Damned!

Connection

Covering his face with the shadows of his hood, Ein typed a number in his cellphone. The voice on the other end of the phone sounded whispery soft.

"I thought I told you not to call this number. You'll be caught and jailed, you know that was more than a warning."

"I need to know what is happening with the new hire in the engineering department."

"Well, she has asked about you. If I give her this number, you have to promise me it will not be traced back to me. I would most certainly lose my job."

"Thomas, is she knowledgeable or impressionable? Can she be trusted?"

"A little of both, I've heard. Look, I don't know for sure, as I've never met her in person. I'd describe her as new, idealistic."

"That sounds promising. Go ahead and contact her. She's my hope, since Hoveting is going to isolate the department."

"Okay, consider it done. Goodnight."

The stranger slid the phone back in his pocket, watching the light from the apartment window turn off. He felt awkward standing peering up at the apartment of the person who had just replaced him. He had heard good things about Laura Hensley and it wasn't that he distrusted their choice. Thomas' voice echoed in his mind, "She's new, idealistic."

This, he knew, was the one reason they had chosen her or any brilliant young recruit. They were new. Add to this, a personality type that would not ask questions and he knew tremendous damage would be done.

He needed to talk to Laura. He would have contacted her earlier if there hadn't been security placed on his file after he lost his job. The firing meeting had been called after hours, where he was told to leave his clearance badge and check anything he was taking home through security. If he had left his job on good terms, he might have ventured to show his face again, but the truth of the matter was, President Hoveting had personally expressed to him the opposite.

Ein called Thomas from the street corner. With the chaotic turn of events and the group of protestors surrounding the capitol building, who were objecting the rumored AI recognition approval, Ein felt fearful that he would be blamed for circumstances entirely out of his control and decided against connecting face to face with his co-worker. He knew better than to give his former employer clues to his whereabouts.

Ein stood still, wondering if he should go up unannounced to Laura's personal residence. He was debating the stalker aspect of it with slight chagrin, when his eyes noticed the security cameras inside the hallway of the building. Thomas can take care of it, he hoped.

He hoped Laura would be persuaded to call him. Turning around, he blew air into his cold hands and pulled his gloves carefully back over the bruises, turning to walk back down to Spade Avenue that would link him to the midnight express on Broadway Street towards his current place of residence.