I've Just Seen A Face

"You're quitting?" Meyrin could hardly believe it.

"Yeah. It's time I had a change," Athrun sighed. "I'll still be doing the same line of work, just somewhere else."

"There's only one place I can think of that's hiring software engineers." At least, only one place that's close by.

"Yep. Vulcan Enterprises. I've got an interview there next week."

Meyrin breathed a sigh of relief. At least he wouldn't be moving. "If it goes well, maybe our little party will turn out to be a celebration."

"Let's hope so."

Athrun had given a lot of thought to working in the defense industry. His father served with distinction in the colonial military. His mother's family had built their fortune working on the earliest space fighters and mobile armors. Though Athrun held the majority of that wealth, the original company was long gone. Just like his family. He didn't have to work at all, but he felt like he'd be letting his parents down if he just lived off of an inheritance. In fact, he hadn't touched one red cent since paying for college. It was now tied up in illiquid investments anyway.

These thoughts and more rambled through Athrun's mind as he walked into the humble foyer of this multi-billion dollar conglomerate's corporate offices.

"May I help you, sir?" The receptionist was sharply dressed in an olive pants-suit. Long brown hair was done up, face framed by very professional looking glasses. Her prescription must have been rather low, as looking through the wrong side gave an unobstructed view of some lovely violet eyes. Perhaps they were just reading glasses.

"Athrun Zala," he introduced himself calmly. "I have a 12:30 with someone from HR."

"Human resources is right through that door," the young lady pointed toward the only door marked. Sure enough, it said 'Human Resources' engraved on a brass plaque. "You are expected."

"Thank you miss," he took a brief glance at her name tag hoping that he wouldn't butcher her name, "Hahnenfuss . It was a pleasure meeting you." Turning to go, he overheard Ms. Hahnenfuss punching buttons on her phone to announce his arrival. He strode toward the next room with confidence . . .

Only to plow into an unsuspecting girl coming through from the other side.

"Watch where the hell you're going!" This girl was more lovely than the last, and seemed to know it. Her gruff attitude was only matched by her tomboyish appearance. Scruffy blond hair poofed out about her head, not quite long enough to cover some shapely ears. She was in a dress that wasn't very revealing or even attractive, but it certainly didn't detract from her aura of self assuredness. And her brown eyes, they pierced his very soul.

But she did look rather silly on the floor surrounded by stray folders.

He was so stunned that it took him a second to recover. Even though it was her fault, he felt it best to apologize. "I'm sorry, miss. Let me help you with that."

His sincerity and quick command of the situation almost made the blond blush. Almost. "What's your name?"

"Athrun Zala. I'm here for an interview." He finished stacking the folders and arranged them in their original alignment in the box. "I can carry this for you. Where were you headed?"

"That's none of your business." She tried to snatch the box from his hand, but he was too quick.

He offered one last time. "Are you sure you wouldn't like me to help?"

"I'm quite capable of carrying it myself, as long as clumsy oafs don't keep knocking me down."

"Very well, then. It was a pleasure meeting you," this time he offered the box. He kept her locked in his gaze as the materials exchanged hands. Their fingers slid past each other and Athrun noticed something very disturbing. Heartbreaking, really.

She was wearing an engagement ring. "The pleasure was all yours, I'm sure."

"How did it go?" Though she was technically moved out, she still lived in the Zala residence half the time. Recent events gave her cause to still worry about her best friend. Meyrin greeted Athrun with a home cooked dinner, ready and on the table.

"Great. I've already scored a second round. I'll be meeting with someone at the top in a couple of days."

"That's good news. I hope it goes well."

"As do I," Athrun removed his coat and tie before joining Meyrin at the dining table.

"Meet any interesting girls?"

"How did you know?"

"You've got that stupid grin on your face."

Athrun chuckled. "Well, there were a few. One that really caught my eye is, unfortunately, engaged."

Meyrin smiled. It was good to see him like this. "I hope you enjoy your new hunting grounds."

"Good morning, Mr. Zala. Please come with me." It was Ms. Hahnenfuss who greeted him again today. She lead him through a number of corridors only marked with a single letter followed by numbers.

Athrun could guess that the letter stood for which wing of the building. "This place is a lot bigger than it looks."

His guide smiled. "I've lost count of how many times I've gotten lost in here." After a few more corridors, she stopped and held up a hand to indicate that Athrun should go no further.

