by now and be long gone, back to their homes stateside. They were all eager to leave, yet they were told that at least two more weeks of testing and bug fixing were necessary. Very disappointing news. They all wanted to be gone, and Alex more than anyone wanted to get her hands on that software once and for all, to get to the bottom of whatever the hell was wrong with it. This constant delay, stonewalling, and passive aggressive response to everything they were asking for was driving her crazy. She wanted to scream. Instead, she topped her coffee cup from the machine, smiled towards Priya, and said, “Very interesting.”
Louie gave her a quick look, as to say ‘Really? At least don’t encourage them!’ She smiled at him briefly and sat back on her chair, purposely ignoring Bal’s hateful gaze. Damn that guy, Alex thought, I am looking forward to the day I never see him again. And maybe, just maybe, he’ll end up in a very dark and forsaken place. Just maybe . . . A girl can dream, can’t she? Lost in her thoughts, she had let her eyes wander towards Bal, smiling widely, deep in her fantasy of never having to see him again because he was doing hard time in some horrible Indian prison somewhere. Bal grimaced in anger, and she turned her eyes away promptly. Now that was stupid, she admonished herself, a little self-control would do you a world of good.
Scott’s voice brought her back to reality.
“But my reports don’t indicate that,” he was saying. “Compilation time is off for software this size. It should be at least 50% lower.”
“Based on what?” Bal asked.
“Based on what software with this type of specification is supposed to do, if it runs in a stable environment, without issues writing on the database. It’s just taking too long to complete the step. I think we need to examine the software modules. Alex, can you help with that?” Scott asked, turning towards her.
“I’d be more than happy to,” she replied, “as soon as Mr. Bal’s team gives us access to the code.”
Bal’s jaws clenched.
“The software is not ready yet. We’re still working our quality assurance and bug fixing. We cannot open access for you while the software is still being worked on,” he answered.
“What if you wrote us a copy of the complete software package on a separate server, so we can test it without stepping on your toes, would that work?” Alex asked. It wasn’t the first time she was asking for access. But if they could be passive aggressive, so could she. At some point in time, no matter how badly they were trying to avoid it, they had to hand over the software anyway. They were running out of time and options. They needed to find out what was hidden in it as soon as possible.
“That would be perfect,” Scott intervened. “That’s exactly how we were instructed to proceed and why Alex and Louie are here. They need to inspect the software line by line before we can sign off on it.”
“I understand,” Bal answered, “and I will make sure the DCBI team receives all needed support to be able to sign off on the code per your company’s procedures. Right now, we are simply not ready yet. Our reputation as one of the best software houses in the world is at stake here, I hope you understand.” Bal looked at Scott firmly, yet friendlier than how he usually looked at her.
Scott held Bal’s gaze, shrugging apologetically.
“I do, but I have to do my job. I have no choice.”
”Scott, it is almost lunchtime,” Bal said, sounding almost friendly, “will you do me the favor of joining me for lunch? I want to introduce you to the tastes of Dakshin, one of the best restaurants in our city.” He turned towards Alex and said, “I understand you two prefer to dine on your own?”
“Yes, we do,” Louie said, “thank you.”
...80
...Tuesday, August 30, 1:57PM Local Time (UTC+5:30 hours)
...ERamSys Headquarters - Main Entrance
...New Delhi, India
Alex and Louie arrived at the office building to find an ambulance pulled in front of the main entrance. The marked van had its back doors open, and the crew was exiting the building carrying someone on a stretcher. Alex jumped from the car before it had reached a complete stop and ran to the stretcher. She barely recognized the man writhing in pain, tied to the stretcher with crossties.
“Oh my God, Scott, what