| General Fiction posted December 17, 2024 | Chapters: |
...13 14 -15- 16... 
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Abby Payne is enlisted to help stop the spread of Dipraxa
A chapter in the book The Devil Fights Back
The Devil Fights Back - Ch. 15
by Jim Wile
| Background Three intrepid women team up to conquer medical challenges. |
Recap of Chapter 14: Fran signs Dana up as a CI, trains her, and gives her a burner phone to use for secure communications. That afternoon they go to Brian’s house, where Fran introduces Dana to Brian and his family.
After lunch, the three retreat to Brian’s basement lab, where Dana informs Brian of what she’s learned so far about her company’s plans to quash Glyptophan. Dana reveals that she knows about Dipraxa and that Brian made that as well. Brian thanks Dana for being willing to be the eyes and ears in her company and for any information she can provide.
From the end of chapter 14:
Brian said to Dana, "You wouldn’t happen to know a brilliant mathematician, would you? Someone who’s strong in statistical analysis? I’ve got a very complex problem I’m investigating now that could maybe help prevent Dipraxa’s further spread. The mathematics of it is beyond me or anybody I know, though. I don’t know if you’d know anyone like that, but I just thought I’d ask.”
“Strangely enough, I do happen to know someone like that. Fran, do you remember that woman I told you about at the Omni Hotel? The one named Abby, who I used to bully when we were kids? She’s the one.”
Chapter 15
Fran
“Wait a minute,” I said, “your enemy-turned-friend who invented the golf suit is a brilliant mathematician?”
“Yes,” said Dana. “Abby St. Claire, who is now Abby Payne. Remember I also said she was the manager of the actuarial department at a big insurance company. She told me she developed a whole new set of protocols that have become widely used in the insurance industry these days. She’s probably the smartest person I know.”
Brian said, “I was half-joking when I threw that out there. I didn’t really expect an answer to it, but if you think she’s someone who could help me, I’d be willing to talk to her.”
I said, “We really have to move on this. Dana, what do you say we give your friend a call right now and find out a little more about her background and gauge her interest in possibly working with us?”
She pulled out her phone and said, “Let’s do it.”
“Just tell her you’d like to put your phone on speaker and that there are some folks here who could use her mathematical expertise, and you’re wondering if she has a few minutes to talk to us.”
“Got it.”
Dana initiated the call to Abby, and we could hear her pick up after three rings.
“Hi, Dana. What’s new?”
“Hey, Abby. Do you have a few minutes to talk?”
“Yep. Kenny and I were just watching the Nittany Lions getting creamed by the Michigan State Spartans. I was about to quit watching anyway. What’s up?”
“Would you mind if I put the phone on speaker? I’ve got a couple of people here who could use your mathematical expertise on a matter of some importance.”
“Uh… sure. What’s this about?”
“I’ll let them explain it to you.” Dana nodded to me when she’d pushed the speaker button.
“Abby, my name is Fran Pekarsky. I’m an agent with the FBI who is a friend of Dana’s. Dana told us that you are a highly skilled mathematician and actuary who has developed statistical methods for the insurance industry.”
“Yes, that’s true, but I’m no longer an actuary. That was some time ago. I left the field to pursue a specific project. Did Dana tell you about that?”
“You mean the golf suit?”
“That’s the one. Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond our control, we were never able to bring it to market, although the prototypes worked quite well.”
“I imagine that took some rather complicated mathematics to develop. What were the circumstances that prevented you from bringing it to market, if I may ask? It sounds like a wonderful invention.”
“We got screwed by the damn Chinese firm that made the servo motors that powered the suit. They knew they were screwing us, but did it anyway. Due to very technical reasons, there were no other suppliers of these parts we needed.”
My ears pricked up at this. Maybe there would be an added incentive for Abby to join us now since the Chinese were behind our current problem. “Sorry to hear that. Could you tell us briefly what your background is in mathematics, Abby?”
“Sure. I have a master’s degree in applied mathematics from Penn State University. I became an actuary for an insurance company where I worked for about 15 years, eventually becoming the department manager. I’ve since been working as an inventor.”
