The Optogram

by Noelle Jeffreys

  ***

  The elevator door opened to the basement, and the acrid odor of mildew infiltrated his senses.

  Dothan shoved his backpack under his workstation and

  turned to Agnes. “Morning.”

  She remained silent, the click of her fiberglass nail tips ticking as she typed on the keyboard.

  “Look,” he said, “I’m really sorry I didn’t message you back. I’ve had a very weird couple of days.”

  The clicking stopped and Agnes swiveled around with her arms crossed. “Okay, this should be good. What was so important that you ignored my texts?”

  As Dothan related his rescue of January, Agnes laughed.

  “What’s so funny about someone being attacked?” he asked.

  “It’s the way you’ve convinced yourself you’re some cartoon hero who saved a dainty maiden. How can you be such a fool?”

  “Fill me in here. How is saving someone’s life foolish?”

  “Listen to yourself. Assuming the whole thing wasn’t staged, what would make you think someone like January Kinsie is so fragile she needs you to protect her?”

  “Staged? For fuck’s sake, how can you say that? You weren’t there. You didn’t see the enormous bruise on her face and the way her expensive shit was thrown everywhere.”

  Agnes frowned. “I thought we agreed you’d watch your language.”

  “Whatever. I can’t even think straight when you get so salty.”

  “There’s more to this than just my attitude. If she’s telling the truth, great. You can dance in the daisies with a pretty woman who makes you happy. If she’s lying, you have a hungry cobra at your heels.”

  “Let me be the judge in this, will you? It has nothing to do with our agreement to find that table and market the code.”

  “At least she doesn’t know about the software.”

  Dothan crossed his arms and lowered his eyes.

  Agnes shook her head. “You didn’t tell her, did you?”

  “So what if I did? It’s my software and I can tell whoever

  I want about it.”

  Agnes stood, scowling at him. “You idiot. That woman is Conscentiam through and through. I’d almost bet she’s hunting for that software in your apartment as we speak. How could you tell her about it?

  “Don’t be so paranoid. Even if she was looking for it, she’d never find it. All she knows is there is some code. That’s it. She doesn’t know how it functions or how it ties in to her friend’s death.”

  “Then you make sure she never does. January is dangerous.”

  Dothan’s cheeks burned. “Bull. She only wants to help me get the software in front of the committee.”

  Agnes threw her hands in the air. “Jesus, give me strength. Do you even know what the Acquisitions department does? It’s not about buying software at a fair price and re-distributing it. Those girls, Sibella, January, and the rest, aren’t salespeople. They’re hired because of their beauty, intelligence and greed. The company trains them to use lies and what God gave them to convince testosterone-loaded dopes like you to give away their rights to a product for as little as possible. If the software is worth it, Conscentiam will redevelop the code to fit into their idea of what’s marketable, and make millions out of the deal. If it’s competing with something being developed, they’ll destroy it.”

  “Are you insinuating January and Sibella were whores? Over software? You’re crazy.”

  “I’m saying she makes empty promises to get what she wants, and that would be money. Lots of it.”

  “It’s not like that. You don’t know her.”

  Agnes pursed her lips and shook her head. “I’m too late then. You’re already sleeping with her.” She turned her chair back to the table. “That didn’t take her long.”

  “What’s your problem with January?”

  She opened a folder, ignoring him.

  “What is it, huh?” Dothan slapped his hand against her desk. “Are you jealous of her, or is it just beautiful women in general?”

  He grabbed a file out of her hands. “Maybe you can’t stand for someone as amazing as January to be happy because she’s talented, attractive and young, and you’re just an old—”

  Agnes stood, shoved back her chair and slapped Dothan across the face. “You watch your mouth.”

  Dothan rubbed his stinging cheek. “I could report you for doing that. There are corporate policies on abuse.”

  “Go ahead and try, since from what I hear you’re this close to a security guard walking you out of this building with your stuff in a box. Anyway, whose story do you think they’ll believe?”

  “You know what?” His voice became louder, echoing off of the mildewed walls. “I was hoping we could work together on something that would benefit us both, but I was wrong. This so-called partnership is over.”

  “You’d best bring that software back because the only reason I’ve kept quiet about its theft was our agreement. That code belongs to Dunlevy, not you.”

  Dothan laughed and said, “I hope you have a way to prove it ever existed. You destroyed everything pointing to my software, remember?”

  They stood motionless, glaring at each other.

  “Yeah,” he said. “You’re as guilty as I am. So, here’s the deal: just leave me alone and we’ll go back to the way it was before I was stupid enough to listen to you. I’ll decide what to do with my code, and if you keep your mouth shut, I might give you a little something when I sell it. If you spill that tea, though, I’ll make sure everyone knows you were involved.”

  Dothan turned to his laptop and logged into Dunlevy’s system. He smiled as Agnes dropped files into a box to the floor behind him.

  Sucks to be you.

  He opened his email. High priority messages from Nilesh cited slow progress on the software and a lack of communication. He demanded Dothan complete the specified changes on the task list by the end of the day or face a potential end to his internship.

