Penthesilea's Wish [Vol.1]

Chapter Twenty-eight

After her long night with an exhausted but surprisingly responsive Nicasio, Daniela made it back by taxi to her parents' house just in time to shower and dress for work. In their parting she had promised him that she would begin the negotiations with her supervisor, Mr. Cuomo, to take a leave for at least a week. Knowing that in the end the proposal would be accepted through the intervention of her father and his connection to the advertising firm's fellow owners, she worried little what her lecherous boss would have to say at her meeting that day.

As she entered the tall building from the parking garage and exited the quiet elevator onto the floor of her graphic arts studio, this celebrated meeting would come sooner than she thought. Mr. Cuomo was already waiting for her as she stepped out of the lift and practically herded her back into the elevator for the short ride up to his office on the next floor.

"You want to do what?"

Daniela had saved time and energy as she entered the posh office with her immediate request to leave work temporarily, catching her boss completely off-guard.

"This is what you are asking me now, Daniela . . . to leave? And I have just brought you in here to announce a great opportunity to expand your position with the firm?"

Daniela had really not even allowed him to explain the purpose of the meeting, when she dropped her own request in passing on him. She qualified her request quickly at first, as the need to take a much needed break from her duties.

"Listen, Daniela. Tomorrow at eleven 'o'clock the managing director of a high definition streaming video firm will be coming here to propose a venture with us. This connection between his company and our agency for future projects could be . . . the bomb!"

"The bomb?" She looked at him really for the first time that morning. He seemed truly possessed by something. For once he was not staring at her legs or breasts.

"Yes. This could be a huge opportunity for us. And for you, of course. To expand into this whole embedded streaming ads thing, so popular now with handheld devices is just what we're looking for. Were talking connecting HD video productions to merge with our ads. Right on your Smartphone or your tablet! You know . . . the type that pop up onto your screen while you're surfing or looking at anything else?"

"Yes, Mr. Cuomo. And personally, I hate those things."

Her boss looked at her in disbelief.

"So. . . Mr. Cuomo. I really wasn't aware of why you asked to see me this morning. And I do apologize about refusing this offer. But you see . . . something pretty important has come up . . . and I really must . . ."

"You're refusing this offer?"

She suddenly found herself fighting off returning to her spineless, ingratiating former self again.

"Daniela. I'm personally very excited about this venture. And you should be too! It will involve your computer talents and artistic savvy! Capeche? It's the newest, high tech end of the ad industry. Smart pop ups ads in high D! All navigated in by cookies, which we purchase about the consumer! Brilliant!"

She suddenly felt trapped by a madman.

"It's a whole angle we've totally neglected until now. We're talking online ads for our firm. Clips that just jump into your tablet or phone in streaming video. Instantly.Unannounced! These can be injected into thousands of people's homes, offices, while they're commuting or just chatting. You name it! What ever our clients want to put out there. It's all pre-plugged-in, don't you see? Automatic. The bomb for us!"