“Why?” Stephanie asked curiously, “Do you have people on the inside?”
“No, well not any people anyway. We have access to strategic communication networks where orders would flow. It isn’t a hundred percent, but it’s good enough we feel confident we will have some notice. How are we going to maintain command and control of our emplacements?” Kevin asked.
“We’ll use transceivers routed through the Etheric. Those will connect to AGILITY and allow us complete command from the base.”
“Is there any way to override those things?” Kevin pressed.
“Are you asking if we can shut them down, or are you asking if someone else could gain control of them?” Stephanie asked.
“Well,” Kevin started scratching under his chin while looking at the digital display, “I am concerned they could be hacked by somebody.”
Stephanie laughed, “I don’t think anyone is going to be able to hack AGILITY at this point.”
Stephanie had a previous meeting, or conference call if you will, with ADAM a couple of days back. It took her a while to realize she was talking with an artificial intelligence. She had been ‘read in’ by Bethany Anne and been part of an orientation like none she had ever experienced. Not only had the CEO of the company taken her into outer space, said CEO almost made her pee in her pants with fright at the same time. Now, she had a much better understanding of the capabilities and the goals of the group. Stephanie had been silly enough to ask why she was trusted with this information. It did not surprise her to find out that Michael had read her mind. At this point, after traveling to outer space and finding out the ‘big boss’ was a vampire, something as simple as telepathy was pretty easy to swallow.
Kevin grinned, “Yeah, I figured as much, but I didn’t want to get into another I.T. discussion with Tom about his new baby. He might superglue me to a chair so he can wax poetic all afternoon.”
Stephanie smirked, “Is that why you keep trying to miss him in the meetings?”
Kevin replied, “I am not trying to miss him, I am merely trying to keep my own personal schedule on track. My job is to run this base, not understand what’s caused Tom to have a woody that morning.” It took Kevin about three seconds before his brain caught up to his mouth. Once he realized what he had said, his cheeks turned beet red.
It only took Stephanie two seconds to start laughing so hard she could barely breathe.
Finally, Kevin began laughing as well, and he realized that Stephanie had become less ‘attractive female,’ and more ‘one of the people on his team,’ in his mind. Just one of the people in his group whose job, in this particular case, was to make his area of responsibility secure.
—
John Grimes walked into the cafeteria and paused a moment to locate his cousin, who was seated in a corner. He waved at one of the security guys from the front gate, who nodded back to him, before John continued walking towards Cheryl Lynn.
He was within a couple of tables when she looked up and noticed him coming, and gave him her patented ‘cousin smile.’
Oh, shit! he thought. I’m going to catch it now.
She pointed to the chair across from her and said, “Why don’t you take a seat, dear cousin of mine?”
“Don’t mind if I do, Cheryl Lynn.” John smiled at her. His smile was interrupted when her eyes squinted and her mouth compressed together and he felt her kick him hard in the knee!
John clamped down on his teeth so he didn’t let out a rude exclamation. He said through clenched teeth, “I hope that was enough?”
Cheryl Lynn leaned forward, “Did I need to be passed around from person to person to get the point?”
John leaned back, still acting as if her kick was hurting him. He didn’t need to let her know that his body had already dealt with the pain. “If it helps your pride a little bit, I was subjected to ass-kicking’s all week long from Bethany Anne.”
“Good!” She exclaimed. Then her face became concerned, “Why was she kicking your ass?”
John leaned forward and put his elbows on the table, “Because she is an impatient sort of person and she wanted her assistant available, not on some wild goose chase.”
“Then why did you have me doing that? Is it that you felt I needed to find this out for myself?”
“That.” John pointed at her, “Is exactly what you needed to do. Don’t tell me if I had just told you ‘this is important,’ that it would be as meaningful to you as it is right now. Would it? Because if that’s the case, not only have I caused myself an unnecessary week of grief, but you’ve changed since we were kids.”
She sat back, crossing her arms over her chest, then rocked back and forth in the chair. She finally grumped, “No! It wouldn’t have been the same. But you’re doing the same thing you did to me when we were kids, leading me around instead of letting me know what I’m supposed to be doing. Do you realize what a …” She stopped, then exhaled. “I guess that isn’t fair. We haven’t been around each other enough for you to recognize that I have changed. So, you reverted back to old habits. Fine, but next time I will use a bat when I want to kick your knee.”
She reached down to massage her toes ruefully, “It was like kicking the wall.” She smiled at him. “Maybe I did need to hear everybody’s take on the situation. After living through my mistakes with Mark, trusting anyone has been difficult. I suppose, I might have thought that you could be mistaken about Bethany Anne, as well.”
John stood and pushed his chair back under the table. “I owe her my life, my team’s lives, and now your life as well. If there is one thing you can depend on,” he stared straight into her eyes, “it is Bethany Anne.”
