“What?”“I’m unhappy about how things are going at NIKA.”“What?! Elyse said you’re more profitable than ever and that everything is on tr...ck for your plans to smack down Dante. And I’ve seen our bank account statements!”“All of that is true. But you know my concerns about company culture? Well, now it’s about how big NIKA is becoming and how I feel it’s losing its character.”“So what can you do?”“I’m not sure. I arranged to talk to a career coach who’s a retired entrepreneur. I was going to talk. A.... former peer.A man who could barely tolerate my aggressive, combatant approach to ourprofessional interactions back in the day. Something that I said, but Godonly knows what, had got under his skin and he apparently never forgot.However, this is a far cry from the inner-office dick wagging that madefor the daily water cooler gossip that fueled much of the animosities backthen.But, you see, there is much more at stake now. This is the very first timethat I have disrobed in front of anyone. Is Emily rich then?" Very. Maybe richer than you are." She has more than two hundred and fifty three dollars? Hard for me to believe that. So how old is she?" Why do you care? You already have a girlfriend." Not a rich girlfriend. Tell me, is she rich and cute, or just rich?" Brenda giggled into the receiver."I'm a little bit cuter than she is." In the background I heard someone laughing and saying something."Is she right there listening to us? Put her on if she's there." There was a delay, and. . and the others who were already judged and found innocent of any serious crimes ... let them watch, but let no harm come to them. Soon enough, we’ll send them right back home, wake the sleepers from their slumber, and begin society afresh, free of the baggage, tomfoolery, and skullduggery of the past. I’ve always wanted to find a context in which to use such old-fashioned words,” I told my Queen with a deep tongue kiss.“The pirates are dead. The politicians and others of that ilk are losing.