Executive summary Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Executive summary - Assignment Example The business would follow an incremental business expansion pattern, towards other areas such as Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Venice, Inglewood, North Hollywood and Glendale, in the initial phase of expansion. Numerous franchise units would also be opened in these areas, as per the demand and sales forecast. To provide gluten-free breads and desserts of the highest quality, that can satisfy the customer’s taste buds at an affordable price. We are committed to respecting our employees, suppliers, vendors and customers alike, following a strict non - discrimination policy with a strong belief and motto to enhance the health and well being of our community as a whole. ‘Glutopia Gluten-free Desserts and Breads’ is an American enterprise, established to serve the gluten and lactose intolerant population of the nation, for customers of all age groups – young and elderly. The company aims to fill the current gap in the market and constantly innovate newer recipes that promise to enhance nutrition and taste at an attractive and affordable price. The company would be headquartered in Los Angeles and cater to three large cities in close proximity with an efficient logistics and supply chain system. The outlets would be situated in prime localities, with a young customer base. The enterprise would obtain all the necessary licenses and strive to meet the health standards of the regulatory bodies. It is widely acknowledged that proper planning and formal structuring of business processes leads to greater success in the service sector (Gottfridsson (2011). Thus, the entire Business Plan must comprehensively address all major departments, activities, processes and protocols, for the smooth functioning of the business. The company’s growth strategy would be to open franchise units in each of these cities in its initial phase of expansion. The target customer sectors would be individuals with health issues or religious concerns and

Married to Man (The Omnivore's Dilemma Book) Essay

Married to Man (The Omnivore's Dilemma Book) - Essay Example It is grown in many parts of central and eastern Africa, South  America and some few parts of  Asia. South America accounts for about 73% of the  world’s  commercial corn production. The least production of corn  occurs  in  Asia where the production is less than 5%. Corn has many uses such as animal feed, human food, production of fuel and manufacture of syrups used in making sweets and preparation of medicine. Both  the new and  Native  Americans totally depend on corn. In other  words,  it may be said that corn is married to  a man.  This explains  its existence up to this time in life. Were it not for the continued planting of the same corn season after season by man, it would have experienced extinction. This article looks at how corn and man enable one another to survive and reproduce. Growing Corn At least 65 degree soil in needed to properly plant corn; therefore, it is always best to plant in the summer. To create the best harvest season different types of corn should be planted such as open-pollinated, sugar-enhanced, super-sweet, and synergistic. The earth should contain much nitrogen, and early planting of the early season varieties will produce the best harvest. When apples are in full bloom on the trees is a very good time for the corn to be sowed. New grass, rotted manure, or compost mixed with fertilizer, soybean, or alfalfa. The seeds should be planted 4 inches away from each other 1 inch into the soil and separated into rows of3, approximately 24 inches away from each other. The later varieties also need to be thinned 12 inches away from each other, and the earlier varieties at least 8 inches away (Pleasant, p. 31). When an ear of corn seems fat and juicy when it is squeezed, stick a fingernail in the Kernel after pulling the shuck at the top of the ear; if it is milky it is ready for harvesting. The morning is the best time for the harvest because the ears are still cold. Place the corn in ice or refrigera tor as soon as possible after. Although, a can may be used for sweet corn, but freezing is done more quickly. It is also much easier to store when the corn is taken off the cob first. Storing or replanting of the corn seeds will not work very well because most kinds of corn are very complex. While still attached to the plant, the ears should be completely dry to turn the husk a brownish color for saving seeds of pollinated types of corn. Twisting the ear, allowing some corn to fall away will indicate that the ears are dry enough. The seed can then be kept for approximately 2 years. Certain kinds of worms also use the corn for food, and also leave eggs in some undeveloped corn. Placing a small amount of vegetable oil in every ear can easily control this. Insecticide also can be used to eliminate the worms even further. If there are not very many worms, taking off the ends of the corn will solve the small problem. Sometimes these worms may be hard to see, so it is also necessary to lo ok very closely at some types of corn. To produce even better corn there are many tips that also can be used in the process. An initial cover crop to intensify the nitrogen and putting the seeds in fresh water overnight will greatly enhance the harvest results (Flory, p. 24). Corn Depends on Human Effort Furthermore, corn is found in  husks and requires processing to separate the grains from the husk. This means that the grains are set free and can thus be grown and processed more easily on their own. This is where the human aspect comes in place. Man has

Health promotion Essay Example for Free

Health promotion Essay Diversity among individuals, as well as cultures, provides a challenge for nurses when it comes to delivering meaningful health promotion and illness prevention-based education. How do teaching principles, varied learning styles (for both nurses and patients), and teaching methodologies impact the approach to education? How do health care providers overcome differing points of view regarding health promotion and disease prevention? Provide an exampleAccess to health care to obtain a complete physical examination before starting to exercise and the quality of the work or neighborhood environment available for exercise can contribute to success or failure of this objective. This objective is related to other objectives such as nutrition, obesity, and stroke prevention. Additionally, current knowledge about physical activity and specific populations was considered when creating the Healthy People 2020 objectives. Women, low-income populations, Black and Hispanic people, people with disabilities, and those older than age 75 exercise less than do White men with moderate-to-high incomes (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2012). These health disparities can influence the number of people in these groups who develop high cholesterol or high blood pressure measurements, which further increases their risk of heart disease and stroke. Although this objective addresses adults, other objectives address the need for beginning exercise activities at an early age and encouraging young adults to be actively engaged in exercise. How might this objective be adjusted to the needs of an older adult population? (Edelman 7) Edelman, Carole, Elizabeth Kudzma, Carol Mandle. Health Promotion Throughout the Life Span, 8th Edition. Mosby, 2014. VitalBook file.

