2011

Thankfully Evelyn was prepared for this question and said, "at first it was difficult as both me and Valeria were learning a lot, but over time it got easier and my daughter has improved a lot thanks to having a better support system and education." Evelyn told her niece before picking her daughter up and giving her a hug and a gentle kiss on the cheek.

Chapter 13 Tarkik and Moon fell into a daily rhythm for the rest of the week. After waking up, Tarkik would wet his diaper if he needed to while Moon got dressed. In the hotel lobby, they met up with Petunia, Colin, Arturo, and a few of the other employees attending the performance improvement summit who were also staying at the Ferreot and walked to the office together. They got breakfast from the office cafe, and since that included coffee it stimulated Tarkik into soiling his diaper, though for the benefit of the rest of the group he did hold that until they were all done eating and dropping off their trays at the dish room. Arturo always rolled his eyes at Moon’s offer of a diaper change, which Tarkik didn’t understand—he hadn’t offered a bottom-cumming, and Tarkik wouldn’t have accepted if he had. They each attended their assigned team’s standup meetings, then returned to the large conference room for a classroom session with Frank and Frank before returning to embed with their teams. Moon technically had some onboarding material to work through, even though he was only going to work there for another week and a half, but he completed it quickly and joined Tarkik and Petunia in their observation, even if he didn’t understand it as well as them due to his lack of experience. They heard no further buzzing from Petunia for the rest of the week. Tarkik wasn’t sure if she had turned her vibrator down lower, if having been caught she had decided to go without it, or if she no longer needed it. A fourth option briefly crossed his mind: Moon had stretched her out to the extent that it would no longer stay in. Regardless, it would not be appropriate for work to ask which it was, the wolves and foxes’ offers and requests for sex acts to accompany their many diaper changes notwithstanding. The group tended to return to the hotel together as well at the end of the day, and Petunia never tried to get alone with Arturo or Colin to make the same request of them as she had made to Tarkik and Moon, though perhaps she had already done it while the two of them were away changing a diaper. One unusual event from Tarkik’s perspective was the sudden addition of a sprint wrap-up meeting to his, Moon’s, and Petunia’s calendars on Thursday afternoon. Apparently the team had already finished every work item that was part of the sprint, so they had a meeting to discuss which of their estimates had been wrong for future planning purposes, plus discussions of the schedule for the operations team enabling the features and any special rollback procedures if something broke. This meant that Friday wasn’t part of a sprint, and was spent on maintenance tasks like code cleanups. This surprised Tarkik, since he was used to sprints being a way of dividing up time, not a thing there could be time between other than every second weekend, but it did make sense that you can’t always be sprinting. Tarkik considered telling the rest of the group that Canine Wonderland existed, but decided against it. They were adults and could do their own research into what activities they could fill their weekend with, and he didn’t intend to turn it into an implicit group outing. It was meant to be something fun for Moon to do with his fox, and Tarkik would hopefully enjoy it too. He did let Atuat know about it when the girls weren’t listening in—not that he needed her permission, and one trip to an amusement park would hardly break their budget, but he didn’t want her to be surprised when the charge showed up on the credit card bill. He did treat it like he was doing research in case they wanted to return some day as a family. Atuat figured that all of them receiving the same treatment Tarkik currently was would hamper their enjoyment any such trip, never mind the difficulty of finding a wolf family of the same composition willing to fulfill the role, and Tarkik didn’t entirely disagree, but as he put it, “think of how good an amusement park would have to be in a country where everyone has sex four times a day.”   Early Saturday morning, Moon and Tarkik went to the lobby to have the breakfast buffet at the hotel restaurant, which they charged to the room and therefore to the expense account. While Tarkik’s morning coffee was helping him soil himself, Moon checked the weather on his phone and saw that it would be a warm day—perfect weather for visiting an amusement park, guaranteeing it would be crowded—so instead of using the washrooms in the lobby to change Tarkik’s diaper they returned to the room so Moon could also change himself out of his trousers and into a pair of shorts. Now both dressed for the weather, they went to the subway station paw-in-paw to take the commuter train to the outskirts of the metro area, where Canine Wonderland’s three park complex was.  