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                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.4

                             EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into effective the 14th day of August, 1998
and between Vicom, Incorporated ("Employer") and Jim Mandel ("Employee")

WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS, Employer desires to employ in the capacity and on the terms and
conditions hereinafter set forth, and Employee has agreed to accept such
employment;

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
promises hereinafter contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:

     1. EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP. Employer hereby employs Employee as an officer
        of Employer. Employee accepts such employment and agrees to perform
        such duties as may be reasonably requested by Employer, as directed by
        Employer. Employee's job description is set forth in Exhibit A
        attached hereto and incorporated herein.

     2. TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT. Subject to the provisions for termination
        hereinafter set forth the term of this Agreement and the performance
        of Employee's services shall be (3) years commencing September 23, 1998
        unless earlier terminated as provided in Paragraph 8 hereof.

     3. COMPENSATION AND FRINGE BENEFITS. For all services rendered by
        Employee to Employer in any capacity, Employee shall be compensated in
        accordance with the terms set forth in this section and in Exhibit B
        which is attached hereto and made a part hereof. Employee shall be
        entitled to participate in and to be covered by a profit-sharing,
        pension, life insurance, accident insurance, health insurance,
        hospitalization and any other employee benefit plan effective with
        respect to employees of Employer only to the extent he/she shall be
        eligible and qualify under the terms of such plans.

     4. INDEMNIFICATION. As a further consideration of accepting employment
        with Employer. Employer agrees to indemnify Employee in the manner
        and to the full extent permitted or authorized by the By-Laws of
        Employer.

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     5. AUTHORIZED EXPENSES. Employee shall incur expenses in connection with
        the business of the Employer only when authorized by the CEO or other
        executive officer of Employer. When Employee is authorized to incur
        such expenses, the Employer will reimburse Employee for all such
        reasonable expenses upon presentation by Employee, of an itemized
        account of such expenditures. All expenses to be incurred which exceed
        $1,000.00 require verbal or written pre-approval by both the CEO and
        the CFO. Employee agrees to re-pay or reimburse the Employer, on
        demand, for any expenses which are disallowed as a deduction for
        Federal or State income income tax purposes. In addition, Employer
        shall reimburse the Employee for Employee's travel expenses, where
        such travel is authorized or required by Employer.

     6. CONFIDENTIAL NATURE OF EMPLOYER'S BUSINESS-NON-DISCLOSURE.  Employee
        acknowledges that he may receive or contribute to the production of
        Confidential Information. For purposes of this Agreement, Employee
        agrees that "Confidential Information" shall be mean information or
        material proprietary to Employer or designated as Confidential
        Information by Employer and not generally known by non-Employer
        personnel, of or to which the undersigned develop or of which
        the undersigned may obtain knowledge or access throughout as a
        result to the undersigned's relationship with Employer (including
        information conceived, originated, discovered or developed in
        whole or in part by the undersigned). The Confidential information
        includes, but is not limited to, the following types of information
        and other forms of information of a similar nature (whether or not
        reduced to writing): discoveries, ideas, concepts, software in
        various stages of development diagrams, flow charts, research,
        development, diagrams, flow charts, research, development, processes,
        procedures, "know-how", marketing techniques and materials, marketing
        and development plans, customer names and other information related of
        customers, price lists, pricing policies and financial information.
        Confidential Information also includes any information described
        above which Employer obtains from another party and which Employer
        treats as proprietary or designates as Confidential Information,
        whether or not owned by or developed by Employer.

INFORMATION PUBLICLY KNOWN THAT IS GENERALLY EMPLOYED BY THE TRADE AT OR
AFTER THE TIME THE UNDERSIGNED FIRST LEARNS OF SUCH INFORMATION, OR GENERIC
INFORMATION OR KNOWLEDGE WHICH THE UNDERSIGNED WOULD HAVE LEARNED IN THE
COURSE OF SIMILAR EMPLOYMENT OR WORK ELSEWHERE IN THE TRADE SHALL NOT BE
DEEMED PART OF THE CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION. Employee further agrees:

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A. To furnish Employer on demand, at any time during or after employment, a
   complete list of the names and addresses of all persons which Employee known
   has dealt with, are dealing with or propose to deal with Employer, including
   present, former and potential customers and other contacts gained while in
   the employ of Employer, whether or not on possession or within the
   knowledge of Employer. Such information may be disclosed by periodic
   reports to Employer during employment.

