Project Time

Chapter 17: Plagiarized

Trisha flew back to Massachusetts after receiving an unexpected call from Marcus, urging her to return for an important meeting. She donned sunglasses and a baseball hat in an attempt to stay incognito, but despite her efforts, she was still recognized by many.

The following day, she headed to the newly renovated headquarters of VISION. The changes were remarkable; the building was now grander, more sophisticated, and bustling with energy. As she stepped inside, she was greeted by IRA, a state-of-the-art robotic assistant developed by G-NETICS, who escorted her to Marcus Cooper's office.

Trisha knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Marcus's voice called out.

She entered to find Marcus standing by his desk, a welcoming smile on his face. "Dr. Merdova, welcome. Please, make yourself comfortable."

As she settled into a chair, Marcus turned to IRA. "IRA, could you take these documents to Mr. Merlin, please?"

"Certainly, Mr. Cooper," IRA replied before gliding out of the room.

"So, why did you call me here?" Trisha asked, curiosity evident in her voice.

Marcus's eyes sparkled with excitement as he leaned forward. "I wanted to show you the new face of VISION and G-NETICS combined."

He pressed a button on his desk, and a holographic display emerged, revealing the new name: "MC Technologies."

Trisha's eyes widened. "MC Technologies?"

Marcus nodded, a proud smile playing on his lips. "Merdova-Cooper Technologies."

"Wow. You're quite the name-maker," Trisha said, impressed.

"Thank you. In a couple of days, G-NETICS will host a conference to showcase the new technologies that MC Technologies has developed."

Trisha's interest piqued. "What kind of technologies can we expect?"

Marcus's grin widened. "It's mostly a surprise, but let me give you a sneak peek at one of our flagship projects."

He reached into a small container labeled "Project Two." As he placed his hand inside, a strange liquid-like substance began to crawl up his arm, covering his torso. Within moments, it solidified into a sleek tuxedo.

"I present to you the nano-suit," Marcus announced.

Trisha's jaw dropped. "That's incredible!"

"These suits represent the future of clothing. Imagine never needing more than one outfit because you can transform it into anything with a simple click on your phone," Marcus explained.

"What kind of clothes can it become?" Trisha asked, examining the suit more closely.

"Anything you can imagine—hats, coats, shirts, shorts, pants, socks, shoes, gloves. The only limitation is jewelry, but we're working on that," Marcus said with a wink.

"Impressive!" Trisha exclaimed.

Marcus gave a nod. "Thanks to your innovations in nanotechnology, we were able to create this."

He paused, letting the significance sink in before continuing. "And this is just the beginning. We can explore endless possibilities with this technology. I want you to present it at the conference next week."

Trisha looked surprised. "Why me? You could do it yourself."

Marcus shook his head. "I tend to get nervous speaking in front of large crowds. But you, Trisha, you have the charisma and expertise to captivate them."