Chapter 9: Troubleshooting 2

I was now deep into the guts of the product and slowly realising that it had ramifications far beyond a normal run-of-the-mill logistics system. If the country’s enemies could identify weaknesses they could exploit to hack into the system, it could result in major problems for our military capability.

Eventually I felt my bladder complain and, on checking my watch, I realised Chemmy had left me ninety minutes ago. Perhaps she had got into trouble with her supervisor, but surely they wouldn’t leave me all alone. I wished I could phone someone for advice, Rolf Magnusson perhaps, but the office didn’t even have a telephone. Did they think malevolent visitors might try to read secrets down the phone to their co-conspirators?

I was nearly at the point of using my metal paperclip to visit the toilet and get a godawful machine coffee when Chemmy burst into the office with a broad smile on her face and bearing two coffees.

“Sorry I took so long,” Chemmy started.

“I’m glad you’re still alive and uninjured but could you please escort me to the toilets,” I begged.

After I’d made my deposit and washed my hands and we were once again ensconced in the office and sipping our good coffees, Chemmy told me her story.

“Paul Cisgrove, my supervisor, is a right arsehole. He hauled me over the coals about being late in this morning, calling me all sorts of names, synonyms of ‘unprofessional’. He ordered me not to be late again this week.”

I’d never met Paul Cisgrove but already I didn’t like him.

Chemmy continued, “I explained that I was doing my job as instructed and it was my duty to provide you with what you needed to do your job and monitor you the whole time you were here. I told him that my hours weren’t up to me, I had to work to your schedule. Then he said that was unacceptable and summoned our manager, Mrs Findlay, and demanded she give me a written warning for insubordination. He even complained about me taking you the good coffee.

“I reminded Mrs Findlay what my instructions were, and how we’d worked until three this morning before you’d decided to finish for the day, so it was inevitable we’d be in late this morning. Mrs Findlay asked whether I could prove it and I told her to check CCTV at the time my key-card was used to exit the building and she’d see the two of us leaving.

“Mrs Findlay then told Paul that he was out of order, he would be getting a written warning, and I should report directly to her for the rest of your stay. Then she sent Paul Cisgrove away with his tail between his legs. She said I was doing exactly what I’d been told to do and that I should carry on working the same hours as you. And she also said that as a valued senior developer with CornerStone, you were absolutely entitled to the good coffee.

“After she had dismissed my supervisor, Mrs Findlay wanted more details about what you’d been doing. Naturally I omitted the part about my falling asleep and your unescorted trips to the toilets and coffee machine. Mrs Findlay had thought you might have been a no-show because Rolf Magnusson hadn’t heard from you and the hotel where you’d been booked in rang to say they’d cancelled your booking and relet the room to some lucky walk-ins because you hadn’t turned up by the checking-in deadline. I told her I had no idea where you’d been booked in and didn’t know how to find out at three in the morning so you stayed at a friend’s house.

“Are you sure you want to stay at my place again tonight? The hotel you were booked in is quite a nice place, albeit a taxi-ride away. It’s even got sea views.”

“If you’re willing to put up with me again, I’d rather stay with you,” I said. “When I get home, I’ll get Ms Summerville to make sure sure you don’t lose out financially.”

Chemmy didn’t look unhappy at that.

I finished reading another ring-binder’s worth of specs while Chemmy read one of her paperbacks. “I think that’s a good place for me to break,” I said, as I put the completed ring-binder back in its place and removed the next in sequence. “I guess using the CornerStone catering facilities is out of the question in case I see or hear something I shouldn’t. Is there somewhere nearby where I can get something to eat? Sandwiches will do.”

“There’s a supermarket nearby and it sells sandwiches and hot snacks,” said Chemmy. “I was looking for an excuse to pay it a visit to stock up on provisions while you’re here. I don’t have much in my flat, and definitely not enough to cook meals for two.”

“Don’t worry about cooking meals for me. I’m happy to buy you dinner every evening if you don’t minding waiting until after we’re finished for the day.”

“You’ve convinced me,” Chemmy laughed. “But I still need to get things for breakfast. Would you like a cooked breakfast in the mornings?”

“Toast and honey will be fine provided there’s coffee to wash it down.”

“Okay, but let me know if you change your mind.”

Chemmy dog-eared her page then escorted me to reception. Clive was still on duty. “We’re just going out for something to eat,” she said.

“Your visitor will need to sign out and back in again,” said Clive.

I updated the register to sign myself out.

“I asked management what they wanted to do about the register when you come and go out of hours,” Clive said to me. “They weren’t exactly decisive, but said for the moment to do what you did this morning while Miss Troissant is escorting you.”

Chemmy drove us to the retail park hosting the supermarket. I noticed it also accommodated a number of satellite businesses.

“Have you ever tried that place?” I asked, pointing to a Mexican fast food outlet that also did takeaways.

Chemmy grinned. “Not that branch: I think it must be new. I’ve tried others in the same chain; they’re pretty decent. Do you fancy trying something really spicy?”

“Sounds good to me.”

“Let’s do the shopping first then eat afterwards.”

