Free Uneven Exchange by S.K. Derban Page A

while wearing an animated grin.
    “Guess what I’ve got?” Natalie asked.
    “Is it the latest video?” Alexandra joked. “Are we going to watch a movie together?”
    “That would be fun, but since there’s no popcorn, I guess we just have to keep working.”
    Even from her sitting position, Alexandra barely had to look up to meet her friend’s gaze. Natalie stood a fraction under five feet and wore a petite size two. Her hazel eyes were perfectly rounded spheres, and a scattering of matching freckles lightly touched her cheeks. Both features made her look much younger than her actual age of forty-two.
    Alexandra had taken a liking to Natalie the moment they met, and after spending so much of her time with her, Alexandra knew they would remain friends forever. The other DEA agents had given Natalie the nickname Sparky. At first, Alexandra thought it came from Natalie’s short-cropped hair, which was the reddish-brown color of a cinnamon stick. But after getting to know her, Alexandra perceived a fire in her much greater than that of hair color. Natalie was a little powerhouse, filled with talent and lots of ambition.
    When it came to Natalie Burke, Alexandra also quickly learned to always expect the unexpected. Natalie sat down next to Alexandra and swiped the vivid, bright screen of the tablet. Instantly, it revealed a series of blue, black, and red lines, which resembled those of a cardiograph. Anxious to show Alexandra their new “toy,” as she put it, Natalie immediately began her explanation. “What we have here is a voice-print analysis. Do you remember when we recorded those sentences of Daniela’s?”
    “You mean the ones I had to do over, and over, and over again? Are those the sentences?”
    “I know. How could you possible forget?” Natalie asked, laughing. “Well, now you can see how well your diligence paid off. The blue line is a computer-generated print of your voice, and the black line is the print of Daniela’s voice.” Natalie pointed to each line as she continued, “Do you see how closely the blue lines follow the black lines, specifically in this section?”
    Alexandra nodded. “Yes, I see. They are neck and neck.”
    “Exactly, and that is perfect. We’re safe as long as the lines are within an inch apart. Although the computer recognizes and records the existence of two separate voice patterns, the difference is not audibly detectable to the human ear as long as it falls within this range.”
    Leaning over, Alexandra studied the undulating lines. “What does it mean when the lines cross each other?”
    “Simply that your tone was slightly higher or lower. You must remember, though, it doesn’t matter as long as they stay within an inch apart.”
    “Okay then, tell me about the red lines? Somehow I get the feeling the red lines are not good news.”
    “That, my dear Alexandra, depends on whether you think the glass is half-empty or half-full. You know me, and know I am a half-full kind of person.”
    Alexandra reached over to squeeze Natalie’s elbow. “Yes, you are, and that’s what I love about you.”
    Natalie smiled warmly. “You see,” she began, sounding like a schoolteacher, “the red lines are your friends. They will keep you safe later by showing us detectable differences in your voice now.”
    Alexandra’s eyes widened as Natalie swiped through screen after screen of lines, following their progression. “But there are so many!” Alexandra groaned loudly.
    Natalie nodded. “Yes, there are quite a few, but look here.” She glided her index finger over the screen. “Most of the red lines are higher, which means your pitch is slightly higher than Daniela’s. I’ve done some checking, and it seems most of the red lines occur only when you speak English. Translated, that means you have the Spanish down pat.” Natalie flashed her a wide grin. “See! The glass is more than half-full!”
    “Yes, that is good news,” Alexandra said. “If I get nervous when