Shifting Loyalties !

Carol was confused. Why wasn't she finding this as funny as everyone else ? She had already heard from the giggling team members who had spilled out of the conference room having seen the start of Debbi's unwitting show. And Stew had filled her in about the spectacular climax. Climax being the operative word ! Deep down, Carol knew why it was no longer such fun. It was because she knew that it wasn't some random act of fate that had led to Debbi's latest humiliation but it had been carefully planned by Diane and she, Carol, had also been complicit. She thought back fondly on the early pranks she had pulled, when it had been such fun to see Debbi exposed and embarrassed. But over time, those had succeeded in assuaging her built up resentment towards Debbi and she no longer bore her any ill will.

So it was a strangely unresponsive Carol that was listening to Diane gleefully detailing her triumph with the laptop bug. "What's the matter with you ? You don't seem to find it funny ? Or are you just sour that you weren't in the board room ?" Diane wondered. "No, nothing. It sounds great. I'm just a little tired." Carol wanted Diane to go but the Queen Bitch was already planning ahead to what she could next inflict on Debbi. I've created a monster, thought Carol, thinking back to how she had first met and conspired with Diane on that training course.

Diane was still wittering on. "We're not going to tell her anything. I persuaded the bosses it would be tooooo embarrassing for poor Debbi" she laughed. "I'll call in her laptop for supposed servicing but I'm leaving the bug on there. I can't repeat the exact same trick of course but you never know when it might come in useful for something." Carol snapped at this point. "Why are you so mean ?" she demanded. Diane laughed harshly. "Mean ? Moi ? Who was it that started all this ? Don't tell me you're now feeling sorry for Goody Two Shoes ? I've got plenty more ideas involving the company's little darling and if you're not going to help me, you'd better not get in my way or you could end up regretting it !"

Debbi returned flushed with the success of her mission to Korea and blithely unaware that anything untoward had happened. She certainly wasn't going to let that bitch Diane spoil her mood, so she looked up brightly when her rival entered her office, returning her laptop from service. "Thought I'd just drop this by as I was passing" Diane began. "Thank you" said Debbi politely. "Do you still have that fireman boyfriend by any chance ?" Diane inquired. "Yes, why do you ask ?" Debbi replied defensively. "Oh, just a safety demonstration Jeff's asked me to arrange at our chip production plant and his expertise might be useful. I also had you down to introduce and present the demo." Carol's ears perked up at this. She didn't know how but this sounded suspiciously like the next of Diane's schemes. Perhaps I'd better get to go along too and look out for her, she thought ?