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This is very Anna-centric as we introduce her to most of the employees of the company and Vera. No Chelsie in this one. Not much happens, but it is a necessary chapter to introduce all the players.

After their meeting with John Bates, Anna felt on top of the world. It wasn't the most conventional way to get a position, and it wasn't even a position, but she needed something positive in her CV, anything different. John had decided for the Internship, that which would give Anna the most credibility and the ability to actually move around the office. This was just the thing that could help her. Most interviewers didn't value her licensed Private Investigator credentials and they mistook her for the type of potential employee who would unearth every dirty little secret within their corporation or small business. This then, was a dream come true. Even if the case was over quickly and they managed to provide him with the proof he needed, she would convince him that she was worth keeping a few months. Beyond her investigative duties, she did want to learn and help his business.

They had met him once more a few days later, when he was sure he could get away without suspicion, and he provided the most recent picture of Vera, the registration of their vehicles, a list of properties they owned and a list of every employee that worked for him. Of course, Molesley had already done a basic background search for them, but it helped to verify that their client was being truthful with them too. His information provided seemed to match. He was born in Dublin, Ireland and was 44. She was surprised he was Irish. She had not picked up on that yet. Anna read his dossier several times; maybe too many times to be considered normal. There was something about him that was very interesting and she didn't know what it was.

Mr. Bates had also detailed for Anna the conditions of the internship. He had done his homework in the office, concocting a story about wanting to help the community by hosting an internship. He had argued that it would help them immensely, and the reasonable low cost was outweighed by the benefits. He also insisted that too much local talent ended up in London or Manchester, as Yorkshire did not offer enough career opportunities for talented graduates. His Controller, Anthony Strallan, signed off immediately. Vera had laughed at his proposal, arguing that he had never cared about his community before, but in the end, she signed off as well. IT meant she could pass on some of her tasks to somebody else. He had managed to make it as official as possible, even registering her with an Internship organization, that even Anna knew nothing about. He wanted to elicit no suspicion at all. If somebody asked him where Anna came from, he wanted to be able to say that she was sent by "Internships UK" and not somebody he had met at a pub. They also agreed to pretend they had never met before.

Thus, everything set and ready and today was her first day. She drove to work in her used car and prayed that it would get her safely to her destination in one piece. She was sentimental in keeping it, as it had belonged to her mother and it was now well over twenty years old. In the last couple of years, she had been stranded at least a couple of times in the middle of the road. It had not occurred to her that she ought to get a new one, as when she was out working as a PI, she was either using one of the company's vehicles or either with Pops or Elsie. She realized that she would need to get a new car soon, especially if this opportunity panned out.

She turned off the road in Elvington, on the Southeastern outskirts of York and came upon a large compound, positioned close to a rural landing strip that played host to the private aviation of the region. A huge sign "Bates Airlift Inc." hung on the fence, heralding that she was in the right place. She drove through the gates and pulled into an open parking space. She breathed in, deeply, willing herself to remain calm. She had a lot to accomplish and she needed her composure. She checked her mini voice recorder and positioned it inside her blazer pocket. She clicked it on and off to make sure it worked. It was voice activated and she never did a job without it. When she was ready, she stepped out and surveyed what was before her. A modern, yet small building which appeared to be the central offices, a large airfield, or landing strip behind it and a rather large hangar on the opposite side of the field. She visualized three different sized helicopters ensconced within. This was exciting. She had never been in a helicopter before and hoped that as part of her internship; maybe Mr. Bates would be willing to let her ride along somewhere.

She made her way diligently through the glass doors and stopped at the receptionist window. There were a couple of comfortable chairs and plants in this segregated area. The window was part of a wall that separated the entryway from the rest of the office space. There was a key code at the door, probably for security reasons. She greeted the pretty, ginger haired girl.

"Good Morning. I'm Anna Smith. I am reporting to work in an Internship."

The girl looked her up and down and for a moment, Anna thought that she was being scrutinized negatively, until a second later, the young lady smiled, offered her hand in greeting and said some words herself.

"Good Morning Anna. I am Gwen, the administrative assistant. Mr. Bates told me you would be coming."

