"It's finally happened," Bill told Debbie and Mark, "Owen and Jean want to meet 'Chris Barnes.' I tried everything to dissuade them, including reminding them that they would be paying a hundred dollars an hour including travel time, but they insisted."

"I guess tomorrow you'll have to be prepared to be fired," Debbie commented, "at least my situation is secure for now." Though the acquisition was now in process, there had been no indications that any major personnel changes were being considered. Since there was usually advance notice of impending action, this only meant that her job was safe for at least another month or two.

The day of the meeting, the team could tell that something atypical was going on. Bill was unusually nervous and distracted. Finally, the whole team gathered in the conference room.

"Where's Chris?" Owen asked.

"I'm sure he'll be here soon," Bill said, "Let's start the meeting and give him some time. He is taking the train from Westchester."

The phone in the conference room buzzed and the receptionist announced that "Chris Barnes" had arrived.

"I'll go get him," Bill said. Minutes later, he reentered the room and announced, "Everyone, I'd like you to meet the programmer who put us back on schedule."

Mark entered the room to the sound of applause. Owen and Jean, whose hands were in the process of clapping, stopped abruptly. The other programmers continued for a few beats until they realized that something was amiss.

"What is the meaning of this?" Owen asked.

"I thought it was obvious. Mark is the programmer who has written all the functions you've been gushing over."

"You said his name was Chris Barnes!"

"Would you have hired him if I told you who he was?"

"Absolutely not!"

"That's exactly why I had to do it this way," Bill explained. "I had to find a way to save this project and I couldn't let your personal animosity stand in the way of our best solution."

"But you lied about it!"

"What's wrong with that? How often have you promised the client things we just couldn't possibly deliver? Why is it okay to lie and lose the client but not okay to lie and save one?"

"This company has a policy against hiring former employees as consultants," Jean announced. "You've allowed us to unwittingly violate company policy. However, you've done it deliberately. It could be grounds for dismissal."

"I've read the company handbook," Bill told them. "The rule specifically states that a former employee can not come back as a consultant for one year. Mark's been out of here for three. There was no policy violation."

"I'm still appalled at the deception," Jean said, "I haven't decided yet how to respond."

"Why don't you respond by saying how pleased you are at the result?" Bill asked. "The day after that demo, when you fired me and the team quit, I went home and had a long talk with my wife. We decided that this project was over. I no longer had any faith in our being able to pull it off. It was just a matter of time until the client fired us or Owen fired me. Then Debbie raved about what a great job Mark had done for her and wondered why Arthur Mitchell couldn't seem to run a project that well. That's when I decided to try one more time before giving up. We needed an analyst who was good, who was fast, who had banking experience and who I wouldn't have to spend a lot of time training. Mark had all the qualifications. But I knew that your personal grudges wouldn't allow you to hire him even if it meant losing the client. So I lied and played the middle man and put in a lot of evening hours with Mark and did everything possible to save this project. And that's all that's important."

"The thought of continuing to pay someone that I fired is just not acceptable," Jean said.

"You seem to be missing the big picture," Bill told her. "If Mark leaves this project, we're going to have to tackle his code ourselves, in addition to our regular assignments. That's going to put us way behind schedule. The client is going to want to know why. It's inevitable that they'll find out we were using a consultant. They might start asking themselves why they can't just go out and hire the same consultant and save themselves the additional fees we're charging them."

"He has a point, Jean," Owen conceded.

"I admit that he has a point. I just find this whole situation distasteful. But I'm afraid that we don't have much choice.

"That concluded, can we get on with the purpose of the meeting and discuss the project?" Bill asked.

The mood changed that day, Bill recalled, as he sped along in the rain toward his destination. Up until that moment, he had been Owen and Jean's golden boy for having discovered the consultant that had saved the project. Now even though nothing had changed and the project was still proceeding at a healthy pace, he was the deceiver who had fooled them into hiring back the man they had fired and at a higher rate. Though Mark had proved his value, Owen and Jean looked foolish for having fired him in the first place and being forced to pay him so much more now.

Owen became more demanding of Bill and Mark's efforts, finding fault with everything they did, even though the client was satisfied. He began to nitpick, complaining that a button on one screen was a pixel wider than buttons on another screen and that a field should begin a millimeter to the left.

"These are picayune aesthetic problems," Bill protested, "our rankest programmer can fix them. We need Mark to concentrate on the more important issues."

"He promised us that his code would be perfect and if he expects to be paid, I insist that they be perfect!" Owen shouted.

