The moment the program was declassified, I was thrust directly into the national spotlight as the principal architect. Formal commendations followed, culminating in a prime-time television broadcast.
On the day of the live broadcast, I dressed in a tailored navy pantsuit. I pulled my hair into an understated chignon and kept my makeup minimal.
The anchor leaned forward across the desk. "Director Hollis, public records indicate you stepped away from computer science for nearly a decade. Reclaiming a seat at the frontier of applied architecture could not have been an easy transition."
I paused for a second, offering a composed smile. "It was demanding. But my intellect never abandoned me."
"Is there an insight you would like to leave with our audience?"
I arranged my thoughts, my cadenc