"Are we here?" Athrun was unsure of the problem for a moment, but then he realized Ms. Hahnenfuss's reason for hesitation. There was some yelling going on down the hall. He whispered, "I see. No need to explain."

The screaming ended rather abruptly with the sound of hard plastics banging against each other. Apparently someone had just concluded a rather unpleasant telephone conversation.

She waited for a full sixty seconds before the two continued their walk. She knocked gently on a door marked only with 'Athha.'

"WHAT?" a lady inside screamed.

"Your 9:00 is here," the receptionist stated with calm confidence.

This time her voice was almost calm and measured. "Fine. Send him in."

"Yes ma'am." Whispering out of sight and earshot of the boss, she wished Athrun good luck.

He felt like he was being left in the jaws of the beast. And this beast appeared to have sharp fangs. "Good morning," Athrun walked up to the desk with his hand extended. It was the same girl he had knocked over two days ago.

She didn't accept the offer. "Sit down."

"Certainly." Hands sweating, his heart pounding, it's no wonder there wasn't a lot of competition for this position. He thought it curious that this was the only place in town hiring and yet he was the only applicant scheduled for today.

"Athrun Zala," she muttered to herself.

"Yes?" He had to swallow his heart to keep it from lodging in his throat.

The lady glared as if to say, 'I wasn't talking to you.' She perused his qualifications one final time. Then promptly threw his resume and cover letter in the waste basket next to her desk. "Why are you here?"

"Because this is where I want to be."

"Funny, I don't get that very often." She let a smile cross her face. One which promptly receded when she glanced at a picture frame on her desk. "What do you want to accomplish here at my company?"

Now Athrun was almost terrified. This wasn't just some executive. She was the head honcho and this was her company. And she was taking a special interest in the guy who put her flat on the floor two days ago. "I . . ." He decided to be honest. "I'm looking for a change. It's not that my current job is unsatisfying or dull, but I'd like to expand my horizons by working in a different field."

"Going from commercial software to defense is quite a switch." Again she smiled. And again the picture took it away. She decided to lay the picture down to keep it from utterly ruining her morning.

Athrun's curiosity was naturally piqued, but he was on the wrong side of the desk to see what the deal with the picture was. "It is, but I'm ready for something new."

Ms. Athha looked at him a few moments. The glare was gone. Perhaps because she wasn't really looking at him. Perhaps she wasn't looking at anything at all.

He conjectured, "Do you feel that I'm not qualified?"

"Come with me." Without checking to see if he actually was following, Ms. Athha left the room and walked through another set of corridors.

None of which were familiar to Athrun. He was now quite hopelessly lost.

When she stopped, they were outside in a small courtyard. A perfect circle of grass and trees in the center of the three story office building. "Like it?"

"I do. Reminds me of a park I used to go to often."

"If I were to leave you here, how would you get out?"

Athrun looked around for a moment. There was only one door, the one through which they had just come, and he had no way of knowing which way to the parking lot. Climbing out would be rather difficult, not to mention dangerous. "I suppose I could ask some kind soul for directions."

"You could. But what if no one was here? Or what if no one would help you?"

He could see that this wasn't her way of torturing a prospective employee. It was more like a test. "There is one fool proof way to get out of all but the most devious of mazes."

She watched attentively.

Having secured her interest, he held up his right hand. "Are you familiar with the 'right-hand-rule' from physics?"

"No."

"Well, it's not pertinent but I use the same name for this method. I would take my right hand and place it on the wall." He demonstrated. "Then walk around the building keeping my right hand always against the wall. Eventually I would come to an exit."

"I'll have to remember that," Ms. Athha made a mental note of it.

"It may not be my place to ask this, but if I may . . ." He waited for her to nod her approval. "What is this all about? I've been through a number of interviewing techniques but this is quite beyond anything I've ever heard of."

"I'm just killing time. There's nothing wrong with your qualifications. And perhaps I just wanted to give you a hard time for the other day."

"It's quite alright," Athrun waved it off.

"I wasn't apologizing," she stated coolly.

"Of course not," Athrun smiled. He had figured her out. She was a hothead and a control freak.

"I already had you thoroughly checked out before coming in today. The job is yours if you want it."

"Then I accept," he held out a hand.

This time she took it. "You start in two weeks."

That was clearly a dismissal, but Ms. Athha didn't appear to be willing to leave. "I take it I get to test my little theory?"

"Yes you do. There's nothing restricted on the first floor, so it'll be fine. Good luck."

I've just seen a face. I can't forget the time or place when we just met . . .