Reborn

Author's Note

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* This Chapter can be skipped but *

*there is a small amount of info used*

* in this chapter to explain future *

* plots. *

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Phil was a good man.

When he awoke in the morning, he realized he had several problems he had to resolve before he went to work this morning. He went to sleep last night too quickly; he had been so drained from his unsatisfying and unrewarding career at Alliance INC. He had studied for 10 years at a very expensive technical college to get the credentials to work at this office, only to be a glorified paper pusher. When Phil started at Alliance INC Phil was assigned to a specialized team, they were working on a project for artificial intelligence. Due to the seniors on staff were actually really close to perfecting the A.I. technology they thought Phil would get in the way of progress with his new ideas, as such Phil was assigned to paperwork. This felt a little degrading he had worked very hard to get to this point, years of study, tons of money for the highest credentialed college, and at the end of all his effort, he got the grunt work.

He talked it over with his mother and although she wasn't in his same field, she had been working in an office for forty years, she advised him that everyone starts at the bottom of the corporate latter he just needed to suck it up. Therefore, he'd often help the entire office with the daily reports and would always end up working later than everyone else. Finally, after three years of being a corporate slave to Alliance INC, he still hasn't become anything other than a paper pusher. It seems the people at Alliance INC have forgotten he was paid for this expertise, not for his ability to fill out paperwork.

The only good thing about being a paper pusher was Phil had full access to the schematics of his company's AI. After a long time of being invisible in the office, he has come up with a semi-original design of the AI system. Although it hasn't been completed at 100%. Phil's design is more versatile, and he managed to fix some of the bugs Alliance INC had been having issues with. Phil wasn't wanting to get full recognition for his work on the AI system, because he had worked from the companies designs. He just wanted to show he can become more a part of the team and maybe gain a little more respect. 'You can do this." He told himself in the mirror after he brushed his teeth and shaved.

He managed to find a suit to wear when going through his closet, it was a little large on him due to it being an old suit he wore before his last diet. He felt good about himself, it would all be worth all the trouble as long as he can really do the job of his dream and impress Carolyn. They say everyone's got love, well Carolyn was Phil's. Although she didn't speak much with him, that never stopped his daydreams. When he first met her, he had been working at the company only for a year, and he was getting fed up with the role he was being assigned. He was ready to quit and consider a new employer. Alliance INC was the top performer in AI technology, but B & A Corp was a close second, and Phil had managed to get an interview with someone in the low-end tech department.

It wasn't the position he had now, but he wouldn't be an errand boy, so he was willing to take the position. But when he met Carolyn, he had to reconsider. It was love at first sight. He made a decision he would be recognized for his ability at Alliance INC. So, he spent from then until now to make real progress on the AI system. To tell the truth, the AI system was going downhill quick and it wouldn't take long before the company pulled the funding. Although they seem to be on the brink of success, in reality, they had hit a wall. In his research, he hit the same wall too.

The data recognition software wasn't able to update to real-time situations. The AI Alliance Inc. has been working with is able to respond to any situation unless given the full detailed parameters of the situation, but if the system cannot review the circumstances as they are actually happening then the system will not be able to give an accurate analysis of the situation. Phil found a fix for this, he had to make the AI adaptable to the technology around itself. It sounds complicated but it actually really wasn't, most smart systems have the ability to hack other electronics. If an AI is given this ability when presented with a problem; such as, in a case the AI was working with the police on a hostage situation. Instead of someone pulling the surrounding camera's video which would take time the police may not have. This program is able to identify what the police will need and resolve it by having all those camera feeds uploaded into a secure server. Phil was excited, all he needed was to get to work and show his findings to today's visitor.

That morning something very rare happened… He was running late for work. Due to being worn out from his twelve-hour day at Alliance INC when he returned home yesterday, he only put his laundry in the washer but fell asleep before drying and he also completely forgot about gas for his vehicle. Although Phil was running late, he still had around forty-five minutes to get to work on time. Ten mins should be enough time to get the gas he needed for the drive to work. 'No big deal.' He said, 'I might even get something for breakfast " Pulling up to the pump he put the vehicle in park and jumped out of the driver's seat and headed inside. After grabbing a drink and a pack of powdered donuts, he started to pump gas. Then after an unfortunate encounter with the pump, he was somehow splashed with the fluid he was trying to get into his truck. Phil was furious at himself, the pump kept cutting off and thought if he just adjusted it a little it might stop. Now he had to go back home and get a change of clothes. He really felt like kicking himself it was a mistake anyone could make but it had to be today of all days!