  Dammit, he sent a copy to the college. It’s too late to keep it out of my record.

  Dothan dug through the updated list of monotonous tasks and updates. He sighed and grabbed his keyboard. It was time to get his head out of the clouds. If he could win back the respect of Nilesh and reverse the issues at Dunlevy, he still had a shot at completing his placement.

  Why had he ever listened to Agnes? He should have stuck to his original plan and given the optogram to the CTO. Dunlevy might have offered him a solid future, while the slim possibility of solving Sibella’s murder could cause him to lose everything that mattered.

  The only good thing that came out of this mess was January.

  ***

  The elevator dinged and Bekkii peered into the alcove, pointing at her watch.

  “Sorry,” he said. “I got lost in my code. I had no idea it was past eleven-thirty.”

  “I tried to text you, but you never answered,” she said.

  “That’s because there isn’t any signal down here, and the heavenly hosts upstairs don’t allow wi-fi for personal use.”

  “Well, let’s go.” She grabbed his hand and pulled him from the chair. “If it’s okay with you, I figured we’d try out Bangers Bistro on Third.”

  Agnes turned her head. “Does your girlfriend know you’re going on a date?”

  Bekkii’s eyes widened. “Girlfriend?”

  Dothan scowled at Agnes. “She’s just enjoying her role as the wicked witch of the basement. Try to keep the flying monkeys to a minimum while I’m gone, Agnes.”

  He placed his hand on Bekkii’s back and escorted her to the elevator.

  Here it comes, he thought as the door closed.

  “What did she mean by your girlfriend?” she asked.

  “We were talking about our previous love lives, and I mentioned one of my old girlfriends has an apartment around
here. After that, we got into an argument and she paid me back by upsetting you.”

  “That was just mean,” said Bekkii. “I should give her a piece of my mind.” She put her arm through his and leaned her dreadlocks on his shoulder. “I’ve missed you today. I wish we could have spent the weekend together. There’s only a few more weeks of your internship left.”

  “The weekend would have been…great, but there’s so many projects I have to finish before graduation and Rhonda is a nerd-Nazi. I get what you’re saying about how little time there is before I leave Dunlevy. I doubt I’ll have a lot of time before Christmas, but you know we’ll hook up every chance I get.”

  As Bekkii lifted her face and pursed her lips, the elevator door opened. Dothan patted her hand, and they moved into the bustling lobby.

  ***

  The bistro was little more than a trendy hipster hamburger joint with inflated prices. As he read the menu, Dothan hoped his credit card could handle the expense. It was fortunate there was an ATM just outside the building should the worst happen.

  He dodged as many pointed relationship questions as he could throughout the meal, but it was clear Bekkii planned to over-analyze the state of his intentions toward her. Dothan checked his watch, hoping she would take the bait.

  Oblivious to his hint, Bekkii stirred her bubble tea with a straw. “Have you had a lot of girlfriends?”

  “What?”

  Dammit. There is no way I’m going there.

  “You know,” she said, her eyes lowered toward the table. “The stuff you were talking about to Agnes.”

  Dothan brushed the leg of his chinos with a napkin. “I’ve dated, but I wouldn’t call it a lot. I’ve got too much going on to be in a serious thing with anyone.”

  Bekkii lowered her eyes and grinned. “So, will I be in your list of past girlfriends?”

  Why today? Just. Please. Shut. Up.

  Dothan took her hand and smiled. “You’re more important to me than any list I’d rather forget.”

  She gripped his hand. “You mean a lot to me, too.”

  “I know, and that’s why we have to be strong right now. I still have at least a year to go before I’ll be able to land a solid job and make plans for any future.”

  Her eyes grew wide. “We have a future?”

  He ignored the question. “In the meantime, why can’t we just go on as we are? I like the amazing connection we’ve made and I’ve never enjoyed time with anyone so much, Beks.”

  Bekkii blushed and scrunched up her shoulders at the irresistible nickname.

  Why was it, he wondered, all women seemed to want was to figure out how deep their claws were into him?

  Dothan winked at Bekkii and said, “Come on, let’s get back before you’re in trouble.”

  As he deposited her at the reception desk, he peeled her hand from his and waved. “See you later,” he said.

  “Hey,” called Bekkii as he turned toward the elevator, “will you be home tonight?”

  He forced a smile. “Nope. I’ve got my night job and that summer project takes over my weekends, remember?”

  “Yeah, but I figured I’d stop by early and hang around your place until you get home. That way we can at least spend a few hours together and ride into work in my car in the morning.”

  She’s worse than a pitbull cornering a rabbit.

  Dothan sighed and returned to the reception desk. “I don’t want just a few minutes here and there,” he whispered. “It’s hard enough doing that at work. How about I finish this stupid project and the second I get an evening free, we make a night of it?”

  Pouting, Bekkii nodded. “Promise?”

  “You know I do.” Dothan smiled and headed to the elevator. As the door closed, he covered his face and groaned.

  “Why is this shit happening today?”

  He paced within the confines of the box as it descended.

