JC: William Redman Carter Part 2: Hermit Chapter 3 By Lazlo Zalezac Copyright (C) Lazlo Zalezac, 2006 Moving like an old man, William slowly made his way to the conference room in the office area of the house. He felt stiff and dull witted, but life went on and he had things to do despite his desire to run and hide from the world. This afternoon he had to perform the final interview of the candidates for new staff positions. The current staff members had already met with them and passed only those they thought would be a good fit. This eliminated candidates who were unsuitable for life inside the household before he had to interview them. Ed would participate in this interview with William and Lucy to make sure that the candidates would be loyal. Furnishing the conference room had not been the highest priority task prior to the move into the new house, but the job had been finished before they needed it for this, their first, meeting. Stepping onto the plush carpeted floor, William took a moment to look around. He was pleased by its appearance. The better features of the room were not visible, but those that were visible were impressive. Despite attention to esthetics, the room was designed for work. The walls were covered from floor to ceiling with white board. There were magnetic holders for the markers placed every four feet along each wall. The far-end of the room had a drop down screen with a projection system built into the wall at the other end. Below the projector was a stone table on which food and other goods could be placed. Today, there were ceramic mugs and a carafe of coffee. Occupying the center of the room was a huge conference table made of polished stone capable of seating twenty people. The table rather than being rectangular in shape was trapezoidal with the broad end open towards the projection screen. There was a seat at the narrow end of the table. This would give each person a clear view of the screen. The table was designed for work as well as talk. At each seat, there was a computer touch-screen monitor set into the surface of the table and a wireless keyboard and mouse. A small camera and microphone were arranged at the top of each monitor for use in teleconferencing. There were two separate entrances to the room. One entrance allowed visitors to enter from a large tastefully decorated waiting room while the other allowed the staff to enter without having to deal with the visitors until they were called into the room. Last to arrive, William walked to the seat at the foot of the table. Lucy was seated to his right and Ed was seated to left left. Barbara was seated next to Lucy and was closest to the door to the waiting room. Once he had taken his seat, William shifted around surprised at the comfort. Seeing that everyone was watching him, he said, “Let’s get to it.” “Yes, boss,” Barbara said. After studying the screen in front of her, she pressed a key on the keyboard and said, “Send in Cathy Burke.” On hearing the door open, William turned to watch the young woman enter the room. There was something familiar about her and the somewhat nervous manner in which she moved. It took him a second to recognize her as the Shawnee girl who attended the high school where he had met Greg Banner. Hoping his memory was correct, he said, “Hello, Cathy. How is your grandfather?” “He’s fine and sends his regards,” the young woman answered rocking nervously from foot to foot. It was hard to believe that she was actually interviewing to work with Talks With Animals. Raising an eyebrow, Lucy looked over at William and asked, “Do you know her?” “Yes, I do. She was at the high school when I met Greg. She came to me and invited us to visit her tribe,” William said feeling relieved that his memory had been correct. He also felt a little guilty that they had never followed up on that invitation. “Oh,” Lucy said. It always amazed her how many people William knew. She traveled with him and didn’t seem to recall nearly as many people as he did. Looking at Cathy, he asked, “Did you just graduate?” “Yes,” she answered amazed William had remembered her from one little meeting that hadn’t lasted more than two minutes. It was reasonable that she would remember him; he was somebody important. It wasn’t reasonable to expect him to remember her; she was a nobody. Slightly distracted by the side discussion, Barbara said, “She has applied for the clerk position.” Lucy looked down at the folder with resumes. There was no resume for anyone named Cathy. She realized that the young woman probably had no work experience. It was interesting that Barbara thought to include her among the candidates. Curious, she asked, “Why are you here rather than heading off to college?” “I’m not really interested in going to college. I want a basic job until I find a husband,” Cathy answered. “You can’t be serious,” Lucy said staring at Cathy horrified at the idea. “I’ve very serious,” Cathy answered without embarrassment. She had women react that way to her plans many times in the past. Looking at Lucy, she said, “Not everyone woman wants to be a business woman, scientist, or engineer. I want to raise a family.” Nodding his head, William asked, “Is there anyone in particular who you intend to marry?” “No,” Cathy said without embarrassment. She did not have a marriage prospect in mind and was willing to wait