The incoming call alert rattled the mobile device resting precariously on the bedside table. In the year since his medical discharge from the Army, he had grown lax about jumping out of bed in response.

From beneath a tangled pile of bed covers, Evan groaned. His hand jutted from the folds to silence the device.

With one eye open, still bleary from sleep, he read the caller ID blaring across the smooth screen. “Mother”.

Evan groaned again and swiped his thumb across the screen to meet with the red phone icon. The thought passed his weary mind as to why they still chose to use the icon at all. No one alive had ever used a handset phone.

The alert silenced. Evan tossed the mobile device onto the bed stand once again. He rolled over and buried his face in the pale yellow locks of the woman sleeping on the far side of the California king bed.

A secondary alarm chimed menacingly, notifying Evan of a waiting voicemail message. The chirp lit his last nerve. Evan flipped over in the bed, sending tremors over the full surface of the mattress and causing his bedmate to grumble. He dropped his feet to the cool wood floor of the bedroom and rubbed his palms over his face. Snatching up the mobile device he finally noted the digital readout on the lock screen, ten a.m.

The woman beneath the covers lolled her head to face him. Her delicate features had seduced more than Evan’s interest. The young model was well recognized as the newest face of GlobeNet’s Wired Women campaign.

Her eyelids fluttered open to lazily reveal a pair of stunning blue eyes. Evan’s thoughts had wandered far from the woman, yet her waking princess routine was such a part of her programming she failed to notice his lack of attention. A silent yawn parted pale pink lips. And a pair of slender, perfectly tanned arms extended from beneath the blankets. It was only as her palms fell on the empty space beside her she realized Evan’s absence.

“Where do you think you’re going?” She propped her head on her crooked arm, momentarily forgetting herself.

“Work beckons.” Evan picked his way across clothing scattered over the floor.

Recovering from her annoyance the woman fluttered her lashes as Evan turned to her. “So early?”

The words could have been recorded, so eloquent was their execution.

“It is past ten.” Evan offered.

He fastened the button on his dark slacks.

He wouldn’t make it into the office until well after noon by this point, yet he should make the effort of an appearance at the downtown office anyway. It also made a good excuse to escape the apartment of his latest conquest.

“Shit.” The woman kicked herself free from the plush comforter to reveal a pair of equally slender and tanned legs. “I’m always late when I spend time with you.”              

Evan disappeared into the adjoined master bathroom, leaving the door open.

“Ugh.” The woman flopped onto her back letting her hair pillow beneath her head. “Must you leave the door open while you pee? At least put the seat back down.”

Evan thunked the lid down, and returned to the bedroom following his basic morning rituals.

“Did you use my toothbrush again?” The woman loosely knotted the belt of her pastel satin robe. The garment barely served to cover her breasts, and the bottom hem stopped long enough to be revealing.

“I think we’ve shared enough fluids for it to not be an issue.” Evan scoffed at the question. “But, no, rest assured I used my travel one this time.”

“Happened to have it with you when we bumped into one another at the bar last night.” The woman crossed the studio apartment toward the kitchen, and though Evan could not see her face around the dividing wall, he sensed the sarcasm in her voice.

“Boy Scouts taught me to always be prepared,” Evan called out.

“You could leave a few things here, you know.” The woman sidled up behind Evan as he drew his grey button-down shirt onto his shoulders.

“That’s not necessary.” Evan sidestepped, as he fastened the last button on the shirt and tugged the cuffs of  the sleeves.

He turned his attention to the scattering of clothing on the floor and spied more of his garments intermingled with a black slip dress, sheer stockings, and black lace that belonged to his current annoyance.

“You could call in sick.” The woman tugged playfully at the waistband of Evan’s slacks.

“Nope.” Evan drew her hands to his lips and kissed her knuckles before stepping out of her reach again.

He looped the ends of his deep blue silk tie around his neck like a scarf. Taking a quick backtrack toward the bed, Evan snatched his mobile device from the bedside table. In a smooth, practiced motion he dropped the device into his shirt pocket and hooked his finger through the collar of the jacket slung over the nearby chair.

“I started coffee.” The woman cut into his path of egress.

Throwing the jacket over his shoulder he danced around the pretty obstacle.

“Evan?” He paused at the door but did not turn to face the woman. “When are we going to discuss this relationship?”

He smiled to himself at the idea of discussing anything of substance with this woman. “Later.”

Evan was out the door and in the hallway of the apartment building without so much as a second glance over his shoulder, his “date” left standing in the midst of her disheveled apartment, arms crossed. It was a pose for an audience no longer tuned in.

The metal doors of the elevator slid open as sensors observed Evan’s approach. They closed once he fully entered the carriage.