Cheryl Lynn gave him a short, sharp nod and then winked at him. He gave her a cheesy excuse for a salute then turned around and walked out of the cafeteria.
—
Cheryl Lynn opened the door of the apartment she shared with Tina and Todd on the base. Although she now had a lot of money in the bank, a product of Bethany Anne’s ‘talk’ with her ex-husband, she had decided to keep the same furniture this apartment had originally been outfitted with.
It was less about not spending money, as it was making sure that Tina and Todd could get into the rhythm of base life. After her various conversations, Cheryl Lynn understood that all of their futures could be in outer space, and there would be no frivolous furniture up there.
“Mom!” Todd yelled from his room when she shut the front door. “I want to go into space too!”
Cheryl Lynn put her work down on the kitchen table, and pulled out a chair. She took off her shoes to let her toes wiggle a little bit, waiting for Todd to come out of his room. It took him about 30 seconds before he came out, grumpy. She asked him, “What do you say when you see your mother for the first time in the day?”
Todd rolled his eyes, “Good afternoon, Mom. Now, how come I can’t go into outer space?”
“Excuse me?” She eyed Todd, her expression showing some irritation.
Todd realized he had crossed the line, again. “I’m sorry. Can you please tell me why I can’t go into outer space?”
“Ok, that’s better,” she nodded. “I have no idea, Todd. What are you doing to earn the opportunity to go into outer space?”
“What do you mean? I go to school, and I’m passing all my classes.” He answered, not quite managing to keep the whine out of his voice.
“Todd, you need to understand something. The people around here are not interested in a person who does the minimum to get by. These people are giving their all, not just,” she air-quoted, “‘Passing their classes.’ The reason that Tina was able to go into outer space, was because she is voluntarily attending additional scholastic sessions beyond her normal schooling.”
Cheryl Lynn started taking her books and setting them out on the table so she could review them.
“So, if you want a chance to do something cool,” she looked over at him, “You will have to give one hundred and fifty percent. Passing isn’t good enough h
ere; you will need straight A’s. Are you putting in the effort to make sure you have great grades, or is your game console more important? What are you doing to make sure that you are with the right group, the people that are making things happen?”
Todd didn’t want to hear this, and it was the third time she’d had this same talk with him. He said solemnly, “Nothing.”
Cheryl Lynn turned to face her son, “Todd, look at me. No! Look. At. Me.” Todd looked up at his mother, “I want you to have the chance to go to outer space. I want you to have the chance to live a long life. It is going to take me a significant amount of personal effort to make sure you and Tina have this chance. Do you want to go to outer space?” She held her son’s attention.
Finally, he nodded.
“Then you need to find something that you are interested in, something besides video games, and get engaged and learn it. Ask what sort of skills will be needed, then pick one you like, and learn something that is going to be useful. Because wishing to go to outer space, while you’re wasting time doing something frivolous stuff, won’t get you there.” Cheryl Lynn turned back to her books.
Todd didn’t like this answer, but he knew he wouldn’t receive a different one if he asked again tomorrow. He turned to go back to his bedroom. As he walked in he saw the game he had been playing, paused on his computer. Instead of going back to the chair and resuming play, he sat down on his bed.
So, what’s it going to be? He thought, how bad do I really want to go to outer space?
It was at least ten minutes later when Cheryl Lynn noticed that there were no game sounds coming from Todd’s room.
Damn it! Now, she was going to have to tell John that he was right … a second time.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Bethany Anne was working through the morning reports with ADAM. She didn’t have an office or even carry a laptop.
She had the damned computer with her twenty-four hours a day. For those people who complained in the past about how their Blackberries were ‘crackberries,’ they should try to live with it in their head.
However, it sure made getting through the morning updates faster.
If there was a lot of data, she would shift into Vampiric speed and not only take in the data dump, but have a conversation about all of the issues related to it that she could. Then, she would have ADAM put together emails that looked like they came from her and have them sent to the appropriate parties.
Because of her speed and detailed analysis, Bethany Anne was attaining a reputation around her businesses for being very, very sharp and extremely fast. One morning, a few employees happened to be chatting about the emails they’d received, and they noticed that Bethany Anne’s emails were all sent within two minutes of each other. During the next few weeks, the highest throughput they recorded was eighty-two highly detailed and specific emails sent within the space of four and a half minutes.
A couple of people assumed she just had a lot of help. Four bright individuals decided to test the theory. In the space of a few minutes they called her and asked clarification questions to see if she delegated the response or requested a follow up call.
Bethany Anne was just finishing her shower after an early morning workout. This time was usually used for chatting with TOM and ADAM about general events and other reports she needed to consider during the day. She took the calls and answered every single question, with two of the individuals receiving follow up projects that she had been considering. Those two declared they would never repeat the mistake of doubting her abilities, all the while complaining about the extra work she had given them to their co-workers.
