Nigel awoke to the sound of his brother Ralphie playing a race car game. Although Nigel was six years older than Ralphie, they shared an oversized room the boys called the Loft. Ralphie thought the name sounded sophisticated and cool. Nigel could care less about the name—he thought of it as his sanctuary, since his mother rarely ventured into the room uninvited. Even with Nigel's eyes closed, he instantly knew the game that Ralphie was playing was Kenny Kart, a piece-of-garbage racing game with overemphasized character expressions accompanied by a meaningless cartoon soundtrack. Nigel preferred games with challenge, games that actually required a certain amount of skill to complete.

Nigel's mind wandered back to the rigorous series of tests that he was subjected to. The entire battery of tests lasted over four hours. Nigel was sweating all over after the exams were finished. The tests were nothing like anything he had experienced before. The woman with the blonde hair and piercing emerald eyes haunted him during his nap.

Nigel's line of thought was interrupted when Ralphie abruptly exclaimed, “Nige, you’re up!”

Nigel ignored him and reached for his laptop. He must have been sleeping for more than three hours. He opened his email in anticipation. He had a nagging feeling that he didn't do so well. After waiting several agonizing seconds, he saw the message he was waiting for from Natasha at Collective Systems, Inc.

Nigel opened the message.

Greetings Nigel,

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I hope this note finds you well.

You have been accepted for the Senior Student Researcher position. We feel that this position is best suited for your skills and abilities.

“I didn't apply for that position,” Nigel said.

“What was that, Nige?” Ralphie asked.

“Nothing, Ralphie, just talking to myself,” Nigel said.

You now have the option to assemble a team that will assist you in the day-to-day aspects of this position. You can recruit up to two additional people to help with these tasks. However, should you choose to enlist the help of others, they must be vetted and approved by Collective Systems, Inc. Since you are a student under the age of eighteen, we are required to obtain written permission from a parent or guardian. We also require a work permit to be issued by your school.

Nigel was particularly worried about this last part. He didn't think that his mother would be happy that he was applying for a job.

Attached is a formal offer and employment agreement. If the terms outlined in these documents are acceptable, please respond within 72 hours of receiving this email for further instructions. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me directly.

Regards,

Natasha Solikov

Chief Recruitment Officer

Collective Systems, Inc.

After some thought and deliberation, Nigel decided to accept the offer. However, since he was underage, he had to produce a work permit. He decided to ask Natasha for guidance, but he didn't have her phone number. He could ring up Collective Systems in the morning but figured that an email would be best.

Dear Natasha,

Thank you so much for the offer letter. I'm interested in accepting; however, in the event that I cannot produce a work permit, is there any other position I can apply for? My school may take some time issuing the permit. How long do I have to produce that document?

Warmest Regards,

Nigel Watson