Chapter 36: 35
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Ben woke up feeling disoriented, his head heavy and the light streaming through the large windows making him squint. He realized he was on a sofa in the mansion's expansive living room, draped in a blanket. He rubbed his temples, trying to recall how he ended up there. The last thing he remembered was singing during the party.
Before he could think further, Baymax's calm and friendly voice broke the silence.
"Good morning, sir."
"Good morning, Baymax," Ben replied groggily. He sat up slowly, blinking as the room swam for a moment. "What happened last night? And who the heck put alcohol in my drinks?"
Baymax responded, "Sir, your party is currently trending on Twitter."
Ben froze. "Trending? What do you mean trending? Show me."
With a soft whir, Baymax activated the holographic projection system. A 3D display lit up in front of Ben, showing clips and tweets from the previous night's party. The first video showed him singing Blinding Lights with a concert-like setup, his voice clear and surprisingly on point, despite being drunk. The next clip was of him throwing a shoe at the poster of J. Jonah Jameson, which drew raucous laughter from the crowd.
Ben groaned. "Oh, great. Just what I needed—a viral video of me acting like an idiot."
Baymax scrolled through the comments as Ben leaned closer to read.
"What's that song? I need it on my playlist!"
"Ben Tennyson, the singing genius! Someone get him a record deal."
"The Shoe Thrower strikes again, this time with style!"
"That poster didn't stand a chance!😂"
Ben buried his face in his hands. "They're calling me The Shoe Thrower now? I can't escape this, can I?"
Baymax replied in his matter-of-fact tone, "It appears the public enjoys your sense of humor and spontaneity, sir. The video has garnered over three million views since it was posted last night."
Ben let out a resigned sigh. "Whatever. I don't have time to worry about this right now. I need to focus on more important things."
He stood up, stretched, and asked, "Baymax, did you find the candidate I asked you to look for?"
"Yes, sir," Baymax responded. "I have identified a qualified assistant for your upcoming projects. She has extensive experience in project management and organizational strategy. However, due to the unfortunate death of her previous company's owner and the inappropriate demands of his successor, she resigned from her position."
Ben frowned. "Inappropriate demands? What kind of demands?"
"Confidential information was requested of her regarding sensitive company projects, which she refused to disclose, leading to her departure," Baymax explained.
"Sounds like she has integrity. Good. What else can you tell me about her?"
Baymax brought up a summary of her qualifications on the holographic display. "She has a master's degree in business administration, ten years of experience in managing tech startups, and has successfully led multiple teams through high-stakes projects. Additionally, she is fluent in three languages and possesses advanced technical knowledge relevant to your upcoming work."
Ben nodded, impressed. "Sounds like just the kind of person I need. When is she coming?"
"She will arrive at the mansion in approximately 30 minutes for the scheduled appointment," Baymax replied.
"Perfect," Ben said, running a hand through his hair. "Guess I better make myself presentable. Can't exactly meet my potential assistant looking like I just rolled out of bed."
Emily stepped out of the sleek black car and glanced up at the towering mansion before her. The grandeur of the property was impressive, but her thoughts were a mixture of awe and skepticism.
He's a genius, no doubt, she mused as she adjusted her blazer. Two globally successful social media platforms at just 15 years old? That's unheard of. But genius often comes with recklessness. She recalled the clips she'd seen of Ben Tennyson's infamous moments—his outbursts on news channels, the trending video of him drunk at his party, and, of course, the shoe-throwing incidents that had become memes. He's brilliant, but can he sustain it? So many geniuses let success go to their heads and crash just as quickly as they rise. I need to see if he's different.
As she approached the mansion, a maid greeted her politely and led her inside. The interior was just as grand as she expected—modern, yet warm and inviting. She followed the maid through a series of corridors until they stopped in front of a set of doors.
"The lab is just through here," the staff member said with a polite nod before leaving.
Emily took a deep breath and stepped inside. The lab was a marvel of cutting-edge technology. Screens covered the walls, displaying real-time data, designs, and what appeared to be active coding. Ben Tennyson sat at a desk in the middle of the room, wearing a simple T-shirt and shorts, typing furiously on his computer. The hum of machinery filled the air, along with the soft glow of holographic projections.
Emily cleared her throat softly, trying to get his attention without startling him.
Ben's fingers paused on the keyboard. He looked up, his sharp green eyes locking onto her. A moment of silence passed before a welcoming smile spread across his face.
"Miss Emily, glad you could come," he said, standing up and walking toward her.
"Thank you for having me," Emily replied, extending her hand, which Ben shook briefly.
Without missing a beat, Ben gestured toward an empty workstation. "You can start today."
Emily blinked, caught off guard by his straightforwardness. "Wait, just like that? You're not even going to interview me or check if I'm qualified?"
Ben tilted his head, as if the question amused him. He turned toward one of the screens and called out, "Baymax, is she qualified?"
To Emily's astonishment, a holographic face of Baymax materialized in mid-air. The AI's voice was calm and cheerful as it responded, "Miss Emily is highly qualified, sir. Her noteworthy achievements include successfully managing high-profile tech projects, demonstrating exceptional leadership skills, and contributing to innovative solutions in her previous roles."
Emily stood frozen, her mouth slightly open. She'd heard whispers of companies experimenting with advanced AI assistants, but those were in early development stages. And here was a fully functional AI, casually integrated into Ben's workspace.
"This is…" she began, struggling to find the right words. "This is a fully operational AI?"
Ben grinned. "Baymax? Yeah, he's one of my projects. Not bad, right?"
"'Not bad' is an understatement," Emily said, unable to hide her amazement. She stepped closer to the holographic projection, studying Baymax's interface. "Most companies are still years away from this level of AI development."
Ben shrugged, his grin widening. "I like to stay ahead of the curve. Baymax handles a lot around here—data analysis, scheduling, research—you name it. He's been especially helpful in vetting potential candidates. Like you."
Emily turned back to Ben, a mix of skepticism and curiosity in her expression. "I have to admit, this is impressive. But why are you so quick to trust me? Surely, you've had offers from dozens of highly qualified people."
Ben's expression grew more serious. "Baymax doesn't just look at qualifications; he evaluates integrity, adaptability, and potential. You checked all the boxes. Plus, I've seen enough to know you're someone who doesn't back down when things get tough. That's the kind of person I need on my team."
Emily felt a flicker of pride at his words but quickly composed herself. "Well, I appreciate the confidence. But let me be clear—I'm not here to just ride the wave of your success. If I'm going to work with you, I need to know you're serious about what you're doing."
Ben nodded, his gaze steady. "Fair enough. You'll see soon enough that I don't mess around when it comes to my work. But for now, let's get you settled in. Baymax will brief you on current projects and priorities."