Stereotypical Roles And The Effects On Society Media Essay

Stereotypical Roles And The Effects On Society Media Essay Gender is a societal construct of the roles of men and women in the society. According to Asher and Lloyd, (2002), gender stereotype refers to the beliefs people hold about members of categories of men and women. Gender role are described by social scientists as socially constructed, which they vary from one culture to another. It all depends on how we are socialized in different cultures since childhood and who we interact with that defines our gender role. Most social upbringings present women as the weaker sex who needs to be protected and to just stay at home. Men on the other hand are seen as the bread winners and that they work to provide and to protect their families. Both men and women perceive the world differently according to how they are socialized. Beliefs regarding appropriate behavior also influence how men and women interact. Television has however enhanced stereotypical role in that they portray a good woman as the one who is submissive and domesticated. Femininity therefore is associated with traits that are emotional, prudent, co-operative, having communal sense and compliance to certain aspects. Television portrays women as emotional beings and that they talk more than the men. Men as per the media are suppose to demonstrate their power and authority during interaction thus they tend to dominate during conversations. Men on the other hand are portrayed as concerned with report aspects that are based on facts thus using different communication styles from women. Even within a culture masculinity and femininity may be defined differently by various groups, in particular according to ethnicity, age, social class and sexuality. In this sense there is no single masculinity or femininity, but rather multiple masculinities and femininities. Not all men are leader like, aggressive, assertive, independent, risk-taking and so on; and not all women are affectionate, gentle, sympathetic, dependent, emotional, nurturing etc. Such qualities are found in varying degrees in most people (Curran Michael.eds., 1991) They continue to argue that all men and women are aware of the cultural traditional gender stereotypes and the television network contributes to this awareness. Men will usually seek achievement and dominance in cultural expectations and that women will be with complaints and be supportive. The relationship of people to these expectations often involves tension that usually boils up. This categorization thus influences our perception and teaches us how society wants us to behave as men and women. Both men and women do the same role nowadays for example they go to work in the morning and return in the evening just like the men do. It is therefore paramount that all these stereotypes portrayed by the television are countered so that both men and women see each other as equals and that they can do the same jobs regardless of their gender. DeFleur defines socialization as a complex, long-term, and multidimensional set of communicative exchanges between individuals and various agents of society that result in the individuals preparation for life in a socio cultural environment (DeFleur, 209). According to Max Weber a German sociologist, sociology is the study of society social sciences which aimed at developing and refine a body of knowledge about human social living through critical investigation and analysis with the aim of applying gathered knowledge to the pursuit of social welfare. (Wilson, 1989) The essence of education in society has influenced the way in which cultural communities associate, in television there different target of audience and the messages portrayed are passed frequently either by male or female. Most of business advertisements uses both sex ads depending on the product they want to create awareness and likeability e.g. a company which sale motor vehicles will likely use men to pass the message while various companies that deals with body lotions or domestic products are likely to use women. However occupations equivalence is now based on education merit and professional ability to handle critical task. This helps to brainstorm working in the society where women too can do most professional jobs as their male counterparts. In recent years there has been a notable increase of women presenters and perhaps the attribute of physical attractiveness has played a huge part in their selection than for their male counterparts. The effects of gender stereotyping in todays society Greater societies have adopted gender etiquette due to political, social and economic human rights mostly communicated via the television, this role is relevant to household for well being of the society in general. Through