This is another contest entry:
Anabeth stepped back from the mirror. Her hair was pulled back into a smooth, tight bun. What little makeup she had on accentuated her natural features. Her charcoal pant suit, tailored to fit perfectly, conveyed an air of confidence and authority. Satisfied with her appearance, Anabeth turned to the copy of her resume laying on the dresser beside her.
She had a long, successful career. First as a software developer, then as tech lead, then she had moved through the ranks of technical management. It seemed like the next logical step when she was contacted for this CTO position…still, this was uncharted territory. Ever since she was contacted by Simply Robotix, she started learning everything she could about the company.
They were impressive, to say the least. They took cutting edge AI, combined with next gen robotics to create things Anabeth had only read about in science fiction novels. To say that she was excited to interview for the job would be an understatement. She would have the opportunity to help create the future.
Anabeth picked her resume up, went into her office, and placed it into the folder with several other resume copies and a portfolio of her accomplishments. She smiled to herself at the irony of such a highly advanced technology company still relying on such rudimentary means to gather information. With one last self appraisal in the foyer mirror, she gathered her handbag, folder, and car keys, then set out.
The drive was uneventful. As she approached her exit, the Simply Robotix building was unmistakable. A massive mirrored glass beacon sitting alone in the rural plain. The only other building visible was a small service station not far from the company. Anabeth pulled into the long drive, then stopped at the security booth. One of the guards, a stern looking man in his 30s, approached her window. Anabeth opened the window and said, “I’m Anabeth Kimball here to interview for the CTO position.”
He studied his tablet for a moment then said, “ID please.” She handed him her driver’s license. He scowled at the license, then scowled at her. “One moment.” He went into the security booth and emerged with a security badge that said ‘guest’ across the top. He handed her the badge, but not her license.
Anabeth did not want to upset this man, so she put on a big smile and said, “May I have my license?”
“For security reasons, I will keep your license here for the duration of your stay. When you leave, you can trade the security badge for your license.” The shock was evident on Anabeth’s face, so he continued, “I know it may seem unorthodox, but it’s an extra measure to deter corporate espionage. It’s easier to catch someone driving without a license.”
Anabeth let out a breath and said, “I understand. I will see you in a few hours.” The guard let a small smile break through his stern demeanor before waving her through.
There were guest parking spots right near the entrance, so she didn’t have to search for a spot. After letting the receptionist know she was there, she went to the restroom to clear her mind for the coming ordeal. She set her folder and handbag on the counter, looked at herself in the mirror, stood as tall as she could and said, You can do this! You are smart! You are capable! This job is yours. All you have to do is show them why you are the right person… She heard some scuffling outside the door, grabbed her things and ducked into a stall. The last thing she needed was for someone to see her doubting herself.
The door flew open and a woman walked in, obviously agitated. A few moments later a man followed. “What are you doing?” The woman admonished.
“Come on, Carolyn, we have got to settle this,” the man replied.
“Settle what? I’ve made my decision! I’m out. I can’t do this anymore.”
“Be reasonable, Carolyn. What will it take to change your mind?”
“Change my mind!? You have been using me! In fact, I think it’s about time I go to the board!” Anabeth let out a small gasp. “What was that?” The woman said in a harsh whisper.
“You’re sure there’s no one in here?” The man asked.
“There shouldn’t be…” she replied.
Anabeth quietly stepped on top of the toilet as the man started looking under the doors of the stalls. Eventually he said, “There doesn’t appear to be anyone here. Carolyn, you really need to reconsider your position.”
“What I need is out!” She said tersely.
“I’m so sorry you feel that way.” He said in a flat tone. Anabeth heard gurgling and choking sounds, so she peaked through the crack in the stall door to see the man strangling the woman. He had both hands around her throat lifting her off of the ground. She nearly screamed, but clamped her hand over her mouth to hold it in. She heard the woman struggle, kicking and hitting, but to no avail. One of her spiked heels caught the edge of the sink spring bits of porcelain all over the ground. Anabeth chanced a glance through the crack and saw that a piece of the porcelain hit the back of the man’s wrist. He dropped that hand and strangled her with just his left. Blood trickled down his right hand and dripped off of his pinky. It seemed to take forever for him to finish strangling her. Finally, he stopped, let her fall to the ground, and left the bathroom. Anabeth ran out of the stall to look at Carolyn, but it was clear…she was dead.
She took several deep breaths, gained her composure, then gathered her things and started out towards reception. Her intention was to inform the reception desk of what she had seen. Before she got there a man intercepted her saying, “Ah, you must be Miss Kimball, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Anabeth’s heart sank into her big toe, it was him! The man from the bathroom! He gave her an inquisitive look and asked, “Is everything alright?”
Anabeth gave herself a mental shake and said, “Yes, everything is fine. I’m Anabeth Kimball.”
“I’m Lance Lancaster, CEO of Simply Robotix. Let’s get started, shall we?” Anabeth smiled and followed him toward his office.
After getting settled Lancaster said, “You have quite an impressive resume. Have you ever worked with AI in the past?”