Once Bethany Anne was suitably dressed, Eric joined to walk her to the main building. He mentioned that Cheryl Lynn was coming up behind them half running, half jogging.
Bethany Anne turned and smiled while she waited for the woman. Eric hung loose, looking around casually yet never failing to keep Cheryl Lynn in his peripheral vision. While Cheryl Lynn was known, Eric hadn’t known her long enough to feel comfortable with her so close to Bethany Anne.
“Sorry!” She said as she joined them, a little out of breath. “I wanted to catch you before you got in the office.” She puffed one more time rather loudly, then asked, “Wait, do you have an office?”
Bethany Anne shrugged, “Wherever I am, I guess. Which means, wherever YOU are, is probably going to be my office. Did John finish your trip through TQB personnel and did you learn what he felt you needed?”
Cheryl Lynn looked around, noticed that Eric was constantly watching her and grumped to him, “Like I could hurt the lady who can take John down?”
Eric smiled and turned away, just a little.
“Or,” she added, “the lady that protected my own children.” Bethany Anne noticed Cheryl Lynn’s look of determination as she said that, “By the way, I never properly thanked you for that. I had no idea what it meant for you to come with John on that trip.”
Bethany Anne waved her forward, “Come on. We’re going to the work-out room underground. It sounds like you need to get in shape with us.” Bethany Anne turned and started to walk again with Cheryl Lynn next to her, “So, what is it you think I gave up, Cheryl Lynn?”
“Oh, nothing much, just the world’s future. Like… literally.” She huffed.
Bethany Anne elbowed her, “No need to be so melodramatic!”
“Well, you try to be the person who realizes one of the most powerful people in the world dropped everything to go with her guard to help a woman with two children and a soon to be dick-ex-husband!” She gasped out all on one breath, “God, and I even thought that you two were an item.”
Cheryl Lynn blushed at her own comment and Bethany Anne grinned, responding, “No, but if you ever have time, ask John about the time I suggested to my nosy next-door neighbor I was using John as a boy-toy to christen every room in the Florida house. That old crone about had a heart attack…”
Eric interrupted Bethany Anne’s story by laughing, “She wasn’t the only one.” Both women turned to see Eric wiping a tear off of his face while he was still trying to maintain his visual scan, “Oh, my God! You should have seen how white John was when he came into the house that morning. I’ve never seen him hyperventilating so much without a work-out.” Finally, Eric stopped trying to look around and glanced at Bethany Anne. He said in a squeaky voice as he held his hands out in supplication, “Priceless!” Then he turned back to watching for danger again. The two women looked to each other and smiled. Each knowing John the way they did made the moment special for the two of them.
“You know,” Cheryl Lynn said as they resumed walking, “I’m going to enjoy working with you.”
Bethany Anne felt a warm feeling with those words and knew that she owed John an apology, someday.
-----
“Are” … huff … “You” … puff … “Trying” … gasp … “To kill me?” With that, Cheryl Lynn collapsed to the floor.
“Seriously?” Bethany Anne asked, “That was what, eighteen push-ups?” She finished a set of one hundred and jumped up.
Cheryl Lynn was gasping on the floor, “But those were real push-ups! I used to do the girl-style with my knees on the ground back in ... high school or something!” She groaned. “Well,” she admitted, “maybe in college, but whatever, it was a long time ago.”
“You’ll feel better if you get up and start walking around.” Bethany Anne suggested.
“Great … !” Cheryl Lynn grumped as she pulled her knees under her to struggle to her feet. Fortunately, she didn’t need to use much of her limp-noodle arms. “This way, I’ll only have farther to fall when my legs fail me.”
Bethany Anne had to shake her head at Cheryl Lynn’s whining. It had been a while since she had to push through with a normal body, so it helped remind her of her roots. “Keep going, it eventually gets better.”
“And if it doesn’t?” She asked as she flung her arms around trying to get feeling back into them.
Eric responded fro
m his own workout twenty feet away, “Then you’re dead.”
“Not the best ‘rah-rah’ speech I’ve ever heard, Eric!” She retorted. She continued to walk as she changed topics, “Bethany Anne, I think we need some marketing.”
“What?” Bethany Anne asked. She had been focused on a kata and Cheryl Lynn’s statement wasn’t what she had been expecting.
“Yeah, I’ve been thinking about it.” She continued, “I just went through this whole ‘inside the secret group’ set of conversations, and it was hard for me to grasp the truth. Imagine how hard it will be for the rest of the world, when all of a sudden, everything we are doing gets out of our control? Whoever doesn’t like us will have the opportunity to spin it -- and they will -- so I’m thinking we need to have everything already sewn up so that when we are ready, we make a big ‘splash’ with it. If someone beats us, well then we already have something in the can ready to go.” She shrugged her shoulders, “Ok, what pain is next?”
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