Final Turn: A story of adventure, intrigue and suspense. Read Online Free PDF Page B

operational by month's end. I sat through the design review meetings with Bill and the client and it seems everything is ready for the installation and final testing. Roger should arrange with the company to obtain a test card for the magnetic card readers. I will arrange that it is used a number of times to generate some records. Someone will go through the gates several times with the card. A vehicle will be taken out for a drive using the card in the ignition to generate some records in the vehicle. These will be collected and feed into the main system. We will need to begin this as soon as the installation of the hardware is complete. If problems show up with these records, we’ll begin to look for the cause right away. De-bugging this system could be complex. Bill and his staff must remain available to assist. We should all remember that not only is Bill's new software being tested here but also there is quite an array of hardware. Some of it newly designed. The hardware comes from several different manufactures who will all blame someone else when there is a problem." Jack could talk when he needed to. Lindquist sat with a pleased expression still looking at his hands.
    Jack looked at Roger and Bill. All three knew well enough the difficulty in isolating problems that surfaced when there was a mixture of hardware and software and more significantly, a mixture of suppliers.
    "That is critical." Bill spoke for the first time with Lindquist now watching him attentively. "The sooner we get some real data read in through those card readers the better. There are a lot of potential sources for faults, the readers themselves, the communications systems and of course our own software, much as I hate to admit it. I think that our software checked out to perfection in our simulations but this is the real shakedown. Simulations are simulations; they just can't address every conceivable situation. If we have a problem the sooner we isolate it the better. We may have to deal with other suppliers to get things resolved."
    Roger added, "I will be going over to eStorage this afternoon to pick up the test card. I'll look around a bit and see how ready they are. This might be the time to talk over the acceptance tests with them again to make sure there are no misunderstandings." Lindquist seemed to settle back into his seat, satisfied that his key staff were working together on the project. His expression made it clear to Roger that he really didn't want to hear lot more. Lindquist pushed he back slightly from the table as one might after eating one's fill. Roger closed his notebook, and rose from the table. Jack and Bill followed suit. As Roger was about to open the door Jack spoke, more to the group than to anyone in particular.
    "You should all remember that I am scheduled to take my vacation by the end of the month. My arrangements for Hong Kong have all been made and can't be changed. There is no reason that things can't all be sorted out by then. All my time from now to then will go into this project."
    Bill gave an expression of resignation. He knew full well that Jack was a valuable man to have around at a time like this. He also knew that if things went awry in Jack's absence, he would be the man on the spot. Roger looked to Lindquist for a sign. Lindquist had already gone around, seated himself behind his desk, and was looking through his calendar on the computer. Certainly Jack had cleared this all with him. Without further words, the three of them left the office leaving the door open behind them.

CHAPTER FOUR
     
    Roger drove the two miles past the edge of the city limits at the speed limit. He wanted to get over to Sam's early; she had invited him for supper and with any luck that would run late, maybe all the way to morning. First, he had a stop to make and it was to be an afternoon spent with the wind. The sun blazed from a crystal sky and threw the shadows of power poles across the road. They were so black and thick