Bubblegum Crisis: Stage Three
Lisa Valante headed upstairs, the attractive young woman dressed in a sleek business suit. Genom was generally a 'suit and tie' company, over all, tho the computer security department got more relaxed on off hours. However, meeting your boss meant you had better be at your best.
The secretary boomer looked up at Lisa, giving a warm if artificial smile. "Miss Romanova is expecting you," she said, keying the door to the inner office open.
"Thank you," Lisa smiled back and headed in.
Nene Romanova was sipping some coffee as her guest came in, swallowing before smiling at her guest. "Ms Valante, welcome."
"Ms Romanova," Lisa nodded. "Nice to see you again, ma'am. Congratulations on the promotion," she added.
"Thank you," Nene smiled back, "Take a seat, I'll be right with you."
As Lisa sat down she casually scanned the office with her eyes. When Mason had been there the office had been a bit old fashioned, with heavy furniture and a lot of photos of him on the walls along with famous people. The whole point of the set up had been to focus attention on his desk and how important HE was.
In Nene's new office, apparently everything of Mason's had been removed. There was a new desk, new plants, new pictures... Lisa even suspected the carpet had been redone. The room was much more airy and comfortable, with better lighting too. Such a major change was in her rights as the incoming new boss but... it was just a BIT excessive.
"Sorry," Nene turned back to Lisa with a smile. "So, why did you think I asked to see you today?" she asked politely.
Lisa decided to be bold as she answered politely, "You're considering me for your new executive assistant?"
"Second in command, assistant, coffee gofer and so on," Nene agreed. "Be both know you are qualified, so are you interested?"
Lisa blinked at her in surprise "Isn't there supposed to be a long interview process and so on?" she had to ask.
"Let's not and say we did," Nene shrugged.
Lisa just looked blankly at her a moment then shook her head. "Okay," she said briskly, "what's first on the agenda?"
"We need to secure the network better," Nene sat back as she continued grimly, "which is going to be a hell of a job."
"Oh?" Lisa had to ask.
"When I moved in here I found taps on all of Mason's phone and data lines. Very good ones, almost undetectable," Nene told her grimly. "Our security has been compromised, and likely on the highest of levels."
'Maybe ripping everything out wasn't that unreasonable after all,' Lisa thought as she started making notes...
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"Wait a minute. Nene is moving the covert Boomer in to be her second of command?" Linna blinked, the young woman doing her shift on guarding Sylia.
"It does make a certain odd sense," Reika noted, the executive once again stopping in to see her girlfriend, Linna.
"Oh?" Linna asked.
"Keep your friends close and keep your enemies closer," Reika quoted.
"Not that we know she's a enemy," Sylia added a bit disapprovingly. "Yes, she got into Genom on false pretenses, but that's all," she added.
"Is this your idea or Nene's?" Linna asked curiously.
"Nene's," Sylia answered promptly. "But I support her in it completely," she said.
"Okay," Reika sipped her coffee, "but when it blows up in your face, I'm first in line to say 'I told you so.'"
Linna fought back a chuckle as Sylia sighed.
"I was surprised at the number of bugs we found in Mason's office. Were they planted to try to catch Nene or...?" Reika wondered.
"We're not sure," Sylia admitted. "Mason was a black projects man, first, and only then into the computer side. So it's faintly possible he didn't realize he was being spied on. Nene, however, thinks the bugs were added after he died in hopes of catching her with her pants down, so to speak," Sylia explained.
"So she's assuming...?" Linna asked.
"It's better to be safe than sorry, she's assuming that Mason was completely compromised," Sylia said.
"So she's going to be following up on that, as well as investigating what happened when someone diddled with the system during that fire," Reika mused.
"Yes, which means we're both pulling long hours," Sylia sighed.
Linna considered teasing their boss about her and Nene burning the midnight oil together, but decided it wasn't a very good idea. "Well, at least you two can keep each other company," she offered mildly instead.
Sylia gave her a look but let that go.
