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“Let’s end this day right!” someone shouted. “The zip line is ready to go.”
Another round of cheers.
Still catching her breath, Mackenzie frowned and watched as all the crazy fitness and outdoor enthusiasts cheered and walked in the same direction. She had only imagined she was an outdoor enthusiast.
The outdoor activities and fresh air brought new perspectives. She needed to look deeper into what she thought she could be missing. But first, she had to zip-line across a canyon with the Grayback River flowing along the bottom.
She hobbled forward to stand at the end of the line and glanced behind her. Maybe she could follow the trail back to the facility. Then again, she didn’t want to draw attention. Did they do a head count on the other side to make sure they weren’t missing anyone? She stared at the setup again.
Two men who wore T-shirts with a zip-line company emblem—Cross-Country Zip—assisted individuals into the harness. Oh, Lord...
“Have you ever zip-lined before?” the man behind her asked, startling her.
Where had he come from? She thought she was the last person in line.
She turned as she stepped to the side, offering him a view of the line and the canyon. It was the same guy who had helped her on the trail.
“No.” Maybe. A long time ago. “I’m accustomed to flat farmland. Flat cities. Flat everything.”
“Well, you’ll get a good view of the canyon.” He shifted forward and thrust out his hand. “I’m sorry, I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Chad, by the way.”
“Mackenzie, and I really don’t think I can do this.” She watched someone traverse the zip line. “But how does everyone get back?”
“Oh, there are buses on the other side.”
Huh. “Tell me, Chad. Do you think all this outdoor activity is appropriate? Doesn’t it keep you from getting your work done?” She thought of all those queries she’d created to hunt for a cyberattacker.
“I can’t see the harm in getting out of the office for an afternoon.”
“But this isn’t everyone.”
“Right. Just a mix of people from every floor and division. That way we can get to know people outside of our circle.”
Interesting.
“What circle are you in?” The lower-level division, perhaps? She kept her smile in place.
“Programmer.”
“What programs are you working on?”
“Cybersecurity.”
She thought her breath might have visibly whooshed out. There was so much she wanted to ask him.
Whoa, girl. Slow down. Don’t scare the dude off. “How long have you worked at Hanstech?”
“I came on a few months ago.” He inched forward toward the zip line, standing next to her.
The line was going entirely too fast. She should turn back before it was too late. She glanced behind her—she could hike back to the Hanstech offices. No one was forcing her to use the zip line.
“Where’d you move from?” she asked.
“Who says I moved from anywhere?”
“Come on. You’re not from Montana.” She hadn’t meant to sound so blunt. “I mean, most people working in this tech sector come to work at Hanstech from out of state.”
“Don’t kid yourself. The Montana universities are meeting the local tech sector demand.” He laughed, but it sounded forced. “But you’re right. I’m not from Montana. I moved here from Virginia.”