Anabeth’s heart was pounding like a drum in her chest. She could hear the blood pumping in her ears. She had to treat this like a normal interview if she wanted to get out of here. She said, “As a developer I worked a lot in Python. Working in management, I have overseen the release of several types of smart assistants and financial monitoring assistants. I have a lot of interest in AI, and I am wiling to learn.”
Lancaster nodded, then asked, “Where do you see yourself in five years?”
Dead, if I don’t get out of here, she thought. “Ushering in a new era. AI is the future. Right now smart devices can do quite a bit: vacuum, monitor investments, monitor glucose levels for diabetics, and more. The potential for AI is limitless.”
“How do you relate to AI?”
What kind of question is that? Anabeth thought. I have to get out of here. “Mr. Lancaster, I really hate to do this in the middle of the interview, but do you mind if I use the restroom?”
“I understand, Miss Kimball, nerves…The restroom is down the hall.”
Anabeth went back into the bathroom. Everything that had happened since she’d gotten here seemed so surreal. That feeling intensified when she walked into a perfectly clean bathroom. No body, no blood, no porcelain…no evidence that anything had ever happened. Determined to know what she really saw, Anabeth stopped at the directory in the lobby. The only Carolyn listed was the chief of marketing, Carolyn Schneider. Anabeth asked the receptionist if Ms. Schneider was available, and was told that she had been on vacation for a week, and would remain so for another week. Anabeth sensed that something was off; the receptionist seemed tense as she gave the information…or was that just her imagination running wild. She headed back toward Lancaster’s office.
As she settled back into her seat Lancaster asked, “Are you interested in marketing?”
“Pardon?” Alarm bells started ringing in Anabeth’s head.
“The receptionist said that you were asking about our chief marketing officer.”
“Oh, yes…I thought I heard her name mentioned, so I was curious. Sorry about that.”
“No need to be sorry. Curiosity is as admirable trait in this profession. Unfortunately Miss Schneider will be unavailable for a while. If you’d like to explore our marketing techniques, I can get you an appointment with our director of marketing, Damien Davis.”
“That won’t be necessary. I’m sure we can cover the majority of my questions here.”
“I’m sure we can. Now, where were we? Ah yes, your relationship to AI. So, how do you interpret AI’s role in your life?”
Anabeth took a deep breath and answered the question while watching Lancaster closely. “I’ve never really thought about it before. I guess it’s one of cooperation. Nearly everything I own is a smart device. I love the convenience of having AI that can alert me if something is wrong, or keep track of things that I don’t have enough time or knowledge to track. Of course, I have to be diligent about ensuring that the software is updated regularly and that hardware maintenance is done properly.” As far as she could tell, Lancaster was treating this like any other interview. Could that mean he really didn’t know that she was in that bathroom?
“Miss Kimball, I’d like to take you for a short tour of our facility.”
Terror ran down Anabeth’s spine, but she swallowed and said, “Alright.”
They walked a little ways down the hall to an empty office where Lancaster stopped and said, “This is the CTOs office” Anabeth peered through the window to see a dark, barren office, with a large desk, a chair, and some empty shelves. They left the office behind and moved a little further down the hall. Several portraits featuring the C-Suite of the company hung along the corridor. Lancaster’s portrait was prominent, overshadowing the rest, but Anabeth’s eyes lingered on the CMO. Carolyn Schneider was, indeed, the woman she had seen in the bathroom. Now she knew it wasn’t her imagination. Carolyn Schneider was dead, and Lance Lancaster had murdered her. She had to find a way to get out of here and alert the police without letting Lancaster know what she’d seen.
Lancaster stepped aside to allow Anabeth to walk in front of him into the open area of cubicles that made up Simply Robotix’s center of development. No one seemed to notice the intrusion. The only sound was the clicking of keyboard keys. Meetings were held in separate meeting rooms, and most communication was done via text messenger, so the room remained eerily quiet. The eerie silence coupled with dispassionate employees who didn’t even acknowledge the presence of the CEO left Anabeth with a disquieted sensation deep in her bones.
Lancaster simply walked beside Hanabeth through the cubicle section. The opening at the far end of the area opened onto a catwalk above a cavernous room. Anabeth had seen malls and airport small enough to fit inside this room. Within it, rows of dormant robots gleamed. Some stood at ground level. Some hung from grappling hooks attached to runners at varying levels. Many were approximately the size of a human, other were slightly larger, still others were massive. Anabeth stood in awe. Lancaster smiled at her smugly. Finally, Anabeth asked, “Do all of these utilize AI?
“They do,” he replied. An icy fear swept down Anabeth’s spine. Before she could dwell on the feeling, Lancaster said, “Shall we?” indicating the opening at the other end of the catwalk. This opened into the hallway of a residential wing. As they walked down the empty corridor, that feeling of icy fear grew with each step until they finally came to a door. Lancaster opened the door into the empty an unit. As he handed Anabeth the key, his jacket sleeve fell away from his wrist revealing a cut. He then said, “Welcome aboard.”
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