by Marie Astor
Ally wheeled her chair into Delilah’s cubicle. “You got any ideas on what we should focus on during our study?” she asked.
Delilah looked at her as though she had two heads. “That’s your department. I got us into the plant. I thought we were clear on this,” she added in a whisper.
“Great. Thanks a lot. I’m going to start putting together a plan. We could ask for records of all the operational enhancements done to the plant in the past year.”
“You think they’ll let us see that? It sounds like pretty secret stuff.”
“If their security is worth any sauce, they won’t. But then we can drill them down and find out more about how access to the company materials is monitored and stored. If there’s a leak, that’d be a good place to start looking for it.”
“Maybe we get a log of employees who have access to proprietary drawings and production plans and then see if they sent any information outside.”
“Yeah, that’d be awesome. I wish we had friends in IT.”
“We do.”
“Since when?”
“Remember that guy Alex we met last night? He works in IT. I found that out while we were dancing. He’s a terrible dancer though.”
“And you’re just telling me now?”
“I didn’t think the fact he was a lousy dancer was that important.”
“No,” Ally snapped. “I meant that he works in IT. Stop messing with me.”
“I couldn’t resist. I told you that socializing was important.”
“And you were right. I fully admit it. Happy now?”
“Can’t I bask in the limelight some more?”
“You’ll bask all you want after we get our job done. For now, no basking.”
“You’re just loads of fun today.”
“Blame it on the tequila.”
“Hello, ladies.” Mark Hardy appeared in the cubicle aisle.
“Hello, Mark.” Delilah swung in her chair, flashing her legs.
“How’re you feeling after last night’s debauchery?” Mark asked.
“Never felt better.” Delilah smiled at him. “And you?”
“You’re a party animal. I can’t remember the last time I drank that much on a school night. It’s catching up with me now. I must be getting old.”
“You’re not alone, Mark,” Ally assured him. “I was in pretty rough shape this morning.”
“That makes me feel much better. So do you have any plans for lunch? I thought we could all grab a burger. Burgers and fries is the best remedy for a hangover.”
“I already had a doughnut earlier, so I say bring on the junk food. I’m in.” Ally said.
“Hey, Ted’s burgers are no junk food. They make up the primary diet of the entire Orion staff, probably even the whole town.”
“Ted’s burgers, Hank’s bar? What is it with this place?” Delilah asked.
“We like to keep things simple,” Mark explained. “Who cares what a place is called as long as it serves good food?”
“You got a point there,” Delilah agreed.
Mark rocked on his heels. “So how about it, Katherine? You’re in for lunch?”
“Is Alex coming?” Delilah asked, now fully used to her alias name.
A shadow of disappointment flittered over Mark’s face. “I haven’t called him, but I can ask. They get pretty busy in IT, though.”
“I’ll call him right now.” Delilah beamed. “What’s his extension?”
Mark told her and Delilah quickly dialed Alex. While she cooed on the phone, Ally tried to make conversation with Mark, but it was clear that his attention was directed at trying to pick up bits and pieces of Delilah’s conversation.
“Alex is coming!” Delilah announced triumphantly, hanging up the phone. “We’ll all meet in the lobby at twelve thirty.”
“Uh, well, sounds good,” Mark muttered. “See you there.” He was about to walk away when Andrew Rogers appeared in the cubicle aisle.
“Beatrice, Katherine, could you step into my office?”
Ally and Delilah jumped up from their chairs. As they headed into Rogers’s office, Delilah still had the presence of mind to whisper in a sultry voice, “See you later, Mark.”
Ally felt cold shivers run down her back. Could it be that Rogers got wind of their slacking off in the coffee shop and was going to read them the riot act? Or maybe he’d heard about their reckless drinking last night and thought they were a bad influence on Orion’s employees?
“Ladies, please have a seat.” Rogers motioned at the two chairs in his office and took a seat behind his desk. “So, how are you finding your second day at Orion?”
“Very engaging. The people here are just wonderful. Everyone is so friendly, so different from New York,” Delilah volunteered. Ally shot her a side glance—socializing with company employees didn’t exactly classify one as a hard worker.
“I’m glad to hear it. We here at Orion strive to create a challenging and educational environment for our interns. I hope you will find it to be such during your time here.” Rogers coughed. “I understand that you spoke with Brad Weiss this morning about your interest in doing a study on our plant?”
“We just happened to run into him,” Ally explained.
“And we thought we’d use the opportunity to present our ideas to him,” Delilah piped in.
“That’s a commendable demonstration of initiative and Brad was really impressed by it,” Rogers replied. “But in the future, feel free to talk to me about any ideas you might have. The door to my office is always open and I’ll make sure that your suggestions are heard.”
“Of course,” Ally assured him.
“We didn’t mean to be impertinent,” Delilah added. “It was really my fault. I got so excited that Mr. Weiss was genuinely interested in our ideas that I didn’t think about how it might look. I should’ve spoken with you first. It won’t happen again, I promise.”
