Chereads / Technomancer: The Rise of Integrated AI / Chapter 6 - A Desperate Call

Chapter 6 - A Desperate Call

William was in the middle of soldering a particularly tricky circuit board at Tech Haven when his phone buzzed violently on the workbench. He groaned, pushing back his magnifying glasses, and grabbed the phone. The screen displayed an unknown number, and his stomach twisted with unease. Unknown numbers rarely brought good news.

"Hello?" William answered, pressing the phone to his ear.

"Will, it's me—Jake."

William's chest tightened at the sound of his friend's voice. Jake sounded panicked, his words tumbling out in a rush. "Jake? What's going on? Are you okay?"

"No, I'm not okay," Jake snapped, then his tone softened, laden with desperation. "I'm in jail, Will. They're charging me with fraud."

William froze, the soldering iron trembling in his hand. "Fraud? What are you talking about? What happened?"

Jake let out a shaky sigh. "It's a long story. Someone at work set me up. They had me handling some money for them—told me it was legit. Turns out they pocketed it and left me holding the bag."

William ran a hand through his hair, his mind racing. "Alright, calm down. What do you need me to do?"

"I need you to come to the courthouse," Jake pleaded. "They've got a bail hearing soon. I... I can't do this alone, man."

William glanced at the clock on the wall. His shift was only halfway through, but there was no way he could ignore Jake's call for help. He sighed, quickly packing up his tools. "Hang tight, Jake. I'm on my way."

The courthouse loomed ahead, its stone facade imposing against the cloudy sky. William parked his beat-up car in the nearest available spot, grabbed his coat, and hurried inside. The cold air inside was a stark contrast to the chaos of the day, but it did little to calm his nerves.

"Where do I go for bail hearings?" William asked a weary-looking clerk at the front desk.

The clerk glanced at him over her glasses and pointed down the hall. "Second door on the left. Next hearing starts in ten minutes."

William thanked her and rushed down the hallway, his shoes echoing off the polished floors. His heart pounded as he stepped into the small courtroom, scanning the room for Jake.

Jake sat at a table near the front, his head bowed and his hands cuffed. He looked up as William entered, and the relief in his eyes was palpable.

"Will," Jake said softly, his voice barely carrying across the room.

William nodded and took a seat in the back, his mind racing. He'd never been in a situation like this before. What was he supposed to do? Could he even afford to help Jake?

The bailiff called the court to order, and the judge entered, taking her seat at the bench. The hearing began, and the prosecutor outlined the charges against Jake: fraud, embezzlement, and conspiracy.

"Your Honor," the prosecutor said, "we believe the defendant poses a flight risk and recommend that bail be set at $10,000."

William's stomach dropped. Ten thousand dollars? Where was he supposed to come up with that kind of money?

The judge turned to Jake's public defender, a young woman who looked fresh out of law school. "Do you have any arguments to make regarding bail?" the judge asked.

"Yes, Your Honor," the public defender said, standing. "My client has no prior criminal record, strong ties to the community, and maintains that he was set up by his employer. We request that bail be set at a more reasonable amount."

The judge tapped her pen on the bench, considering the arguments. After a moment, she spoke. "Bail is set at $5,000. Next hearing is in two weeks. Court adjourned."

William let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Five thousand dollars was still a lot, but it was better than ten. As the courtroom emptied, Jake's eyes met his, a silent plea for help.

In the hallway, William approached Jake's public defender. "I'm William, Jake's friend. What happens now?"

"We'll process the bail paperwork," she said. "If you can post bail, Jake can go home while we prepare for his defense. Otherwise, he'll have to stay in custody."

William nodded, his thoughts racing. He didn't have five thousand dollars sitting around, but he couldn't leave Jake here. "What are my options for paying bail?"

The public defender handed him a pamphlet. "You can pay the full amount directly or go through a bail bondsman. They'll cover the bail for a fee, usually about ten percent."

"Five hundred," William muttered. "Okay. I can do that."

William stepped out of the courthouse and dialed the number for a local bail bondsman listed in the pamphlet. The man on the other end was brusque but professional, walking William through the process.

Half an hour later, William handed over the required fee and signed the paperwork. It stung to part with so much money, but as he waited outside the jail for Jake to be released, he reminded himself that this was for his friend.

The heavy metal doors creaked open, and Jake stepped out, his shoulders slumped and his face weary. When he saw William, he managed a weak smile.

"Thanks, man," Jake said, his voice hoarse. "I owe you."

