UNIVERSAL TURBULENT

XXXI - PLANET EARTH

The business woman had absolutely no intention of staying at the Imperial, but knew better than to lay electronic tracks to her real destination. Whatever that would be.

The bay area had escaped the sort of destruction visited on Los Angeles and looked reasonably normal except for the military presence on the streets. Major intersections were guarded by tanks, cyborgs, and armored personnel carriers. It didn't take a genius to figure out who was in control.

Sophie considered her options. There weren't any. She could approach the government and allow them to throw her in prison, or go get some help. The law firm of Baracko, Allison, and Griin had served Doug Douglas Enterprises for a long time and would know what to do.

With her decision made, the business woman decided to settle back and let the ride take care of itself. Traffic was lighter than usual, which shaved ten minutes off the trip. There was a whir as the autocab pulled into the drive, took the correct number of credits off the debit card, and spit the device into her hand. The door opened, the executive slid off the seat and took the duffel bag with her.

A baggage robot trundled her way. Sophie waved the machine off, hailed a second cab, and gave a new address. She arrived five minutes later. The vehicle whined as it pulled away.

The wind rushed in off the bay, slid through the weave of Sophie's suit, and chilled the surface of her skin. She shivered, wished for a coat, and pushed the discomfort away.

Sophie looked around, saw nothing out of the ordinary, and entered the lobby. It featured what seemed like an acre of polished marble, a sculpture carved by the Orgontho artisans, and an imposing desk. The lift tubes, all twenty four of them, were palmprint-protected. A man wearing an eight hundred credit topcoat slid his hand into a wall slot, turned, and entered an elevator.

Important people don't carry their own bags or need assistance. With that in mind, the receptionist looked down at her with the disdain that she so clearly deserved. "Yes? May I be of assistance?"

"Yes, thank you. Barracko, Allison, and Griin, please".

The guard had a long, lugubrious face. An eyebrow twitched upward. "And who may I say is calling?"

There were at least a hundred thousand reasons why she shouldn't use her own name, but she had very little choice if she wanted to leave the lobby. "Sophie Doug Douglas".

The guard nodded, lifted a handset, and spoke so softly she couldn't hear. His expression changed fractionally, and he pointed toward a lift tube. "Take number eight, it serves the forty ninth floor".

Sophie thanked him, entered the elevator, and heaved a sigh of relief. She wasn't off the hook, not by a long shot, but it was good to have allies. Especially powerful ones who knew the law backward and forward.

The platform whispered to a stop, the wood-paneled doors slid apart, and the executive stepped out. It had been more than thirty years since her uncle had first taken her there and nothing had changed. Not the acres of beige carpet, the heavily paneled walls, or the portraits that hung on them - a long line of partners all of whom liked to frown.

A rather attractive woman was waiting to greet the executive. She had short blonde hair and a jeweled temple jack. "Ms. Doug Douglas! What a pleasure to meet you! Here, let me get that bag. Please follow me".

The office belonged to Jerry Barracko. The nameplate said so. Not that Sophie needed to see it. The woman pushed heavy wooden doors open and motioned for the executive to enter. It was a large room. She saw Jerry on the other side of it, turning from a side table, a glass in his hand.

Sophie was committed by the time she saw the look on her attorney's face, felt the blonde woman shove something hard into her back, and heard the unfamiliar voice. "So, look what we have here! Sophie Doug Douglas. President and CEO of Doug Douglas Enterprises".

The executive turned, and the hard thing turned with her. A man held out his hand. He was handsome, almost pretty, and extremely conscious of it. "Hi. I'm Leshi Quinn. I told them you would show up. That's how it is with lawyers. You can't live with them, and you can't live without them! Welcome to Zuon Inc."