The Extraction Plan

Panic and Fear

7:30PM Office of PD Sternwood Financial Services and Investments, Exchange Place New Jersey

Fourty One Year Old head of Human Resources Holly Stewart is monitoring the room.

Executive assistance Tanya Clarke hangs up with a group call from head of IT security Barry Stern and Social Media content supervisor Vicky Stobert.

Arabelle Sternwood, Prudence's eighteen year old daughter, dressed in a two piece black business suit, was pacing up and down with her cell phone glued to her right ear, she was on the phone to her father, she kept nodding her head repeating "just call Chief O'Kelly" Prudence sat behind her plush oak desk, her cell phone is glued to her right ear also, she was speaking to her lawyer Valerie Gunther of 'Gunther, Gunther and Hogg Law Firm" Her left arm weaves in every direction with every word, her tone was shaky and considerably gaspy. Her eyes wide open behind her glasses, her head more flush than normal.

"It's a hate crime Beverly, a hate crime" She draws a week shallow breath and remains silent momentarily

Holly monitored Prudence, like a hawk monitoring it's prey. Her face appeared to get redder and redder with every word like it was about to explode at any minute, She watched Prudence as she nods her head up and down repeating "thank you Beverly" while she extended out her left arm with open palm several times finally ends the call with "I know Beverly, I don't care how much it costs but I want this person caught and sued, this is much more than body shaming"

Prudence placed her phone on her desk top and massaged her extensive chest, her lungs felt shut with fear, every breath a shallow struggle. Tanya rushed to a mini fridge hidden behind a walnut unit and pulls out a bottle of Poland spring water and opened it. Hurridly she filled a glass on Prudence's desk with her left hand and placed her right palm on Prudence's burning brow. "Prudence your blood pressure, take a drink and try taking a few deep breaths"

Prudence stomach churned she joined her hands like a gun steeple "How dare someone threaten me like this!!, this is a hate crime" she heaves "I won't be threatened like this, whoever is responsible will pay, they will pay"

Her gaspy tone frightened Tanya she worried constantly about her health. She removed her hand from Prudences brow and opened the top drawer of her pedestal; inside is medication and an inhaler. She picked up the inhaler and shook it. "Here Prudence please take a few puffs of this". Prudence placed the inhaler in her mouth and took three short blasts one directly after the other.

"Prudence, IT have blocked that person and are trying to webchat with them but it's proving difficult, Vicky has filed a complaint with the provider and also filed a police report, they still can't find it online".

Prudence placed the inhaler back into its drawer and took another mouthful of water, each breath felt like she was breathing through a straw

"Thanks Tanya" she wheezed as she extended out her hands "we need to get to the bottom of this, we won't tolerate people threatening us online".

Arabelle hung up, she felt like jelly from fear, the colour drained from her face. She glanced anxiously at her mother her wheezing alarmed her, her mother was not in the best of health, the last thing she needed were threats like this.

Arabelle placed her hands under the Prudences black suit jacket and massaged her solid shoulders and chest as best as she could "Dad is contacting Chief O'Kelly, he said he will collect you save you driving home on your own but I'll cancel the cinema with Zach and go home with you mum".

Prudence sighed and placed her right hand inside her suit jacket and rubbed Arabelles left hand "No" she took a shallow breath "You go to your cinema, I will drive home myself as normal, I am going to show this animal that I WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED AND BULLIED, I DIDN'T BUILD THIS BUSINESS BY BEING INIMITIDATED, NO WAY".

Holly cleared her throat "So I am going to review all ex-employees, all current employees and draw up a list".

10PM 7:30PM Office of PD Sternwood Financial Services and Investments, Exchange Place New Jersey, security Desk

Peter Beard had another two hours to go on his shift, he sighed and picked up the phone "PD Sternwood security desk".
He rolled his eyes up to the Heavens when he realised it was her "Okay, I'll meet you at the elevator" and hung up. He stood up "Fucking cowardly bitch", puts on his yellow hi-vis jacket and made his way to the elavators in the lobby and presses for number three.

Prudence hung up and gingerly stood up from her desk. Her eyesight was not the best, she hated the poor lighting in the dark carpark, she didn't feel safe going down on her own so got security to go down with her. On her left shoulder she placed the strap of her black Vera Wang handbag and carried her briefcase with laptop in her right hand.

She slowly waddled out of her office locked it and began her slow paced three hundred and sixty feet walk towards the elevators. Prudence is not a tall woman, She is five foot three. For that height she should weigh no more than one hundred and forty one pounds however; she tipped the scales at three hundred pounds. On her feet expensive orthopaedic shoes, an necessity to relieve some of the pain caused by fallen arches in her feet spurred on by the payload they carry. She lumbers through the open plan office floor, Her pace dictated by the physical exertion required to move her short corpulent frame. She huffed and puffed with each step, the short walk felt like a marathon for her. She tried to ignore a pain twinge in her her joints, Doctor Kelly had warned her she needed to lose weight immediately but she was under too much stress and not enough time. She smiled at the site of Peter "Hello Peter" she gasped "How are you".

"Wonderful" he replies gruffly. Prudence adjusts her glasses on her nose, she knew he didn't like her but her parents always thought her to be respectful to all employees and that they don't have to like you.

He presses the down button on the elevators key pad and wait momentarily for one of the three elevator doors to open. The middle one does, he indicates for Prudence to enter first she gives a half smile "Thank You Peter!!"

On entering the lift she catches a glimpse of herself in the elevator wall mirrors. She barely recognised herself. Her sunken brown eyes are almost invisible behind thick circular gold frame rimmed glasses. Prudence flattened her palms and joined her fingers together and gentry rubbed them to the sides of her deep furrowed brow directing some stray fringe hairs back into position on her dyed dark brown shoulder length hair.

She removed her glasses which leaves everything in a blur and gently massages her tired sore eyes and chubby flush cheeks. The glasses are placed back on her hawk shaped nose and once again everything is visible.

At fifty three she could of passed for fifty eight or more. She rubs her double chin with her soft left palm. Peter enters the lift selects 'P1' for parking. He towered over her. She pondered on the thought that he put up the post but rubbished it as he was working at the time "Any nice plans for the weekend Peter?"

"Drinking myself stupid!" he replied as he looked away from her.

Prudence bit her lower lip as a sharp pain began to travel up through her lower back "oh" she replies, quiet unsure what to say. The elevator comes to a halt and the doors open. Prudence's two year old luxury Lexus LX SUV a mere 15 feet from the elevator. Unenthuasiastically Peter followed behind her. Prudence could feel the hairs rise on the back of her neck, what if Peter wasn't here and the person was' she thought to herself, she was not a fighter, there is no way she could defend herself. "Peter, may I ask you wait until I've driven out fully of the carpark"

"Sure" he grunted.