As Moon boosted Tarkik up to the ticket counter to sign the credit card slip, Tarkik had a few concerns about this park. First was the thrillingness: because of the climate, the largest amusement park in Arctica was inside a mall, and it was quite a large mall, but the roller coasters there were small enough to fit inside it. Several of the coasters here were hundreds of feet tall, and one was long enough that part of it stretched outside the park’s exterior fences, with airtime hills forming a tunnel for entering patrons to walk under. He had been fine on the one looping indoor coaster at the mall, but these were a few tiers above that. His second concern was whether the Wolfoxians’ liberal attitude toward sex would be reflected in the design of the park. Would Thrill Mountain be an enormous penis rising over the rides? Would the roller coaster cars be phallus-shaped, plunging into vagina or anus shaped tunnels? And as they passed through the turnstile, it became obvious that this was borne of a hastily gathered preconception. Thrill Mountain the mountain inside Thrill Mountain the park was concrete sprayed on a wire mesh with an artificial waterfall, which several of the roller coasters climbed over or rushed through. As families composed of both wolves and foxes held paws and laughed around them, waiting for the ropes separating the main street shopping and dining area from the surrounding themed regions to drop and let them enjoy the rides, Tarkik realized his concern was silly: the police procedural he had watched with Moon on Monday night was slightly more candid about the fox using his diaper than an Arctican one would have been about the detective using the toilet, but it’s not like it showed the diaper change or the accompanying anal sex on screen. The roller coaster that escaped from the park’s boundaries turned out to be one of the newer ones built since the last time Moon had been to the park, so they joined the informal line behind the ropes waiting to rush into the formal one. Tarkik hadn’t been on any of the rides here, so he didn’t care that much about going on the newest ones when the slightly older ones would have shorter lines, but a big part of coming here was that it would be fun for Moon, so if Moon wanted to ride the latest rides, they’d wait in line for them. When the park employees dropped the rope, Tarkik and Moon bustled briskly along with the crowd to the entrance to the roller coaster. There were separate height guides for wolves and foxes, to Tarkik’s initial surprise, though it made sense; they didn’t stop to check his height, but as arctic foxes are slightly smaller than red foxes he did veer close to it to confirm he was sufficiently tall. He would have felt terrible for Moon to come back after all this time and not be able to enjoy anything but the kit-and-cub rides. They weren’t the first in line for the coaster, so they had to wait about fifteen minutes, but that was short compared to the queue the ride was likely to have later in the day based on how many switchbacks the line area had. As they zig-zagged toward the boarding platform, Tarkik took stock of the equipment. Each car had four seats in a staggered configuration: two small seats front and center for foxes, or similarly-sized animals—he noticed a few groups of non-wolf, non-fox species in the main street area, so this park was apparently a draw beyond the country’s borders—and two larger seats in the back at the sides, intended for wolves. It also made sense why there were two separate height requirement signs at the entrance. And as he got closer still, he noticed the uniforms the staff wore. On each side of the platform a wolf worked ensuring the restraints had locked, and they each wore a collared shirt with powder blue shorts. A fox sat in the control booth, and another counted off group sizes so families rode together. They wore just a collar with a name tag pinned to it, and while he couldn’t see the former’s lower half, he assumed she wore the same thing as the latter: a plain powder blue diaper. It hadn’t occurred to him that some employers might provide uniform diapers for their foxes; he hadn’t seen whether it was the case for the hotel staff, but the diapers the Ferreot restocked the changing table in the room with each day weren’t hotel branded. Before long they were in the lane for one of the middle cars with another wolf and fox, and then climbing into the car. Moon crossed through the car to stash his diaper bag in a cubby hole on the far side, then returned to the seat diagonally behind Tarkik’s, of course, and the employee wolf on their side of the platform checked their restraints before retreating behind the exit gate, giving a thumbs up to their fox in the operator booth, and holding down their dispatch button. The attendant wolf on the other side did the same from a booth at the rear of the platform, and the train rolled out of the station with cheers from most of its occupants. The track took a U-turn outside the station toward the lift hill, which the train climbed at a shocking speed compared to the indoor coaster he rode at the amusement park in the mall, but of course it had to since it was climbing three hundred feet. As it crested the hill, the cars in front of them dangled on the downslope, waiting for the center of gravity of the train to pass the peak, and Tarkik realized just how high three hundred feet was. And then the train began to descend. Tarkik’s tongue lolled out of his mouth as he yelled in excitement, but the wind in his face was so strong he could scarcely breathe until the coaster slowed down by cresting an airtime hill. Everyone around him raised their paws in the air, but he kept his tightly clinging to the handles on the restraints. Even without inversions, it was three of the most exciting minutes of his life, and he was light-headed when the train hit the brake run on the slope heading into the station. When the train had come to a full stop, the restraints released automatically and he stood up. “How was it?” Moon asked. “Amazing,” Tarkik said, then noticed that his diaper was heavier than it had been when he sat down. He hadn’t even felt that he needed to pee, but apparently he found some and released it. Moon spotted it immediately. “Do you need a diaper change?” he asked. “It can wait,” Tarkik replied. “Which one do you want to ride next?”

