Chapter 5
I turned to the wall screen as a vid-window zoomed open and a six-foot streaming image of BB Star flashed on. I’d seen her picture, of course, on holovision and in the various net news magazines, but I’d never seen her direct-linked like this before. Mature, graceful, and tremendously attractive, just her presence over the live net seemed to light up the room. She had an elegantly chiseled face framed by long, golden hair which was cut in a business-like style, yet somehow still added to her allure. She possessed the kind of beauty that seemed untouchable, almost unnatural in some way. Her deep blue eyes surveyed my office through her own vid-screen and she smiled, ever so slightly, through her full lips.
“Bravo, Mr. Johnson,” she said. “Please send the boys home when they regain consciousness. They will give you no more trouble.”
“I think instead that I’ll send ExShell the bill for the damage they caused and let you pick these bozos up at the police station.”
“ExShell will of course reimburse you for any collateral damage created by this little test, but it will not be necessary to involve the local authorities.”
“I’m sorry, did you say test?” I questioned, angrily.
“Correct,” she replied with a smile. “And congratulations on a splendid performance.”
“No offense, Ms. Star, but I hate tests,” I said. “Especially ones that involve blasters, assassins, or tricky math problems!”
BB Star remained calm and steady, her big blue eyes never leaving mine. “I run a big company, Mr. Johnson. I do not hire anyone unless I know for certain that they are worth the investment.”
I turned from the vid-window and shrugged my shoulders at Carol and HARV. “Am I the only one who’s confused here?”
“That’s usually the case, boss,” HARV said. “This time, though, I’d say no.”
“I am offering you a job, Mr. Johnson. I will give you all the necessary details when we meet in person,” she said, ignoring the fact that I was ignoring her. “Kindly be in my office in exactly three hours.”
“Why, so your thugs can take a few whacks at me on familiar territory?” My question was only partially rhetorical.
“Not to worry,” she smiled, treating my partially rhetorical question as though it were totally nonrhetorical. “You passed the audition. You are in no danger from me.”
“Yeah, well thanks for the reassurance,” I said, “but I’m going to need a few more details before stepping directly into the lion’s den.”
“I will give you more data when we meet in person. The net is too easy to spoof. Therefore, I look forward to seeing you in now slightly less than three hours’ time.”
“I’m sorry, Ms. Star. Again, no offense meant but, frankly, you have a thing or two to learn about people management if you think I’m going to set one foot into your office now, let alone work for you, after what you’ve done here today.”
“Mr. Johnson, I understand that your normal rate is five thousand credits per day,” she said, her eyes never wavering from mine. “While in my employ I shall pay you twenty-five thousand per day.”
“He’ll be there in ten minutes,” HARV chimed like a sycophantic alarm clock.
“HARV …”
“Look, boss,” he said, “it’s either this or the OmegaMart opening. And you have to admit, you’re curious here, right?”
I clenched my teeth and turned back towards the vid-window. “Fine, Ms. Star, I’ll see you in three hours at your office. But I’m already on your clock. As a matter of fact, I’ve been on the clock since your goons came through my door.
“Fine,” she answered.
“And I’m not taking your case sight unseen,” I continued. “If I don’t like the sound of it, then I’m walking with no strings attached.”
“And all information discussed at the meeting will remain privileged,” she countered.
“Agreed.”
“And you must come alone, unarmed and without your computer. No weapons or outside communication devices are allowed in my office building.”
“I can live with that,” I said, and I heard HARV gasp behind me.
“Fine then,” she smiled. “I look forward to meeting you in person.” With that, she blinked out and the vid-window zoomed closed.
I turned to Carol, who had been quietly scanning BB Star’s thoughts since the call began. “Did you pick up anything?”
She shook her head. “It’s hard enough to do over the net under normal conditions. ExShell probably has all kinds of defenses in their system.
“Or she may have an extremely strong mind,” I turned to HARV. “What do you make of the deal?”
HARV’s reply was (not surprisingly) overly loquacious. “ExShell, as I hope you are aware, is the largest corporation on the planet. They currently manufacture fifty-five percent of all personal, municipal and governmental electronic hardware, hold patents on the operating systems for sixty-three percent of the world’s computers and control twenty-two percent of the current soft drink market. Also, last week they completed their purchase of the country of Finland. They have incomparably vast resources and can afford the finest minds and the most advanced equipment in existence. The fact that they now require your services is a clear sign of desperation.”
“Thanks a meg,” I replied. “And the next time we get attacked by armed thugs, I’m going to seriously consider letting them put a couple of energy blasts into your wall unit.”
“I didn’t mean it quite the way you interpreted, boss,” HARV said. “I’m simply stating that whatever the situation may be, it must be something very dire for ExShell to call upon you, and especially so for Ms. Star to do so personally. She is known as a bit of a recluse.
“Also, I should note here, if I may, that it would take more than a few energy blasts to the main wall screen to destroy me. I have logic and memory boards in numerous locations, and Dr. Pool has backup copies of my singularly original operating system in more than a dozen secure locations around the globe. It’s also worth stating that you would be lost without my constant aid and assistance.”
“Yeah, lost but happy,” I said as I headed toward the door. “Now come on, we have three hours to do our prep work.”
“Where you going?” Carol asked.
“You’re the psi. You figure it out.”
Carol stared at me and furrowed her brow for a nano. “You’re going to Dr. Pool’s lab to get your armor repaired and to get background information on BB Star and her security.”
“Vingo,” I said, touching a finger to my nose.
“You’re also regretting that second burrito you had for breakfast and you have a particularly graphic picture of my Aunt Electra in some kind of lace negligee in your subconscious.”
“I think you dug a little too deeply that time,” I said.
“Tell me about it,” Carol said with a gag.