DISCONTINUED

Chapter 3

Julia was so consumed by her thoughts that she didn't even notice her car pull into its usual parking spot and shut itself off. When she did look up, she wondered how it had been able to successfully negotiate its way through the parking lot without hitting someone or something. The place was a flurry of activity, the likes of which she'd never seen before. As she walked across the parking lot to the main doors and made her way to the elevator, she couldn't help but notice that there were people everywhere and yet she didn't seem to recognize any of them.

When she got off the elevator on the 4th floor the contrast couldn't have been starker. It was still early so most of her co-workers hadn't arrived yet, but those that had were either talking in hushed tones to each other in small groups or just sitting at their desks gazing off at nothing in particular, wearing the same bewildered expression she'd had since abandoning her breakfast earlier that morning. A young intern that Julia had worked quite closely with the last little while broke off from one of those small groups as soon as she saw Julia and immediately began bombarding her with questions that quickly turned to accusations.

"What on earth Julia? You didn't think to mention that A. there was a dangerous, highly contagious virus brewing and B. that we were working on an antivirus? This is EXACTLY the kind of thing I want to specialize in, you know that. I told you. So what, you didn't think to ask if I'd be interested in helping, or even just observing? This is right up my alley! I can't believe you cut me out of this. I thought we were sort of friends, or at least that you were interested in helping me with my internship. I've been spending quite a bit of time shadowing you lately... man, you must have really had to work hard to keep this from me. Seriously. I don't get it. Is that how little you actually think of me??? This is really..."

"Kenzie."

"...upsetting. It's the kind of..."

"Kenzie."

"What?"

"May I talk for a moment?"

"Sure, although I'm not sure I'm going to like anything you have to say." Kenzie followed Julia into her office.

"Please shut the door behind you."

Kenzie noisily closed the door and stood in front of Julia's desk with her arms crossed.

"Kenzie dear, I didn't tell you about this virus and I didn't bring you in on the antivirus development work because I didn't know about it. I didn't have to hide anything from you because I didn't have a clue about any of this."

"Bull."

"I'm serious. The first I heard of any of this was on the news this morning."

"Again, bull. You're the head of this department for crying out loud."

"Which is exactly why I'm more confused and frankly more ticked off than you are. To make matters worse, I made some calls on the way into the office this morning and the few people that actually took my call were very aloof, saying nothing more than that the work was contracted out and kept quiet so as to avoid any sort of leak to the public. They didn't want anyone overreacting before an antivirus was available."

"What about your husband?"

"He had no idea either. I mean, I haven't talked to him since I heard the news - he woke up sick this morning - but there's no way he knew. He would have told me."

"Don't you think that's weird? That neither of you were consulted on this thing?"

"Yea I think it's weird. I'm quite offended to be honest. But even if I look past that, it just doesn't make sense. It stinks of either 'we don't value your input' or 'we don't trust you'." Julia leaned back in her chair and stared up at the ceiling.