We did a whirlwind tour of the supermarket with Chemmy guiding her trolley and picking items off the shelves quickly and determinedly. At one point she stopped to ask, “Would you like me to get marmalade for your breakfast?”

“Honey is fine,” I replied.

“What, every morning?”

“Yes.”

Chemmy gave me an indecipherable look then continued with her shopping. Once the shopping was paid for and unloaded into the back of Chemmy’s car alongside my holdall, we headed over to the Mexican restaurant. Despite it being well into the afternoon, there were still plenty of customers.

“This place is central to a number of business parks,” Chemmy explained, “and it’s quick and convenient.”

We went into the restaurant and Chemmy led the way to the takeaway counter, where we were served straight away.

“What do you recommend?” I asked Chemmy, as the server waited for us to order.

“They do three standard burrito types; beef, chicken, and black bean with cheese, each with available heat ratings from one to three chillies. I’ll have the two-chilli chicken.”

“And I’ll have the three-chilli beef,” I said to the server.

“Anything to drink?” asked the server?

“Better order a milky coffee in case your burrito is too hot,” Chemmy suggested with a grin.

“Okay, a milky coffee to drink please,” I ordered.

“And one for me too,” added Chemmy.

The server rang up our bill, which I took care of before Chemmy could object. “And could I have a VAT receipt for that?” I said to the server. “Expenses,” I explained to Chemmy.

“Certainly,” said the server. “Your order will be about ten minutes.”

The ten minutes passed quickly and we we soon on our way back to Chemmy’s car with hot burritos and coffees in our hands.

Once inside, Chemmy took a bit of her burrito. “This is sublime,” was her verdict.

I took a bite of mine and immediately felt my mouth burning. I took another bite and the burning slowly subsided as I became accustomed to the heat.

“How’s your burrito?” asked Chemmy between mouthfuls.

“It’s okay, but the heat is overpowering the taste. Next time I’ll go for two chillies too.”

“I thought people with Asperger’s were supposed to be reluctant to try new things but you chose the three chillies without hesitation,” Chemmy observed.

“My school special needs specialist, Mrs Fairbairn, taught me several coping strategies to enable me to interact better with others. She advised me that if someone I trusted recommended I try something outside my normal routine, I should at least consider it rather than turning it down flat.”

“You trusted me?” queried Chemmy. “Did I actually recommend the three-chilli burrito?”

“You asked me whether I fancied something really spicy. I assumed that meant the three chillies.”

By the time I finished my burrito, the coffee was an unnecessary coolant but I drank it anyway. After Chemmy finished her coffee, I hopped out of the car to put our debris in a bin then Chemmy drove us back to CornerStone’s Secure Services Building.

Clive’s shift had ended and a new security guard was in reception bearing a name badge showing ‘Barry’. I thought Barry was going to go through the whole pat down rigmarole again but Chemmy explained who I was, that she was my escort and that I wasn’t allowed into the really secure areas. She also pointed out that I was already in the register from the earlier in the day. That seemed to satisfy him, although I had to sign back in.

Chemmy escorted me to make a deposit in one of the unisex toilets then took me back to our office.

“I was aiming to finish reading the specs today but the later ones are considerably more complex than the early ones so it’ll probably be sometime tomorrow,” I admitted. “While you’re getting us good coffees, could you check whether the development team has resolved their problem and, if not, could you ask for a complete set of source code listings to be printed out and ready for me for tomorrow? If they complain that I can access the code via the computer, explain that I want to be able to physically annotate them.”

“I can do that,” said Chemmy. “I’ll ask Mrs Findlay to arrange the listings for you because I don’t have much to do with the development team.”

Chemmy shut me in again and I began to read the next ring binder of specifications.

I didn’t keep track of time but Chemmy interrupted my reading when she re-entered the office, fortunately bearing two coffees.

“Paul Cisgrove gave me the evil eye but I ignored him and went straight to Mrs Findlay,” she said. “The developers haven’t resolved their problem yet so she’ll arrange for the listings to be ready for you by first thing tomorrow.”

“Thank you. If the developers can’t fix it I don’t fancy my chances but I have to at least try.”

I went back to the specifications and Chemmy resumed reading her paperbacks.

I took two more toilet and coffee breaks then, when I reached the end of the next ring binder, there were only two more ring binders to go. One was very full and contained more specs, the other contained appendices and an index. It was the middle of the evening and past CornerStone’s normal working hours.

“I’ve reached a good place to stop for the day,” I said. “Are you ready to finish too?”

Chemmy looked at her watch then dog-eared her current page. “Nearly eight, hell yes!”

As we were leaving the office, Chemmy picked up three of her paperbacks. When we reached reception, Barry was just finishing his shift and was about to leave. “I wondered whether you were still here or had just forgotten to sign out,” he said to me.

“Compared to yesterday, this is early,” said Chemmy. “Have you locked away the register yet?”

“Yes, I’ve just done it.”

Barry looked as though he was about to add something but Chemmy leapt in first. “In that case he’ll sign out and back in again tomorrow morning. The time we’re leaving can be verified from CCTV.”