“Okay, Pia.” Berman leaned forward in his leather chair. “Of course you deserve better, but Nano demands the highest standards of discretion from its employees, as we made clear on many occasions. Security is our biggest concern here at Nano, as it is in all nanotechnology companies. Competition is fierce, as you know. Billions of dollars are at stake. We are averse to publicity, particularly negative publicity, on all accounts.”
“When was I not discreet?”
“When you went with that ER doctor after the van from Nano containing the cyclist. To do what, I have no idea, but it is obvious you had in mind to intercept it.”
“Ah, so you did know where we were going.” Pia’s tone had risen. Berman seemed to be admitting something important. Had she been under surveillance?
“I didn’t say that we knew. But you admit you were chasing after Nano employees going about Nano business that had nothing to do with you or the Boulder Memorial Hospital. We pieced together what happened after the accident. The radio conversations with the EMTs in the ambulance, the phone call to you from Dr. Caldwell from the Memorial’s ER…”
“How did you know the ER doctor and I were trying to intercept the van with the cyclist?”
“… the story you and your doctor friend are trying to concoct about Nano’s involvement in causing your accident. Good grief, woman!”
Pia stopped trying to talk above Berman.
“You haven’t exactly been discreet, have you?” he said.
“You’re admitting to a lot of things here…” said Pia. Berman was being transparent, and Pia found it hard to know how to respond. She expected more lies and evasions.
“I’m admitting to nothing. Someone overheard Dr. Caldwell call you from the ER. Your statement to the Boulder police about the accident is in the public record as well as his. You later accosted a Nano employee in the parking lot who had been warned not to talk with you…”
“I talked to Jason Rodriguez. He was my colleague. And I thought he was my friend, but obviously I was mistaken.”
“Pia, I am the best friend you have right now, believe me. Mariel Spallek wanted to—”
“Wanted to what?”
“Pia, please calm down. And sit down.” Pia had gotten up from the couch and was pacing around the room, furious with Berman’s calm and calculated indictments. The camera was dangling from its strap over her shoulder, forgotten.
“Listen. Look at it from my point of view, from Nano’s point of view. All of this behavior I have just outlined, which started, by the way, because of your unfortunate discovery of a Nano jogger who had been in momentary distress.”
“Momentary distress! The man was in cardiac arrest when I came upon him.”
“Impossible. The man is perfectly fine, I’m happy to report, and back to full participation in his duties here at Nano. You were mistaken about his condition, I assure you. And you were specifically asked to forget about the incident. Obviously you didn’t take that advice. I’m sorry, Pia. Yes, you have been a good worker and have definitely contributed to Nano’s primary project as well as everything else that is being done to support it. But you haven’t been cooperative, especially with your outrageous suggestions that Nano had something to do with your unfortunate accident while recklessly speeding. And now, on top of all that, I have you on security tape, showing up at my home uninvited, making lewd gestures.”
“Oh, come on. That was purely out of frustration. Childish, maybe, but certainly understandable.”
“I’m not convinced everyone would find your behavior understandable. That doesn’t sound like much of a defense to me.”
Pia sat down, deflated, and bit her lip. What now? “So you told people not to call me back?”
“Mariel insisted that I terminate your employment, although she’s not really in a position to insist, but I preferred to leave a door open. I was going to request the medical letter that had been asked for, stating you had totally recovered, and then talk to you myself. But you’ve jumped the gun, and here we are.”
“And what were you going to talk to me about?”
“I thought we could have an adult conversation, man to woman.”
Berman winked and smiled again, reminding Pia what kind of an individual she was dealing with. She looked off, tempted to flee, but remained seated. He had said man to woman, not CEO to employee, which said it all.
“I had in mind a conversation like we are having now,” Berman continued after taking a sip of his drink. “What I am hoping is that you will see fit to change from a kind of dangerous maverick and security risk into a team player. Personally I’d like to keep you aboard.”
“What’s going on at Nano?” Pia blurted. “Who are these runners and cyclists who are falling down in the road and appear to be dead? Why can’t I get past those double doors on the fourth floor? That’s the adult conversation I want to have.”
“Oh, Pia. Nothing’s happening at Nano that isn’t happening at the top nanotechnology research facilities all around the world. It would be naive to think otherwise. We’re all pushing the envelope. What’s different is that we have a small jump on the competition because of our lead in molecular manufacturing. We’ve been able to move from theory to reality with nanorobots. But we have to be discreet, as I said, because the competition could catch up to us in a heartbeat. We have tried to patent our breakthroughs with molecular manufacturing, but it is difficult. It is based on the way ribosomes of living cells function, which the good Lord has ingeniously devised. As it is in the public realm, we can’t totally protect it, although we have certainly tried.”
“I’m sorry, but I need to know more. I need to be sure these people are not being abused.”
“Oh, Pia!” Berman repeated, as if talking to a child. “No one is being abused, trust me. Everything is totally voluntary. We rely on employing talented people who are content to work in their area and not concern themselves with… other matters. We call it compartmentalization. There are only a very few who know everything. As I said, I want to keep you around, but if you feel you need to know what’s going on behind every door in the whole place, I don’t think it’s going to work. We’ll come to an agreement on a settlement of your contract, a very generous settlement. Of course there will be some restrictions on your being able to work for another nanotechnology company for a reasonable period of time. You don’t know everything going on at Nano, but you know enough about our most important project. Leaving Nano will give you a chance to finish your medical training somewhere else.”
Berman took a healthy draft of his scotch, finishing the glass. It was his first of the day, so he wasn’t concerned. He played his hand pretty much the same way with Whitney way back when, and now it was time for what he had said to sink into Pia’s brain.
He stood and walked to the den, only to quickly emerge, stirring a fresh drink. He looked at Pia, and within, his ardor was unrestrained. Berman knew he shouldn’t be talking to Pia at all. Mariel was right — Pia was very intelligent, very nosy, very persistent, and very dangerous. Berman knew he couldn’t trust Pia, but he couldn’t abide the idea of losing her, whether by firing her or by some more drastic arrangement that would scare her off completely. He wanted to have her, to possess her until he tired of her. He was a man used to succeeding in all areas of his life, and vain enough to think he could have what he wanted. And he wanted Pia with all his damaged soul. He thought he was making progress, but she hadn’t budged. She was still sitting on his couch, looking sexier than ever, despite the cast and the sling. He wanted to see her dance again and then have wild sex. His imagination led him off to that wonderful place.