EOTU by D. R. SMITH (summer books .txt) 📕

No sooner than Pete McNally had pulled the door closed behind him, Angie adjusted her position once again in order to aim directly at Eric.

“Eric. Look at me,” Angie requested. Eric lifted his head and looked directly at the physicist. “Why did you come to work here? And before you answer… I want you to know that I’ve spent the entire morning prior to this meeting digging into your past.”

“Then it’s probably pretty obvious isn’t it?” Eric replied. “Major screw up of a physics student gets booted out of school and then has to find some other way to pursue a job in his chosen field. Not a completely unfamiliar story I’d imagine” He was a bit less lazed and appeared as though he was starting to become concerned. But he had managed to deliver that line behind a façade of confidence.

“What you did with that weight to propulsion and fuel use ratio calculation was brilliant Eric” Nick interjected. “Dr Hemmer was… well…becoming…uh…” Angie was watching Walker stumble on this trying not to insult her. She jumped in finishing Nick’s sentence.

“Hey…seriously…just say it Doctor. I was stumped” She quickly turned back towards Eric. “But why the mystery? Why didn’t you just apply as a physics student?”

“You weren’t looking for one,” Eric retorted briskly. “How do you get into the place you want to work at when they don’t need you? Be the person they need!” Nick and Angie looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders as if to say ‘Makes sense to me!?!’

Angie looked back at Eric and said, “Hold on a second Eric.” She scooted in her rolling chair around the corner of the table to get next to Nick and then leaned towards him to whisper into his ear.

“I’m OK with what we discussed earlier this morning if you are,” she said in an almost inaudible voice. Dr Walker simply nodded in reply. Angie then scooted back to her original spot. She paused to think about her next question.

“What is your personal life like Eric?” she asked. “From what I gleaned off the internet you’re single and have only a father for family.”

“Why? Are you interested?” Eric replied with a sheepish grin. Dr Hemmer tilted her head to one side and folded her arms tightly in front of her. She wasn’t smiling.

“OK. I admit…that was out of place” he acknowledged. “Correct. Just me and my dad. I’m not married and not a dad myself, to the best of my knowledge. Pretty much single and…well… probably now I’m available.” The last part was stated rolling his eyes while rocking his head back and forth. The insinuation was obviously directed at his potentially VERY recently slammed relationship with Mia.

Angie turned to Nick who raised his brows to convey ‘keep going’. Her next comment needed to be carefully thought out so as not to make Eric feel as though he had been exonerated from his wrongdoings. She decided to begin with a question.

“What do you think we should do with you Eric?” she asked keeping her eyes firmly locked on his. Eric shifted in his seat without breaking their connected gaze. Even though several comical but truthful responses zipped through his head, he chose to take on the “job interview seriousness” he was so good at faking.

“Honestly, I'd like to work here in the capacity of an astrophysicist,” he responded. “I know what I've done should be unforgivable, but I didn't share the information with anyone else… that I can promise you.” This statement was followed by a long uncomfortable silence with Nick and Angie looking at each other and then back at Eric.

“Keep going” Angie demanded. “I want you to bare your soul right now Eric Mikos”. Another pause so still and silent you could hear Eric’s tongue wetting his lips. Now he was REALLY getting nervous!

“This whole thing was thought out. Nothing that happened over the past few months was accidental or spontaneous.” Eric finally continued. “I knew I had blown my opportunity to achieve my life’s dream of becoming a recognized and respected astrophysicist when I was booted out of Stanford. But admittedly, it only took me a few minutes to formulate a plan on how to… how should I say this… “sneak my way” back into the field wherein my talent lies.”

Nick looked down at his lap while running the fingers of his left hand through his hair and releasing what was clearly a breath of exasperation. This drew Angie’s attention and she appeared to stare at him in search of where he stood at this moment.

“Honestly Eric,” Nick started “Dr Hemmer and I would in fact like to see you come on board here at MARCH. Your solution to the EHM weight ratio issue was brilliant and by itself…” He stumbled and searched for a way to express his next thought. “I guess what I’m saying is… that alone qualified you in our minds.” His last comment was accompanied by quick tiny nods and a glance in Angie’s direction in search of an agreement confirmation, which she gave.

It now crossed Nick’s mind to be careful not to give Eric a big head. Too much praise heaped on a person who basically connived his way into this ‘interview’ would possibly encourage further such actions.