Anna breathed a sigh of relief. Gwen's welcoming smile made her feel at ease instantly. Ever working, her mind went through the employee roster she had memorized before coming to work. This was DAWSON, Gwen – Staff Assistant. She seemed like a nice girl.

"Come through, I'll tell you where to put your things. It's still a little early and none of the Managers are here yet, but, they shouldn't be too long." The door buzzed and Anna pushed in.

Anna looked at her watch. It was 9:00am exactly. She needed to observe as much as she could. The offices were serenely quiet, but she did here distant typing on at least two keyboards. There were others working.

"Are you local?" Anna was startled by the question. "Local?" she responded back. Gwen was leading her within, towards a desk in the corner.

"Yes, are you a Yorkshire girl, or have you moved down from London, or elsewhere, for this?"

"Local – Ripon born and bred." She smiled and Gwen smiled back. "I'm glad. I'm a Yorkshire girl too - from Scarborough, but I did move for this job, although much good that's done."

"What do you mean?"

"I've been a staff assistant for a while now, but can't seem to move up. I really want to go into Sales. But, don't mind me. That's a story for another day. Today is about settling you in."

Gwen opened the top desk drawer and fished out a set of keys.

"This will be your desk for the time being. I checked your computer yesterday and it works fine…. As does your phone. I've printed all of the internal phone extensions for you to use and highlighted mine. Email addresses are also listed. This is your email and the instructions to access your account are here." She paused after her lengthy speech and handed the sheets over to Anna, adding, "You can keep your handbag in the large drawer. That's what I do."

Anna sat down in the chair for a moment. It was a glorious feeling. There was nothing grandiose about this desk, it actually looked a wee battered, but it was hers. She put her handbag away before Gwen caught on to her excitement. Snatching her mobile before closing the drawer, she turned again to look at Gwen. It seemed the redhead was reading her mind, because before she could even ask, her internal questions were answered.

"You're supposed to be with me this week, Mr. Bates told me as much, but I am sure that he wants to give you a proper presentation. There is a staff meeting called for 9:30am in the conference room. In the meantime, I'm desperate for some tea. Want to join me?"

Anna sat in sturdy chair, facing Mr. Bates, a few minutes later. He'd come in while Gwen and Anna were preparing their beverages and summoned them to his office.

He had gentleness about him, one that Anna had not picked up on while they were sitting in the cramped pub space. During those encounters, he was fidgety and nervous, not comfortable in his surroundings. Here, he seemed at peace. His space was austere, no fancy decorations or ostentatious artwork clamoring for attention. He had some framed pictures on one wall, she couldn't quite see what they were about, and some art prints depicting helicopters. He had plastic models on his desk, of two different types of helicopter, but that was it. The fanciest thing in his office was his chair. It was tall, black leather, and very imposing. If not for the chair, Anna would not have guessed that this was the office of the owner. It was so low key, that it gave her a sense of Mr. Bates' roots being humble. She'd have to ask him one day.

His clothing was also different. Instead of the "Top Gun" persona who had greeted her the previous two times, he was wearing tan slacks, a white shirt with no tie, and a dark blue blazer. He did look quite businesslike and that was a surprise. She liked it, though. As the owner, she thought he could afford to be more relaxed if he wanted. Whatever his reasoning, she had to admit that he cleaned up very nicely. She had not noticed that he had a hazel eye color. Now that she knew his origins, she listened intently and did see that certain words had an Irish lilt in them. All in all, he was quite captivating.

"Gwen, Ms. Smith and I will be along to the conference room in a few minutes. Can you make sure everybody's there?" Gwen nodded and went on her way.

He turned to look at Anna. In the light of day, with the sun streaming through the windows, she looked very pretty. He'd only seen her at night and he couldn't realize in the darkness of the pub how cerulean blue her eyes were. For whatever time she was meant to be here, she would definitely make this a good looking place. She was smartly dressed again too. A black pencil skirt, with a white top and a fitted red blazer made her look very chic. Her signature hairdo, all pulled back in a bun, made her look like she meant business. He was pleased. They might have a chance of pulling off this ruse. Anna was doing her part to play her role well, even the hint of excitement that was coming through. That was appropriate. He guessed interns would be excited on their first day. To manifest even the proper emotions impressed him. She might be better at this than he thought.

