#2 Shades of Gray: From Moscow, With Love
Page 42
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3:30 P.M...
Hellenistic Sector, Business Vicinage...
Mr. Griffin threw a file on his desk. "Nothing. No more information on my youngest daughter." He turned in his chair and studied his reflection in one of the huge windows and then commanded the lights, "Dim."
Claviger and his new clerks were going through the Archive records but so far, they hadn't found anything. He leaned forward, placed his elbows on the desk, and rested his chin on his folded hands, and the glow from his computer showed on his face. He wondered it the Vice President had an alternative motive for sending the files over.
He dialed a number on the phone and then said, "Ms. Direct, please meet me out front. I'll be going out."
The Vice President had been the Chairman when he was known as Janus and Head of Security for this office, and they never did see eye to eye. One could say they had a rivalry. Have might be a better word. He stood and made his way to the door, wondering if the Vice President knew anything about his second daughter. The one file in the Archive stated that Theresa was present during the First Cross-Gate Event, and that she was eighteen days pregnant; it also stated the study of the child could be valuable to the Second Trial. Mr. Griffin turned the knob and walked into the hall. He had found no other information on the First Cross-Gate Event or the Second Trial. He closed the door and headed down the hall. The second file stated that Theresa went into labor early, and that the baby was delivered in good health. The Vice President at that time decided to take the child away from them and study the effects of the First Cross-Gate Event on their girl's development. Theresa cried in his arms for hours when they told them the baby had died.
Mr. Griffin's view...
How could they do that to us? What right did they have in taking our little girl away?
End Mr. Griffin's view...
He arrived at his secretary's desk, and Cathy was gone. She had gone down to the cafeteria to eat dinner, so he grabbed a scribble pad and wrote a note for her to reschedule his evening appointments and that he would be out. Mr. Griffin walked to the elevator and pressed the button for the lobby. The file stated the Vice President decided to take the child away and over thirty years ago, the Vice President would have been Mottie Masterdom, but he no longer works for the corporation. Mr. Griffin exited the elevator, made his way out the lobby, went down the stairs to the sidewalk, and there his limo waited.
His female driver exited the vehicle and opened the back door for him. "Chairman."
"Ms. Direct, the Second Branch Office."
"Yes, Chairman." She shut the door and rushed around to the driver's seat.
"Ms. Direct..."
"Yes, Chairman."
"Step on it. I'm in a bit of a hurry."