Change

Once everyone was seated, Karen Mason spoke to Rockie, "I apologize for the surprise that you walked into this morning. I tried calling you several times over the past few days but only got your voicemail. I didn't think leaving you a message on this matter was appropriate, so here we are."

"Where exactly are we?" asked Rockie.

"Let me start by introducing everyone," Karen said. "You know Valerie. This gentleman is Bert Garmeni, our chief legal counsel."

Rockie nodded a greeting to the lawyer, but remained silent, waiting for someone to explain further the purpose for her being here.

Bert Garmeni began by sliding some papers over to Rockie and saying, "Miss Preston, here is a copy of your employment agreement with BWH. Do you recognize it?"

Rockie glanced down at the papers and said, "Yes, I recognize it. Why?"

"Do you recognize your signature on the last page of the agreement?" Garmeni asked.

She turned to the last page and said, "Yes, that is my signature, but again, why?"

Ignoring her question, the lawyer said, "If you turn to page four of the agreement and reference section thirteen, do you see the subject of 'intellectual property' mentioned?"

Rockie found the page and reviewed the relevant section. "Okay, so?"

"Miss Preston, it has come to the attention of management that you have developed intellectual property while employed by BWH which you have not disclosed to the company. As an employee of BWH, any intellectual property developed by an employee during their period of employment rightfully belongs to the company."

Rockie was not to be intimidated so easily, "I have documented proof that all the development of the 'Secret Chaperon' application was completed months prior to my employment at BWH."

"That may be true," the lawyer said, "but what about your other project? The Dark Web tracking project?"

"That project has no relevance to BWH and what we do here. That's like claiming my recipe for red velvet cake belongs to the company simply because I worked here at the time I came up with it."

She pointed to the employment agreement before her and continued, "Section thirteen limits intellectual property claims by the company to products or service of value to the company."

"Actually, the clause reads, 'products or services of value to the company as determined solely by the company'. Have you presented your product concept to anyone at BWH for that determination of value to be considered?" Garmeni asked.

Rockie remained silent, so Karen stepped in, "Rockie, do you know what 'BWH' stands for?"

Rockie smiled and replied, "It stands for 'Brandt-Wallace Holdings'. BWH is a joint venture of Brandt Consulting and Wallace Holdings International."

Karen continued, "Under the terms of your employment agreement, BWH could terminate your employment effective immediately."

Rockie stood and placed her laptop bag on the table and placed her employee badge on top of it.

"Unless I quit first. Thank you for the opportunity. Do I need an escort out of the building?"

Karen smiled and said, "Not so fast, Rockie. There's someone else who wants a few words with you."

As if on cue, the door to the conference room door opened. Patty Brandt walked in, followed by her husband. Without any direction from the new arrivals, Karen, Valerie, and Bert all rose from the table and left the room.

Rockie stood in place beside her chair as she watched two people enter and three people exit the room. She remained standing as Patty and Bobby took seats on the opposite side of the table. They looked over at her and just smiled.

"After the news I just received, I'm not surprised to see you here," Rockie said to Bobby.

She turned to Patty and said, "But your being here is disappointing. If you have the capacity for telling the truth, please tell me if JR knows that you are here."

"JR does not know that we are here," said Patty. "We thought that you had broken up with him anyway, so why should it matter to you?"

"So, if you believe that JR and I are a thing of the past, then your vendetta against me has nothing to do with your fear that he would spend his life with someone like me. It's against me regardless."

"Vendetta?" asked Bobby. "Do you think that this is about us not liking you or something?"

"You have made your opinion of me quite clear," she said to Bobby, and once again turning to Patty she said, "but I thought that you liked me, or at least respected me."

Bobby and Patty glanced at each other before Patty nodded to urge him to speak.