"I trust things have gone well this morning? No problem with Parking, Gwen settling you in?"

"Yes, absolutely."

"Good, Ms. Smith. I want you to be comfortable while you are here."

"Thank you Mr. Bates, but, unless you call everybody by their last names, I suggest you call me Anna." He had just called Gwen by her first name, so, she knew that was the right way to go about it. "...and I will call you Mr. Bates, like everybody else does."

He nodded his head in acceptance. What she was saying was reasonable.

They had agreed to not say anything at all about the case inside the office, so, they limited their discussion to the mock internship that they had set up.

"We'll have a staff meeting and I will introduce you to everybody. After the staff meeting, you will spend the week with Gwen. She'll explain her duties and you'll learn everything she does. I have set up a rotation on how you will spend the next six weeks. Since we have six months to fill, we are going to go easy. At the end of those six weeks, we will plan for the next six and so on. Do you agree?"

"Yes, Mr. Bates." She took the document that he had prepared and looked it over. She was pleased. "I look forward to working here and learning your business."

He looked nervous but acknowledged her words.

"Right. Let's get a move on." He gestured for her to follow him and soon enough, she found herself in the conference room, where ten to twelve faces greeted her. It was a little overwhelming, but, she managed to keep her wits about her.

"Everyone here Gwen?"

"Everyone but Mrs. Bates, sir. She's not arrived yet."

Mmmm, thought Anna. They lived together, but didn't drive in together? How weird. That lent the truth to what Mr. Bates said. Vera often stayed late. To do that, she must come and go on her own.

"We'll go ahead then." He gestured to Anna to sit and they both took the two empty spots at the head of the conference table.

"Team, this is Anna Smith. Starting today, she will be with us for six months. Bates Airlift Inc. Has partnered with Internships UK to provide development opportunities for University Graduates. Anna will be our first intern."

Anna heard a couple of snickers, but Mr., Bates said nothing and continued.

"What that means, for those of you who are wondering…. Anna will rotate in all of our departments and work with all of you to learn what you do. An internship does not mean that she will do your work for you or that you will hand over the most menial of your tasks. She's not your maid either. She's not here to get you coffee or tea. She's not here to clean your desk. When she rotates in your department, she will share all of your tasks, both the boring and interesting ones. I will be monitoring her progress and will be working with her. I will be involved."

Anna observed the faces of everybody while Mr. Bates spoke. There were some upturned lips, but in general, everybody was taking in his words. She had to admit that she was impressed with the way he commanded their attention. That must have been his military side, although he was not militant at all.

"Any questions?"

"When will she be interning with me?" a young lad asked in the most audacious and sexy voice, getting a laugh from everyone. Anna felt uncomfortable at the way he looked at her.

"James, and this goes for everyone, you will kindly respect Ms. Smith."

Anna registered – KENT, James – Pilot, from the list. She put him down as a flirt in her mind. She could deal with him. She wondered if he had ever encountered the wrong end of a tazer before. Maybe she should do womankind a favor and introduce him to it.

"I will not tolerate any reports of misconduct or abuse towards anybody in this office. Do you understand?"

James sheepishly nodded his head.

"All right. Now down to business. Gwen, what is the first item on the agenda?"

The meeting had been interesting. Besides learning about the business, she was learning about who every person present was. The Finance Manager, or Controller, as Mr. Bates called him, Anthony Strallan, gave an update of the revenue results for the month. He seemed introverted and lived up to Anna's stereotype of what an Accountant should look like. He had a pile of reports, thick glasses and wore a tie that looked like it belonged in the eighties. His hair had not been trimmed in a while and was badly combed, but he knew what he was talking about.

Another chap, she recognized as being Irish from his accent, explained the maintenance rota for the month and that "Sophia" would be out of commission for a week. She thought it was sweet that the choppers had names. They all seemed to be women too – Brigitte, Audrey, Ava and Sophia – were the ones she heard. Taking advantage of a lull in bookings, and rearranging flight schedules for the week, she would undergo an engine overhaul to make sure she had no stress fractures or issues. He wore a blue zip-up pantsuit, with his name embroidered on a patch, "Tom". While there were two Toms on the list, undoubtedly, this was BRANSON, Thomas – Head Mechanic. Twice, when their line of vision crossed, he had smiled amiably at her. There was a very positive vibe about him and he spoke about the choppers as if he revered them.

