Page 4 of Hidden Chance

“Of course we won’t,” Holland said. “But don’t forget that this mission will be lauded as a success.”

“I know.” Robby looked back at the dead boy, andpatted his shirt to remind himself that they now had a lead. If the roots of this militia led back to the U.S., he had a chance at finding the center of this thing and killing the whole tree. “That boy gave his life, and I’m going to make sure it’s not wasted.”

Chapter 2

Hannah duginto her purse for her ID, her heels clicking on the sidewalk as she hurried toward the imposing building ahead. Its sleek glass panels, accented by steel columns, were accentuated by the dynamic LED lighting that made quite a statement when the sun went down.

TreadCraft Dynamics had started out as a small family-run business, but, in the last ten years since the family had sold it, it had grown into an imposing company that made an impact all over the world.

It was this company that had brought Hannah to Pittsburgh at a time when she’d felt lost. After spending years moving from state to state, looking for that promise she knew was waiting for her, she’d come close to giving up. Then, when the time was right, God finally moved, and here she was—although not without a fight.

When she’d come across the job listing, she’d been reluctant. She’d only ever worked for smaller businesses, and the idea that she would allow herself to beswallowed up by a machine had her clicking past the advertisement. But two weeks later, she couldn’t get it out of her head. It had taken her until the last day of submissions to apply. Then, when they’d contacted her to set up a video interview, she’d nearly turned them down. She didn’t like the idea of an interview being so impersonal. It was only after she made an effort to research the company that she discovered all the good work they were doing beyond the interests of their product and finally relented.

The move to the city had been overwhelming, and her introduction to the building that first day had her head spinning. But she was no stranger to adversity and stress. Growing up on the mission field in Burma meant she’d been through difficult situations and had endured trauma that God had used to strengthen her and prepare her for what He knew lay ahead.

She dodged around a surge of pedestrian traffic as she hurried up the broad stairs to the front doors. Even now, she felt a slight tightening in her chest as the doors slid noiselessly apart to welcome her into the broad lobby of the company that God had used to fill her insatiable desire to help others. The millions of dollars the company spent helping kids by building schools and giving local small businesses grants to support families meant that, every day, even though her day-to-day work didn’t go directly to helping them, she got to be a part of it.

She offered God the same prayer she did most days she came to work, thanking Him for this opportunity and asking Him to give her the opportunity to workdirectly with the fundraising efforts and be a part of the small groups they sent over to look for new opportunities and build relationships. She knew it was coming. She could feel it. God didn’t have her there just to manage a department. This was His deep answer to her longing. He would use her position to make an impact and give a long-term answer to the kids in Burma.

She was eager to do more but also knew God was still digging out some of the pain from her past. The faces of the dead still met her in her sleep. She’d been too young when she’d seen tragedies. Her mind struggled to process them fully even now, and God had led her on a journey that pushed her to continue to rely on Him for peace.

She shivered off the cold as she entered the warm lobby that continued with the exterior’s steel and glass look. A warmer choice for the interior would have been nice, especially after leaving the frosty morning behind.

Displays lined one wall, showcasing the company’s achievements in tire technology and further innovations they’d mastered in various areas of rubber manufacturing. That was her professional domain as a research manager. But it was the largest display that she focused on as she passed. It showcased images of schools and smiling children. And while a company this size would always focus on profit, a virtuous image enhanced the bottom line, and that meant, no matter what the reason, children were being helped. Her goal now was to convince them that, with her at the helm of their initiatives, they could not only help more people but increase revenue at the same time.

She smiled back at the faces in the photos. Knowing that they had a chance at a future brimming with opportunity where others did not, eased the sting of the past.

“Morning,” said the security guard as Hannah scanned her badge.

“Morning, Kara.”

“Good luck today.”

Hannah stopped and looked back at her. “How do you know about today?”

“Word gets around.”

“Should I take that as a good or a bad thing?”

“If I were you, I’d take it as a good thing. Use whatever is at hand to boost your confidence.”

“That’s good advice. I’m going to steal it and then pass it on when the time is right.”

Kara smiled. “Let me know how it turns out.”

“I will.”

Hannah headed toward the bank of elevators.

“Morning, guys,” she said, joining the others as they watched the numbers descend on the panels above the doors.

“You look sharp today,” said a woman a few years older than her who had on a white lab coat. Marissa had been a technician in Hannah’s department since she’d started.

“Big meeting today,” Hannah said with a flat grin.

Marissa grunted. “I heard.”

Hannah gave her a sideways look. “So did everyone, apparently.”

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