“Lobby.” Evan ordered the machine in a tone casually accepting yet firm.

Slipping his device from his pocket as the elevator lowered, he checked the time. As the doors opened, Evan strode through the opulent entryway of the building. A quiet ambiance of music filled the otherwise quiet lobby.

The doors to the street opened and closed as they sensed movement.

Evan was buffeted by the sudden din of the world. The street bustled with late morning traffic. He adjusted the jacket on his arm before weaving through crowds of similar business attire. Sighing through the chaos, he shook the need to pop one of the pills stuffed in pocket.

His late model Tesla sport coupe waited at the corner. The vehicle had been a hand-me-down from his uncle. To hear the man talk of the thing, one would think it a high quality machine. Evan was almost ashamed to claim it.

Parking the night before had been fair. At this hour, though, the large engine and out of date tech was certain to set off a global positioning system or parking alert as soon Evan offered the start command. He released the charging dock from the vehicle.

Evan popped his mobile device from his pocket and slid his fingers over the screen. A series of codes, applications, and effects streamed beneath his nimble digits. The headlights on the Tesla blinked to life. The horn sounded two short bursts. He winced at the audible click of electronic locks as the driver’s side door released.

Evan gripped the slim door handle and manually opened the door the rest of the way. He sank into the plush comfort of grey leather seats.

Uncle Fred had taken great care of the vehicle even though it was technically worthless.

Evan lobbed his jacket into the empty passenger seat. He glanced a moment at the space and sighed. Another typical night--the string of clubs, bars, and restaurants the past week afforded as entertainment.

“GPS activated. Location, GlobeNet office, downtown Phoenix.” Evan uttered the command in controlled monotone. The car’s equipment was nowhere near as nuanced as the elevator doors.

Evan repeated the command once more before screens on the centermost portion of the dash illuminated.

A scroll of recent searches flickered past as Evan touched the start button beside the steering column. The list of women’s names with attached addresses, five star rated clubs, restaurants, concert halls, and event locations streamed in full color. The data finally paused on the requested location and set directions into the mapping program.

“GlobeNet Offices, 103 North Central avenue, Phoenix, Arizona. Distance to destination, twelve miles. Estimated drive time in current traffic, thirty seven minutes.” The sensual preset voice emanated from the surround-sound speakers within the cockpit of the vehicle.

“Search alternate routes.” Evan dropped the car into gear.

“You are currently on the fastest route to your destination. Estimated drive time, forty-two minutes.” Evan thought the tone of the robotic female as irritating as any human woman.

“Fantastic.” Evan whipped the wheels of the sport coupe toward the street and dropped his foot on the gas.

The nose narrowly missed connecting a passing car as he burst into the flow of traffic. Horns blared, tires screeched. Evan cursed the out-of-date safety and alert system on the aging vehicle. The incident did nothing to slow his maneuver as his focus remained on the road ahead. A mile later he blessed the failing tech as it allowed him to hit the gas and sneak under a traffic signal as the light flipped red.

“Satellite radio. Station 17785.” Evan relaxed into the seat. Music blared from the speakers.

The global positioning navigation application chattered turn by turn directions, interrupting the beat of the music whenever the soulless computer deemed it necessary. Evan followed the system's orders, never considering the turns for himself, nor committing the information to memory.

Streets and pedestrians blurred past, as Evan focused solely on the traffic as it affected him, the next direction his only concern.

The music cut out again, this time an alert sounded in place of the navigation.

Evan glanced at the monitor nested in the center console of the vehicle. An image of his mother appeared, a picture from some family picnic Evan had long forgotten the purpose or date of. He made mental note to update the image in his contact records.

“Call recognized, send to voicemail.” Evan commanded.

“Rerouting navigation. Make a U-turn at the next intersection.” The voice of the navigator almost sounded perturbed at having to reassess its task.

Evan grumbled. He did as ordered, whipping his vehicle around the median at the next intersection.

With the system content again, the next direction followed.

Evan pulled into the parking garage of GlobeNet’s campus. He cruised into the level-one space open despite the line of cars moving through the narrow path within the garage.

In the dim confines of the parking garage headlights illuminated the metal placard mounted to the wall. The reflective lettering read: Evan Gabriel, Technical Consultant and Special Security Projects Manager, Level Seven Clearance.

Evan tapped the starter switch on the dash of the vehicle. The engine cut out, followed by the radio.

His mobile device activated before Evan stepped out of the parking garage. Tracking activated the auto update on messages and calendar data exclusive to his security clearance. Algorithms, mostly ones created by Evan and his team, also checked recent histories for anything potentially suspicious.