educative programs, television is the most realistic mode of communication. Television still perpetuate traditional gender because it reflects social values, However, television shows a small, distorted view of reality, which can damage peoples views of the real world, and this can influence how people think and behave. Television has always been a male dominated area based on masculinity perspective and implicit narratives judgments. However, there are other theoretical considerations, criticisms and assumptions that arise from the cultivation theory, and which are mainly addressed in the work of Huston and Wright. Cultivation theory needs to rely on other approaches such as the influence of the family, the childs cognitive development, the amount and most import antly the type of television the child watches; this is to fully understand the socialization development. Results In the todays media fraternity departments, (e.g. television production) is highly male dominated which is influenced by stereotypes with the aspect of masculinity. However females will soon move to such technical areas due to advancement of technology whereby portable production equipments can be handled by women. Professionalism has created a balance race on job specifications curbing bias. Television alone is not enough to change people gender roles, it is vital that role models contribute broader perspective on stereotypes about what both sexes can do. ( Joyrich, 1996) To various communities watching television can be quite awful especially to little children who watch much of television, most a time can lead to complications in change of behavior, e.g. crying and other violent or excessive aggressiveness, which probably can be due to the programs which kids sees that might be violent. Statistics Research contacted by reality TV, American idol, attached over 50% market share indicating that over 50 % of television viewers watched the show, reality TVs watched all over the world and UK 2000 70% of population watched of ages 8-65+ have watch TV regularly, and Methodology The research will be conducted using primary and secondary methods, the questionnaires for data collection externally. The questionnaire will have both open-ended and closed-ended questions, this are aimed at explaining the way in which television portrays adult gender stereotypical roles and the effects this may have on todays society. Questionnaires will be advantageous to the researcher while collecting data because less time will be spent. The method will allow the researcher to collect data from the large number of respondents quickly. In addition, the respondents will have enough time to read and understand the questions before answering them. Content analysis will also be used to analyze the number of viewers and listeners based on frequency at which stereotypical roles are aired on television. This will be analyzed by stating who says what, to whom, why, to what extend and with what effect. Desk research will be collected from various books, magazines, social journals, intern et to corroborate the findings from the field. Data Analysis The data will be analyzed quantitatively using descriptive statistics with the support of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). (Nachmias Guerrerro, 1996). It says that descriptive statistics has an advantage to the researcher because it allows a researcher to organize information in an effective way and also allows information to be reduced to an understandable form. The descriptive statistics to be used will include simple tallying procedures such as frequency distributions, pie chart, bar graphs and histograms. Conclusion Television has contributed to shaping gender roles. The society has in one effect due to cultural norms streamlined the possibility that women can also work competently and there is no doubt that television is a vital tool that presents powerful attention and mind grabbing images and programs, however the anchors gender should always be balanced and not based on cultural beliefs rather profession ability to handle the task. Television today is proofing to be one of the most important and most considered medium of communication. Media has an impact in bringing change to the society, e.g. through television mass audiences get to share a variety of identical experience, socialize and others create business opportunities. Television is a set to observe positive successful ideologies and probably assume it is one source in which the society should adopt change.

A River Runs Through Us Essay -- Essays Papers