Rogers nodded approvingly. “There’s no need to apologize. The management here welcomes initiative. We just want to make sure it goes through the right channels. At any rate, I didn’t call you in here to reprimand you or anything of the kind, but to let you know that as of now you have access to Orion’s plant facilities. The access has been coded into your ID badges, so you should be able to gain entry without any problem. I’ll arrange for you to have a guided tour tomorrow morning.”
“Sounds great!” Ally thanked him. “We’re both so grateful for this opportunity.”
“Wonderful. I’m looking forward to your findings.” Rogers eyed his desk. “And now if you’ll excuse me, I have several reports that I need to get ready for Mr. Weiss.”
“Of course. Thank you.” Ally got up from her seat and Delilah followed her.
Delilah checked her watch. “It’s already twelve fifteen. We’d better get going. The boys must be waiting for us downstairs.”
A few moments later Ally and Delilah were in the lobby. Both Alex and Mark were already there waiting for them.
“I’m starting to love Newport men,” Delilah whispered. “So punctual and gallant.”
“Hello, ladies. How’s your day going?” Alex swooped in before Mark could even get a chance.
Delilah flashed him a bright smile. “It’s going great, thank you.”
“I’m glad to hear it. Last night was fun, but I sure paid for it this morning. Here’s hoping that a good burger will take away the hangover,” Alex said.
“I’ll take your word for it.” Delilah touched Alex’s arm.
“Mark was just promising us the same thing,” Ally cut in. She was starting to feel bad for Mark who stood there ogling Delilah like a lost puppy.
“So which way are we going?” Delilah asked, still ignoring Mark.
“It’s just two blocks away,” Mark said.
“I’ll lead the way,” Alex jumped in. “May I?” He offered his arm to Delilah with exaggerated gallantry and she took it.
Ally and Mark followed. Mark looked so miserable staring at Delilah�
��s legs as she walked almost dancingly next to Alex that Ally decided that attempting any kind of conversation would be futile. So they walked together awkwardly while Delilah flirted with Alex.
It was a short walk and a few moments later they were standing in front of Ted’s. The building looked like a typical diner, complete with a neon sign that said “Burgers and Shakes.”
“After you, ladies.” Alex held the door open for Delilah and Ally to enter.
The place was busy inside and it obvious why—the smell of grilled burgers and cheese that permeated the air was mouthwatering. A hostess greeted them. “How can I help you folks?”
“A table for four, please,” Mark asked.
“How about that one?” The hostess pointed at a table just off the aisle.
“We’d like a booth, if possible,” Alex chimed in. “This is a business lunch and we’ll need some quiet to discuss our plans.”
The hostess gave them a once-over. “Bigwigs from Orion, huh? All right, I got one booth in the back. Follow me.”
A few moments later the four of them were seated in a secluded booth all the way in the back of the restaurant.
“Nice work.” Delilah winked at Alex as she took her seat next to Ally. By now Mark looked completely crestfallen.
“So what’s good here?” Ally asked.
“Burgers and fries,” Alex replied, busy scanning the menu.
“And they have the best milkshakes,” Mark added.
“Yeah, if you’re into that kind of thing. I’m in training.” Alex patted his washboard stomach, his eyes still glued to the menu.
“In training?” Ally asked.
“It’s just a fancy way of saying that he goes to the gym a couple of times a week,” Mark explained.
“I’m there every morning, buddy. Six a.m. sharp,” Alex corrected him, still glued to the menu. “And by the looks of it, you could use some gym time yourself.”
Mark ignored the snide comment. “This guy always reads the menu as if he’s seeing it for the first time and he always orders the same thing.”
“I think I’ll have my usual, classic burger, fries, and a Diet Coke.” Alex pushed the menu away.
“No milkshake?” Delilah sounded disappointed.
“Well, maybe just this once,” Alex relented.
The waitress came by to take their orders and they ordered different varieties of Ted’s burgers ranging from bison to beef with different kinds of cheeses. All four of them went for milkshakes.
“So, what is it Andrews wanted to talk to you girls about?” Mark asked. “He looked really intense when he called you in.”
“He’s interested in a study that Trix and I suggested for Orion’s plant,” Delilah explained.
“Whoa, you’ve only been here two days and already you’re suggesting ideas for the company plant? I like your style,” Mark sounded genuinely impressed.
“You know what they say, man, carpe diem,” Alex was quick to add.
“Yeah, well, I don’t see you proposing studies to improve company IT systems,” Mark shot back. Ally smiled inwardly. Apparently there was more to Mark than she had thought.
“That’s because our IT systems are perfect, man,” Alex shot back. “There are always improvements to be made to the plant, though.”
“Really? And you’re speaking from experience or from your thorough knowledge of Orion’s production systems?”
“Guys, guys, take it easy.” Delilah smiled at each of them in turn. “You really think Orion’s IT systems are bulletproof, Alex?”
Alex looked dumbfounded, so Ally jumped in, “We were just wondering if there’s any kind of security system safeguarding proprietary information, such as drawings and operating sequences.”
“Well, yes, of course. Except for key employees, everyone gets read-only access on their computers,” Alex explained proudly.
“And the key employees would be?” Ally asked.
“Senior executive level and any key personnel that need special access. There’s a log of all changes made to access status. There’s also a log of all electronic files being transferred both internally and externally,” Alex explained. “Wow, for college students you girls are sure on the ball.”
