Ten minutes wasn't enough time for Dave to start up some new work, so he carefully brought up a browser window so that he could appear to be busy at work. Reading over some news stories would make it appear that Dave was someone who used his time in the office to the fullest and ironically contribute to the image that he was a hard worker - an image that he oddly believed himself. At the same time the open office plan meant that it was a challenge to do something non-work-related without detection.
A strange looking news story caught his attention. A plane was being held in quarantine. Dave turned his head to look out the windows to his left. Through the windows he could see yet other office buildings. Many employees would fight for a seat near one of the windows, as it one of the pointless views actually mattered. Dave was indifferent to the view and only looked outside to relax his eyes and maybe to try and restart a tired mind. Dave looked back to the news story that he was reading.
It is amazing how one can look at a key moment in history and not be able to see its significance at all.
The news article was a weird one. A passenger airliner had landed at the main airport and taxied to the exit. Then the passengers had been denied the chance to leave the plane. It was reported that the pilot had told the air controllers that an infection had taken over the passenger compartments. Worried about bringing in the next big pandemic officials had left the airliner undocked.
But parking next to the passenger facilities created a PR disaster. People waiting for their flights could easily see across to the airliner and see inside it. All of the passengers were standing. And someone with a zoom camera had uploaded a number of pictures of the passengers, and those pictures were creating a storm on the various social media sites. The skin of these passengers was a slate grey with odd splotches of yellow, and their eyes were a bright, blood-shot red. The yellow patches on the passengers' skin hinted at a bubbling, pus-filled disease. Dave squinted at some of the pictures and failed to see any sense of humanity from the passengers, which gave him an eerie chill.
The news articles speculated wildly as you'd expect when there is a complete lack of any real information. Unable to gain anything more from reading the article, Dave closed the browser window so that he wouldn't risk his "research" being discovered. He had timed it well as it was now time for the weekly office meeting.
But the meeting didn't start. Instead a rather nervous looking team leader dashed into the office.
From a nearby desk, Dave heard a whisper: "What's up his arse?"
Dave squinted at the team leader. Layton was just your ordinary bum licker trying to worm his way up the company. Rather harmless in a cute way. And by "cute" Dave meant "pathetic". It's hard to respect someone who spends all their time at work inserting their tongue up the arses of the "important people". Dave was certain that he could smell the shit whenever Layton spoke.
Layton coughed loudly. "Can I have everyone's attention?"
There was some muttering but Layton clapped his hands for silence and everyone went quiet.
"As you know it's about time for out weekly meeting. However, we'll have to cancel it for today."
There was a little unrest that Layton quickly talked over. "The CEO was meant to be here for the meeting but he's late."
Sandra from Quality Testing called out a question: "So will it be latter today?"
Dave was alarmed by how Layton looked at Sandra. Didn't anything else see that look? It was very different to Layton's usual nervousness. It was raw panic that made Dave's mind race with implications.
"I can't say," said Layton. "The CEO is stuck in the airport."
Sandra frowned a bit and rhetorically asked: "So the meeting will be latter today? I hope that we'll get a decent warning."
Layton seemed relieved as if he worried about the chance of another question being asked. "I'll do what I can to keep everyone in the loop. When I know something I'll let everyone here know."
But then shit stirrer in Dave got to him and he spoke up: "Does this have anything to do with the outbreak at the airport?"
Everyone turned to look at Dave as he asked that question and so everyone missed Layton's reaction of acute panic. Internally Dave grinned to himself. He had somehow guessed the unwanted question that Layton didn't want asked.
"No comment," burst Layton, who suddenly turned and fled the room to his office.
Dave opened his eyes wide. He had hoped to jolt Layton into saying more, but Layton ended up showing more self-discipline than Dave thought he possessed by simply avoiding any further conversation. Dave found himself being suspicious, but without any real target with which to direct his suspicions.
As Layton retreated, Dave didn't even have his usual bitterness/jealousy about how Layton had his own private office. Dave gritted his teeth as he realised that in his desire to torment Layton that he gotten Sandra's attention. Dave was certain that Sandra had worked in the Gestapo in a previous life. There was someone in the office who reported all the cooler talk to the higher ups and Dave was pretty certain that Sandra was the one. Dave didn't have any proof, but Sandra's nose did have the
