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'You're not coming to the company picnic?' asked Roger.

'No, I can't. A friend of mine is in town and this is the only chance I have to see her,' responded Angie, 'That's okay, isn't it? The picnic isn't mandatory, right?'

'Of course it's not mandatory, I just thought it would be nice to have everyone there, I look at this as a little family rather than just colleagues.'

'No offense Mr. S, but I have a family and friends too and I like to spend as much time as possible with them.' Angie replied. 'See ya Monday.'

'Okay, see ya then.'

Roger was on to her, which was why he wanted her at the picnic so badly. She was meeting with a friend, this is true, but her friend happened to work for the main competition and she's there to learn their secrets so that she can rise to the top. This would not be a problem except Roger's job was a few rungs higher than hers and if she rose too quickly, he may be forced out. He would not allow that to happen. He would continue to stay one step ahead of her. Everyone in the company had gotten new cell phones for Christmas. Roger handled passing them out to everyone. He made sure that she got a specific phone. This phone had software installed that would allow him to listen to her conversations over lunch and keep him ahead of her in the production of new ideas. Just before she would come up with a new one, Roger would spurt something out along those same lines.

'Matt, I don't know, it is nuts. Roger seems to be a good guy, but somehow he knows everything that I'm going to say and he says it first. I don't know where he gets this, but it's got to stop,' said Angie.

'I think I can brighten your day. You said your company gave you cell phones for Christmas, right?' Matt asked.

'Yeah, so?' Replied Angie

'Use it against him. I know of some software that you can use to find out all of his ideas. Once you have one, you can one up him,' said Matt.

'Good idea.'

Angie listened to her friend and had the software installed. It didn't take her long to hear Roger talking about an idea that she had brought up to Matt a month ago. She decided to act on it at the next meeting. Roger looked at her with amazement when the words came out of her mouth. He knew his days of idea stealing were over, at least until he found someone else with good ideas.