Free There's Only One Quantum by William Bryan Smith Page B

way—”
    “They come from a box.”
    “Scrambled is fine.”
    “I’m telling you this because I trust you won’t go to the company about it.”
    He looked at her.
    “About Mr. Revis—about Collin and I.”
    “Yes, of course. Your secret is safe.”
    He sipped his coffee. She removed the pan from the stove top, carefully scooped equal amounts of eggs and bacon onto two plates. “Medium-light,” she commanded the kitchen. “Toast.”
    It took only a moment for the toaster to turn out four slices of perfectly browned toast. Nearly all toasters were equipped with a sprayer that coated it with butter, but Ms. Hunter instead brought the toast to the table and buttered it herself.
    “I prefer the personal touch,” she said.
    She cut the toast into four triangles and placed it neatly on his plate. Then she sat and they ate breakfast.
     
    We combine economic success, social responsibility and environmental protection. Through science and innovation we enable clients in all industries and all walks of life to meet the current and future needs of society. Our products and system solutions contribute to conserving resources, ensuring future generations and helping to improve quality of life. There’s only one. (A multitude of faces, nationalities, genders, and races flash across the screen). There’s only one. One. One. One. One. Quantum. Quantum. Quantum. Quantum. (In unison) There’s only one. Quantum ...
     
    Mitchell asked Coe to the conference room. When he arrived, he found Mitchell seated at the head of the long table, with Lyme and Ms. Davenport flanking him on either side. Lyme nodded to Coe and gave a half-smile; Ms. Davenport did not look up from her notepad.
    Mitchell said, “We’ve decided it best that we have these briefings with you daily until the Steele mole is found.”
    “I don’t understand,” Coe said. “Yesterday you said I would only answer to you—”
    “Mitchell is my subordinate,” Lyme said. “It’s implied, if you answer to him, you answer to me.”
    Mitchell acknowledged Lyme’s explanation with a nod.
    Lyme said, “This must be a difficult adjustment for you, Coe...and I do apologize. I realize you’re having to cope with a new position, a new city—in essence, a new life. Now, you’ve been thrown into this on-going intrigue of which you’re frankly—and let’s be frank—landing on top of a mess that begun before you ever even entertained thoughts of a promotion, I’m sure.”
    Coe smiled nervously.
    “I know I kind of sprung this new assignment on you rather abruptly yesterday,” Mitchell said, “And then sent you on a wild goose chase with little or no direction or instruction—”
    “The Quantum way,” Lyme said, cynically.
    They all shared a laugh at the inside joke—or rather, Lyme and Mitchell did; Ms. Davenport did not break character. Coe had begun to wonder why she was even at the meeting, when Mitchell addressed her presence, as if reading Coe’s mind.
    “It’s no secret Ms. Davenport was instrumental in uncovering Revis’s involvement in the prior corporate espionage plot by Steele against Quantum. She’s got a nose for sniffing—”
    “Bullshit,” she said, flatly and without so much as a hint of humor.
    Lyme smiled.
    “She’s got a nose for bullshit,” Mitchell said, also smiling.
    “You’ll continue to work the Bruges file with Ms. Hunter,” Lyme said. “Have you found her acceptable?”
    Ms. Davenport made an audible grunt but did not look up.
    “Yes,” Coe said. “She’s very professional.”
    “Good,” Lyme said. “As far as Ms. Hunter is concerned, your entire focus is on the Bruges file. Is that clear?”
    “Is there a concern regarding Ms. Hunter?” Coe asked.
    Mitchell and Lyme exchanged glances; Ms. Davenport looked up. “No,” they said in unison.
    Coe said, “I mean, it would be beneficial to me if she—”
    “Out of the question,” Ms. Davenport said in a loud voice before saying quietly to Lyme, “I beg