Millie sat in a booth in the ground-floor gourmet-natural restaurant scrutinizing the whole-wheat donut and the hot milk and beans drink on her tray, considering the relative meaninglessness of the deception she was engaging in. The only one who might be deceived would be the one who had planned it.
And, ironically, it might work out to his benefit. Maybe, as Sherry had said, not meaningless after all.
Turning to examine the post-twilight street outside, she reflected briefly on what she'd learned over the past month or so about Zero Jewel Research, Inc., and about the primary members of the corporate board, the CEO and CTO.
Distracted by her reflection in the window, she checked her disguise again.
The outfit was something she would never wear, the makeup worked to emphasize parts of her face not usually seen and de-emphasize the parts usually noticed, the sky blue wig quite different from her natural dark red, and the glasses with thick frames would be enough to hide her identity from many people. She was even wearing elevator shoes to make herself taller than usual. But no one in the company that occupied most of the building would be deceived.
Not that it mattered. She contemplated the multiple ironies.
Her gaze wandered back inside and she noticed the security camera in one corner. Wondering who might be manning the monitors, she raised two fingers and waved. The pilot lamp on the camera changed from pink to blue and back, and she smiled.
It had been Hodge's idea to meet at the restaurant on the first floor of the Zero Jewel headquarters building. Right under their noses was safest, he said. She could go to a nearby sports club and disguise herself, and then return where no one would expect her.
She let a corner of her mouth lift sardonically.
She'd never been comfortable with Hodge or with his approach to business, technology, or society. She had started working for him as an engineer about three years before, shortly after Hodge had left Zero Jewel in a difference of opinion with Sherry and JD, and formed Hodge Hercules Information Services.
High-level planning meetings had turned into dates, but, as was apparently the general course with Hodge, things went south quickly. He was difficult to communicate with, and would often assume things that weren't so.
If it weren't for his family money, Hodge would not have been able to keep his business going, and Millie herself had loaned him money in the form of stock purchases, although not so much for operating capital as to shore up the stock.
When she said she wasn't interested in dating any more, he had moved to take control, as he thought, of the relationship. At least, that was the only way she could interpret his behavior.
He would remind her at random times about things she had revealed about herself, as if expecting that knowledge to change her mind. Somehow, he had found out about Rodney, and about other things that her mother had felt should not be made public. And when he couldn't use that information to influence her, he would remind her of her stock that might become worthless.
At least he had not tried more than twice to seduce her.
She wasn't quite sure if it had been his real intent to do so those two times. He hadn't pressed her. But his actions and words on those two occasions had made her far more uncomfortable than usual.
When her mother had told her that the matchmaker that JD's mother had hired was reaching out to her, she had mentioned it to Hodge, and Hodge had encouraged her to respond positively, so that she could spy for him.
She didn't really care that much about the attempts at blackmail, or even that much about the money she had buried in stock in his company. She wasn't working because she needed money.
Her mother was always worried about the "wrong" people finding out about Rodney, but that wasn't so very important, either.
No, Millie had just not yet found a good enough reason for not cooperating with Hodge, and so had accepted the invitation to date JD. Then JD and Sherry turned out to be much more complex than she had thought, and the game had proceeded.
She supposed that she could now just tell Hodge she had gotten bored with the game, but Sherry and JD were, for some reason, wanting his cooperation for the House Party, and the thought amused her. And she found herself inclined to cooperate with them.
The corner of her mouth picked up again when she saw Hodge's form pass under the street lights outside in his thoroughly obvious disguise.
And, ironically, it might work out to his benefit. Maybe, as Sherry had said, not meaningless after all.
Turning to examine the post-twilight street outside, she reflected briefly on what she'd learned over the past month or so about Zero Jewel Research, Inc., and about the primary members of the corporate board, the CEO and CTO.
Distracted by her reflection in the window, she checked her disguise again.
The outfit was something she would never wear, the makeup worked to emphasize parts of her face not usually seen and de-emphasize the parts usually noticed, the sky blue wig quite different from her natural dark red, and the glasses with thick frames would be enough to hide her identity from many people. She was even wearing elevator shoes to make herself taller than usual. But no one in the company that occupied most of the building would be deceived.
Not that it mattered. She contemplated the multiple ironies.
Her gaze wandered back inside and she noticed the security camera in one corner. Wondering who might be manning the monitors, she raised two fingers and waved. The pilot lamp on the camera changed from pink to blue and back, and she smiled.