A River Runs Through Us 1. â€Å"The Anacostia River is a metaphor for the way poor people and minorities are treated† (Hoover). In 1994, the Anacostia River was fourth on the list of American Rivers' â€Å"Most Endangered Rivers† (Rynor). Since the late 19 th century the water quality in this river has slowly declined with the onset of urbanization and industrialization and the pollution that accompanies this growth. The Anacostia is severely polluted with â€Å"sediment, nutrients, pathogens, toxins, and trash† (â€Å"Cleaning†). And it is no coincidence that the river runs through some of Washington D.C.'s poorest communities in the south-eastern sections of the city. 2. Environmental injustice has been an ongoing battle that continues to plague many lower class, high minority communities. Environmental injustices occur when â€Å"low-income communities and communities of color bear a disproportionate burden of the nation's pollution problems† (Bullard 15). Three of every five African Americans live in communities with abandoned toxic waste sites (Bullard â€Å"Toxic†). In a 1991 report Greenpeace explained that, â€Å"being poor in America means breathing foul air, working filthy jobs, and living next to toxic waste landfills and incinerators† (Novotny 13). 3. In Washington, D.C. much of the pollution plaguing the Anacostia River is caused by trash, raw sewage and runoff from the city streets in the river's drainage area, or watershed. When the District's sewage system exceeds capacity due to heavy rains, the runoff is dumped into the Anacostia River (â€Å"Cleaning†). Between 75 and 90 percent of the pollution is caused by runoff from areas of Washington, D.C. with heavy pavement, roads, and parking lots, which produce runof... ...universe/document>. Loeb, Vernon. â€Å"Currents of Change.† The Washington Post 01 Dec 1996: B01. LexisNexis. Aladin. Gelman Library, Washington, D.C. 25 Feb 2003 < http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe/document >. Novotny, Patrick. Where We Live, Work and Play . Westport, Connecticut: Praeger Publishers, 2000. Raynor, Joyce. â€Å"Bill Norton Would Fund Grass-Roots River Cleanups.† The Washington Post 3 Mar. 1994: J3. Lexis-Nexis. Aladin. Gelman Library, Washington, D.C. 25 Feb. 2003. Ruffins, Paul. â€Å"Talking Trash.† Washington City Paper 26 Jan. 2001. 25 Feb. 2003. . Spencer, Duncan. â€Å"Caucus Rallies for Anacostia.† The Washington Post 8 Jan 2003: Pg.23. LexisNexis. Gelman Library, Washington, D.C. 30 March 2003 . A River Runs Through Us Essay -- Essays Papers A River Runs Through Us 1. â€Å"The Anacostia River is a metaphor for the way poor people and minorities are treated† (Hoover). In 1994, the Anacostia River was fourth on the list of American Rivers' â€Å"Most Endangered Rivers† (Rynor). Since the late 19 th century the water quality in this river has slowly declined with the onset of urbanization and industrialization and the pollution that accompanies this growth. The Anacostia is severely polluted with â€Å"sediment, nutrients, pathogens, toxins, and trash† (â€Å"Cleaning†). And it is no coincidence that the river runs through some of Washington D.C.'s poorest communities in the south-eastern sections of the city. 2. Environmental injustice has been an ongoing battle that continues to plague many lower class, high minority communities. Environmental injustices occur when â€Å"low-income communities and communities of color bear a disproportionate burden of the nation's pollution problems† (Bullard 15). Three of every five African Americans live in communities with abandoned toxic waste sites (Bullard â€Å"Toxic†). In a 1991 report Greenpeace explained that, â€Å"being poor in America means breathing foul air, working filthy jobs, and living next to toxic waste landfills and incinerators† (Novotny 13). 3. In Washington, D.C. much of the pollution plaguing the Anacostia River is caused by trash, raw sewage and runoff from the city streets in the river's drainage area, or watershed. When the District's sewage system exceeds capacity due to heavy rains, the runoff is dumped into the Anacostia River (â€Å"Cleaning†). Between 75 and 90 percent of the pollution is caused by runoff from areas of Washington, D.C. with heavy pavement, roads, and parking lots, which produce runof... ...universe/document>. Loeb, Vernon. â€Å"Currents of Change.† The Washington Post 01 Dec 1996: B01. LexisNexis. Aladin. Gelman Library, Washington, D.C. 25 Feb 2003 < http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe/document >. Novotny, Patrick. Where We Live, Work and Play . Westport, Connecticut: Praeger Publishers, 2000. Raynor, Joyce. â€Å"Bill Norton Would Fund Grass-Roots River Cleanups.† The Washington Post 3 Mar. 1994: J3. Lexis-Nexis. Aladin. Gelman Library, Washington, D.C. 25 Feb. 2003. Ruffins, Paul. â€Å"Talking Trash.† Washington City Paper 26 Jan. 2001. 25 Feb. 2003. . Spencer, Duncan. â€Å"Caucus Rallies for Anacostia.† The Washington Post 8 Jan 2003: Pg.23. LexisNexis. Gelman Library, Washington, D.C. 30 March 2003 .

