Juliasignedtheterminationagreementquickly.
Asforthpensationfee,shepromisedtomakefullpaymentwithinthetimeframestatedinthecontract.
WhenJohnnyreceivedtheupdate,hescoffed.“Shesureactsfast.”
Fromthenon,theiwyershandledthefollow–up.OnceJuliasignedthetermination,neitherMaggienorJohnnybotheredtopaythematteranyfurtherattention.
Acoupleofdayter,Nnwasonvacation.Thethreeofthem–teacherandstudents–hadn’tseeneachotherforawhile,sotheyarrangedtomeetupforameal.
Thatafternoon,MaggieandJohnnylefttheofficeandarrivedattherestaurant.Justastheysteppeduptotheentrance,theyranintoJuliaandFranklin’sparty.
AlsowiththemwasMr.Alison,theheadofAlisonGroup,anothermajordomesticApany.
Mr.AlisonwasacquaintedwithJohnny.Theygotalongfairlywendusuallyhadachatwhentheyranintoeach
UponseeingJohnny,Mr.Alison greetedhim warmly,“PresidentGray.”
Johnnydidn’tspar
Mr.Alisonkno
terminated.
evenanceatFranklinorJulia.HesmiledatMr.Alisonandreplied,“Mr.Alison.”
wellenoughthatWilsonTechhadapproachedhimonlyaftertheircontractwithColewas
SeeingJohnny’scolddemeanortowardJuliaandFranklin,heassumeditstemmed frombadblood overthe
contractfallout.
Inthepast,evenwhenJohnnywasindifferent,FranklinandJuliawouldstillgreethimoutofcourtesy.
Butthistime,theysaidnothing.
EvenJulia’sgazetowardJohnnywasfarcolderthanbefore.
AsforMaggie,shedidn’tevenbothertolookatthem.
JohnnyandMaggieweren’tinterestedinacknowledgingthemeither.
AftergreetingMr.Alison,theyheadedstraightinside.
Oncetheywereoutoftheelevatorandseatedintheirprivateroom,Johnnysneered,“Justendedthecontractwith
usandjumpedstraightintoapartnershipwithAlisonGroup.Franklinsureknowshowtothrowmoneyaround.”
AlisonGroupwasoneofthetop–tierApaniesinAmerica.
Intermsofdealvalue,thisnewpartnershipwasprobablydoublewhattheyhadoffered.
Maggietookasipofwateranmented,“Theirnaturanguageprocessingsystemwasthebestinthecountrstyear–undisputed.It’snosurprisethey’dgowithMr.Alison.Honestly,aftermissingoutwithus,thiswastheirbestoptiontomakeupforlostground.”
“There’snoreasonnottochooseAlisonGroup.”
OfcourseJohnnyknewthis.
Andthatwasexactlywhatmadehimevenmorefrustrated.Themorereasonablethechoicewas,themorebitterhefelt.
Thelongerhethoughtaboutit,theangrierhebecame.
“IbetFranklinpaidtheterminationfeeforWilsonTechtoo,”hesaid.Maggiedidn’trespond.
Atthatmoment,Nnarrived.
Seeinghimwalkin,neitherofthembroughtthematterupagain.
Theydidn’twantto sullytheirteacher’searswithallthispettydrama.
WhenevertheymetwithNn, thetopicofconversationwasusuallynewtrendsinAI.Sincetheydidn’tgettomeetoften,thislunchranlongerthanusual–nearlytwohours.
Afterthemeal,astheysteppedoutandheadedfortheelevator,theprivateroom nextdooropened.
AndrightinfrontofthemstoodFranklin,Julia,andMr.Alison.
BeforeMaggieorJohnnycouldsayanything,Mr.AlisonspottedNnandcalledoutindelight,“Mr.Nn!”
Mr.AlisonhadanAIbackgroundaswend enjoyedafairamountofrecognitioninthefield.
Nnknewwhohewasandgavehimapolitenod.
FranklinalsogreetedNn,followed byJulia:“Mr.Nn.”
Nnlookedimpassiveanddidn’trespondrightaway.
Atthatmoment,agroupofpeopleroundedthehallwaycorner.Whentheysawthegroupbythe
elevators–especiallywhen theyspottedNn–theymomentarilyfroze,
Maggiencedoverandimmediatelylookedaway–itwasRex.
Rexquicklyregainedhiposure.
AfterlookingatJulia,hesteppedforwardandgreetedNn,“Mr.Nn.”
Nnnoddedslightlybuthadn’tspokenyet.
Rexthenncedatthegroup–Franklin,Julia,andMaggie–andasked,“Wereyoualldiningtogether?”
HehadalreadyheardaboutthecontractterminationbetweenColeandWilsonTech.
HealsoheardthatJuliabelievedJohnnywasn’tsincereaboutcontinuingthepartnership,andthatstayinginthedealwouldonlyleadtomoreissuesdowntheroad.Soshehadagreedtoenditforthegreatergood.
Butnow,barely afterthefallout,bothsidesjusthappenedtobehavinglunchatthesamece?
Thatdidn’tquiteadd up.
Julia,readinghisthoughts,steppedintorify,
“No,wejusthappenedtorunintoeachother.”
Rexnodded.“Ah,Isee.”
Hethoughtasmuch…
NeitherMaggienorJohnnyhadthepatiencetoengagefurtherwithhim,orwithFranklinandJulia.
JustasMaggiewasabouttosaysomething,Johnnybeathertoit.
HeturnedtoNnandsaid,“Teacher,let’sgo.”
Nnnoddedandwasjustabouttoturnawaywhen-
Rex,noticingthedismissivenessfrombothJohnnyandMaggie–actingasthoughhe,Franklin,andJuliaweren’tworthance–suddenly tookastepforward.
Hesaid,“Mr.Nn,myfatherisReedHardin.We metrecently–doyouremember?”
Nnlookedathimandsaidinly,“Ido.So?”
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