Connected Infection

4. Upheaval - Chapter 1.1

UPHEAVAL

1

London, UK

Monday, July 17th 2028

19:37 (UTC+1)

Simon Parfitt shouldered the door open and entered the executive office waiting area, his gloved hands cradling several smartphone fragments. Odessa's attractive PA, Natalie, wasn't at her desk, and he glanced at the clock on the wall to discover he'd lost track of time again; she'd probably gone home. He ran to the main office door, hoping Odessa hadn't left yet, and, lacking free hands to knock, kicked it with his foot a few times. The door swung open and he stumbled in.

Two aghast faces looked up from the desk and froze, flushed and sweating. The double-torsoed, semi-clothed statue consisted of Natalie, pressed against the surface of the desk, and the man he had come to see, Michael Odessa, against her naked back.

Simon felt his face turn crimson.

'Shit,' Natalie said.

'You,' Odessa hissed, and Simon saw his fingers dig into the soft skin of Natalie's hips. 'Didn't anyone ever teach you to knock?'

Simon's mouth opened and closed a few times.

'Get out,' Odessa snapped, emphasising the order with a sharp thrust that caused his PA to grunt beneath him.

'But Mr Odessa...' Simon began, holding up the phone fragments. 'I've found something you really need to see… I think it's the cause of the 8075 malfunctions…'

Odessa slammed his palm down on the desk. 'Dammit! Can't you see I'm in the middle of something?'

Natalie made an indignant squeak.

'Someone,' Odessa corrected.

'Michael!' she gasped.

Odessa swore under his breath.

'But… But…' Simon said, 'you don't understand… I found something. I found... Something.'

'Can't it wait five minutes?'

A stammer emerged from Simon's lips as he fought to redirect his eyes elsewhere. He'd lusted after Natalie as long as he'd known her, despite the fact that she was several strata of the feminine form above anyone he ever expected to get. He realised that the horrible feeling worming inside him was probably less embarrassment than shock and jealousy.

'Two minutes?'

'Oh, fuck it, just forget it!' Natalie spat, and tried to wriggle Odessa off her.

'Two minutes,' Odessa told him with a glare, and shoved her back down, squashing her breasts against the desk surface. 'Wait outside.'