Calhoun's POV
Okay, this is mildly embarrassing. And annoying. She makes us look like the tech team that the company sent over to attend her training session.
Madison Russo. Who does this sassy woman think she is, waltzing in like she owns the place?
Jordan looks at me and inclines his head, lifting a single eyebrow. It's a thing between us, and it means, 'Take that.'
Oh, I will, jackass.
"Thank you, Ms. Russo. That was quite interesting, if a bit ambitious. Any questions from the panel?"
Sajid pipes up. "Not a question, but a request."
"Sure," Madison says.
"Would you mind if we used this BUGfix as a VCS template for trainees?" Sajid looks at her with puppy eyes and I want to smack him.
"No, of course not. Consider it complementary for your trouble, moving things around for me despite my tardiness, which I apologize for. If you like I could attach some training prompts to it, just so it's fully adapted for it's intended use."
So, she came late, too. She didn't even have as much time as the others had to prepare. Wow.
That inexplicable need I had to speak to her the first time I set my eyes on her returns. Only it's more acute now.
Having seen what she's done here, what I know she has the capacity to do, that need has just morphed into something else. Something darker. Something that is too ludicrous to even be contemplating.
I want her by my side.
My cock twitches at the thought and I viciously yank it from my head. This is exactly why I need to get her as far away from me as possible before the thought takes root.
Madison looks at me, a soft, almost pleading look in her eyes.
Waiting for something.
For what? The rest of your interviewers are drowning in drool. What the fuck do you want from me. Applause?
Something squeezes in my chest but I'm not falling for that look. Especially with that almost permanent smirk still on her face.
Okay. Time to shut this down.
"I do have a question, Ms. Russo," I begin. "We utilize a number of programming languages in Acercraft. Surely you must know that this prototype would infinitely make more sense if it were written in Xerif. Do you even know the language?"
Jordan and Mike look at me like I've gone mad, but I ignore them, motioning to her to answer the question.
And to my utmost surprise, she fumbles for a moment, and a flush steals over her exquisite cheeks.
The question is unfair and completely irrelevant to the interview. I just wanted to ask her what she wouldn't know the answer to because somehow I suspect that doesn't happen very often to her.
I wanted to see how she'd respond to being annoyed and put on the defensive. I fully expected her to lash out given what I've seen of her, but I just wanted to put that theory to the test.
And instead of handing my ass over to me in pure Madison's fashion, she blushes furiously. Fuck, I love that color on her. Although, I do hate myself for getting her flustered.
She finally says almost meekly, "I'll have to admit, I haven't had much experience with Xerif, but I'm sure it's something I can learn on the job."
I'm taken aback by her response. That's all you have to say, Madison? I literally offered you a chopping block with my head on it, you went all acquiescent on me.
And I need to stop trying to figure her out and send her away.
"That depends on if you're successful in your interview." I say, "But thanks for your time today, Ms. Russo, we'll be in touch."
She looks at me, and something flashes in her eyes before she averts her face. It's fleeting, but I know it's not anger. Possibly hurt pride. She leaves the room like a queen, and I feel like the heel that snatched her crown.
"What the hell, Calhoun?" Jordan whirls on me.
"What?"
"Even I don't know jackshit about those other code languages, and I own this company."
"Yeah, you and me both," Mike growls.
Jordan knows because we wrote at least one of them together, but I get that he's annoyed right now. Sajid is definitely aware.
"Sajid?"
"It's true, Calhoun you may have a point." I don't have a point, but Sajid is too nice to say that. Besides as senior partner and the head of I.T. he should have been asking the questions, not fawning over a fresh, new VCS and I think he's realized that.
"Still, it looks like a great program. And what a presentation, guys!" Sajid announces and Jordan and Mike agree. They launch into a discussion about the things they love most about it.
I already know where this is headed; towards hiring her.
Alarm bells start ringing wildly in my head. Madison is brilliant. But she's also nosy inquisitive, I amend, and she's bold.
She only needs to work with me for a short time before she'll start to wonder, and inevitably look for answers.
Why my system is on a very separate, very secure network.
Why even for the most mundane online activity, I'm either anonymous or using an alias.
Why my phone lines and emails have added layers of encryption.
Essentially, why security around me is impregnable while Jordan who actually heads systems and security has a regular set-up.
Jordan suspects why. I know he does, but it's not something he could ever come out and ask me despite us being as close as brothers. Mike doesn't care, he chalks my behavior down to me being a paranoid nutjob and feels I need it to survive.
I actually do need it to survive.
"She's fucking brilliant, that woman, Calhoun just wanted to poke holes in her interview," Mike interrupts my thoughts, thumping the table for emphasis.
"Ms. Russo could do with some humility."I say, wishing they'd all calm down.
"Humility!" Mike roars. "She should be fucking proud of what she's done here today."
"And", Sajid adds, "she wrote a prototype program specifically to solve this problem and was offering it free of charge. Think of what she could do for this company. I think Ms. Russo is head and shoulders above the others."
I'm only too aware of that fact "So, is that why an interview suddenly turned into a celebrity meet and greet?"
Jordan, who had been silently observing the exchange up until now, says, "Celebrity or candidate, none of it matters now. One thing we can all agree on is that we're hiring Madison."
"We still have two other candidates to interview," I protest.
Jordan throws his head back in laughter. "For what? She's cracked and permanently repaired the code! The interview is over!"
"There are other ways to assess them."
"Knock yourself out, Calhoun." He stands and waves his hand dismissively. "I'm out. Now, I don't give a fuck which othercandidate you pick, but if I don't see Madison Russo's name on the shortlist, I'm cutting down another third of my hours, since I'll assume you all have too much time to delegate to capable hands."
I know he's bluffing, but Mike and Sajid don't, so there's a subtle air of panic.
"I have a bad feeling about this." I warn.
"A feeling? I see. Do you want to share the details of those feelings with the rest of the class?" Jordan's tone is mocking.