The Accidental Honeymoon
Read The Accidental Honeymoon Online
Authors: Alice Toby
Tags: #Romance, #Contemporary, #Literature & Fiction, #Contemporary Fiction
The Accidental Honeymoon
By Alice Toby
~~~
Smashwords Edition
Copyright © 2013 Michael Collado
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Table of Contents
Karin doesn’t know how much longer she will last here. Emperor Technologies is considered the hottest tech company in the world. Its San Jose headquarters is home to 30,000 of the smartest minds from MIT, Stanford and Harvard. The company itself is run by a 36-year old wunderkind billionaire, the brash bad boy of Silicon Valley, Ryan Wilde. As far as Karin is concerned, she shouldn’t be here.
All I have to do is stay here long enough to get a couple of references and I should be able to get a job somewhere in San Fran,
Karin tells herself as she attends to her duties on the second floor of Emperor’s spaceship like headquarters. The 21-year old prepares one of the board rooms for a major conference call. She lays out the pads, pens and double-checks all the telecommunication devices. Then she scurries off to the “bullpen” where all the other interns huddle up until they are needed again.
While the other interns are future summa cum laude grads from nearby Stanford and Berkeley, Karin herself is a community college dropout. She spent most of her time surfing the many social networks and video sites which happened to be owned by Emperor Tech. It is not Karin’s brain that got her one of the most coveted spots at Emperor Technologies, it was rather her Good Samaritan skills.
Karin sits back and enjoys a cup of orange juice as she recalls the moment that got her this internship. The 21-year old was working at the Northface store on Stevens Creek Boulevard when a middle-aged guy walked in and demanded to look at “the best outer wear suitable for a ski trip to Aspen.” Karin was more than happy to help the forty-something man who appeared to be one of the many “dot com millionaire execs” who would stroll into the store with their Black Amex card. After an hour of trying on $500 jackets, the man casually stacked several thousand dollars worth of gear on the counter.
Karin’s eyes grew wide as she tallied up the damage. All told, the man dropped $9,836.34 on his 90 minute shopping spree. The dot-com exec slapped his Black Amex card on the counter without even looking at the total. Karin dutifully processed the payment and bagged the gear. The man needed a little help to take all four bags into his hands. He scampered out of the store and stuffed his bags into his Porsche Cayenne Turbo and hurried off. When Karin returned to the counter, she noticed something strange on it - a smart phone. However, it was not any kind of smart phone Karin had ever seen before.
The young employee carefully examined the gadget. It was not an iPhone, nor was it a Samsung, Android or any other device she was familiar with. The sleek smart phone look far more advanced than anything she had ever seen before. After looking over the phone for a moment, she deduced that the “dot com millionaire” had probably left it here. She looked up the man’s credit card information and promptly called him at his office number.
“Hello? Is this Mr. Scott Appell?” Karin asks.
“Yes,” the man answers.
“This is Karin Davis at The Northface Store on Stevens Creek Boulevard. Did you happen to lose your cell phone?”
There is a long pause on the other side of the line. “Oh my God,” Scott responds slowly. “Do you have the phone?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Has anyone else seen it?!”
“No.”
“I’m coming right back to the store. Do not show that phone to any other person!”
“Yes, sir.”
Karin holds on to the phone. Thirty minutes later, Scott comes running into the store with sweat pouring down his face. He spins his body around looking for Karin.
“Mr. Appell?” Karin waves.
“The phone?! You have the phone?!”
“Yes,” Karin responds as she hands it to him.
The dot-com millionaire carefully looks at the phone. He holds his head in his hands and exhales deeply. Then the man looks Karin up and down. “You don’t know what this is, do you?”
“I have no idea.”
The tech millionaire doesn’t seem convinced. “Do you run a blog?”
“No sir.”
“Where do you go to school?”
“Excuse me?”
“Where do you go to school? Are you a Stanford or a Berkeley student?”
“Begging your pardon, sir. Why is that question relevant?”
“I need to make sure you didn’t know what this was.”
“I know nothing about technology. I know this is Silicon Valley but I swear I don’t even know how to use the remote control that came with my DirecTV.”
The tech exec places the phone in his pocket. He smiles. “Please accept my apologies. You just saved my career.”
“Oh, well. You’re welcome.”
The tech exec looks around the store and then looks at Karin. “So do you work on commission here?”
Karin looks around and whispers. “I wish.”
“How much do they pay you? If you don’t mind my asking.”