"Well," Reika kissed Linna quickly then headed to the door, "I do have work to do." Addressing Sylia she asked, "When should I pick Linna up?"
"Priss will be here in two hours, they can switch then," Sylia nodded.
"See you then," Reika headed off.
Linna circled around to the windows, checking out the area as she toggled through her sunglasses' various magnification functions. There was a lot of traffic going by and around Genom tower, though as it was a hub of the city there always was.
"At least things have been quieter the last few days," Linna noted absent mindedly.
"Don't jinx me, please," Sylia joked.
As Sylia reviewed a series of new acquisitions that some overly enthusiastic middle manager had proposed (Buying a strip club chain? Really? And replacing the girls with sexaroids?) she wondered if the lack of attacks were a good or bad sign. If their mysterious enemy wasn't attacking, was it due to her investigation growing cold? Or something else?
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"Boomers are a symbol of prosperity in Tokyo, as more and more people are freed from dull, monotonous labour! In industry, resource management, customer service and more Boomers take up dirty, dangerous jobs so you don't have to!"
The smarmy announcer smiled as he continued, "And now, Genom's newest product line will come into your very own home! Introducing the Home Helper! At a special low, low introductory cost, this ultimate home helper will free you from kitchen slavery!"
"I'm a kitchen slave? I'm shocked. Shocked I say," Aoi noted mildly as the two women sat together on the couch, watching TV.
Priss snorted at that idea. "I could get you a slave girl outfit for when Sho isn't around." she offered mildly.
Aoi nearly choked on her drink. "Bad girl!" she chided.
Priss just laughed. "Please tell me you don't want one of those," she added.
Aoi shook her head. "After hearing what Mrs Sylia has to deal with? I'm vaguely creeped out just being alone with one, now," she revealed.
"Well, Sylia IS a special case," Priss felt obligated to point out.
Aoi just laughed. "Don't forget you have to head out soon," she added gently.
"You know, the pay is great but the hours suck," Priss sighed as she kissed Aoi's cheek. She got up and stretched, "I'm running the late shift, won't be home until midnight or so."
"Be careful and don't forget your armoured underwear," Aoi reminded her.
Priss sniggered, "You may be the first wife in history to say THAT."
The ride out to Genom Tower on her motorcycle was quiet, thankfully. Priss hated run ins with cops, etc etc. Tho at least now she could mention Sylia and they'd just pretty much go away. She never thought she'd be thankful for police corruption.
"Priss-san," the gate guard boomer nodded in a friendly way as the human guard behind her watched warily.
Priss took her helmet off as she passed over her ID. "Hi Celeste, Jo. How's it hanging?" she asked wryly.
"One lower than the other," Jo replied as the boomer looked confused.
"Any messages I need?" Priss asked as she took her ID back.
"Nothing from Ms Stingray," Celeste answered promptly, "however a Ms Saeko Bushima was here wishing to see you. She left her number."
'Huh, that was the weird chick from the art gallery opening,' Priss mused as she thanked them and took the number. She took off up the lane to the tower, noting the slow down in traffic to and from in the evening.
"Good evening Priss," the elevator boomer smiled, clearly remembering Priss' threat to beat it to death if it kept calling her Miss Asagiri.
"Evening," Priss smiled. She left the lift on the top floor, then headed down to Sylia's office, nodding to the lone cleaning boomer.
"About time you got here," Linna noted as Priss entered the office.
"Evening," Sylia smiled politely.
Priss flipped Linna the bird as she nodded hello to Sylia. "What's the plan, boss?" she asked.
Sylia smiled wryly, "Not TOO much longer, than goodness. I have a conference call with a US associate, a few more contracts to review, then we're grabbing Nene and going."
"Works," Priss nodded as she made sure her gun was sitting comfortably in her shoulder holster.
To be continued...
Notes: Wanted to try to work in how common Boomers are in this world. Not quite sure I managed it. Also first chapter on my new laptop, as my old one died.