ke

of humiliation was served an hour later, delivered directly to my d

hen the telephone rang, its shrill summons cleaving the lo

sound laced with a silken malice. It was Jaden. She must have p

ear, my knuckles showing white where I gripped the Bakelite. A film of sweat made the casing slick in my palm. "I apologize, Ms. Juarez.

a proper Americano. That signifies two shots of espresso, with hot water poured over them-not the reverse, do you comprehend?

artful tyranny; she was not merely requesti

added, her voice lowering.

acing the receiver before she could

he elevator was a slow torment, each chime of a passing floor seeming to amplify the pressure upon me. The coffee machine was a gleaming, formid

he espresso, my telephone vibrated in

? Jaden seems a

my throat. A little on edge? She was on the warpath, and he spo

corridor, began to ring again. The sound was frantic, insistent. I seized the mug as

was watching me. The ringing

you been? Are you incompetent? I requested a simple coffee, not

" I said, my voice tight with a straine

delicate my constitution is? The acidity is likely all wrong now because it was

und me were a gallery of pity, disgust, and a prudent measure of fear. This was the

the sheer absurdity of it all. "I assure you, Ms. Juarez,

ug in hand. But she was quicker. She met me in the

loshed over the rim, scalding the skin of my fingers and wrist. I c

She took a theatrical sip, then made a face of profound revulsio

a painful, angry red. There was no flicker of concer

ry without injuring yourself. I am going to have a word with Connor

atile substance. My fingers curled into a fist. Every nerve, every sinew, screamed at me to wipe that sm

e, do

arm, his eyes wide with terror. He physically pulle

s voice a placating murmur. "She is new. It

eeching her. It was a

God's sake, let it go. She will have you discharged. She will have us all discharged." He put a g

t reach her eyes. It was the look of a naturalist observing a creature in a trap, a gaze of detached, intellectual curiosity

dripping with condescension. "Sin

the assembled, captive audience of developers. "This place feels rather stuffy. I believe I shall take a little t

se. The cafeteria was a massive operation, serving hundreds of employees. It was a place governed by s

ard as iron, "the cafeteria is a restric

arm again, a silent, desperat

m quite certain Connor will not mind. After all," she added, her eyes lock

f a threat. She was not merely a friend of the CE

row," Mark whispered frantically in my ear. "Simply because

had made. We were supposed to be building a company founded upon respect and integri

aking glass. "Has the cat seize

a smug, victorious rhythm. "Let us see what

in her wake a stunned silence and the

over her shoulder, a final, parting shot