There wasn't much she could do. The computer just froze and then died, without as much as a warning. She watched with the horror her screen going dark and in the sudden silence she heard her boss's voice right behind her back.
"Oh shit."
She almost burst into tears. Her first week in this major high security government office, the precarious little steps she took so carefully every day, and now this stupid disaster. Angrily, she dug her pointy fingernails into the keyboard.
"Don't worry, Lyn." Her boss leaned over to click the switch on the UPS. "We had a problem with this machine before. You did your backup last night, didn't you?"
"Backup?"
"They didn't tell you to back up your files every night? Didn't you have a computer training scheduled when you started?"
Lyn shook her head. "It was rescheduled for tomorrow."
Her boss drew a sharp breath. The gray tired eyes under the silver hair closed for a second.
"Tomorrow you'll learn all correct procedures. Don't worry now. The computer guy will show you all you need to know."
Lyn nodded, still a bit in shock. The computer crashed in the moment she was trying to open a file on the network, a file she had no business of opening. She was hoping now the computer guy would not able to track back her activity.
And everything went so well so far, she was thinking the next day on her way to work. Her Agency got her this job in no time. She passed the security check, her references were checked, her skills evaluated. The fact that she was recommended by one of the top government officials did not hurt either. The job was a routine database work, nothing to worry about, but she was aware that it would take a little time to gather the information she was after and to get to know the people.
She looked at them as she entered the hall divided by partitions low enough to allow the air and light from huge windows dance through the space. People looked somehow pre-fabricated, almost all men in white shirts and subdued ties. Women, on the other hand, preferred bright primary colors for their shapeless suits and blouses, skirts covering the knees above medium heel pumps. Lyn sighed when she looked at her own slender legs under way too long skirt. Fortunately, it was narrow enough not to make her feel unbearably frumpy.
A young man was standing at her desk, frowning at a tiny computer in his hands. He looked up when she approached and Lyn was instantly intrigued by his dark shiny eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses. His appearance was distinctly non-institutional. He was wearing a black t-shirt and looked like he did not shave for two days.
"I'm Javier," he said as she shook his cold dry hand. He looked about eighteen when he smiled but his voice was serious and self-assured.
He chatted with her a bit while sitting at her chair, a brand new computer already up and running. His English was excellent even with his accent, but curiously polite, almost old-fashioned. Not for a moment his eyes left the screen as he typed on the keyboard with a horrifying speed.
"So how you like it here so far?"
Out of the habit she wrinkled her nose a little and shrugged.
"It's a job."
"Not too much fun, is it."
"More like the longest eight hours of the entire day."
This always worked. Nothing brings people close faster than mutual complaining, instant little bonding over discontent. People relax, tend to talk, feel you are on their side. But Javier did not say anything. She realized he came from outside, that he is not one of her coworkers, trapped and slowly crushed by the office routine.
"Now," he said. "Pull another chair here and I'll show you the backup procedures."
"Where are you from," she asked when she sat down next to him, so close she could detect a faint clean scent of his skin. For an instant second she wanted to rub her face against his sleeve and purr like a cat.
"Venezuela," he replied shortly and handed her a yellow pad. "You might want to take some notes."
The next half hour was rather hectic. She was used to concentrate absolutely, absorbing the most in the shortest period of time. This time, however, something was distracting her a bit, perhaps his physical closeness or his beautiful hands with slender fingers. It's been long time ago since she'd felt that way. Her Agency did not encourage its employees to indulge in unplanned personal relationships.
He looked up suddenly and caught her watching him. Lyn rose, smoothing her skirt on the hips, and felt his eyes sliding up and down her body. It was almost as if he was running his hands up and down her body.
"What exactly were you doing when your computer crashed?" he asked casually. Lyn held her breath for a moment. It was enough for him to shoot another boyish smile right into her eyes.