"That's your right," Bill agreed, "but don't forget that his proposals are based on his hourly rate. If you're going to hold him up because of a button a pixel too wide, he's going to have to reassess how many additional hours this back and forth over nonsense is going to add to his schedule and raise his fees accordingly."

That brought a temporary halt to the grumbling. But soon Owen was back with a new tack. "Didn't you say that the project at your wife's company had been going on for five years?"

"That's right."

"But Mark was working here at that time. Did you lie about that, too?"

"No, Mark was writing WIND's ad sales system in his spare time."

"So he was moonlighting? You know we have a strict policy against moonlighting?"

"So call him up and tell him that when you fired him four years ago, you also did it because he was moonlighting! What does that have to do with here and now?"

"Because you knew about it and covered for him! That makes you an accessory!"

"I don't believe that 'accessory to moonlighting' is a crime. It doesn't say in the company handbook that employees are required to inform on other employees."

"But you covered for him! You ran interference and let him leave early!"

"Much as Jean covers for you. And I don't consider five P.M. early and that's the earliest Mark ever left."

Owen stalked off without another word on the subject but Bill knew that he was writing it down in his file for use at some future time. Then the fateful day arrived. One morning, Owen stormed into Bill's office. One look at his expression was all it took for Bill to know that the worst had happened.

"In with Jean's office!" he barked, "Now!"

Jean wore a matching expression except that hers also seemed to hold a gleam of malicious amusement.

"Tell us, Bill," she began, almost purring as she relished the moment, "Who exactly are the principals of Landmark Computer Services?"

Bill had prepared himself for this moment. He knew that if it had been anyone but Owen and Jean running this project, it would have never come to the point where Mark was needed and even if he had been, Landmark Services would have been investigated long before this.

"Mark Curria is the main principle." he answered.

"And who else?" Jean asked, "We know where the Mark came from, where did the Land come from, Landey?"

"I can't believe it took you so long to think of it," Bill said, "The other owner is Deborah Landey."

When they had first established Landmark Computer Services, Bill had been careful to keep his name off the corporation papers. His accountant had advised him that if he ever lost his job at Arthur Mitchell, he could work for Landmark as an employee. Then if Landmark ran into financial difficulties, Deborah could fire him and he would collect unemployment. This would not be possible if he were a principle in the firm. There were other tax benefits as well. But most importantly, running another business, particularly a consulting business, was grounds for dismissal from Arthur Mitchell. If anyone at AMI learned of Landmark's existence, Bill did not want his name linked to the company.

"Deborah Landey?" Jean repeated, "as in Deborah, your wife?"

"That's right. When she approached Mark about designing a system for WIND, Mark was hesitant to take on the project. He said that though he was a good coder, meeting with the clients and explaining the process and basically selling himself was not his strong point. So Deborah said she would handle that part. She also handles the advertising, the bookkeeping and everything but the actual system design."

"We thought that it was you and Mark."

"Mark and me?" Bill laughed. "We do work well as a team. But I have a job that keeps me here ten hours a day. I don't have time for any more work."

"So you have no direct interest in Landmark," Jean said. "That's good." Her tone made it obvious that she felt otherwise, for she had just lost her best weapon against Bill. "However, you did recommend that we use Landmark, a company that is partially owned by your wife. That's a severe conflict of interest and the firm has very strict rules about it."

"I am aware of the rules," Bill said. "That's why I made it very clear to Mark and Debbie that for every payment made from Arthur Mitchell to Landmark, an equal payment must be made from Landmark to Mark Curria. Neither Landmark as a company nor the Landeys personally have benefitted in any way from this arrangement. Except, of course, that the project is now in much better shape than before Mark joined us."

"I assume the company records will bear this out?" Jean's disappointment was obvious.

"Absolutely," Bill promised, "I can bring in copies of the bank statements, if necessary."

"Who's George Hazelwood? His name appears on our correspondence."

"The accountant and general manager."

"So while you did not actually engage in a direct conflict of interest, you did not avoid the appearance of impropriety," Jean announced. "And though Landmark did not benefit directly from this project, you can't say that there haven't been indirect advantages. Now Landmark can list Arthur Mitchell and Orange Bank as clients. That's certainly good for prestige and should help them close a few deals. But the main thing is that you omitted to tell us about your wife's involvement."

"Because I knew that if I mentioned Debbie, you would make the connection to Mark and you have always let your personal animosities interfere with sound business decisions. Considering how well the project is going, was it the wrong decision to hire Mark?"