"Yeah, you do," William replied, clapping him on the back. "Let's get you home."

The drive back from the courthouse was tense, The silence between William and Jake, and the hum of the engine was all one could hear. Jake stared out the window, his face shadowed and unreadable. William gripped the steering wheel tightly, his mind swirling with the weight of the situation.

As they turned onto Jake's street, William finally spoke. "You alright, man? You've been quiet."

Jake sighed, running a hand through his hair. "No, Will. I'm not alright. I don't even know how I got here. One minute I was working my ass off, trying to keep things together, and the next… everything's falling apart."

William nodded, letting Jake vent. He understood the need to let it all out before finding a way to move forward. "We'll figure it out," he said quietly. "But first, we need to deal with this mess."

Jake scoffed. "This mess? You just spent five hundred bucks on a bail bondsman. That's money you didn't have to throw away on me."

William shook his head. "It's not a waste. You're my friend. What was I supposed to do? Let you rot in there?"

Jake didn't reply. Instead, he pulled out his phone, scrolling through the notifications that had piled up while he was in jail. His expression darkened as he read a string of texts from his girlfriend, Carrie.

William glanced over at him. "What's wrong?"

Jake let out a bitter laugh, shoving the phone into William's hand. "Read it yourself."

William hesitated before looking at the messages. The most recent one hit him like a punch to the gut:

Jake, I can't do this anymore. I wanted to believe you, but my parents were right. A guy as perfect as you had to be hiding something. Now I know the truth. You're a criminal, and I can't be with someone like that. I'm leaving. Don't try to call me.

William handed the phone back the shock across his face. "What the hell is her problem?"

Jake shrugged, his laugh devoid of humor. "She's not wrong, though, is she? The charges are real, even if I didn't do it. And now I'm broke, jobless, and alone. Great catch, huh?"

William clenched the steering wheel, struggling to keep his frustration in check. He didn't want to say something Jake wasn't ready to hear. "That's on her, not you. She didn't stick around to get the truth. You deserve better."

Jake sighed, slumping in his seat. "Doesn't matter now."

When they finally reached Jake's apartment complex, the place looked worse than William remembered. Paint was peeling from the walls, and the stairwell reeked of mildew. Jake led the way up the creaking steps to his unit. As they approached the door, both men froze.

A bright orange eviction notice was taped to the door, its bold letters stark and unyielding. Jake ripped the notice off the door, his hands trembling as he read it.

"Effective immediately," he muttered, his voice barely audible. "Rent overdue. Premises must be vacated within 48 hours."

William stepped closer, reading over Jake's shoulder. "What the hell, Jake? I thought you were keeping up with rent."

"I was," Jake said, his voice cracking. "Until the lawyer fees ate through my savings. I thought I had time to catch up, but... I guess I didn't."

William leaned against the wall, running a hand down his face. "This is insane. What are you going to do?"

Jake shook his head, his expression dazed. "I don't know, man. I don't know."

After retrieving a few of Jake's belongings, the two headed back to William's apartment. The air between them was heavy with unspoken words. When they arrived, Jake hesitated at the door, holding out a handful of crumpled bills.

"Here," Jake said. "This is for the bail. It's all I've got left."

William stared at the money, then at Jake. "Are you serious? You just got evicted, and you're trying to pay me back?"

Jake shrugged, pushing the money into William's hand. "It's yours. You shouldn't have to suffer because of my screw-ups."

William sighed, stuffing the money into his pocket. "Fine. But you're staying here until we figure something out. No arguments."

Jake nodded, his shoulders slumping as he stepped inside. William's apartment was small and cluttered, but it was warm and dry, a far cry from Jake's current reality. He dropped his bag in the corner and sank onto the couch, staring blankly at the floor.

After a long silence, William spoke. "We need a plan."

Jake didn't respond, so William continued. "Look, I've been thinking about this for a while. My lease is coming up, and this place is falling apart. Your situation isn't any better. What if we pooled our resources and got a house together?"

Jake looked up, his brows furrowed. "A house? Will, we can barely afford rent."

"I know," William said, leaning forward. "But hear me out. Between your work ethic and my side gigs, we could save up for a down payment. It wouldn't be easy, but it's better than staying in places like this."

Jake stared at him for a long moment before letting out a shaky laugh. "You're serious, aren't you?"

"Dead serious," William replied. "We can't keep living like this, Jake. It's time to start building something better."

Jake ran a hand through his hair, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Alright, Will. Let's do it. Let's get a house."