until the right man appeared in her life. There was a calm assurance that the right man would come in time. Lucy was astounded that any young woman would see her place in life as nothing more than a housewife and mother. Shaking her head, she asked, “Don’t you want more out of life than cleaning a house?” “I don’t want a life spent cleaning a house,” Cathy answered. Seeing the confused look on Lucy’s face, she said, “I want a life in which I help my husband become a successful man. I want to raise my children and watch them grow up to stand strong and proud. Until I find the right man, I will work and save my money.” “Don’t you think going to college would make a wise backup plan?” Lucy asked. “Going to college would require that I take some student loans. I don’t want to bring thousands of dollars worth of debt into a marriage. I’d rather have some savings that can be used to start a good life,” Cathy answered. The Native American college would be free, but it would leave her with an obligation to work for several years in her chosen field. Although Lucy was dismayed, William was pleased at how Cathy had considered the ramifications of alternatives to her primary goal. Looking over at Lucy, he said, “I like that she knows exactly what she want to do with her life. While you may disagree with what she wants, you have to admire that she is pursuing it.” “I guess,” Lucy said frowning slightly. It was beyond her why anyone would settle for less than everything and that is how she viewed Cathy’s choices. She looked over at Ed and asked, “What do you think?” “I think she is telling the truth and that she has given the matter much more thought than you would credit her,” Ed said. Looking at Cathy, he said, “I think that wanting to be a good wife and mother is a wonderful choice. I respect you for making it.” “Thank you,” Cathy said nodding her head to him in a stately fashion. Few people, particularly young women, understood her desire; even fewer people respected it. Seeing that she wasn’t going to get any support from William or Ed, Lucy decided that she would make college a job benefit. She shrugged her shoulders and said, “Okay. I say hire her.” “Same here,” William said. Turning to face Cathy, he said, “Welcome aboard. The job of clerk is yours if you want it.” “I want it,” Cathy said with a smile. “Have a seat over here by my father,” William said. Barbara looked up from her notes and said, “The next candidate has applied for the position of librarian.” “Okay, bring her in,” Lucy said still distracted by thoughts about the choices that Cathy had made. “It is a he,” Barbara said smiling at the mistake. She had made exactly the same mistake. She pressed a key on the keyboard and said, “Send in Rudy Moore.” William glanced down at the resume and frowned. Handing it over to his father, he asked, “Is this true?” Ed looked over the resume for a second before he said, “I see nothing wrong with it. Why?” “He’s a librarian at the Hooke Library at Oxford,” William said. It was one of the premier libraries in the world. “So?” Ed asked. “Why would someone with his credentials want to work in a small private library?” William asked. “Why don’t you ask him yourself?” Ed asked when a middle aged man entered the room. He looked at the man and noticed that he had the largest ears on a human being that he had ever seen. Even worse, they stuck straight out from his head. Turning to the man, William asked, “You’re a librarian at the Hooke Library at Oxford. What are you doing applying for a position in a small private library?” The man chuckled and, in a heavy West Texas accent, answered, “Well, there are libraries and then there are libraries. Some are old and some are new. I’d rather start a library than maintain one, even one as prestigious as the Hooke Library. I’ve got a feeling that one day this small private library of yours is going to contain some of the most important documents of our time. I’d like to be part of that.” “We’re in the middle of nowhere,” Lucy said. She had been expecting an English accent and the West Texas accent had thrown her. “To tell the truth, I’m just an old Texas boy who misses the desert. I know that I could probably be head librarian at some library in a medium-sized Texas town, but like I said -- this is exactly what I’m looking for career-wise,” Rudy answered. William leaned forward and asked, “What responsibilities did you have at the Hooke Library?” “I started in research, but I’m now in acquisitions,” Rudy answered looking at William. He wondered how much William knew about libraries. He said, “I was in charge of locating and purchasing rare books.” “Any management experience?” Lucy asked. “I had a staff of three people,” Rudy answered. William looked over at Barbara and asked, “Did you show him our library?” “Yes, I did,” she answered. Lucy asked, “What did you think of it?” “You’ve got quite a few science fiction books,” Rudy answered knowing that the first books of his that he unpacked were pulp westerns. He found it more than understandable that the first books they unpacked were science fiction. Of course, he had also seen the hundred boxes of books that were stacked along the wall. There was also a huge server filled with digital versions of newspapers, journals, magazines, and films. It might be a little private library, but it was also a thoroughly