delivery is no small matter,” she said, as they left through the offic

f handling his food. Of course, he’s particular about everything—but his food and drink are given the utmost attention. Those who are trusted to han

o do it,” Ivy squeaked as she tried to

rceptibly. “He works in

ought that’s what p

erned, there’s no diff

took the laminated badge that hung from an extendable cord

l need to up your security clearance if Mister Sharpe decides you’re to be on a

nly be a tiny pantry. It was a far cry from

ered. Everything that they seem

ust about the dumbest thing

r, as she began brewing the coffee in a large stainle

coffee maker like t

ntainer of coffee grounds from an overhead cabinet and was scooping the grounds into a compartment at the top o

wishing she’d brough

ht speed from one task to the next, like she’

ell her supervisor that

and cabinets. Out came a small, silver serving tray, and then two spoons of slightly differing sizes. Then a cloth napkin

short while, we would try to add the milk or cream ourselves if he indicated that he wanted some. But we

tell that even this small failure was

over coffee,” Ivy said, and im

like that, I’ve no doubt that your time at Biometrix will be mercifully short. So

I’m s

don’t want

ug beneath the machine, pressed a button and it filled the cu

n set perfectly, including one packet of suga

ner with his coffee

o remain open, so we bring him these sweeteners just in case.

rse I don’t

We’re a multi-billion dollar company. Our new drug is saving lives, and we’ve other drugs in the pipeline that will save even more lives. The kind of unique brilliance th

ve hit

dropping her gaze. “I was

you’ll last long enough to understand a little more than you currently do. Now pick up the tray, carefully. V

ed their steps back towards the

to make sure it was steady, and keeping her eyes gl

she just didn’t wa

rspiration breaking out all over her

and she felt like her shoes w

re,” Emma whisp

sly, she held her badge to the sensor and it lit green. Ther

ence room, a sudden blast of

arge modern art paintings on the walls, and a huge gle

omen dressed in crisp suits. They looked like her j

table, facing her

i

g for her and her alone. “Come in,” he said, raising his h

had been, if such a thing was possible. She could feel the ar

the carpeted floor, her feet feeling as though t

walking t

e tray down, but his magnetic eyes created such a sensat

. She could smell wood, oil,

ugh the vents, and the slight rustling of paper as o

she finally approached the end of the table and l

ng up just a slight fraction as he watched her. And this small smile w

ed in on

o have those lips touch

bre

ying to warn her, but

for it to happen, time slowed down. She watched, horrified, as the black liquid emptied, some onto the

dark trousers

le with a clatter, she cried o

t change, not even a flinch of pain, as

old her, his voice ca

ns…” she was nearly hyperve

r. “Most of it got on the table and the

his leg, but for some reason he was trying

r coffee,” she said,

ust burned the CEO’s leg.

tried to rewind time and take