Chapter 1: A Stunning Discovery

The sound of cascading water echoed softly from a distance, creating a serene backdrop as Thad and Jean-Luc trekked along the path. They arrived at a flat section of the trail, bordered by smooth, polished logs.

Thad spotted a locked gate with a barely visible trail beyond and hopped over it, beckoning Jean-Luc to follow through the lush ferns. The faint path was marked with caution signs warning of a sudden cliff drop. As they descended, they reached a natural formation of broad rocks that led to a breathtaking view, revealing a sheer drop into the dense forest and river below.

“Wow,” Jean-Luc exclaimed, stepping onto the first rock and then gingerly making his way to the last one, which was only about a yard wide. The stunning vista left them momentarily speechless.

“Good thing I’m not afraid of heights,” Jean-Luc remarked, glancing over the edge.

“I tend to avoid looking straight down,” Thad confessed, setting down his daypack and taking a seat on the first rock, treating it like a bench.

Jean-Luc settled next to him, their arms and legs brushing against each other in a comforting way that Thad relished. “So, this spot is called the skybox?” he asked.

Thad nodded, taking in the picturesque view over the treetops towards the distant Fall City valley. Jean-Luc peered through the branches of evergreen trees that largely concealed their ‘skybox’ from tourists on the other side of the gorge, likely unaware of their presence.

“What’s it like?” Jean-Luc asked, leaning back against the rock, placing his water bottle down, and gazing at the scenery.

“What’s what like?” Thad replied.

“Dating another guy?” Jean-Luc inquired.

Thad smiled and shrugged. “It’s pretty much like dating a girl.”

“Really?” Jean-Luc raised an eyebrow, seeming skeptical.

“Honestly. I find guys easier to date. Most of them are straightforward, so I don’t have to second-guess my words or decipher hidden meanings.”

“Not every woman is like that,” Jean-Luc countered.

“True, probably not,” Thad acknowledged.

“I know this might sound naïve, but—did you kiss the guys you dated?” Jean-Luc asked, a hint of curiosity in his tone.

Thad chuckled softly. “We likely did more than just kiss.”

Jean-Luc smirked knowingly. “I figured as much.”

Locking eyes with Jean-Luc, Thad reassured him, “We don’t have to do anything. I brought you here because I really enjoy this place. I just wanted to spend time with you.”

Jean-Luc nodded in understanding.

“I didn’t bring you up here to rush into anything—unless you wanted to,” Thad added.

“What makes you think that making out with you wouldn’t interest me?” Jean-Luc replied playfully.

“Well, the way you reacted to Misty back on the trail made me wonder if you were into guys,” Thad explained.

“Maybe I like both?” Jean-Luc suggested with a smile.

Thad returned the smile, realizing he felt the same way. “I’m definitely into both.”

“See? You’d jump at the chance with that London girl if she were here, especially in that white running outfit,” Jean-Luc teased.

Thad chuckled. “Probably.”

Both leaned back to soak in the view again.

“How many guys have you dated?” Jean-Luc asked, breaking the comfortable silence.

“Honestly?” Thad replied.

“Yeah, honestly,” Jean-Luc urged.

“Only three,” Thad admitted.

“Really?” Jean-Luc seemed surprised.

“Did you expect more?” Thad asked.

“Honestly, yes. With your looks, you’re built like Superman. The comic version, I mean,” Jean-Luc remarked.

“Thanks! You’re more like Spiderman, comic book style,” Thad quipped.

Jean-Luc laughed heartily. “I wish I looked that good. So, did you come to Seattle to date guys?”

Thad shook his head. “Not really. I was sort of seeing a guy back in Richland.”

“In the closet?” Jean-Luc probed.

“Oh, definitely,” Thad responded.

“Was he cute?” Jean-Luc asked.

Thad nodded. “Yeah, he was cute. We met in Scouts.”

“Scouts? You were still a teen?” Jean-Luc inquired.

“We were both sixteen when we met,” Thad confirmed.

“How long did that last?” Jean-Luc asked.

“On and off for about eight years, until we graduated from college,” Thad replied.

“That sounds serious,” Jean-Luc remarked.

“It was,” Thad agreed.

“Why didn’t you marry him?” Jean-Luc asked curiously.

Thad sighed, memories flooding back. “His family was part of our church. Both our dads were pastors, and our church sponsored the Scout troop.”

Jean-Luc nodded, contemplating Thad's words.

“People had their suspicions, but one day he just stopped answering my calls. I later learned he moved back East and married a very religious girl from Carolina.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Jean-Luc offered.

“Yeah, me too,” Thad replied, a hint of sadness in his voice.

“You haven’t gotten over him, have you?” Jean-Luc asked gently.

Thad forced a smile. “Probably not.”

“That’s a touching story, Thad,” Jean-Luc said, sincerity in his tone.

Thad remained quiet, lost in thought as he gazed at the stunning landscape.

Chapter 2: The Office Encounter

“Did you want to see me, Mr. Garret?”

“Thaddeus, yes; come in and close the door,” Garret replied.

“Everything alright?” Thad asked, taking a seat at the small table in the executive manager’s office.

“Yes, fine. I’ve been on the phone with Brittney and her boss this morning,” Garret stated.

Thad nodded in acknowledgment.

“We’re updating the report structures again,” Garret continued.

“Sure, what do you need?” Thad asked.

“Legal wants some changes made to the code. Due to the sensitive nature of these adjustments, I need to remind you of your confidentiality agreement—both outside and within the company. Our discussions remain strictly between us,” Garret emphasized.

Thad nodded again. “I understand.” A sense of unease crept over him as he felt his palms become cold and clammy.

Garret handed Thad a small black flash drive with the company logo. “The new reporting queries are on this. I need you to VPN into the network tonight and hot-fix the report files with these new ones.”

“No deployment?” Thad asked.

“No, we don’t have time for QA before the next release. Hot-fix is our only option until the offshore team can push the code into source control,” Garret explained.

“Understood. I can handle that,” Thad replied, taking the drive.

“These are encrypted binaries. Just drop the files into the reports plugins folder without backing up or overwriting anything. In fact, I want no backups at all; the new files must overwrite the existing ones,” Garret instructed.

“Alright, I can do that,” Thad confirmed.

“Great. It needs to be completed tonight, after midnight but before 2:00 AM when the reports job runs,” Garret added.

“Sure,” Thad agreed.

“Normally, I’d email the files, but with legal involved,” Garret sighed, “you know how they can be.”

“I’ve had my share of experiences with legal, Mr. Garret. I understand,” Thad said with a wry smile.

“They mean well, but they can be a bit stubborn,” Garret remarked.

“Don’t we all know it,” Thad grinned.

“Thaddeus—your tie,” Garret noted.

“Oh—um. Right—” Thad said, adjusting his collar.

Garret smiled approvingly. “Looks good. You don’t need a tie; very modern. Just the kind of man we need around here. It can feel too stuffy at times.”

“Thanks,” Thad replied with a smile.

“Remember, keep this under wraps. After midnight but before 2:00,” Garret reminded him.

“Absolutely,” Thad confirmed.