modern one. William shrugged his shoulders at the observation and turned to Cathy. He asked, “Do you have any questions?” “Me?” Cathy asked surprised at being included in the interview. “That’s a good question, but not one that I’d ask the candidate,” William said with a grin. Lucy tried to kick him under the table, but missed and ended up giving him a dirty look. She said, “William wants to know if you have any questions that might make you think that he shouldn’t work here.” “I have no questions,” Cathy said feeling strange at getting asked to question the librarian. William turned to his father and asked, “Do you have any questions?” Although the question wasn’t relevant to the job, Ed asked, “How did a good old Texas boy end up in England?” “My Daddy was in oil over in Odessa, Texas. He was rich, then he was poor, and then he was rich again. He retired before losing most of his fortune. He saved enough to keep him comfortable for the rest of his life. During one of those rich times, I went over to England to get educated. I stayed there after I got my degree despite the lousy weather, the bad food, and the low pay,” Rudy answered. He shook his head and said, “I did miss the desert.” “I understand about missing the desert,” Ed said with a smile. Looking over at William, he said, “It is up to you.” “Lucy?” “I’m for it,” Lucy answered. “Cathy?” “What?” Cathy asked defensively. She had been distracted by looking at Rudy’s ears and thinking that he must have gone through hell when he was in high school. “Should we hire him?” William asked. “Why are you asking me?” she asked wide eyed. She wondered how a high school graduate could make any comment on the qualifications of such an educated man. “We’re asking you because you’ll have to work with him. If you can’t stand the man, then why should you be forced to work with him,” William answered. “He seems like a nice guy to me,” Cathy answered. “Okay, the job is yours if you want it,” William said to Rudy. “I’ll take it,” Rudy said looking over at Cathy. He was surprised that William had asked her opinion. He was curious what her position was in the house. William looked over at Cathy and said, “We have one more position to interview for, but the person will not be working with you. Would you mind waiting outside until Barbara can take you to your office?” “Yes, sir,” Cathy answered still finding it strange that her opinion about hiring the guy was requested. She looked puzzled for a moment and then said, “I meant that I wouldn’t mind waiting out… well, out there.” Lucy smiled at Cathy’s obvious unease and said, “We knew what you meant.” When Cathy had left the room, Rudy asked, “What is her position?” “She’s the new clerk,” William answered. He gestured to the chair she had just left and said, “If you wouldn’t mind sitting here, we’ll be interviewing a research assistant.” Rudy Moore looked at William surprised by his answer. It dawned on him that getting the job had depended on the opinion of a lowly clerk. He started to get angry and then gained control over his emotions. Walking over to the chair, he muttered, “It’s definitely not England.” Having caught the brief flash of irritation, Ed asked, “What did you say?” Embarrassed at being caught, Rudy said, “I said that I’m not in England anymore.” William looked puzzled by the comment and turned to Lucy for an explanation. She said, “I think he’s a little upset that his job depended on the opinion of a clerk.” “Oh,” William said frowning. Ed, having dealt with the situation in the past, said, “Rudy, you might not have thought about the work conditions here. You’re going to be living in close proximity with the rest of the staff. As a result, it helps not to be too title oriented. You may feel that your position is a little more prestigious than that of clerk, but that’s related only to the job. There is another sixteen hours a day where she is an equal resident here in the house. When you are off work, you had better treat her as an equal.” “I didn’t think about that,” Rudy said. He thought about it for a minute and then said, “I suppose that is why the housekeeping staff was present at the first interview.” “That’s right,” William answered. He wondered when they had interviewed him, but didn’t want to ask the question at the moment. With a sinking feeling, he realized there were just too many things that he didn’t know anymore. It was like a part of his memory had been carved away. Rudy thought about it for a moment and then asked, “So why isn’t Cathy here for this interview?” “The candidate will not live here. This is not a staff job like yours or hers, but part of my research activities. You and Jack will be working here with the person who takes the job so I want you to be part of the interview process,” William answered. He looked over at Barbara and said, “Ask Jack to join us.” Barbara took a second to figure out how to call Jack on the phone. She was still learning the conferencing system and this was the first time she had used that feature. They waited until Jack arrived in the room. It wasn’t a long wait since Jack had been outside the conference room. He entered and took a seat next to Rudy. He reached out and shook hands with the man while saying, “I’m glad to see you got the job.” “Thanks,” Rudy said. He barely remembered the guy from his previous interviews and had no