Child Abuse and the Importance of Belonging Discussed in David Pelzers

A Child Called "It" explores the traumatic story of child abuse and how the choices made by one person affects another’s sense of belonging. The story is only from one point of view as it’s a biography, written by the man who experienced trauma at such a tender age. David Pelzer, as a child, dealt with rejection daily and not only from his mother but classmates, teachers and ultimately his biggest enemy, himself. A Child Called "It", as the title denotes depreciation and an impersonal relationship between the audience and the text, begins the biography with a dark and solemn theme as there is no definition for ‘it’ therefore titling a book ‘a child called it’ gives the audience the idea that the child doesn’t exist, or as it tells further in the story, a child who is treated like he doesn’t exist. The author contrasts his mother in different contexts from when his ‘mom’ was a good, caring mum to when his ‘mother’ changed into the abusive stage. Mom and Mother are used throughout the text to show the audience the different emotions he had carried for her. Mom is more personal and informal but suggests a close relationship between the two as it is used in the chapters that he is reminiscing about when his mom was a normal, caring mom. Mother is used in the chapters he was abused in and suggests a more distant relationship due to the formal language structure. When ‘Mom’ was used, the emotions carried out towards her by David Pelzer were none other than belonging to her. When a child is told something so often they start to believe it. In this case, David Pelzer was ordered to say over and over again â€Å"I’m a bad boy, I’m a bad boy...† which psychologically brainwashed him to believe that he was. That every time he was physicall... ...ejected, surrounding him as he says ‘I had readymade excuses mother made for me’. The ending doesn’t end on a ‘happily ever after’ note but rather a dull and gloomy tone as it is set throughout the text. Sarcasm, contrast and similes are the main language features presented in the book to evoke disgust, torment and shock throughout the audience showing them either how she saw the abusive behaviours inflicted upon him or the brainwashed ‘excuses’ he learnt from his mother. Not belonging is the struggle in this text that didn’t get resolved by the ending making it a dark, gloomy tone and the language features used also evokes a dark feeling within the reader. A Child Called "It" truly explores the meaning of struggling with belonging due to other peoples actions rather than their own and provides appropriate use of imagery to emphasise the meaning of the biography.

Digital Fortress Chapter 94-99

Chapter 94 Midge Milken stood fuming at the water cooler near the entrance to the conference room. What the hell is Fontaine doing? She crumpled her paper cup and threw it forcefully into the trash can. There's something happening in Crypto! I can feel it! Midge knew there was only one way to prove herself right. She'd go check out Crypto herself-track down Jabba if need be. She spun on her heel and headed for the door. Brinkerhoff appeared out of nowhere, blocking her way. â€Å"Where are you headed?† â€Å"Home!† Midge lied. Brinkerhoff refused to let her pass. Midge glared. â€Å"Fontaine told you not to let me out, didn't he?† Brinkerhoff looked away. â€Å"Chad, I'm telling you, there's something happening in Crypto-something big. I don't know why Fontaine's playing dumb, but TRANSLTR's in trouble. Something is not right down there tonight!† â€Å"Midge,† he soothed, walking past her toward the curtained conference room windows, â€Å"let's let the director handle it.† Midge's gaze sharpened. â€Å"Do you have any idea what happens to TRANSLTR if the cooling system fails?† Brinkerhoff shrugged and approached the window. â€Å"Power's probably back on-line by now anyway.† He pulled apart the curtains and looked. â€Å"Still dark?† Midge asked. But Brinkerhoff did not reply. He was spellbound. The scene below in the Crypto dome was unimaginable. The entire glass cupola was filled with spinning lights, flashing strobes, and swirling steam. Brinkerhoff stood transfixed, teetering light-headed against the glass. Then, in a frenzy of panic, he raced out. â€Å"Director! Director!† Chapter 95 The blood of Christ†¦ the cup of salvation†¦ People gathered around the slumped body in the pew. Overhead, the frankincense swung its peaceful arcs. Hulohot wheeled wildly in the center aisle and scanned the church. He's got to be here! He spun back toward the altar. Thirty rows ahead, holy communion was proceeding uninterrupted. Padre Gustaphes Herrera, the head chalice bearer, glanced curiously at the quiet commotion in one of the center pews; he was not concerned. Sometimes some of the older folks were overcome by the holy spirit and passed out. A little air usually did the trick. Meanwhile, Hulohot was searching frantically. Becker was nowhere in sight. A hundred or so people were kneeling at the long altar receiving communion. Hulohot wondered if Becker was one of them. He scanned their backs. He was prepared to shoot from fifty yards away and make a dash for it. El cuerpo de Jesus, el pan del cielo. The young priest serving Becker communion gave him a disapproving stare. He could understand the stranger's eagerness to receive communion, but it was no excuse to cut