B. All notes, data, reference materials, sketches, drawings, memoranda,
   documentation and records in any way incorporating or reflecting any
   confidential Information shall belong exclusively to Employer and Employee
   agrees to turn over all copies of such material in Employees' control to
   Employer upon request or upon termination of Employee's employment with
   Employer.

C. That during his employment by Employer and thereafter Employee will hold in
   confidence and not directly or indirectly reveal, report, publish, disclose
   or transfer any of the Confidential Information for any purpose, except in
   the course of the undersigned's work for Employer.

D. That inventions or ideas in whole or in part conceived of or made by
   Employee during or after the term of his/her employment or relationship
   with employer which are made through the use of Employer's equipment,
   facilities, trade secret or time, or which result from any work performed by
   Employee for Employer, shall belong exclusively to Employer and be deemed a
   part of the Confidential Information for purposes of this agreement.
   Employee hereby assigns and agrees to assign to Employer all rights in and
   to such Confidential Information whether for purposes of obtaining patent
   or copyright protection or otherwise.

   Employee shall acknowledge and deliver to Employer without charge to
   Employer, (but at its expense) Such written instruments and to do such
   other acts, including giving testimony in support of Employee's authorship
   or inventorship, as the case may be, necessary on the opinion of Employer to
   obtain patents or copyrights or to otherwise protect or vest entire right
   and title in and to confidential in Employer.

E. That he has been given a copy of and has reviewed chapter 325C of Minnesota
   status, known as the MINNESOTA UNIFORM TRADE SECRETS ACT (the "Act") and
   acknowledges that violation of the act or of his/her agreements, covenants
   and representations contained I this Agreement may give rise of a cause of
   action of favor of Vicom against him/her for general and special damages.

7. VACATIONS. Employee shall be entitled each year to a vacation as stated on
   exhibit B.

8. TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT. This agreement will terminate in accordance
   with the following provisions:

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A. Upon forty five (45) days written notice to Employee, Employer may
terminate this Agreement and any benefits provided for Employee hereunder
immediately upon service of written notice on Employee as follows:

(i) if Employee takes employment, in competition with Employer or in
violation of this Agreement, or, (ii) is guilty of any act or acts of
misconduct, dishonesty, or disloyalty against Employer.

B. After 12 months, if (i) the company is experiencing significant operating
losses, (in excess of $300,000.00) or (ii) the board of directors is
irrevocably deadlocked with regards as to how to manage the company.

9. DEATH OR DISABILITY DURING EMPLOYMENT. If Employee dies or becomes disabled
during the term or his/her employment, Employer shall pay the estate of
Employee compensation which would otherwise be payable to Employee up to the
end of the month in which his/her death occurs.

10. COVENANT NOT TO COMPETE. For a period of one (1) year from the date of
termination of his employment with Employer, for any reason whatsoever,
Employee will not, directly or indirectly on his own behalf or as a partner,
officer, employee, consultant, agent, shareholder, director or trustee of any
person, firm, corporation or other entity, engage or participate in any
business which engages or participates in the sale, installation or service
of Nec, Tadiran or Hitachi equipment or MCI products and services on the date
of such termination of employment in the State of Minnesota or any other
state where the Company may have operating entities, or call upon otherwise
solicit any account of Employer, wherever they may be located, or permit
his/her name to be used in connection with any such business or solicitation.

11. INDEPENDENT COVENANTS. The covenants on the part of employee contained in
paragraphs 6 and 10 shall be constructed as Agreement independent of any
other provisions in this Agreement; and it is agreed that relief for any
claim or case of action of Employee against Employer, whether predicated on
this Agreement or otherwise, shall be measured in damages and shall not
constitute a defenses to enforcement by Employee of those covenants.

12. INJUNCTIVE RELIEF: ATTORNEYS FEES. In recognition of the irreparable harm
    that violation of the covenants of Paragraph 6&10 would cause Employer,
    Employee agrees that in addition to any relief afforded by law, an
    injunction against such violation or violations may be issued against
    him/he and every other person concerned hereby, it being understood by the
    parties that both damages and an injunction shall be proper modes of relief
    and are not to be considered alternative remedies. In the event of any such
    violation the Employee agrees to pay the reasonable attorney" fees incurred
    by Employer in pursuing any of its rights with respect to such violation,
    in addition to the actual damages sustained by Employer as a result thereof.

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13. NOTICES. All notices given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be
    personally served or sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt
    requested. Notices to Employer shall be given to Employer at its corporate
    headquarters which as of the date of this Agreement is 9449 Science Center
    Drive, New Hope, MN 55428. Notices to Employer or Employees shall be sent
    to such other address as Employer or Employee shall specify in writing to
    the other.

14. MISCELLANEOUS.

A.  The term "subsidiary" shall mean any corporation partnership or other
    business entity on which Employer has a significant financial interest, or
    which Employer directly or indirectly, though one or more intermediaries
    officers or employees, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common
    control with.

B.  This Agreement is the entire Agreement between the parties concerning the
    subject matter hereof and supersedes and replaces any existing Agreement
    between the parties hereto relating to the employee's employment. Employer
    and Employee hereby acknowledge that there are not Agreements or
    understandings of any nature, oral or written, regarding Employee's
    employment, apart from this Agreement.

C.  No failure on the part of Employer to exercise, and no delay in
    exercising any right hereunder will operate as a waiver thereof, nor will
    any single or partial exercise of any right hereunder by Employer preclude
    any other or further exercise thereof of the exercise of any other right.

D.  It is further agreed and understood by the parties hereto that if any
    part, term or provisions of this contract should be held unenforceable in
    the jurisdiction in which either party seeks enforcement of the contract,
    it shall be construed as if not containing the invalid provisions shall
    govern the rights and obligations of the parties.

E.  This contract shall be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws
    of the State of Minnesota.

F.  This agreement is personal in nature and cannot be assigned by Employee.
    The terms, conditions and covenants herein shall be binding upon the heirs
    and personal representatives of employee, and the successors, assigns of
    Employer and any subsidiary of Employer.

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IN THE WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have duly executed this Agreement as of
the day and year first above written.


                                             VICOM, INCORPORATED


                                             By /s/ Marvin Frieman
                                                ------------------------------


                                             EMPLOYEE

                                             /s/ James Mandel
                                             ---------------------------------

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     Exhibits to Employment Agreement Dated August 14, 1998 between
Vicom, Inc. (Employer) And Jim Mandel (Employee).

Exhibit A: Job Description

Position: Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board of Directors
Reports to: Board of Directors

Duties: To improve the quality of Vicom's Board; to assist in revising
company business and financial plans, and direct the execution of same; to
help in recruiting qualified staff and customers; to improve the quality of
Vicom's technical operations; to develop expansion and growth opportunities,
as appropriate; to direct the activities of other officers and staff, as
appropriate; special projects, as needed.

Exhibit B; Compensation

Salary: $132,000 per year ($11,000 per month)
Car Allowance: $500.00 per month.
Guaranteed Vacation: For the first year, guaranteed three weeks per year; one
additional week at discretion of board of directors. Thereafter, four weeks
per year.
Benefits: All other standard company benefits per attached.
Stock Options: 225,000 shares at an exercise price of 60 cents per share; to
be vested at the rate of 75,000 shares per year on the first three
anniversary dates from employee's starting date of employment. All standard
terms of Vicom's Incentive Stock Option program to apply.

Agreed to:

/s/ Marvin Frieman                   /s/ James Mandel
-----------------------              -----------------------
Employer                                Employee