The Price of Betrayal

By R. Richard

Warren looks hard at me and says, “So, you can actually manage, as well as do technical work.”
I lecture, “I can design, develop and test computer software. I can sell my computer software to business managers and technical people. I make no claim, about being able to sell used cars. Once I have my software sold, I can assemble and manage a group of skilled support people. Along the way, I get feedback, from customers about other possible needs. You have no one else, on staff, who can do all of that.”
Warren leans back and smiles, “So, you don’t need any help.”
I laugh, “Quite to the contrary. I need and use the help of the software engineers that I hire. I need the help of the hardware techs that I hire. Hell, I even need the help of Diana, my Secretary. What I don’t need is some used car salesman, who thinks that he can run my project better than I can.”
Warren laughs, “So, you see the need for a team.”
I lecture, “You get the spotlight as an all star, you win with a team. I’m going to win. The Lozenge Corporation is going to win.”
Warren smiles, “Yes, a team is important.”
(I suddenly realize, with a shock, that I’m not a member of Warren’s team. I’m not a politician. Warren is a politician. Only politicians are really a part of Warren’s team. I can see danger for me.)
I wrap up with Warren and I go back to running my project.
On Friday, my people can't get into the computer lab that’s reserved for our use. There is some large, nasty oaf in there.
I call for the rent a guards and they extract oaf and march him into Personnel.
The Personnel lady doesn't really know what to do.
Warren joins the party.
I tell Warren, “I have reserved a computer lab for the use of me and my people. This morning, I find oaf in the computer lab, where he has no business. I don’t need trouble. Oaf goes, permanently, or I go permanently.”
The Personnel lady, Warren, oaf and oaf’s Manager then go into the personnel lady’s office. I am not invited. After a bit, Warren, oaf and oaf’s Manager exit the Personnel lady’s office.
Warren says, “The trouble maker will go.
The oaf’s Manager and the oaf just glare at me.
I then get called into Warren’s office.
Warren says, “What happened was a test of you. You did get the problem solved, but at a cost. You might think of a better way to handle such problems.”
I ask Warren, “Then you think that other managers will send in an oaf to hamper my work?”
Warren snorts, “No, but you have made an enemy.”
I ask, “The Manager who sent in the oaf was not already my enemy?”
Warren thinks for a moment, “Yes, the Manager was already your enemy. However, the next Manager who wants to test you will have the argument that you are too touchy to be a Manager.”
I laugh, “Not to worry, I can handle it.”
(At lunch, I stop at a run down toy store and purchase a nasty toy.)
After work, the oaf that I got fired is in my face, out in the parking lot. Oaf says, “I was only doin’ what my Manager told me to do. I’m gonna mess you up!”
I pull a very realistic toy gun from my pocket and tell oaf, “First you need to talk to my friend here.”
Oaf looks at what he thinks is a gun and backs off.
I lecture oaf, “Your former Manager sent you on a suicide mission. That should tell you what value your former Manager places on you. If that doesn’t tell you, your first attempt to get another job will tell you.”
About this time, a couple of rent a guards arrive, on the trot.
Oaf tells the rent a guards, “He threatened me with a gun, that’s against the law.”
One of the rent a guards takes oaf into custody, as we hear sirens in the nearby road.
The other rent a guard says, “Mr. Bron, that pistol is against the law.”
I had the guard the toy pistol and say, “Bang bang.”
The guard hands me back my toy gun and says, “Yeah. Best put it away before the city police arrive.”

• Language: English
• Publisher: R. Richard
• Release date: Jan 10, 2020
• ISBN: 9780463683903

R. Richard

I'm the co-author, with Sunset Thomas, of Anatomy of An Adult Film.I have 48 novels and over 299 short stories currently published.I spent my early years in the part of Los Angeles known as the South Central. I was known as Whi' Boy, which was sufficient to identify me in that place. I'm a skilled Kung Fu player, using a system that I learned from a Korean I knew only as 'Pak.' It would be easier to tell you the places that Pak wasn't wanted by the police, rather than the places where he was wanted by the police. Pak's Kung Fu system, augmented by some bits and pieces from some Chinese practitioners is quick and effective, or I wouldn't be alive today.My early education was mostly obtained by stealing books from the public library (I always returned them and the Librarian even began to provide me with reading lists.) I did go to high schools, but I never really learned anything there. I eventually graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles, UCLA, with a degree in mathematics.I work as a Systems Analyst and also make a part of my living as a professional gambler (legal in Nevada.) I write science fiction and erotica. My published novels are:Anatomy of An Adult Film (With Sunset Thomas)1. Second Chance: God Killer2. Second Chance: Sky Pirate3. Second Chance: Scroll Seeker4. Second Chance: King of The Islands5. Second Chance: King of Zaya6. Second Chance: Duke of Averon7. Second Chance: King of Golomon8. Second Chance: King Of The Sky9. Second Chance: Warlord of Ifrequeh10. Second Chance: King of Ariby11. Second Chance: King of Mesodania12. Second Chance: King of Avuls13. Second Chance: King of Kemet14. Second Chance: King of Zorran15. Second Chance: King of Two Worlds16. Second Chance: King of Averon17. Second Chance: King's Duties18. Second Chance: King of The New WorldAdventurer: Simulation ProblemAdventurer: Pannar ProblemA Programmer's GambitAmateur StripperBeach MurdersBondage HouseCorporate Sex SlavesFriday NightGo Naked In The SoftwareGrasshopper WinterInvoluntary NudeLayoffNot A HeroPirates of The KeysSummer of SexThe LakeThe Last Moon DanceThe Nude Adventures of Plain JaneThe Secret Life of Wanda WilsonTails of the Pussycat LoungeTo Keep A JobTopless RestaurantToy WhoresVix: The MarineWayward BoyShort Stories:A Christmas Visit

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The Price of Betrayal

By R. Richard ©

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The Price of Betrayal

By R. Richard © 2023

Chapter 1: Starting Out

I, James Bron, graduated from college and went to work for the Lozenge Corporation. I was not your typical sort of of college guy, with water still dripping from behind my ears. I had managed to actually learn useful things, during my time in school, despite the never ending attempts of the faculty to guide me into the usual liberal arts poverty kind of things.

Instead of studying a college version of a foreign language, I managed to substitute an analysis of computer programming languages. Instead of history, I managed to substitute an analysis of the basis of information systems. By the time that I graduated from college, I had several published papers on structures within commonly used computer languages.

I graduated from college and went to work for the Lozenge Corporation, after I had sold Warren, the CEO of the Lozenge Corporation, on the idea of my developing a business management computer program that would be far better than anything on the market. As a result of my meeting with Warren, I got a very nice starting salary and also a very nice stock option plan. However, I still didn’t trust Warren any further than I could throw the Lozenge Corporation headquarters building.

I began to develop my business management computer program. I managed to also present papers at computer conventions, during the program development process. The papers that I presented were mathematical concepts and obviously not too useful in the business world. That is my mathematical concept papers were obviously not too useful in the business world, unless the reader was the type of computer programming theory guy who had a title like Chief Scientist. (While I built a market for the Lozenge Corporation business management computer program, I also built a market for my own skill set.)

I liked the area where the Lozenge Corporation was located and I managed to buy a very nice house, at a cheap price, from a foreclosure sale.

I got my business management computer program finished, tested and spiffed up, with the latest display screen ideas. The Lozenge Corporation then announced the roll out of