that's about."
"Yeah." So I typed back On my way .
I took off my magnifying glasses, locked my computer, and walked all the way to the back, to the Director’s office. The Technical Institute was one of the finest digital technology labs in Silicon Valley. We did research and development on both audio and video hardware. Microphones that would make a recording engineer salivate. Cameras that would make High Definition look like thirty-five millimeter film. And, on occasion, we hired our talents out to various clients to consult on various projects.
Finally I arrived at her office, and stopped at her door, to smooth down my rumpled blue lab coat. Marlene Hammond was my boss. She was also a tall, striking brunette. I could see she was dressed in a plain white blouse, black leather pencil skirt and black pumps, her hair slicked back in a simple ponytail, secured with a barrette.
Taking a deep breath, I knocked twice on the glass door.
She looked up, smiled, and took off her glasses. “Hi, Jeff. Come in, please.”
I came inside the room and sat down, facing her desk. “So, uh, what did you want to see me about?”
“You haven’t read your email, have you?”
I swallowed. “Uh, no, Miss Hammond. I, uh…”
“You went to work and the rest of the world didn’t exist?”
Sheepishly, I said, “Yes, Miss Hammond.”
“Well, I wanted to be the first to congratulate you.”
“Thanks. But what for?”
“Your new assignment. The recording artist Danielle Evans has selected you to be a technical consultant.”
I was afraid of that . “Technical consultant? Consulting for what?”
“Jeff, it’s a very prestigious assignment. Danielle is incredibly famous, right up there with Stacey Dash and Jennifer Lopez.”
“I suppose so.”
Miss Hammond was suppressing a smile. “I know this is sudden. But just think of all the ideas you’ll have bouncing around inside your head when you come back. All I ask is that you check your email while you’re away.”
“Right.”
“Starting tomorrow afternoon, your only concern will be to represent us to the best of your ability.”
“And how long will I be gone, Miss Hammond?”
“At least two weeks. But no longer than three weeks.”
I suppressed a groan. “Three weeks ?”
Miss Hammond had this look on her face like she was trying not to smile or laugh. “You’ll be back home before you know it. As I said, it’s a very prestigious assignment. They’ll even pay you for your very considerable expertise.”
I’d never seen her stroke my ego like this. “Okay, I guess.”
“Good. What we need to do now is to have you take these over to HR. After that, you can go home early and pack.” She slid a packet across her desk to me.
“What are these?”
“Danielle’s people were kind enough to fill all these out for us.”
I stood up and picked up the packet. “Wow, seriously?”
“Seriously, Jeff.”
“Wow. I mean, that’s not a lot of paperwork, but…”
“I know. I faxed it over this morning and they faxed it back this afternoon, all filled out and everything.”
“Wow. What else is in here?”
“Your train ticket. Danielle’s people will meet you.”
“Right. Anything else I need to know?”
“No, Jeff, that about covers it. I understand you finally fixed that camera.”
“Yeah. Sure did.”
Miss Hammond smiled. “Good job.”
“Thanks. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll just be going over to HR.”
“Yes. Off with you. I need to call Danielle and let her know.”
Chapter Two
Danielle
Picture a very nice conference room. Walls paneled in mahogany. Picture windows on the far side of the room showing the beautiful sun-washed June day that I was wasting while trapped in here. Behind me was a sliding glass door. Every so often someone in a suit or a dress would walk past. Outside, the ground was five stories below. If I stood up, I could see the highway two blocks away.
I was seated in a plush black leather armchair that reclined
"Yeah." So I typed back On my way .
I took off my magnifying glasses, locked my computer, and walked all the way to the back, to the Director’s office. The Technical Institute was one of the finest digital technology labs in Silicon Valley. We did research and development on both audio and video hardware. Microphones that would make a recording engineer salivate. Cameras that would make High Definition look like thirty-five millimeter film. And, on occasion, we hired our talents out to various clients to consult on various projects.
Finally I arrived at her office, and stopped at her door, to smooth down my rumpled blue lab coat. Marlene Hammond was my boss. She was also a tall, striking brunette. I could see she was dressed in a plain white blouse, black leather pencil skirt and black pumps, her hair slicked back in a simple ponytail, secured with a barrette.
Taking a deep breath, I knocked twice on the glass door.
She looked up, smiled, and took off her glasses. “Hi, Jeff. Come in, please.”
I came inside the room and sat down, facing her desk. “So, uh, what did you want to see me about?”
“You haven’t read your email, have you?”
I swallowed. “Uh, no, Miss Hammond. I, uh…”
“You went to work and the rest of the world didn’t exist?”
Sheepishly, I said, “Yes, Miss Hammond.”
“Well, I wanted to be the first to congratulate you.”
“Thanks. But what for?”
“Your new assignment. The recording artist Danielle Evans has selected you to be a technical consultant.”
I was afraid of that . “Technical consultant? Consulting for what?”
“Jeff, it’s a very prestigious assignment. Danielle is incredibly famous, right up there with Stacey Dash and Jennifer Lopez.”
“I suppose so.”
Miss Hammond was suppressing a smile. “I know this is sudden. But just think of all the ideas you’ll have bouncing around inside your head when you come back. All I ask is that you check your email while you’re away.”
“Right.”
“Starting tomorrow afternoon, your only concern will be to represent us to the best of your ability.”
“And how long will I be gone, Miss Hammond?”
“At least two weeks. But no longer than three weeks.”
I suppressed a groan. “Three weeks ?”
Miss Hammond had this look on her face like she was trying not to smile or laugh. “You’ll be back home before you know it. As I said, it’s a very prestigious assignment. They’ll even pay you for your very considerable expertise.”
I’d never seen her stroke my ego like this. “Okay, I guess.”
“Good. What we need to do now is to have you take these over to HR. After that, you can go home early and pack.” She slid a packet across her desk to me.
“What are these?”
“Danielle’s people were kind enough to fill all these out for us.”
I stood up and picked up the packet. “Wow, seriously?”
“Seriously, Jeff.”
“Wow. I mean, that’s not a lot of paperwork, but…”
“I know. I faxed it over this morning and they faxed it back this afternoon, all filled out and everything.”
“Wow. What else is in here?”
“Your train ticket. Danielle’s people will meet you.”
“Right. Anything else I need to know?”
“No, Jeff, that about covers it. I understand you finally fixed that camera.”
“Yeah. Sure did.”
Miss Hammond smiled. “Good job.”
“Thanks. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll just be going over to HR.”
“Yes. Off with you. I need to call Danielle and let her know.”
Chapter Two
Danielle
Picture a very nice conference room. Walls paneled in mahogany. Picture windows on the far side of the room showing the beautiful sun-washed June day that I was wasting while trapped in here. Behind me was a sliding glass door. Every so often someone in a suit or a dress would walk past. Outside, the ground was five stories below. If I stood up, I could see the highway two blocks away.
I was seated in a plush black leather armchair that reclined
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