It had been Hodge's idea to meet at the restaurant on the first floor of the Zero Jewel headquarters building. Right under their noses was safest, he said. She could go to a nearby sports club and disguise herself, and then return where no one would expect her.
She let a corner of her mouth lift sardonically.
She'd never been comfortable with Hodge or with his approach to business, technology, or society. She had started working for him as an engineer about three years before, shortly after Hodge had left Zero Jewel in a difference of opinion with Sherry and JD, and formed Hodge Hercules Information Services.
High-level planning meetings had turned into dates, but, as was apparently the general course with Hodge, things went south quickly. He was difficult to communicate with, and would often assume things that weren't so.
If it weren't for his family money, Hodge would not have been able to keep his business going, and Millie herself had loaned him money in the form of stock purchases, although not so much for operating capital as to shore up the stock.
When she said she wasn't interested in dating any more, he had moved to take control, as he thought, of the relationship. At least, that was the only way she could interpret his behavior.
He would remind her at random times about things she had revealed about herself, as if expecting that knowledge to change her mind. Somehow, he had found out about Rodney, and about other things that her mother had felt should not be made public. And when he couldn't use that information to influence her, he would remind her of her stock that might become worthless.
At least he had not tried more than twice to seduce her.
She wasn't quite sure if it had been his real intent to do so those two times. He hadn't pressed her. But his actions and words on those two occasions had made her far more uncomfortable than usual.
When her mother had told her that the matchmaker that JD's mother had hired was reaching out to her, she had mentioned it to Hodge, and Hodge had encouraged her to respond positively, so that she could spy for him.
She didn't really care that much about the attempts at blackmail, or even that much about the money she had buried in stock in his company. She wasn't working because she needed money.
Her mother was always worried about the "wrong" people finding out about Rodney, but that wasn't so very important, either.
No, Millie had just not yet found a good enough reason for not cooperating with Hodge, and so had accepted the invitation to date JD. Then JD and Sherry turned out to be much more complex than she had thought, and the game had proceeded.
She supposed that she could now just tell Hodge she had gotten bored with the game, but Sherry and JD were, for some reason, wanting his cooperation for the House Party, and the thought amused her. And she found herself inclined to cooperate with them.
The corner of her mouth picked up again when she saw Hodge's form pass under the street lights outside in his thoroughly obvious disguise.
She deliberately looked away from the door as he come in, watching instead the reflection in the window of the man in the too-expensive overcoat and fake moustache. He spotted her, but pretended to ignore her as he moved to take a seat in the booth behind her and pulled out a newspaper to pretend to read.
"How obvious can you be?" she commented quietly without turning around.
"They won't know me. What have you got?" For being a whisper, his reply was not quiet.
Millie picked up the donut and focused on it, taking a bite before she replied. "Nothing you haven't got access to, really. Donut's not bad."
"The public repositories?"
"Yep. They really do expose their source code to the entire world."
"Hmm. So hows the dating game?"
"Oh, that's over." Millie tested the milk and beans, but it was still hot, so she blew in it before setting it back down.
Hodge swore softly.
"But Sherry has hired me as her personal assistant."
"Oh!"
"Mmm."
"Well, that's great?"
"Yeah. But no new information for you yet."
She waited for him to digest her words.
"Well, say, what about those billboards?"
"Oh, that's over." Millie tested the milk and beans, but it was still hot, so she blew in it before setting it back down.
Hodge swore softly.
"But Sherry has hired me as her personal assistant."
"Oh!"
"Mmm."
"Well, that's great?"
"Yeah. But no new information for you yet."
She waited for him to digest her words.
"Well, say, what about those billboards?"
"That's not JD. It's his mother."
"Isn't that the same thing?"
"Not exactly."
"Isn't that the same thing?"
"Not exactly."
"Any clues yet about why he and Sherry are splitting up?"
"No, no clues." It wasn't clear that they were splitting up, but Hodge didn't need that information. She tried the milk and beans again. This time it was barely cool enough to take a sip.
"Odd." He was silent for a moment. "Well, is there anything strategically useful in this advertising a hunt for a wife thing?"
"Odd." He was silent for a moment. "Well, is there anything strategically useful in this advertising a hunt for a wife thing?"
"Yes." She smiled ironically again as she heard the rustle behind her. "Turn back around, you're drawing attention."
"What've you got? Pictures or something?"
"You know how tricky it is to carry things out of a company." She was just as glad Hodge couldn't see her smile or the irony in it.
"How long do you expect me to wait?"
"I keep telling you impatience is your vulnerable heel."