"Rockie, I apologize. I obviously did not make my opinion of you clear, because if I had, you would know that I adore you. Patty and I didn't raise dumb children. Even if I doubted JR's judgment regarding the two of you, which I never have, I know that Katie's protective nature towards her brother has never been wrong where the perception of the girls he had dated is concerned. Katie idolizes you, and that alone would be enough for me. However, I also think you're bright, beautiful, funny, compassionate, brave, loyal, and possess more integrity that I would have expected from someone who had the hardships in life that you have had. I also recognized that this isn't the whole you, is it? If I have seemed distant or not as welcoming as the rest of my family, it's because I have had the opportunity to see the shadow."

"Shadow?" Rockie asked in confusion.

"Please take a seat," Bobby said, "and I'll try to explain."

Rockie silently took a seat across the table from the couple and waited.

"When we learned of JR's interest in you," Bobby began, "I spoke with Karen Mason to learn what I could about you. I don't apologize for that, and when you have children of your own, you will understand."

"I understand now," she said. "I'm okay with that."

"Good." Bobby continued. "I understand JR already told you, I had no reservations about adding your profile to the access system for the secured area of our house, but I neglected to do it before your arrival, and then it was too late to complete it before the holiday. I saw no harm in delaying things until this week, but I did authorize a background check on you in preparation for profile data entry into the system. That's where your shadow appears."

Rockie nodded her head in understanding and said, "You saw only what I wanted you to see."

Bobby smiled and said, "Yes, you and I are similar in our penchant for privacy it appears. You would have discovered this if you had ever attempted to learn more about me or any family member beyond your one Google search. You didn't try, and that impressed me."

Rockie glanced down at her hands before saying, "You may want Patty to leave us alone for a few minutes."

"Why?"

"Because I know more about you than you think. Some of it may be things that you don't want her to hear."

Bobby just chuckled and said, "I doubt that you could know anything about me that my wife hasn't already learned. Her security clearance is much higher than yours."

"I didn't say that you wouldn't want her to learn something," Rockie said, turning her gaze to Patty.

"I said there might be things that you didn't want her to hear."

Patty's expression turned to concern as she said, "Tell us what you want to, Rochelle."

Rockie glanced between the husband and wife and saw that they seemed resolute in hearing her disclosure together. Finally, she said, "Mikhailov is looking for you."

With Bobby sitting silent with a stunned expression on his face and Patty just watching him do so, Rockie picked up the explanation, "Right after JR and I first met, he told me that my Google search on him had raised red flags. When he warned against similar searches by me being detected, I took that as a challenge. I began by accessing his school records. I wasn't interested in the details, only in proving to myself that I could find and access them without being detected, which I did. Just because some of the information in JR's records are hidden, doesn't mean that they don't exist. I guess you could say that I saw the same shadows that your research into me showed you, so I just brought the details out of the darkness where I could see them clearly."

"You get underestimated a lot, don't you?" Bobby asked. "For example, not all of your hacking is ethical, is it?"

Rockie shrugged at Bobby and said, "Technically, and I suppose legally, no it isn't. However, I believe it to always be morally justified so I have no difficulty doing it and sleeping with it each time. Doesn't that paraphrase one of your own idioms?"

"And you're prepared to deal with the consequences when you are caught?" Bobby asked.

She smiled and said with complete confidence, "My penetrations are bullet-proof. Believe me when I tell you that no one could detect my actions unless I wanted them to."

"Do you want me to test you on that?", he asked, but with far less confidence in his tone of voice.

Rockie didn't answer the question, but just continued with her earlier explanation, "The details that were hidden in JR's records provided me with additional information on you and your family that directed me to other potential databases, including those at Brandt Consulting. Until a couple of days ago, I had never done more than penetrate the servers and place a sort of 'doorstop' there to see if it would be detected, and to leave me with access should I ever need to come back."

"The fact that we are all sitting here indicates that she was never detected, doesn't it?" Patty asked her husband. Bobby simply nodded in reply.

"So," Rockie said addressing Bobby, "When I left your house, I had time on my hands and decided to use it trying to understand you better. I hadn't gone very far before my application detected a 'nudge'."

"A nudge?" Bobby asked.