Back at Phil's home, he was getting dressed again, but this time with the semi-dry clothes in the washer. As he started to tie his tie again, he received a phone call from the office assistant Jennifer. "Hello, Phil?" she says in a voice brimming with impatience. "Yes," he said giving her the same impatient attitude she gave him. "The CEO will be coming in today and we wanted to make sure you remember our breakfast." Even the receptionist wasn't giving him any slack! He thought frustratedly. "Yes, you will eat big today. This, you don't have to worry about." Saying that he hung up. He doubted the secretary would understand his double meaning, but he wasn't going to care if she ate anything ever again after today. Phil started to feel a little restless because today everything seemed to be going against him for some reason. But he attempted to calm his emotions and breaths in deeply.

Finally, he arrives back to his old truck, he hears a whistle blow from the train tracks on the edge of town. Since across the railroad tracks is the quickest way out of town he had to hurry. The trains always slowest when going through towns and if it starts across the tracks before Phil does it would be another delay before he can get his work into the CEO. Phil just wants to live the life he has dreamed of for so long, he was impatient to get going and the meeting with the CEO was the quickest way to do this. Phil groans out load as he drives to the end of the street, flooring the accelerator he rushes across town.

What Phil doesn't know; Mark Hampton has been a train engineer for fifteen years and in all that time he has never been late delivering his cargo, but today he is running late. Mark takes pride in his job, he hates cutting corners, but he has done it a time or two to keep a good record on his deliveries. A problem occurred at 3 a.m. due to a minor issue, he had been stuck for five hours. Mark worked through the night and finally, he was able to get his train back to working order just a few hours earlier. His cargo had a deadline time of 10 A.M. and he still had over one hundred miles to go. He'd been yelling in frustration because he had to go through another small town, due to regulations he must to decelerate by half when he gets within five miles of a populated area. But if he did that, he could say goodbye to a perfect record of delivery. Throwing caution to the wind he blows the train whistle a few times but doesn't slow his speed deciding to get through this town quickly.

Meanwhile, little Jimmy Akers is also running late. But… this isn't new for him. He has a terrible time managing being timely. Jimmy can't pinpoint the reason for being so late today, but he is so rarely on time it's just another day for him. Jimmy is seven this year and his school is close by so his parents allow him to walk to school unaware he has developed a bad habit. Jimmy's rout to school involves him walking across the tracks, just when he is halfway across Jimmy hears a whistle from afar, He doesn't think too much about it because the trains always run slow. Without knowing it his loose shoelace snags and he is caught in the middle of the train tracks. At first, he is confused about why he couldn't continue walking. Looking down he sees the problem and he shakes his foot attempting to dislodge the stubborn string, as he bends down yanking harder fully focused on dislodging himself, he has no clue how closely the threat of death looms.

Rushing Phil arrives at the tracks but stops abruptly. He sees a blonde-headed kid squatting in the middle of the railroad tracks. This town is small and usually doesn't need automatic barrier arms to keep cars from crossing while a train is coming. Already late he impatiently yells "Hey kid, gets out of the road!" Jimmy doesn't like being rushed, deciding to be cheeky Jimmy smiles and holds up a finger telling Phil to wait a second. Frustrated Phil opens his door to yell louder at the unencumbered youth. But when he sees the train burrowing towards the child with mere moments away from being crushed. Without thinking, Phil rushes forward as the train rushes forward coming ever closer to Jimmy.

Phil hears the trains break engage but he knows it will be too late if he didn't act soon. With only moments to spare Phil grabs Jimmy and throws him off the tracks. Jimmy's shoestring breaks with the throw and he lands in a batch of weeds and rocks, the hard throw caused tears to burst from the youngsters' eyes. Jimmy looks up with a face brimming with tears feeling wronged but catches the scene he never thought he saw. Taking a deep breath Phil is relived, he did something right something he can be proud of... but Phil's future in this life ends.

But maybe his adventure has just started.