New beginnings… chapter three
After the full tour of the facilities, meeting some of the engineers, scientists and other employees of the space division they returned to Richard's office. The new gate entry badge for Walter was handed to him by Richard's secretary Toni as they passed through her reception area.
"Lunch will be brought up in a few minutes," she said, "and before you ask, no. No messages from anyone in the financial sector."
"Well, Walter, looks like you certainly saved my bacon. Another pay day for you- your new accounts will be stellar, I am sure…. even enough to possibly think about a better residence than a garage…. just a suggestion." Richard smirked.
Walter shook his head with a grin, "I have been very happy in the garage for a number of years, now. Will continue there for the foreseeable future. It was the only livable place I could find that was affordable and was special due to its having the small cellar- easily kept cool and perfect for my server set up. Having the loft- what more is needed? How big a mansion you live in and why, do you really need so huge a place?"
"Come on, Walter. I am head of an exceptionally large, international enterprise. Other businesspeople, politicians, heads of state, economic advisors at times have to be wined and dined. Nature of the beast, so have to have that mansion. However, to be honest, I spend day to day life in a very small section of it…. even make my own coffee and sandwiches in the kitchen at times, and enjoy the pool after a hot day or late night when I can't sleep, so not as 'elite' as you think."
"OK, but I don't need a cleaning crew and grounds keepers." Walter laughed. "Match that."
"OK," Richard said. "I employ a number of people who in turn feed and house their family, pay taxes, and keep the economy going…. money makes the world go 'round, right?"
"OK, you have me beat, I admit," Walter said. "I doubt I will ever have an employee again, so you win."
The server again entered the office with the rolling food cart. "Fresh coffee, salads and a choice of dressings, gentlemen." The table was set and Walter and Richard sat down.
"Thanks again, Pat. The coffee is a blessing, been a long day today."
"If you need anything else, Richard, just call down to the kitchen," Pat said leaving the office. "Will return to clean up later."
Toni tapped on the door jamb and entered the office from her reception area. "Just to let you know, Richard there was a problem with a number of on-line bank transactions in Florida- due to an area power outage affecting five thousand households. Seems two transformers went out at one time shutting everything down. Per news reports, power should be restored by nine, their time, tomorrow morning."
"There have been no other problems with the new system? Not even a little hang-up or flutter anywhere?" Richard asked. "Damn, not sure I paid you enough, Walter. You display the excellence I want for my enterprise. Amazing."
"Walter, I'll call a car drive you to your garage, don't know about you but I am ready to go home and relax and get a good night sleep." Richard said rising and going to the door. "Toni, you can call it a day, too. See you regular time tomorrow."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The car dropped Walter off at the garage. He walked in pulled his laptop out to open it up and set on his desk. He went into the kitchen to start the coffee then decided to leave it for the morning. He went back and locked the place up, set security and went up the stairs to the loft. He got a bottle of water from the fridge and sat on the sofa thinking. Now that he has come to clarity of how things are in his life, he can start thinking of his future. As he told Richard, will never have any employees here at the garage again- no way. That being the case, all the extra desks can be gotten rid of- time to call the local thrift store to come pick them up. Now that he owns the building, the empty bay Florence had used now being empty he could expand his quarters. See about putting a large door between the two sides so the entire structure can be utilized. He put his feet up on the coffee table drank some more water from the bottle and continued to think…. and could not come up with anything as far as 'needs' or 'wants' went. After the conversation with Richard, he thought again of his situation. As long as he had a roof, his electronics functional, he can always get back into working computer security systems for income to keep him in food, what more did he need? With that, he got up, took a shower and went to bed.
In the morning, Walter, dressed in jeans and t-shirt went down stairs to get the coffee going. Going to his desk he checked mail on the laptop. Message from Richard:
Walter- came in this morning- everything is purring along without a hitch. So well in fact, I dropped a bonus in your account. I have a number of sites where security should be updated- interested? Places where the plans, test data, and other proprietary information is stored and there have been attempted hacks. Like to keep the scientific systems and information safe. Richard
Walter hit reply:
Richard- interested. Give address, whom to contact and time to review the system. Following day should have program to install. Walter
Within a few minutes the message came in from Richard with address, manager's name, Steve Philips, and one PM for time.
Walter packed up his laptop, pulled the car to the front, locked up, set security and headed out. When he got there he showed his Elias Enterprises badge and asked for Steve Philips. He was escorted to the server facility. "This data storage complex has only one shift so if you need to be here late, security will be informed."
"I will just be scanning the system today and will probably return tomorrow to install security," Walter said. "Have you had any data loss?"
"Not yet, but as you well know, when it comes to computer hackers it is just a matter of time. Richard is very protective of his space programs data storage so I am happy to see you attending to it." Steve said escorting Walter to the server facility, "I do not want to be the one to tell him this facility has been breached."
