"How was Singapore?"
"Busy."
"Vancouver?"
"Cold."
Thomas laughed. "And the Mandarin?"
"Better."
"Show-off." Darius laughed. Then Thomas became serious. "Corporate wants to meet you."
Darius looked at him. "Why?"
"I don't know." Thomas smiled. "But they asked for you specifically."
The meeting took place in a glass conference room overlooking the city. Marissa Cole, the regional director, sat across from Darius. She had reviewed his fellowship reports, his performance evaluations, and his language assessments. She placed a folder on the table.
"You have a very unusual combination of skills."
Darius smiled. "I've heard that before."
"You've also received excellent reviews."
"Thank you."
Marissa leaned back. "Where do you see yourself?"
Darius thought. "A place where I can be useful."
She smiled. "That's not a job title."
"No, it's still a good answer." She opened another document. "There may be a position opening in our international guest relations division."
Darius looked at her. "Would I qualify?"
Marissa smiled. "If you didn't, I wouldn't be telling you."
Darius nodded. He didn't know it yet, but this was the beginning of a career he had never planned, and Wei Chen had unknowingly played a small part in it.