The meeting continued with a woman talking about what was booked for the week. Anna surmised she must be O'BRIEN, Sarah – Scheduling and Logistics. She was one of the people who had snickered when Mr. Bates introduced her and had kept an upturned lip. Anna could not gauge much about her yet, except that she was middle aged and had no ring on her finger. Her make-up was overdone – too much eye shadow and the hue on her lips/cheeks were mismatched. Not that it was important, but she looked tacky. When she spoke, she chose to use every day vernacular which was unpolished. Anna certainly hoped she wasn't the one talking to the clients.

The meeting ended with a tall and handsome man that Anna guessed was the Sales Manager – CARLISLE, Richard. HE was a sharp dresser, in contrast to Ms. O'Brien. His shirt was nicely starched, and although he had removed his blazer, it looked expensively tailored. He mentioned that he was on the trail of a new client, CONOCO EXPLORATIONS, one that could generate many bookings; perhaps even requiring the lease of another helicopter. Mr. Bates looked pleased. To seal the deal, he would be heading to the Oil and Gas IP Summit held in London in the next three weeks.

Gwen added a new item, telling Mr. Bates that Mr. Edmunds of the Make a Wish Foundation wanted another meeting with him, with another potential case. He smiled and asked her to contact him as soon as possible.

There were others present, but they contributed nothing to the meeting and it was adjourned about an hour after it started.

As the employees dispersed and they made their way out of the conference room, Gwen turned to her. "Fancy a tour now?"

"You have a golf cart as transportation?" Anna was impressed as Gwen positioned herself behind the wheel.

"We do. Besides being the administrative assistant, I play concierge to any customers who arrive at our office for transport. "She backed out of the spot where it was parked and turned into the airfield. "Sometimes, I drive them to board the helicopter wherever it is parked on the tarmac. Believe me, when they have luggage, you want to use the cart." Anna surveyed the panorama around her. She had so many questions she wanted to ask. This was thrilling.

"Mmmm….but, I thought you picked up customers on rooftops or open fields and such. You handle customers here too?"

"Depending on the type of mission, or aircraft used, we can do several things. We do two main types of transport – Executive, where as you state, we can pick somebody up off of a building rooftop that has a heliport, but sometimes, the buildings are too archaic, and could be structurally compromised. We can pick them up in a field, or if they prefer, drive here if they are locals. We set it up to where it is most convenient for the customer. They usually require that we fly them to Leeds, Manchester and on occasion London, which we try to stay away from. Bates Airlift's success stems from the targeting of middle sized companies in the North East of England. London is oversaturated with providers, while this market is underserved."

"Mmmmm" mused Anna. That made sense. Gwen had made it across the airfield and was nearing the hangar. She could see Tom, already on a ladder, starting to fidget with the blades of a very large chopper.

"The other type of transport we do is moving people and equipment from the mainland to any one of the oil platforms out in the North Sea."

Anna looked confused. Gwen explained further.

"Basically, there are sixty two oil platforms in the North Sea, operated by several oil and natural gas companies. British Petroleum is the biggest operator and they own at least 33. The others are divided among the other Energy conglomerates of the world. Their staff lives and work on these rigs, but they rotate in and out after several weeks. They need provisions, parts and management visits. BP, owning so many, has their own fleet, but the others cannot afford to keep a fleet operation here, thus, they outsource to us. Our biggest machines, Sophia and Grace, are constantly doing these long haul trips and they can seat up to 19 persons and carry a load of many thousands of kilos. When we do those services, the oil rig staff either comes here, or they can choose to be picked up in a small compound Mr. Bates owns on the coast in Bridlington before they set off. It's the same on the way back. They can either get off on the coast, in case they live close by, or they can come here to York, where they can be picked up by their families or take a train from York anywhere in the country. "

They had pulled up right beside Tom who had heard part of Gwen's explanation and acknowledged their arrival by joining the conversation.

