“Uh, I really like number 3, if that’s, you know, one of the good ones,” Dan answered shakily.
“What is it that makes concept 3 a strong contender, in your opinion?” Trace asked him.
“It still says iGo, the familiar is still here. The shapes are more streamlined and modern,” Dan said, buoyed somewhat by Trace’s obvious approval.
Noting that Mahira managed to finally balance on the ergonomic chair, Trace sought her first impression.
“I think they should leave it as it is but make it a solid color that isn’t in popular use, so it really stands out. Nothing says new like doing something different,” Mahira said, joyful confidence in her voice, perhaps to make up for not being able to smile at anyone in the masks.
There was an inexplicable silence from Trace’s box as he seemed to stare into something unknown while considering how to react to her thoughts on the matter.
“That’s one good approach. Something different. I agree that it would have to be something different, maybe not necessarily an abandonment of the brand’s colors,” Tory interjected to try supporting Mahira’s statement, but it went sideways instead.
“Great, Thank you, Victoria. That is exactly what I’ve done,” Trace trumpeted proudly.
Tory continued, “In doing a little research, I could see that the three colors of the current icon are closely associated with the iGo brand. The user looks for those hues, perhaps even more than the individual shapes of the composite graphics.”
Harlan’s window brightened and expanded again as he listened in to try to catch up.
“OK, OK. Wow, research too. That’s great. So, which one of my designs are you likely to suggest to Mr. Dawes? We know Dan the man is a real big fan of concept 3,” Trace chimed grinning in his digital box.
“Wait, what is this?” Harlan said with obvious severity in his voice. “Trace, I asked them here for fresh perspectives, not to have you guide them to choose…”
He disappeared from the window. Somewhere a door could be heard slamming.
Trace turned away from his workstation and Harlan could be seen standing at the opening to his private cubicle.
“Get up. Now. Come to my office. We need to clarify a couple of things,” Harlan ordered brusquely.
They all watched as Trace nervously got up and turned back to reach for his tablet in its charging station.
“Leave it!” Harlan ordered.
Embarrassed, Trace could no longer face the faces looking at him and walked away briskly to face the music.
“Holy shit,” remarked Mahira, “if he thinks he’s going to treat people like that, I know all kinds of influencers that would tweet him right off the throne he thinks he has here. I won’t stand for it.”
“I didn’t even know what to say, I just picked one and tried to be nice. Dawes is gonna tear me up when he thinks I agree with Linder,” Dan said, worriedly.
Tory was quiet and glad once again for the privacy the mask granted in hiding expression. She had found herself darkly enjoying the assertiveness implicit in Harlan’s tone and was tempted to offer something in Trace’s defense to see if Harlan would lash out but refrained, feeling childish for having thought of so obvious a challenge to his fiery ire.
Instead, she spent the time exploring the resources of the workstation as advised. She hadn’t completely agreed with Trace Linder. She knew he was right in thinking that the new design had to keep the colors associated with the brand, but it was just a matter of finding a new and unique way to do it.
Chapter 12
Angry, Harlan Dawes had Trace sit in his office and wait for him while he went up to the lounge and paced. He thought he may have overreacted a bit to Trace’s obvious intention to sway the group’s opinion for his own benefit. It really made Harlan upset as it jeopardized the balance he felt was in place by having the small group of creative winners in place should his own behavior and preoccupations get in the way of progress.
Of course, he could not explain this part of his thinking to Trace which started to make him laugh and lighten up. Harlan was really disappointed in Trace’s efforts with the iGo icon work.
Trace, it had seemed, had become comfortable for so long that his edge had become dull in economic stability. Not really his fault, Harlan concluded then mixed a drink while he thought about how to amicably take Trace off the iGo job and give him some time off without it becoming awkward.
***
Tory had ordered a huge Caesar Salad with chicken at lunch and didn’t finish it. She sat picking at the chicken while looking at color swatches and gradient settings in an Adobe App on her tablet that evening.
The dinner hour was exceptionally quiet until Mahira decided to approach and sit at the next table, slurping the remnants of her soft drink from the ice in her cup, mask hanging under her chin. Dan was sleeping off his hangover and Trace was nowhere to be seen.