  With a deep breath, he stepped into the basement. Agnes was not at her desk, and there was no rustling in the distance behind the steel shelves. Dothan eased into his office chair, listening for footsteps, boxes moving, or at least the flapping of demon wings, but there was silence.

  It appeared he had gotten the better of Agnes and she had left.

  “Hell yeah!”

  There would be no noisy disruption from the old bat and her files. He returned to the tedium of updating the additional requests and changes from the code reviews, but found his mind unable to engage with the task list as he counted the minutes until he was in January’s arms.

  Dothan removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. Just one hour to accomplish Nilesh’s demands to protect his internship. It was an absurd deadline, and he was being treated as if he was a child late with his homework. How dare they question his dedication to the project? This whole mess stemmed from their mistrust, and had they left him to work on the stupid thing with his own timetable, they would have something of awesome quality. The more they pushed, though, the less they would receive.

  Another email arrived from Nilesh, reminding him of the cutoff time.

  That’s it. If they want to treat me like crap, then from now on, that’s just what they’ll get.

  Five o’clock ticked into position, and Dothan rushed his code through a cursory test run. His last task was to write a contrite email to Nilesh, apologizing for his lack of updates and promising any future work would be on time. He thanked his mentor for being so understanding about the delay and sent the message.

  That ass-kissing should keep him quiet for a while, he thought.

  He closed his laptop and grabbed his backpack. In just over an hour, he would be with January.

  At the bus stop, Dothan flew to his apartment complex, taking two steps at a time up the metal staircase. His hands shook as he tried to place the key in the lock, and, as if rewarding his anticipation, January threw herself into his arms.

  Chapter Nine

  Dothan stood, transfixed, at the bedroom door as he watched January. Silent in the deepening twilight, she sat half-reclined against the arm of the couch. The eerie glow of the laptop screen reflected against her flawless features, giving her the shadowy aura of a pale ghost floating within the darkening room.

  He flicked on the light switch and lowered himself onto the sofa, pulling her feet on his lap.

  “Hey, you found your laptop,” he said.

  January tapped on the keyboard, oblivious to Dothan.

  “Did you find anything more about Sibella’s boyfriends?”

  She stared at the glowing screen.

  “Internet stalkers or weirdos? Clowns who pop out of toilets?”

  “Um-hmm.”

  “Have you heard a word I’ve said?” He shuffled closer to her.

  January looked at him with widened eyes and smiled. “Oh, sorry, no, I was reading emails. I hadn’t checked my work stuff for a while and it really piled up on me.”

  “They must have been important. You were miles away.”

  “Not as important as you.” She closed her laptop. “I’m all yours now. What were you saying?”

  He pointed at the slim, silver case. “I said you found your laptop.”

  “Oh, yes, I forgot to tell you. It turned out I didn’t need yours after all. I must have stuffed mine into my suitcase without thinking during all that rushing around.”

  “So were you able to find information on Sibella’s relationships or internet stans?”

  January nodded. “There was nobody of interest. I also tried to hunt for Lucas Gilmore, but he’s hidden away so well, it’ll take better skills than mine to find him. Maybe you should start looking for him instead.”

  “I’m confused. Why do we care about some guy who vanished before Sibella died?”

  She sighed. “I don’t know. I have a gut instinct that he has information we could use.”
/>
  “It’s just this dude wasn’t any kind of threat. He didn’t contact Sibella after he ran, right? Oh, and speaking of threats, I had it out with the worm-eaten snake bitch at work today.”

  “Who?”

  “Agnes. She’s been Dunlevy’s file troll for, like, a hundred years and I’m stuck working next to her in the company basement. She can’t stand me, but she hates Conscentiam and everyone involved with them even more.”

  “That’s so weird. What started the argument?”

  “She was super pissed off because I’d ignored two days of her texts.”

  “Wait a minute. She dislikes you, but she texts you?”

  “Oh, she’s got it in her head I need mothering and shit like that. I’ve humored her for the last few weeks because it kept peace in the basement, but she’s gone too far this time. I tried to explain what happened over the weekend with you, but she said I was a moron for believing anything you told me.”

  “What?” January laughed. “Why would she say that? I don’t even know the woman.”

  “That’s what I told her, but she said Conscentiam and everyone in it was going to eat me alive. The rest of the shit wasn’t worth repeating, but she had a lot of harsh things to say about your department.”

  “In what way?”

  “Just terrible stuff, but it doesn’t matter. I told her I wanted nothing else to do with her.”

  “Tell me what she said. Please.”

  “She said that you and the other women who work in Acquisitions are, for lack of a better word, hookers. For some weird reason she thinks you’d do whatever it takes to get a client to sell their product for next to nothing and then throw them aside.”

  With a slow nod, January’s eyes narrowed. “To be honest, this isn’t the first time I’ve heard that kind of thing. We offer a variety of perks to the software creators, but people start rumors it’s all about sex and cheating the developers out of a fair price. That’s an insult to us and our clients. I hope you know it isn’t true.”

  “Oh, trust me, I told her to go fuck herself. She got so angry after that she left for the day.”