Hey everyone! Sorry for not posting yesterday. Made some plans and was all prepared to finish this chapter out, but oops! I guess an over 13-mile hike when you’re not prepared for the humidity can take it right out of you… and cause you to pass out at only 7PM. So, a thousand apologies for that. I’m going to try and post two chapters back-to-back this week… but no promises. I just ask that you all stay vigilant whenever one does come down. And looking ahead… there is another poll out for what I next write. This may be the last one, but for now, the three options as well as the link can be found back in other chapters as well as most recently in chapter 27. And just in case you forgot my method or are new here, this poll will remain open until I post my final chapter. When that will be exactly will be posted at the latest during the second to last chapter. Now… last but not least and as usual, I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter of my story! Chapter 30: First Times Are Always the Toughest Addy wandered through the halls of her home. She had just gotten up from her brief nap after getting home from her second to last week of kindergarten. These things can be stressful… with needing to make plans with her friends before summer break started. She needed to be sure they could come over and play and that required transportation and coordination of snacks and parents who were willing to host at least five six years old for the chunk of a day. With both Addy’s parents working, that was harder than she would have liked. Speaking of which… as she entered the dining room, she could hear both her parents. She wanted to stay out of sight though… she didn’t always know what they were talking about, but she also knew they would quickly switch the topic if they saw her enter. “It’s just not fair, John,” Addy’s mom despaired. “All those Littles… how can we still support this knowing what we know?” Her husband sighed. “I know dear… I know. We got Drakos on as our company’s president when neither of us wanted it and we didn’t really think about what hiring a corporate man would do when he actually started to be president.” “But John… he’s more than that now.” There was a deep sense of despair and regret in her voice now. “He brought on some friends and now…” “Now the votes aren’t always going our way…” he conceded. “I thought about it too… not good.” “Yes!” Addy’s mom seemed desperate now. “Like today… how could we vote on something… something so cruel? You know what the people in Tanassum call that flower he wants us to study, don’t you?” Addy’s dad sighed. “I’ve heard rumors…” “Fountain of Youth, John!” she lamented. “Fountain of Youth… like that old legend from Flosus. The one we read to Addy last year when we were trying to get her interested in history. Can you believe that?” Addy’s ears perked up more now and she peaked from behind the entry way into the kitchen where her parents were arguing. “It’s only a legend, Ceecee,” he noted, using his pet nickname for her… usually something he only did when he was trying to calm her down. Her rants were legendary… but usually right. “But our company, John…” She sighed and broke away from John holding both her hands for support. “Do you know what the locals call it around the mountains where it’s found? Apparently, dealers in the area turned it into a street drug of sorts. John… they call it FOY for short. They’re not even pretending anymore to get the Littles there high. They’re just slowly regressing them into drooling toddlers… all with this new flower we’re getting because of him!” “Hmmm… you know? That’s not a bad name…” Addy’s Dad stroked his chin. “Maybe we could…” “Absolutely not!” Addy’s mom spun around and looked at her husband with a red and clearly furious face. “I will not have Littles be subjected to something that’s a street drug. That’s… that’s just wrong, John!” “But maybe we could modify it, dear…” Addy’s Dad was the chemist and the logical one of the pair between him and his wife… he often cared about the science of it all. Addy’s Mom, Celia, was more into the medical side of things… her nursing ways from before the company often got her to care far more about Littles than the typical Big ever did. “Something less harmful and more… useful.” Especially these days… “No! I won’t do it,” she nearly yelled, stomping her foot on the ground. “We have to draw a line somewhere, John. We should do it here and now…” Addy’s Dad sighed and walked over to his wife before retaking her hands in his and looking deep into her eyes. “Celia… I love you and I love your passion about things… your devotion to Littles and their wellbeing as well. It’s one of the first things I noticed about you when we first started dating.” He then winced and gripped her hands firmer, not in anger but like he was bracing for the support he knew he would need to lend after he finished his next thought. “But we run a company now. We are on a board of advisors and head of our own divisions, and it’s no longer just us tinkering around. We answer to others… to our shareholders. And the other members? If we wait, I think we can convince some of them on other grounds… other places we can win.” He shut his eyes for a moment, almost looking like he hated himself for what he was about to say. “And this drug… FOY, if you will… I agree it’s dangerous. We might spend decades figuring out how to manage and control it for the public. But when it comes to a vote tomorrow, or even next week… you can abstain if you want, but please… don’t vote no. It will make you an enemy when the vote is already a foregone conclusion. You will gain nothing from doing this…” “Except lose any notion that I’m ever a pro-Little advocate to the larger Little community…” she said fully resigned now. “Maybe to the outside world…” He didn’t waste a second and hugged his wife. “But I’ll know. Our kids will know. Even the Little rights groups will know when we pull them aside and talk to them off the record. And you know? One day, maybe we can then change things for the better and fix this one thing that will happen… with or without us…” Celia only nodded back and hugged her husband tight. It was obvious she didn’t like what she was going to have to do… but she knew his logical mind was right. They needed to maintain their senior positions on the board. Voting ‘no’ outright on something like this would only separate them from the group and while it would be a moral victory, with this board especially, it could eventually lead to the board voting them out for the ‘company’s best interests.’ Celia would abstain and Drakos would dislike it, but her opinion would be noted without trashing the legacy. It was politics… but both husband and wife knew it was the best if they ever wanted a say in the future. After a moment though, right after Celia opened her eyes she paused from whatever she was about to say and tapped her husband’s back. “Dear… I think we are being watched…” she whispered. “We…” Her husband broke off from her. “By whom? The company? The board? That Thanatos guy, or…?” But his wife soon spun him around… facing him directly toward Addy. They had caught her snooping. Seeing his daughter all innocent there behind the base of the entryway, he smirked, a quick look of relief washing over him now. “Oh? Is someone trying to learn the family business?” When Addy didn’t respond, he went over to her and smiled like a parent hiding a secret that their kid might already know… but maybe not. “Addy… how long were you standing there?” Addy stared back at her parents for a moment. Both were staring intently back at her… a mix of confusion, horror, and sheer panic. But Addy had not only listened then, but she had listened other times as well, and most importantly, remembered. She remembered when Warren had listened to her being scolded by her parents after breaking a lamp. There were lots of times like those, or vice versa, but she also remembered the last time this had happened. It wasn’t long after the note and Addy had listened then… and been caught mid-sentence that time. She didn’t like the lecture. She didn’t like being caught. So, confronted with the choices today, she knew what she had to do. “I didn’t hear anything… just some yelling and then I came… but you two were hugging.” The absolute and complete relief on both their faces was immediate. “Oh, okay, sweetie. We were just…” Her mom stalled. And her dad picked the motion right back up again. “We were debating on taking you to the pool or not! Mommy thinks you should, but I think you need to clean your room… well, I lost.” His wife gave him a tiny hug of approval. “So… what do you say, pumpkin? You up for an afternoon at the pool?” Addy recognized a quick fib by now when she heard one. Warren was fantastic at them, and she was slowly learning as well. She might not have liked the fib today, but she knew she didn’t want to be caught with her own either. So, she smiled and rapidly nodded her head. “Oh, really! Yes, yes, yes!” She didn’t need to fake her enthusiasm. It was a distraction for sure… built on a fib from an argument she had in fact overheard. But she didn’t care… she just wanted to go to the pool now. *              *              * ‘Wheels on the Bus’ played on an almost loop in the background of the car as Addy, Oliver, and her dad drove off to the company. Oliver liked it well enough and while he had been to the company daycare before when Addy had picked up all her documents to sign, she was still nervous about his first ‘real’ day there. In truth though, Addy was likely just projecting. After all… today was her first day at Juventas. They soon parked, and hand-in-hand, the three then practically waltzed over to the daycare first from the parking spot that was now Addy’s… close by the entrance and reserved only for board members. It still had her dad’s name on the sign in front… but it was mostly definitely hers now. Getting to the daycare, Addy appreciated the jungle mural the daycare had adopted with their front entrance. It made the place feel mysterious and yet somehow oddly inviting. ‘Must be all the smiling monkeys and snakes or something…’ Handing his diaper bag off to the front attendant, Addy crouched down to say goodbye to Oliver. “Okay… I’ll be right back here after I’m done today. Shouldn’t be long, but until then… please just listen to what they have to say, okay?” Oliver quickly nodded. “I will,” he promised. Having built up a few friends from coming here before and then the company picnic, Addy now seemed more nervous than he was. In fact, he tried on several points to wiggle away and go back to greet them… even when Addy hugged him tight. “Addy…” he groaned.    “Oh!” She quickly backed off. “Sorry, sorry. Just… you call me if you need me, okay? Just tell one of the attendants and I’ll get over here on the double.” Oliver smiled and nodded. “Won’t need… but thanks…” He seemed clearer today… or at least not worst. The downside… right after, he practically ran to the back. Addy felt her heart hung heavy when he didn’t even say goodbye, but her dad’s watch beeped and she knew they both had to get going. So, standing, she looked back at the front attendant. “Okay… you know how to reach me. Phone line here for my new office apparently, but please… try my cell phone first. This thing will always be on me.” “No problem, Ms. Pepperidge,” she gleefully acknowledged. “Will there be anything else?” Addy almost left before snapping her fingers and pivoting back. “Actually… yes. Those bars you’ve been giving him?” “The nutrition bars he likes so much?” she questioned with a funny, almost confused look. “Yes. Those ones,” Addy emphasized. “I know he likes them but…” Her dad’s voice rang out in her head about what to say in case something like this happened where the attendant was about to question her. “Upset