inline. Becker bowed his head and chewed the wafer as best he could. He sensed something was happening behind him, some sort of disturbance. He thought of the man from whom he'd bought the jacket and hoped he had listened to his warning and not taken Becker's in exchange. He started to turn and look, but he feared the wire-rim glasses would be staring back. He crouched in hopes his black jacket was covering the back of his khaki pants. It was not. The chalice was coming quickly from his right. People were already swallowing their wine, crossing themselves, and standing to leave. Slow down! Becker was in no hurry to leave the altar. But with two thousand people waiting for communion and only eight priests serving, it was considered bad form to linger over a sip of wine. The chalice was just to the right of Becker when Hulohot spotted the mismatched khaki pants. â€Å"Estas ya muerto,† he hissed softly. â€Å"You're already dead.† Hulohot moved up the center aisle. The time for subtlety had passed. Two shots in the back, and he would grab the ring and run. The biggest taxi stand in Seville was half a block away on Mateus Gago. He reached for his weapon. Adios, Senor Becker†¦ La sangre de Cristo, la copa de la salvacion. The thick scent of red wine filled Becker's nostrils as Padre Herrera lowered the hand-polished, silver chalice. Little early for drinking, Becker thought as he leaned forward. But as the silver goblet dropped past eye level, there was a blur of movement. A figure, coming fast, his shape warped in the reflection of the cup. Becker saw a flash of metal, a weapon being drawn. Instantly, unconsciously, like a runner from a starting block at the sound of a gun, Becker was vaulting forward. The priest fell back in horror as the chalice sailed through the air, and red wine rained down on white marble. Priests and altar boys went scattering as Becker dove over the communion rail. A silencer coughed out a single shot. Becker landed hard, and the shot exploded in the marble floor beside him. An instant later he was tumbling down three granite stairs into the valle, a narrow passageway through which the clergy entered, allowing them to rise onto the altar as if by divine grace. At the bottom of the steps, he stumbled and dove. Becker felt himself sliding out of control across the slick polished stone. A dagger of pain shot though his gut as he landed on his side. A moment later he was stumbling through a curtained entryway and down a set of wooden stairs. Pain. Becker was running, through a dressing room. It was dark. There were screams from the altar. Loud footsteps in pursuit. Becker burst through a set of double doors and stumbled into some sort of study. It was dark, furnished with rich Orientals and polished mahogany. On the far wall was a life-size crucifix. Becker staggered to a stop. Dead end. He was at the tip of the cross. He could hear Hulohot closing fast. Becker stared at the crucifix and cursed his bad luck. â€Å"Goddamn it!† he screamed. There was the sudden sound of breaking glass to Becker's left. He wheeled. A man in red robes gasped and turned to eye Becker in horror. Like a cat caught with a canary, the holy man wiped his mouth and tried to hide the broken bottle of holy communion wine at his feet. â€Å"Salida!† Becker demanded. â€Å"Salida!† Let me out! Cardinal Guerra reacted on instinct. A demon had entered his sacred chambers screaming for deliverance from the house of God. Guerra would grant him that wish-immediately. The demon had entered at a most inopportune moment. Pale, the cardinal pointed to a curtain on the wall to his left. Hidden behind the curtain was a door. He'd installed it three years ago. It led directly to the courtyard outside. The cardinal had grown tired of exiting the church through the front door like a common sinner. Chapter 96 Susan was wet and shivering, huddled on the Node 3 couch. Strathmore draped his suit coat over her shoulders. Hale's body lay a few yards away. The sirens blared. Like ice thawing on a frozen pond, TRANSLTR's hull let out a sharp crack. â€Å"I'm going down to kill power,† Strathmore said, laying a reassuring hand on her shoulder. â€Å"I'll be right back.† Susan stared absently after the commander as he dashed across the Crypto floor. He was no longer the catatonic man she'd seen ten minutes before. Commander Trevor Strathmore was back-logical, controlled, doing whatever was necessary to get the job done. The final words of Hale's suicide note ran through her mind like a train out of control: Above all, I'm truly sorry about David Becker. Forgive me, I was blinded by ambition. Susan Fletcher's nightmare had just been confirmed. David was in danger†¦ or worse. Maybe it was already too late. I'm truly sorry about David Becker. She stared at the note. Hale hadn't even signed it-he'd just typed his name at the bottom: Greg Hale. He'd poured out his guts, pressed print, and then shot himself-just like that. Hale had sworn he'd never go back to prison; he'd kept his vow-he'd chosen death instead. â€Å"David†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She sobbed. David! At that moment, ten feet below the Crypto floor, Commander Strathmore stepped off the ladder onto the first landing. It had been a day of fiascoes. What had started out as a patriotic mission had swerved wildly out of control. The commander had been forced to make impossible decisions, commit horrific