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Elena had been working as a senior analyst at Meridian Bank for nearly four years when she volunteered to cover the late shift three evenings a week. She had always preferred quiet offices, and the usual daytime chaos had begun to exhaust her. By the time her colleagues left at five thirty, the open-plan floor became almost silent except for the low hum of the air- conditioning units that had been running since morning. Elena would first check the system logs that had been generated during the busy hours, noting any irregularities that might have escaped the daytime team's attention. After that she prepared the overnight reports which were sent automatically to regional managers at midnight.
On this particular Tuesday she arrived later than usual because the bus she normally caught had been delayed by heavy rain. Once seated at her desk, she realised she had forgotten her thermos of coffee, so she walked to the small kitchen where a fresh pot had just finished brewing. While she waited for her mug to fill, she thought about the promotion she had been promised if her quarterly figures continued to improve. The office manager, Mr Harlan, had told her only last week that her accuracy rate was the highest in the department.
At around eight o'clock Elena received a call from the security guard who reported that the main entrance had been left unlocked by a cleaner. She immediately activated the electronic lock from her computer and made a note in the incident log. By nine thirty she had completed the final reconciliation of foreign-exchange transactions that had accumulated since the European markets closed. Satisfied with the clean figures, she allowed herself a short break and ate the sandwich she had packed that morning.
Shortly after ten she began the backup procedure that would run until eleven fifteen. During this time the building was almost empty; only the night porter remained on the ground floor. Elena had grown to enjoy these solitary hours because they gave her space to think about the new analytical models she hoped to introduce if the bank approved her proposal. When the backup finished successfully, she switched off her monitors, collected her belongings and headed for the lift. As she stepped into the cool night air at half past eleven, she reflected that the late shift, though tiring, had become the most productive part of her week.