tummy and all. We’re trying to figure it out. Eliminated peaches yesterday but he was okay. So… I think today will be the nutrition bars if you don’t mind?” The attendant shook her head, the look on face going back to her usually cheery smile. “Oh, that’s no problem. I’ll attend to it personally and add it to his main file. Just please let us know if the bars are an issue going forward permanently. Our records need to be as up to date as soon as possible.” Addy nodded and soon headed out with her dad to the main building. “You’re right… she did question things…” Her dad sighed as he guided her to the main building in the complex. “I thought so… she accepted your explanation in the end though, right?” Addy wanted to poke him further… at least with why he seemed he knew about all this already but instead nodded. “That’s right…” Her dad stopped when they got to the lobby of the main building and turned to her. “Then I wouldn’t worry about it. Instead, focus on today. Right now, you need your badge and all the other stuff to give you access here. Right now, technically at least, you’re a visitor with me.” Addy looked down and suddenly noticed the empty spot on her shirt as compared to her dad that lacked a badge. Looking around, she saw that she was the only person in the whole of the lobby, now neatly swarming with people in their morning commutes to get to their offices on time with their morning cup of coffee, without one. “I guess I should go do that first then…” Her dad nodded. “Just right through there…” He pointed over to a sign written in big bold letters, ‘Badging.’ “Just follow the signs down the hallway. Should be on your right. They’ll let you know where to go next, but that should be to get your equipment. After, find your office. I’ll catch up with you then.” Hen then leaned over and gave her a quick hug. “Good luck honey.” He smiled at her. “You’ve got this.” Addy smiled and nodded. “Thanks, Dad.” He then turned and left her alone, and for some reason she couldn’t quite explain herself, she felt like it was the first day of school again and he was leaving her to go off on her own for the first time. Of course, now she was a grown woman, and this was just badging and equipment retrieval… but the feeling didn’t go away. Even when badging, she felt like she was getting her school portrait done. “Hmmm…” She winced a little at her badge. “Probably should have smiled on this thing, and… ugh. Should have gone to the salon to get my hair fixed. Definitely got to add that to my to do list.” But not able to do anything about it now and the photographer saying nothing as well, she sighed, clipped her badge to her blouse, and continued to retrieve her laptop. Getting it and ensuring she could log on, she was then directed up to her office. High at the top of the building, it overlooked the facility and campus Juventas had here. Not the original, but the one since about a year after they went public, the sprawling forests around the many buildings contrasted the peace with the mischievous no doubt happening all around. Addy, finding her office, was situated in a row used for senior executives and the board members. Seeing her door, she sighed. ‘Dr. John Pepperidge, Board Member, Director of Chemical Analysis and Application Division.’ Pushing through, she saw the office she remembered so well… her office now. Her dad had already moved all his stuff out last week and from the smell, it had been painted since… but it was still his. Taking over for his position on the board, Addy wasn’t sure what Division she would be placed under… but her background was undeniable. With an undergrad backing in chemistry and then her time with Littles at Psyche had given her a unique insight. Not only did she understand what went into the drugs… she was able to understand the consequences of each as well. And while Bigs and Middles used their products as well, these days especially, 90% of their target users were Littles… them knowing or not. Setting her laptop down, she quickly got set up in her own tiny way. Her computer booting up once more, she laid out a mini tear-off calendar to her right and one of her favorite pictures so far of her and Oliver. Taken at the park, Oliver was full of bliss… Addy full of love. If she ever had a bad day, she knew she could look at it and still dream and hope of something better soon enough. “Knock, knock.” Addy looked up and saw her dad enter with a smile. “Settling in, huh?” Addy nodded. “Yep. Your old office… you’re old directorship. I guess they thought I’d be good for it.” “They sure did, kiddo,” he confirmed with an air of pride. “The next best candidate here who was eligible for a board position had an internship in chemistry at one point and I think maybe held one Little in their life. With you time here as an intern in high school, your degree, and your career… you will be perfect.” Addy blushed a little at that, still never fully comfortable with so much praise… even if it was welcome from her dad. “Thanks. I just… I hope I make a good impression here. I hope I do a good job…” He sighed and walked over to what was now her desk. “Addy… you will do a great job here. I know that… I’ve known it for years. I knew you would be good as soon as you were an intern here starting your junior year of high school. You advanced beyond everyone else and figure things out before even our own people.” He paused. “To be honest… I think that’s why I pushed you for so long to come here. Now that you have though… just breathe and take things one at a time. Trust me… you’ve got this.” Addy knew all that, but it was still nice to hear. On her first day, things were bound to go wrong… it just took after lunch for them to begin to grow sour. She had breezed through several meetings and understood assignments and divided out tasks with ease. No one questioned her and no one left upset. ‘All in a day’s work…’ But her dad entered his