outsource the work on this strategic contract to offshore vendors. And that is just wrong.”
“This is what got you mad? Everybody is offshoring everything these days; no one cares anymore. So why do you care?”
She gripped the wheel tighter with both hands. The road was very dark and curvy, quite treacherous to drive at the end of a very long day. A wall of stone on her left, a pitch black abyss on her right.
“Jeez! I care because it’s wrong. There’s no room for error in this contract. I’ve worked with offshore vendors enough to know how deadlines are missed, quality is not respected, promises are not kept, and products are sub-standard. In the end, it costs you double anyway. We just can’t screw up on this particular contract, and if we give it to offshore like we’re giving everything else these days, we’re fucked.” She stopped talking for a while, concentrating on driving the curvy, slippery mountain road. “Plus, there will be a lot of media involved.”
“Media? So it’s that kind of strategic, large project, huh? I think I might have an idea what project you might be talking about.”
“No, you don’t; you’re not supposed to, shush,” she silenced him. “But yes, it is that kind of strategic project. We’re all going to look like absolute idiots - no, even worse, like traitors, giving such a contract to offshore when this country’s labor force has still not recovered after the last depression. Reckless, deluded idiots, that’s what they are.”
“Baby, I know how you feel about this entire offshoring business, and trust me, I feel the same way, too. Everyone knows this is the one thing that robbed us all of our standard of living and our jobs and everything. Politicians and business leaders are the only ones who don’t wanna see it, because they make more money putting everyone else into the ground. But this is old news. Why get so angry now? What changed?”
“It’s just this particular contract, that’s all. I cannot agree to send it offshore. I can’t tell you what this contract is about, can’t even confirm your guess, but trust me: for this specific contract, offshoring is terribly wrong. I have a very bad feeling about it.”
“Are they forcing you to accept it?”
“My boss has a very balanced way to select vendors. The entire team weighs in; it’s not top-down driven.” She corrected her approach on a tight descending curve at the last moment, making the Jeep’s wheels squeal.
“Then?”
“My team is filled with idiots too, just like the rest of this short-sighted world of greedy fools. They only see the apparently low prices of offshore outsourcing. They don’t, or won’t, see beyond that. They don’t think, and they never learn, even from their own bad experiences.”
“OK, I get it, or I think I do. Listen, baby, here’s what I think. Unless you are very calm and relaxed about this situation, you cannot persuade anyone of anything, You’ll just throw spaz attacks like you did with me on the plane. No one will take you seriously. You have to let go and stop caring before you can begin to care effectively.”
“Huh . . . What line of business did you say you were in? ’Cause you definitely do not talk like a biologist.”
Bo laughed, relieving the tension in the car. “I’m full of surprises, baby; we’ll explore a few in just a little while.” He put his hand on her leg, right above the knee, and squeezed playfully.
She squealed, then touched him on his arm to get his attention. “Hey, what’s that?” She pointed at a red flicker, coming from the woods ahead of them.
“Where?”
“It’s gone. No, here it is again. It comes and it goes.”
“Looks like a signal, or maybe a laser. Maybe someone is playing.”
“It’s brighter; now I see it all the time.” She squinted, as the red laser beam started to blind her. She slowed down, but it wasn’t helping. “I’m pulling over,” she said, worried.
“No, keep going,” Bo said. “Step on it. I really don’t think stopping now is such a good idea.”
She hit the gas, partially covering her eyes with her hand to escape the blinding glare of the red laser. Then she felt the Jeep hit the railing and plunge into the darkness, ripping through tree branches and brush. She heard herself shriek. Then nothing, just silence and darkness.
...8
...Saturday, December 26, 5:16PM PST (UTC-8:00 hours)
...Tom Isaac’s Residence
...Laguna Beach, California
Alex loved coming over to Tom and Claire’s place. Following the gentle