Annika de Groot isn’t accustomed to visits from Rosa Rook herself. There’s two official directors (and two unofficial ones) that stand between them.
Rosa is all smiles as she enters the office. The door seals itself behind her, and the anti-eavesdropping systems engage automatically. “Annika. So good to see you again.”
“Thank you, Rosa.”
An important principle of business is that when you’re known only by your first name, you’re in upper management. Corporate culture demands a certain familiarity despite the hierarchy, to humanize the senior executives in the eyes of the rank and file. Annika always finds it unnerving, because she understands Rosa Rook and knows the price she’d pay to get on the woman’s bad side through a simple disrespectful gesture. But today it feels safe.
Rosa sits and folds her hands together. Annika isn’t sure what to read from the body language yet.
“First, I want to apologize. I took some of your most promising High-Tension Thinkers people and reassigned them to Devon’s team.”
Annika smiles bravely. “Quite alright. Jackson and Philo are quite capable, but we’ve been able to make progress in their absence.”
Rosa smiles back. “Of course, of course. I’m very impressed with your cryonics studies.”
She’s not here about that. There’s nothing special to report. There’s a big ‘but…’ coming.
“… But I am sorry to say that I need a few more people.”
Annika’s smile is frozen. “Of course. We’ll make the necessary adjustments.”
Rosa leans in, arms out, hands open. Annika, despite her fears, feels genuine contrition here. “Annika, I came personally because I want you to hear this from me, first. We’re not taking people off this cryonics thing because it isn’t working. I know it is. I approved taking people from HTT because it’s working. Because you are producing results. I just happen to need those people for something else right now. You’ll get them back.”
Annika nods, unsure whether to feel relief just yet. “I’m gratified to hear that, Rosa.”
Rosa grins. “In fact, I came to ask you for recommendations. We’re usually discreet about our personal projects around here, but I want you to know about this. They’re your people I’m borrowing, and you know them best. That’s why I want your recommendations on who should go.”
Annika straightens up. This is unprecedented. “Of course.”
Rosa slides a manila folder across Annika’s desk. “Read, digest, destroy.”
Annika flips open the folder. Her eyes scan page after page. She sits back in shock, and looks at Rosa.
Rosa Rook, for her part, is unruffled. “If this works out, we may be putting you under Devon. But, Devon would be moving upstairs in a big way, so you’d be following him up. You and your team. Aside from promotions, big benefits for everyone, not just the people who’ve been pulled out. As I said - you’re doing good work. Work that will synergize with this project in big ways.”
Annika shakes herself loose of her surprise. “But the Magus. How are you even thinking of trapping her?”
Rosa’s smile radiates a confidence Annika wishes she could feel. “She’s already been lured into pursuit of one of our assets. They’ll simply lead her into the confinement chamber.”
The president of Rook Industries leans forward in her chair, grinning like a wolf. “Our collection of ghosts has already grown. Devon found a way to turn our useless surplus into a benefit. This one just needs bigger bait.”