"That's just what I call it when my code has to adapt itself due to changes in the protocols I circumvent to penetrate a system. Some other event was stimulating the Brandt Consulting servers to modify network and access settings like closing certain ports or rerouting access rights. When I researched these nudges further, I found out that the triggering events had been occurring for several weeks, and were essentially advisories from numerous government databases about queries that linked to data on the Brandt Consulting servers."

"So, what do these nudges have to do with Borisovich Mikhailov?" he asked.

"That is the name that was being queried on the other systems," Rockie explained. "As you probably know, most government databases have keywords flagged to restrict access to information based upon defined rights of the entity seeking it. Not everyone can simply log into the Department of Defense databases and ask for the launch codes of our nuclear arsenal, but a user with the proper access rights could do just that. Someone like the Secretary of Defense, I would assume."

"Probably not him," said Bobby, "but I get your point. And to that point, someone would need to gain at least basic access to the database to even initiate a query, so unless the queries are by an authorized user on the databases, just one without the right clearance levels, the databases have been penetrated from the outside. Correct?"

"Is Sevastopol far enough outside?" asked Rockie.

"On the Crimean Peninsula? That Sevastopol?"

Rockie nodded her head and said, "Right in the center of the Gagarinski District of the city. I have identified seven separate computers at three locations in that area that have penetrated one or more of our government servers with the sole purpose of finding information on the name Borisovich Mikhailov. I penetrated two of these and discovered that the queries are not on Mikhailov, but being conducted on his behalf in an attempt to identify someone by the name of 'Prem'yer- suka'. Curious about who this person might be, I did my own query of the Brandt Consulting servers, and guess what I found out."

Bobby didn't answer but just sat staring at the woman across from him with a look of puzzled amazement. Patty kept glancing between her husband and Rockie, not knowing what to expect.

Finally, Rockie spoke, "I'm sure that this all surprises you. First that I know what I know, followed by learning how easily I gained that knowledge, and probably ending with the discovery that some very dangerous and determined people are trying to locate you. If it makes you feel any better, I eliminated the threat for now, and the foreseeable future."

"How?" asked Patty before her husband could respond.

"I'll try not to get too technical," Rockie said. "First, I fixed the vulnerabilities in each of the compromised government servers that the hackers had exploited to gain access. That was simple software coding fixes that I have done hundreds of times before. Next, I placed a little ransomware bug that I have developed onto one of the computers in Sevastopol that quickly spread to all the others on their network, regardless of whether it had been one of the ones involved in the penetrations. For the last two days, hundreds of computers around the Crimean Peninsula have been offline. They will remain offline until one million dollars is donated by each to the 'Human Rights Watch' agencies. Even if they paid the ransom by the deadline, which is in less than an hour from now, those computers and everything on them is useless and will continue to be so for eternity. I suppose they could reuse the cases that the computers are in, but anything electronic within them has been destroyed, including all data."

"But the people responsible will still exist," Bobby said. "If they're that determined, they'll be back in some fashion."

"I don't have the resources to deal with the people," said Rockie. "All I can do is cripple their technological capabilities."

"Well, I do have the resources. Can you be more specific as to the location of the computers?"

Rockie nodded and smiled, "Is the street address good enough?"

"That will do," said Bobby. "Are you positive that they can't trace any of this back to you?"

"One-hundred percent," assured Rockie. "However, if they ever can crack the ransomware bug, there are some politicians in North Korea who may need to watch their backs. The coding points directly to them."

Bobby laughed and said to Patty, "Why don't you two go get some coffee and have the discussion I know that you want to have. I need to make a few arrangements before lunch."

Patty leaned over and kissed her husband before rising from her chair and walking around to stand beside a still seated Rockie. Noticing Rockie's reluctance to stand, Bobby rose from his chair and walked around to join his wife. Patty stepped aside as Bobby reached for Rockie's hand and gently held it in his.

"Rochelle, if I didn't make it clear before, I want to do so now. You have misunderstood me in so many ways, and I take full and complete responsibility for that. Since she sat next to me in that first class, Patty has had me wrapped around her little finger, and she has always known this. From the day that she was born, Katie has had both me and her brother wrapped around her little finger, and she knows that as well."

