Without any pool side time with Simone, Petra had completed remote updates to her encryption programs for several of her regular customers. She had also prowled around on their systems that she could easily access, to see if they were plagued by any irregular programs. Most of her customers were also maintained by her and her team, so she realized she would likely find nothing.
She had also worked on the ongoing development of a new routine that combined encryption algorithms along with some special code capture routines designed to be invoked only under special programmed situations. She wanted this completed before Jacob returned so she could get his opinion. She’d worked through the program even after the late luncheon room service had been delivered. It was close to finished, when she realized she needed to update Quip on a few items and decided a call would be most efficient. Using her secure connection program from her cell, she was delighted that he answered almost immediately.
“Hi, Quip, how is it going? Are you free for a few updates and status reports for our customers?”
“Petra, of course, for you. You’re bored with Jacob gone, aren’t you?”
She laughed, “Well, there is that. I can’t fool you anymore can I, my friend.”
“Nope, you really never could, Petra. So what have you been up to outside of updating the customer programs we had discussed? I presume you finished them, right?”
“I did of course complete them. I even checked to see if there was any new activity that our scanning might have missed. I am working on that consolidated program I had outlined to you before we left. I wanted Jacob to take a look at them when he returns.
“He should be back tomorrow. In a conversation we had a short time ago, he indicated that the discussion went well with Carlos and was conveyed to Juan as well. I presume your meeting with Mr. Monty had the proper outcome, or Father would have called me to complain. Otto tends to not call unless he wants a different perspective or for a new assignment. I think he wants me to really have this vacation.”
Quip grinned, knowing exactly how much Otto and Haddy wanted Petra to really get together with Jacob. It was so obvious from his perspective that Petra and Jacob just seemed well matched. Added to that was Quip’s respect for Jacob with his considerable technical abilities which had expanded substantially while they’d worked together in Zurich.
“Oh, he wants your vacation with Jacob to be perfect. I think, Petra, he hated giving you an additional assignment while you were there, but location, location, location always wins.
“Speaking of which, JAC sent a photo of a girl she found in Acapulco, oddly enough, that is an almost perfect match to our missing Lara. Last I heard she was setting up to actually meet with the girl face-to-face sometime today and get her name. JAC was hoping it would help her formulate the next steps to a father-daughter reconciliation. I expect contact from her sometime later today.
“JAC is having so much fun in this role of fashion designer. Oddly enough, she really seems to have some talent from this male’s point of view.”
Petra laughed, “Really, our little cyber assassin Julie has other facets to her outstanding skill levels?”
“She really does,” Quip suggested with all sincerity. “Haddy and I worked together to bring some of her clever designs into real garments to help her promote her role at the various shoots she has been scouting out to locate Lara. The designs are simple but original so I am trying to determine how we copyright them.
“Heck, even Haddy is adding her flair of fabrics and colors to really help the designs come alive. I had no idea that Haddy had any talent in that area at all, but she does.”
“Haddy and color talent are almost always said in the same sentence, Quip. You’ve seen all her work in our home, the R-Group offices, and how she always looks so put together. Heck, the only reason my travel wardrobe always looks so nice is due to Haddy. I am surprised you hadn’t realized that before.
“I am glad that JAC is enjoying herself. After the long run as a coffee barista, I felt she’d like a change, but fashion design wasn’t something I would have considered.”
They both laughed as they continued the discussion on what would happen if Julie decided that fashion was more fun than the cyber assassin work at which she excelled. They lamented on how things always seemed to deviate from the plan. They agreed however that their overall ability to respond to such changes made their services that much more valuable.
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