old office once more just as Addy finished the last bite of her salad from lunch. “Okay… we’re up now…” “You mean…?” Her dad had been filling out the last of his paperwork today and transitioning into his new advisory board down in one of the labs. Now though, there was only reason why he was back up here. “That’s right. Board meeting in five,” he confirmed. “You ready?” Addy stood on shaky legs. “I guess so?” Her dad chuckled. “You’ll be fine. You’ll sit in the chair today, but I’ll be right behind you. You know how to answer… just like at the picnic. And then for updates… let me go first, then I’ll transition to you and then you use what you learned today in your various meetings, okay? And… if there’s a vote, use your own conscience… though I might just whisper in your ear at some point depending on what it is.” He paused and now looked very seriously at her. “Long view and all…” Addy nodded and simply followed her dad to the meeting, bringing along her tablet where she had been keeping track of certain tasks she had handed out. Looking down, she saw the updates on five of them… all proceeding accordingly. Entering the boardroom, she had seen it before, but now she was here and she was the board member. It had undergone renovation, and at the top of the building, the glass on nearly all sides interspersed with granite and steel gave it an almost unnatural and otherworldly appearance. Looking down the sleek black table, she soon located her name card and sat down… her dad close behind her. Entering in, the rest of the board soon followed. A few pleasantries were exchanged… but then everyone went silent and stood. Addy wasn’t a fool… and followed right along. It was just in time for Mr. Drakos to enter. And when he sat down, everyone else only sat down then as well. He then smirked, saw Addy, and cleared his throat. “So, we have our new member here… so by the book everyone.” A light applause followed, as well as several nods from her friends and her brother… and glares from the ones likely to be her enemies. ‘Just breathe, Addy. Just breathe…’ “Now then…” Mr. Drakos turned to Mr. Bouras. “I believe everyone is here today. Mr. Vice President… you may proceed with the order.” Bouras nodded shakily, his incident during the party still clearly had shaken him as he stumbled through his notes. “Ah!” he cleared his own throat and read aloud. “Greetings were exchanged… followed by Division updates, old order of business, voting if needed, and then lastly, new orders of business.” He just seemed relieved when he got through his part. Mr. Drakos seemed to notice but only nodded and then turned back to the board. “Okay… updates everyone. I want the good… the bad… the questionable. All of it.” Everyone nodded and like a firing line, each member went and gave their updated. R&D had hit a snag on a new dispersal system. Marketing seemed to be failing to reach customers in Asia and portal Littles seemed more suspicious about ads placed back on Earth more than ever. Product testing seemed better… but a delay in a shipment from a facility in Arizona was costing both time and money now. And second to last, Intelligence was briefed by Warren, and all he could note was that research into BioLife was ‘ongoing.’ Then Mr. Drakos, a little annoyed by the lack of progress with the others, looked at Addy and then to her dad. As planned, her dad stood up and spoke first. “As you know… the next few times we meet, I will be transitioning over to my daughter, and I will serve mainly as an advisor to her. Today will be my last update and that’s just left over from last week… So-called ‘compound 6’ is ready for product testing and FOY 6.0 needs more tweaking to become stabilized within our margins of error.” He then sat down… and all eyes pointed to Addy. Suddenly, her throat was so dry. She swallowed and it helped… but she immediately felt unnerved. “Co… compound 7 is in full analysis. The reports for the analysis we’re doing on the water in our facility in Aborqum out west near the Calidaforna border should be done by tomorrow, COB. All other reports are still pending the influx of new products promised to us by the end of the week.” “Good, good,” Mr. Bouras noted after a moment instead while Mr. Drakos leaned back in his chair. “Old business now… as a review, we were discussing the acquisition of a new product released at the New Eboracum convention. As noted by Dr. Pepperidge and confirmed by Mr. Allen, the product can cause severe incontinence. The debate is sealed… the vote is now.” Behind her, Addy could hear her dad suck in some air in tension. They had talked about votes before… but not so soon. Addy could feel her heart racing. ‘This is it. As a division head, my job is done. As a board member though… this is it. This is what we do. Talk about… and then vote. And I have no idea what anyone is even talking about…’ Her dad’s voice of ‘vote with your conscience rang in her head but Bouras shouting out stopped that cold. “I vote yay.” He quickly dictated it. “Now… R&D,” Bouras continued next with on his right. Mr. Allen nodded. “Yay.” “Product testing,” Bouras announced after jotting the answer down. “N… abstain…” Elena conceded. Bouras gripped his pen tighter… and then moved on to the next. “Marketing…” Josh straightened his suit. “Abstain.” His vote was more confident… but still defiant. Or at least that’s how Bouras looked to interpret the vote as once he jotted down. He almost looked like he was about to throw something… and then just moved on. “Investigations…” “Yay…” Warren didn’t hesitate… but knowing her brother, Addy could tell from his face that he didn’t like it. This time, Bouras seemed more than satisfied. The vote was three up with two abstentions. Now, it would pass… and a grinning Bouras looked right at Addy. “Chemical Analysis and Application Division.” Addy sighed. She felt the vote needed at least one ‘nay.’ Passing a vote to introduce yet another product that could hurt Littles felt totally barbaric. “N…” “Yay,” her dad spoke up for her. Addy snapped around and saw her dad. The room was silent and while all the other faces then looked to Bouras and Drakos, she remained fixed on her dad. All he did though was mouth ‘later.’ Turning back around, with no objection from either the President or Vice President, Bouras smiled and slapped his hand on the table. “With four yays and two abstentions… the motion passes.” The table afterward was a mixed bag. Bouras, Drakos, and Allen were all smiles and congratulated each other heartily. Warren seemed resigned, but when he turned away to sneeze for a second… completely ashamed. And Elena and Josh… they both looked at her with confusion and betrayal. For her own part… Addy just sat there stunned and what had just happened… or that her dad’s vote even counted. After, Bouras pushed onto new business. It was something about the acquisition of something called Ionic Water. A new product just released, they had little capital and large ambitions. Intelligence suggested a deal could be made with them and together, they could expand into Big territory more and reach millions of new customers around the world. But to Addy, still confused, most of that was just muffled. And the same when she went back to her office… and the same when she picked up Oliver from daycare… and the same when they all got in the car and drove home. Addy was confused… and the more she thought about it, deeply pissed. Back home, Addy made sure to settle Oliver into a calm and quiet playtime with Stripe and some blocks. Today, a little clearer it seemed, he looked less interested… but Stripe was always a guarantee. So, whittling away and talking to him casually, with a nap in an hour, Addy pulled her dad downstairs to the bunker. The door closed and the monitors on to keep an eye on Oliver, Addy confronted her dad. “Dad… what the shit was that?” “Now, honey…” he tried to defend. “Remember… our job is to…” “Oh, bullshit!” Addy felt like she had just betrayed every other Little out there. “You voted for me? You’re not a board member anymore, and… and…” She was shaking now. Her dad sighed and nodded. “I’m sorry about that… but, if you’re willing, just hear me out, okay?” Addy gritted her teeth… but nodded. She needed answers now. Yelling could always start again. Satisfied he had the floor; he then went over and pulled over a few charts. “Now… first the company business. You’ll need to know this yourself no matter what else.” He cleared his throat. “This shows better what R&D were talking about. New dispersal system… potential flaws in it that haven’t been fixed yet. If used today, those flaws could expose Bigs in your division to potentially harmful chemicals when we check them out in a week or even a month from now. Second, keep an eye on Ionic Water and BioLife.” “Seemed pretty harmless to me from what I saw in the brief…” Addy mused. Her dad said nothing at first, only pulling more papers over, each showing the full undiluted influence of both. “Outside… both are clean. A deeper look? With Ionic Water, we could dose Bigs and they wouldn’t even know it. Allen wants to give them chemicals to make them desire Littles more. Potential windfall of money for us but… potential suit as well. And BioLife… that could be for everyone. Could be our way into hospitals… more access… more desperate patients as testers for our products.” Addy, between this and her rage, almost felt like puking. She remained utterly still and silent… but inside, she felt like she was going to pop. Her dad seemed to notice, but maybe to save her the indignity, only continued. “Now… about the vote…” Addy finally let a little tension out, easing up her nauseous feeling. “Yes… what the shit was that, Dad?” “Easy,” he warned her. “I get you’re pissed, but… think about it for a second. Remember what I told you? Save your vote when it matters.” He pulled out a scrap of paper and pen and wrote the three voting categories on it. “This contract… this new drug we’re getting… it’s worth millions. Everyone knows that… it was heavily briefed and you should almost always assume something like that.” “Just one drug is worth that for something we can already do?” Addy questioned. Her dad nodded. “Yes. Otherwise, it would be hundreds of millions… billions even if it was something revolutionary. This isn’t… but money is money.” He then started tallying. “Drakos can’t vote unless there’s a tie. Today though, Bouras and Allen were a yes. Josh and Elena knew the cash value attached… so they didn’t want to risk their positions.” Addy saw the tallies just as she had been witnessed to at the vote around the table. “Now…” Her dad pulled a different colored pen. “Warren could have voted nay, and you could have as well…” Two blue marks went to ‘nay.’ “So… two… two… two…” Addy could start to see the logic. “Oh… a tie… Drakos.” Her dad nodded, almost looking a little proud. “Exactly… and he wants money… so he would have been a yes and Warren’s family… and I know you know now by the way… they would be hurt or taken for ransom or a million other things… and both of you might be voted out later and only in exchange for something so small.” Addy saw the numbers and she saw what could have happened. “And so, Warren couldn’t vote with me, and Josh and Elena would have held back no matter what without support… holding their vote for something big. And if I had voted nay alone…” Her dad redrew the tallies… except now with her as the only nay. “Your principles would have been noted… but you would have been alone and vulnerable to ousting one way or another. I saw your tension… I knew what you were going to do and I also knew Drakos’ and Bouras’ greed. They wanted the drug… so I voted for you…” Addy finally understood. She hated it top the very core… but she knew it was right what he did in the screwed-up company they were now a part of in