Karina's Trail

Karina stepped up on the curb just as one of the millions of city cabs narrowly missed hitting her. The assault of gasoline fumes, the smell of hot dog carts and the cities inhabitants exhilirated her. This was living she thought. 24 hours a day. Karina had always been a city girl. She was born in Brooklyn and after a lot of hard work she had carved out a niche in a job that she loved. She was a success in every sense of the word. She had a fabulos apartment in Greenwich Village. She was fit and loved her life.

Her friends and family were always telling her how shallow her life was and that she should meet someone and settle down. Impossible she thought. I am so set in my ways. Why change what is working. Oh she had had her share of relationships. They started out well but then inevitably people would want more. More time, more attention or worst of all more of a commitment. Even as a young girl while most dreamed of their wedding day and all the joys of marraige and family she dreamed of being a power broker. Someone who wielded authority like a scottish claymore. She was happiest in the thick of it all. When the phones were ringing off of the hook because no one would be able to negotiate the deal but her she was in her element. So on she went of to her meeting. This one was a huge negotiation between her client and one of the largest television networks in the world.

She went through the mental check list in her head. Standard contract, in my brief case. Sent in advance via courier yesterday and confirmed that it was recieved this morning. Clients non negotiable demands, memorized weeks ago. Weren't they always the same. Clients wanted everything. Something tickled the back of her brain, not right something was definitely not right. The few people that were close to her said she had a spooky way of predicting the outcome of events. She knew it wasn't really a gift, more of a curse knowing human nature and how to manipulate a deal. The client seemed too perfect. He would make a phenomenal news anchor, looks, charm and a resume that would probably get him elected to congress if that was what he wanted. Something just continued to nag at her though. Well she thought you could be wrong. No reason why this deal shouldn't be a success.

She had arrived with plenty of time to spare. Her dark eyes shifted to the right. She caught a quick glimpse of herself in the glass of the building she was about to enter. Not too shabby she thought. Her dark hair hung to her shoulders in a fashionable style the tips curled up into an easy going flip. She hit the revolving door without skipping a beat and stopped at a large security/reception desk where several pseudo law enforcement types sat scanning an array of video screens. One of them barely looked up. "Name" he said kurtly. "Karina Baker" she responded in kind. "Have an appointment?" the security officer asked."Yes" she responded as she fumbled in her bag to shut the ringer on her cell phone and pulling out an appointment card almost simultaneously. She handed the guard the appointment card and without being asked a drivers license as I.D. He pecked out her name on his computer with two clumsy fingers. Clicked a button and his printer delivered an obnoxious looking vistor ID badge. He slid the badge and her id towards her without even lifting is head.

Finally she thought, its worse than trying to get into Fort Knox. She was really going to have to say something honestly, it was not as if she was a stranger to these corporate halls of journalism. She had negotiated contracts for high power reporters, morning show host. She probably should have had a wing dedicated to her. She chided herself, she knew just was well as every New Yorker and American that life had to change after September 11, 2001. Her thoughts were interuppted by the elevator in front of her opening. She floated in hardly noticing the crowd that had entered with her. She absent mindedly pressed the button for the top floor. She nibbled her lip a bit in anticipation. The group that had entered with her dwindled as they stepped off on their respective floors. By the time the elevator whirred to the top she was alone.

She stepped off into a posh reception area, playing canned classical music softly in the background. Tastefully decorated complete with cappuccino maker and water dispenser touting the purest glacial water. She breathed in and put her guard back up. Her instinct kicked in and she approached the desk with friendly confidence. The receptionist could have been a high fashioned runway model, probably was and outgrew it Karina thought as she appraised the executive gate keeper.

"Hey Marybeth, hows the dragon today" Karina asked. Marybeths perfectly lined and colored lips parted a bit considering the question. "Top of his game as usual." she responded smiling almost to herself it seemed. Greetings completed Marybeth turned to the intercom and said simply "she's here." The box elicited some rustling and a mail grunt issued from it. Marybeth turned to Karina and interpreted the grunt for her saying"Go ahead in and good luck."

Taking a deep breath she stepped through the doors. Shemoved directly to leather chairs in front of a tremendous and cluttered desk. Behind it sat her opponent, Jack Timmons. Jack was rumpled, his red hair touseled, his blue green eyes slightly red rimmed from lack of sleep. A gracious and attractive man,he hardly looked like a dragon. Karina knew better though. She'd witnessed the fire and brimstone he was capable of. "Hey, Jack"she said. He regarded her for a moment sizing her up "Lets do away with the preliminary B.S. and get down to tacks" he stated gruffly. "So this is how it's going to be today, huh?"she said. Her statement seemed to rouse some of the fire and brimstone "Don't play coy, you and your client know damn well that you hold all the cards and I don't have time to be patronized with this negotiation. This is not a negotiation, you are holding my network hostage and I resent it. If we don't give in he goes to RCM and that is the last thing we need.There is one thing about your client that makes me hesitate though." he finally ended."And what is that," she said.
"He has no flaws and thats not right, he makes Mother Theresa looks complacent.""So you'll have a perfect anchor"she reasoned. "I've been in this business a long, long time and there is no perfect and you know as well as I do we can't afford another PR nightmare" he said flatly.

Karina nodded, he was referring to the reason for the position being open. The previous anchor had used his celebrity to amass a large amount of wealth. To purpetuate that wealth he set up a number of child development and protection centers in the far east. These centers turned out to be nothing more than a brokerage for pedophiles around the world. Her stomach turned at the thought."I am well aware of the networks position in the ratings as well as the financial houses. Jack". She turned slightly and gazed at the magnificent view of the city. "You know that I do a thorough background check on all of my clients before I even take them on. Jack, my reputation is my life and you know that too.""Yeah" he sighed signaling defeat and the end of the negotiation. Ever the good sport she saved a secret victory smile until she made the elevator and then the ever critical nagging doubt hit her like a building.

Her mind scurried to find all of the reasons she was wrong but it was like grasping at shadows. The fact loomed large, she never did get final background check. Just preliminary work highlighting his education, credit rating, family data and work history. Don't be such a worry wart she scolded. Then she remembered something that unnerved her a bit more a hole, in his credit report and work history for about 5 years after he left college. Okay, she thought don't hit the panic button yet. Just get the background check and ask him about that hole. Her hands fumbled nervously with the handles of her briefcase as she stepped to the curb and caught the attention of a nearby cab, which wisked her back to her office.

She automatically made her way to her office. She spent a lot of time there and anyone visiting could see that she had put a great deal of emphasis on comfort, and design. She moved effortlessly and without thought to her coffee maker and poured herself a fresh cup of coffee. Her assistant made it her business to be sure the coffee was always hot and fresh. She carefully added milk and sugar to the dark mix and made her way to the desk both hands wrapped around the cup and took a measure of comfort from its warmth. She knew that she had to put her doubts to rest before she could celebrate her latest victory. As she settled in her chair for yet another long session at her desk she viewed all of the items laid out before her. The latest Wall Street Journal, Her client's file and a legal pad already filled with notes.

She started with her clients file, picking through the thick papers.