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Our panic ratcheted up a notch e heard the clapping

"Conference roo Jackie’s hand as we dashed down the hallway The door was shut, but I could hear Lukas closing up the o in?" Jackie whispered

The door opened before I could answer, nearly knocking us on our asses The staff filed out, each person carrying a box with their name written in bold letters on the front in black o under?" Jackie said, her voice shaking "Is everyone fired?"

But they were seneral nod in our direction, but whatever they were discussing was too enthralling to ht, young, cheerful faces For some reason, that made me more fearful of as to come

We stood to the side until everyone passed out of earshot With one shared look of apprehension, Jackie and I walked in to face Lukas He sat at the head of the blindingly white conference table, thuh a hardcover book Two boxes formed an odd centerpiece on the table, with Jackie scrawled on one and Paige on the other The photo of Trey sat atop my pile

"You’re late," Lukas said, but he kept his tone neutral, eneral announcement in case we hadn’t heard the news

"It isn’t nine yet," I ed

"Was there an e-et the e- and smiled at us "By nine o’clock you should be completely present--e-mail checked, coffee drunk, ad at eight thirty this ri a shade undy Don’t do it, I told uilt I kept ue and waited for hi to fall prostrate at his feet, Lukas pushed the book in ht it just before it hit the floor He reached behind him and passed another book to Jackie "This is your new bible here at Guh Don’t just read it, commit it to memory Allow its ideas to marinate in your brain, soak it in, live by it"

I cleared uh?"

"It’s a si at the book inis necessary to escape a rut Read chapter 7"

I didn’t immediately flip open the book, but took in its cover The Petra Principles for the Ne Creative Workplace: A Primer for More Than Success by Petra Polly The wo upside down, her knees curled around some colorfully painted monkey bars, while artfully dressed children played in the background Her golden braids hung straight to the pile of woodchips beneath her head She was cute--round, thickly lashed blue eyes, flushed cheeks, a s-show contestant I think I’d spotted her outfit at Anthropologie It was a half-knitted, half-silk jumpsuit in a ju that could only be worn by soirl was very, very thin and very, very young

"We’re adopting the Petra Principles here at Guh," Lukas said proudly "Starting with one of her most important dictums, ‘Intraoffice competition will only be productive if it is both friendly and fierce’"

"Competition?" Jackie lish five minutes before

I folded my arms across my chest "Fierce like Beyoncé, or fierce like Vladimir Putin?"