"I keep telling you impatience is your vulnerable heel."
"Ancient myths."
"Still have meaning."
There was a short minute before he continued. "So, still nothing, even after a month?" His whisper carried his disappointment.
She debated with herself for a moment before speaking. "Actually, I've found out there's a pilot project of some small importance that they are starting work on, and an invitation for you to cooperate with them. You would be well advised to accept it."
"What? That's nothing? What is it?"
"Keep your voice down. I shouldn't have told you. You're going to have to pretend to be surprised."
There was a short minute before he continued. "So, still nothing, even after a month?" His whisper carried his disappointment.
She debated with herself for a moment before speaking. "Actually, I've found out there's a pilot project of some small importance that they are starting work on, and an invitation for you to cooperate with them. You would be well advised to accept it."
"What? That's nothing? What is it?"
"Keep your voice down. I shouldn't have told you. You're going to have to pretend to be surprised."
"Surprised. Okay. I can do that. When?"
"Maybe you'll get the invitation tomorrow, maybe next week. Not sure."
"Can you give me any hints?"
"If I do, you'll certainly ruin things. Oh, but you might as well start digging through the social network service code in their public repository. That'll help you when the invitation comes."
"Ah. There's something I can do. Why they put the crown jewels out for everyone to steal is beyond me.
Millie bit her lip, but the word slipped out. "Clearly."
"What?"
She coughed as if to clear her throat, then whispered, "Piece of donut." She coughed again and took a swallow of the milk, glad it was no longer hot enough to burn. "That's all I've got." Then she took another bite of the donut.
Sherry stood at the darkened window of her penthouse apartment in the Zero Jewel building, watching the light play on the street five stories beneath her. A furtive form in an overcoat entered the light from the ground-floor restaurant, and she turned to the security monitor to get a better look, and zoomed in.
"Hodge," she spoke into the headset mic at her chin.
A shadow detached itself from the darkness below and followed at a discreet distance behind the figure hurrying furtively away.
Sherry watched on the monitor as several more figures entered the street from inside the restuarant, and then she spoke into the mic again. "Millie."
"I see her," JD's voice whispered in her ear. "I feel like a stalker. Hmph. I think she just gave me a little wave." After a short minute, another shadow detached itself from the shadows below, following at some distance behind the not-furtive form of her newly hired assistant in disguise.
Shortly, Millie's form disappeared into the sports club down the street. JD's form attached itself to shadows somewhat past the club entrance.
"So, do you want to know how it went?" Millie's whisper came in on the chat session. "Or were you listening in?"
JD chuckled quietly. "The law requires security cameras, but it doesn't require hidden mics."
"I told him he'll be getting the invitation, and mentioned the SNS code, but I didn't tell him what kind of project it is."
"That sounds good." Sherry continued watching the street and the monitor.
"He sounded like he's going study the public SNS repository."
"Excellent." JD's voice whispered.
"Do you see anything out there, JD?"
"I seem to be the only one following you so far. See anything from up there, Sherry?"
"Nothing from here, either, but, maybe it's best to be cautious." Sherry played her fingers across the security console keyboard and got six-way split of the external security cameras.
"I'm thinking I'll go to my brother's tonight. It'll be good to spend some time with my son."
Tom's voice broke in, "Hodge has gone back to his corporate offices."
Millie's voice whispered in reply, "He'll probably be studying the repository all night, then."
"That'll be good," JD whispered. "I vote we all knock off the cloak and dagger for the night and go home."
Sherry picked up a security system mic and keyed it. "Geri, are you seeing anything out in the streets?"
Geri's voice came over the speakers, loud enough to filter through the mic. "Just the usual. Tell Millie hi for me."
Millie whispered back. "Tell her thanks for the wave."
"She says thanks for the wave, Geri."
"Flashed the pilot lamp for her when she waved with her fingers."
Sherry nodded as Millie's quiet laugh sounded in her ears. "Okay, thanks, Geri. Let us know if you see anything." Sherry keyed the mic off.
Tom's voice came in. "Okay, I'm signing off and going home to my family."
"M'kay, thanks. Will you be all right, Millie?"
"Just finishing changing back to myself, whatever that is."
"Whatever that is," Sherry echoed with a sigh. "Sometimes I don't know who I am, either."
"Well," JD's voice came back in, "I think I admire both of you, for what it's worth."
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Copyright 2019 Joel Matthew Rees
Backup of abondoned direction here: https://joel-rees-economics.blogspot.com/2019/06/bka-jdz-millionaire-07.html.
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