acts-acts he'd never imagined himself capable of. It was a solution! It was the only damn solution! There was duty to think of: country and honor. Strathmore knew there was still time. He could shut down TRANSLTR. He could use the ring to save the country's most valuable databank. Yes, he thought, there was still time. Strathmore looked out over the disaster around him. The overhead sprinklers were on. TRANSLTR was groaning. The sirens blared. The spinning lights looked like helicopters closing in through dense fog. With every step, all he could see was Greg Hale-the young cryptographer gazing up, his eyes pleading, and then, the shot. Hale's death was for country†¦ for honor. The NSA could not afford another scandal. Strathmore needed a scapegoat. Besides, Greg Hale was a disaster waiting to happen. Strathmore's thoughts were jarred free by the sound of his cellular. It was barely audible over the sirens and hissing fumes. He snatched it off his belt without breaking stride. â€Å"Speak.† â€Å"Where's my pass-key?† a familiar voice demanded. â€Å"Who is this?† Strathmore yelled over the din. â€Å"It's Numataka!† the angry voice bellowed back. â€Å"You promised me a pass-key!† Strathmore kept moving. â€Å"I want Digital Fortress!† Numataka hissed. â€Å"There is no Digital Fortress!† Strathmore shot back. â€Å"What?† â€Å"There is no unbreakable algorithm!† â€Å"Of course there is! I've seen it on the Internet! My people have been trying to unlock it for days!† â€Å"It's an encrypted virus, you fool-and you're damn lucky you can't open it!† â€Å"But-â€Å" â€Å"The deal is off!† Strathmore yelled. â€Å"I'm not North Dakota. There is no North Dakota! Forget I ever mentioned it!† He clamped the cellular shut, turned off the ringer, and rammed it back on his belt. There would be no more interruptions. Twelve thousand miles away, Tokugen Numataka stood stunned at his plate-glass window. His Umami cigar hung limply in his mouth. The deal of his lifetime had just disintegrated before his eyes. Strathmore kept descending. The deal is off. Numatech Corp. would never get the unbreakable algorithm†¦ and the NSA would never get its back door. Strathmore's dream had been a long time in the planning-he'd chosen Numatech carefully. Numatech was wealthy, a likely winner of the pass-key auction. No one would think twice if it ended up with the key. Conveniently there was no company less likely to be suspected of consorting with the U.S. government. Tokugen Numataka was old-world Japan-death before dishonor. He hated Americans. He hated their food, he hated their customs, and most of all, he hated their grip on the world's software market. Strathmore's vision had been bold-a world encryption standard with a back door for the NSA. He'd longed to share his dream with Susan, to carry it out with her by his side, but he knew he could not. Even though Ensei Tankado's death would save thousands of lives in the future, Susan would never have agreed; she was a pacifist. I'm a pacifist too, thought Strathmore, I just don't have the luxury of acting like one. There had never been any doubt in the commander's mind who would kill Tankado. Tankado was in Spain-and Spain meant Hulohot. The forty-two-year-old Portuguese mercenary was one of the commander's favorite pros. He'd been working for the NSA for years. Born and raised in Lisbon, Hulohot had done work for the NSA all over Europe. Never once had his kills been traced back to Fort Meade. The only catch was that Hulohot was deaf; telephone communication was impossible. Recently Strathmore had arranged for Hulohot to receive the NSA's newest toy, the Monocle computer. Strathmore bought himself a SkyPager and programmed it to the same frequency. From that moment on, his communication with Hulohot was not only instantaneous but also entirely untraceable. The first message Strathmore had sent Hulohot left little room for misunderstanding. They had already discussed it. Kill Ensei Tankado. Obtain pass-key. Strathmore never asked how Hulohot worked his magic, but somehow he had done it again. Ensei Tankado was dead, and the authorities were convinced it was a heart attack. A textbook kill-except for one thing. Hulohot had misjudged the location. Apparently Tankado dying in a public place was a necessary part of the illusion. But unexpectedly, the public had appeared too soon. Hulohot was forced into hiding before he could search the body for the pass-key. When the dust settled, Tankado's body was in the hands of Seville's coroner. Strathmore was furious. Hulohot had blown a mission for the first time ever-and he'd picked an inauspicious time to do it. Getting Tankado's pass-key was critical, but Strathmore knew that sending a deaf assassin into the Seville morgue was a suicide mission. He had pondered his other options. A second scheme began to materialize. Strathmore suddenly saw a chance to win on two fronts-a chance to realize two dreams instead of just one. At six-thirty that morning, he had called David Becker. Chapter 97 Fontaine burst into the conference room at a full sprint. Brinkerhoff and Midge were close at his heels. â€Å"Look!† Midge choked, motioning frantically to the window. Fontaine looked out the window at the strobes in the Crypto dome. His eyes went wide. This was definitely not part of the plan. Brinkerhoff sputtered. â€Å"It's a goddamn disco down there!