"These beauties work impressively. They give a lot and that is why I am pampering Sophia today."

"Sophia? Did you name them?" Anna grinned at the mention of the monikers.

"Oh, no… that would be the boss. He is very particular about what name he gives these beauties." He reached out to give Anna his hand. "I'm Tom Branson, Chief Mechanic and Avionics expert. My assistant mechanic and fueling expert, William Mason is on holiday, but, anything that William and I can help you with, just let us know."

She took in his firm handshake and realized there was nothing tentative or deceitful in his approach. He seemed very genuine. He was very handsome. Might he be Vera's type?

"Thank you Tom. How kind….So….. How many of these beauties are we actually talking about? How large is our fleet?"

"Well, let's see…Two Bell412's, two Sikorsky 92's, and two McDonnell Douglas 600N's equal six working aircraft plus Maggie there in the corner." He pointed at the smallest helicopter, sitting in its own bay. It was bright blue with golden zig-zag stripes emblazoned on the sides and it did not look very Executive at all. There wasn't room for more than the pilot and maybe a passenger or two. "She belongs to the boss."

"I see, and what are all their names?"

He then turned and pointed at the other aircraft sitting in the field. "That is Ava. This is Sophia. Out in service we have Audrey, Grace, Brigitte and Marilyn."

"Mmmmm" The whole thing sounded like a Hollywood lineup from the 1950's. Audrey must be Hepburn, Grace must be Kelly, Marilyn must be Monroe, etc. She just couldn't place the name Maggie. She would have to work on figuring that one out.

"Do you want to take a peek inside?" gestured the redhead as she pulled open the door and released the integrated steps that allowed them to board. Anna wanted to, so, she followed Gwen inside while Tom continued working on the rotor mechanisms on top.

"This is so nice," murmured Anna as she sat in one of the leather seats. Gwen took the opportunity to explain that while the majority of their bookings were Executive or oil rig transport, they did often reconfigure seats for whatever purpose was needed. "Look at this." She dislodged a mechanism on the side and a moved a seat back a few inches off of the tracks that supported it. "If we removed all of these seats, we could reconfigure this for medical evacuation and bring in a gurney.

Anna was impressed yet again.

"There are companies that specialize in this, but we specialize in oil rigs and we've had to bring sick people out before. This is just to explain to you, that there really is no limit to the things we can transport."

Before too long, they were back in the golf cart, and driving around the perimeter of the field, Gwen explaining where they stored their fuel, showing her the satellite dishes they used to collect weather information and so many other things. She couldn't imagine if they had walked around this concrete perimeter. In her high heels, her feet would have given up by now. She thanked God for the golf cart.

On their way back, Gwen took her to the crew rest area, adjacent to the customer waiting room. That's when she finally saw her target. Vera. It had to be her.

She was a mature woman, but very beguiling. She had jet long black hair, an ivory complexion and the most beautiful blue eyes Anna had seen. Her lips were full and red. Anna had seen the images that Mr. Bates had provided, but Vera was more beautiful in person than what her picture reflected. There was no need to compare, but Anna felt her own beauty inferior to that of this woman. She immediately thought of Mr. Bates. No wonder he had spent 18 years with her. Men wouldn't be able to turn their eyes away. That was the case now. The very unaware co-owner had her arms wrapped around James, while another young man looked on. Both young men were mesmerized, enough that they did not see Anna and Gwen come in.

"Mrs. Bates," called Gwen.

The woman turned to face them. "This is Anna Smith, the new Intern."

She unwrapped her arms from James' body and turned to look fully at her.

"So, you're Anna." She looked her up and down, something Anna was not prepared for. Vera had a haughty attitude, almost dismissive of her.

She turned to leave, not before adding. "I should have known you weren't picked for your capabilities." Without a second glance, she walked away.

