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***Someone told me that there was not enough for a good peak so I will give you a little more...***

Kenneth Irons sat in his office in the penthouse of the Vorschlag building viewing the morning VCN report. The woman walked into the office quietly, trying for poised efficiency. She had heard a lot about Irons, although she had rarely interacted with the man. Walking over to the desk, she placed the papers in front of him and stepped back a little.

“Sir, here is the schedule for the day. I have noted all the appointments on the calendar and given a little more time to the Tokyo call. These are the papers from legal; you will find a summary at the end of each…” He held up a hand and she stopped, a little confused.

“And you are, Miss?” he asked, unaccustomed to strangers in his office early in the morning.

“Miss Leighton, Sir, Elisabeth Leighton. I was sent up to replace Jackie.” He nodded at her, a little annoyed at the mention of his former assistant, who had left recently to start a family. He disliked the entire process of breaking in new office staff. He looked over the young lady standing boldly next to him, meeting his gaze calmly. She was a small woman, blonde, in a very severely cut but stylish suit, small wire framed glasses covering blue eyes. He looked her over thoroughly, trying to place where he had seen her before, as well as gauging her reactions. She merely stood there, waiting for his leave to continue, not appearing the least bit intimidated. He turned to the papers she had placed on his desk and gave them a thorough look. Everything was neat and in order. She was good, he reflected, perhaps even a little better than Jackie.

“Tell me, Miss Leighton, how long have you been with us?” he asked calmly.

“Five years, Sir. I was sent up from the secretarial pool on a temporary basis.”

“Five years in the secretarial pool?” he questioned, surprised that her obvious talents had been overlooked for so long.

“No Sir, I was with Mr. Kierkengart in Legal until six months ago.” She continued to meet Irons’ gaze, leaving unspoken the disgrace with which his office had been broken up after he had been dismissed. That explained the summaries and her grasp of the legal paper work. He nodded, continuing his examination of the work before him.

“Kierkengart was a drunk,” he observed. “Yet you were with him for how long?”

“Three years, Sir.” Here it comes, she thought. She wondered what to say, knowing the question that was coming. Here she was with the opportunity of a lifetime, the peak of her profession, and she was going to throw it away. Elisabeth had heard enough about Irons to know that he was tough, demanding, focused, and had a temper that could peel the skin off of you without even raising his voice. Besides that, everyone in the office ran in fear of his shadow, Nottingham, the head of security, although no one could say exactly why. But if she let him intimidate her now, she would never be able to work for him. He would walk over her in short order. Better to get this over and be sent back down than to let that happen.

“And you never reported him?”

“No, Sir,“ she answered, meeting his cold green eyes with her own. “Loyalty to my employer and discretion are required in my position.” There, she had done it; he would send her back now. Good thing she had not gotten settled into the temporary office.

“I am your employer,” he said, a half smile on his face. He turned back to the papers on his desk, the dismissal clear in his attitude. Elisabeth turned and started toward the main office door.

“Where have they put you?” he asked suddenly behind her.

“In a temporary office down the hall. It was felt no one should be moved into Jackie’s office until you had made a choice.” She left out the fact that they were expecting to run through half the staff before he was satisfied; there was honesty and there was stupidity.

“You will have your things in her office for now. I dislike having to wait when I require something. And I would like some coffee.” Elisabeth nearly choked, but controlled her reaction with an effort as she turned back to look at him.

“Yes, sir, I will see to the move immediately, and I will have someone see to your coffee.” She left the room with her heart beating like a trip hammer. She had survived and not been sent back. Maybe this will not be too bad.

In the office, Kenneth Irons indulged in a quiet laugh. She had courage, he would give her that. And she had kept that old drunk Kierkengart straight for three years, so she had talent. A pity about the name, he thought, considering sending her away on that basis alone, but he knew that it was petty thinking and he would not allow himself to indulge in such things. Besides, she was also decorative enough not to offend his aesthetic sense. He picked up the phone and dialed a familiar number.

“Yes, I want you to do a full background check on a Miss Elisabeth Leighton. I believe that she will do nicely.”