Rockie felt Bobby release her hand and thought that he was done until she felt the pressure on only one of her fingers; her little finger.

"Rockie, you have had me right here since before I actually met you, and I'm not going anywhere. I was going to say that I see so much of Katie in you, but that wouldn't be true. What I do see, and what makes me so proud is that I see so much of you in Katie. I love you, respect you and welcome you to our family without reservations. I hope I can demonstrate that to you better than I have so far."

Rockie felt the tears on her cheeks but ignored them as she quickly stood and stepped into Bobby's waiting embrace. Patty had tears in her own eyes as she joined them in a group hug.

"Can I leave these here?" Rockie asked as the embrace of all three ended. She was pointing to her computer bag and badge, still sitting on the conference table.

Bobby stepped back and smiled, "Of course. If I must leave the room for any reason, I'll make certain that the door is locked. However, it might be a good idea if you keep your cell phone with you in case I need to call you for more details on anything or clarification on the things you have already told me."

"How much time are you going to need?" Patty asked. "We are supposed to meet my parents for lunch at eleven-thirty so I should call them if you think we might be late."

Bobby checked the time and said, "Give me an hour. I just want to get a few things started now and I can follow up on other matters later."

Patty kissed him once more and then took Rockie's hand, "Come on Rochelle. Let's go find a spot in the lunchroom to have a little talk."

Rockie squeezed Patty's hand and said, "Yes, let's do that."

Chapter Twenty-Nine

ROCKIE: I will be getting home earlier than expected. Do you have a class or studying to do?

JR: I have a final in Philosophy at eleven this morning, but I should be home by two. What time will you be home?

ROCKIE: I can go home anytime I want, but I could also spend a few hours running some errands. I should be home by the time you get there.

JR: You know what sounds good after a long road trip? Lounging in my hot tub. Are you up for that? We can sit and talk until our skin becomes macerated, or longer if necessary 

ROCKIE: That sounds painful 

JR: Just proves that I have been studying for my exams. Macerated is the medical term for pruney skin.

ROCKIE: Okay, on one condition.

JR: What's that.

ROCKIE: I want to make love to you first. I need to know that we're okay.

JR: That's not a sacrifice, but I will do anything to show you that we're more than just 'okay'.

ROCKIE: As I will do for you.

JR: I know you will. I'll see you around two. Use your key to let yourself in.

ROCKIE: Okay. Good luck on your final.

JR: Thanks. See you soon. I love you too, Rockie.

"Chatting with JR?" Patty asked as she returned to the table in the lunchroom with a cup of coffee for each of them.

Rockie placed her cell phone on the table, accepted the offered cup of coffee, and set it down next to it.

"Yes, just checking his schedule for today. He has a test this morning, so I wanted to wish him luck on that as well."

"It should be one of his last tests, shouldn't it?" Patty asked as she took the seat across from Rockie.

"I actually think the final exams just started this week. On our drive out to Texas, JR apologized to me about him being so occupied with exams right after we returned. Some days, like today and tomorrow, he only has one exam, but I think on Friday he has three of them in one day. Then he should be done."

Patty took a sip of her coffee and asked, "Rochelle, do you mind if I ask why you never continued your education?"

"How do you mean?"

"From what Bobby shared with me, I remember him saying that you attended Cal Poly through an academic scholarship. Didn't you have any interest in going on for your Masters?"

Rockie looked at her hands as they were holding her cup of coffee and a small grin appeared on her face.

"I have my Master's degree and was accepted in the doctoral program, but my student loan debt was already too high by that point to go for my Ph.D. Mr. Brandt didn't see it in my records because I have it hidden."

"Why on Earth would you hide the fact that you have a Master's degree?"

"Because when I graduated, the job market was in horrible shape. I applied at more than a hundred companies and didn't get called for a single interview. Well, that's not entirely true, because I did have one phone interview where the recruiter enlightened me on things."