Wiress, I have to go to the Capital today. You can work on the project here if you would like or take a day off. Wiress read the note and decided to go in and work. She worked on her sketch for a few hours. The phone rang and she answered it. "Innovation Squared, this is Wiress Carpenter, student intern."
"Hi, Wiress, this is Jim at Factory six." Someone on the other end said. "We were wondering if Beetee could come and take a look at one of our machines."
"Oh?" Wiress took down some information. "That sounds sort of like the machine in Four."
"The one you worked on?" Jim asked excitedly.
"Yes." Wiress said a bit timidly.
"Well, why don't you come over and have a look?" Jim suggested. "We all know the work you did in Factory Four."
"I - I can't do official consultations, sir since I'm not a certified engineer. But I can go over there and take notes for Beetee." Wiress said thinking quickly. She got some more information and wrote a note to Beetee. She grabbed a smaller notepad and hurried to Factory Six.
"So you see, when this mechanism ramps up the RPMs, there's something griding right about there." Wiress wrote something down and looked at the machine again. She adjusted her safety goggles and moved along the catwalk. "I'll get the blueprints for you and - WHOA!" Jim the lead foreman yelped as the catwalk creaked and buckled a few feet from them. "Miss Carpenter - move back!"
"You have to also!" Wiress stammered. She moved her feet and the catwalk shook more. "TURN THE MACHINE OFF!" She yelled. "THAT'S WHAT'S SHAKING IT!"
"WIRESS!" A terrified voice screamed. "WIRESS DON'T MOVE! JIM, BACK UP NOW!" The machine screeched to a halt moments before a section of the metal catwalk Wiress and Jim were previously on broke off and crashed to the ground.
"All workers are clear, Jim!" Someone called. "No one's hurt, we're getting a mechanical lift up to you now!" Someone drove a small vehicle bearing a platform on an accordian shaped lift. Pushing a button, the driver activated the lift to send the platform up to the two people on the catwalk. Wiress and Jim climbed onto the platform and held onto the railings.
"WIRESS!" Beetee wrapped her in a near bone-crushing hug. He pulled away and stared into her large eyes. "What did you think you were doing?" He asked furiously. "You were consulting on a very large piece of machinery! Alone! Did you ask them to examine the area around it for safety? Did you?" Wiress blinked and shook her head.
"I'm - I'm sorry - Mr. Tesla - You should've handled the project." Wiress whispered as tears came to her eyes.
"Obviously because you could've gotten hurt. Go back to the shop." Beetee said sharply. Wiress hurried over to the end of the factory where she put her helmet and goggles in their proper places. Beetee could see her shaking with sobs as she pulled her coat on and hurried out the door.
"That was my fault, Beetee." Jim said gently. "I'm sorry. I asked her to come."
"Jim -" Beetee began, his face paling.
"I'm sorry, Beetee - please let your intern continue." Beetee bit his lip before walking out of the factory.
"Wiress?" Beetee asked seeing her sitting at the table, her head buried in her arms as she cried.
"Last week you said I could help you in consulting." Wiress said, tears leaking out of her eyes.
"I did. I did not say you could go by yourself."
"I made it clear that I wasn't consulting. All I wanted to do was take more detailed notes." Wiress slowly pushed her notepad toward Beetee. He picked it up and tossed it over to his table.
"You of all people should realize how dangerous a factory environment is for an inexperienced high schooler! Your parents worked at a factory for twenty years and still something happened to them!" Beetee snapped, the image of her on the shaking catwalk still very much present in his mind.
"I KNOW! That's why I'm here, Beetee!" Wiress shouuted as she stood up facing him with her fists clenched at her side. "I - want to help change things - and I - I only wanted to help! I know what I was getting into! Accidents happen, Beetee! And just like you said, they happened to my parents!" Wiress took deep breaths and stared at Beetee with a mix of anger and sadness on her face. Beetee stared at her lost for words.
"You're done." Beetee said simply. Wiress stared at him.
"I'll clean up my desk later." Wiress whispered.
"Wiress - wait!" Beetee called as she walked down the street. He ran after her. She stopped and turned around to face him. "I meant for today!" Wiress turned around. "I'm so sorry -" Beetee said grasping her hands.
"You - you used my parents against me." Wiress whispered pulling her hands away. "I - I can't - I can't talk with you right now."
"I didn't mean it -" Beetee began.
" You just wanted me to get it. It's dangerous. But, I get it though."
"Please come back and finish the semester." Beetee begged. "I promise I'll give you a good letter of recommendation. In spite of everything today. I'm so sorry about today!"
"I will." Wiress said simply. "Goodbye, Mr. Tesla." She said before resuming her walk down the street.