Chapter Five: And the Floor Opens and Swallows Her Whole
"With that, I'd like to wrap up my presentation with these words." Tracy looked out over the roomful of people, smiling casually as she leaned slightly against the podium. "My employees can probably recite this speech by heart, but I think it's important to reiterate it as often as possible." She took a deep breath, standing as tall as she could. "When I bought this company 20 years ago, I decided to call it Freedom Energies. I chose that name for a very specific reason." She paused for dramatic effect, looking across the room so that no matter where a person was sitting, they got the impression she was talking to them.
"When we talk about freedom here, we're not just talking about freedom from dependence on foreign fuel, or from non-renewable energy sources. The freedom we're talking about in this company is a more subtle freedom, a more important freedom. What we're going for is freedom from the past, freedom from the iron-clad grip of conventionality." Tracy smiled, her hands flat on the podium, her stance tall and powerful. "Freedom Enterprises represents a new kind of business model. We're not your father's company, and we don't do his kind of business. We are not just a company for the 21st Century—we're a company for all centuries. What we stress is adaptability, flexibility, innovation, and the power of creativity." She grinned, a little evil grin that never failed to deliver. "Oh, and profit. We really stress that."
There was a round of laughter, some polite, some authentic. It was the sign she was waiting for, and Tracy waited for it to subside before changing modes. "And now that the Beauty portion of the evening is over…" More laughter. "I'd like to turn the podium over to the Brains behind the company. Let me introduce our Chief Science Officer and All-Around Answer Man, Dr. Simon Fullerton. Dr. Fullerton is a Professor Emeritus in Chemistry at Seattle University and knows everything about everything. I'd also like to introduce our Chief Financial Officer, Kathryn Marcosi, who can answer all those little dollars and cents questions I know you have. So, without further ado, I'd like to invite Dr. Fullerton and Ms. Marcosi to the podium."
She paused for the applause, smiling graciously before vacating the podium. She noticed a single flash just before she left, and the smile vanished once her back was turned. Chelsea was waiting for her just outside the door—she knew better than anyone that Tracy needed privacy after a speech, and she was waiting with a bottled water and her glasses.
"Who was the flash," she asked, taking the water and downing a fast gulp.
"I think it was Jason, from AP."
"Check his camera. If there's one picture of me, he's banned. He knows the rules."
She didn't have to say much more, because Jason met them at the elevator. He still had his camera in his hand. "Gimme one for the Wall Street Journal?" he asked with laughter in his voice. He should really know better.
"You know the rules, Mister," she said with equal joviality. "Don't let there be a picture of my ugly face on that disk, Jason, because I'd hate to have you kicked out on your ass."
"You're killing me, Tracy," he called through the closing doors, handing the camera to Chelsea as he did.
She rode in silence till her elevator reached the proper floor. It was dark, with just the light of the city pouring in the windows. Tracy loved her office like this, loved the silence and the shimmer of light reflecting from the beautiful surfaces all around her. She didn't think as she went into her office and turned on the computer. She clicked on the link to the radio, and started listening to the East Coast news.
When Annabeth walked in, just moments later, she found Tracy collapsed on the floor, with news of a fire in some New York hotel blaring through the speakers of her computer.
Chapter Six: A Journey is Planned