some capacity. “And you saved me…” Her dad sighed and nodded. “That’s right,” he confirmed. “That’s why I’m still here. You’re still seeing the game we play one, maybe two steps ahead. To win this stuff… you need to look farther than that.” Addy shook her head, ever brain cell of her mind feeling like it was swimming in hot tar now. “That’s a lot to process…” Her dad smiled and let out a tiny laugh. “Yes… but it also helps that I know that company and that I know the board members. The company may get int eh door with a horrible drug, but they have tech that might also help Littles out as well… and our analysis might block the chemical as it stands anyways. Right now, you’re still in, we’ll make a little money off this, and later, if things are bad, we can pull the plug then… and still have options to help millions of other Littles by blocking the votes we know we can win.” Addy sighed and immediately worried about her future. One wrong move today or something so minor and she could have been well on her way to being forced out. ‘Then where would that leave the Littles in their wake?’ She didn’t like the game, but she was starting to see how it was played… and won. She knew she needed to learn it… and fast. Her dad smirking then came over and wrapped one arm around her before leading her to the stairs back up. “Don’t worry. You’ll learn. Today was just the first of many votes. You’ll see the big picture like me soon. Until then… that’s why I’m here. Use me there. Let me teach you… and you’ll be just fine, okay?” Addy nodded and under her dad’s arm, she did feel a little better. She still hated herself for how the vote went down… but she knew there would be others. “That’s my Addy…” he said parentally. “Now… how about we go upstairs and have some of the muffins I snatched from the dining hall today, huh? Think you might be up for a cinnamon sugar… or how about an orange cranberry?” Addy smiled, feeling protected and safe while her dad was still with her. She was nervous about he future, but with him here, she didn’t feel so bleak about it all… at least not today as bad anymore. “Cinnamon sugar, please?” Ten minutes later, muffin by her side and her dad’s halfway in his mouth, they watched as Oliver maneuvered about the living room, his eyes bright if not a little tired. “You know… he seems better today,” her dad finally noted. “Definitely better…” Addy had seen Oliver the other day. To her, if she was being honest with herself, without any drugs or hypnosis to her knowledge, he looked drunk he was so bad. Today, he still stumbled and still was talking to Stripe… but his words were focused and his actions deliberate. Licking his fingers, her dad then wandered off to the backyard to plant more of his lilies. Alone with Oliver preoccupied, Addy opened her work laptop. A special one just for board members, there were only files deemed ‘classified for president eyes only’ she couldn’t see now. Everything else, even the secretive items, were at her disposal. And seeing Oliver so clear once more, she was more than a little curious. “Okay… please be wrong… please be wrong…” She didn’t like what her mind was already putting together. Nutrition bars as the only change and Oliver soon dives off into the proverbial deep end of regression. Nothing like a newborn level… but not Oliver per say anymore. And the fact they were offered by the Juventas daycare no less sent more warning bells off in her mind. Problem was, they weren’t labeled as hazardous. Little food was known to be dosed. Even ice cream cones from a random ice cream truck of the local shops could be dosed… it was just the way society was. Frustrating… but all labeled. And the nutrition bars weren’t… “Okay…” She then saw Oliver smile at her. She of coursed smiled back but she made sure to keep quiet now. ‘I’m in and… yes. Files… classified… board members eyes… and…’ The phone rang. Addy groaned, but with her dad outside, she picked up. “Hello?” “Yes… is this Addy speaking?” the voice questioned. “This is your primary doctor from your Littles pediatric clinic. I have the test results from his blood?” “Oh!” Addy remembered instantly. “Perfect timing. He’s fine, right?” The doctor sighed. “Well… no cancer or any other viral diseases… but I did find a strange compound I can’t identify. Has he been…?” “Please send me the file, doctor,” Addy cut him off. She had the resources and the training to see what it was. If her stomach dropping now… she needed to know what it was. It could have been something to boost his immune system for all she knew… but a new compound in his blood right after a nutrition bar… it was just too much coincidence for her liking. Hanging up and the paperwork promised soon, Addy went back to her files. There were hundreds… maybe even thousands of others altogether. Fortunately, there was a search bar, but no matter what she typed in, she always got the same answer. ‘Search not found…’ ‘Well… shoot…’ It wasn’t what Addy wanted to see. She had even saved the ingredients for the bars as well and there was nothing there. Two empty mysteries were now staring back at her. The coincidence seemed too high but there was nothing. She was originally going to bring it up today as a part of ‘new business,’ but she had been so out of it after the vote. ‘Great… another thing I let down Littles with today…’ Addy sighed and thought of her future. While she felt more prepared as a divisional head… her time with the board had been anything but smooth. She hoped to help Littles, and now, she had betrayed them twice. She understood why and bringing up the bars would have been terrible… but she was getting nowhere with them and presenting without evidence would have been worse than voting against the drug today. Overall, it wasn’t the best first day she ever had… And much to her concern, tomorrow was a whole new day through it all again.

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