"Understood," Walter chuckled. "I will do all I can to ensure you never have to inform Richard of a breach. That is why I am here." He followed Steve into the facility, sat at the work table, pulled his laptop out and started his scan. Within an hour he called for an escort to the gate returned to the garage and started working the necessary security program. By three AM he had the program transferred to a hard drive and boxed up for transport, climbed the stairs to shower and sleep.
When he woke up, he started the coffee, pulled the car out. He sat at his desk drinking coffee while sending off a message to Steve Philips he would be there at four to install the security program then restart the facility once everyone left for the day.
While sitting drinking his coffee there was a knock at the door. He opened the door and a portly, middle aged man said, "Hi, I'm Joe Berns, you are Walter O'Brien? "
Walter nodded. "how can I help you?"
"I work at Elias Enterprises space division," he showed his employee badge. "Richard said you have some modifications for the booster you designed that we are using. He also said you had computer modeling that shows a 7% increase of efficiency. Wanted to stop by and invite you to our fabrication and test facilities so we can see if those modifications actually improves the component."
"My computer modeling shows a 7.34% improvement," Walter replied waving to the couch for him to sit.
"All the better. We have a new unit in the test facility, if your modification specs can be incorporated on this unit we can dynamic test it and see what the actual numbers work out to. If good, Richard said a patent can be worked out by his legal department." Joe then pulled out a small case from his inside jacket pocket and handed Walter his business card. "You can talk to Richard about the patent before showing your specs, but we would like to get on it ASAP as depending on the modifications, delivery system may need to be modified as well." He returned the case to his jacket pocket. "I was just in the area and decided to pop in to give you a heads up. Anytime you want to view the dynamic test and discuss results, just let me know. Richard said you liked working late night- we can do that at your convenience with a days notice. Nice meeting you, hope to hear from you soon, just message me and we will set everything up. Gotta' head back to the office, hope to hear from you soon." He rose, shook Walter's hand and headed out the door.
Walter shook his head- Joe Berns is quite the whirlwind. Checked time and gathered his laptop and the program and headed out to see Steve Philips.
Meeting Walter at the gate, Steve Philips walked to the server facility. "You devised a program quickly. We will have to keep monitoring the system, right?"
"Yes, even with this multilayered security system, monitoring is necessary. It should be understood any security system in time will be hacked. It is a matter of staying ahead of the bad guys so monitoring is essential." Walter said as they entered the facility. "I should not be more than an hour then the facility will be restarted after this is installed which is after your shift people leave. Once restarted I will check a few things and it will be done and I can leave."
"When ready to leave, call my number on the card next to the phone and I will walk you to the gate. I am usually here two hours after the crew leaves. Can I get you anything while the cafeteria is open?"
"Just some coffee if possible, and thank you," Walter replied getting his hard drive out, plugging his laptop in to then sit down and start work.
Within two hours the job is finished and Walter called Steve to discuss the monitoring criteria while walking to the gate. "Here is my contact information if any questions or problems arise," Walter said and left for his car to drive back to the garage.
At the garage he pulled the car in and closed up, started the coffee and went to his desk. Putting the laptop open on the corner of the desk, he pulled the desk top keyboard closer to type in the modified booster file containing the design drawings, specs and modeled test results. He made a copy of the file and attached it to a message to Richard:
Richard- Joe Berns came by to discuss the design modifications. All info is attached. Walter
On a whim, Walter pulled the folder out of his computer case that had the accounts Richard had opened for his compensation for the patching and the new programming. He opened the account and sat back stunned. The first deposit was for five hundred thousand, the patches keeping the system functional until the new program was installed. The second deposit was five million for the new program. The third deposit was another five hundred thousand- the 'bonus' Richard had mentioned. Stunned was putting it mildly. Just days ago he was worried about having the funds for food after paying the garage off so he could at least keep a roof over his head. He looked at the accounts total again… reached for his phone and ordered a pizza delivery.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Coming down from the loft the next morning to get coffee started, Walter sat at his desk, feet up relaxing. It is amazing, Walter thought, how much easier one sleeps when there is no worry about finances- don't even realize it until the burden is lifted. Years of scraping funds together, the 'rob Peter to pay Paul' as the saying goes, that had been necessary in the past. Scraping together for Cabe's bail to have it returned after the trial, to hand it off to Happy and Toby for their infertility issue, then the blow-up and =poof= those funds never to be returned. Barely having enough to pay off the garage to keep a roof over his head then giving up the income from patents and Scorpion assets he had transferred to Centipede Partners. And not one had come by, messaged, or called…. not even Cabe after being assigned to them with the Homeland contract. After years of working with them all to so completely be rejected- good thing he has decided to remain here in the garage and just keep Scorpion Securities going as a viable concern with just himself. Sure does not have anything to worry about financially anymore. What is in that account will keep his utilities and groceries paid for a long time. He got up to get some coffee, nuke a piece of left over pizza to return to his desk to look through some science sites to see what was new and upcoming.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX