There's No Equation for This (IC)

[Dariusprime]

Flashback! Sunday, November 7, 2010

3 weeks post Fractures

1534 Turtle Dove Lane

Home of Fulcrum's parents

For three weeks, the darkest recesses of Viktor Archeville's mind bathed in the light of reason. Or less pretentiously, the id portion of his split personality seemed purged from his brain. He never felt better psychologically, and with that health came a new sense of joy in living.

In Fulcrum's case that meant the time was right. She'd delayed one of the most important crossroads of any relationship: meeting the parents. Not that she didn't love Viktor thoroughly, or thought that their relationship wouldn't stand the test of time. No, her concerns were more centered on her mother. As Fulcrum described her, "She is smaller, louder and even more bullheaded."

Afareen Teymourian also held very high standards for her daughters. Fulcrum wasn't about to throw Viktor to the metaphorical lion's den and hope her mother wasn't in an overcritical mood. She wanted Viktor to be prepared for the possibility that Afareen, sweet as she could be, wouldn't be happy with Mona's choice in boyfriend.

---

The vertigo faded quickly. Viktor's teleportation belt deposited them on the lawn of 1534 Turtle Dove Lane. Small, ranch-style homes dotted the short street, surrounded by neatly tended lawns and fences. If not for the upthrust sidewalks and too many layers of paint, one could imagine the neighborhood as belonging to a new subdivision.

Fulcrum turned to Viktor and swept an arm toward the front door, "Casa Teymourian, at your service."

On cue, a fat Cocker Spaniel mix unlatched the screen door, barked happily and charged out to Fulcrum. Scooping the dog up in one arm, she scratched her ears, "Hi, Sissy."

[Dr Archeville]

"Ready as I will ever be, liebchen," Archeville breathed.

I can do this. I have faced all manner of things in my life, myriads dangers and threats. Surely a meeting with Mona's mother and stepfather will not be too difficult for me. I am sure we will all get along wonderfully!

"Say," he said, grinning as he went through his mental German-English-Spanish-Farsi dictionary, "would that not be 'Khaane Teymourian' Or should it be 'Munzel-'"

Sissy's arrival interrupted any further grammatical questioning, as he was compelled to join Mona in rubbing the dog behind her ears. "Oh, what a lovely specimen!"

[Dariusprime]

Fulcrum smiled and patted the dog's belly, "'Khaane' would be right, I think. You may want to ask my mom. I'm getting a bit rusty."

"Thank you. Looks like Dad has been sneaking her treats again. Sissy here is our official greeter. That means Fatima is probably not far behind..." she said before the screen door opened again.

Subject #1: Fatima Teymourian

Age: 16

Description: The bubbly half-sister of Fulcrum, Fatima is all of the technological savvy and popularity of the two. Rarely without her iPhone or iPad, she buzzes around with a frenetic energy and always has a project or two in the works, particularly of the computer application or Facebook variety. She attends West End Central High School, holds a solid 3.6 GPA and wants to be an engineer. Her dream is to attend the Hanover Institute of Technology. Of particular note, she has attended two different school tours of ArcheTech and a summer conference for aspiring scientists and engineers.

Appearance: Petite and lithe, she conjures comparisons to Grimalkin in build. Her face and green eyes speak of her Iranian heritage, although her complexion is much lighter than Mona's. She is dressed in jeans, a Maroon 5 t-shirt and a red head scarf. The sisters look like complete opposites: Fatima the gymnast and Mona the boxer.

"Hi, sis!" yelled Fatima as she swept out of the house while still looking at her phone. "Mom is about to kill the oven. I'd stay clear of the kitchen for a while."

Then she remembered Mona brought a guest, looked up and froze, eyes wide. The pent up squeal didn't follow, thankfully, because she was much too cool and mature for that nonsense. Instead she broke into a huge smile and zoomed up to Viktor with Dynamo-like speed. Offering a handshake, a stream of introductions following, "Great to meet you, Dr. Archeville! I've read so much about your work. I mean, you're one of the scientist heroes of Europe, but of course you know that. I didn't believe Mona at all when she said you two were dating!"

While maybe not the grip-of-death, Mona's sister certainly had the energy to shake an arm off.

"Fatima, Dr. Viktor Archeville. Viktor, my sister, Fatima," added Mona as a pleasantry.

[Dr Archeville]

"A pleasure to meet you, fraulein," Archeville beamed, meeting Fatima's eager handshake with cool firmness. He saw the phone in her hand, instantly recognizing it for what it was, what it could do, and how ArcheTech's new phone (to be released in late 2012/early 2013) would blow it out of the water. "Mona has spoken often of your own accomplishments, including your winning science projects. Perhaps you could show them to me after dinner?"

Always a pleasure to see eager and energetic young minds!

Archeville sniffed the air, "ah, is that what your mother is preparing? It smells wonderful! I-" he turned back and pretended to notice Fatima's device for the first time, "oh, is that the latest iPhone?"

[Dariusprime]

"I...uh...," blurted Fatima, "Sure! I'd love to show them to you!" As if considering the projects for display, her eyes darted around in thought and her nose almost disappeared back into the phone's screen.

That is until Viktor asked about dinner. She looked up and smiled, a smile very similar to Mona's. "Oh yeah! She's making broiled lamb and beef kubideh. They're like...kebabs. Really, really good. She wasn't sure..."

Mona's little sister seemed to relax once the topic was back on technology. Relaxed, as in, excited. "Yes, the iPhone 4. I really tried to wait until the new one next year, but this one just has so many cool features. Actually, the results of one of my projects is visible right here, at the edge of the screen," she said, running her finger along what looked like a sealed crack in the side of the screen. The damage was so faint as to be nearly invisible.

"I came up with an adhesive/polishing compound that can fix damaged touch screens. Works pretty good too!"

"She loves her Apple products," Mona said with a touch of sisterly tease. At which point she pulled out her own iPhone for show.

[Dr Archeville]

Archeville chuckled, "ah, yes, we do need early adapters like you to help 'gamma test' our new toys. Oh, now that is clever!," he exclaimed, looking over the smartphone's sealed seam. "Did you base it on the polymer used in automobile window repairs? This is quite good work: it feels as smooth as an unbroken screen, and there is no loss of interactivity, no degradation of touch sensitivity."

Oh, now here is a dilemma: if she applies for any ArcheTech grants to HIT, and she gets them due to the quality of her work, will Mona's relationship with me taint her image? Ah, perhaps I should just arrange for an anonymous donation to her college fund, so she does not need to apply for any grants.

Oh, wait, what am I saying -- she may have a sizable college fund by the time she applies and not need any grants or help!

[Dariusprime]

"Yes, the compound is very similar," replied Fatima in excitement. "Although this formula doesn't contain the organic solvents of some of the windshield varieties. Remember how the lamented layers reacted to the early fixes? The screens all react like that. Nearly melted my old phone's screen!"

Just as quickly, she veered off on the gamma testing tangent. "I'd love to testing for Apple products, or really any type of cutting edge product. To know your critique is the basis for not only new features but future developments? Any day of the week!"

Mona smiled and waved to two toward the house with both hands. "Shoo, go on you two. Dad should be home any time, and Mom will be wondering why we're avoiding her."

Fatima, apparently used to these situations, opened the front door for Viktor and continued talking. "If I could ask you for any one invention, I'd ask for a long-lasting battery. Even these new lithium ion batteries are worthless."

The house's interior was just as modest as the exterior. Mona obviously would be cramped, but the living room looked inviting otherwise. A small gas fireplace had been added against the far wall. Around that feature were a stuffed couch, love seat and a two recliners. The decor was warm and relaxing, with arrangements of flowers and crafts on open surfaces. Many, many pictures lined the walls, including a portrait of Fulcrum in costume. Some looked particularly old judged simply by sepia tone and clothing of the subjects.

Immediately to the right was a closet, and past that, a kitchen bar with stools. The sounds of cooking echoed from the area along with that delicious aroma.

[Dr Archeville]

"Oh, I know well the problems with power supplies!," he said with a grin. He knelt down a bit, raised a palm to the side of his mouth, and stage-whispered to Fatima, "why, just a few weeks ago, someone on my staff -- I will not say who -- made a breakthrough in energy storage cells, but we had to shelve it when we realized it would be child's play to convert it into a potent energy blaster!"

And I definitely will not say it was based on work Erik Micheals had started, which is another reason to keep it under wraps until we can implement some safeguards.

Which I am sure we will be able to do!

He stood back up again, gave Mona's sister a wink, and sniffed the air again. "ah, that smells so good! I cannot wait to see it, and the skilled culinary master who has prepared it!" As he walked through the living room, he looked all about him, quickly scanning and memorizing the photographs.

Looks like there are lots of things I can use here to springboard some good talks from -- less chance of awkward silences!

[Dariusprime]

"Really?" asked the little sister just a touch too loudly. Realizing her error, the volume dropped a bit as she replied, "Blasters? I'm...not sure if I'd like that or not. Probably a good thing you shelved it, good batteries or not." She frowned in thought, looking so much like her older sister when concentrating.

"Why thank you. Is that the young man I've heard so much about?" came the reply from the kitchen. A woman perhaps Fatima's height, that is to say, petite compared to Viktor, stepped around the counter. Dressed in a purple skirt outfit and matching hijab, Mona's mother appeared for all the world like an older Mona. If the sisters looked somewhat similar, no one could mistake Mona as anything but this woman's daughter.

Subject: Afareen Teymourian

Age: 58

Description: Affectionately known as "TNT" Teymourian, Afareen is the proprietor of the small but successful accounting firm, Teller & Teymourian Taxes, based in the West End. A charismatic advocate for the West End and cultural diversity, she is best known in Freedom City for sitting on the FC Muslim-American Council as well as the local PTA and Neighborhood Watch. She has announced her candidacy for representing District 6 on the City Council next year.

Personally, she, along with her mother, is a naturalized immigrant that escaped Iran during the height of the Revolution. Her first husband, Mona's father, was killed attempting to facilitate the escape of friends. His death left a powerful impression on Afareen, galvanizing her to strive for personal success as well as social justice. Although quite generous, her determination is legendary around the West End.

Appearance: Although age has thickened her a bit, Afareen is still a graceful woman with boundless energy. She and her older daughter share the darker, eastern completion that easily mistakes them for Arab. Thus her bright blue eyes make for a startling contrast. She dresses conservatively in skirts, business suits and her hijab collection. Her warm smile and equally unnerving glare are both traits she passed onto Mona.

Afareen's face lit up upon seeing them. Offering Viktor a handshake, she smiled and said, "Ah, Dr. Viktor Archeville I presume? A pleasure to finally make your acquaintance. I wish I could say Mona has told me all about you, but I'm afraid not." The latter came with a mild teasing tone.

"Please sit and relax. Dinner should be ready in a few minutes. Would you like something to drink?" she asked while directing him to the couch.

[Dr Archeville]

"Well, there is not much to say about me, really," he replied, smiling as he shook her hand and making sure to meet her blue eyes with his. "Peril of being a public figure!"

Ah, a drink was offered! But what to do? I should not refuse, that might be seen as rude, but I do not want to ask for anything too complicated or time-consuming to make, especially not if the meal is almost ready! Ah, I know!

"A drink?," he repeated, eyebrows raising a bit. "Ah, no, thank you; I believe I can hold out until we sit down for that delectable meal. I do hope it has not been too much trouble!" He took another look around the room again before moving towards the couch, but stopped himself before sitting, "is there anything I may do to help out with the meal? The culinary sciences are not outside my areas of interest!"

[Dariusprime]

Fatima rolled her eyes and disappeared toward her room. While she really didn't want to leave the charismatic scientist alone, she knew well enough that her Mom was now in charge of the situation. Judging by her intent typing, all of her friends would soon know that Dr. freakin' Archeville was at her house!

Afareen waved a hand dismissively, "Nonsense. You are my daughter's love. I simply must get to know you! But that can wait for dinner." Adjusting her apron, she turned heel back toward the kitchen, talking as she went, "No, no. Please relax. This recipe is quite simple really. Thank you for the offer however."

Fulcrum sat down, or hovered over really, the couch and patted the seat next to her. "Relax, Viktor. This isn't a diplomatic conference. She doesn't bite. Hard."

"I heard that!" came the joking reply from the kitchen.

Lowering her voice, Fulcrum said, "Actually you could help her out. She loves this old '50s stove of hers but it has an electronic problem. The repair guys couldn't figure out what exactly. Go ask her about it. It's right up your alley." She winked to him.

"Dad should be home any minute. He said you two met once," she continued in a normal tone.

[Dr Archeville]

"Just trying to put my best foot forward, liebchen," he said, stealing a kiss before sitting down on the indicated spot. "Besides, if I am in there helping, I can sneak a little nibble!"

Ah, the blessed silence of no uninvited sexual innuendo!

"A problem with her stove, you say?," he repeated, voice raising comedically. "1950s, you say? Probably a GE or Westinghouse," his voice dipped back down, "could be a number of things, but probably age-related. I would be happy to look into it for her! I will ask during dinner, though -- best to do any repairs after it is needed, not while it is being used!"

'Met him already'? When? Where? Oh, I hope I was not rude or in a rush!

"Met him? I-" The Doktor paused a moment, looked around again at the photos on the walls, "I have encountered many, many people over the years, so it is not unlikely, but I must confess I am having some trouble recalling when I may have met him. Did he say when or where?"

[Dariusprime]

Mona shrugged and draped an arm over his shoulders, "He said something about a conference in Amsterdam. Green technology or the like."

"Of course you are, sweetie," she added, listening to the sounds coming from the kitchen. "She just doesn't like flattery or insincerity. Not that you are. I just don't want her to take it the wrong way. She's been rough on my other boyfriends."

"I hope you like garlic. She uses more garlic than any other cook I know. At least it is good for you."

A thought crossed her face, and she whispered, "My grandmother may be here too. She's a quite a character. You'll like her."

[Dr Archeville]

"Ah, of course!," he exclaimed, probably drawing some looks from the other rooms. "The 2010 Green Shipping Technologies conference, March 2010. He was there for much the same reason I was, looking into new ecologically sound shipping technologies for his company. Well, he was looking, I was presenting. Heh, his architectural company, my ArcheTech-tural one!"

Wordplay!

Wait, grandmother? I thought Ava had gone to Philadelphia for the motorbike race?!

The Doktor's smile slipped and eyes widened just a fraction as he nodded at her whispered missive. "Oh, you know I love garlic," he said, just loud enough for Afareen to hear. "It is not a traditional part of German cuisine, but it has gained some popularity since the 1990s, and I say it has been a definite improvement!"

[Dariusprime]

"I'd have to agree," replied Mona dryly, "No offense but some of your traditional cuisine is rather dull."

Afareen, who glanced into the living room at Viktor's exclamation, just wagged a wooden spoon at him and gave a mock evil-eye before turning back to the stove. "I selected a recipe anyone could enjoy, dear," she answered chidingly. Whether the reply was addressed to Viktor or Mona was unknown. "Should be ready in a just a few minutes."

Fatima peeked her head out of her doorway, still in a bit of awe at having the super scientist right in front of her! Fingers darting over the small keyboard, she disappeared back into her room.

"She is probably coordinating with her friends over how best to deal with you and look her best at the same time," whispered Mona, "Quite a team-based player. She is good alone but she is great with the right people. That includes dealing with science hunks." She gave him a gentle squeeze for emphasis.

"So Dr. Archeville, how did you happen to meet Mona? I don't imagine her as the type to participate in Oktoberfest."

[Dr Archeville]

Viktor gave Mona such a look, "you only say that because you have some unfathomable aversion to mustard and horseradish. And your reactions to my chocolate cakes were anything but dull!," he added with a grin.

He smiled and waved at Fatima when he saw her poke her head out, and stifled a chuckle when she disappeared. "Teamwork is a vital skill," he opined as he drew his Electromagnetic Screwdriver. Mona recognized the mischievous look creeping across him, "but knowing what to do when cut off from your allies is important, too...."

Ahhh personal questions from hypothetical in-laws-to-be! Stay cool, man, you can do this...

He quickly pocketed the gadget and wiped the impishness from his face, "oh, ha ha, no, not at Oktoberfest, though I am hoping to take her one year. We met due to... work-related issues. She had some concerns about her powers, and came to ArcheTech for some tests. One thing lead to another, and, well..." He grinned like a schoolboy as he took Mona's hand in his.

[Dariusprime]

Mona squeezed his hand back and added, "I wouldn't say it was love-at-first-sight, but we definitely had an attraction."

"That is very sweet," replied Afareen, standing at the bar divider. "Mona told us about some problems with her powers. I had a feeling her abilities could be traced back to that nasty Terminus Invasion. I didn't realize she sought professional help though. Snagged a boyfriend in a process," she added with a smile.

As her mother turned away a moment, Mona nudged Viktor and motioned toward Fatima's bedroom. "Go ahead. She is on the thing too much," whispered the giantess.

"Chocolate is the food of the gods. Horseradish is...bleh...," she shuddered.

"If Mahmoud is chatting up his clients again, I'll skin him alive," mumbled her Mom as she looked out the window.

The delicious smells only concentrated and sizzling could be heard from the oven.

"I'll admit I'm more than a little leery of Mona dating you, Dr. Archeville," finally said Afareen, still looking out the window. "Your reputation as a playboy and eccentric does proceed you."

[Dr Archeville]

Archeville drew his Screwdriver again while Afareen was turned, and carefully set the controls by touch as he kept his eyes on his hostess. "There were concerns about her Terminus radiation-altered physiology, yes, which is why I was called in. Since coming back to Freedom I have been making a study of the aftereffects of the Invasion, which is why her, ah, condition was brought to my attention. There was some concern she might begin unleashing -- wholly unintentionally, of course," he stressed in his most diplomatic tone, "small amounts of radiation, so I created some power rectifiers for her, that would insure her internal energies flowed in the proper direction and not all, ah, willy-nilly."

Wifi-band disruption, short range, just to knock out service in this house, maybe a few feet beyond... landlines will be unaffected, so they can still receive calls to the house...

"And once we became more than just doctor and patient," he took Mona's hand in his free one and held it up to show off the bracelet she wore, "I revisited my design and redoubled my efforts to miniaturize it!"

Annnd... there!

"Ah, yes, my reputation," he continued, showing no sign he'd just set off a wifi-blocking pulse. "It is true that I have had some... bacchanalian moments. But with age and the growing responsibilities of being both a scientific adviser to many of the city's heroes, and the founder and head of my own international chain of research laboratories, I have realized that those types of relationships... dalliances... no longer hold the same lure they once did."

[Dariusprime]

"I'd certainly hope not!" snapped Afareen a little more forcefully than she intended. Turning to them, she cleared her throat, "Excuse me, Dr. Archeville. I didn't intend to sound that way. I'm just...very protective of my girls.

Momentarily, Fatima emerged from her room with a deadpan look on her face. Viktor could be mistaken for hearing her mumble something about the 'stupid weaksauce signal'. Her face did perk up once she heard her mother, and she plopped down on a chair and smirked, "You don't have to worry, Mom! Mona would pound him if he did anything that stupid!"

Stirring a pot on the stove, Afareen didn't look back, "Be nice, Fatima."

"Ah, you know it's true. Nothing on this planet could stop Mona!"

Afareen, satisfied with her cooking, sat on one of the barstools. "I wondered why Mona took to wearing jewelry. She never was much of an accessorizer until recently. Makes perfect sense now. I do hope you are well now?" she directed to Mona.

"I'm great, Mom. Really. Thank you," Mona replied with a smile.

[Dr Archeville]

"Oh, no need to apologize at all, madame," the Doktor smiled and shook his head slightly. "It is natural for a parent to be protective of their children, even if that child is fully grown," he chuckled, "and then some!"

It is good Mona has such a caring family. I may not know firsthand what that is like, but I can certainly appreciate it!

He smirked back a Fatima, then turned back to Afareen, "ah, yes, yes, I can assure you Mona is in the very best of health," he practically gushed, "no signs of the cancer, or of any extreme power fluctuations; barring any unusual stresses on her, her powers should remain stable and serve her well."

[Dariusprime]

"That is wonderful to hear," replied Afareen with a smile. Once again, one that reminded Viktor of Mona. "Mona has always been tough as nails. That picture there, the third from the top?" she asked, pointing to the wall.

The picture was obviously several years old. Afareen looked visibly younger, Fatima was a little girl, and Mona was normal height. Well, normal height in that she towered over her mother and stepfather. In a way, not so much different in portion that her current build.

"Did you know she was an amateur boxer, Dr. Archeville?" Afareen asked, laughing lightly. "I just about had a coronary when I discovered she was spending her afternoons at the local boxing gym. My sweet little girl, punching and being punched!"

Shaking her head, she continued, "I accepted it as her nature in time. She has the soul of an artist and the attitude of a brawler."

"Mom...," said Mona, cocking her head.

"I know, I know," replied Afareen, laughing off the topic, "Anyway, Dr. Archeville, other than being a science hero, what do you actually do for a living? Run that massive company of yours? Or do you still focus on personal research?"

[Dr Archeville]

"Boxing?," he exclaimed, barely able to stifle a laugh. "I was not aware of that, madame! I mean, I can certainly see it, of course... ohh," he glanced back at Mona, "I wonder what other secrets about you I shall learn this evening?"

Perhaps some half-forgotten childhood dream I can make come true!

"A little of both, actually," he turned back to Afareen, "as well as royalties from some existing patents. I use ArcheTech to get out my commercially-viable ideas, technologies that would be safe to mass produce and that are user-friendly. One of my bigger challenges is actually, ah, streamlining my existing works, and those of some of my staff, so that it can be subjected to peer review."

"Streamlining" sounded better than "simplifying," and certainly better than "dumbing down."

"My more volatile research I perform in my personal worskspaces, in my home and at certain ArcheTech facilities. There is also the work I do as an auxiliary member of the Freedom League, though that does not really pay anything, and some freelance consultation work I still do for other organizations."

[Dariusprime]

Mona kissed him on the cheek, "Better believe it, buster. Around here, all bets are off."

To which Fatima giggled into her hand.

"A nice way of saying that the stuff blows up labs," quipped Fulcrum, squeezing Viktor's shoulder. At her mother's expression, she shook her head, "Just kidding, Mom. I've toured many of his labs. They're perfectly safe. We have more to worry about from the local mystics than those science projects."

"I swear this city draws the most interesting characters, both good and bad." Afareen shook her head and headed into the kitchen to check the food. "I hope you are taking suitable precautions in your private research. I don't want anything bad to happen to you. You hear a sorts of horrible stories about experiments gone awry."

"You're really on the Freedom League, Dr. Archeville?" asked Fatima in a quiet voice (and moment).

[Dr Archeville]

Archeville showed all the mock indignation he could at Mona's talk of exploding laboratories, and feigned a more serious injury at her playful squeeze. "Ach, injury on top of insult! Tsk!"

I am beginning to see the appeal of WWJD -- What would Jack of all Blades Do!

His nose reflexively wrinkled at talk of mystics, but brushed it off to address the more immediate concern of Afareen. "Oh, indeed, all manner of precautions, both physical and psychological. You see, it is not just enough that ArcheTech provides a safe place in which to work, it must also be a safe place to think, a place to nurtures and reward the work done in it." He leaned towards her slightly, "our health card package offers a generous section on counseling services, since genius is often accompanied by... well, let us say eccentricities. There are even sections of ArcheTech devoted to the psychological and social sciences: there are many supervillains out there who, I believe, would have become productive and positive members of society if they had received proper counseling, especially in cases where a laboratory or workplace accident caused a radical and shocking mutation."

Hunh, there is that question again.

He shifted to face Fatima, "I am indeed! Though I do not take as public a role as other members -- most of my work with them is done behind the scenes, in the Hall's laboratories with Daedalus, in the Lighthouse with Pseudo, or in the ocean depths with Siren."

[Dariusprime]

"All admirable goals, Doctor," replied Afareen from somewhere in the kitchen. "My work on the neighborhood council uses similar assumptions. We need to be proactive in preventing the conditions that breed lawlessness as well as safety nets in place for dealing with the consequences."

As she spoke, the rumble of a car engine echoed from the driveway, followed shortly by the car door.

"That is so cool," Fatima nearly squeaked as she hoped up and opened the front door. "I mean, how much higher profile can you be that the Freedom League? Really hard to believe!"

She kissed the arrival on the cheek, "Hi, Dad!" The figure was a tall man with wild, graying hair in an Einstein-like look. He was, very likely, instantly recognizable.

Subject: Mahmoud Zandipour

Age: 57

Description: A grinning eccentric, Mahmoud is best known for his environmentally friendly, sometimes radical, skyscraper and industrial designs. He is the senior partner of Freedom City Classical & Futurist, one of the most successful architecture firms since the second Terminus Invasion. Dr. Zandipour, a Freedom City native, at the time of the Invasion was an associate partner of the firm, but landed his big break when assigned to the redesign team for downtown Freedom (including Pyramid Plaza).

His designs are noteworthy not only for their ecological friendliness, but their open floor plans, heavy use of natural sunlight and organic integration into the local environment (where possible!). He pushed for green technology long before it was fashionable. Despite the obvious success and wealth of his career, he still lives in the modest home originally purchased by his wife, Afareen Teymourian.

Appearance: A bear of a man, mostly gray, with a playful smile and wild shock of wavy hair. Despite his age, he looks physically fit, and probably was a capable athlete in his younger years. Decades of stressful deadlines have left their toil, however, and the lines of his face make him look ten years older. He'll be quick to point out that his more laugh lines than frown lines!

"Hi, Speedy," replied Mahmoud as he hauled himself into the house, looking beat. "Sorry I'm late."

Dumping his briefcase next to the door, he rubbed the side of his face before noticing their guest. His face perked up and he cleared the distance in a two step, offering a handshake to Viktor, "Dr. Archeville! A pleasure to see you again. You look well! Welcome to our home."