"Tompkins there's been a change of plans."

"Tompkins there's been a change of plans." CFO Tad Henderson whispered out of the side of his mouth upon using his corporate 'all-pass' to gain entry into my cubicle.

As I'd been data diving for several hours at that point I couldn't hear him.  In fact I didn't even know he had entered into my cubicle, something I'll have to change next time I engaged in corporate espionage.

"After an emergency review the board feels that Nakayama Tech has more to offer us if we purchase them outright rather than implementing our original plan of..." My cubicle security had picked up his presence all right, but since he had the 'all-pass' I wasn't alerted digitally in the data dive to his presence.  There was no reason to stop the digital assassination that I'd been assigned to perform only hours before, and I couldn't' anyhow - not without completely unplugging from the system I'd dove into..

"Can you hear me Tompkins?"

I felt him tap me on the shoulder, but my mind was busy processing the zillions of ones and zeroes of the world wide web being pumped into it for the last hour.

"Uhm, I really need you to listen to me now Tompkins, this is important."

I saw him wave his hand in front of the data visor that covered my face, but just like the shoulder tap from earlier, it registered more like a dream than reality as I'd all ready been data diving for ninety minutes. By then, and quite frankly, I didn't expect another visit from the board today.

"I'm serious Tompkins.  You need to cease and desist right this instant.  The board has decided to deal with Nakayama in a different arena.  They do not wish to garner the attention of the local... STOP!"

I could feel my chair being spun around away from  my desk to face him, but it didn't matter, I was neck deep in the world wide web at that point.  He could have had my cubicle moved to the sub basement and I wouldn't have been able to pull out of the data dive just yet.

"Oh my god.  I need you to STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING RIGHT THIS INSTANT!"

I'd later learn through my cubicle security video that he was screaming at the top of his lungs, grabbing me by the shoulders and shaking me, trying to get me to stop the mission he'd assigned me that morning.

"This a direct order from the board.  STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING IMMEDIATELY!"

I only had another hour to go before my mission was complete....

Art Source: "Cyberpunk Assassin" ~ KM33
Story and Characters: (c)/by Caine Dorr