† Fontaine stared out, trying to make sense of it. In the few years TRANSLTR had been operational, it had never done this. It's overheating, he thought. He wondered why the hell Strathmore hadn't shut it down. It took Fontaine only an instant to make up his mind. He snatched an interoffice phone off the conference table and punched the extension for Crypto. The receiver began beeping as if the extension were out of order. Fontaine slammed down the receiver. â€Å"Damn it!† He immediately picked up again and dialed Strathmore's private cellular line. This time the line began to ring. Six rings went by. Brinkerhoff and Midge watched as Fontaine paced the length of his phone cable like a tiger on a chain. After a full minute, Fontaine was crimson with rage. He slammed down the receiver again. â€Å"Unbelievable!† he bellowed. â€Å"Crypto's about to blow, and Strathmore won't answer his goddamn phone!† Chapter 98 Hulohot burst out of Cardinal Guerra's chambers into the blinding morning sun. He shielded his eyes and cursed. He was standing outside the cathedral in a small patio, bordered by a high stone wall, the west face of the Giralda tower, and two wrought-iron fences. The gate was open. Outside the gate was the square. It was empty. The walls of Santa Cruz were in the distance. There was no way Becker could have made it so far so quickly. Hulohot turned and scanned the patio. He's in here. He must be! The patio, Jardin de los Naranjos, was famous in Seville for its twenty blossoming orange trees. The trees were renowned in Seville as the birthplace of English marmalade. An eighteenth-century English trader had purchased three dozen bushels of oranges from the Seville church and taken them back to London only to find the fruit inedibly bitter. He tried to make jam from the rinds and ended up having to add pounds of sugar just to make it palatable. Orange marmalade had been born. Hulohot moved forward through the grove, gun leveled. The trees were old, and the foliage had moved high on their trunks. Their lowest branches were unreachable, and the thin bases provided no cover. Hulohot quickly saw the patio was empty. He looked straight up. The Giralda. The entrance to the Giralda's spiral staircase was cordoned off by a rope and small wooden sign. The rope hung motionless. Hulohot's eyes climbed the 419-foot tower and immediately knew it was a ridiculous thought. There was no way Becker would have been that stupid. The single staircase wound straight up to a square stone cubicle. There were narrow slits in the wall for viewing, but there was no way out. David Becker climbed the last of the steep stairs and staggered breathless into a tiny stone cubicle. There were high walls all around him and narrow slits in the perimeter. No exit. Fate had done Becker no favors this morning. As he'd dashed from the cathedral into the open courtyard, his jacket had caught on the door. The fabric had stopped him mid stride and swung him hard left before tearing. Becker was suddenly stumbling off balance into the blinding sun. When he'd looked up, he was heading straight for a staircase. He'd jumped over the rope and dashed up. By the time he realized where it led, it was too late. Now he stood in the confined cell and caught his breath. His side burned. Narrow slats of morning sun streamed through the openings in the wall. He looked out. The man in the wire-rim glasses was far below, his back to Becker, staring out at the plaza. Becker shifted his body in front of the crack for a better view. Cross the plaza, he willed him. The shadow of the Giralda lay across the square like a giant felled sequoia. Hulohot stared the length of it. At the far end, three slits of light cut through the tower's viewing apertures and fell in crisp rectangles on the cobblestone below. One of those rectangles had just been blotted out by the shadow of a man. Without so much as a glance toward the top of the tower, Hulohot spun and dashed toward the Giralda stairs. Chapter 99 Fontaine pounded his fist into his hand. He paced the conference room and stared out at the spinning Crypto lights. â€Å"Abort! Goddamn it! Abort!† Midge appeared in the doorway waving a fresh readout. â€Å"Director! Strathmore can't abort!† â€Å"What!† Brinkerhoff and Fontaine gasped in unison. â€Å"He tried, sir!† Midge held up the report. â€Å"Four times already! TRANSLTR's locked in some sort of endless loop.† Fontaine spun and stared back out the window. â€Å"Jesus Christ!† The conference room phone rang sharply. The director threw up his arms. â€Å"It's got to be Strathmore! About goddamn time!† Brinkerhoff scooped up the phone. â€Å"Director's office.† Fontaine held out his hand for the receiver. Brinkerhoff looked uneasy and turned to Midge. â€Å"It's Jabba. He wants you.† The director swung his gaze over to Midge, who was already crossing the room. She activated the speaker phone. â€Å"Go ahead, Jabba.† Jabba's metallic voice boomed into the room. â€Å"Midge, I'm in the main databank. We're showing some strange stuff down here. I was wondering if-â€Å" â€Å"Dammit, Jabba!† Midge came unglued. â€Å"That's what I've been trying to tell you!† â€Å"It could be nothing,† Jabba hedged, â€Å"but-â€Å" â€Å"Stop saying that! It's not nothing! Whatever's going on down there, take it seriously, very seriously. My data isn't fried-never has been, never will.† She started to hang up and then added, â€Å"Oh, and Jabba? Just so there aren't any surprises†¦ Strathmore bypassed Gauntlet.†