Yuen-Mong's Revenge (54 page)

     
Bee smiled and started to walk away.

     
"Bee, please stay. I have heard that you trained in psychology."

 
     
"Yes, psychological screening."

 
     
"Is this used to evaluate the suitability of employees for certain jobs?"

 
     
"Yes, that’s one of its main uses."

 
     
"Would you be interested in becoming part of a team at UniCom to
do this? We need to evaluate hundreds, if not thousands of people, for
their suitability to become mediums for instantcom, and you could help
us set that up."

 
     
"Foundation wives do not work."

 
     
"Don’t they? Forget about what the Foundation expects of their wives.
Tell me, would it interest you to help setup such a team?"

 
     
Bee hesitated for a moment, and Yuen-mong felt the sudden yearning
in her. "Yes, but —"

 
     
"No but. It can be a part-time job so that you can still be with your
children, and maybe sometimes you will bring this little darling along.
We can set up facilities so that you can always have an eye on them while
you work."

 
     
"Are you serious? Really?" She sounded excited and then suddenly
seemed to lose it. "But I don’t think that Dan would agree."

 
     
"By all means, discuss it with him. But make the final decision yourself. Anyway, Dan might surprise you."

 
     
"It has always been my dream to use my training."

 
     
"Then take this opportunity."

 
     
"Yes, Bee, do," she heard Atun’s voice behind her. "This is Yuen-mong’s secret. She never lets opportunities slip by. It would be good to
have you on our team."

 
     
"Thanks, Atun, for your support," Yuen-mong said, smiling at him.
"It’s still true that the word of a man counts more than that of a woman,
but I’m working hard at it to change that."

 
     
"Yuen-mong, you know that for me your word is sacred."

 
     
"That’s not what I want either." She turned back to Ming. "Is she not
a darling. I want one like her." She briefly glanced at Atun and then
kissed Ming who had been watching them with big eyes.

     
"Mami, please work with Yuen-mong. Then I can see her more
often."

 
     
"She already knows when to grab an opportunity," Atun said,
chuckling. "Please, Bee, come in and explore this with us."

 
     
"I will think about it."

 
     
"Not too long, I hope," replied Yuen-mong.

* * *

The private eye called Atun Sunday night and reported that Jack Hart had
bought a one-way ticket to Old Earth and had departed Saturday on the
monthly courier.

     
"That doesn’t look like a ten-day vacation to me," remarked Yuen-mong.

     
"No, the guy has no intention of returning… It would even be useless
to lay a complaint with the Intergalactic Police. By the time it reaches
Old Earth, he’s gone underground."

 
     
"Is it possible to find out from where he got the funds for the trip?"

 
     
"Yes, but that would again involve the police, and I’m not sure that
this is wise. What if it’s traced back to Pat or Cor?"

 
     
"You’re right. I want to deal with them without police involvement…
But you’re the AI whiz. Can you not gain access to Pat’s bank account?"

 
     
"I guess I deserve that."

 
     
"No, you do not. Come, a kiss." She put her arms around his neck. He
let her wait a moment and then kissed her.

     
"I love you, Yuen-mong, and, yes, I can try, but not from here. At the
office I can find out which bank he uses.’

24

Yuen-mong was not looking forward to what she needed to do first thing
Monday morning. It could escalate into all-out warfare between her and
the top people, but she was also convinced that she needed to take firm
action or else she would never be respected. Not much work would be
done at UniCom once it became known, and she would need to calm the
anxieties caused, not only to bring the employees around to her, but also
to avoid her mind from being swamped.

     
"Courage, love," whispered Atun, as he left her office. She briefly
hugged Anouk, and then asked Mrs. Oddell to call security, requesting
the chief of security to come to her office with two people, and to let
them in immediately when they arrived. Then she checked if Cor Deng
had signed in. He had. Five minutes later, the three security people
arrived.

     
Getting up from her desk, she said: "Follow me and I want my orders
to be executed without delay and without any questions asked."

 
     
She led the way down to the floor below and went straight to Cor
Deng’s suite. His secretary got up alarmed when she saw her enter followed by the three security guards. "Miss Shen, I will announce you."

 
     
"No need, Mrs. Garmon, just go back to your work."

 
     
The woman fidgeted and then sat behind her workstation, watching
her nervously.

     
She entered without knocking. Cor Deng was slumping in his chair,
wearing earphones, one foot on the desk. He jumped up, dropping the
earphones and quickly bent down to close the left bottom drawer of his
desk.

     
"Miss Shen, how unexpected," he managed to say, his face changing
into a slick smile. "What gives me the honor of your visit?" But his mind
told her loudly and clearly that his heart was in his throat.

     
"Mr. Deng, would you please again open that drawer you just closed."

 
     
"Oh why? … There’s only an old voice recorder inside. If you need
one, I can get you the latest model from our equipment section."