"That's immaterial. The company has policies about conflict of interest issues and they don't make allowances for how it will help the project. If you had any doubts, you should have come to me for a ruling. Now, as much as I don't want to impact the project, I would be remiss in my duty to Arthur Mitchell if I didn't report this. If this comes out later and it is discovered that I knew about it, it could mean my job."

"It wouldn't come out, if you simply left it alone," Bill pointed out. "I can show you all the company records. You'll see that there was no conflict of interest. Your duty will have been fulfilled. What do you hope to accomplish with this?"

"Maybe I have a higher standard when it comes to upholding the company rules," Jean answered haughtily.

"Sure you do. That's why you seduced your way to the top using your sex rather than your ability and why you continue to protect your incompetent friend, even though it almost cost us the whole project," Bill said. But he said it to himself. Aloud he said, "Do what you feel you have to. The best you can hope for is that it all blows over. The worst is that you'll have upper management and auditors all over this project. Consider carefully whether you can afford it."

"I'm going to mention it in passing to my V.P., with the recommendation that we don't pursue it. I just want it on record that I brought it up, so no one can accuse me of covering up."

"I think you're making a mistake."

"No, Bill, you made the mistake, when you took me for a fool." This time she smiled.

Bill returned to his office, but was unable to concentrate on his work. His realized that his days here were numbered and that Debbie's situation at WIND was extremely precarious. Wolf Media was already offering early retirement bonuses to WIND personnel and replacing vacated positions with their own people. Debbie, being young, had not been given the option, but she and Bill had already discussed what her response should be should it happen. She had friends in other companies who had turned down the retirement incentive, only to be forced out later with no bonus paid at all.

Bill walked over to the war room to supervise his team. Sarah was now his best programmer, since she had been on the project the longest. Paul had left several months ago and Owen had fired Wing. So far, Bill had only been able to add one new person to his staff, a recent graduate named Monica Parsons. Though efficient and dedicated, she had a lot to learn about the system and the industry as a whole and could not compensate for the loss of Paul alone, much less both Paul and Wing. Sarah, already overworked, was now spending a good deal of her time explaining things to Monica. Natalya, a very talented programmer with a thick Russian accent, worked best on her own. Because of the language barrier and the intense way she concentrated on her work and blocked out everything else going on, Monica did not often bother her with questions.

An hour later, Owen came looking for him. "You're wanted in Bruno's office," he announced.

Bruno Rocco was the Vice President of Bill's department and Jean's immediate supervisor. He was a tall, fit man who looked very much younger than his fifty-seven years. He had dark hair so glossy that Bill suspected it was dyed, but it was his physique and youthful appearance that reminded Bill of a young Frank Sinatra in his role as Detective Tony Rome. For a man in such a high position in what was predominantly a WASP firm, Bruno was an anomaly. Though he wore expensive custom suits, Italian loafers and silk shirts, his speech was liberally sprinkled with phrases such as "Dese Guys" and "our poipose," betraying his Bensonhoist heritage. There were more rumors circulating about him than about Owen, Jean and Mike Lotti combined. Primarily it was because no one really knew where he came from, what his area of expertise was or how he had come to be a Vice President at Arthur Mitchell. Some said that Bruno's uncle was a capo in a crime family who had simply called up one day and demanded that his nephew be made a vice president. Another rumor Bill could credit was that Bruno had served in the same military regiment as someone high up in AMI and his first position here had been a reward for some favor done at the time.

Bruno was rarely seen to smile, but as an oft-repeated office joke had it, with a name like Bruno Rocco, there isn't much to smile about. He liked to walk around the office, spying on the personnel, particularly the new hires who had no idea who he was. If he saw someone making a personal call, having a conversation or in other ways appearing to be occupied in a non work-related activity, he would close in, like a hunter approaching his prey and begin questioning the hapless employee. His questions were pointed and designed to cause an argument, which would ensue with the employee being suspended for either wasting company time or insubordination. After a few such incidents, employees were quick to warn the newcomers against him. It became easier to avoid these confrontations when he took to wearing taps on his shoes. He liked to stroll about the office, letting his shoes click out a rhythm against the marble floors of the hallways. This had the benefit of announcing his presence and giving the employees a chance to look busy.

When Bill and Owen reached Bruno's office, Jean was already there. Owen joined her on the plush sofa, leaving Bill to take the only other available chair, made of hard wood. Unpadded and uncomfortable, it was one of the psychological weapons Bruno used against his underlings. It was hard to respond calmly and intelligently when one's buttocks screamed for relief. Bruno was striving to achieve a Vice Presidential effect. A pair of wire glasses hung on his nose. Bill had to struggle not to smile. Bruno looked like a street thug wearing someone else's glasses. At any moment, Bill expected him to "make an offer you can't refuse."

