As Sterling walks away, Jace starts getting his tools out. He sets up his laptop and boots it up. Getting out his precision screwdriver set, he lays them down close. "Let's see what is going on with you first.". Plugging it into the laptop, he starts running the diagnostic programs. "There are several corrupted files on here."
Patchwork: Not as many as I see in your mind. You have some issues we need to talk about at a later date!
Jace: "If you aren't going to be helpful, be quiet so I can concentrate."
Patchwork: Please! Your version of concentrate is in the frozen food section at the grocery store!
Jace: Electronics aren't my strength, but let's see how it goes. If I remember correctly from my classes... This file should be here... This file should have this extension... Oh, there's a missing file...
The watch starts to buzz and light up. Jace looks at the screen. He sees text pop up
Watch: Jace, you are killing me!
Jace sits there stunned for a moment. "Patchwork, is this your handiwork?"
Patchwork: I don't know what you're talking about. It's obvious you made it more defective."
Watch: Help me, Patchwork! You're my only hope!
Jace: "Star Wars references, really?"
Patchwork: what can I say, you were being boring. Let me know when you want to stop playing around and actually fix it. You've only got an hour after all."
Jace: "I really shouldn't have done such a short time frame. The software can take almost two hours per watch to load."
Patchwork: "What are you going to do about it? "
Jace sighs. "Patchwork, I need your help"
Directive: Repair the smart watch
Technician: Jace Thorn
RP available: 25
RP total: 50
Patchwork: I was just waiting for you to ask this time. It's a simple thing for me to fix it. To start unplug the laptop, I don't need it. Step two. Go into the settings menu.
Jaceunplugged the USB from the side of the computer. He scrolled through the watch, and found the settings.
Patchwork: press the version info 10 times.
Jace: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. "Is this really necessary?
Patchwork: If you want me to help, shut up and listen. Otherwise go back to torturing a defenseless smart watch. Now go to the dialer and press # 552 775*.
Jace presses as instructed. A spark jumps into the watch. The display screen blanks out before turning back on. It has numbers falling across the screen like in the Matrix movies. It emits a high pitched screech before everything goes black.
Jace: "Patchwork, what's happening?"
Patchwork: Patience my young patchowan. All will be revealed shortly.
The watch suddenly starts booting back up. The screen is healing itself, and the scratches are going away. It finished booting up, and Jace notices there is a blinking green dot on the screen now. The clock issue is fixed now though.
Directive: Repair the smart watch completed
Technician: Jace Thorn
RP total: 50
Wealth: $2250
Pending Taxes: $600
Jace: "Patchwork, what is this light on here?"
Patchwork: That's the new special feature!
Jace: "What do you mean by special feature?"
Patchwork: Tell Riley to tell you a lie.
Jace: "I don't like her lying to me, but ok."
Jace: "Hey Riley."
Riley: "What's up?"
Jace: "This is going to sound really weird, but Patchwork said to have you tell me a lie."
Riley: "Ummm... Patchwork said you're it's favorite."
Watch: "Ding"
Jace: "What the?"
Jace: "I take it that's the special feature? It dings when someone lies?"
Patchwork: That's right. It has a built in lie detector. That ding will go off any time a lie is detected. I would suggest when he comes back to pick up his watch, you ask him what he does for a living. Then lie to him about the price. You're going to blow his mind on this one
Jace: "That sounds like a good plan. I may have to find one of these for myself!"
Patchwork: You don't need one, you have me. I can tell you if someone is lying, remember?
Jace: "Oh yeah, I guess you can. So I had a thought"
Patchwork: Don't hurt yourself now.
Jace: "Hey, I'm being serious here."
Patchwork: So am I.
Jace: "So anyway. I was thinking about it, what would happen if someone decides to reverse engineer the smart watch and duplicate the upgrade you created in it."
Patchwork: Please. I am from outside what you know as reality. I am still working well below what I am used to because you haven't unlocked my capabilities enough yet. The most someone would find if they reverse engineered that watch would be an app installed that looks like it doesn't do anymore than run in a loop. Plus there's the security protocol.
Jace: "Security protocol?"
Patchwork: Yes. If anyone tries to over-write any of the files that make it run, whatever system they are using to push the file to it will start slowing down before locking up the first time. If they try multiple times it will end up erasing the entire computer. I don't play with hackers.