What was that? Anna was fuming internally, but managed to keep composure. It helped that Gwen squeezed her arm as a sign of support. She wouldn't have said anything; she was not going to put her position in jeopardy because of this woman. She needed to be here. Yet, she had doubted John Bates when he spoke of his wife as being manipulative and treacherous. Most of their clients exaggerated the faults or virtues of their partner and she had learned to take their words with caution and never believe their stories 100%. She had never been drawn in to anybody's story of woes, but there was something about John Bates that made her empathize with him. He had resisted speaking more about her and she could see he was a gentleman. Also, she never considered herself beautiful. She was comfortable in her own skin, but always managed to believe her pale skin made her a little plain. Thus, Vera's insinuation that she got on because of her looks was a great surprise.

She was brought out of her thinking by James.

"Hello Anna."

Again with the flirty voice. He seconded Vera's actions and looked her up and down as if she was a piece of meat. What was it with these people and their rude introductions?

"Oh, just ignore him. No offense, but he does that to all the women." Anna wasn't sure if the young man's attempt to diffuse the situation was hurting her ego or not. She did not want that type of attention, not after what Vera had just said. The young man stretched out his arms and looked like he meant no harm, so she took it.

"Alfred Nugent. You're Anna right?"

"Yes, Alfred. Pleased to meet you." James put out his hand also. "I'm James, but you already know that. You can call me Jimmy." Anna took his hand too. She needed to learn about all of them. She couldn't play the offended card.

She looked around. This was definitely a Pilot's lair. There were large screens adorning the room with live weather feeds from all over the United Kingdom. An open microphone squawked what appeared to be messages from a control tower. There was equipment Anna couldn't place. Detailed navigation maps adorned the walls. Big comfortable chairs dotted the room.

As far as she remembered, there were seven pilots on the list. There were five others unaccounted for. Somebody in this office had to be Vera's lover.

"Well, you know I'm new here and I don't know much about anything. What can you tell me about your group?"

Alfred chimed in.

"Jack Ross is off today. Daisy Robinson, Evelyn Napier, Tony Gillingham and Michael Gregson are currently on missions. I have a York-Leeds service in about an hour and Jimmy here," he patted James back forcefully, "he is on call, in case something comes up."

"Have you been here long?"

"I've been here for about a year. Daisy and I were hired at the same time." Alfred answered truthfully but her mind wandered. She was pleased that they had a female pilot among their ranks. It had nothing to do with the case, but it spoke well of Bates Airlift's attempt at gender equality. She wanted to meet this intrepid woman as soon as possible.

"I've been here for six months," explained Jimmy. "The others have been here longer. Michael is the Chief Pilot, he has been here the longest and after the boss, he has the most flight hours. He's pretty good and flies our most challenging missions. He is followed by Evelyn. Both these guys can land on moving oil rigs, in the ocean, during bad weather with full loads."

"Sounds fascinating." She was impressed, but her mind wandered again. Vera wouldn't be too obvious. Just because she was hanging on to Jimmy, meant nothing. In fact, she was almost too sure it wasn't him. He was trying too hard to be macho, to be seen as a ladies man. Anna would bet he was a closeted homosexual. There was something about him that just wasn't natural in his attitude. Alfred didn't look like the obvious choice either. He was looking at Vera with puppy dog eyes when they came in. Worse – like a puppy in a puddle. She was sure he was sweet on her, but Vera would not risk a liaison with somebody who she couldn't trust.

She focused again on the conversation.

"Jack and Tony have been here about three years each and they are being trained for the overseas flights as well. That's all of us. I think Daisy is due back in a few hours. She left at 7:00am on an emergency run to pick up some organs in Sheffield needed for transplant in Manchester. She radioed earlier that she was on her way back."

They showed her around, taking her to their locker rooms, complete with a couple of private shower stalls. The men explaining that they often did back to back missions, sometimes they were rained on, other times they helped with the inspection and airworthiness check of the helicopters in the hangar, leaving them sweaty. They always needed to look neat and professional for their clients. They also had a quiet rest area, sectioned off. There were reclineable loungers and no windows, for a darker, restful place. Some missions were exhausting and they needed power naps to stay alert. Gwen advised her that now and then, everybody in the office had made use of them and assured her that before her six months were over, she would be there too.

"It's about time your back," exclaimed the woman Anna recognized as Sarah. She was curt and biting.

"Sarah, it's only been an hour. I appreciate you answering the phones for me. Anything important I should know?" Gwen was very pleasant about it. The girl did have tough skin if she had to deal with the likes of this women so often.

