The pomposity always annoyed him. His shoes clicked and echoed over the highly polished marble flooring and walls and it was a very long walk from the elevators to his destination. Just another reminder of how low others were in the opinion of the one he had come to see. There was no denying the man had and wielded great power which stemmed not just from his wealth. He also had a ruthless disregard for anything or anyone. Giganoth Enterprises was just another example of it. An executive secretary glanced up as he approached. "You're half an hour late." She did something and the doors hissed open. Without glancing at her he walked past her and into the great board room beyond. The doors hissed shut behind him and his ears popped. He didn't know what kind of weapons it would take to breach this room. For all of it's glitter and gloss a bank vault would be easier to get into. Across the room the desk was empty. He walked up to the board room table and turned to face up to the mezzanine of the private chambers. The glow of a coal on the end of a cigar gave him a shadowed view of the man standing there. Curls of acrid smoke almost hid his face from view. The deeply resonant voice seemed out of place with what he knew of the man. It should have been issuing from some holo-vid hero who sweeps in and gracefully saves the day. "Since you're late I'm going to be hoping that what you have to tell me is worth the waste of my time." "Sadly I have some bad news." His gravelly voice echoed oddly in the room. "It seems that little Sally was trying to take flight and go into hiding." More smoke billowed after a brightening of the coal. "And was she successful?" "In a way, yes. But she has passed painfully into a realm from which she can no longer pose a threat." "Bet you enjoyed every minute of it." "I did find it stimulating but far too short for real enjoyment." He rocked on his heels letting the squeak of the leather echo in the room. "She wasn't strong enough." "Well since you have been so quick to rid us of this minor menace, it seems you will now have a new job which will be less to your liking." "And what would that be?" he asked. "Find me another info-tech as good. You have twenty-four hours to do it." He bit down on his response to the insolence of the big man. "That is not my specialty and you waste my talents in ways ill-suited to them." "I'll determine what is a waste. Tell me, did you find any of the information she was supposed to be looking into for me?" "Nothing that I could find." "So you have gotten rid of a minor problem leaving me with a bigger problem. You will find me another info-tech. I need information." "Why don't I just save us all the trouble and just get rid of her. Information in that case would be unnecessary." The big man threw back his head and began laughing. A hearty and honest expression of humor. "I'm only going to tell you this once. Good as you are I would be looking for a new killer if you were so foolish as to disobey me and go after her directly." "She is just a woman." The laughter echoed about the board room once more. "Which just tells me how ignorant you truly are. Now get out of here and find me an info-tech." "And if I refuse?" Hands curled about the railing of the mezzanine and the big man leaned over the rail to glare down. "If you did that, what little Sally suffered will seem like a nice little playtime before I'm through with you. You have a sweet deal here. Don't push your luck with me. Now get outta here. I have a board meeting to handle." The opening of the door as the big man left the mezzanine made no sound. His expression didn't change but he was actually angered. With great control he calmed himself and thought about what would be required to find a replacement info-tech. His shoes clicked and echoed on the marble floors as he found his way back out of the labyrinth of Giganoth Enterprises. To be continued.....