Chapter 1

Heather Pence was a stunningly beautiful woman. Almost six feet one inch tall and weighing in at a slim, trim 128 pounds, she had a super model's figure. Combine that with titian hair, blazing green eyes and a milky complexion that only served to enhance her other features and you had one of the most distinctive females on the planet.

But it wasn't all looks with Heather. He had a brilliant mind, having earned her Master's degree in agricultural economics from the University of Iowa. Unfortunately, her social skills left something to be desired. She definitely did NOT suffer fools lightly and tended to be quite judgmental, using her own attributes as her standard of comparison. This explains why instead of some cushy, well-paying job as a consultant, Heather was reduced to a data entry job with the local phone company, an extremely tedious and boring job. That's why Heather spent every free moment she could spare searching for a more substantial way to earn a living.

One warm, wet Sunday in June, Heather came across an ad that was to change her life. The title was impressive, Senior Research Subject Compliance Officer with the Diehl Nutritional Research Corporation. The pay was impressive too, starting at $75,000 a year. And so it was that Heather shipped off her resume. Truth be told, she did so with a notable lack of confidence. She had been down this road many times. She had lost count of the number of unsuccessful interviews she had done. She was weary of rejection, but there was something about THIS job that just felt different.

Heather put on her most business professional outfit and trundled off to her interview. She met a Mr. Shunderson from Human Resources. He was most pleasant and came prepared with questions that Heather was more than prepared to answer, which she did. She noted that Mr. Shunderson seemed particularly pleased that she was single and unattached and more than willing to relocate if necessary. The interview flew by and Heather KNEW she had hit a home run.

A day later she was called back into the office where she was questioned by a research scientist who paid particular attention to her health history and her background with diet and exercise. She admitted she was hardly an expert in the field and at that moment thought she had eliminated herself just as she had done so many times before. But the gentleman seemed unphased. In fact, as he rose, he shook Heather's hand and said, "Welcome to the team!".