He continued, “There is a ‘BUT’ to this. You’re entering this project so near its launch date and in such an unorthodox manner, that we have limited opportunity and use for you. We…” He wagged a finger back and forth between Angie and himself. “…both feel the best place for you is to work under Mia” He stopped suddenly realizing what he had just said. He looked at Eric who had raised a hand to his mouth in an effort to hide a smile and silent gut laugh. “OKAY!! I need to word that differently considering who I’m talking about.” he corrected himself with a bit of a chuckle. “I mean… work as one of Mia’s team members” Nick said with grammatic clarity and smiling. All three started to laugh.

Moments later, Dr Walker stood holding the door open for everyone else to file in. Amidst the conversations that were starting to thin down, words like ‘scary’ and ‘I think I’ll miss…’ were easily discerned in the banter. Once each of the group had taken their places, Nick stepped to the head of the table and grasped the upper edge of his chair back.

“Dr Hemmer and I have something we would like to share with you. But before we take it to that point, I feel I owe all of you an opportunity to ask Eric those questions I promised you” he said. “How about we just work around the table clockwise beginning with…” Nick turned slightly to his left and gestured with both hands to Sanjay “… Dr Patel! The floor is yours doctor” Sanjay nodded thanks and clearly began thinking deeply about what he’d like to ask Eric.

“Sooo… you’re a physicist? Am I correct?” Eric started to nod a tiny bit.

“Well not exactly” Eric was struggling with how he should word this. “Let’s just say I was well on my way to being a physicist. I had… disciplinary issues and was kicked out of Stanford”

“So essentially, the disciplinary issues haven’t been resolved? Dr Patel said with a touch of irony in his voice.

                “When you know what a man wants, you know who he is and how to move him”

September 26…present time

The right of the two exceptionally large heavy ‘British Castle’ looking doors, creaked ever so slightly as it was unhurriedly opened by the butler. The hired servant looked exactly as you would expect a man in his position to look... waist coat and tails with the usual bowtie, suit pants, and patent leather shoes. It was as though he had stepped right out of a Dickens novel. His rather stuffy appearance led one to assume a long-term tenure in Lehman’s employ… and one would be correct in that assumption. Jarvis, as he was known, had worked diligently for nearly 20 years in the Lehman household and his services spanned more than one generation. He took several steps backwards as he addressed the visitor. The man passing through the doorway expressed his thanks for being let in. He couldn’t help but notice the scent of exquisite chef prepared cuisine assaulting his olfactory. His brows rose a bit in approval.

“I believe Mr. Lehman is expecting you sir.” Jarvis announced in very proper English and a noticeable British accent. The gentleman’s gentleman obviously recognized his guest. “If you would follow me, he will be joining you in the library.” This he requested as he gently swung the massive door closed and began walking across the spacious foyer.

 Jarvis’s shoes, along with that of the visitor, caused a harmonizing tapping who’s echo seemed to greatly expand the size of the entryway. Once they passed from that area into the hallway, their walking was instantly silenced due to lavish streamer rugs that stretched down the center of the marble floor. Beautiful furnishings of chairs, tables, and statuette filled curio cabinets lined the walls, with Tiffany lamps and other rich garnishments spotting the tops of each piece. The paintings, that were meticulously hung, all had the appearance of museum pieces and accented the décor perfectly. The entire scene was, in fact, a bit ‘oldish’ looking but certainly wreaked of money.

Jarvis paused and turned around to swing open a door in the hall while sweeping his hand in front of himself in the direction of the doorway.

“Step in here and have a seat if you would please sir and Mr. Lehman will be with you shortly. As you already know, my name is Jarvis, and I am at your complete disposal. Simply press that button over there,” he pointed toward the side of one of the bookshelves, “on the bookshelf if you need anything at all.” He made a slight bowing gesture, smiled, and exited, closing the door behind him. Trey Walker was now in the room alone.

An eternally long 5 minutes after Jarvis had stepped out of the room, Kurt Lehman opened the door to enter. He hesitated a moment at the threshold and peered back into the hallway.

“JARVIS!”, Lehman shouted. Trey chanced a glimpse in the direction of the ‘Jarvis’ button, which he was pretty sure had been installed to curb such outbursts. There was a short pause followed by some whispering between Lehman and Jarvis. The door was closed and Lehman spanned the room in several long confident strides, of course, in the direction of the bar.

“Are you of age for an alcoholic beverage, Mr Walker?” Lehman questioned with his back facing Trey, who rolled his eyes and shook his head at the billionaires back. At 28 he felt as though he easily passed for ‘over 21’ in most bar and liquor store settings. The comment came off as an insult to Trey, although he resisted any indication of such. It did que him in as to just where he stood in the mind of this ruthless character standing before him. He was nothing more than a ‘child trying to get something from Daddy’.

“Yes sir. A scotch on