"All I did was answer your phones. I couldn't get any of my own work done. Thankfully, now you have her." Sarah gestured by tilting her head in Anna's direction.

Anna thought it was her cue to introduce herself formally.

"Yes, I will be helping Gwen this week. I'm Anna. So, you're Sarah?"

Anna put out her hand and Sarah shook it reluctantly.

"Yes, I am. Now, can you get back to work?"

"Just give us ten minutes. I need to introduce her to Accounting." Gwen pulled Anna and started walking before Sarah could object.

She rolled her eyes and sighed audibly.

"Fine. Be quick about it." As an afterthought, she added, "Oh, and I patched Mr. Edmunds of Make a Wish through to Mr. Bates. You don't need to call him anymore."

"I am very pleased, so very pleased indeed. I am as happy as a bee in a flower patch. No, that doesn't make sense. How about as happy as a bear in a bee hive? Wait, do bears like honey or is that a Winnie the Pooh myth? You do know Winnie the Pooh, right? Or is he before your time? You are so young, all of you. Oh, bother! I'm just happy. I believe, no doubt, you will be an asset to this company. John was very excited about getting an intern and I must agree with him. We could certainly use the help. You wouldn't know it but, we are certainly understaffed here in the back office. I keep telling the Bates's to hire somebody else, but, Mrs. Bates doesn't want anybody new. I don't understand why, as it would only be good for the business, there is plenty of revenue to fund it, so you here makes me happy… Very happy…. I tell you, this is something good for you to be here."

Anthony Strallan looked very positive, but, he could not stop talking. She could hardly get a word in edgewise. Half of what he spoke did not make sense at all.

"Gwen, have you introduced the rest of my team?" Gwen didn't get a word in either. She attempted to respond, but he answered for her. "No, you haven't, I am sure. You've probably already gone to the hangar and crew room, but not Accounting. We are usually last on the list, the least sexiest department, but, I don't mind. We can introduce you now."

Without saying another word, he walked out. Gwen smiled at Anna, trying to suppress a giggle. Least sexiest department? Anna couldn't help but giggle silently too. Anthony Strallan was an endearing man who had a mind of his own. Could he be the type to fall prey to Vera? Maybe. She'd have to see them together to reason this out.

"Come now ladies," came his voice across the hallway. There she encountered two more employees from the list. She immediately knew that they would be BAXTER, Phyllis and BARROW, Thomas – both listed as Accounting.

"Team, this is Anna, who you saw at today's staff meeting. This is Phyllis." He pointed at a quiet lady in the corner. "She maintains our spare parts Inventory, she is our purchasing agent, and she is also accounts receivable." The woman was very quiet and meek, but she smiled graciously at Anna before getting back to work.

"Pleased to meet you, Phyllis." The woman looked up again and smiled graciously, but said nothing. Anna thought that was odd. She wasn't rude, just maybe introverted?

"…and this here is Thomas. He manages our bank accounts, generates payroll, and does accounts payable."

Thomas was more affable. He stood up, offered his hand and uttered a quick "Pleased to meet you Anna," before turning his eyes to look back at his computer. Phyllis had been meek, but Thomas looked more ambivalent. He didn't acknowledge her again even while Anthony continued to talk without end.

"I oversee them both, but, I also do the assessment of profitability in our contracts, I provide analysis, revenue projections, and so many other things. You'll get to see all of it when you rotate in our area. Mr. Bates sent us the schedule, but, I have not looked at it yet, so, I do not know when it will be your turn, but, I look forward to having you work with us. Do you agree, team?"

Both Phyllis and Thomas looked up, said "Yes", and then looked back down again.

Anna fell onto the sofa the minute she walked into her flat. She lied down along the length of it and let her legs hang over the edge, dangling her shoes until they fell off of her feet.

"You look tired," offered Mary who came out of her room to investigate.

"I am tired." Anna pulled herself up to rest on her elbows, able to see Mary much better from this angle. "….Tired, but, very, very happy."

A/N: There you have it! Now you know all of the staff. In the next chapter, the investigation starts! Tell me what you think?

To LC - I hope to do Chelsie justice in this story and thank you for reading!