Life Sentence

Six seconds this time, and you have your response, "Ah... about that... umm. I don't plan on lying to you. You understand what happens to the board... and me, if the prosecution doesn't understand duress... if word of this gets out, right?"

Charges... what, illeagal imprisonment, kidnapping, possibly slavery or attempted murder... "Well... if it works, you're going to have one heck of a hard time liquidating me."

Three seconds, "Yeah. Good news, they'll want to keep you around as an early warning system in case it takes longer than the test period for something to go wrong, so it's a life sentence, not a death sentence. And before you try it... if you shut down the cameras, they'll have no reason to maintain the internet subscription."

You consider that, "I'll have to get back to you on that... there's a blue-ray by the TV, so I'll want to check out the entertainment library."

Four seconds, then, "You're serious, aren't you?"

"How many options do I have to flip the bird at the bastards?" You laugh.

Four seconds... "Fair," your ex-boss answers, "but do you really think they aren't willing to risk a few drones for this if you go dark for too long? Seriously, buddy, I'm only doing this because I don't want to be assassinated."

You shake your head, "Do you really think they'll let a witness like you survive after you're no longer needed?"

The pause is longer than three seconds this time. In fact, after a bit, you kind of get the impression that you've stumped him properly, so you go about exploring the retreat....