“Abby, this is Brian Kendrick, Fran’s brother. I’m a neuroscientist faced with a problem that involves national security, and I have an idea for a solution, but I lack the mathematical knowledge that will be required to put this solution into practice. I’m trying to prevent a national disaster, but I’m not at liberty to discuss the nature of it with you at this time. I can only assure you that this is a defensive measure involving a threat to the country.”
“Abby, this is Fran again. I know that sounds ominous, but my brother is not exaggerating the seriousness of the situation. We could very much use your help and would be willing to fly you down here to meet you and discuss the situation with you further. I am the Special Agent in Charge of this mission, and I’m empowered to enlist all the help I can get. Would you be interested in coming down here to Charlotte, North Carolina, to see if we can work together on this? You would certainly be paid as a consultant if we do.”
“Um… this is a lot to take in, Fran. Hey, Dana, this isn’t some elaborate joke you’re playing on me, is it?”
“If it is, I’ve got some damn good actors here playing their parts, but I assure you it isn’t. These are good people who could really use your skills.”
“Alright. When did you have in mind for me to come?”
“Abby, this is Fran again. Absolutely as soon as possible. The earliest flight you can get. Tomorrow morning, if you can arrange it.”
“Okay, I guess it can’t hurt to have an interview and decide if we can work together on this. I’ll make the flight arrangements and text the arrival information to Dana’s phone. How long should I plan on staying?”
“Let’s just say for one day at first with a return flight the following day. If you come tomorrow, Dana will still be here. We’ll pick you up at the airport, and we can arrange accommodations for the night that you’ll stay. If we decide to work together on this, it will require an extended trip soon after, but we can worry about that later.”
“Alright. I’ll book a flight and text you with the details.”
“Great, Abby. Thanks very much. Hopefully we’ll see you tomorrow.”
“I’ll do my best. Goodbye, everyone.”
Abby texted back within the hour, saying she was able to get an early morning direct flight that arrived in Charlotte at 8:10. You couldn’t ask for better than that.
I said to Dana and Brian, “Okay, here’s what we’ll do. Dana, you and I will leave now and stop back at my office, where I’ll pick up a couple more burner phones for Abby and Brian so that if we hire her, all communications among us can be encrypted and secure. Tomorrow morning, Dana and I will pick Abby up at the airport, and then we’ll come straight back here so that Abby can see your lab, Brian, and we can talk about the mission. Dana, I know you’re not directly involved in it, but I’m going to include you because you’re aware of the problem, and you’re the one who put us onto Abby if she ends up working for us.”
“I appreciate that, Fran.”
“That sounds perfect. Thanks for offering, little brother. You’ll have a houseful, though, with Marie too. She and Jules must have worked things out, huh?”
“Well, they needed a little help with that, but I guess they have. Took ‘em long enough.”
“What did they do, go to a counselor or something?”
“No, I took care of it. I hate to toot my own horn, so you'll just have to ask Jules about it sometime.”
“Believe me, I will. Alright, I think Dana and I will leave you now. I’ll text you tomorrow after we pick up Abby and let you know when we’ll be here.
 Recognized |
Fran Pekarsky: One of three narrators of the story. She is an FBI agent from the North Carolina field office in Charlotte.
Dana Padgett: One of three narrators of the story. She is the assistant marketing director for a Big Pharma company.
Brian Kendrick: Fran's younger brother. He is the inventor of Dipraxa and Glyptophan.
Julia Kendrick: Brian's wife.
Dr. Marie Schmidt: Julia's mother. She is the third narrator of the story.
Cedric (aka Cecil): The doorman at the apartment house where Marie lives.
Lou D'Onofrio: Fran's boss at the FBI.
Patty Mattson: A hacker friend of Fran's. The programmer on Brian's project.
Abby Payne (nee St. Claire): A girl from Dana's past, who she used to bully but has befriended during their adulthood. The mathematician on Brian's project.
Mike Pekarsky: Fran's husband. He is a DHS agent.
Willy Stubblefield: The leader of Julia's bluegrass band.
Shannon Stubblefield: Willy's wife and the drummer in the bluegrass band.
Picture courtesy of Flux-dev
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