Delilah nudged her foot under the table and Ally cursed inwardly. “We’ve done a similar study at Honeywell before. It was for a term paper,” she hurried to explain. Normally she’d never be this forward, but all this testosterone-filled bickering made her impatient.
“But I thought you only cared about the plant equipment,” Mark said.
“We care about all aspects of the firm,” Delilah assured him. “For a company to be truly efficient, it must maintain efficiency in all of its areas.”
Alex whistled. “You two need to lighten up. You’ll hit the workforce soon enough. Just relax and enjoy the ride.”
“We know how to have a good time. Wasn’t last night any fun?” Delilah asked in a sultry voice. “We like to work hard and play hard.”
Both Alex and Mark looked stupefied. Their expressions made it clear that whatever hopes they might have had for having fun with a couple of co-eds were now dashed. Mercifully, the waitress brought out their food and the awkward silence was broken.
The rest of the lunch was spent enjoying the delicious food—Ted’s burgers were indeed heavenly—and mindless banter.
Chapter 10
Jake Morrissey was having a miserable Friday afternoon. It hadn’t even been a week since Ally had left for her assignment, but he already missed her so much it was embarrassing. He felt like a lovesick teenager. The worst part was that he couldn’t call her or email her or contact her in any way. He didn’t even know where she was and he was worried sick about her. What if her cover got exposed? What if her life was in danger and he wouldn’t be there to protect her? If he at least knew where she was, he’d feel better. Of course he could’ve used his connections within the agency and found out discreetly, but he decided not to for fear of jeopardizing her career. So that’s what true love felt like—not only was he crazy over Ally, but he truly cared about her and was willing to put her needs ahead of his own.
Jake glanced at his watch and shook his head. It was four o’clock in the afternoon and he had nothing to look forward to but a lonely weekend. Maybe he’d grab a beer with the guys from the office just to get out of his funk, but he doubted it would help much. The nature of his job allowed few friends. You couldn’t really get close to people when you were always working on confidential assignments, assuming fake identities. He knew how to get close to people when he needed to for a job, but it was never real, and as soon as the assignment was over so was the fake friendship. The same went for his colleagues. He was friendly with a few guys at the agency, but that was it. Heading home and watching some TV might be a better option—he was in no mood to hang out at some noisy bar. Boy, he was starting to sound really pathetic. If things continued this way, he’d go crazy by the time Ally got back. Jake contemplated leaving early. There was nothing going on at the office anyway. Walking home instead of taking the train sounded like a good idea. Maybe he would even go for a jog in his neighborhood afterward. He needed to clear his head. Just then his telephone rang and he knew that whatever meager plans he’d made for the night were now shot. Marion Phillips was on the line.
“Yes, Marion, I’ll be right there.” Jake Morrissey hung up the phone and headed down the hallway to his boss’s office. He wondered what she had in store for him now. He didn’t believe in premonitions, but somehow he didn’t have a good feeling about this.
Marion’s door was open and Jake could see her squinting at her computer monitor, shunning her reading glasses which lay on the desk. She sat with her body angled in such a way that her still gorgeous, sleek legs could be seen from beneath the desk. He’d been working for Marion for almost ten years and never during this time had anything improper transpired between the two of them, nor had he ever wanted for it to. Jake respected Marion as his boss and as a woman. Not only w
as she incredibly smart and sharp, but her looks matched her wits, which was rare. She hadn’t exactly been a spring chicken when Jake started working for her, but even now after all this time she still looked amazing. Reading glasses were the only thing about her that gave away her age.
“Jake, come on in,” Marion greeted him just as he was about to knock on her door. Nothing ever escaped her attention.
“Hello, Marion.”
“How are things?”
He nearly laughed. “Are you telling me that you called me into your office to ask me how are things?”
She laughed. “A little chitchat never hurt anybody.”
“Something is telling me that this meeting is not going to be idle chitchat.”
“And how do you know that, Jake? Are you a mind reader?”
“By no means, Marion. I’ve just been working for you for almost ten years.”
“Must you bring the years into it?” she asked in a deprecating tone. “You’re as perceptive as ever, Jake.” Marion’s tone grew serious. “I have a new assignment for you.” She slid a manila folder across her desk. “We’ve been monitoring the situation at Orion Inc.—”
“The liquefied gas plant in Oregon? They just signed those huge contracts with China and Hong Kong,” Jake was quick to catch up. He kept up to date with all the developments in the energy industry.
“Precisely.” Marion nodded. “We received intel from our source in MSS that the situation at Orion is deteriorating. We’ve been previously told that there’s a possible leak in upper management, but now we’re being told that there are several leaks. We need someone experienced on the group ASAP and you’re perfect for the job.”
Jake frowned. Whenever he took on a new assignment he wanted to know what he was getting into. “You said that you’ve been monitoring the situation? Do we have agents on the ground there?”
“I have two junior agents monitoring the situation. We’ve only had them there since Monday. Now we need backup.”
Jake’s jaw tightened. Ally has been gone that exact amount of time and he didn’t believe in coincidences. “Would you mind telling me who we have over there?”
