I have work to do.” And I have a raging hard on which will need to be addressed the minute you leave.He wants to play hardball, does he? She tugged ...her phone out of a hip pocket and tapped it a few times, then held it up.Suddenly he heard his own voice coming from the device in her manicured hand. The vulgarities he had spewed at her before he handed her the assignment split the air like profane bullets.His groin throbbed even harder as he remembered that day and the fear in her eyes as he. . . . . . Beep . . . . . . Beep . . . . . . Beep . . Beep. Chapter Two – Erika Fights for Her Life At first I didn’t recognize the beeping sound for what it was . . . . her heart monitor was functioning again. One of the two remaining nurses rushed from the room while the other frantically began re-starting Erika’s I.V.s and replacing her oxygen cannula. Her parents and I watched as the blue cast to her lips returned to pink. Marie von Sturm looked first from Erika’s face to my face and then. ."Daddy cut her off before she could finish, "I'm sorry isn't going to cut it little girl. You broke my trust. Now I wonder how many times you HAVE done this, and I just didn't catch you.Vehemently she denied it, "Noooo this was the first time, HONEST daddy! You gotta believe me."Daddy stood up and looked down at her, "I don't GOTTA believe you. What I believe is what I saw with my own eyes. What were you thinking??? No don't answer that. I know what you were thinking. How to pull one over on. " That made me feel more inadequate. Heroes have no flaws.That was my mood when Mimi looked up and waved me over. With her were Elspeth, Evaine, Conrad and someone I did not recognize. I gave the woman my once over out of reflex. Young, well-dressed but not flaunting money, professional, but dressed casually, attentive, poised. It pointed to a high-level bureaucrat, here to see me. It came as an almost physical jolt. This, yet unnamed, woman was here to see me. She was keeping company with.