***** Vol.4 Chap.24 Summer plans *****

The last dataset with the mass spec data was quite simplistic. JB applied some conventional estimation algorithms and some modern prediction routines and got the job done in no time. Though she had no idea the meaning of the rating, she really did not care.

As a researcher, as long as there were data to process, that was when the fun began. When everything was reduced into just numbers, it just did not matter whether the data represents the number of births or the number of deaths. A researcher simply cared less.

She thought of Dr. Schmidtiz and his experiments. She wondered if he and the PPTSB had anything to do with recent tragic events in Africa.

No. No way.

She could not accept that PPTSB would have anything to do with the horrible events in South Africa. The PPTSB had a wonderful goal of turning violent persons into tranquil, docile persons. No, they could not be involved in these brutal events. Yet within her, there was still a nagging.

Was Dr. Schmidtiz working on a formula to make people docile or was he working on a formula to make people violent? There was no way to tell from the dataset given to her. All she could deduced from the dataset was that the subjects were docile and violent.

She had no idea of when the data was taken. She was told that the dataset represented violent persons becoming docile. Could it be that, the dataset represented docile persons turning violent? She was very much disturbed by that thought.

After she got home, she felt she should try Dr. Schmidtiz again.

“Hello, JB?”

“Yes, Dr. Schmidtiz. I haven’t heard from you for a while and I thought I would just touch base with you.”

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“I am sorry for my delay. But the company was really trying to step up the timetable. In fact, I just had confirmation from upper management about your summer plans.”

“Yes?”

“I am sure you have heard about what had happened in South Africa. Such atrocity. Such a tragedy. We are all shaken by these events. So, the upper management really wants to move up the schedule to release our products in the hope that some people can be saved from violence by being less aggressive.”

“Yeah, what happened was truly terrible. I wish I can help in some way.”

“Well, you can. We were hoping you would feel that way.”

“Really? How can I help?”

“The upper management feels that we need you to be working shoulder to shoulder with us. We know that this is summer for you and you don’t have to teach any more classes. How do you feel about coming to headquarters and working with us on a day-to-day basis?”

“Well, that may be possible.” JB was hedging a bit.

“Besides, this will give you a chance to get better acquainted with our company and be a better spokesman for us once we announce our product.”

“But I hardly know what IS the product.”

“Exactly. That is why you need to be here at headquarters. You need to talk to our scientists. You need to talk to upper management. What do you say?”

“Well, that sounds reasonable.” JB was never one who turned down opportunities. Besides, this was summer and she was free to do whatever she desired till the Fall semester began.

“Great. How about tomorrow at 3:00 pm? Meet me at the regional airport? We will send a private jet to pick you up.”

“Okay.”

“Pack lightly for the summer. See you tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow.”

JB was elated with such opportunity falling on her doorstep. Any doubts about the company flew out the window. Any suspicion on Dr. Schmidtiz had diminished to thin air.

Looking around her apartment, there was not much to pack. In fact, all she needed could be stuffed into an overnight bag and the rest into her backpack. From her closet, some T-shirts, jeans, socks, and underwear. Everything fit nicely in the overnight bag. Then she packed her laptop, charger, extra thumb drives and her omnipresent engineering log book. In no time, she was ready to go.

She was not sure where she was going and how long she would be gone, perhaps Washington, DC, or some exotic place. Maybe she would come home during the weekend to relax. Whatever she needed, she could afford to buy locally. With that in mind, she saw no need to let anyone else know where she would be for the summer, except an email to Jim, her department Chair, informing him she was leaving for a consulting job and would check in with him when she came back.