn't want the family lowballed. Robert really didn't care about the 20 million and if this was what it took to mend his relationship with Rickman he was more than willing to let it go. He was missing his friend even though he acted like they were strangers when they were together.

As the NovaTech's delegation entered the hospital's premises Maria was stroking Luke's head on her bosom who fell asleep from exhaustion while looking at Rowan peacefully sleeping on the bed with the helmet still attached.

Rickman and Robert were the first to enter the room and introduced themselves. Luke woke up and was looking at them as they explained who they are and why they are here.

They both promised they would do whatever is in their power to help Rowan recover. Maria was asked to step out of the room while NovaTechs engineers dismantled the plastic covers of the helmet.

As Rickman saw what was underneath he just shook his head. He pointed at the wires and said: "We are lucky he is a 13-year-old or he would be dead. The wires pierced 2-3 cm into his brain. If his head was bigger they would probably kill him."

Luckily for NovaTech Maria was being besieged by the legal team and was not privy to this statement or she would be even more worried.

The legal team explained the benefits of signing right now and all that this agreement would cover whatever the outcome may be. Maria knew her medical insurance could not possibly cover more than a couple of days of this so she had to agree.

"She signed the papers.", Fitzpatrick's lackey came to inform Robert.

Rickman came to him and said: "Your guy Frank almost killed him. All 128 access points have penetrated his skull. Some reached a depth of 4 cm inside his brain. Luckily they used only a couple of microns thin signal conductors or he would be dead for sure. With his age, he might even have a chance at a full recovery. "

"Can we learn anything from him for our future projects?", Robert asked without sentiment.

"Yes, we can learn a lot actually.", Rickman said with a smile, but then he frowned.

"Robert, what are you planning?", Rickman said while grabbing Robert sleave. He knew the look on Robert's face which usually happened when he had a devious idea and it was the main reason the used to be friends were estranged now.

"The kid and his brother just cost me more than 20 million dollars, plus all the damages to our stock. He better make it worthwhile keeping him alive.", Robert replied as Rickman looked at him like he was looking at a stranger.