“$15.50 an hour. It’s not bad but I won’t be buying my own home anytime soon.”
“I’ll tell you what. How would you like a paid internship at Emperor Technologies? It doesn’t pay as much. I think you’ll make about $12 an hour. But after six months, you’ll have no problem getting 50K offers at any tech company in the valley. And, who knows, maybe Emperor may hire you at the end of the internship. Of course, this internship is conditional on the terms that no one ever has to hear about this little incident with the phone.”
Karin didn’t need to think about it long. Emperor is the hottest tech company in the valley. It’s an internship that even Harvard undergrads fight to secure.
“I would love the opportunity to intern at Emperor and rest assured, no one will ever know what happened to the phone.”
“Excellent. Welcome aboard.”
That afternoon, Karin had quit her job and started the most coveted internship in Silicon Valley.
What Karin would later come to find out was that the smart phone left behind was Emperor Technologies’ prototype Satellite Smart Phone. Every tech reporter, blogger and Silicon Valley competitor had been dying to get their hands on the phone before its official release. The Emperor Sat-Phone would become the world’s first low-price satellite phone which allowed 100% complete global connectivity without the use of cell phone towers. A groundbreaking consumer device which - upon its official release - sent the company’s stock soaring and made its 36-year old CEO several billion dollars richer.
Author Stevens stares at the 60 inch TV in his office. As the General Counsel at Emperor Technologies and the oldest member of the 200 billion-dollar tech company’s executive board, Mr. Steven’s is the de facto “adult” in the massive tech company run by “young guns.” And right now, Author is worried.
The 53-year old attorney is staring at CNBC, which is reporting on the latest exploits of his young CEO’s hedonistic exploits.
According to sources, 36-year old billionaire CEO Ryan Wilde lived up to his namesake as the “Bad Boy of Silicon Valley” with a weeklong party on his superyacht on St. Barth’s. Mr. Wilde reportedly spent his week with five Russian models flown in from Miami. And that’s the least sensational thing that reportedly occupied on the 450-foot megayacht known as “The Octavian.” On his last night in the Caribbean, Mr. Wilde reportedly stripped down all of his clothes, climbed to the very top deck of his yacht and began shooting an AK-47 assault rifle into the air.
This is just the latest in a long list of incidents that have been connected to Mr. Wilde. While the billionaire CEO is known as one of the most brilliant minds in Silicon Valley, his unpredictable behavior has raised concerns among Emperor’s largest shareholders. From what we understand, several Hedge Funds - who own millions of shares of Emperor stock - are pushing for Ryan Wilde to step down and allow a more senior person to take day to day control of the company.
Author has heard enough. He turns off the TV and makes his way to his boss’ office. As the 53-year old attorney makes the walk to his CEO’s executive suite, he carefully considers his choice of words. He knows he needs to be firm. However, he doesn’t want to anger or upset his boss.
“I need to see Ryan,” the general counsel tells the CEO’s private secretary.
“He just walked into the office. He should be available. His schedule is clear for the next 20 minutes,” the secretary answers.
“Thanks.”
Author slowly opens the door and notices his young CEO playing with the company’s new Sat-Phone.
“Ryan.”
“Yeah. Yeah. Check this out. I got some great footage from St. Barth’s.”
“That’s what I need to talk to you about.”
“Yeah, I know you wanted to go. Next time, I fly you out to Monaco for the Gran Prix.”
“It’s not about that. Have you turned on CNBC today?”
“I hate those business channels.”
“Your St. Barth’s exploits are all over the TV.”
“Oh, maybe I should them this footage,” the CEO jokes.
“They are mentioning that the shareholders are concerned.”
“Are they concerned that my company’s stock tripled in the last 12 months. If they are that concerned, tell them to sell the stock. Other people will be more than happy to buy from them.”
“They are talking about having you replaced.”
“I own 25% of the outstanding shares. They can’t replace me!”
“They can have you replaced if enough people get on their side. You know that some of the biggest shareholders have been whispering about getting a more experienced CEO for Emperor.”
“Fuck them! I work hard to make them rich. I should be allowed to behave as I please.”
Author sits down on one of Ryan’s guest chairs and looks him in the eye. “Ryan. I know you are a brilliant programmer and innovator. But these hedge fund guys don’t mess around. They can force you out of your own company if you are not careful.”
“Well, what do you think I should do?”
