"I don't want to lose you."
"It's not your life to live, it's mine."
Nineteen-year-old Maia Langston is now navigating her first summer after college. Much to her father's disappoint and her boyfriend's dismay, she chooses to accept an internship wi...
Maia stood still in shock as the college student walked over to her. "Erick? What are you doing here?"
He grinned, "I was about to ask you the same thing."
"Since you seem well acquainted," Hastily, Joshua Joyce spoke up. "I must now get to the call," he turned and walked hurriedly down the stairs.
Maia looked back at the blond haired boy. "I'm here for an internship, why are you here?" she was surprised to be seeing him again so soon.
"I work here," the boy explained and gestured at the nametag on the collar of his starched white business shirt. "I'm one of the IT minds here."
Maia's eyes widened. "IT? I didn't realize you were a computer guy." Emma's words about IT guys being hot surfaced in her mind-Erick was definitely under that category.
The young man laughed, breaking into the girl's thoughts. "There's a lot about me you don't know," he winked. "Are you ready for the tour now?"
"Sure," A little red faced from her thoughts, Maia readjusted the bag over her shoulder.
"Oh, you can leave those here and we can pick them up on our way back," Erick explained, noting the suitcase.
Maia set her suitcase in the corner of the half and put her bag next to it. Then she followed Erik into another lobby, though this one was on the second floor.
"We are always very busy," Speaking in a serious voice, Erick clasped his hands behind his back. "Here at Kinetic Solution Improvements, we make it our mission to improve the world of technology and advance it far beyond the scope mankind has ever seen."
His tone was so lofty and arrogant that Maia had to stifle her laughter.
Erick raised his eyebrow and looked at her sternly. "Are you daring to mock your tour guide?" His eyes were twinkling as he teased her.
Now Maia had to cover her mouth to hide her smile as she shook her head.
"Very good, we shall carry on," Erick paused in front of a door to a glass room and scanned his card. He then held it open for Maia and she stepped inside.
The girl gazed around in amazement. Men and women in lab rooms were working at tables on different projects. Computer scenes were open displaying all kinds of data.
"This is our IT room," Erick explained, his mocking professional tone fading. "It's where I work so that is why I brought you here first," he grinned. "Plus it is where the most interesting things happen."
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Erick led Maia over to one of the tables. A middle-aged man and a young man were pointing and gesturing at a computer screen of data. "What's going on here men?"
"Well Mr. Jones, we have just run a test on some new AI," the middle-aged man explained.
"I see," Erick nodded. "How did the test run go?"
"Well," the younger man shrugged. "Not too well. The AI started to fritz when we gave it some highly technical code."
"Hmm," Erick seems thoughtful for a few moments. "Try pushing its capacity forward a little and dialing the information you input back a bit."
The two men nodded and bent back over their work.
"Are you the boss here?" Maia asked Erick as he led her to another table.
The boy shrugged, "Well they all seem like friends to me but yes, technically I am in charge of the IT department and everyone in this room."
"Wow!" Maia's eyes widened. He must be very smart to be put in charge of so many though he is only a Junior in college!
Erick showed her around to other tables, saying high to the workers and checking on their work. Maia could see that he clearly cared about his employees, knowing all their names and treating them with respect-something that was often missed by older, more "experienced" managers.
Finally Erik led the girl back out into the hall and began giving her a more wider tour of the place. She discovered not only did KSI have an IT department, but they also had departments in engineering where new inventions were being tried out, departments in social studies regarding ways to improve mankind's life, and departments in ways to improve the way technology was taught and learned about by citizens.
"Gosh this place is bigger than I thought," Maia mused as they walked on.
"It is," Erick agreed. "And our impact on the world is even greater-we are helping to strive to make the future today, the present the past."
"You guys sound like you are really trying to make the world a better place," Smiling Maia noted aloud.
Her guide nodded, "We really are-that is the whole point of KSI... It's too impr..."
As Erick talked on, Maia's eyes continued taking in all around her. She abruptly noticed a glass walled room where many scientists were all suddenly gathering around a table. "What's that room?"
"Oh, that's our department for new ideas of ways to improve national security," Erick explained. He shrugged. "You know, like tech, only it's being made to keep other world hackers out and such." He grinned. "That is where you will be working."
Maia looked at the room and smiled. Her mind began whirling with all the possibilities. She was so glad she had chosen the internship! She looked at Erik and grinned. "I can't wait to begin!"
