Forbidden Apple
"Evening Mark."
Mark's boss Mr. Roberts stood in the locker room, dressed in the Pleasanton SecureCo uniform, ready to leave.
"The cleaners have left, so it's just you and the ghosts now."
Mark had been doing the dark o'clock shift at this computer company in Cupertino for the past two years, a job he thorougly enjoyed. Although he didn't know much about computers, he loved playing the video games on them that his cousin Keith supplied him with.
"The elevators are still being fixed. You'll have to climb the stairwell on your two o'clock check."
"Sure. Good night sir."
Then he was alone.
Mark wasted no time. He took the round on the first floor and locked himself into the "Release Lab" where all the coolest computers were. "Thank you Keith" he whispered while slipping the new golden disc into one of the silvery laptops.
"Drag this icon somewhere to install Soldier of Fortune III", the computer said, and Mark did. For three hours he was John Mullins, ass-kicking good guy working for The Man.
"Aww shit!" It was suddenly way past 2 am, his
raison d'être. Mark yanked the CD out and hurried towards the elevators.
"Morning Louise!"
"Morning Mr. Jobs!"
"What's with all the people here?"
"Oh, poor man. A security guard fell into one of the elevator shafts last night. He was lucky to survive." Louise replied.
Mr. Jobs had no time for lucky security guards, because today was the day the new PowerBook G7s were being shipped off to production. He was going to be very busy.
"So what's the word Kevin?"
Steve was worried. Reviewers could make or break his entire company. He'd spent too much time worrying about litigation lately. The G7s were the final ace up his sleeve.
"They love it Mr. Jobs, especially the game bundle."
"What game bundle?"
"Soldier of Fortune III. Whoever came up with that in marketing is in for a nice fat christmas bonus."