It’s the last question Author wanted his young boss to ask him. The senior exec feels inclined to tell the brash young tycoon the truth. “Your company is growing fast. You had 10,000 employees last year. Now you have 30,000. Perhaps having someone with more experience would be better. You can beat the hedge funds to the punch by hand-picking your successor.”
“I am not going to hand over control of my own company!”
“You are going to have to do something.”
The young CEO paces around his spacious corner office. He stares out at the pine trees that guard the privacy of the massive post-modern building. “If my company weren’t a new start-up, I wouldn’t be treated like this. I wish I could just change the name of my company to IBS,” Ryan jokes referring to the 80 year old business tech company International Business Systems.
“IBS is treated like a golden god on Wall Street. They are untouchable.”
“I know.”
“They have an 80 year reputation to back them up.”
“You know what. My company is now nearly as big as IBS.”
“I know. But you will never get the respect as much respect as IBS.”
“Maybe, I should propose a merger with them,” Ryan jokes. Author laughs at the notion. Then he thinks about it. Emperor Technologies’ fast rise puts both companies at nearly the same level. If combined, the new company would be as big as Apple, Microsoft and Google.
“A merger would not be a bad idea,” Author throws out there.
Ryan thinks about it. “It would give me what I need. I can have the size and respectability to have these Wall Street idiots leave me alone. Emperor Technologies gets the old school credibility and IBS gets the youthful energy.”
“IBS has been looking for a CEO to replace Ed Horace who has been wanting to retire for a few years now. I think their board of directors would have no problem making you the CEO of the combined company.”
Ryan looks at his senior exec. “Quietly put together a group of your best people and put out some feelers to IBS about a merger.”
“Will do.”
****
Karin couldn’t feel more uncomfortable. It is lunchtime at company HQ. The interns make their way to the company’s award-winning cafeteria where area chefs prepare everything from gourmet pizza to sushi. Karin tries her best to fit in with the egghead interns who discuss coding and hardware engineering the way most college kids discuss reality television. After a few minutes, Karin decides that she needs to clear her head and makes her way out to the massive courtyard to enjoy her lunch alone.
As the young intern bites into her Caesar salad, she notices a senior level executive looking at her. She has no idea who he is. Karin just looks at the man’s salt and pepper hair and assumes that he must be one of the highest-ranking execs in the company. Everyone else in the company is young. Gray hairs are as rare as suit and ties at Emperor Tech. The constant staring begins to make the young intern self-conscious. Karin looks back down at her salad hoping that the man would just go away.
Just the opposite happens. He moves closer. Before Karin knows it, the executive is standing right over her table. What the young intern doesn’t know is that the exec in question is Author Stevens, General Counsel to Emperor Technologies. And the man assigned to quietly put together a team to help the company merge with IBS.
“You look kinda alone out here,” Author tells Karin.
The young intern looks around and realizes that, yes, she is the only person seated for about thirty feet. “It looks like it.”
“So you are new here?”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“About a month.”
“What department do you work at?”
“I’m um, an intern.”
Author nods his head. “So you keep to yourself?”
“I’m trying my best.”
“That’s good. I am going to need you to work on a special project with me. You can not talk to anyone about the project. And you will be working at the highest levels of the company. Does that sound like something you could handle?”
“Sure,” Karin answers with a bit of trepidation. Inside, she is freaking out. But she doesn’t want to say “no” to anything that may jeopardize her prized internship.
After the senior exec leaves, Karin finishes her lunch with a knot in her stomach. She is flattered, surprised and more than a bit nervous. As the daughter of two University of Santa Cruz professors, Karin has always been raised around “smart people.” However, the smart people around her upbringing did not translate their intellect with wealth. When Karin moved up to San Jose, she found herself around people who were not only smart, but rich, ambitious and ruthless. She always felt more than intimidated.
Stop being intimidated. They want you to work on an important project. Just do your job and everything will be fine,
Karin tells herself as she finishes her lunch and makes her way back to the bullpen.
When the young intern makes her way back to her space, she finds that her desk phone and laptop are no longer operational. After a few minutes of panic, the office manager comes to the young intern and tells her that she will now be working on the “Fourth Level.” Everyone in the Emperor building knows that the Fourth Level is where the senior level people work. To get up to that level, one needs a special pass known as a “golden ticket.” The ticket is actually an employee pass worn on the hip. It contains a RFID chip that instantly grants access to the top level of the Emperor headquarters.
