” I start. “A what?” I start to chuckle, glad the gravity has dropped a little with this joke. “Come on…there are no qualifications for hoo...kers!” “Emma, there are. Well, there’s only one worth having…” Shit, she’s not kidding. I wipe the smile off my face. “There is an advanced course recognised by upper-class escort agencies. A small group of you spend two intensive weeks at a special location in the Cotswolds. The purpose is to hone and then test your sexual skills, nail down your. I grabbed a water, then cooled off by standing on the edge of the cliff. After a few minutes, I walked back to the hottest pool, very clumsily climbed between the three clothed women, and sat down in the hot water. The blonde whom I had just walked by moved on to one of the other pools down below, but the brunette stayed by the deck, stripping down to a camisole and panties, then walked up to the pool I was in. She joined the other three women sitting on the edge of the pool with their feet in. "You wish you had as much fun and adventure and sex when you were my age." She winked at the daughter who looked away shyly, a whisper of a smile attached to her pretty face. "Or even my guardian's."The lady glanced at Joe and Marta with an expression easily translated: "Shame on you." Joe shrugged. Marta giggled. They felt no shame, only joy being with their feisty companion."Are you studying dance?" Margie asked the girl wearing tights under her dress and coat."I ... uhm ... have ballet this. Sure, they had smart people, cutting-edge technology, and a convenient location in downtown Chicago; but then again, so did any other competitive hedge fund. SSC’s seemingly never-ending economy of scale was the envy of firms all over the world, and nobody could figure it out. Except, of course, its own employees.Before I knew it, I was entering the SSC building, a tall, blue shard of glass that barely pokes its head into the visible Chicago skyline. Upon walking in, I was greeted by a tall.