 
     
"Security, put the content of that drawer on the desk."

 
     
The chief of security went behind the desk. Cor held up his hand to
prevent him from coming closer. "Wait, what’s going on? You have no
right to look through the drawers of my desk."

 
     
"Security, do as you are told."

 
     
The man cast a desperate look at her and after a moment’s hesitation
shoved Cor’s hand away. The latter tried to prevent him from opening the
drawer.

     
"Mr. Deng, do not interfere with security or
I will
have you restrained."

 
     
Cor stepped back. She sensed that he was about to rush out.

     
"Mr. Deng, stay where you are. We are now going to listen to that
recording."

 
     
The chief of security put the voice recorder on the desk.

     
"Play it."

 
     
They heard Atun’s voice.

     
Cor quickly intervened. "Oh, you’re concerned that I recorded a conversation with Mr. Caruna. I did it to make sure I understood him
correctly when he explained something to me."

 
     
She did not answer, recognizing the conversation. Her own voice
would come up soon. After hearing her response to Atun, she said: "I
cannot remember seeing you in Mr. Caruna’s office when I had that conversation with him… Mr. Deng, you had a listening device placed into
his office and you also had his and my desk comunit tapped. You are
fired. Security will now escort you to your car — I presume you came by
car — and will watch you leave the garage. Your personal belongings
will be brought to your home later this morning. You will be denied entry
to this building and all your electronic files will be sealed until further
notice." Turning to the chief of security, she continued: "Did you get
that, sir?" He nodded. "Then do your duty. You do not have to talk to Mr.
Deng." She turned and left the office.

     
Cor Deng ran after her. "Miss Shen, you can’t do this. I’ll report it to
my father. You’ll pay for that."

 
     
She steeled her nerves to remain calm. "Mr. Deng. I suggest you keep
your dignity and let security accompany you to your car." Giving the
security people a stern look, she left the office. At his secretary’s desk
she briefly paused: "Mrs. Garmon, after Mr. Deng has left the office, you
will collect all his personal belongings and then lock his office. I will
hold you responsible that nobody, and I mean nobody, regardless of their
position, is allowed to enter it unless authorized by me. Furthermore, Mr.
Deng will not be available for any callers. Take down their name and any
messages. If Mr. Deng calls, you tell him that you are not authorized to
speak to him. You got that? You will get new instructions tomorrow.
Thank you."

 
     
"Yes, Miss Shen." Her voice sounded unsure.

     
Yuen-mong felt that the woman was almost frightened out of her wits.
"Mrs. Garmon, there is no need for you to worry. Your job is safe."

 
     
"Thank you, Miss Shen," the woman replied, blushing deeply.

     
As she entered the staircase, she saw Cor Deng come out of his office
flanked by the two security guards, the chief walking a few steps ahead.
Back in her office, she asked her secretary to connect her with the head
of personnel.

     
"Miss Shen, Mr. Ong-Deng on the line," Mrs. Oddell reported shortly,
and her screen showed a nervous man in his late fifties or early sixties of
Chinese extraction.

     
"Good morning, Miss Shen. How can I help?" There was a solicitous
smile on his face, but the eyes betrayed his anxiety.

     
"Good morning, Mr. Ong-Deng. Please arrange for Mr. Cor Young to
be paid any salary owed until today, including accumulated leave pay,
and then remove him from the register of employees."

 
     
The man opened his mouth and blinked several times. He seemed to
have lost his voice.

     
"Mr. Ong-Deng, did you hear me?"

 
     
"Hm, hm, yes, Miss Shen… Did I understand you correctly that Mr.
Deng is no longer on the staff of UniCom?" He sounded alarmed.

     
"Yes, you did."

 
     
After some more blinking, he said: "But this is highly irregular. Miss
Shen —"

 
     
"Mr. Ong-Deng, do you question my authority?"

 
     
His face went crimson, and he seemed to shrink away. "Hm … no,
Miss Shen. It is just that I cannot recall that a member of the Young or
Deng families has ever quit employment with us."

 
     
"I did not say Mr. Deng quit, and there is a first for everything. Please
do as instructed… And, Mr. Ong-Deng, submit to me by tomorrow morning dossiers of potential candidates to fill the vacant position of director
of HST research. Note carefully that the main criteria for the position are
ability, experience, achievements, and leadership potential. That is all for
now. Good day." She disconnected.

     
Shortly afterward, she had the chief of systems on the line and instructed him to seal all of Cor Deng’s files and cancel his building access
codes. These orders were again met with consternation.

     
Next, she called Xi Deng’s secretary. He was not in yet. She asked her
to let him know as soon as he arrived that she wanted to see him urgently.
It took hardly five minutes before her secretary announced him.

     
"Good morning, Mr. Deng, please take a seat," she said, as she came
around her desk and sat down opposite him.