The office manager hands Karin the golden ticket. She carefully cradles this glowing pass like an infant.
“Just clip it to your side,” the office manager instructs the intern. “Let’s go upstairs.”
Karin grabs her possessions and follows the office manager to a nearby elevator. As the doors close, the office manager looks Karin up and down. “They never allow interns on the fourth level,” he tells Karin.
“Really?”
“You must be someone really special.”
“Thanks.”
The doors open. Karin is struck by the extra high 20-foot ceilings as well as the massive glass windows, which allow unobstructed views of the park-like campus. The office manager leads Karin down a hallway, past some of the most powerful and talented scions of Silicon Valley. The two make their way into a windowless conference room. “I was told to drop you off here,” the office manager informs the young intern.
“What should I do?”
“Author is going to brief you on next steps.”
“Author?”
“You probably already talked to him. He is the one who instructed me to bring you up here.”
“Oh yeah. I think I did talk to him.”
“Alright well, good luck,” the office manager tells the young intern as she leaves the conference room. Karin almost wanted to call out for help. She didn’t want to be left alone on the Fourth Level.
Karin looks around the conference room, hoping that someone will come by and at least talk to her. For the next twenty minutes, the young intern keeps herself glued to the Aeron chair while wondering what she should do next. Finally, after half an hour, Author walks into the conference room.
“Hi, Karin.”
“Author?”
“Yes. I should formally introduce myself. I am Author Stevens, General Counsel of Emperor. We will be having a meeting in here in about twenty minutes. You know how to set up a room for a meeting right? Stationary, phones, pens, snacks?”
“Yes.”
“Alright. We will be having about twelve people in here momentarily.”
“Excellent. I’ll get right on it.”
Karin snaps into “meeting” mode gathering all the pens, pads, and conference call phones necessary. Fifteen minutes later, the first meeting attendees trickle in. Karin begins to recognize a few of the people. Right away, she spots the President of the company, Michelle Ackner as well as the Chief Technology Officer, Liam Vogel. Karin’s hands start to shake.
These people are famous by Silicon Valley standards
. The room fills up with ten people. Some of them are wondering out-loud what the meeting is about. Several of them appear a bit agitated as though the meeting has been called at a moment’s notice.
“I want to have you on a plane tonight,” a very familiar voice booms from outside of the room. Karin snaps her head up.
She knows that voice.
It belongs to Ryan Wilde.
The Ryan Wilde.
The CEO and founder of Emperor Technology. The twenty-eighth richest man in the world.
Ryan strolls into the conference room. Karin just stares at him as though he were a statue come to life. She is struck by the casualness of his dress. Clad in a faded jeans, a black T-shirt and red New Balance sneakers, Ryan looks more like a frat boy than one of the most powerful men on the planet.
Author closes the door to the conference room. All eyes focus on Ryan Wilde. “Alright. Is everyone here?” Ryan asks.
“Yes,” Author replies.
“Here’s the deal. I’m sick and tired of having Wall Street conspire to kick me out of my own company. They pulled that shit on Steve Jobs back in the 80s, that’s not going to happen to me. So I’m going to propose a merger that will bring some Blue Chip credibility to the company.”
“Who are we going to merge with?” the President of the Company asks.
“International Business Systems.”
“IBS?!” one of the execs exclaims.
“Exactly. We are now the same size as them. But IBS is not growing as fast as us. I’m sure the IBS shareholders would welcome our high-growth and fresh blood. Author is going to New York on my jet to propose the deal. Before he does, I’m giving anyone in this room a chance to speak their peace. Does anyone have any objections?”
“IBS is a pretty conservative company. They deal mainly with corporate clients and pretty staid databasing,” Liam replies.
“And we can help them update their technology. And IBS can get those Hedge Fund idiots off my back. Do you really want some corporate raider to come in here and tell us how to make our products?! That would be the death of us.”
“I’m all for it,” the President of the company tells her CEO. “I just want to make sure you are ready to deal with the scrutiny. Mergers can be brutal, Ryan. You’ll have to get approval from both Emperor and IBS shareholders.”
“I’m ready. Trust me. Yes, I know I come across as immature. But I’m ready to show the world my grown-up side.”
That response is met by some good-natured laughter from the room. For the first time, Karin feels comfortable enough to crack a smile. At just this precise moment, Ryan looks over at the young intern and motions towards her. “Who is this?” the CEO asks.
Karin freezes. She doesn’t know if she is supposed to answer.