Free The Crunch Campaign by Kate Hunter Page A

table as if it were a keyboard. ‘They need to sign on for their own survival.’
    â€˜Come on, Tania, we can manage without an insignificant bunch like them. And what are we meant to do, anyway? We can’t force them.’
    She burst out laughing. ‘Of course you can! You’re Mr MyFries. You can force anyone to do anything.’ She patted his hand and filled his wine glass.
    Toby and Kip sat in the room Tania had said would serve as their office until they earnt somewhere better. It wasn’t really a room – just a space behind the kitchen, where old printers, phones and unidentifiable boxes of CDs were dumped. Their desk was a yellowing plastic table that had once been used for barbecues on the terrace adjoining Tania’s office.
    â€˜That went well,’ Toby tapped his knee with a pen.
    â€˜I suppose,’ Kip said glumly.
    They looked at each other and both knew the truth. The ad they had presented to Caesar Maxwell was a dog.
    â€˜What are we doing here?’ Toby shook his head. ‘How did this happen?’
    â€˜I don’t know.’ Kip closed his eyes.
    A year ago, they’d been flying high on the success of an ad they’d made for a chain of barber shops called Clippers. Their work won them a Bronze Turtle award and everyone was saying they were the next big thing in advertising. They were offered a job at Pettigrew Lewis TBLC, once the biggest ad agency in Brisbane. The money was great and their office had its own fridge and coffee machine. Not that they were there much – they felt more creative outside the office and most of their day was spent in cafes and bars. But then they made an ad for Parfizz that cost too much and wasn’t right and they were fired. So it was back to Sydney, broke and embarrassed. Kip moved in with his parents. Toby had the attic at his nan’s place.
    There was no disappearing to bars or cafes at Viper, though. Tania expected them to be behind their desks all day and most of the night. They were expected to wear their shirts tucked in and they had to wear proper shoes – no Vans.
    At the interview, Tania had lowered her eyes to Kip’s footwear. ‘Are you a professional athlete?’ She inhaled. ‘In training for something?’
    â€˜Ah, no.’ He tried to cover one shoe with the other.
    â€˜Well, we don’t wear sports shoes in this office. We work with extremely important heads of industry and they relate best to people who dress as they do. Leather. Polished.’
    â€˜But – I don’t have any.’ Kip hoped he didn’t sound as pathetic as he felt.
    â€˜What about you?’ She nodded at Toby’s feet.
    â€˜Sorry.’
    â€˜And no money to buy any I suppose.’ Clearly Tania Mentelle was enjoying her power.
    â€˜We’ll get some with our first pay,’ Kip said, too quickly.
    â€˜No.’ She scribbled a note. ‘You’ll get some today. Give this to Annalise in Accounts. She will advance you $500 each for shoes.’
    Kip and Toby were stunned.
    â€˜And don’t buy them on special and pocket the change. I want receipts.’
    They had spent an afternoon shopping for shoes they didn’t want. Tania Mentelle hadn’t just paid for their shoes – she had bought them and it was a lousy feeling.

CHAPTER SIX
    It was early Saturday night and Lorraine walked over to Katie’s, because Katie had promised to come up with some ideas to promote LorRAINWEAR. It was so exciting. Her career in fashion design was about to take off. She knew it. Of course, she would always be involved with Mosquito Advertising, but that would be a sideline. Fashion was where her heart lay, and Katie understood that – or at least, Lorraine hoped she did.
    Although Lorraine’s house was just next door, she walked along the street. It was getting dark, and to hop over the back fence as she would have during the day, put her in grave danger of landing