For the first time in her five-year tenure at Worldwide Messenger Broadcasting, WMB, Jenny McBeth had reason to fear for her job. She’d proven herself to be a model employee— intelligent, efficient, neat, with superb attention to detail, and she never missed a deadline. She’d also never been late and had rarely taken any sick leave. A few of her WMB colleagues might have acquired write-ups and meetings with the boss for negative reasons, but not Jenny. Until today…

Tears stung her eyes as she sped down the street at five over the speed limit. It was as far over as she dared to drive—no need to get a ticket and make herself later than she already was. What was she going to tell her boss? Would she even listen?

She flew into the parking lot and found a spot that seemed to be the farthest away from the building. She sprinted in her flats, limited by the long, black skirt that stopped just below her knees.

Jenny rushed in the front doors of WMB and went directly to the elevator. She didn’t even say hey to Dale at the front desk, as she did every other morning. Pressing the elevator button repeatedly, she impatiently waited for the lift to reach her floor. Over an hour after she was supposed to be at work, Jenny finally made her way to her desk, hurriedly putting her things down before she sat. She felt all eyes turn in her direction, undoubtedly surprised she was late. Hypocrites. Most of those eyes belonged to people who were habitually late, and it never seemed to be a big deal when they strolled in whenever they felt like it.