The Central Network was an immense towering structure opposite the Main Building at the top end of Reality One. From there all was monitored and files were checked and re-checked continuously to keep the town running smoothly. Everything and everyone was on file. The combined knowledge of everyone in Reality One from all races and time-periods was held within the Central Network’s Main Frame computer. It was absolutely essential for life in Reality One.
Will knocked on the huge metal doors, a knock that echoed deep inside the building. The door opened, answered by a woman wearing a charming smile.
“Hello.” She greeted warmly.
She looked older than Will, though of course he was the elder, perhaps somewhere in her early to mid thirties. She had shiny russet hair, shoulder length, and wore a violet sleeveless top with tight black trousers and polished black boots. Her friendly manner and youthful appearance for her age interested him at once.
“Please come in,” she continued, “I’m Cathryn Jones: the boss.”
“Hi there Cathy, I’m Will Somerville.”
He smiled and shook her hand as he entered. She shut the door behind him. He slipped off his leather jacket and draped it over the back of a computer chair which he proceeded to sit in it.
“A tad over-familiar manner for addressing a new boss, don’t you think, Will?”
He could tell from her tone that she was only teasing.
“A friendly workplace is a happy workplace.” He replied.
“As long as that’s a productive workplace too, I’m OK. with it.” she said, with a sly smile which he found quite attractive.
He looked around. ‘Big’ was an understatement. It was a huge metal room, with a ceramic tile floor and dark lofty ceiling. Opposite the doors where he had came in were another set of doors, only they were handle-less and no where near as tall. Lining the walls were sleek, black, sophisticated looking computers, with surfaces so shiny they reminded Will of deep still water. They sat on a long low white shelf that ran round the entire room, with a cushy grey computer chair in front of each one. He noticed the gargantuan Main Frame in the top left corner of the room. The monitor was taller that him and wider than he could reach, but so thin he could grip it. Bright green computer jargon played across its enormous black screen, and he couldn’t help but feel a little intimidated.
Liam was right; computers were a little more modern than Will usually liked, especially the lustrous futuristic processing machines that lined the walls. But as it turned out, Will had a natural knack for numbers and technology. That had been why he’d chosen to be a T.A. in a maths class back in California, when most vampires would choose history.
But as usual, Will appeared confident. He leaned back and turned the chair, folding his arms behind his head and smiling at Cathryn, who was sitting across the room from him on the white shelf beside her black coffee, which she had placed there before answering the door. She sipped it as he spoke.
“So, how does this interview work then?”
“You take a test.” she responded between sips, swallowing the hot coffee gratefully and warming her hands on the mug. “If you solve a puzzle on the computer in less than thirty seconds, you start work whenever.”
“A puzzle?”
“Oh, it’s harder than it sounds, that’s why only two people currently work here, including me.” Bringing her mug with her, she walked over and loaded the puzzle on the computer behind him. He turned the seat to face the screen again.
“Right then,” he said, typing his name in a pop-up box as required.
He pressed ‘Enter’ and what resembled a Rubik’s cube appeared on the screen, only instead of colours there were letters and numbers. Will observed it, confused.
“What do I do here in thirty seconds?”
“Solve it,” she shrugged, “get the numbers and letters positioned consecutively on the each side. Every time you want to make a move, you’ll be asked a mathematical or computing question. It’s meant to test your spatial awareness, mathematical skills, yada yada. Well Will, good luck.”
She smiled and slapped his back and he held her optimistic gaze for a moment before turning on the puzzle.
As soon as he pressed the first key, a clock in the corner began to count down from thirty. Will typed furiously. He was going almost too fast to understand what he was doing. One definitely had to have a gift for numbers to solve this puzzle; he sort of switched off and let the answers flow.
Cathy bit her lip and felt herself hold her breath. She hadn’t seen someone this good in a long time, and she silently cheered him on.
Five seconds. Four. Three.
“Done!” he cried triumphantly.
Cathy leaned close to read his time from the screen and Will’s heightened wolf and vampire senses caught her scent and imprinted it on his memory.
“Two point two five remaining.” She read aloud. “ I got two point two six. Wow, another couple hundredths of a second and you’d be in charge around here.”
“When do you want me then?” he asked as he stood.
She was still smiling at his achievement. He was about a head taller than her, and looked down into her green-blue eyes. He suddenly realised how attractive he found her.
“Next week? But come in this Friday, we’ll see how good you are.”
“Right you are. See you then Cathy.”
He turned to walk out.
“Bye Will.” she called after him.
He combed her thoughts before he closed the door.
‘He’s kinda cute.’ he heard her think.
‘Great,’ he thought to himself sarcastically.
Liam flew over and landed beside him, turning human as he did so.
“Will, as your friend and brother-in-law, I feel I have to ask you, are you getting that job for Monika Hanson?”
“Mon who?” Will asked, confused. But confusion turned to anger as he realised what his ‘friend’ must have presumed. “Wait. You honestly thought I was getting this job to have a thing on the side with some cheap computer geek?”
“No! Well, maybe, I… I just wanted to check, I-”
“Oh thanks a lot Lee, your confidence in me is awe inspiring.”
“Will, I just, I didn’t think, I-”
“You know what, Liam? Don’t. Don’t start. I know I’ve never been the most trustworthy of people, but you know how much I love Anna and Kristien.”
He shook his head disbelievingly, wanting to say more but not finding the words.
“Will, I’m so sorry,”
“I’ll see you at the Wolf Club in a couple hours. We have to interview Danny to replace us.”
Then Will turned into a bat as Liam had done, and flew away, leaving Lee standing there alone. Liam sighed and watched him go.
“Nice job, idiot.” He said aloud to himself.