Koki called the number to find out more about the job (and hopefully set up an interview). It rang so many times that voice mail picked up. "Hola. You've reached assistant professor Corcovado. If you are calling about the job, leave your name and number. Beep!"
"Um, hello! My name is Koki, and I'm a computer science major. I saw your ad, and -"
"Hello? Sorry, this is Aviva. I couldn't get to the phone in time."
"Oh! Um, that's okay."
"Can you come in for an interview now?"
"Yes."
Koki did not have time to go home and change. Her mother would chastise her if she knew she was going to a job interview dressed casually.
Koki went to her car. It made eck-eck-eck sounds and the engine refused to turn over.
"Darn!" She pulled out her phone to get an Uber.
Finding your ride ... There is a problem with your payment information. Please update payment method to continue.
"Double darn!" She rushed on foot to the Electrical and Computer Science Engineering building.
Thirty minutes later, Koki sat in a chair outside of an office in the engineering department. She had caught her breath as another applicant went in. Twenty minutes later he had still not come out.
Her phone rang. It was Eustacius Grant, a.k.a. Lil Quarry. Koki hit decline with message, and sent talk to you later. She was glad he had chosen that moment to call, otherwise she would have went into the interview with her ringer on.
She looked up as the applicant walked out of the office, shaking his head. "She's crazy. Absolutely nucking futs."
"NEXT!"
Koki went in. A dark-haired woman sat in a chair with a notepad. "Hi there! I'm assistant professor Corcovado." She extended her hand to Koki and they shook.
"I'm Koki."
"Mucho gusto en conocer Ud. Me llamo Aviva Corcovado. Empezamos. In free convection heat transfer, transition from laminar to turbulent flow is governed by the critical value of, what ?"
Koki thought for a moment. "I thought you were going to ask me to tell you a little bit about myself."
Professor Corcovado laughed. The sound was surprisingly girlish. "I'm sorry to spring it on you. Sending out questions ahead of time invites cheating. If you don't know the answer, that's okay. It's just that my time is precious and I need to find someone right away."
"I know the answer. Actually, there are two possible answers. The Prandtl number or Grashhoff's number."
The professor nodded and made a note. "Good. Now, a point on a connecting link - excluding end point - of a double slider crank mechanism traces what type of path?"
"An elliptical path."
"Excellent. Now just one more question." She put down her pad and leaned towards Koki. "What do you think about The Theory of Machines?"
"The idea that machines can be used for ... metaphysical things?"
Professor Corcovado held up her finger. "No. Not outside the realm of physics. Inside. But physics of which even Einstein and Hawking only had a foggy understanding."
No wonder the applicant had said Aviva was crazy. But she didn't look crazy.
"I think we are barely scratching the surface of what machines can do," said Koki. "When I was a kid, I used to get in a big box and pretend it was H.G. Well's time machine. I used to imagine coming out of my box at the time of the dinosaurs, or in medieval times. But my brothers and sisters always wanted to come with me."
"Oh? Tiene Ud. muchas hermanos?"
"Si. Tengo seis hermanos y hermanas , casi siete." She stopped and bit her lip. She had not mean to reveal that.
The interviewer covered her mouth. "I just realized I've been speaking in Spanish! I apologize! So you are used to wrangling unruly kids?"
"I sure am, professor."
"Call me Aviva." Aviva went behind her desk and pressed a button. "Chris and Martin, you can come in now."
Two very attractive men came in, but they didn't seem like adult men, more like overgrown kids.
"What do you know about animals?" asked the taller one with dreamy blue eyes.
"I don't know that much. We had lots of pets growing up, my siblings were always bringing something home."
They chatted some more.
"Do you have any questions for us?" said the short (but compact) sexy brunette. He had a pair of dreamy brown peepers.
Koki looked at each one of the very attractive people. "Animals? Machine Theory? Kids? What kind of a job is this?"
TO BE CONTINUED
YOU ARE READING
Wild Kratts: To Catch A Vampire
HorrorKoki has become aware that the Kratts crew is full of secrets. Aviva has two secrets: she's pregnant. And also involved with Koki. Even though she and Koki are in love, Aviva refuses to tell Koki who the father is . And she has forbidden Koki from...
