Mind to Metal

Chapter 5

On Friday, General Stafford cleared his throat. We all looked to him and noticed the woman standing by his side.

"This is General Hemingway. You shall go to her with any questions, comments, or concerns. From here on out, she will be here every day to advise you all."

Like a hawk, she looked over the crowd to scan for sheep amongst wolves. Her confidence stuck out like cologne, almost overpowering and not what one would expect. She wore little makeup, and if she was, it was a natural look. Her hair was tucked tightly into a bun. A few days ago, I might have dismissed her as a change in baby sitter and nothing more. Seeing her now in her glory, I knew I would get along with her just fine.

"As introduced, I am General Hemingway. One thing to know about me is that I have been working here for the last twenty years. I have headed this program for the last five. Hopefully, this will be a wonderful learning experience for you or a reality check.

"Challenges are everyone's foes. If you thought I would take it easier on you all because I am a woman, I most certainly will not. If anyone has any side comments to make about me right now, you might as well leave. I have eyes and ears everywhere. Any mockery or ridicule toward any officers or workers in this building will not be taken lightly.

"It is true that for the last four days I had important business to attend to. However, with all of those meetings and issues resolved, this program has my full attention. I will have other tasks I need to complete for personal paperwork for this facility, but this internship will be my top priority for the next three months." With that, she dished out our tasks for the day.

Kendra and I high fived upon hearing we would work together again. We quickly sat down and began our assignment. Between typing, I didn't hesitate to collaborate with her. Our chats were becoming a part of work I looked forward to. I gradually rolled out of bed faster, knowing a new story or gossip was waiting to be spilled. The whole situation was new to me, but I didn't miss my chance to enjoy it.

She truly was smart and more clever than anyone I know, myself excluded. Her humbleness outshined any personality trait I had. Whenever our group accomplished something, she was quick to cheer and empower the team. After four days, all of the interns got a good idea who was at the top and bottom of the success food chain. While I took my placement with a competitive spirit, Kendra did not let this invade her kind heart. She took the opportunity to assist struggling interns and grow them as hackers and programmers. In all fairness, it was unreasonable to say that the slower interns were not smart. Everyone who got into the Cyber Internship had quite a large level of excellence. However, I found it hard to befriend many of them since I grew frustrated when they couldn't keep up. If anyone asked for my assistance, I looked the other way and ducked my head. They would eventually find their way to Kendra.

I was never good with people.

After the workday ended, General Hemingway had us line up to meet her one on one. It took about fifteen minutes until I was before her. Nervousness and excitement clashed for dominance in my thoughts.

"Hi, General Stafford. My name is Carly Taylor," I said. A flicker in her eyes revealed that she recognized the name but she said nothing. She gave my hand a satisfying shake.

"It is nice to meet you, Miss Taylor. What made you apply for this internship?" Her eyes widened with curiosity. I forced myself to sit up straight, hoping I looked presentable. I almost sat on my hands to keep them from twitching, but I sided on clasping them in my lap.

Get yourself together! Sitting on your hands is hardly something professional to do!

"I have always been above average with technology and computers. With more and more training, I found that I excelled and enjoyed every aspect of cybersecurity. It makes a good amount of money if you don't mind me saying that."