“Innovate.”
On a snort, she opened the door. “See ya, Tex. Thanks for the ride.” She slammed his door, turned and slipped, crashing flat on her ass on a mound ofsnow.
She doesn’t know my name but she’s ready to sleep with me.Shaking his head, he pulled into traffic and headed back towardVirginia.
Later that afternoon,Crockettpushed out of the chair in his Think Tank and scraped his fingers down his whiskered cheeks. His six-person innovation team had reconfigured the specs around their night vision goggles, but they couldn’t come to a consensus on therework.
He drew an arrow on the white board. “Ergonomically, this is the stronger choice, but the cost of this one”—he starred a different configuration—“aligns with ourbudget.”
“We hear you,” Decker said. “But the less expensive one has a wonkierplastic.”
“The first prototype gets my vote,” said the lone female on the team. “We can’t sell the less expensive one with a note that says, ‘fragile’.”
“We’ve reached an impasse,” said another. “I don’t think either of these willwork.”
Crockett studied the calculations that covered every inch of the white board. “We’ve got to go back to the basics. What have we overlooked?” A knock on the door interrupted his train of thought. “Comein.”
Ellen poked her head in and eyed Crockett. “Before I head out for the evening, I need to speak withyou.”
“Make a run for it,” Deckersaid.
Laughter lightened the intensemood.
Crockett glanced at the time on his tablet. It was after five. “We’ll finish this tomorrow,” he said to his team. “Thanks for yourefforts.”
Talking amongst themselves, the group filed out, and Ellen squeezed into theroom.
Decker rose. “I’ll re-analyze the plastics formula after a caffeinehit.”
“Alexandra has been waiting for a while,” Ellensaid.
“Show her to my office,please.”
“Yes, sir.” But his assistant didn’tbudge.
“Everything okay?” Crockettasked.
“No.” She shut the door. “I just got off the phone with CharlesBowen.”
Decker smiled. “We loveCharlie.”
“And fortunately for us the feeling is mutual,” Ellensaid.
Charles Bowen was the Under Secretary for Science and Technology at the Department of Homeland Security. Not only had DHS been one of Wilde’s first Spy Fly customers, Bowen had personally spread the word within the agency. In total, DHS owned over two thousand unmanned aerial vehicles manufactured by WildeInnovations.
Crockett felt another headache coming on. “What did he say,Ellen?”
“He’s had some device failures,” shesaid.
“Some?” Decker scraped his fingers over hisforehead.
“He said you can call him on his cell tonight untilten.”
“I’ll call him now,” Crockett said. “Please let Alexandra know I’ll be another ten minutes. Thank you,Ellen.”
With a tight nod, his efficient assistant buzzedout.
“Let’s get this over with,” Crockett said. “Shut the door.” Crockett dialed and put his phone onspeaker.
