Read Online Slow Burning Lies by Ray Kingfisher - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ray Kingfisher
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okay.’
Patrick narrowed his eyes to slits. ‘No?’
‘No. Definitely not.’ Beth returned to her PC and fired in a few keystrokes. A chart came up on the screen. ‘You see, the Zombie Stomper project has an aggressive development schedule.’ She tapped a hard fingernail onto the screen three times.
‘I heard that,’ Patrick said.
‘You heard right. And I guess you’re also aware OrSum’s latest products haven’t delivered into the marketplace so well. And so a lot of eyes are closely watching the progress of Zombie Stomper. It’s not overdramatic to say the success or otherwise of the corporation not so much soars or plummets by the results of this project, but might just live or die by it.’
Patrick nodded.
‘That’s point one. Point two is that I have a reputation to live up to – a reputation for success that I intend to keep. The teams I lead always exceed expectations – we undershoot on both timescales and budgets. Always. Simple as that.’
‘Yes,’ Patrick said. ‘I already understood this is a crucial project.’
‘So you understand we simply do not have room for passengers.’
Patrick pursed his lips and nodded. He didn’t even try to speak.
‘You’re falling asleep on the job, Patrick – literally. Now, if you don’t want to talk about it, hey, that’s fine with me.’
Just then there was a knock at the door, and a face came into view at the window next to it. Without moving her head, Beth drew a single finger up towards the window, and whoever her visitor was moved on.
‘If you want to conduct yourself in this manner without explanation then that’s okay – just so long as you aren’t on my team.’
‘It really is something I can’t talk about, Beth.’
‘And furthermore, if you decide to leave my team it won’t look good, Patrick. You do know I always make sure I’m on the winning side, don’t you?’
Patrick stalled. What could he say to something like that? Well, nothing. In any case she continued before he had the chance to reply.
‘OrSum prides itself on being a considerate employer, Patrick. I’ve had a good look at our employment records. Your package includes medical benefits, pension and accommodation – that level of remuneration needs to be earned.’
‘You’re threatening to sack me?’
‘I’m telling you we’re not a charity. Now I’m asking you again. Is there anything you’d like to tell me about? It goes without saying that this is in the strictest confidence, nothing you tell me will get written into a report, emailed or discussed in your absence.’
Patrick folded his arms and looked up to the ceiling.
Beth checked her watch. ‘All I need is to satisfy myself that this situation is transient and that you’re taking steps to remedy the situation, that’s all.’
There was a lengthy pause as Patrick drew breath and aborted a couple of times.
‘I… I do…’
Beth leaned towards him, facing him square on. She raised one eyebrow. ‘Yes?’
‘I…’
And then Patrick felt that stun-gun again, frying his mind, locking his throat up, shutting down his vision.
But if there was ever a time when he simply had to do it, that time was now. This wasn’t a casual chat with some girl he was trying to pick up in a bar – or even one he’d managed to bed. This was his livelihood – his life, even.
‘I keep having these… nightmares.’
‘Uh-huh.’
And the panic crushing Patrick’s skull started to subside – was almost replaced by a little hurt. Was that all she could say, “uh-huh” ?
‘But these aren’t normal nightmares,’ he added.
‘So what kind are they?’
Patrick’s mouth opened. Then it closed and he rubbed the heel of this palms into his eye sockets. Then he spoke.
‘Well, in one I bombed a hotel, in another I killed a sick old man to get my hands on his money.’
‘Oh.’
‘You get the picture?’
Beth nodded. ‘I most certainly do. But they are essentially just nightmares, aren’t they? Is
Patrick narrowed his eyes to slits. ‘No?’
‘No. Definitely not.’ Beth returned to her PC and fired in a few keystrokes. A chart came up on the screen. ‘You see, the Zombie Stomper project has an aggressive development schedule.’ She tapped a hard fingernail onto the screen three times.
‘I heard that,’ Patrick said.
‘You heard right. And I guess you’re also aware OrSum’s latest products haven’t delivered into the marketplace so well. And so a lot of eyes are closely watching the progress of Zombie Stomper. It’s not overdramatic to say the success or otherwise of the corporation not so much soars or plummets by the results of this project, but might just live or die by it.’
Patrick nodded.
‘That’s point one. Point two is that I have a reputation to live up to – a reputation for success that I intend to keep. The teams I lead always exceed expectations – we undershoot on both timescales and budgets. Always. Simple as that.’
‘Yes,’ Patrick said. ‘I already understood this is a crucial project.’
‘So you understand we simply do not have room for passengers.’
Patrick pursed his lips and nodded. He didn’t even try to speak.
‘You’re falling asleep on the job, Patrick – literally. Now, if you don’t want to talk about it, hey, that’s fine with me.’
Just then there was a knock at the door, and a face came into view at the window next to it. Without moving her head, Beth drew a single finger up towards the window, and whoever her visitor was moved on.
‘If you want to conduct yourself in this manner without explanation then that’s okay – just so long as you aren’t on my team.’
‘It really is something I can’t talk about, Beth.’
‘And furthermore, if you decide to leave my team it won’t look good, Patrick. You do know I always make sure I’m on the winning side, don’t you?’
Patrick stalled. What could he say to something like that? Well, nothing. In any case she continued before he had the chance to reply.
‘OrSum prides itself on being a considerate employer, Patrick. I’ve had a good look at our employment records. Your package includes medical benefits, pension and accommodation – that level of remuneration needs to be earned.’
‘You’re threatening to sack me?’
‘I’m telling you we’re not a charity. Now I’m asking you again. Is there anything you’d like to tell me about? It goes without saying that this is in the strictest confidence, nothing you tell me will get written into a report, emailed or discussed in your absence.’
Patrick folded his arms and looked up to the ceiling.
Beth checked her watch. ‘All I need is to satisfy myself that this situation is transient and that you’re taking steps to remedy the situation, that’s all.’
There was a lengthy pause as Patrick drew breath and aborted a couple of times.
‘I… I do…’
Beth leaned towards him, facing him square on. She raised one eyebrow. ‘Yes?’
‘I…’
And then Patrick felt that stun-gun again, frying his mind, locking his throat up, shutting down his vision.
But if there was ever a time when he simply had to do it, that time was now. This wasn’t a casual chat with some girl he was trying to pick up in a bar – or even one he’d managed to bed. This was his livelihood – his life, even.
‘I keep having these… nightmares.’
‘Uh-huh.’
And the panic crushing Patrick’s skull started to subside – was almost replaced by a little hurt. Was that all she could say, “uh-huh” ?
‘But these aren’t normal nightmares,’ he added.
‘So what kind are they?’
Patrick’s mouth opened. Then it closed and he rubbed the heel of this palms into his eye sockets. Then he spoke.
‘Well, in one I bombed a hotel, in another I killed a sick old man to get my hands on his money.’
‘Oh.’
‘You get the picture?’
Beth nodded. ‘I most certainly do. But they are essentially just nightmares, aren’t they? Is
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