recollection of the man’s job responsibilities. William ignored the side discussion and asked, “Can you call in the candidate for the research assistant?” Barbara pressed a key on the keyboard and said, “Please send in Sue Sun.” Lucy flipped through the resumes and didn’t find one for Susan. Looking up, she said, “There’s no resume here for a Susan.” “It is Sue Sun,” Barbara said placing a good pause between the first and last name. “Oh, sorry,” Lucy said picking up the resume and realizing she had been thrown by the names being in the opposite order. Her eyes glanced down the list of positions the woman held over the past few years. They were all part-time positions held while working on her Master’s degree in Economics from Johns Hopkins University. She glanced over at William confident that he would find her a very good candidate. A very small oriental woman entered the room and looked around. She went to the position at the head of the table and nodded her head. Ed frowned, looked down at the resume in William’s hand, and looked over at the young woman. Putting a hand on his son’s arm, he said, “Let me ask her a few questions.” “Sure, Dad,” William said wondering why his father was acting that way. “Who do you work for?” Ed asked in a neutral tone of voice. “I work at a book store,” the young woman answered staring at the cowboy. She had no idea that he was actually a black-robed Druid. “Who else do you work for?” he asked, his voice taking a much harder edge to it. “No one,” she answered. Ed grimaced and said, “I’m sorry, but you are lying to me. Who else do you work for?” “No one,” she answered looking at him directly in the eye. Ed stood up and said, “I will ask you one more time and you had better not lie to me. Who do you work for?” Looking calm, cool, and collected, the woman answered, “I work at a bookstore.” “You work for a government, don’t you?” Ed asked deciding that he was going to have to do it the hard way. “No,” she answered. “Which one? China?” “No,” she answered still looking calm and collected, but feeling anything except calm. Nodding his head, Ed said, “You work for the Chinese government. Why did you decided to interview with William instead of a government agency?” “I don’t work for the Chinese government. I’m here because the job looked interesting,” she answered shifting her position slightly. Ed turned to William and said, “I’m afraid that you can’t hire her. She’s a spy for the Chinese government. I’ll call the FBI and have them take care of her.” “Thanks,” William said. He shivered at the idea of having a spy from a foreign government working with him while he developed his economic and social model. He knew better than anyone what kind of damage a hostile government could do with such a model. He said, “I guess we’ll have to look elsewhere for a research assistant.” Sue Sun moved towards Ed with murder in her eyes. Without thought, William rose and moved between Ed in time to deflect the attack. For the next fifteen seconds, William was locked in a deadly martial arts battle with Sue. The young woman was definitely outclassed, but William was not confident in his abilities. After the first quarter of a minute, William realized that he was reacting without having to think about his actions. He moved in and took her down. It took a second to get her face down and helpless on the carpet. Although he wouldn’t say it, it had felt good to discover that his martial arts training did not rely on his gift to the extent that he had thought it did. The downside was that he hadn’t recognized the danger until it had manifested. The later fact bothered him far more than the former fact cheered him. Looking up at his father, William said, “She’s a fighter.” Ed reached into the pocket of his robe and withdrew a pair of handcuffs. He handed them over to William and said, “Detain her until the FBI arrives.” “It’ll take them an hour to get here from Phoenix,” William said attempting to put the handcuffs on her wrists. The handcuffs were too big. “I know,” Ed replied. He pulled out his cell phone and made the call to the FBI office. It didn’t take long for him to get connected to the head of the Phoenix office. While Ed was placing the call, William turned to Barbara and said, “Get Colt or Rock here. We need cuffs for very small wrists.” “I already called them while you were fighting,” Barbara said still somewhat stunned by what she had witnessed. She had never seen William in action before. The young man had been fast as lightning. Jack and Rudy stared at Ed while he told the FBI what he had discovered. When Ed hung up, he said, “They’re flying in on a helicopter. They’ll be here in forty-five minutes.” “Good,” William said. Sue Sun fought to get away, but William had her securely pinned to the ground. Rudy asked, “How do you know that she’s a spy for the Chinese government?” “My dad is a human lie detector,” William answered with a smile. The woman tried to kick him. He leaned down and, in Mandarin, said, “You don’t want to do that. I’ll break your back if you try it again.” Jack was speechless. He had no idea that William was so highly skilled in the martial arts. He had watched William block kicks that came so fast that no human should have been able to stop them. Shaking his head, he said, “You’re better than that Chinese dude who is in all of those Kung Fu movies.”