Jace: "I don't blame you a bit for that one!"
A few minutes later, Sterling starts walking back.
Sterling: "I really hope he was able to fix that watch for me. It's really handy, and I can't afford a new one yet."
Jace: "Welcome back Mr, Vent! I hope this isn't too personal of a question. What do you do for work, Mr. Vent?"
Sterling: "That's not too personal at all. I'm a criminal defense attorney."
Jace starts to laugh a little: "I'm not laughing at your career, I'm laughing at these circumstances. So I have your watch here and powered on. I believe the total is $550, correct?
Watch: "Ding"
Sterling: "One, that is no where near the price I agreed to with Ms. Quinn. It's also not what's on this sheet. Two, what was that noise for?"
Jace: "That's why I was laughing. That ding is a new feature on the watch for you. It may end up being your new favorite tool in your practice. Your watch can now detect when someone lies to you, and it will make that ding any time a lie is detected. I know I told you the wrong total, that was intentional to trigger the watch. A little bit of a demonstration."
Sterling: "Shut the front door! I'm not sure how this is even possible, but I'm about to start shooting through the ranks at the practice! This repair is going to pay for itself in less than a day! Thank you so much!"
Jace: "It's not a problem at all, Mr. Vent. That's just what I do."
Patchwork: The excrement is getting deep in here. It explains why you have brown eyes though.
Jace: "Riley, would you please finish Mr. Vent's billing for me?"
Riley: "Absolutely, Jace! Mr. Vent, your total is $56.50. How would you like to pay? I can do cash or Venmo."
Sterling: "Venmo would be the easiest."
Riley: "Of course, sir. Give me just a moment." She pulls up the code on her phone. "Please scan here."
Sterling scans her code for the payment and it goes through. She gives him the watch and a receipt.
Sterling: "Thank you so much! I will have to let more people know about you, this is going to be amazing!" He then runs home in excitement.
Jace: "You know, Riley, that felt really good. I get the feeling the watch is going to really help him out! I do have one concern though."
Riley: "What's that?"
Jace: "I don't think we're charging enough. That one repair basically made us $25 an hour, and that's before holding back for taxes on it. It's not terrible money, but it's not great either.
Riley: "While I understand your point, we also can't charge too much or we won't get any business at all. Then we'd be really screwed."
Jace: "Oh fine, Riley, have a point! Lol. Seriously though, I feel like we should have our minimum start at $75 for repair."
Riley: "That shouldn't be too bad. Still have to make some money, right?
Jace: "Yep!"
Jace: "Status"
Technician: Jace Thorn
RP total: 50
Wealth: $2278.25
Pending Taxes: $608
Jace: "Patchwork, have I told you lately that it's really handy that you keep track of my taxes for me?"
Patchwork: You haven't but that's not surprising with you. I'm glad you recognize it at least.
Jace: "Riley, would you like a snack? There's a turkey leg over there calling my name! I could grab one for you as well."
Riley: "That would be wonderful! They smell so good! I can keep an eye on things here for you until you get back. I think that falls under my manager responsibilities."
Jace: "That it would! I'll be back in two shakes of a lamb's tail, beautiful!" Jace walks away.
Riley blushes a bit: "I'm still not used to him calling me beautiful, but I love it!"
Jace arrives at the turkey vendor. "How much for two of those turkey legs? I've been smelling them from over at my stand, and they smell wonderful!"
Vendor: "That would be $20."
Jace digs in his wallet and pulls out a $20 bill. "Here you go."
Vendor: "Thank you very much! Enjoy! Say, did I notice you fix things over there?"
Jace: "That's right. Just started with a business setup for it today. My girlfriend Riley is over there keeping an eye on things for me for a minute."
Vendor: "They call me Big Hank Poulter. If you are free after enjoying those turkey legs, come on back by later. I may have some work for you."
Jace: "Sure thing, Hank! I will make it a point to come back in a bit. First I can't wait to tear into this leg though, it smells delicious!"
Hank chuckles: "I'm glad to hear that. I hope your little lady enjoys it as well!"
Jace: "Oh, I'm sure she will. I'll see you in a little bit."
Hank: "Sure, see you soon." Jace walks back over to his own stall.
Jace: "Here you go, Riley! They smell even better up close!"
Riley takes a leg from Jace: "Mmm, I can't wait!"
They both enjoy a meal of leg together.