"It has come to my attention, that there have been some gross violations of company policy perpetrated here," Bruno began in what he hoped was his serious voice. It would have had a better effect if "there" hadn't come out sounding like "dare" and "perpetrated" hadn't been pronounced "poipetrated." Still the solemn undertones reflected the gravity of the situation and kept Bill from laughing. "Specifically," Bruno continued, "a former employee deceptively hired as a consultant, the knowledge that this former employee entered into a contractual arrangement specifically forbidden by the company rule book while the individual was employed here and the recommendation and engagement of a consulting firm in which the employee making the engagement has an interest. Should I elaborate on these points?"

"It's not necessary," Bill said, "we all know what you're talking about."

"Then you freely admit these allegations?"

"I admit that I was forced to skirt several company rules in an effort to save this project and our biggest client," Bill said. "There was no financial interest involved, as I stated before, I can prove that neither myself or the consulting firm we engaged kept a dime of the money paid. Every cent of it went directly to the programmer who, though a former employee, has been out of this firm for over four years. The company rules specifically prohibit hiring an employee as a consultant within one year of termination."

"But you used subterfuge to arrange his engagement. You must have been aware that you were violating the rule book, if only in spirit."

"I used subterfuge because that is the only way to get a proper management decision passed on this project. What I have seen on this project violates every rule of project management. Schedules invented out of thin air. Experience programmers fired for no good reason and replaced with greenhorns. Client demos arranged without the programmers ever being told. Since Owen and Jean wouldn't, I had to act in the best interests of the project and Arthur Mitchell. If I hadn't brought Mark back on board, we would have lost the client."

"Why didn't you come to me first?"

"In with my experience here, there is only so high a person can go. If my immediate superior is allowing the project to decline, I bring it to the attention of his superior. If his superior, for whatever reason, doesn't act, I can go no higher. It was Owen's responsibility to go to Jean and Jean's to report to you. I can't get into a war between you and Jean, I'll be like that little kid at school running to the principal with every problem. I tried to resolve this in a way that saved the project without impugning anyone else's competence. I only wish my superiors had done the same."

"So if I understand you correctly, you decided on your own to flout company policy, lie to your managers, engage a company in which you had a connection, all in the interest of Arthur Mitchell?"

"I do admit having some selfish interest of my own."

At this, Jean and Owen sat up with a gleam in their eyes.

"Then you admit profiting indirectly from your actions?" Jean asked.

"Of course. How could I ever hope to succeed at Arthur Mitchell with the reputation that I went over my bosses' heads, even if I were justified? You all have to admit that would have been career suicide. I wasn't the one who established the rules around here, but one of the unwritten ones is that you don't make your boss look bad, no matter how justified you are. You let him terminate every position on your staff several times over. You let him replace seasoned programmers with amateurs. You let him run roughshod over your budget until you can't possibly hire the right people. You sit in the office until midnight because he promised a client the impossible. And you do this without any hope of ever being appreciated for it, in fact, he'll even bring charges against you for doing what he forced you to do."

"But it was your ultimate decision," Bruno cut in, "to violate written company rules in order to avoid what you believe to be unwritten ones."

"In the absence of any indication that I could expect a rational decision to be made, I was faced with two options. Go over Jean's head and possibly save the project at the definite cost of my career. Or bend the rules and save the project and possibly my career. I was in a bind of Owen's doing and I took what I thought was the best choice available."

"The bottom line is that you clearly violated company policy," Bruno reminded him. "There is no way I can overlook that. It would send a message to everyone that our rules are meaningless."

"No one outside of this room knows about this so-called violation and it's in all of our best interests to keep it that way."

"These things have a way of coming out," Jean said.

"I agree," Bruno seconded. "I feel that I have no choice but to terminate you immediately."

Bill felt as if a bowling ball had settled in the pit of his stomach. Then the bowling ball dissolved to a golf ball as he told himself that he had known that this day was coming and had been prepared for it. He had no immediate worries. He would received thirteen weeks of his salary as severance pay and he had over fifty thousand dollars in the company's investment plan that he could cash in. He could collect unemployment or try to earn even more by drumming up a new project for Landmark while he circulated his resume.

"As someone who was terminated with cause," Jean announced with relish, "you will not be entitled to severance pay and you lose most, if not all, of your company-vested portfolio."